The Bet With The Players by C. Joyce (read my book TXT) 📕

"You guys, ok?" Xerxes asked to Carter and I, we were in his car. I was just finished tightening Carter's seat belt. Carter did a cute small nod to Xerxes, as he started to pass on the gas. My mind began flashbacks from the moment Dylan kissed me...To how he was about to 'do it' with that chick at breakfast. HA! I knew he doesn't care about me. Like that quote: Once a player, always a player.

A light voice interrupted my chain of thoughts. "Sea...? Are you okay?" My head snap onto Carter, who had a worried look on his face.

I did a fake smile, "Of course I am, little kiddo!" My voice cracked with the lies and I felt guilty lying to him...

Just like his older brother, Carter gave me a stern look. "Come'on Sea, you stink at lying!" I heard Xerxes laugh at me and shook his head.

"Yeah, Sea, quit lying. Lying's bad, didn't your teachers tell you that." Xerxes said as if was a preschool teacher. I stuck my tongue out at him and he did the same thing back.

"OOOooooo, you stuck your tongue out! That's bad!" Stupid little kid, you're always trying to get me into trouble.

Xerxes caught my eyes and smirked at me. "Naughty, little Sea."

I shrugged my shoulders at him. "What can I say? I love being...bad."

Carter had a disgust look at both of us. "EWWW! Are you two flirting at each other?!"

"...Sorry..." Xerxes and I said in monotone.
"So Sea, first I'm going to drive Carter to his school then yours. Is that okay with you...?"

"That's cool."

A few minutes past by when we finally arrived to Carter's school. I helped him get off the car. While Xerxes was still in the car, waiting. I got everything ready for him this early morning, it's first day in school. My hands were being held by his hands. "Do you have everything?" I questioned rapidly and started to name school supplies. "Pencils? Pencil pouch?"

"Yes and Yes."

"Oh! How about your lunch, I don't want you to be hungry at lunch."

Carter gave me a dull face, "I got everything, mommy."

"Your jacket? It might be cold when you go to recess."

"Mom!" Carter roar, "I got everything, quit worrying." I sighed an "OK" to him and let him go. Carter peck me on the cheek that shocked me...A little kid just kissed me on the cheek. Not just any kid, but the most popular guy in my school's little brother. Before he went inside that doors Carter shouted, "Hey, you Xerxes! Don't try anything while I'm gone!"

Xerxes shook his head in amusement plus playfully added, "I'll try not to. Sea's hard to resist." With his sentence got every parent around us shaking their heads. I wonder what they were thinking. The poor kid, his parents are still too young. I chuckled inside my head, that's what I bet the parents were thinking. I decided to let them thinking what ever they were thinking. My feet started to walk back to Xerxes and got into the car.

His eyes probably met my smile, that was on my bare lips. The same lips that Dylan kissed last night. Yet, also the same lips of his that he kissed that red-head. "Happy about that?"

"Yeah..." I said dreamily, "Now drive me to school, you need to go to your school also. Oldie."

Xerxes faked gasp, "Oldie?! Babe, I'm only 19 you probably forgotten."

"Eh - 19's pretty old to me." I said to Xerxes who gave me a half smile. Then again, I'm only 2 years younger than him.

He muttered a "Whatever." I giggled to his attitude. "Don't worry about Dylan, Sea."

"Huh-?"

"Dylan's just acting like a player ever since what happened to his last girlfriend." My mind started to ask questions. Girlfriend? "Ever since in his very early Sophomore year...that's when he began being a player. It was after a football game of his and during a party. His team just won the championship game and his best friend had thrown a party for winning. During that night...he found his girlfriend on the bottom of his best friend. Already naked. It turns out she's being cheating on him with two of best friends. All the time they been dating, all the time she's being having sex with his buddies."

"Who were they...?"

"You mean his girlfriend?" Xerxes questioned me, "Some girl in your grade, I guess. I forgot her name, I remember it starts with an 'A'...I just know she has dark red-head with supermodel material..." That answered my question what was Dylan's problem and I know what happened.

