The Bet

By: Fox Almasy

Ch. 7

Dads' suck

Fox: sorry for the long wait and I don't want to make you wait longer so Kojisa please read the disclaimer

Kojisa: We own nothing. Sometimes I don't even think we own our own sanity

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Sounds of waves crashing flooded Brad's ears, as he slowly became conscious. He pushed himself up from the silk covered pillow and looked around the room. The sun was spilling into the room and onto the bed where Brad slept. His eyes moved to rest on the clock and groaned as the large red numbers glowed back at him.

"10:00…" he sat up and rubbed his face still trying to will himself awake. He stood and stumbled to the bathroom and turned on the shower.

Steam had fogged the mirror as he stepped into the shower and let the water beat down on his back. He didn't like waking up early if he didn't have to and for Brad 10:00 was early.

A half-hour later Brad was walking down the steps to the kitchen and was surprised to find no one there.

"Where'd everyone go?" he leaned on the counter and grabbed an apple out of the fruit bowl and took a bite. He jumped suddenly at the sound of Mr. Flugal's voice behind him almost making him choke.

"Do you usually sleep this late?" Brad glanced around nervously hoping to catch sight of Naomi, but she was no where.

"Uh…sometimes…" Mr. Flugal didn't seem pleased as he crossed his arms over his chest and studied Brad.

"How old did you say you were"

"22." Brad could hear the panic in his own voice and cursed himself. He was never really good at talking with girl's parents . . . especially their Dads. They often thought of him as a menace trying to deflower their little girls . . . or at least that's what one girl's dad had said. Brad hated guys like that. "Do you know where Naomi is?" he questioned while trying to move away from the larger man before him.

"She's out with her mother and told me to tell you that she wont be back till late."

"Oh . . . OK." Mr. Flugal continued to stare at him and didn't look like he was leaving any time soon.

"I take it you're not busy today so I need you to do a few things for me."

"Like what?" Brad questioned as he tossed the apple core into the trash.

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"What a crock of shit." Brad mumbled as he stared at the driftwood littering the private beach. It was a proven that Mr. Flugal disliked him greatly. He had told Brad to remove the driftwood from the beach thus here Brad stood now. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his blue board shorts then sat down on the sand. "What was Naomi thinking leaving me here with her Dad.

"Tired already?" Brad jumped up and turned around to stare at Naomi's dad.

"No I was just deciding . . .how I was going to clean up." The larger man before him crossed his arms over his chest his expression never changing from the angry look that seemed to be his usual expression. He stood there for a few minutes then turned and walked back to the house. Brad watched him till he disappeared into the house then clenched his fists and began picking up the wood.

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Brad glared up at the sun as he threw the last piece of driftwood onto the pile. The private beach was now spotless as Brad sat down next to the pile and stared out over the ocean. He took a deep breath and let it out through clenched teeth as he continued to remind himself that after tomorrow Naomi's parents were leaving and it'd be just her and him.

"Hey Brad!" Brad looked over his shoulder where Naomi was walking down from the house. She came up next him and sat down as she glanced over him. He had removed his shirt sometime during the day and his upper body was now tanned from the sun's rays. "Wow you got really dark. What were you doing out here?" Brad leaned his elbows on his knees and glanced at Naomi out of the corner of his eyes.

"Your Dad asked me to pick up the drift wood." Naomi's eyebrows raised as she leaned back on her hands.

"What? Are you serious?" Brad looked back out toward the water and nodded. "I can't believe him. He does that with everybody."

"Gee lucky me."

"Well come on lets go back inside." They stood and brushed the sand away before starting for the house. Naomi looked at Brad again and smiled. "You know you really ought to have worn sun screen. You might not have turned so dark."

"Well now I get to go back to New York with a tan."

"That actually might not be such a bad idea."

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Brad stared at the reflection that was bouncing on the ceiling from the ocean outside. He had spent the rest of the day staying away from Mr. Flugal, which wasn't easy. He hated the fact that he was now wide-awake at 2 a.m. He rolled over and stood from the bed and walked toward the sliding glass doors and stared out over the water. The moon was full and its reflection was shining brightly in the black of the ocean.

