Bet on It

Chapter 1: The beginning

Robin

Butterflies are nothing but a feeling.

I rub my forehead in frustration as I pick the television remote up. Saying I was tired was an understatement. Exhausted, burnt out and any other word to define sick of existing would be the correct term.

I change the channel and groan when I see who is on the screen.

"Rookie player, August Foreman has been drafted to the NBA. What are your thoughts on this, Dave?"

The news reporter says, and I shudder in disgust. August's stupid face was the last thing I needed to see right now. I didn't want to see him ever, for that matter. My hatred for August Foreman was not one to be discussed.

(Flashback: January, 26, 2020)

"For the last time, I don't need a boyfriend, Maria. I don't want one. They're exhausting anyway. I am perfectly fine with my life right now."

She rolls her eyes as we step into the gym. "You haven't been with anyone since Jared, Robin. That was almost two years a-"

I turn to her with a glare. "I don't want to hear that stupid name again, you hear me?"

She sighs and decides to drop the subject. Besides, I wasn't here to talk about men, I was here to workout.

The gym was the only place I felt at peace. I was calm. It was my happy place.

I look at the treadmill and smile. That was the first thing I always went to. Everyone else that showed up to the gym knows it as well. I have been coming to this gym for about three years now. It was close to my job and the coffee shop, so it was sort of like a win-win.

Noticing someone is there, I walk towards them. I see it is a guy I had never seen around town. San Jose, California, wasn't exactly a popular place, so you notice when someone new arrives. Especially looking like how he did.

The man was wearing gray sweatpants with a matching gray tank top. His skin tone was one of warm ivory. It matched well with his curly jet black hair that fell messily over his honey-colored eyes. He appeared to be a couple inches taller than me, six-four at the most, as I was about five-nine myself, which I was very proud of.

"Excuse me." I say, waiting for him to step down from the treadmill.

He glances at me for a second before putting his headphones back in and begins running again.

Maybe he just didn't hear me.

I tried again, raising my voice a little, "Excuse me."

He looks at me again and takes his headphones out. "What?"

"This is my treadmill."

"Uh no it's not. It's clearly the gym's. Unless you own the gym, run along missy."

What the hell? Missy?

I instantly become irritated and the tiny bit of attraction I had for him vanishes.

So he's one of those guys.

I step forward, "First of all, my name is not missy, so do not call me that. Second, I have been coming to this gym for three years. I'll be damned if some newbie comes in and tries to take my treadmill."

He grins and all I want to do is slap it off him, "Fine you can have it."

I smile in accomplishment, "Really?"

He's finally come to his senses.

He puts his headphones back in and turns away, his grin growing wider. "No." He replies and I can practically feel my face turn red.

I stomp off back to Maria, who is stretching. She looks at me in confusion. "What happened?" 

"I hate him!"

(Present: January 26th, 2021)

From that day forward, I hated his guts. He is an inconsiderate, playboy egomaniac who doesn't deserve to be called a human. I was so glad I only had to see him at the gym.

I close my laptop and shut the television off, deciding I've had enough since it was already one in the morning. I make my way upstairs to my room. After changing into pajamas, I roll my eyes at the sticky note on my bed.

I had a love-hate relationship with my job as a wedding planner. It just depended on the day for me. Some days, I loved it. Getting to plan and design beautiful weddings for people, seeing the joy on their faces, the whole process was magical.  But on other days, I hated it. Having to wake up early, order lazy employees around, deal with indecisive couples, it was a hassle, to say the least. But that's what I signed up for. I worked this hard to get here and no way in hell was I going to give it up because of a few minor issues.

My phone rings just as I am about to lie down. I reach to my nightstand to deny the call, when I see it is my best friend, Maria James.

"Hey!" she says cheerfully.

"Someone's had a good day I see."

"Yep! I have exciting news, too."

I groan, knowing it most likely isn't good news. Whenever Maria said she had exciting news, it always had something to do with a man and from my experience, was never anything good.

I met Maria a little while after moving here from Canada. I came out here to pursue my career and at the airport she was coming for the same reason, her's being a teacher, so we hit it off. We shared an apartment for some time before we both got our own place.

We are completely different, which is usually how the best friend duo goes. I was the cranky, anger issue, always working, sarcastic and independent control freak. While Maria was the opposite. She was the bubbly, social, kind and loving, hopeless romantic.

"What is it?"

"You know how I've been seeing someone for a while, right?"

"Yeah, it's been about a year. You never talk about him much though."

"Well... I think he's the one!" She squeals.

"Maria, I've told you countless times he's not the one just because he plays candy land with you."

"But there's something I have to tell you and don't freak out, okay?" She responds, disregarding what I had said.

My brows furrow. "Why would I freak out?

"You fired someone the other day because they didn't bring you the right soda, Robin."

"Which is perfectly okay. How hard is it to remember a soda?"

"Okay, just don't get mad at me, alright? Please. "

"Spill it. "

"The guy I've been seeing is best friends with him." She says the last word more quietly.

"Who is 'Him'? Why did you say it like that?" I ask, already beginning to freak out.

She takes a minute to respond. Exhaling a deep breath before speaking, "August Foreman is his best friend."