Against All Odds

By Jenn Young

Everyone knows me as Whitley High's resident man-hater. It wasn't my idea, don't look at me, but after one or two well-publicized incidents, I got stuck with that nickname. Instead of whining about it, I've embraced my reputation.

It's just my bad luck that I walk right into a bet between my older brother and his best friend. My brother says Ryan can't make any girl fall for him while Ryan says he can.

Guess what? I'm the girl here.

Ryan Henderson is everything I don't like. Flashy, superficial, the whole works. Okay, maybe he's a little more charming than I expected. And that smile is something too. 

But I don't have a choice. Our high school is breathlessly watching this drama play out, and I need to uphold my reputation. I also need to take my brother's side. Four months of this stupid bet, and I've got this in the bag.

There just might be one slight problem. What if I don't want to win after all?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jenn Young
• Release date: Oct 23, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224915132

Jenn Young

Jenn Young is a writer of YA, New Adult, and supernatural drama. She is an unabashed lover of romance, soap operas, and supernatural.  When Jenn's not working at her day job, she drinks too much coffee and buys too many books. She loves to hear from readers. She can be found at her website or somewhere deep in her online cave. 

Book preview

Chapter One: Meet the Man-Hater

Man-hater.

Yeah, that’s what they say about me. Just because I wouldn’t sleep with Jeremy Phillips two years ago – incidentally, one of the most popular juniors at the time – people thought there was something wrong with me. Nobody ever asked me what was wrong with him. The only thing Jeremy loved was Jeremy Phillips.

Then there was Aaron Robinson who came a few months later. When I wouldn’t kiss him at a party, he spread unflattering rumors about me, and I got that nickname.

Instead of fighting it, I decided to accept the inevitable. Why not? I kept seeing my friends’ hearts getting broken by guys who weren’t worth their time. The whole dating game was rigged in favor of jerks. Once I saw it was like that, I decided not to play. I don’t want my heart broken because I don’t want to spend energy repairing it.

I know, I know.

You’re probably wondering if I have a dark, tortured past. Well, I can tell you that my parents have been happily married for twenty years. They don’t abuse or neglect me. My older brother is all right - not that I’d ever tell him. Really, if the worst thing that happens to me is that people think I’m a man-hater, so be it.

LOVE WAS IN THE AIR, or so they say, and it had entrapped my friends. Every other girl at the cafeteria table was gossiping about their latest hookups, breakups, and dating crises while I was doing my Honors Pre-Calculus homework. Two more problems to go and I’d be done. Mr. Abernathy always checked if we did our homework, and I didn’t want him to call on me. He had a particular (and I mean satanic) knack for ferreting out clueless students.

Livy’s voice broke into my consciousness. I couldn’t stand it anymore. Are you paying attention, Raleigh?

I shook my head absent-mindedly and nibbled on the end of my pencil. This problem was tough, and I had no idea how to solve it.

I just poured out my heart, and you didn’t even listen.

I sighed and gestured toward my homework. I’m sorry. Really. Livy Windsor had been my best friend ever since kindergarten, so I couldn’t exactly ignore her. What’s going on?

Her smile was mischievous. Oh, we’re just talking about this and that. Your favorite topic. 

I groaned. Guys again?

Sharon Markham leaned forward. Raleigh, Raleigh, she said, shaking her head. Not everyone’s a man-hater. Some of us actually like to date.

Hey! I went to Homecoming.

My friends all looked at me incredulously.

What? I snapped.

Livy cleared her throat. It doesn’t exactly count if the guy is gay, you know?

Well, yeah, there was that minor detail, but I shoved it aside. I went to the prom last year, I said.

With my brother, my other best friend Noelle Lansing pointed out. And only because Neil’s date had a family emergency.

Face it, girl, Sharon said with a laugh. You only go out if it’s school-related. Even then, we still have to drag you along.

Melanie Dalton, who’d only transferred to Whitley High a couple weeks ago, wrinkled her forehead. I feel like I’m missing out here. I don’t get the joke.

The other girls shared glances, as if silently electing one of them as the spokeswoman, then Noelle shrugged. It’s quite simple, she said coolly. You must have heard the rumors about Raleigh? Well, they’re true. She doesn’t date unless we make her. And that’s a shame since there’s a lot of eligible guys she could date.

Okay, Melanie said. She directed her next question at me. So that means you like girls?

