Bet On You

Chapter Twenty

Max

I've been trying to get a hold of Jessica for the past two weeks and I've had no luck.

Today is the first day back at school for universities, high schools opened last week. I have been trying to get in contact with her since we came back from Hawaii and had the fallout. At this point I don't even know the status of our relationship, are we taking a break, still together but not engaged, not together?

I called Ivy after Jess left my house to ask her why she was doing this and what she wanted I could not give her because it belonged to someone else and to be honest, I didn't want it back.

The conversation went something like this,

"What do you want from me Ivy? What did you gain from doing this to us, huh?" I asked in a rage.

"What I want is for you to take me out on a date." She says.

"No. I don't like you that way Ivy, so I'm sorry but I can't." In fact, I don't like her at all after pulling the stunt that she did.

"You never know, maybe you will like me once you've spent time with me, never say never Max." she sounded crazy. I was honestly dumbfounded that their real people like that and it didn't just happen in movies.

"You know what, it's up to you and I can give you time to decide. Remember it's not like you have anything to lose by going on a date with me, you don't have a girlfriend anymore." And that was her parting comment with me, that girl is certifiable if she thinks I will go from Jess to her because that is one hell of a downgrade.

Today I'm going to school with a heavy heart, my parents had to force me to go because I have basically been a hermit since everything happened. I won't go out with friends, eat dinner with the family or talk much, I just prefer to be alone, so I can wallow in my misery alone.

"Dude are you listening?" Someone says from beside me, I look over and see that its Chase. We are in the lecture room and waiting for the lecturer to arrive, so everyone is just mingling with friends right now. "Sorry man what was that?" I ask.

"I said that there's a rugby match this Saturday at the Kings Park stadium and we should go."

"I'm sorry man I can't, I have somethings that I have to do this Saturday. Maybe next time." I give him a cop out and I would be surprised if he didn't see it for what it was.

"Come on man, you need to get out of the house. Sure, it's sad that the thing between you and Jess didn't work out but there are many fish in the sea." He says with his arm out wide on his sides.

"I'm not looking for other fish, I want Jess, she's the fish I want alright!" I am so mad that he would suggest me finding another girl, I can't even look at him right now nor can I concentrate in this class, so I gather my books and stuff them in my bag and high tail it out of there.

When I get to my car a phone call comes through my phone and I don't even check it because I know that its Chase trying to take back his comment.

I drive home and put on a movie to maybe get my mind off of Jess because she is all I can think about and all I see when I close my eyes.

My phone rings again two more times before I decide to switch it off, anyone who might need to get a hold of me also knows where I live so they can see me. I fall asleep halfway through the movie because I haven't been sleeping well for more or less a week.

I am woken up by my family coming home from school and work, "Hey son, how was your day?" Dad asks and takes the seat next to me on the couch.

"It was like a day in hell, well I guess that's no different than all the other days since Jess left here in tears." I laugh bitterly.

"Can I tell you something son?" he waits a bit then proceeds, "You sitting here at home and being bitter is not going to help you get your girl back. There are so many other guys out there who were waiting for you to mess up, so they can swoop in on Jess. As we speak, she may have a guy asking her out since she is a free girl now."

As dad is talking, I get madder and madder by the second at his words. "You need to come up with a game plan on how to woo her back and take it from me girls like to be wooed back after you have messed up."

"I take it you have been in hot water with mom a time or two."

"Oh, more than that son." He claps me on the back, gets up and heads upstairs.

I really ponder what dad said and I can see some truth to it. I know for a fact that Jess is a catch and there is a sure line waiting on the side-lines to see me mess up, the question is am I going to let them or not? I need a game plan.

I get up to go to my room and start brainstorming, I might even need the help of the guys for this. I am halfway up the steps when the doorbell rings, I wonder who that might be, for a moment I imagine it being Jess but I know that can't be. I head to the door and I'm shocked at who is standing there looking nervous.

"Jess? Ba- uhm, what are you doing here?" I ask.

"You really were in love with me, weren't you?" she asks wringing her hands and looking up at me.

"Of course, I am in love with you, and I'm always going to be."

"It's just I knew you loved me but wasn't sure whether that was all because of the bet, that's why I didn't want to continue with us. But after the call today, I realized how wrong I was." Her voice catches at the end.

"What call?" I am so confused right now.

"The Perna Perna resort called and wanted to confirm if me and my husband would still be coming next weekend. Obviously, I thought that they had the wrong number, but they confirmed both our names and your surname as well as our contact numbers. So, as I was saying after the call, I realized that it really wasn't about the bet anymore, but you really didn't think about it anymore."

"Oh yeah Perna Perna, I booked that for your birthday." I say sheepishly.

"Why did you say I was your wife?" she asks seriously, and I think to myself oh snap, she's about to hand me a new one.

"Well, uhm..." I don't know how to answer this without angering her, so I decide to go with the truth, at least I can back that up.

"Look Jess, I knew that even if it was not then, today or tomorrow but eventually you would be my wife. For me that was my end game, I wanted it all with you ever since I told you I loved you I was all in. so that's why I said you were my wife." I was not ready for the impact of her jumping into my arms after my speech, I hug her back although tentatively.

"I love you!" she says while peppering kisses around my face. Okay I take it this means that I'm forgiven, I will not look a gift horse in the mouth. And the rest as they say is history.