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

"Never mind..."

"Exactly!" 

"You know what- blah, blah, blah, blah" Sorry, I don't feel like saying Stell's other words.

"Guys!" Sara shouted to aim for their attention, never happened. "GUYS!"

"WHAT?!"

"Can we go inside now? Sea's 'friend' needs help." Stell and mom both sighed a 'fine.' But their sighs didn't sound like that; it's more of a 'Thank God she made her shut up!'. We all walked into the mansion's doors. They gave me spare keys...kinda, stupid Dylan left his house keys. And well...I made a same copy of his house keys. I opened the door, my mouth dropping to the floor. The house was clean! I didn't even clean the house before I for school this morning. 

"Surprise!" I heard someone cheer, it was the Twins. Oh, I'm surprised alright the house's clean!

"Happy Thanksgiving!" All of the guys finally greeted me. Alvin said as he was forced to, and almost the same as Dylan. Funny thing, they were all wearing tuxedos.  

That's rare.

Dylan's mom came from his behind, "Sea dear, you're finally here." She had one of her hands one my back, pushing me to the table. "Here have a seat. Dylan, dear, hold out the seat for her." Dylan did as told and took a seat in his own, or maybe he was forced to..? He was sitting right next to me. The other guys took their seats also. Mrs. Mason finally spotted my mom and my sisters. "You must be Sea's mother and her sisters!" Mrs. Mason had my mom in a tight hug. My mom had a high quality fake smile, Luna had a real one, and Stell and Sara kinda did. 

"Wait-" My mom interrupted her, and Mrs. Mason let her go. "Tammy?! Is that you?"

"Sarashina? Holy cow, it's been ages girl!"

"College has been a wall for us, huh?"

"No wonder Sea's last name sounded so familiar! You married Xander?!"

"Yup!"

"Your dreams came true than, Sarash!" Dylan and I exchange each other strange looks. How do both our mom's know each other?

My mom finally asked Mrs. Mason, the question was I wondering, "Why are you in such a jolly mood?"

"Take a seat and I'll tell."

My mom pulled out a chair closes to Stell. "So wh-"

"-Mom," Stell whined and pointing at Xerxes, " can we change seats, he's being a jerk to me!"

"I was only trying to apologize what I did a few years ago!"

"Stell, enough, he was just apologizing."

"It's fine Sarashina," Mrs. Mason had her hand in a 'let it go'. "We can arrange the still-wants-to-be couple's wedding after Sea's and Dylan's."

I almost choked on my water. Dylan looked guilty, that dude.... It looked mom almost choked on her own tongue.

"W-Wedding?!"

"Yes! Can you believe it?! Sea is Dylan's fiancé!"

"It's fine Sarashina," Mrs. Mason had her hand in a 'let it go'. "We can arrange the still-wants-to-be couple's wedding after Sea's and Dylan's." I almost choked on my water. Dylan looked guilty, that dude....

It looked mom almost choked on her own tongue. "W-Wedding?!"

"Yes! Can you believe it?! Sea is Dylan's fiancé!"

---

So many questions were running in my head right now. The first one was: If I'm his fiance, where's my ring? I tried to laugh at my own joke but I still couldn't. I'm only seventeen and turning eighteen soon in June. I CAN NOT get married just yet, can't. There's so many things in the world I still need to do. Like, like, eat more mango ice cream or go sky diving. Getting married is a big NO-No. Since when did my life became a cliche teen novel? Isn't it, only arrange teen marriages happened in crazy girl's stories?

I miss my boring life. I need to know why Dylan's mom thinks we're engaged. "Dyl-I mean- sweetheart, can I have a word with you?" I had to force myself to say 'sweetheart' in a sweet innocent tone. 

You're dead, Mason. "Ah....why don't we just chat right now..?" Oh, aren't you a smart aleck, you want witnesses for your murder. 

"It's-important. Please, baby, just a little chat?"

Mrs. Mason interrupted my little 'wifey' speech, "Dylan, your lovely fiance wants a chat with you. Happy her happy and just talk to her in private." 

"But-" Dylan tried to say. 

"-No buts'."

Dead meat, Dylan Mason. Dylan scooted out of his chair and went over to hold my hand. He was walking me to a lone hallway. "So-want'ya wanna to talk about?" Dylan asked me in a cool and weird accent. 

Our hands were still attach so I roughly pushed his hand away. "Don't act like that, dumb ass, you know what." Shit, did I just call Dylan a dumb ass? I wonder what's his next smart reply would be? A curse word? Name calling? 

No, nothing.