No, I said. She still seemed confused, so I sighed and tried to explain. I like guys-

Really? Now that’s a shock, Livy interrupted.

As long as they’re far away from me, I continued. Maybe ten feet away. Closer than that, then I get claustrophobia. I was beginning to get into stride. Guys can be cute and messy, but you don’t want them to slobber all over you.

Melanie blinked. Interesting analogy. You don’t date at all?

The concept clearly staggered her. As well as it should, I supposed. There were plenty of people who didn’t date, but my older brother was a part of the in-crowd. He’d made it easy for me to be accepted, and I ended up tagging along at parties. 

That’s right, I said.

Give up, Sharon advised Melanie. If we don’t understand Raleigh, you won’t either. It’s just one of her quirks.

She would have said more, but the bell rang.

I headed to math with Noelle. Much to my relief, the teacher didn’t call on me, but it wasn’t until history class that things started to kick up.

From the way Livy hurried over to us, I knew she had gossip to share. Guess what I heard? she said, even before she skidded to a halt.

What? we said in unison.

Ryan broke up with Samantha Martin! I heard the news in the restroom just now. She’s really distraught.

I didn’t have to ask whom she was referring to. There were many Ryans in our school, probably a couple dozen, but only one Ryan Henderson. 

Much to my disgust, he was my older brother’s best friend. That in itself was bad enough, but he was at my house so often that I thought my parents should just charge him rent and get it over with. It was easier to count the times when I didn’t see him.

Oh please! I said, sighing. As if she didn’t know it was coming.

Noelle opened the classroom’s door. A bit heartless, aren’t you? As usual, her tone was that of cultivated boredom, but her eyes glittered with amusement.

Livy, ever the tender one, slapped my arm. You should have more compassion for the poor girl. She really liked Ryan.

All the more reason why I shouldn’t feel sorry for her, I said as I sat down. Ryan almost never dates a girl more than three months. Juanita Vasquez lasted five months, but only because he was dating Gabrielle Lyons at the same time.

How can you remember all of that?

I took my laptop out. He practically lives at my house, remember? If you saw him every day, you’d memorize all of that stuff.

She closed her eyes dreamily. If I were you, I wouldn’t complain. If I had him at my house all the time, I’d think I was in heaven!

Noelle shot me an indulgent smile, and I had to smile too. Livy was a pastor’s daughter, so heaven was the highest compliment she could hand out.

I’m not sure about that, Noelle said dryly, but Ryan is good-looking, popular, and rich. And very single. I’d say that makes him eligible.

My mouth fell open. I don’t believe you. You’d actually go out with him if he asked?

Yes, why not?

Why not? Livy echoed.

The bell rang again and the teacher rose from his desk. As he droned on about the late 1700s, my thoughts wandered. The world was really coming to an end if my two best friends would willingly date Ryan Henderson. What was it about him that girls liked so much? Whoever the next victim was – I mean, his next girlfriend – I just felt bad for her. 

Chapter Two: Bet Me, Baby

The din was the first thing I heard when I came home.

Andy was sitting on the kitchen floor, banging away at pots. When he saw me, he squealed and clapped his hands. I picked him up and he threw his chubby arms around my neck. There’s nothing like a happy baby.

He’d surprised everyone with his appearance. My parents already had Jared and me, so they weren’t expecting another child so late. As for me, I was embarrassed. Andy’s existence was proof enough that my parents were still having sex. And I really, really didn’t want to imagine that. I mean, come on. I knew that my parents’ marriage was healthy. But that healthy? Wow.  

My mother kissed my cheek and got out some celery sticks and peanut butter for me. So how was school today, honey?

I told her about my math class and about my friends. She’d finally started working again, but it was only a part-time remote job, so she was still at home taking care of Andy and I usually tried to fill her in. 

She smiled and nodded in the right places. Ryan broke up with his girlfriend? I wonder what excuse he’ll give this time.

It was a long-running joke between them. Every time Ryan dumped his current girlfriend, my mother always asked him what his reason was.

Samantha’s a vegetarian. I bet that’s got something to do with it, I said.

My mother laughed. Probably. Watch Andy while I go to the store, please?

Sure. Take your time.

A pang shot through me when she brightened at my assent. She hadn’t been out of the house for a couple days, so the grocery trip was literally the highlight of her week. As much as I loved Andy, he had changed all of our lives.

I carried my baby brother to the family room where he promptly put a toy into his mouth. I hurried back to the kitchen and put away the pots. I had just finished cleaning up when Jared got home with his friends.

