Love at First Bet

chapter 5: beginner's luck

"Is it not funny that we were so focused on not losing in the bet, not knowing that that bet is just one of the key pieces in this larger gamble named love?"

>> Tatie's POV

[received from angela my bestest friend]

hELP

our landlord is banging on our door

he dEMands fro blood

wER the hell r u??

fcK he talking to the pizza delivery boiii

U GET THAT PIZAZ

HWY R U TALKING TO THEM!

THEYR ENEMIEZZZ

oh they stop??

did u finally seduce the landlord

[sent to angela my bestest friend]

shut up and help me with this pizza and groceries

[received from angela my bestest friend]

GROCERIES?!?!?!

since when do we get groceris?

we only eat expired canned goods in dis haus

[sent to angela my bestest friend]

open the goddamn door

An hour later after the chaos between her, their landlord and pizza delivery guy, Tatie finds herself sitting in their living room, sipping a can of beer (yes, because she can afford it now) while Angela stuffs herself with the pepperoni pizza. It seems like her friend was too busy eating the goodies she brought that she didn't even ask Tatie where the money came from.

Tearing another slice of pizza, her best friend-s***h-roommate suddenly pauses in her actions and glances around the food and groceries. It looks like she just noticed them after filling her empty stomach.

"I know that my parents told me to ask first before I consume things. But, those three months of shared ramen and almost-expired canned goods made me forgot their rule," Angela reasons out. Tatie just waves her explanation and nudges her to ask the question. "So, where did you get the money to pay our rent and these groceries?" she asked before taking a bite of her pizza.

"From the volleyball team," Tatie supplied before downing her can of beer. She reaches for another but stops in her actions when she notices that her friend was not moving after answering her question.

At once, Angela lets go of the pizza and clutches Tatie's shoulders. She then shakes her friend's body and screams, "Oh my god! You finally did it!"

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Did you solicit money from them?" Angela announces. She proceeds to deliver a punch on Tatie's arm and whines, "Why didn't you tell me? I thought we're best friends and best friends are supposed to tell each other stupid decisions. I was thinking about selling rumors about them as blackmail? But, for a higher price because I am the wiser one! We could've--"

At once, Tatie shoves her palm on Angela's mouth, face burning red from embarassment. A sober Angela usually speaks with a gentle tone like an angel. When aggravated, she usually has a tone reserved for it and it sounds like she was calling for hell to loose. Yet, this, infront of her, is a tipsy Angela and a tipsy Angela tends to talk with such loud voice that Tatie is sure that their neighbors could hear her.

She just paid their debt and even added money as advance payment. They are in the landlord's good side once again after three months of being bombarded of pressure and hate mails. And, she will not allow her best friend to ruin their good reputation by announcing to the world that Tatie has been solding herself for money.

With her hands still covering Angela's mouth, she starts to explain herself.

"We're bestfriends," she declares and Angela, with her mouth still covered, nods at her. "We tell each other everything," another nod from the girl. "If I decide to solicit money, I will tell you immediately because we're best friends-s***h-soulmates-partners-in-crime and we'll be unstoppable if we want to."

Another nod.

"But, that was not what happened," Tatie explains. "Yes, the money came from the volleyball team but I did not do anything bad," she pauses.

Angela gives her a confused look. Tatie wants to release her hold of her but she can't risk it with her bestfriend running her mouth. As if hearing what Tatie was thinking, Angela raises a hand and crosses her heart with the other, promising that she will scream, screech, shout or whatever sound that is decibel higher than a whisper.

Tatie slowly releases her hold of her and grimaces at the slick saliva connecting her palm and her friend's mouth. She wipes her palm on Angela's shirt and the girl kicks her in retaliation.

Chaos behind, Angela prods her for more information, "So if you didn't sell nudes or perform indecent acts, how did you get the money?"

"I won a bet from them."

"And, what kind of bet is this for you to afford groceries and paying rent?"

This is where Tatie finds herself short with words. Kyler didn't mention about disclosing their agreement to other people but them but it is heavily implied that their partnership is a secret to the two of them. If one gets to hear their agreement, then another will hear it until they were both expose.

Angela has been Tatie's friend for eight years. They shared the same cup of noodles and blanket when they were both penniless. Yet, disclosing to her the agreement she have with Kyler will make things messy.

She needs the money. The money that could fill hers and Angela's cupboard. The money that could cool and heat their apartment. The money that could pay their rent and appease their landlord. The money that will cement the road that will lead Angela and hers career to a bright future.

Apologizing at their eight years of friendship, Tatie decides not to tattle and isntead, opts for another answer that is close to her current predicament but far away from the truth.

"They dared me to ask out the most handsome boy in their team," Tatie explains.

Angela waves a finger at her, completely in disarray. "You're telling me that you got money bet that paid our rent, groceries and the pizza for asking a guy out?"

Tatie nods, not wanting to dig deeper in the hole of chaos she created.

"And, who is the most handsome guy you asked out?"

"Kyler Donner,"

Her friend looks confused for a second, trying to remember the name. She turns to Tatie and asks, "The setter?" she asks blankly. Tatie nods. At her response, Angela throws her a disappointed look. "You mean to tell me that you were dared to ask out the most handsome guy in the volleyball team and you chose the most stuck-up and emotionally constipated person out of them?"

You know what, forget Angela. Forget that eight year friendship. Scratch her name out of the best friend lane.

Tatie throws her an offended look. As if compelled with ferocity to protect the setter from her best friend's insults, she defends Kyler's honor.

"Excuse me. Kyler is the most valuable player for three years straight in the Nationals competition,"

"You should have chosen Jake. Jake is a certified himbo!" Angela argues back.

"Your Jake usually flubs his serves when he's nervous!"

"Claude, then! Damn it, Tatie. You wasted a whole-package like Claude who is good-looking, good-natured and charming over Kyler who never even smiled?"

"If not for Kyler, your Claude will not get a good spike."

Angela opens her mouth to argue back but then holds herself back and just watches Tatie. Thinking that she had won, Tatie wants to gloat more about her win by listing Kyler's positive traits.

"Kyler is great with tactics. He knew how to fool the opponent blockers and opening a way for our spikers," she says as she lists it with her own finger. "Not only in volleyball, but he also excels in physics," she lists a second finger. "Between your silver-haired Jake and blonde-hair Claude, I think black-haired Kyler is the hottest of them all."

With that, she puffs her chest in pride, basking in that swirling happiness inside her guts. She turns to her friend and finds Angela staring at her oddly.

"What?"

Angela ignored her for a moment, sipping from her can of beer, before looking at her with nonchalant concern, "I know that this is just a bet but, be careful, okay? You sound like you like the guy,"

Tatie watches her as she stuffs herself with another slice of pizza. Cheese dribbles down Angela's chin and Tatie wants to scold or grimace in disgust at her friend but the instict to do so fades away as Angela's warning. Clearing her mind, she smiles confidently at her friend.

"Of course not. Do you think I'm an i***t who will fall in love that easy?"