Bet on Love

The first day of school was never easy, especially in senior year. Aria Rivera stood at the entrance of Crestwood High, clutching her backpack like a shield. Her long black hair was tied in a neat ponytail, and her grey hoodie did little to hide the nerves in her eyes. Moving to a new town was her mom’s idea. A fresh start means a new environment, but Aria hated it already. Inside, students bustled through the hallways, laughter bounces off lockers, the smell of cafeteria food hanging in the air. No one looked her way. No one noticed the new girl, Aria stood by the door, face scanning the entire room. She clutched her bag tighter and took a slow breath. You’ve done this before, she reminded herself. Smile when needed, speak only when necessary, and don’t trust anyone. She walked in thinking no one noticed. Inside the main office, the receptionist gave her a brief welcome and a schedule printed on cheap paper. Aria took it quietly and headed towards her new locker. Her sneakers squicked slightly on the polished hallway floor. All around her, students buzzed in loud groups, laughing, shouting, gossiping. She walked straight past them like a ghost, unnoticed. Except one pair of eyes noticed. Leaning casually against his locker, Damian Hayes watched her walk down the hall. Tall, dark-haired, sharp-jawed, and always surrounded by his inner circle, Damon was the guy everyone knew, the star athlete, top student, playboy, and Crestwood’s golden boy. But even golden boys get bored. “New girl,” Jace muttered, noticing his gaze. “She’s cute,” “Who is the new girl?” he asked without looking at his friends Noah followed his gaze, “No clue, total loner vibes, though.” Aiden smirked. “She is hot.” Jace's mouth crooked into a sinister grin. “Bet you can’t get her number before Friday.” Damian raised an eyebrow, intrigued.”You’re serious?” “C’mon, man,” Aiden added. “You need some things to shake things off.” “What do I get if I successfully get her number before Friday?” He asked them Noah grinned. “Bragging rights and dinner is on us.” Damian hesitated for only a moment, eyes still on Aria. “Alright, you are on” He didn’t know her name, didn’t know who she was. But something about her pulled him, her quiet confidence, the way she didn’t look around for approval made her stand out. “Let me get this over with,” he said, already walking towards her direction. Aria was just trying to remember her locker combination when she heard footsteps coming from behind her. “You are new.” She glanced over her shoulders. A tall boy with dark hair, curious eyes, and a wide smile stood too close for comfort. “Brilliant observation,” she muttered, twisting her lock again. She secretly wished for him to varnish into thin air or just let her be quickly. “I am Damian,” he said, unfazed. “Good for you,” she says with a bite in her tone. She hopes he takes that as a hint to leave her alone and go along with his day. His mouth curved, and a low, amused sound escaped his throat.“You don’t plan on making this easy, huh?” “I am not trying to.” She finally got the locker open and began arranging her books in the locker. She took her time in doing that. He leaned casually against the next locker, waiting for her to finish arranging her books. She ignored his presence. “Hey, I am just trying to say hi.” he said to her. Aria finally turned. Her eyes held hints of frustration. She looked at his calm face. “And I am just trying to spend my first day peacefully without someone intruding on my space and not getting hit on, even if it is obvious that I want nothing to do with you.” “Is that too much to want?” She asked him. “Are you always this unfriendly?” he asked after a beat “No,” she replied, “just when I know someone is used to getting what they want and often times forget to read the room” Damian laughed softly. “You don’t miss much, do you?” She shut her locker, shouldering her bag. “I’ve learnt to pay attention.” And then she walked away. Damian stood there, watching her disappear down the hallway, something strange stringed in his chest. It wasn’t just the bet anymore. There was something about her, a guardedness that wasn’t cold, just careful. She intrigued him. He walked back to his friend with no number. “Did you get the number?” Noah asked playfully. “No,”he answers. “It looks like Damian Hayes is losing his touch” Aiden adds, already bursting into laughter. “The bet is due on Friday, no?” he replied. They walked down the hallway together, parting ways to attend their various classes. Later that day, fate or maybe dumb luck put them in the same classroom. The only empty seat was next to Aria. Damian slid into it without hesitation. He shifted his chair to be closer to Aria, but she paid no attention to him. The teacher began reading announcements, but Damian leaned slightly towards her. “So, what’s your deal?” Her lips parted with a huff, eyes narrowing at him. “I don’t have a deal” “Everyone has a deal” “Then mine’s none of your business” He chuckled again. “You are seriously not going to make this easy, huh?” “I don’t owe you anything” Silence stretched between them, and he didn’t try again for the rest of the class. Aria sighed in relief and was able to focus her attention fully on the teacher without any interference. By lunch, the story had already spread. Damian Hayes was turned down by the new girl twice. Jace couldn’t stop laughing. “She burned you, man.” “Hard,” Noah added. “You are gonna give up?” Damian shook his head. “No way.” “The bet is still on then?” “Definitely” But even when he said it, part of him wasn’t sure anymore. It didn’t feel like a game. Not with her. Not with the way she looked at him, liked she saw him straight through his charms and didn’t care who he was. That night, Aria lay in bed staring at the ceiling. Damian’s voice echoed faintly in her memory. Persistent, smooth, but not completely fake. She hated that he got to her, even a little. She picked up her sketchpad and started drawing, and for some reason, she drew him. Just the outline of his face, nothing too revealing but enough to prove that he was already in her head, and she hated that more than anything.