I prudently retreated to my room with Andy. Sometimes I thought Jared was a part of the reason why people called me a man-hater. Any guy who got past my rigorous standards had to get past his older brother protective act. It wasn’t that he feared for my chastity. He just loved harassing the guys who had the temerity to get interested in me. Hopefully, Andy wouldn’t turn out to be like him.

Even so, I had to eavesdrop when Ryan’s voice drifted upstairs. His words made me sit up straight because they usually led to trouble.

God, I’m bored.

Dude, you should have kept Samantha around, Daniel Stockton said.

Ryan said something that I couldn’t catch, but it must have been funny because the other guys laughed.

I’m bored too, Jared said. Time for another bet, you reckon?

I groaned and Andy looked up at me. His brow wrinkled as if to ask me what was wrong. We have an idiot for a brother, I told him.

As dire as it sounded, there was still a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Ryan hadn’t answered and there was a very slim chance that he’d actually say no.

Definitely, Ryan said, dashing my hopes.

Yes, the Apocalypse was upon us. Whenever there was a bet between Jared and Ryan, it was just better for the audience to duck and run. They had a glorious tradition of challenging each other to do stupid things. The stupider the deed was, the better it was. It was a game that involved a twisted sense of masculine ego and pride.

I tilted my head, but I could only hear murmurs. Apparently, they hadn’t decided on the bet yet, but knowing them, it’d be outrageous. Pretty much the only word I could use to describe their various antics.

You think I’m exaggerating? Well, there was the infamous roller-blading incident when Ryan challenged Jared to put on a pair of rollerblades and a rope around his waist. The other end of the rope was attached to Daniel Stockton’s pickup truck. Ryan drove the truck, slowly increasing his speed. A cop caught them, but luckily for them, he was one of their friends’ cousins, so he let them off easy.

And of course, there was the time when Jared had Ryan speak only in Spanish for a week. The teachers weren’t amused, and Principal Trask even less amused, especially since the guys had been filming everything, making funny viral clips. I think Ryan got a few days’ detention for that one. See what I mean?

Someone had to talk sense into them.

God hates me today, I said with a sigh.

Andy, who evidently felt ignored, began to howl. I cuddled him and went downstairs with him busily yanking my hair.

I’m serious, man. I can make any girl fall for me within three months. It’s easy when you know what you’re doing, Ryan declared. 

I nearly choked, but Jared’s response was simple. Prove it, then.

Ryan never lost a beat. All right, I will. Who’s the last girl you can imagine being with me? Give me a name.

Jared’s friends started shouting out names. Much to my alarm, I heard Livy’s name. Oh, hell no!

Their voices were so loud that they set Andy off again. He shrieked right into my ear and I reeled. I was trying to quiet him when Jared came into the hallway.

Jared’s eyes lit up with that evil glee that I had come to recognize in my sixteen years. He grasped my elbow and dragged me into the family room.

Raleigh, he announced proudly.

Everyone stared at me. And I stared back at them, at a loss for words.

My eyes met Ryan’s. They were deep blue, and in the right lighting, they were almost black. I’d heard plenty of girls going into raptures over his eyes, and even I could admit they were stunning. Almost without fail, they were the first thing you noticed about him. He was looking at me as if he’d never seen me before.

A corner of his mouth turned up. Noelle had said he was good-looking, and yeah, if I wanted to be technical about it, he was. His cheekbones were a sculptor’s dream, and his lower lip a little fuller than the upper one. He even had great hair – short and spiky and black – and I’d never seen him with bedhead. To top that off, he had a dimple in his right cheek that winked at you all the time, even if he wasn’t smiling.

And yet I wondered what he would think if I told him I thought he was a plastic doll, all smooth and generically handsome and sexless. He was Jared’s best friend after all.

Done! Ryan said.

It took a few seconds for the significance to sink in, then I whirled around. No! Don’t drag me into this! I said. You can’t make me do anything.

The last time I had gotten involved with one of their stupid bets had been disastrous. My hands had turned literally purple from the dye, and I’d scrubbed my hands raw. The only reason I was even here was because they couldn’t involve innocent girls. My God, the girls of Whitley High were lambs being led to slaughter.  

Come on, sis. It’ll be fun, Jared said.

No!

