The Bet Part Two

Disclaimers: Read Part One for disclaimers. Keri Matthews is mine! J

                                     The Bet

 "I'm nervous." Topanga said as she and her friends walked to Cory's house. Minkus was with them because he was Keri's partner for Mr. Fini's new assignment.

 "Why?" Keri asked as the boys were talking. "It's just Shawn."

 "Exactly." Topanga said with a nod. "We could find out we are very different people."

 Keri eyed her. "Panga, that's the point of this project. I for one, know I am different from Minkus."

 "You're right Keri." Topanga said with a nod. "I am just being silly and superficial." She said. "Hey Stewart, what do you think of this whole thing?" She asked.

Minkus looked at them, surprised he was going to be included in the conversation. "I'm a little afraid of what I will find." He said.

 "Like what?" Asked Jennifer Powers, Cory's partner.

"If you know Keri, you know what I'm talking about." Minkus said with a shiver. Keri laughed.

"I'm not that bad!" She exclaimed. "Am I?" She asked worriedly.

"No, you're just a little odd is all." Said Topanga.

Keri looked at them and snorted. "Odd? Me? Uh hello, who's Miss Chant Champion here?"

Topanga only shrugged her shoulders. "Now Keri." She said. "I'm not saying being odd is a bad thing—"

"I'm not odd!" Keri exclaimed.

They reached the Matthews's house. Eric opened the door looking haggard. "Girl…leave…run." He said and headed to his car.

 Cory and Shawn exchanged looks and tried not to laugh. "Okay Jen." He said to his partner. "Get ready…cause I'm gonna choose what we do today!" He dragged her into the house.

 "Shall we?" Shawn asked Topanga. "I mean, we do have to get to the park soon. I'm gonna teach you how to play one on one."

 "Come on Minkus." Keri grabbed his arm. "We got so much to do, and only an hour to do it!"

Minkus followed Keri inside. Amy greeted them. "What are you kids going to do?" She asked them.

 Keri smiled. Time to reveal her plan. "We're just going to go up to my room Aunt Amy." She said. "We'll see you later, okay?"

Amy nodded, studying her niece. She knew that look on Keri's face well—it only happened whenever she, and Cory got together and cooked some wild crazy scheme up.

  Keri and Minkus headed into Keri's room. She got the attic, and had been allowed to fix it up anyway she wanted. She had decorated it with pictures of her favorite rock and movie stars, as well as some pictures of her, Shawn, and Cory at the Wet and Wild Fun Park they had went to  last summer.

 "Okay." Keri said as she flopped down onto a beanbag chair. Minkus gingerly perched on her other one. "See Minkus, this is the thing. Have you ever thought about, uh, I don't know, changing your style?" She asked.

 Minkus looked at her. "You mean, be someone I'm not?" He asked.

"Yeah, that's it!"

"I'm not sure I'd be very good at that Keri." Minkus pushed his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose. "Heck." He laughed. "I'm not very good at being me, so how can I be someone else?"

Keri grinned. "With a little style, and something called a leather jacket." She said with that look again.

                                              *   *  *

  "What is the point of this?" Jennifer asked as she and Cory were playing video games. Cory was pushing the buttons on his controller like crazy and Jennifer only barely tapped hers.

 "Come on, come on, I'm kicking your butt!" Cory exclaimed.

"This is boring!" Jennifer declared.

"Hey, I wasn't complaining when we shopped for two hours yesterday." Cory interjected.

Jennifer eyed him. "Oh yeah right!" She exclaimed and tossed her hair behind her. "You just said every ten minutes, 'Can we go yet'?"

"Huh, guess I did complain." Cory pressed a button and a sound affect on the screen went off. "Killed ya!" He exclaimed in triumph.

Jennifer rolled her eyes. "Is this all you do, Cory?" She asked him. Cory looked up, and shut off the game.

"No, I usually go play basketball with Shawn right about now. Come on!" He said darting out of the room, Jennifer close behind him.

    

 Minkus was wearing one of Eric's leather jackets. "Keri, are you sure your cousin won't mind if I borrow this?" He asked. He was admiring himself in the mirror.

 "Nope, not at all." Keri said. "Now, there's something missing, but I don't know…wait!" She dug around the bathroom drawers for something and pulled out a pair of aviator—style sunglasses. "These will look perfect with your new look, Minkus." She assured him.

Minkus took the glasses and put them on. "I don't know." He said. "I'm beginning to feel like it's Halloween."

"It takes some getting used to Minkus." She said. "And remember what I taught you?"

Minkus nodded. "When someone says 'hi' to me say 'heeey'." He looked at her for approval.

Keri shook her head. "Not like that, it makes you sound like the Fonz." She said. "More like this he—ey ." She coached.

Minkus tried it. Keri nodded her approval this time. "Great. And what else?"

"And always reply to an answer with 'yo?'" Minkus replied.

"You got it. Dude, Shawn'll hafta do some babysitting this Friday." She remarked with a smile.

~End of Part Two~