*A/N: Sorry it's been sooo long! I'll explain everything after the story. For now, just ENJOY!
That night in the garage of the Court residence, four males and one female stood chatting about a bet that had been made two weeks ago. The female was smiling triumphantly feeling that she had already won the bet considering the male hadn't made any progress.
"Ivy stop smirking like that, you haven't won." Liam said irritated with her.
"Yet." Was all Ivy said. She was ecstatic at the fact that Annie hadn't budged about not going out with Liam. She finally had the hope that she would not only win the bet, but also win Liam's heart. The more she thought about being with him, being his girlfriend, being the one that he trusted the most, the more Ivy craved it, the more she really needed it.
"No, 'cuz you see, I've actually made lots of progress." explained Liam. Ivy's smirk disappeared and a look of anxiousness took over her features which went unnoticed by Liam.
"Explain." Ivy challenged.
Liam raised his eyebrows and smirked (which made Ivy shiver uncontrollably) and then said, "Let's just say that things got pretty heated at the grocery store and as of today, we have officially become friends."
"Heated at the grocery store?" Dixon jumped in completely intrigued with what Liam had just said.
"Dude, have you won the bet and not told us about it yet?" Teddy asked in astonishment.
Liam shook his head denying it all and Ivy, who had been holding her breath the entire time, let out a sigh so deep that all the guys in the room became silent and turned to look at her.
"So, umm, do I owe you twenty bucks or not, man?" Ivy said a little jittery. She avoided all eye contact with any male in the room.
"No, I haven't slept with Annie yet, chill your pants." said Liam, confusing Ivy's jitters with fear of losing the bet rather than a fear of losing him.
"Then what happened?" she asked tentatively.
"I just figured out she could be easily seduced, but she doesn't seem to know that she's completely attracted to me. She's like scared or something." Liam stated slightly repulsed by the idea of someone being 'scared' of him.
"Then show her how not to be scared." Navid said to Liam.
"I know. I just gotta show her that I'm not the type of guy she thinks I am. I gotta show her that I have a soft side."
The laughter that followed after that comment was so hysterical that anyone in the neighborhood would have been able to hear it.
Liam remained serious, "What?"
"You have a soft side?" Teddy, who had been able to compose himself for a couple seconds, questioned Liam and then resumed laughing.
"Well yeah, I guess, I mean I could if I wanted to and—what the hell, I can make myself have a soft side." Liam explained agitated. He knew that he had trained himself well; his soft side was buried deep down in the depths of his soul and he wouldn't allow for anyone to see it.
"Like hell you're gonna have to make one up. Everyone knows Liam Court does not have a soft bone in his body."
Liam sighed knowing full well that his friends were right. To show Annie that he was a different guy and that she could trust him, he'd have to work a little harder to create a different side of him. In a way it angered him, but at the same time he wanted to bring it on. He was ready for the challenge and was ready to win some money.
"You know what?" Liam said coming to a sort of realization, "I'd like to raise the stakes."
His four friends, who had been convulsed with laughter seconds before, quieted down and stared at him in wonderment.
"What do you mean?" Ivy asked.
"I want to raise the price." Liam explained.
"Okay? How much now?"
"One hundred dollars."
"A hundred dollars?"
"Yeah, now if I win you'll owe me 100 bucks."
Ivy gulped. She knew that Liam had to feel completely sure of himself if he was willing to add an extra eighty bucks to the bet. She was beginning to feel unsure of her belief that Annie wouldn't fall for him, but then she remembered that Annie didn't seem like one to budge. At that moment she was swept with a bout of courage and decided to use this in her favor.
Ivy smiled, "Fine, we'll up the stakes, but I've got my own price."
Liam cocked an eyebrow, "Explain."
"If I win, then you have to use the hundred bucks you'd owe me and take me out on a date."
Liam, who had been staring at her carelessly, now stared at Ivy with surprise in his blue eyes. "A date!" was all he could mutter.
"Yepp, with yours truly." Ivy smiled signaling to herself with both hands.
Liam uttered a small laugh, "What? You can't possibly be serious?"
"I am." Said Ivy starting to lose her cool. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. She was beginning to regret what she had said.
"Umm, listen man, we're gonna go and let you two discuss this future 'date' of yours." Dixon interrupted feeling the tension arising. He, Navid, and Teddy walked out of the garage in silence not wanting to witness whatever was to come.
"Now would be a good time to say you're kidding." Liam stated slightly desperate.
"But I'm not." Ivy stood her ground, "Liam, maybe you haven't been able to make things work with any girl because you haven't found the right one."
Liam scoffed, "And what are you saying? That you're the right girl for me?"
"Maybe." Ivy said. She was trying to act seductively and attempting to really reel Liam in, but he just stared at her in disbelief.
"Listen, Ivy, I'll take on the bet, but just know that I am going to win and that you and I are not going to happen."
"You never know, Liam—"
"Oh, but I do. Trust me, I would never go for a girl like you. We're never gonna happen."
"But Liam—I"
"No, Ivy, could you just get out. Please."
Ivy looked at Liam in surprise with complete hurt in her eyes. She couldn't believe what he had just said. She blinked back tears and was able to make a dignified exit.
Liam sighed feeling slightly guilty. He didn't feel that way for Ivy at all, but he knew that what he had said was harsh and it wasn't like she was a bad friend. He was about to take out his phone and call her, but that's when he heard the yelling.