My protest opened the floodgates. Before I knew it, I had six guys ragging me. Jared was among them – whatever happened to sibling loyalty? – and his comments only egged them on. Andy was my lone defender, and he just gnawed on my hair.

She knows she can’t resist me for three whole months, Ryan boasted. It’s that famous Henderson charm. Never fails, I tell you.

You scared, baby? Daniel jeered at me. Don’t want to lose your man-hating reputation?

Kyle Edwards punched Ryan’s shoulder. If he can’t do it, no one else can.

Damn straight, Ryan said.

My eyes narrowed. His arrogance was unbelievable! I could have understood if he was putting on a show for his friends, but he actually seemed to believe he could make me fall for him.

After one more round of comments, Ryan shouted down everyone. Oh, leave her alone, he said dismissively. She’s too scared to try it. And besides, I’d win and she knows it.

I couldn’t stand it any longer. I’ll do it and I’ll win.

Now I had everyone’s attention.

He raised an eyebrow. You’re saying you’ll do it then?

Yes. I put a hand on my hip, shifting Andy a little. And since I’m a part of the bet, I’m modifying the terms. I say that you can’t stay with a girl more than three months, so we’ll see how you cope with only me for four months.

Daniel whistled. Harsh. She’s got you.

Ryan’s grin was slow and lazy. Hardly. She’s giving me more time. He turned that grin on me. A lot can happen in four months, Raleigh. You sure? 

I nodded.

All right, Jared said, his tone business-like. We need to establish some ground rules. No cheating. That means you’ve got to give Ryan a fair chance. Not going to be much fun if you lock yourself in a closet for the next four months.

Whose side are you on anyway? I said, miffed.

Yours, of course. The bet’s mine too. If you lose, I have to pay up. Seeing my questioning look, he grimaced. The loser has to strip for Mr. Whitley High show. If they don’t let us do it, then we have to film ourselves stripping online.

I shuddered. The pageant was one of the school’s popular annual events. It brought in major fundraising money and it brought in every girl to ogle the male contestants. Almost without fail, the winner was always a part of the in-crowd.

Anyway, that’s far off, Jared said. It’s mid-October, so we’ll decide the victor after Valentine’s Day. He motioned for Ryan and me to get closer. Shake on it.

It wasn’t until I’d gone upstairs with Andy again that I discovered I was shaking all over. The reality of my situation sank in and I buried my head in my hands.

What had I just done? 

Chapter Three: Let the Show Begin

When I walked to my locker the next morning, all eyes were on me. At first, I could have sworn it was my imagination, but when I heard people saying my name, I knew it wasn’t. Ryan was one of the most popular seniors with a very large female population following his every move. Maybe I’d have been better off painting a target on the back of my shirt.

Jared put an arm around my shoulders. Good luck. I just hope you don’t get massacred by the other girls.

Gee, thanks. What was I thinking, hoping for some support?

Well, they won’t kill you, he said, glancing at Livy and Noelle who were coming our way. At least I don’t think.

There was color in Livy’s cheeks. Have you lost your mind? she blurted before my brother had made his hasty getaway.

Yes! I said.

I believe it, she muttered. She waved feebly at Noelle. Tell Raleigh that she’s crazy.

Noelle arranged herself on the other locker next to mine. Arranged was the right word. She had her chin high and her shoulders thrown back. Her provocative pose drew whistles and catcalls, but she ignored them as always, and that was why people thought she was an ice queen. She even looked the part: ash blond hair and forest green eyes.

Have you thought about what people will say? What they are saying now? she said. Daniel Stockton and Kyle Edwards already posted about it.

Seriously?

Livy swept her hair back from her face. Why didn’t you tell us right away? God, I must have spent two hours replying to every comment and text I got! She slanted me a cautious look. Trust me, you don’t want to read the comments they’re leaving on Daniel’s post.

I gave her a miserable nod. It amused me when people called me a man-hater, but it didn’t amuse me to be the subject of such widespread gossip. And with a bet like this, everyone would be watching me for four months. The notion was enough to make me want to hide in an igloo. Maybe I could even build one.

I groaned. I’m gonna die.

There’s only one thing you can do, Noelle said.

What’s that?

Give them something to talk about. She saw Livy’s expression and smiled a little. Think about it, Livy. Raleigh can’t back out of the bet without losing face. So, if she’s doing it, she should play to win. Beat Ryan at his game.

For the first time, I felt a spark of hope. Then that’s what I’ll do.

