Love at First Bet

chapter 2: take the dice

"It was me who first threw the dice, not having a care if I'd won the first game. I just wanted to get this over. Wish I tossed that dice with care if I only knew the stake."

~o~o~o~

>> Kyler's POV

He’s exhausted.

Between his pre-Calculus class and volleyball practices, the day had not ended yet, but his strength and patience had already reached their limit. Checking his watch, he finds that he still has time to spare before practice. Usually, he spends his spare time doing extra practices. But after the morning fiasco and their team captain initiating that bet, Kyler decides to visit the library.

Perhaps a nap could replenish his energy and patience to go through volleyball practice later.

The library was not packed like he expected. Midterms have just ended a week ago and students still have months to prepare for finals week. There are a number of students occupying the library but they are not that many for Kyler to consider them enough to make some noise.

Choosing a seat in the most corner of the place, he places his bag on the seat beside him and plants his forehead on the table. Tucked between a tall shelf and the wall, it is the ideal spot to get a peaceful nap. Seconds later, sleep slowly wrapped around his head. His muscles gradually relax.

"Hello."

Not seconds later of tasting that sweet sleep, an unfamiliar voice echoes in his ear. Kyler decides to ignore it, desperately clinging on the fifteen-minute nap he needed. Afterall, there is also the possibility that the greeting was not for him.

"Kyler Donner."

Damn, he thought.

Sighing in defeat, he begrudgingly lifts his head from the table to address his unwanted visitor. Respectfully, he adds.

Kyler was expecting a girl with a confession letter or possibly, someone who reserved this seat first. But, the girl is not any of them.

It's Tatie Reyes.

Kyler barely talked to the girl. They shared a couple of classes before but they never interacted. In fact, the only time Kyler first noticed her presence was during one of the university's volleyball matches. Unlike the others in the bleachers cheering for them, Tatie was watching the game earnestly, not because of the volleyball players but instead of the ball. This intrigued him since most of the girls are deeply intrigued more on them than the game itself.

He started noticing her during the games. She's usually accompanied by a girl the same age as her, possibly a friend, and a freckled boy who looked like a high-schooler.

It's just an act of curiousity. Intrigue, if he could define it. 'Cause everytime the university has a match, Kyler's eyes search around the bleachers and once he found the object of his curiosity, he relaxes and focuses in the game.

This subtle act was not gone unnoticed by their team vice-captain and started teasing him about him having a crush. Since Kyler was nicknamed as a 'volleyball robot', the team is delighted at the prospect of him having a crush. He tried his best to stop the teasing but the volleyball team is composed of annoying and provoking people that his mild curiosity has spiked into a full-blown bet between him and the team.

Blinking back to reality, Kyler regards the smiling girl infront of him with an unsure bow.

"Yes," he says unsurely. "Can I help you?"

To his surprise, Tatie gifts him a bright smile before taking the seat infront of him.

"Yes, I need your help," she exclaims.

Kyler weighs his options of entertaining the girl. He still wanted to take a nap yet, looking at Tatie making herself comfortable on the wooden chair of the library, makes him realize that this will be a long conversation.

Tatie rests her chin on her palm and smirks at him. Kyler just blinks at her, waiting for her to speak.

"You see, I have a big problem," Tatie starts. "I'm broke."

Kyler narrows his eyes at her. He tries to formulate the best and polite way to inform her that he doesn't had the money to help people. And, even if he do, he values money that only the people he knew could get a help out of him.

"I'm sorry to hear that. But, I don't think I could help you with that," he replied. "If you want, I could help you file an academic bankruptcy in the registrar."

It was Tatie's turn to blink at him before erupting in giggles. The librarian shoots them a menacing glare and Kyler responds with an apologetic bow. He still needs this place to get some rest and possibly, finish his homework in time.

"If you don't stop, you and I will be kicked out of the library," Kyler states in a matter-of-fact tone. "And, I don't want that. You could leave if you can't stop laughing,"

"Sorry," Tatie says between giggles. "You just surprise me with your suggestion." She clears her throat and fixes her glasses before continuing, "You could help me if you win the bet."

"What bet?"

"That bet that the volleyball team had?"

At once, Kyler felt like a pail of cold water was thrown on his back. The bet started just this morning. Even if majority of the volleyball team were asses, they swore to Kyler that they will not meddle and speak about it to other people. Afterall, they have a rule: whatever happens in the club will stay in the club. And, Kyler knows he can trust them with their words.

So, how did Tatie Reyes learned of the bet?

Either, someone told her or...

"I heard it," Tatie helpfully supplies, her eyes glinting with glee as if she had won a sort-of game. "I accidentally heard about it when I passed by the volleyball team locker."

As soon as the last word left her lips, Kyler throws himself from the seat and bows deeply infront of Tatie. A turmoil of shame and guilt swirl uncomfortably inside his stomach as he pictures himself becoming a person who likes to play around people.

"I deeply apologize for the actions of me and my teammates," he states. "It's just for fun and hold no meaning. I promise you that I did not think of entertaining the idea."

"No, you should!"

Beyond the white noise of panic, Kyler tries to process Tatie's words. That sentence is not delivered with sarcasm. In fact, it kind of sounds like a call of desperation. Slowly, he lifts his gaze to catch a glimpse of Tatie's face to understand the situation.

"Date me." Tatie demands.

"W-what?"

Kyler has exactly no clue of where this conversation is heading. His body was still folded in a bow. The uncomfortable mixture of guilt and shame is still bubbling in his gut, making it hard for him to use his brain and process every word they exchange.

On the other hand, his table companion looks like she had taught everything out. Her face looks like a painting of determination. Her eyes are staring straight at his own and every word that comes out of her lips are strong and clear.

"Date me, Kyler Donner."

"Why?"

"How much was the ongoing bet?"

Kyler pauses. His brain is still malfunctioning and so, his tongue did all the work and skipped the whole filtration process. He did remember the stake going higher as his teammates argued in their group chat that Kyler decided to turned off the notifications. He considered leaving the group chat but knowing his teammate (specifically a certain someone named Claude), he knew that they will just put him back in the group conversation.

"Five-hundred bucks, a credit card to use for a day and a blank cheque," he honestly replied. Kyler hears a quiet 'damn, that is a fortune, not a stake' from the other side of the table.

"You need to date me, Kyler Donner," Tatie repeats. Yet this time, she sounds confidently sure about her decision. "Then, let's split the money between us."

Kyler was exhausted. He just had a gruesome practice this morning and had just finished his classes for today. He still had to go to practice for this afternoon and his assignment from his general physics class is still unfinished.

Add to that pile of stress, a girl that Kyler usually sees in their game is standing before him with a decisive smile and demanding him to date her.

Damn, he thought to himself. The day is nearing its end yet it looks like he still has a long way ahead.