The Bad Boy's Bet

Chapter 4 — First Conversation

Monday morning arrived far too quickly.

Elena Bennett considered Monday mornings a personal attack.

She sat in the university cafeteria with a cup of coffee beside her, a notebook open in front of her, and exactly twenty minutes before her first lecture.

Twenty minutes was enough.

Enough to review the previous chapter.

Enough to finish the last few lines of her assignment.

Enough to enjoy the quiet before the rest of the university became unbearably loud.

She adjusted her glasses and continued writing.

"Elena."

She didn't look up.

"Elena."

Still nothing.

"Elena Bennett."

She finally raised her eyes.

Sophia stood beside the table with her hands on her hips.

"Are you ignoring me?"

"Maybe."

Sophia pulled out the chair.

"You've been sitting here for ten minutes."

"I know."

"And you didn't say hello."

"You were talking."

"I was talking to myself."

"I noticed."

Sophia stared at her.

Then laughed.

"You know, sometimes I wonder why we're friends."

Elena smiled.

"Because you need someone sensible."

"I hate that answer."

"I know."

Sophia placed her coffee on the table.

"Anyway, I have news."

Elena continued writing.

"Is it important?"

"Very."

"Is anyone injured?"

"No."

"Is someone getting arrested?"

"No."

"Then I can wait."

Sophia rolled her eyes.

"Adrian Cole."

Elena's pen stopped.

Only for a second.

Then continued.

"What about him?"

Sophia leaned closer.

"He asked about you."

Elena looked up.

"He did?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

Elena frowned.

"What did he ask?"

"He asked your name."

"I thought he already knew my name."

"He does now."

Elena stared at her.

Sophia grinned.

"Don't look at me like that."

"I'm not looking at you any particular way."

"You are."

"I'm just confused."

"Good."

"Why is that good?"

"Because maybe you're finally interested in something other than textbooks."

Elena closed her notebook.

"Sophia."

"Fine, fine."

Sophia raised both hands.

"I'll stop."

Elena shook her head.

She wasn't interested in Adrian Cole.

At least, she had no reason to be.

She knew his reputation.

Everyone did.

He was charming.

Popular.

Rich.

Reckless.

The sort of person Elena usually avoided.

She had enough problems without adding a complicated boy to them.

Her phone buzzed.

She checked the time.

"We should go."

Sophia nodded.

They gathered their things and headed toward the humanities building.

Neither of them noticed the black car parked near the entrance.

Or the person leaning against it.

Adrian did.

He had been waiting for Ethan.

Unfortunately, Ethan was late.

Again.

Adrian checked his phone.

Where are you?

Three dots appeared.

Then disappeared.

Then appeared again.

Finally:

Coming. Chill.

Adrian sighed.

He looked toward the building.

Students passed by in groups.

Then he saw her.

Elena.

She was walking beside Sophia, carrying a stack of books.

Adrian straightened slightly.

He hadn't planned on talking to her.

Not today.

The bet didn't require rushing.

But Ethan's voice suddenly came back to him.

You're scared.

Adrian frowned.

"Whatever."

He pushed away from the car.

As Elena approached the entrance, one of her books slipped from the stack.

She tried to catch it.

She failed.

The book hit the ground.

Adrian reached it before she could.

"Here."

Elena stopped.

She looked at him.

For a moment, neither said anything.

Then she looked at the book in his hand.

"Thank you."

Adrian held it out.

"You're welcome."

She took it.

Their fingers didn't touch.

Elena glanced at the cover.

Then at him.

"You know my name."

It wasn't a question.

Adrian smiled.

"Apparently."

"Apparently?"

"Your friend told mine."

Elena looked toward Sophia.

Sophia was already walking away.

She had abandoned her.

Traitor.

Elena turned back.

"Right."

Adrian nodded.

"Elena."

She adjusted the books in her arms.

"Adrian."

He raised an eyebrow.

"You know my name too."

"Everyone does."

He laughed quietly.

"Fair enough."

Elena didn't smile.

Not because she was being rude.

She simply didn't know what else to say.

Adrian wasn't used to that.

Usually, people filled the silence around him.

Elena didn't.

She just stood there.

Quietly waiting.

Adrian glanced at the book in her arms.

"Do you always carry this many?"

Elena looked down.

"Usually."

"Why?"

"I need them."

"All of them?"

"Yes."

He nodded thoughtfully.

"Okay."

Silence again.

Elena shifted her bag.

"I should go."

"Sure."

She took one step.

Then stopped.

"Thank you."

Adrian smiled.

"For the book?"

"Yes."

"No problem."

She nodded.

Then walked inside.

Adrian watched her go.

That was it.

No dramatic moment.

No flirting.

No butterflies.

Just a thirty-second conversation about a dropped book.

And yet...

Adrian couldn't help smiling.

Ethan finally appeared.

"Sorry."

Adrian looked at him.

"You're late."

"I know."

Ethan followed his gaze toward the building.

"Did you talk to her?"

Adrian nodded.

Ethan's eyebrows shot up.

"Already?"

"It was nothing."

"What did you say?"

"She dropped a book."

Ethan stared at him.

"You started the bet and your opening line was about a book?"

Adrian laughed.

"I didn't exactly plan it."

"What did she say?"

"Thank you."

"That's it?"

"Pretty much."

Ethan shook his head.

"This is going to take forever."

Adrian looked toward the entrance again.

"Probably."

For some reason, he didn't seem bothered by that.

Inside the building, Elena walked beside Sophia.

Sophia was suspiciously quiet.

Elena glanced at her.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You're smiling."

"I am not."

"You are."

Sophia finally turned toward her.

"You talked to Adrian."

Elena sighed.

"For thirty seconds."

"Thirty seconds!"

"Yes."

"What did he say?"

"He gave me my book."

"Romantic."

"It wasn't."

"He looked at you."

"People usually do when they're speaking."

Sophia laughed.

Elena shook her head.

"You make everything dramatic."

"I prefer the word observant."

They reached their classroom.

Elena sat in her usual place near the window.

Sophia sat beside her.

The professor walked in.

Everyone became quiet.

Elena opened her notebook.

Within minutes, she was completely focused on the lecture.

She didn't think about Adrian.

She didn't think about the conversation.

She didn't think about his smile.

Not even once.

At least, that's what she told herself.

Later that afternoon, Adrian sat through another lecture.

This time, he was actually awake.

Mostly.

Ethan leaned toward him.

"So..."

Adrian didn't look over.

"No."

"You don't even know what I'm asking."

"I know."

Ethan smiled.

"You're thinking about her."

"I'm thinking about getting out of this class."

"Sure."

Adrian rolled his eyes.

His gaze moved toward the front of the room.

Then, without meaning to, toward the door.

Elena walked past the classroom outside.

She didn't see him.

Adrian watched her disappear down the hallway.

Something about her was strange.

Not strange in a bad way.

Just...

different.

She didn't seem impressed by him.

She didn't seem intimidated by him either.

She simply treated him like another student.

Adrian wasn't sure whether that annoyed him or interested him.

Maybe both.

Ethan nudged him.

"You're staring."

Adrian looked away.

"I'm not."

"You were."

"Drop it."

Ethan grinned.

"Okay."

For once, he did.

Adrian returned his attention to the lecture.

The bet was still just a bet.

Elena was still just a girl he barely knew.

And Adrian still had no intention of rushing anything.

He would talk to her again.

Eventually.

When there was a reason.

When the opportunity came naturally.

Because even if he didn't realize it yet, the easiest way to make Elena Bennett notice him...

wasn't to chase her.

It was to give her a reason to look his way.

And Adrian Cole had no idea yet what that reason would be.