Random Stuff!

A Bet

Don't make bets, children.

~

"I've read more books in my 13 years on this earth than most people have in their whole lives."

"You must have a lot of free time then..." Fiona replied.

Klaus gave her a deadpanned look. "Like you're one to talk."

She looked up from her magazine. "What are you trying to say?"

"Nothing, it's just I always see you with a book too. Or a magazine. Or reading something on your phone. You read just as much as I do, if not more. And since you lived on a submarine most of your life, I'd have to guess that a vast majority of your free time at home was spent reading."

"I have other interests outside of books and mycology, Klaus. Just cause you're not around to see them doesn't mean they don't exist. So I could stop anytime I wanted! You, however, I doubt you could last a week without picking up a book."

There was a pause.

"Is that a challenge," Klaus asked.

Fiona considered her answer. "That depends, what would you be willing to wager?"

"Hm... ok, how about both of us try to go for a week without reading a book. The full seven days. We'll make exceptions for books we have to read for school; but you can only read the chapter you're assigned for homework; nothing more. And magazines count too. Whoever can last the full seven days wins."

Fiona smiled. "You'd go crazy within an hour."

"No I wouldn't! And whoever loses has to..." He paused as he tried to think of a fitting penalty.

"Be the other's slave for a week," Fiona suggested. "But I wouldn't make you do anything too stupid. You'd just be doing my chores for me, and getting things that I'm too lazy to get myself."

Klaus sighed. "Fine but only because I can't think of anything better than that. So it's a bet then?"

"Any rules about fanfiction?"

"Fanfiction counts."

"Evil. But let's make it even better: we can't tell anyone what we're doing. They'd probably try to get involved and that'd make it less enjoyable."

Klaus nodded. "I can accept those terms."

~Day 1

"I'm surprised you made it through the first 2 hours. Feel anything yet?"

"Nothing at all," Klaus replied. "You?"

"Nope. But I am going to use this time to watch my show. Want to join me? It'll let us keep an eye on each other."

Klaus shrugged and agreed to join her. They spent the day watching Friends.

~Day 2

"I'm shocked you made it through 2 days and I haven't seen you break yet! What's wrong with you?!"

Klaus laughed. "I told you I can do this!"

Fiona rolled her eyes. "You must be cheating. Let me search your room. I remember Violet once said you used to read at night using a flashlight under your pillow."

"You can search, but you won't find anything. And if you're not going to trust me, then how can I trust you?"

"Fair point, you can search my room too."

The two came back from their respective searches completely clean. They were both determined to win this bet.

~

Day 3: still going strong.

Day 4: Nothing was amiss about them.

Day 5: Somehow nobody had asked about their behavior yet.

Though on the inside they were both going a tiny bit crazy. Fiona had to hide her pissed off attitude when a fanfic she had been following updated during this time. And Klaus had to get around telling Duncan and Quigley why he couldn't research a word for them to settle a spelling dispute.

But on day 6...

Klaus ran to Fiona, who was watching her show once more, and he looked quite distressed. He quickly paused the tv so she would pay attention to him.

"Hey I was watching that!"

"Call off the bet! You win, ok?!" Klaus said, speaking so fast the words merged into each other.

"Call it off? So you didn't break the rules? We only have one more day!"

"I don't care, you win, just please call it off!"

Fiona seemed skeptical. "Wait you're just trying to get me to read something so you can win-"

"No I'm not! Seriously, I will accept the punishment just say I lost, please!"

Klaus wasn't normally one to lie. He was sincere and he seemed very willing to take the loss, even if it wasn't with dignity. Fiona thought hard about her answer.

"You're giving up?"

"Yes."

"And you admit that you couldn't last the whole week?"

"Yes!"

"And for the next week you'll do whatever I say; when I say it?"

"I'll wear a god damn maid's dress if you tell me to, just call it off!"

"Ok you lose, I win. And no I'm not gonna force you to do something like that, but thank you for the hilarious mental image. You start work first thing in the morning."

Klaus gave her a hug. "Thank you!" He then ran off once more.

Fiona smirked and pulled out her phone. Rather than opening her fanfic she'd been dying to continue, she texted a certain someone instead.

"Thanks Izzie!😊"

"For what?🤔"

"Oh, you'll find out tomorrow. But you just unknowingly did me a favor!🙄"

Fiona snickered quietly. "It's not like I told her about the bet. I just casually suggested that Klaus might be interested in reading a book with her today and she thought it was a good idea! ...It's not my fault that he can't say 'no' to Isadora!"

"It's not cheating; it's strategy," She said to herself before continuing to watch her show.

~The End!

A short story for you; about a funny concept I thought up last night. 😃