Brad vaguely wondered about the band and what they were doing. Or what his mom, step Dad, and little half sister were doing. He turned around at the sound of his door opening and was surprised to see Naomi standing in the entranceway.

"I see you couldn't sleep either?" she murmured and walked over to stand next to him.

"I think its jet lag."

"Yeah I know the feeling." They stood in silence with the only sound being the waves crashing on the sand. The stillness was broken and Naomi glanced at Brad from the corner of her eyes. "I'm sorry about my Dad today. I hope you're still enjoying yourself."

"Hey don't worry about it. I really don't mind." Naomi smiled and pushed away and moved toward the door. Brad followed her and stopped as she leaned in the doorway.

"Well I guess I'll let you sleep." She murmured as she gazed at him with half lidded eyes. Brad nodded and pulled her back as she started to walk away. Naomi's eyes widened as Brad pressed his lips gently against hers. Something inside her told her to think about John, but she didn't listen as she closed her eyes and returned the kiss.

Brad pulled away suddenly, leaving Naomi standing with parted lips and a confused expression.

"Uh . . . I'll see you in the morning." He mumbled as he walked toward his bed and sat down.

"Yeah OK." She replied before slipping out of the room and returning to her own.

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Naomi sat down on her bed, confusion still fogging her mind. What had happened just now? Why had he done what he did? Naomi didn't know how to answer these questions. They kept ringing over and over with in her brain.

Naomi touched her lips gently as she lay down on her pillows. She was vaguely ashamed that she enjoyed Brad's kiss more than she had ever enjoyed one from John. She knew it probably wouldn't have happened if Brad knew about John. She never took the liberty to tell him and even now after tonight she didn't want to tell him. Brad seemed to fill an empty void that John could not or refused to fill.

Thoughts swam through Naomi's mind. Questions that should be answered soon but Naomi was hesitant to face them. She was starting to like the feeling of not being with John; he was heartless at times and was only your friend when it was beneficial for him.

Naomi rubbed at her temples then glanced out the window at a full moon that hung in the night sky. What was she going to do about this? She couldn't just think of her and Brad as just friends. Things obviously seemed to be more than that, but what could you call it.

'Oh Naomi just go to sleep . . . worry about it later.' Naomi agreed with the voice in her head and rolled over, wrapped her arms about her pillow and closed her eyes.

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The room seemed to be silent except for the conversation Naomi and her mom were having. Brad stared down at his now empty plate and refused to look up. He could feel Mr. Flugal's eyes on him. Keeping under close surveillance in case he tried anything.

'It's OK Brad. just ignore him. They're leaving tonight don't forget.' Brad looked up slowly as the room at some point had fallen silent. Everyone was looking at him and he knew he had missed a question or something.

"What?"

"I said what do you plan on doing after college?" Brad wanted to strangle Mr. Flugal, but refrained and instead rested his cheek on his fist.

"I'm not really sure yet." This was not entirely true. If things went the way they were all planing then they'd be signed onto a record company and all he would have to do is play his guitar and be a back up singer.

"So you have no idea what so ever?"

"I have ideas I'm just not positive yet." Naomi could see Brad's annoyed expression, although he tried to hide it. Just as her dad was about to ask another question Naomi stood up and quickly changed the subject.

"Brad how about you help me with the dishes." Brad nodded and followed Naomi into the kitchen. She glanced at him and smiled apologetically. "I'm really sorry about that. I don't know what's gotten into him, but thankfully they'll be leaving in a few hours. And tonight there's a party at this bar. I thought we could go."

"Sounds good."

Fox: everyone I am so very sorry for the delay. Things have been crazy and every time I got on the PC to type I was stuck and wasn't sure what to type about plus homework and preparing for finals. We've got 9 days left of school and after that I'm getting a job so I can buy a laptop. The job pays 10 bucks an hour 8 hours a day, so it's pretty great, but that also means I wont have much time to type. Then in July I have to show at the fair and then I have to do PE for summer school because I'm missing half a semester. How gay is that? n e way I'm babbling. Hope u all can forgive me and I'll try to update again soon.

Kojisa: ya so please read and review OK Audi