Michelle-Note: Thank you for informing me of my random spelling error at the top of the first chapter of this. I will leave it because it is funny. OMG! I know where this is going...I think, but...here is another boring chapter leading up to...SOMETHING. Hahaha. I am being so productive these days. Yay!

Chapter 10: Back To The Side-Plot!

Tawny: Stevens' House, Louis' Room, Sacramento: 4:59pm: 11 June

"Tawny Dean," Louis began, "I don't know how you're managing to accomplish any of this."

I smirked, but said nothing. He was mad and it amused me. He hated to lose, and he was certainly losing.

"It makes no sense."

"Oh, but it does. I am right, and you are wrong…again."

"I still have five days to find just one completely straight girl…and they have to exist somewhere, I know it."

I sighed, not at him being right or anything like that, but at the fact that he was so determined, and his determination was pointless. Louis was going to be short 100 in a few days, and I was going to have 100 to spend on myself. It was nice. I crossed my arms.

"Five days is a long time Tawny, and all I need is one girl." He was about to start yelling.

If he had nothing else, he had a senseless amount of determination. I'd vouch for that any day. "Alright, Lou. Who's next? Ren?"

"No!"

I knew that would bother him. Silly boy. "Who then?"

"How about…" He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Ruby!"

"Ruby?" I squinted at him, wondering if he were serious.

"She likes boys…a lot."

I knew that, very much, but didn't doubt my ability in the slightest. I had already breeched part of our agreement and let someone in on our bet and its nature with Ren. If he found out, I would end up forfeiting. She'd never tell him though, we were tight like that. "Louis, you know this is pointless…"

"No." He pointed a finger at me accusingly, "I will not lose."

I rolled my eyes, "Ruby should be here any time now, if she isn't already, you know. She was out with Ren and Gordo, and that lot. Would you like her to just say she likes girls, or do you need me to kiss her like you did the other five?"

"She will not kiss you!"

"If you say so…" I got up from his bed where I was sitting, and left his room. He followed, angrily. I was really getting rather tired of kissing random people that I had no feelings for whatsoever. All of which have been complete strangers. Ruby would certainly be the one to change that. I walked by Ren's room and saw the whole crowd of people sitting in there on her bed and floor.

"Hey, Tawny!" Ren shouted.

I turned and went in, while Louis lurked outside the door, never walking past.

"Hey…" I said as glumly as possible. Ren doesn't do peoples' emotions very well, and I knew none of the crazy visitors would say anything because they didn't know me.

"What's the matter, Tawny?" Ruby asked, just as I expected her to.

"Nothing." I mumbled, and sat down next to Ren on her bed.

"Something is the matter!" She protested, "You are going to talk to me about it too!"

"Nah. Nothing's wrong."

"I think otherwise." She jumped up, and latched onto my wrist, "We're going to go talk in the bathroom, right now!"

I hoped Louis heard that and cleared the vicinity of his presence. I let her drag me out, and saw that he was nowhere in sight. He was getting good at the whole stealthy, spying thing. It scared me a little. He could use it against me one day. We went into the bathroom, and Ruby locked the door behind us.

I spoke as quickly as possible, "I made a bet with Louis. Ask Ren about it in private."

"Wha-" I covered her confused shout with my hand, muffling it, and then shushed her, and hopped up into the counter next to the sink, and sat there. She looked like she wanted to say something else, but didn't.

"Ruby…I just…I've been thinking lately…"
"About what?" She asked, concerned, seeming to forget about my rambling a few seconds before.

"Just…stuff…" I said hesitantly. No one was going to trust me after this. I was using my superb acting skills for evil, "Can I ask you something kinda personal?"

Ren's poor friend was observably baffled, and looking at me very funny. I wondered if she could see herself in the mirror behind me. She was making quite the humorous face. "I know you're straight and all but-"

"I think I know where this is going and I don't like it much." Her voice was stern.

"No…I'm just wondering…do you ever think about girls like that, ever?"

She stared at me for a minute, trying to figure out what exactly I was leading up to because she was really unsure, "Well…maybe…Angelina Jolie, but that's all!"

I laughed a little, "I've been thinking about you a lot lately…and I'm really mean to you…I pick on you a lot, and it's just because…" I slid off the counter top and took a step toward her, "It's because…"

"I don't like where this is going." She said again.

"I just…" I mumbled, and looked at her sadly, right in the eyes. I really was a horrible person.

"Tawny…" She backed up against the door, and fumbled with the knob behind her like a scared animal, but she couldn't seem to unlock it without looking at it.

What I was doing was very dangerous. Ruby was a feisty girl, and I could very easily be physically injured, which Louis would pay for. "Ruby…I just…I…um…"

"Tawny. No. Bad Tawny. Don't come any closer. I really, really don't like you like that…we're just friends…" Her voice was shaking now, and she was actually scared of me. Not me, per se, but of me kissing her.

I leaned forward quickly, and kissed her for what felt like less than a second, and I had a feeling her eyes were wide open. She was completely still like a tree. With her cat-like reflexes, she shoved me off of her, and I feel backwards into the sink, banging my elbow on the cabinet door.

"Bad Tawny! Never, ever do that again!" She scolded.

"Don't tell anyone." I said, pleadingly, and rubbing my sore elbow.

She sighed, "It was a one time thing…but…but I won't tell…unless you try it again!"

"Alright. You win."

She nodded like she knew she won. Then in one swift motion she unlocked the door and exited. A second later, she yelled, "Louis!"

I laughed, though I was in pain.

"I had to go to the bathroom, Ruby! I wasn't listening, I swear!"

She let out a little frustrated scream, then Louis appeared in the doorway, and glared at me menacingly. I was starting to think that Ruby might not count since she was so unwilling, but Louis obviously counted her.

"I suffered an injury because of your idiocy."

"You will not win!" He didn't care at all that I had hurt myself.

I got up, groaning. I wanted this to be over. I really did, "Who next?"

"Lizzie."

"Fine, but I have to rest for a day or two because I have a battle wound." I quickly straightened my hair in the mirror, and looked and Louis' reflection as he stood behind me still in the door, looking very pissed off, "I thought you had a crush on her."

"She's hot, and leaving, and obviously likes someone else. I'd do her. That is all." With that he stomped away back in the direction of his room.

I wanted this to be over very much, and was tempted just to give him 100 and let it be, but that would be like admitting he was right, which he wasn't, so I have to stick it out, and keep kissing everyone all because he was a stubborn ass, and I was a stubborn ass. I wondered how he could tell Lizzie liked someone else. It was obvious that she liked someone, but I figured he was too dense to notice. I noticed, of course, I just couldn't tell who. It wasn't Gordo, or Miranda. It must've been someone from back where she came from. I planned on finding out who for my own amusement.