Page 85 of Counter Bet

Steph scoffs. “Fuck you! The money is already in the pot. Your flowery feelings are not coming in between me and easy money. It’s just a bit of fun.”

I laugh, chucking her on the chin. “You’re cute when you get all feisty. I expect a big part of the takings when you win.”

She slaps my hand away, then takes a large sip of alcohol and glares at me over the rim of the glass.

April drops down on her knees in front of Matt, who plants his feet and grips hold of the table’s edge.

I shake my head exasperatedly and throw the apple in the garbage as his belt clinks and April giggles. “I’m starting to think we should establish some boundaries. Our friendship is weird as fuck.”

Steph laughs. “It never bothered you before, lover boy. Is Miss Prissy turning you into a prude?”

I narrow my eyes and take a swig of the drink she handed me earlier. I wince. It tastes like shit! The vodka and sprite ratio is way off, and all I can taste is vodka burning its way down my throat. “Don’t you have anything better to do? You’re getting on my fucking nerves.”

Steph shrugs, unperturbed as the front door slams.

“I’m here!” Josh shouts in an obnoxiously loud voice as he joins us in the kitchen, carrying trays of beer with Nina in tow.

Thank fuck!

I walk over to the sink and pour the sad excuse of a drink down the drain.

“Who’ve you got down there, Matty?” Josh grins. “April, are you getting the party started early?”

I smack Josh on the back of the head. “Put the beer on the coffee table. Let’s play some fucking Halo and leave Matt to get his dick sucked in peace.”

Matt grunts in acknowledgment.

“Where’s Dallas?” Josh asks as he drops down on the couch, reaching for the controller on the coffee table.

“She’s been in the bath for the last hour. She’ll be a fucking prune when she gets out.”

Josh smirks. “I’m sure she wouldn’t mind it if you joined her.”

I smirk back but don’t tell him that things have changed between us after Emily stepped into our lives.

Since then, we haven’t touched each other sexually, and it no longer feels right to use each other for release when we care about the same girl.

I’m not sure when things changed for me? I’m not even sure how I feel about it. Everything was easier before Princess came along and turned everything on its head. Dallas used me for her needs, and I got my dick wet with random girls. It worked, but now I can’t get Emily out of my head. I’m whipped by a fucking cheerleader—a princess from the wealthy parts of town. It’s almost comical.

“Where’s Princess? Shouldn’t she be here soon?” Josh asks, bringing me back to the present.

I check my phone. “She messaged me fifteen minutes ago to say she’s on her way.”

We start up another game. Nina and Steph move the coffee table forward so they can settle on the floor by our feet and roll a joint.

Steph licks the edge and says to Nina, “Did the guy from chess club finally grow a pair of balls and talk to you yet? He’s had googly eyes for you for months.”

Nina looks intrigued. “Who?”

“You know? The brown-haired guy with really curly hair who wears chinos and tucked-in-shirts.”

Nina lights up. “You mean the guy who fainted when we dissected frogs last year?”

We all chuckle. The poor guy didn’t handle it well.

“The one and only,” Steph replies, placing the joint between her lips. She digs in her front pocket for a lighter and lights it up.

Nina sinks her teeth in her bottom lip, grinning. “Thanks for the heads-up. I always wanted to train a virgin. He’s kind of cute if you look past the preppy clothes and the fact that all he seems to talk about are math equations and global warming.” She squeals, making us all cringe. “I’ll suck him off. It will make his day at school on Monday. I can’t wait to see his reaction. He’ll probably blow his load the minute I take him in my mouth, but trust me, he’ll be my personal sex slave in no time.”

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