Liam immediately left the garage and walked to the front of his house where he found his mom and stepdad shouting at each other.
"Jeffrey, don't walk away from me!" Colleen Sarkossian screamed desperately while chasing after her husband.
"What do you want, Colleen?" asked Jeffrey in an exasperated voice. It was obvious that he didn't want to be there at that moment. He was wearing his work suit and carrying his briefcase in his right hand while dangling his car keys in his left. He was clearly leaving the premises and didn't want to make a big deal of it.
"Where are you going?" his wife asked him in a whispered tone which contrasted greatly to the one in which she had spoken to him earlier. Her eyes began to glisten with tears.
Liam stood as still as a statue as he watched his mom surreptitiously wipe away a tear. Anger boiled inside him as it did every time he was around his mom and stepdad. He still couldn't understand why his mom stayed with a man like Jeffrey.
"I have a meeting." Jeffrey stated coldly. He looked directly into Colleen's eyes, saw the tears, turned his head, and walked toward his car without so much as a 'goodbye'.
Watching Jeffrey walk away from his crying mom made Liam so full anger and hatred. He walked directly in front of his stepdad and shoved him. Jeffrey staggered backward and was able to regain his balance before completely falling.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Liam yelled angrily, "Don't you see she's crying!"
Rage flashed before Jeffrey's eyes. "Don't. Shove. Me!"
"Don't. Make. My. Mother. Cry!" Liam said in the same angry tone that Jeffrey had used, "What did you do to her?"
"I didn't do anything to her, you spoiled brat, she's just very emotional," replied Jeffrey.
Liam was ready to throw a punch. His hand balled into a fist and he was bringing his arm up to swing, but his mother stopped him midway. Colleen signaled Liam to stop with her sparkling blue eyes that matched his. Liam sighed and opened his fist. The last time he had done something to aggravate Jeffrey his stepdad had sent him to some boot camp for the whole summer. His mom had already warned him that the next time he would do something stupid he'd be gone for the whole year, maybe even longer. Liam looked up at his stepfather and took a deep breath; he wouldn't end up at some boot camp for the rest of his high school life. With Liam calming down, Jeffrey took it as an opportunity to leave. He smiled an evil grin and hopped into his car.
"What did he do to you, mom?" Liam spoke through gritted teeth; his anger was coming back to him.
Colleen smiled a sad smile and whispered to her son, "Nothing, Liam, I'm just very emotional."
Liam closed his eyes with sorrow and fury harboring inside him. He felt his mom walk away from him and heard the door close behind her. He opened his eyes and was about to go inside when he felt his phone vibrating in his pants. He checked to see who was calling; the number was unknown.
"Hello?" he said groggily, not really paying attention to what he was doing.
"Hey, Liam, it's Annie."
"Annie? I'm sorry, who?" the name sounded familiar, but the face didn't register.
"I'm working with you on Mr. Matthews' project?"
Then, he remembered her face. "Oh, Annie, right. What do you want?"
"Umm, I was just calling to see when we should meet up next and to tell you that you left your notebook here at my house."
"Umm, just pick whatever day you want to meet up and give me my notebook at school. You didn't really have to call for this; truthfully I don't care."
"Oh," her voice sounded disappointed, but Liam couldn't really tell over his thoughts. All he was thinking about was his mom and how much he hated his stepdad. He really wanted to pummel that guy's face into a wall.
"Yeah," Liam replied. He didn't want to speak with anyone. Why couldn't she just hang up?
"Liam, are you okay?"
"Oh, yeah, just freaking peachy!"
"Are you sure?" Annie asked worried.
"Yes, I'm fine."
"Alright, you know, if you need anyone to talk to, I'm here." She said hesitantly.
"I said I was fine." Liam stated starting to lose his cool.
"You sure you don't want to talk about it?"
"What are you, my freaking shrink?" Liam burst, yelling into the phone, "I said I was fine! Don't you get what that means? God, just leave me alone. I don't need your help, or anyone's for that matter." All that anger that Liam had been holding for Jeffrey finally let loose.
"Okay, I'm sorry! I just wanted to help," Annie yelled through the other end of the phone. She sounded truthful, but Liam couldn't stop. He needed to continue.
"I don't need help! Can't you understand what I'm trying to tell you! Do you understand English or do you need me to translate it for you into something else."
"You know what, Liam!" Annie said angrily, "I'm not gonna take any bullshit from you, alright. This friend thing might not have been a good idea. So wish granted, I'm leaving you alone!" Annie hung up, leaving Liam to think over what he had just done. Now he felt even worse for screwing things up with Annie.
"Oh god, what the hell did I just do?" he looked up at the starry night sky and mentally punched himself for everything that he'd screwed up that night.
* A/N: So first i want to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! :) i know i'm late, but i do have an excuse! Here it is: So i was already finished typing out this chapter and was just checking over it when all of a sudden my computer crashes -_- it deleted the whole thing. i havent had my computer for over four weeks i think. and now that i do have it, i've had to re-upload everything because it all got deleted. anyway, i hope you enjoy this chapter, comment, rate it, love it! lol. 3 :) (i'll try and upload the next chapter sooner rather than later, i've just been really busy..which sucks, but i promise i will try!)