Livy raised a hand as if we were in class. I don’t mean to be a spoilsport, but what exactly do you have planned? How can you win?

As always, Noelle had an answer ready. Raleigh has to make Ryan dump her. The way I heard Daniel describe it, Ryan has to date her and only her for four full months. If he doesn’t, he loses. It’s that simple.

A light bulb went off in my head. I told Ryan that he couldn’t date any other girl, but he didn’t say anything about me dating anyone else.

Livy wrinkled her brow. So what?

She didn’t get it, but Noelle was nodding. That’s not a bad idea. If Raleigh dates someone else, it’ll be harder for Ryan to win, she explained to Livy. He’ll have to deal with the competition.

That’s kind of cheating... Livy said slowly.

I snorted at that. I had no doubt that Ryan was already searching for loopholes, just like me. It’d be cheating if I had a steady boyfriend, I said finally. But what if I went on dates with various guys?

Livy and Noelle shared a long look, and then Livy said, After years of not dating, you’re willing? And all it took was a bet with Ryan? If we’d known that earlier, we could have saved ourselves some trouble.

Shut up, I growled.

No, Noelle said, smiling. I like the irony, Raleigh. If you do serial dating, your reputation as a man-hater will suffer.

I’d carefully fostered my reputation and as a result, I didn’t have to put up with pawing and clumsy groping from guys. And now to think that I was voluntarily throwing myself into the lake of fire – oops, I mean the dating scene. God, I felt like a sacrificial virgin.

If you don’t want to date other guys, then you’ve got to make him dump you, Livy said.

And that’s yet another irony, Noelle said with a chuckle. You get a semi-boyfriend, but you don’t want to keep him.

Livy laughed too. And Ryan’s the semi-boyfriend. One of the most popular seniors, yet our girl doesn’t want him. She shrugged when I scowled. You could have done a lot worse, you know. Even if you can’t stand him, he’s still eye candy.

I let my head fall back against my locker. How can you even say that? This is Ryan Henderson who we’re talking about.

Come on, Raleigh. He’s not ugly.

That much I could admit. Ryan wasn’t hideous, but that didn’t mean I’d be one of his drooling, vacant-eyed admirers. They wandered all around Whitley High, giggling and blushing whenever Ryan tossed them a bone.

If I admit he’s good-looking, then that’s just the first step. Before you know it, I’ll be one of his sycophants, I said.

She rolled her eyes. Don’t be stupid.

I shrugged. I didn’t have a problem with checking out guys. I did it all the time with my friends, but I knew I’d never date those guys. Ryan was Jared’s best friend, and I saw him practically every day, so that made it quasi-incest.

Noelle was gazing at other bystanders, and I knew she didn’t understand. She played the field and if she snapped her fingers, a new guy stepped up and replaced her old boytoy. If he met her criteria, she slept with him. No pretense of love, no great passion. She’d sleep with Ryan after making sure he didn’t have any disease. And then she would go on and win the bet. I couldn’t do that, but that was Noelle Lansing for you.

Livy wasn’t Noelle either. She was saving herself for marriage and wouldn’t do anything until she had a ring on her finger. The most she’d do was some kissing – probably one of the reasons why she kept getting her heart broken.

If Noelle would sleep with Ryan but not love him, and if Livy would love Ryan but not sleep with him, where did that leave me?

Noelle looked back at me. If you aren’t backing out, she said, then you should prepare to be hated. I wouldn’t be surprised if Samantha Martin is breathing fire. Her friends are probably out to get you too, because they think Ryan dumped her for you.

Dealing with Ryan’s ex was definitely not on my things-to-do list.

Who else hates me? I asked.

Haley Singer, Livy said.

Our class president? But she’s never dated Ryan!

Noelle smirked. Well, Haley thought she had a good chance to be his next girlfriend. She seems to feel that you’ve ‘stolen’ him.

God, Noelle.

And it gets only worse, Livy chimed in.

Great. Just great. I glanced at the hallway clock, seeing that I had only eight more minutes before the bell rang. Tell me.

Ella Hatcher.

Whenever you hear about celebrities, you always hear about their diva-like behavior. Now imagine a diva with a penchant for temper tantrums and general bitchiness, and then you have Ella Hatcher. She was Whitley High’s reigning queen, and for four years, had been so. As a freshman, she had actually dethroned her predecessor. 