Dylan leaned over to the wall acting like a 50's rebel would. "What's there to talk about?"

"Oh, like how were getting married?!"

"Doesn't matter," He said without a single care or doubt, "It's just a wedding."

"Yeah, my wedding, I actually care about that. You know?!"

"So-? You're getting married to me, just like any other girls' dreams."

I sighed, he's not getting the point. "You don't get the point. Don't you know what a wedding stands for? When I get married, I want to marry someone I love.  Not, out of the ordinary guy I can only stand. I have to actually love that man to marry him. Plus, I don't want to get married at such a young age. I mean really, seventeen? Are you nuts?!"

"And- you're not getting the point. Just marry me, Sea." Dylan starting to walk over to me in a way a lion would. "If you marry me, you get my name. With my name- you can get whatever your dreams desire. Whatever expensive sport cars you want. You can be rich from your wildest dreams. People like Aria or GG won't make fun of you, anymore." He was circling me into a wall's corner. "Be rich, buy anything you want.You don't have to live in a beggar of a family anymore-"

*Slap* I slapped him right across the face, leaving a red mark. His mouth was wide open in pure shock and confusion. "Do-Don't you dare make fun of my family like that!" 

It only took a minute or two before he can catch his breathe. That's the time I decided to take my lead. "You still can't deny my orders, Miss Shore. You still work for me and the guys, remember? And if you leave now- you'll lose the bet." I paused my heels, The bet? I almost forgot about that. "And if you remember clearly, you have to stay here for an entire year. The year isn't even close to over yet, Miss Shore. If you leave now...you can just return your all your past wages over to me."

I need those, the money. All of my hard work all this time, down the toilet. "I-I"

"So...what's your choice, Miss Shore?"

I took a really big breathe this time, "I-I-I...I'll marry you."

Sea's POV. "Smart girl," Dylan said emotionless while walking away.

I seriously hate you...  I can't marry you just for your money. ---

James's POV.

I can't believe what I just saw...So this fucking marriage is a fake?! Damnit couz, you're a jackass right now. I can't see Sea like this, her poor sad eyes. And-the fuck?-Man up! Get your balls together and man up! 

"Hey James, what are you seeing man-?" There was an hand on my back, Eric. Once he saw what I was looking at, "Dude. I thought you said you'll get over her."

"I-I know but..."

"But nothing man," he said in a sorry tone, "but Sea's marrying Dylan. You know that."

And I won't let that happen. 

Fake lie, fake lie right now! "I will, I understand what you're thinking man." Eric nodded his head and went back to the kitchen to help out. Dylan, cousin, you are fucking stupid. I went to look for Dylan, surprise, he was drinking.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

"Relaxxx little James..." Yup, this dude is already drunk, idiot.

"I've drank before, I can handle it!"

"That's not my point! You're still too youn-"

"-Too young my ass." 

Stubborn dumb ass... 

"Look James, I'm just a few months younger than you."I couldn't help but to roll my eyes at him. Does Sea actually like this dude, why? I'm way better!

"I heard you're forcing Sea to marry you."

He snapped, "So?"

"You don't deserve her!"

"And you do?!"

"I CAN TREAT HER THAN YOU!"I felt something that knocked my face...wait, did Dylan just punched me?

"Don't you dare say that!"He should think wiser-I punched him back-harder.

"You're just scared." Cocky side, yes, I have one. "Sea's better off with me."

"You want her?" He had a wicked smirk on his punch-able face. "Try to get her from me then..."

*Sea's Dream*

"Mommy, why are you and daddy not married anymore?" My son, well dream son, Sean, asked me. What are you suppose to say to a little 4 year old?

"Huh-" 

"-Because Sean," Dylan interrupted me, "we don't actually love each other."

Sean had his big blue eyes in confusion, "What do you mean daddy? People marry each other because they love each other!"

Dylan got onto his knees to Sean's height and sighed. "Sean, you're still too young to understand. Come'on little dude, you're going home with me this week..." He said walking away to his car, both hands with his suitcases.

He's right, we didn't really 'love' each other. "

MOMMY! Tell daddy he isn't right, you do love him right?!" Sean tried to say but a few snobs came out. I tried to look away from his face, he had a tear sliding down his cheeks.

"Sean, that is enough." "Mommy...don't let daddy go." His small hands were clutching on my jeans. "Please, I want mommy and daddy together! I want two loving parents like my friends have!"

Dylan said in a stern father-like voice, "Sean. Come'on the driver is waiting."

"But daddy...why did you mommy marry each other then?!"

He sighed but knew he couldn't