We finally made it to school, the joy ride had to end. I quickly step out of Xerxes's car to walk into my school. "So Sea, I'll drive you to the hospital later." Xerxes's words made me stop walking and I gave him a confused look. "To visit your ex-boyfriend, Drew." Oh yeah...Drew's in the hospital. I wonder if Reliey's okay or a bigger chance of her crying in Social Studies.

I didn't answer him but nodded, with that Xerxes's left to go to his own school. Ah, sucker, he's probably late already...and it's all my fault. A second after he left, the man whores came with their expensive cars.

"Hey Sea!" My head turned to the twins. They were waving their hands so fast, I thought they would fall off. A pair of sky blue eyes caught my attention. Shit, Dylan... He acted like I didn't exist and ignored me.
The players must be celebrities or something. Since once they got here, so did the fan girls.

The only thing I heard was, "They're here! They're here!"

"Dylan will you marry me?!"

"Kev, did you break up with your GF yet...?!"

"Alvin, I'll cut my wrists only to kiss you."

"Tyler, you're so hot just like your brother."

"I'll cut off my heart just to give it to you, Chad."
And other random fan-girling stuff. Jeez, just a few good looking guys can turn anyone psychos. Including the last on I mean come'on. I wanted to scream out 'You need help girl!' to whoever said that to Chad.


There was a low and husky voice behind me. "Jealous, aren't ya?"
I gasped at surprise and standing behind me was James. "Surprise, sweetheart?" For some reason James's calling me 'sweetheart' cause thumping in my heart. Wow, aren't I cliche much? "I don't think we met properly...My name is-"

"OMG! That's James, Dylan and Tyler's cousin from England!"

I heard him mutter "Shit", as he grabbed my wrist. "Sorry Sweetheart, we should get somewhere more...quiet!" He was trying to say because we were running away from the crazy girls. Somehow we made it to my first class, English.

"Ah, Miss Shore pleasure for you to come to class. LATE." Mrs. Leavitt or should I say 'Ms.' Leavitt, ever since her husband divorced her. Serves her right, I made who the hell would cheat on their husband just for a student?! Mr-I mean Ms. Leavitt has bright orange hair and cold blueish-gray eyes. Honesty, how can someone marry her? She's like a queen of hell and I mean it. She would yell at you for say...losing a pencil. Ms. Leavitt's nicknames are like Ms. Cougar and Ms. Bird. Her nickname of bird is all because of her beak-like nose. Cougar for cheating on her husband with one of her former students.
"Is there a reason why you're late?!" I began to speak a single word then she yelled at me. "SAVE IT! I don't want to hear your excuses!"

I privately rolled my eyes and took a chair in the back. I could feel everyone was laughing at me. Or was calling me a harsher term for 'Dummy'. I said under my breath only loud enough for me to hear, "Bitch."

Ms. Leavitt's eyes glint staring at James. What a cougar... "And who you might me, handsome." Oh poor James, you just got trapped on the cougar's wish list.

James pretended like he didn't care but answered her, "James Hartford."

"OOooo, what to tell the class about yourself Mr. Hartford?" 'Mrs. Cougar strikes again!' would be the title if I owned a newspaper.

"James Hartford, moved here just yesterday...You should know my two cousins, Dylan and Tyler Mason." That definitely caught all the girl in the room's attention.

Girls in the room started to whisper or shout. "The Hottie is related to the other Hotties!"

I rolled my eyes, typical girls. Ms. Leavitt said rapidly, "Interesting, Mr. Hartford. Why don't you take a seat." James nodded his head and began deciding on a seat. All the girls were begging him to sit next to them. I chuckled at their dumbness, what happened to girls over the years? I look away for a second and I heard someone taking the empty chair besides me.

I looked up to see James above me. "Can I sit here...?" Why not give the poor guy a break? He didn't let me answer and just sat down in the chair. "Thanks." I could feel every single girl's eyes burning through my body. Calm down, it's not like we're dating. One of the deadly eyes also belonged to Miss Leavitt.

"OK CLASS, Calm down!" Miss Leavitt shouted. "It's time for a new project...so pick a partner!"

"What a freak." My eyes were in shock, James's face was so close to mine. He was leaning besides me to talk. "She reminds me of a bird..." I chuckled at him, he was so right! "Want to work together...?"

"Sure." I answered as every girl groaned at me. "If I don't get killed by your fan girls."

"The project is to get to