Everyone knew Ryan and Ella had an on-and-off thing. She was technically nine girlfriends ago, but somehow, she’d clutched onto him with her blood red nails. The way I heard it, they were hooking up between every relationship.

And now I had her eternal hatred.

Three enemies before first period? Damn, I’m good, I said, raising my backpack in a mock salute. Let’s try another question. Who doesn’t want to tear my eyes out?

My best friends looked at each other, then at me.

That wasn’t supposed to be a hard question!

Noelle took my arm. We’ll find out who doesn’t. But right now, we have to run to class.

I’ll see you in homeroom! Livy called after us, then she disappeared around the corner.

I didn’t think I’d survive until then. School hadn’t even officially started, and the loud whispers were getting to me.

See that girl over there? She’s dating Ryan Henderson.

Damn. He’s scored another chick. How does he do it?

Ryan broke up with Samantha Martin for her. She’s not even that pretty.

Wait, I thought she hated guys. So, what’s she doing with him?

Noelle leaned over and whispered, Ignore them. They’ll stop talking about you in a week or so. I gave her a look and she conceded, Two weeks then.

Try four months, I said sourly.

We slipped into our Honors Physics classroom, and there was that involuntary reaction I’d come to expect from everyone. A flicker in the eyes, a little smile (or sneer, if you hated my guts), and a whisper to a friend. Yeah, it was all there. They were talking about me, and even the teacher seemed curious. What, had he heard too?

Sharon Markham was sitting behind me. She gave me a mischievous smile. So, Whitley High’s resident man-hater has finally found a man? Tell me it ain’t so, Raleigh.

Mr. Whitson rapped the whiteboard. As undoubtedly fascinating it is to hear about Ms. Chase’s love life, this is Honors Physics, not Romance 101. Pay attention because this will be on the exam. 

The whispering mercifully stopped as everyone copied down the examples he’d put up. For the next thirty minutes, we were quiet. I’d never appreciated Honors Physics, but I was now suddenly seeing it in a new light.

Sharon poked me in the back. I didn’t turn around, but I took her little note and opened it while Mr. Whitson wasn’t looking.

Need some help with the bet?

I wrote a big YES on the note and passed it back. I heard Sharon utter a soft laugh, but I knew I could count on her. Good, that made another ally I had. She wouldn’t tear my eyes out because she’d been going out with her boyfriend for two years. And yes, he was one of Ryan’s friends. Who didn’t Ryan know?

My mood soured at the thought. Ryan had so many friends that it effectively ruled out more than fifty percent of Whitley High’s male population. Naturally they’d support him because stupid males bonded over the common prospect of enslaving girls. 

When the bell rang, I escaped the classroom. Noelle and Sharon had to run after me, and it was only when Sharon yelled at me twice that I slowed down.

What are you on? Drugs? Sharon snapped.

I looked pointedly at her high-heeled boots. Gee, maybe you shouldn’t have worn heels? This is school, you know.

All the better to make a fashion statement.

Noelle nodded. She had a pair of classic black pants and a long-sleeved white buttoned shirt. Over the shirt was a black sweater. A pretty simple, if very preppy, outfit, but the price tag was probably higher than all of my clothes put together. Sometimes I wondered if she ever insured her clothes.

All the better to make a dating statement, she said.

Don’t remind me. I need to talk to everyone at lunch time, I said.

Sharon bit her lip. I guess I should tell you that Erika won’t be there.

My brow wrinkled. Erika was one of my friends, and while we weren’t close, we hung out often. She had dated Ryan briefly, but that was two years ago, so that shouldn’t have been a problem... Oh crap. The diva-like Ella Hatcher was her older sister.

Ella, huh? I said.

Yeah.

I threw up my hands. Seriously?  

Sharon shifted her stance. Come on, Raleigh. You know Erika doesn’t jump until Ella tells her to. Just give her a few days. She’ll come around.

I knew her advice was good, but the more I thought about it, the more upset I got. Yes, I’d freely made the bet, but if I could drop out without losing face, I’d gladly do so. Ryan wasn’t worth the adulation that girls bestowed upon him. They fawned over him just because he had a blinding smile, a fancy car, and a varsity letter jacket.

Somehow, I endured Spanish class. By the end of the period, I’d perfected my killer glare. It was the one I used on every male that came within fifty yards of me. No one dropped dead, but I was pretty sure I’d dropped at least one fly.

I stomped past the drinking fountain. Daniel Stockton was at the fountain and I sailed past him, ignoring his catcalls.