All for Me, to Me, You Sue
Chapter 5: On Gambles

"Well, um," Callum was saying, "I guess thanks… for, uh, holding off on the crime today."

We were back in front of my house, still silently entangled within the stories that each changed us entirely. I still wasn't sure whether it was because we felt a little uncomfortable to mention anything more than what has already been shed, or if it because we simply felt that comfortable – if that made sense. But then again, a lot of things have failed to make sense around Callum. I can't honestly say I was much into that about him, but there's still something else – something I can't quite put my finger on – that's drawing me to him. As irritating as that was, somehow, I still felt secure. He was quite unlike anybody I've ever met, that's for sure. Sure it wasn't always in the best of ways, but aside from our occasional quirks and slight grips on our insanity around each other, he was altogether manageable.

"It's a difficult choice between all of my father's equipments. I'm kind of liking the sound of a bazooka or a 50-caliber assault rifle," I smiled innocently, "I won't push your patience, though, don't worry."

"How very thoughtful of you, Bella," he complimented, "It's really like you to plod along my demise."

"Impressive, yes?"

He chuckled, unknowingly putting the sweet sounds of the wind to shame. "Something like that."

I laughed with him as I smacked him on the shoulder. His shoulder was tough and it almost hurt my hand.

Finally, he just smiled. "Thank you for today. It was endearing."

Where else do you find adolescent, teenage boys using the word endearing like it was the word chill? I returned his smile.

"As it was for me. I still really hate you for gutting it out of me, though."

He chuckled. "How may I make up for it?"

"You already have."

He looked surprised, but it was all in his eyes. His eyes were so expressive, and yet so mysterious at the same time. He tilted his head just slightly to express his question.

"By listening," I answered, almost shyly. "You know, it helped."

He was stunned for a moment and he was quiet for just a second too long. Finally, his lips slowly curved into a gorgeous smile – neither exaggerated nor plain. It was simply breathtaking. Warmth lingered in his eyes now and it seemed to radiate itself within me.

"Just a little bit," I quickly added before my cheeks unveil my thoughts.

"Nevertheless, right?" he said with a smile as he began slipping into his car. He rolled down his heavily tinted window for me.

"I told you before how you needed time, but I wish I had some way of telling you how precious time with you could be. Thanks again for sparing some with me," he said – straight to my heart.

"Y—Yeah." Yeah? Was that honestly the best my mind could come up with? Shoot me.

He smiled before driving away, and then he was gone as swiftly as he'd come.

"So, what's going on with this Conner dude?" Jacob asked the next morning.

Every Sunday was "Becob" day, our ever-so informal name for our routinely time together. This Sunday, we've decided upon settling in his garage, otherwise known to be our little haven away from everything else but the two of us. This was where I found my new life, with this very same boy by my side. Too many fond and difficult memories alike lingered in this place, but I cherished them all. Nothing and nowhere was as comfortable for me as being here, doing whatever he and I could come up. Spontaneity was an addiction for both of us, and we enjoyed anything that proved its thrill.

I sighed softly at his inevitable question, but I wouldn't complain. Jacob was my best friend and the boy whose care for me has done me nothing but all the good in the world. I knew that he felt deeply for me – there isn't a second of our time when he didn't make sure I was well reminded of that. He was always one to understand me, no matter what bizarre things I tend to involve myself with; he was just a little protective in the subject of men, and I couldn't blame him for that. Aside from a man having brought me to the brink of my existence once, there was also that part of him that was more selfish, and I can't say I'd ever think to change Jake in any way.

"Callum," I corrected, "And nothing's going on between us."

"Yet," he grunted.

I smiled and took a seat on an old stool behind him while he waxed our new bikes – another one of our ideas that would have cut Charlie's remaining lifetime in half if he ever had a clue about it. I casually snaked my arms around him affectionately, gently placing my chin against his right shoulder.

"My bestest friend in the world shouldn't be worried about that," I assured him.

"I'm not speaking from a best friend point of view. I get stingy in sight of some competition. I'm capable of that, you know, Bella?"

I giggled softly. "What do I do with you?" I whispered as I held him closer, closing my eyes in silent contentment.

I heard him slip his gloves off before planting his hand against my shoulder, gently pulling me closer to him as he tilted his cheek against my forehead.

"Come on," he spoke after a while, "I want to show you something."

"Where?"

He smiled – the cheerful smile that I love, that saved me. "Are you coming or not?" He got up slowly to leave, being careful as he slid out of my arms.

"Of course, I am," I stood anxiously. Of course. I'll go anywhere with Jacob.

Riding with him on the back of his new bike felt like moving with the current of the wind. Jacob really loved mobility and I found myself along the lines of it right there with him. He took me riding with him by the freeway overlooking the wavy ocean. The weather was nice today – as nice as it came in Forks. The clouds were dominating the skies, but no sign of a single raindrop was apparent. I held on tightly around his waist, and when we were on a straight road, I'd feel his hand grazing mine while he drove the two-wheeled vehicle one-handedly. Resting my cheek against his back, I closed my eyes and enjoyed the friendly, cool breeze that raced us, its panting a smooth whooshing sound next to us. And for that lasting moment, my mind was blanketed from all my troubles, seeming to scatter it behind us as Jacob accelerated.

"You think you've got me all figured out, don't you?" I teased him when we got back. He offered to walk me to my truck as always instead of simply waving me away.

"What do you mean?"

"Taking me riding and all," I smiled, "You really are a good – No, the best – friend I could ever have, Jacob."

"Or I just really loved having you hold onto me like that," he teased back, though I knew he knew what he was doing for me.

I chuckled. "There's no need for that for me to hold you. You know that."

