Love or Lies ?

Chapter 1: The Bet The loud music from the school parking lot echoed through the night as students danced, laughed, and celebrated the beginning of their final year at West Valley High. Expensive cars lined the entrance while flashing lights painted the dark sky with colors. At the center of the attention stood Andrew Kings — the most feared and admired boy in school. Tall, handsome, and dangerously charming, Andrew leaned lazily against his black motorcycle while a cigarette rested between his fingers. Girls whispered his name wherever he went, and boys either wanted to be him or stay far away from him. He was known for one thing besides trouble. Breaking hearts. “Another girl crying over you?” his best friend, Jason, laughed as he walked over with a drink in his hand. Andrew smirked. “Not my fault they fall too easily.” The group around them burst into laughter. “You seriously don’t believe in love?” another friend asked. Andrew removed the cigarette from his lips and shrugged. “Love is fake. People only pretend.” Jason shook his head. “One day you’ll meet someone different.” “Impossible.” That single word carried confidence and arrogance. Just then, a girl walked past the parking lot gate, hugging books tightly against her chest as if she didn’t belong at the party at all. Jade Wilson. Eighteen years old. Quiet. Innocent. New transfer student. Unlike the girls at West Valley High, Jade wore no revealing clothes or heavy makeup. Her curly dark hair framed her soft face, and her nervous eyes stayed fixed on the ground as she hurried toward the school building. Jason noticed her first. “Well… she’s new.” Andrew barely looked interested. “And?” “She’s cute,” one of the boys added. “She looks too innocent for this school,” Jason laughed. Andrew finally glanced at her properly. For a second, his eyes stayed on her. She looked different. Too pure. Too calm. The exact opposite of him. Then a wicked smile slowly formed on his lips. “I can make her fall for me in less than a month.” The boys immediately exploded with reactions. “No way.” “She’s not like the others.” “You’ll fail this one.” Andrew pushed himself off the motorcycle confidently. “I never fail.” Jason crossed his arms suspiciously. “You serious?” Andrew’s smirk widened. “How much are we betting?” The group became louder instantly. “One thousand dollars,” Jason said. Andrew chuckled. “Easy money.” “And if she falls in love with you,” Jason continued, “you win.” “And if she doesn’t?” “You admit defeat for once.” Andrew extended his hand without hesitation. “Deal.” The boys cheered while the bet was sealed with a handshake. None of them noticed Jade standing near the hallway entrance, completely unaware that her heart had just become part of a cruel game. Inside the school library, Jade quietly arranged books on a table, trying to avoid attention. Moving to a new school during senior year already felt terrifying enough. She missed her old life. Her old friends. Her mother. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she sat down. “Mind if I sit here?” Jade looked up suddenly. Her breath caught instantly. Andrew Kings stood before her. Up close, he looked even more intimidating. His sharp jawline, dark eyes, and confident posture made him impossible to ignore. Every girl in school talked about him. And every warning about him rushed through her head immediately. “I-I’m actually studying,” Jade said softly. Andrew smiled slightly before taking the seat across from her anyway. “Good. Maybe you can help me pass chemistry.” Jade blinked in surprise. “You need help?” “Hard to believe?” he teased. A small laugh escaped her before she could stop it. Andrew noticed. And for the first time in a long time, something about her smile felt… real. Not fake. Not forced. Real. For a brief second, even he forgot about the bet. But only for a second. Because Andrew Kings never lost. Or at least, that was what he believed.