Growing up in a large, middle-class (if not lower) family had its challenges. More than I can account for actually. I had five older sisters and two older brothers. Throw me into the mix and that's a grand total of eight children living under one ro...
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Ladies and gentlemen, my jaw has just broken off (not literally though, because if that were to happen, I'm pretty sure I'd be dead by now). I mean figuratively speaking, of course.
At the moment, it seems like my brain lacks the capacity to form a coherent sentence. So instead of immediately responding to his rather absurd statement, I sit there, my mind still working on absorbing every single word that has just been cockily uttered by the boy in front of me. This must be some stupid prank he's trying to pull off. Don't fall for it, Rory! Just look at him! He's a complete weirdo! But then again... who isn't? Wait, what am I doing right now? This is not what's important!
As I break free from the argument I am mentally engaged in alone, I manage to close my mouth. A fierce glare then settles on my face as I squint my eyes at Noah. "As if." I finally scoff, folding my arms against my chest. "That will never happen." I guarantee with extreme confidence, which definitely overshadows his.
"Is that so?" A smirk dances on his plump and heart-shaped lips, his right brow corking upwards. "Why don't we have a wager then?" He suggests playfully as he tilts his head to the side and blinks innocently at me.
I suck my teeth and roll my eyes. I turn away, completely removing him from my line of sight. What is going on with him? This guy... I have no idea who he is or what he wants and I don't care. I just know that I refuse to be made into a fool. He probably has a personality disorder or something. That is the only explanation that seems to make any type of logical sense. "I don't gamble," I reply, still not looking his way.
"Really?" he questions. "Are you sure about that? Or are you just scared that you'll lose and actually fall head over heels for me?" There it is again. That insufferable arrogance. It's really irritating and unconsciously, I grit my teeth, biting down on my tongue in case anything deemed inappropriate for school accidently slips out.
"Oh please." I cackle sardonically, my head falling back for a quick second. "Me falling in love with you?" I shift back towards him and our gazes lock. That stupid smirk is still smeared across his face and I slowly rise to my feet, careful to maintain the eye-contact. "Not even if we were the last two people on Earth will that happen." I declare.
"Then accept the challenge," Noah counters, holding his hand out.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" I inquire. I can't deny it but there's something interesting about him. There's something I find magnetizing. It's as though he has his own gravitational force, which is pulling me in against my will. I'm just not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. "You'll only end up embarrassing yourself." I predict nonchalantly. One part of me hopes he backs out of the deal but then another hopes he remains persistent about it.
"I'm sure." He chuckles smugly. "I've already thought this through, Rory. Now are you going to accept it or not?"
Hesitance is lingering in the back of my mind and I start to nibble on the inside of my cheek. "So are you saying that the bet is really going to be on whether or not I fall for you?" I find myself wondering. Aw hell. What am I getting myself into? Am I really going to follow through with this? This is child's play!
