Touchdown Boy

Chapter Three

Tom hated school. He'd much rather be playing guitar or skateboarding than learning that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. The only good part of school was that he got to hang out with his friends, but really he'd be doing that even if he wasn't in school so he didn't classify it as a perk. Tom sighed with relief when the lunch bell rang. Even though he was in study hall, Mrs. Jenkins was one of the strictest teachers in the school and she wouldn't let anyone talk or even listen to music with headphones. But that didn't stop Tom from sitting in the back of the classroom, hunched over his desk trying to hide his headphones that were playing the Misfits.

Tom walked out of the classroom and headed for the senior lounge. He sat down next to Mark on one of the couches. Mark handed Tom one of the burritos he bought from the school cafeteria.

"Thanks, man." Mark nodded in response to Tom's gratitude. Mike flopped onto the couch on the other side of Tom.

"Hey, Hoppus, where's my burrito, huh?" Mike asked indignantly.

"You're not my best friend, Dirnt." Mark shrugged. Mike clutched his chest and had a hurt expression on his face.

"I'm wounded." Mark rolled his eyes and Tom just laughed at Mike's theatrics. "Anyway, DeLonge, have you chosen your next victim yet?" Mike smirked, nudging Tom's shoulder. "Perhaps a needy freshman?"

Tom wrinkled his nose in disgust and gave Mike an offended look. "Dude, freshmen are way too easy. What do you take me for? Besides," Tom took a bite of his burrito, "you have to teach them how to do everything." Mike laughed.

Mark raised an eyebrow and smirked at his best friend. Tom knew that look. It was the look Mark gave when he had a bad idea that usually resulted in one or both of them arrested. "You want a challenge? I got one for you."

"I'm listening," Tom grinned, interested in Mark's proposal.

"I'll give you a hundred bucks if you can get Addison to kiss you." Tom almost choked on his burrito. He looked over at the other couch which held the four girls in their friend group. Addison was sitting on the end reading a book while the other three were conversing amongst themselves. Tom focused his attention back on Mark.

"Ha, ha. Very funny," Tom deadpanned. Sure, he thought Addison was pretty, but no way would Addison even consider kissing a guy like him. She was shy and quiet. He was loud and flirtatious. They were total opposites. Plus, Tom's pretty sure she's never even been kissed before except when they play Spin the Bottle at Mark's parties, but Tom didn't think that qualified.

"Yeah, there's no way Tom could win that bet. Addison's too smart to fall for that," Mike agreed with Tom. Even though Tom had been thinking the same thing, he was slightly offended.

Billie Joe got up from his position on the floor by Adrienne's feet and walked over to the other couch. "What are you guys talking about?" he asked, standing in front of Tom.

"I dared Tom to kiss Addison, saying I'd give him $100, but he's too much of a wimp," Mark answered. Tom was about to protest but Billie Joe cut him off.

"Seriously? That's way too easy for $100." Tom had a bad feeling about where Billie Joe was going with this. "How about we make the bet so that he has to sleep with her?"

"Guys, she's my friend," Tom groaned. "I can't exploit Addison like that." The three guys laughed at him. "Besides, she knows all of my tricks."

"Oh, are you saying it would be too difficult? Too much of a chicken, DeLonge?" Billie Joe taunted.

"I thought you wanted a challenge?" Mark joined in. Tom wanted to wipe the stupid smirks off of their faces.

Tom hated being called a chicken; he was just like Marty McFly in that sense, except he hadn't grown out of it yet. Besides, he did like a challenge. Most of the girls at this school would be all too eager to sleep with him, despite his reputation as a player. He wanted to prove the guys wrong, that he wasn't chicken and he could do it. Plus, a hundred bucks would be nice.

"What's the deadline?" Tom asked. Billie Joe grinned, knowing that Tom was about to agree to the bet.

"Well, since it is Addison, we'll give you to the end of first semester," Billie Joe answered. "If you get her to sleep with you by then, Mark and I will give you $100. If you lose, you owe each of us $100." He upped the stakes, but Tom didn't even blink.

"You're on."