Page 45 of Puppy Love

“I’m going to kick your ass,” I say boldly. Very boldly actually because I haven’t been bowling a day in my life. But I had to say something to curb Violet’s ego. “I think you need a little humility.”

Violet snorts.

“Me? You should hear yourself Little Miss I’m-Gonna-Kick-Your-Ass.” Just as she says it, something flickers in Violet’s eyes, and I’m terrified as to what twisted thought has just entered her mind. She smiles devilishly, her pupils dilating enough to hide most of her irises. Why do I feel like I’ve just made a mistake?

“Hmm,” she says, acting as if she is deep in thought. I’m sure whatever it is will be a rather testy epiphany.

“What?” I grumble, ready to get it over with. Her eyes dance around the room slowly, until they finally land on me.

“What if—” Her gaze darts to my lips, then back up to my eyes. “What if we make a bet?”

Here we fucking go.

“A bet?”

She nods. “Yes, a bet.”

I roll my eyes, holding my hands out in a “why-are-you-like-this” gesture.

“For what?”

“For fun? I know it isn’t your thing—” I scowl. “But most people actually want to have fun. Myself included.”

“I can have fun,” I snap, completely proving her point.

“Oh yeah,” she says sarcastically. “You’re a real bundle of joy.”

I cross my arms defensively. I can have fun. I have fun all the time. That night in the storage closet? Fun. I’m fun.

“Try me.”

I know I’m falling for it. I’m stepping right into her trap. But I can’t help it.

“A bet then,” she declares, holding out her hand.

I scoff loudly, putting extra emphasis behind the “umph” as I eye her hand suspiciously.

“I’m not making a bet with you.”

Violet nods expectantly, drawing her hand back. Something about the gesture just irritates me more. She was waiting for me to decline. Expecting it. Like I couldn’t have fun even if I tried.

This isn’t about fun. It’s about safety. I wouldn’t put it past Violet to let something stupid slip out of her mouth in front of everyone.

“That’s a terrible idea. You can hardly keep your mouth shut as it is. Plus, that has to violate the contract in some way.” I shake my head, a dryness forming in the bottom of my throat. I know it doesn’t violate the contract because I wrote it. But I needed to say something to get this idea out of her head.

“Nothing in the contract prohibits a bet. What?” Violet asks sweetly. “Scared you’re going to lose?”

Yes, actually. I don’t know exactly how I got myself into this situation, and I have no idea how I’m going to get out of it.

If I say no, Violet wins. Her point is proven that I’m no fun. But if I say yes, I will also probably lose. And I don’t want to have to listen to her boasting about it for the next however long. I need to find a way out of this. And I need to be strategic. My eyes scan the room, nothing really catching my attention until they land on something that would make a little lightbulb appear above my head if we were in a cartoon. This might just be my one-way ticket out of this.

“What’s the prize?”

Violet looks at me, her brow raised in a weary expression. “What?”

“The prize. Aren’t you supposed to win something?” I ask.

Her smile turns devilish.

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