He stepped closer to so that we were almost just noses apart. Slowly, his hands rose against my waist, holding me still in front of him.

"Do I?" he asked playfully, but his eyes revealed his most sincere desires. I smiled on the inside, knowing he meant well by trying to respect his known boundaries.

"Looks like it," I motioned over to his hands.

He blushed lightly, but kept his hands on my waist. I slithered my arms around him. "Thanks, as always."

And he circled me in his arms. "Anytime." He kissed me tenderly on my forehead before sending me home reluctantly.

"Alright, bets on who takes who to the "My Valentine" Dance are officially open!" Mike announced at our table the next day. Typical him.

Tyler chortled. "Oh, man, that's easy. Ten bucks on Vanessa and Alex."

"That's too easy," Jessica complained, "I've got ten on Dylan and Stephanie. They've been eyeing each other since day one in Government."

"No, no," Mike challenged, "I say twenty on Dylan and Mikaela."

Tyler laughed and bumped knuckles with Mike. "Nice, dude."

Jessica rolled her eyes, "Make that thirty on Dylan and Stephanie."

Oohing noises filled the table as the couple went back and forth at each other. They compliment each other, really.

"So, any other bets? Bella?"

"None for me; I'm not going."

"Oh, come on! You already missed Winter Ball," Jessica groaned.

"Yeah, you have to come, this once," Mike urged on. "It'll be so much more fun with all of us there. We can do something fun afterwards, too!"

"Yeah, that's a great idea," Jessica smiled at her boyfriend and he grinned at her smugly.

I shrugged unsurely. "I'll join you guys after, but no dance for me. Are you going, Angela?" I asked as a distraction.

Angela blushed and nodded. "Mhmm, Ben had asked on Saturday."

"Did he?" I saw Ben blush deeply next to her.

"Nuh-uh, don't go thinking you can change the subject that easily," Jessica nudged. "Come on, please?"

"I really don't—"

I was interrupted by a light tap on the center of the table. A pale, large hand sat atop a fifty-dollar bill.

"On Bella and I."

Everybody glanced up, stunned, at Callum. I was one of them, but clearly the most stunned of all.

"You're not serious," I glared.

"Am so," he countered, meeting my eyes in finality.

I smirked. "Sixty otherwise."

"Done," he replied coolly with an unbelievably charming smile. I can't believe this jerk. Has he actually bet on my attendance with him at the dance – in front of me? Right to my face? There was something extremely wrong… about the way I find that so amusing. This should be fun.

We continued to stare at each other, his eyes unyielding. If it wasn't for the way that his neon yellow eyes held mine so intensely, I think it would have been safe to say that I'd have lost minutes ago. I finally perked my eyes to the others around me as soon as I felt their engaged looks upon us. Suddenly, Mike laughed.

"Oh, hell yeah," he exclaimed, "This is going to be one crazy gamble."

A note was passed onto me the next period and I looked around for a suspect. He didn't even try to hide it; Callum sat calmly with his cheek on his knuckles, his eyes playfully on mine as he smiled. I didn't break our contact until I've unfolded the note and glanced down to read it.

Red or white roses?

Unbelievable. I scribbled quickly before passing it back down, watching as it flitted crookedly across the room to him. He smiled at me before opening the note.

Your sixty bucks.

I watched him suppress a round of his heavenly laughter before folding the note once more. He fingered it inside his pocket before sinking back on his chair, his eyes too clearly amused as he focused his eyes on the lecture.

"So."

I jumped in startle when I heard my name. The sound had been so near from my ear that I felt the breath of whoever jerk it was, though I had a vivid guess on who it was. I turned around for the sake of confirming it.

"I'm not talking with you."

"Since when?" he asked in mocked surprise and horror.

"Since now."

"When?" he repeated, a smile pressuring his lips though he struggled against it. I see what he was trying to do, so I whipped away from his direction as I began fiddling with my keys – it wouldn't have been so hard (I only had two keys – one for my truck and the other, for Charlie's house) if I didn't feel so strangely nervous.

He smiled, clearly amused by my obvious lack of concentration. I wanted to die.

"So," he continued, ignoring my ignorance, "I was thinking if you'd so much as give me to chance to beguile you."

When I didn't answer, he continued on. "Bella, won't you please let me do this? You couldn't have hated my little stunt with the whole bet thing as—"

"Why wouldn't I—" I began but choked on my words quickly, crossing my arms across my chest on my driver's seat.

"Okay, so I did figure you'd react this way. But would you rather I've done it behind your back?"

Boy's got a point, but I held my ground.

"Anyway," he sighed, "Bella, let me escort you to the dance. If not, then—Then won't you come with me someplace else that night?"

That was something I didn't expect. What is it to him, anyway? He's obviously rich beyond reason, so I figured it wasn't cash he was after. Could he really be—No, it was impossible. He couldn't actually be in any way interested in me. It puzzled me now that he was making alternatives. I don't know if I should be scared out of my wits, creeped out of my mind, or break out of my shell and just accept that… that I want to accept. If not to the dance, then someplace else, as he said.

"I don't trust you," I decided to say.

He smirked, but his eyes lit up quietly. "You also said you're not talking to me."

I huffed. "Whatever."

"So," he began.

"So I'm giving you the chance to change my mind," I finished, and with that, I drove away, fearing that I might succumb against my will.

And so that evening, I was greeted with a delivery of a dozen roses – six white, six red, in grand courtesy of Mr. Callum Chandler.

And there you have it, chapter 5. I'm glad to have finished a chapter before we started moving things up and about, but it was kind of quick and quite short, so I'll try to butt in another chapter for you guys before the appointed date of my move. Won't you guys review, oh pretty please? Ex's & Oh's - handwritten