Just A Bet

Chapter 1: Five Thousand Dollars

“There he is.” Johnny whispered as he nudged his friend on the side with his pointy elbow, “Go on and make your move.”

Taeyong glanced up from his school work and looked across the room towards a boy wearing huge glasses, he seemed to be extremely concentrated on the math problems that were assigned to the students. “I-I don’t know, this just seems too cruel. Don’t you think?”

Johnny shrugged his shoulders, “I warned you not to make bets with Hyunwoo and his friends,” he replied as he began to work on his own assignment, “You could chicken out, but you’d never hear the end of it.”

Taeyong sighed as his eyes followed the boy across the classroom who was currently walking towards the front of the room to turn in his work. He shook his head and looked away, “I can’t chicken out of this bet, Hyunwoo is offering me two hundred and fifty dollars,” he let out another huge sigh as he took another quick glance at the boy across the room, “It’s not much… but I know my mom could use that money to help pay for some bills.”

“Or you could get a job?” Johnny suggested.

“Don’t you think I’m trying?” Taeyong replied as he rolled up his packet out papers and hit his friend on the head with them, “It’s hard, and two hundred and fifty will help while I find one. Besides, it won’t be that hard right?”

His friend rubbed his head to try and make the pain go away after getting hit, “Well no, but Ten is so… nice and shy… it just seems wrong?”  

“I feel guilty Johnny,” Taeyong said, “But I have no choice.”

“Well then go on, make your move.” Johnny said again, Taeyong could hear the disappointment in his voice. He was disappointed in himself too, for possibly hurting someone who he hardly knew, but there was really no other option. He was desperate for the money.

Without another word or another glance towards Johnny, Taeyong stood up from his seat and made his way across the room. He ignored the people who watched him walk by, and kept his eyes focused on his target, the cute nerdy boy who was currently reading a book the size of a dictionary.

Taeyong took a seat in the chair in front the nerdy boy’s desk and cleared his throat when the other didn’t acknowledge him, “Ten, right?”

The boy finally looked up from his book and his eyes grew ten times bigger, he nodded quickly before looking back down as he began to nervously tug on the sleeve on his button down shirt.

Taeyong noticed this and reached across the table, he grabbed Ten’s wrist gently and smiled when the boy looked up at him, “Don’t be nervous, okay? I just… I want to talk. Is that okay?”

Ten nodded once again, “Y-Yes,” he managed to say, though it was more of a whisper than anything else. Taeyong slowly let go of Ten’s wrist and looked around the classroom, noticing that multiple pair of eyes were on them. He sighed and turned back towards the other, “How about we meet up during lunch, just you and I?” he suggested.

Ten hesitated for a while but then he nodded once, “A-Alright, I-I usually go upstairs to the rooftop. I-Is that okay?”

“So, did you do it Taeyong?” Hyunwoo came up to his locker and asked, his group of friends standing beside him. Johnny rolled his eyes and shook his head before slamming the door of his locker shut and walking away without a single word.

“I haven’t done it yet, but we made plans to hang out at lunch today,” Taeyong replied calmly, “I’ll ask him out then, take him out on a date. That’s the bet, right? I get the money after that.”

Hyunwoo nodded, as an evil smirk spread across his face, “I was thinking about it and decided to make the bet a little more… interesting.”

“H-How?” Taeyong asked, fear evident in his voice.

“I’ll give you a check for one thousand dollars if you can make Ten fall in love with you in one month,” Hyunwoo said slowly, the group beside him laughing as if it was the funniest thing they had ever heard, “Then, dump him in front of the whole school at the big showcase coming up.”

Taeyong looked down, “That’s a little too cruel. Why embarrass him in front of the whole school?”

“Because it will amuse me,” Hyunwoo replied casually, “So, are you in or are you going to chicken out?”

“I-I don’t think-“

Before Taeyong could finish his sentence Hyunwoo interrupted, “Five thousand dollars, cash. That’s my final offer.” He held out his hand, “Take it or leave it.”

Taeyong reached out and shook Hyunwoo’s hand with his own, “Deal.”

Hyunwoo and his friends laughed once again before walking away and leaving Taeyong feeling ashamed and guilty.

The bell rang, signaling the end of class and the start of lunch. Students rushed out of their classrooms, excited to go to lunch and meet their friends.

“So, you’re going to meet Ten?” Johnny asked as he and Taeyong walked out of the chemistry lab. His friend nodded and sighed, “I know its mean Johnny, but I can’t pass up five thousand dollars.”

“I know you need the money,” Johnny replied, “And I’m not saying this is right in anyway but as long as you don’t involve me in your little scheme, I’ll pretend I don’t know what’s going on at all.”

“Thanks man,” he noticed the staircase leading up to the rooftop and sighed, “Well, I better go then.”

“Good luck.” Johnny then walked towards the cafeteria to go meet the rest of their friends, leaving Taeyong alone to go meet Ten up on the rooftop.

Taeyong made his way up the stairs, he reached the metal door and pushed it open, revealing the beautiful garden that was placed up on the rooftop. He noticed Ten’s back was towards him, the boy was too busy flowering the plants to notice that someone else had join him.

Taeyong took a deep breath and nervously approached the other boy, he knew this was going to be tough.  

Hope this wasn't too terrible!