How to Steal a Happy Ending

•nineteen• Clearly, our hindsight is blind.

Getting a head start on Jimmy proved to be futile. In fact, taking into consideration the steep drop in my confidence, it was counter productive.The hot guy from Art class really did have a girlfriend and the detention blondie had gained a black eye the size of Jupiter. And since there's no way that that monstrosity was going to vanish by next week, I was left with only two options. Each as far a stretch as the other.

Sighing, I put down my pencil and examined the doodles I'd drawn inside the margins of my History notebook. How the hell did I think I could beat James at his own game? I mentally shook my head disapprovingly at my foolish ego.

Suddenly, my phone beeped loudly from underneath the desk. I jumped in my seat and, without thinking, covered the flashing screen with both my hands. Of course, this move made it painfully obvious to Mr.Cruz that I was the errant student with her phone turned on during his World Wars lecture.

He pushed his glasses back into the crevice between his forehead and nose, giving me a super creepy glare as he did so. He waved his chalk piece first at me and then at the door.

The message was clear and I didn't need telling twice. So I scrambled to collect all my books and barreled out the door.

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"So let me get this straight. Even after what happened last time, you two idiots made another one of these bets." Nate's features twisted in a mix of disbelief and disapproval. "I mean, do you guys not remember all the trouble you created?"

As he nagged, sweat dripped off his brow and imprinted itself onto his football jersey. I'd pulled him out during practice by sending him a couple dozen 'urgent' texts, so the poor guy was still wearing his kit.

"Lets say we don't and move on." I took another big bite of the tuna sandwich he'd swiped for me. We were standing underneath the bleachers, each leaning against one of the metal supports that protruded out of the structure above us. "Besides, you're exaggerating. It was just a bit of broken glass."

"I'm exaggerating? You two broke a beer bottle over some guy's head."

I held up a finger,"Technically James did, I was the partially innocent bystander."

Nate groaned loudly, "Why do I have such retards for friends?" I opened my mouth, a reply ready on the tip of my tongue. "Please don't answer that," he interjected before I could irritate him more. "Is this the only reason you called me here? To tell me that you and James are having a rematch?" He readjusted his drooping shoulder pads as he waited for me to finish chewing.

I swallowed and held my hand out. "Water," I croaked. He handed his bottle to me and crossed his hands over his chest. The cold liquid slid down my scratchy throat, giving it the respite it needed. I let out a sigh of satisfaction before turning to answer him. "Actually, I was just really hungry and you happened to be running around near a bench full of food."

I laughed at his expression, he looked about ready to murder me.

"Al right, alright, relax. I was just kidding. I actually-uh," I paused to shuffle my feet and prepare an effective puppy dog face. "I kind of need your help with this bet." Cue puppy eyes.

He scoffed as he unfolded his hands. "No. This game, as dumb as it is, has rules. And I'm supposed to be the impartial judge so I can't help you. It's unfair to James." Add quivering bottom lip. "That's not gonna work, Claire. You two just had a fight. Do you really want to start another one over this?" His thick eyebrows shot way up and, man, did they mean business.

"But I don't have enough allowance money if I lose," I moaned. His face began to sport a scowl so I quickly changed tactics. "And I'll do anything in return. A-ny-thing."

He pushed himself off the steel bar he'd been leaning on, finally showing some interest. "Anything?"

"Anything," I confirmed, crossing my fingers to indicate a promise. He slowly broke into a dimpled smile, the twinkle in his hazel eyes firmly back in place as the word swam in and out of the recesses of his mind.

"Alright, just remember you said anything." I nodded vigorously in response. Nate exhaled slowly, "Make this quick though, I have to get back."

I let out an eep and gave him a hurried hug before jumping back. "Okay so you know that new guy on our street? Mr. Colbert's grandson?" Nate bobbed his head in recognition. "Yeah, I'm going to get him to be my date for the dance. But the thing is I might have told Jimmy that he's in college, and obviously he's not. He just got expelled from Brentwood last week."

His eyes squinted in confusion, "And that matters why?"

"It makes him less desirable." I crumpled up the sandwich wrapper and tossed it through a crack of light that lay above my head.

Nate sighed yet again, "Who cares though? I thought the bet was on who could get a hotter date, not an older date."

I pretended to bang my head against one of the support rods, muttering about the stupidity of boys. "Why would a college guy want to go to some dumb high school dance? I'll tell you why- because I've made him completely smitten with me. See, it requires more skill and therefore counts for more." I huffed at the eye roll he gave me. "And besides, James has this thing against hooking up with that bad boy kind." Thing as in rule number three.

"That's...hypocritical."

I nodded, "See. He's just trying to set me up for failure. Like, everyone knows that the truly hot guys are the naughty ones."

He gave me one very amused chuckle. "If that kid got expelled, I'm pretty sure he was more than just naughty."

Taking hold of his football jersey, I shook him dramatically. "But Nate that's what turns me on! You wouldn't deny a fair maiden her fetishes would you? Would you?"

He laughed heartily and pried my hands off, "You are so weird."

"I wouldn't be me if I wasn't." I pulled on my navy blue blazer and prepared to leave. Following suit, Nate picked up his water bottle and helmet up from the dirt ground. "So you'll pick mine no matter what?" I asked him before I left.

"Sure. Well, unless he brings Marie, cause that girl is seriously hot. I mean have you seen her-"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it." I swiftly cut him off before he could start off on a soliloquy about the sex bomb also known as Marie. I get enough of those from James. "Go back to the field before you start foaming at the mouth." I gave him a lighthearted push in that direction.

Chuckling, he trotted out onto the field to join the rest of his teammates as they grunted and toiled over a ball.

Satisfied with how this was panning out, I criss-crossed between the metal supports till I reached the janitor's door that lay beneath the bleachers.

Just as I turned the brass doorknob, a loud whistle punctured the testosterone charged atmosphere. The grizzly voice of the football coach telling the boys to hit the showers followed soon after.

I peeked though the gap between two benches just in time to catch Nate violently fling his helmet onto the ground. He yanked the uniform over his head and started to untie the stings that bound the protection to his body, no doubt grumbling about how I was going to pay for this. I giggled at the thought and shut the door behind me.

That's what friends are for Nathaniel.

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A/N: Hello darlings *spins chair around and strokes white cat*

I am extremely sorry for this huge delay, my brother borrowed my laptop (read: stole) and left it at his friend's house and, blah blah I won't bother you with details. Point is- um...there is no point. I'm just making excuses. -_-