I Was His Bet, I Become Their Surprise Chapter 08
“Start the timer.”
The room erupted.
“Ten!”
“Nine!”
I hadn’t expected him to just do it. No warning. No
countdown. My arms instinctively tightened around his neck.
The cheering nearly lifted the roof.
I hadn’t expected him to just do it, no warning, no
countdown of his own, and my arms tightened around his neck.
Through his thin shirt, I could feel the muscles in his
shoulders and back tense.
But he held me steadily.
Forget ten seconds. He wasn’t even breathing hard.
The buzz–cut guy came closer, phone raised.
“Nolan, look at the camera!”
“We have to get this on film.”
Nolan gave him a cold look.
“Put the phone down.”
The buzz–cut guy backed off, but the grin didn’t go anywhere.
Tristan looked like he was about to punch a wall.
Calling me his girlfriend made everyone laugh even louder.
Tristan looked like he was about to break something.
“That’s enough!”
He cut the countdown short and reached for me.
“The challenge is finished. Put her down.”
Nolan shifted, turning me away from his reach.
Tristan’s hand closed on empty air.
“What the hell are you doing. Nolan?”
“She’s my partner tonight.”
Nolan’s tone was indifferent.
“What I do with my partner is none of your business.”
“She’s my…”
Tristan’s voice died.
Everyone looked at him.
Sienna’s eyes were locked on him.
“Go ahead. What is she to you?”
Nolan asked the question.
Tristan opened his mouth, but no words came out.
He’d bet $1,400 I wouldn’t show up, just to prove how little I mattered to him.
But only a few hours earlier, he had lost me to Nolan in front of everyone.
He’d bet $2,800 I wouldn’t show up, just to prove how little I mattered to him.
Claiming I was his girlfriend now would only make him look ridiculous.
The countdown hit zero.
Only then did Nolan set me down.
When my feet touched the floor, my hands were still resting on his shoulders.
He didn’t let go right away, one hand still on my waist, steadying me.
*You good?”
I nodded.
“Yes.”
Only then did he withdraw his hand.
But the tips of his ears were even redder than when he’d fed me cake.
Someone started in on him again.
“Nolan, why are you blushing?”
“She can’t weigh more than 110. Don’t tell me that wore you out.”
“You idiot. That’s not exhaustion. That’s a crush.”
Nolan grabbed a glass of ice water and took a sip, ignoring all of them.
I was the only one who noticed his fingers tightening around the glass.
On the surface, he looked perfectly composed.
So even Nolan got nervous.
With all three challenges done, the buzz–cut guy made the announcement.
“All right, tonight’s betting pool is closed!”
“Sabrina arrived on time, so everyone who bet on her coming wins!”
I took out my phone.
The betting page was already settling up.
The group chat was in shambles.
[Tristan lost $1,400 on his own. Biggest clown of the night]
[How was anyone supposed to know she had a whole glow–up?]
[Tristan lost $2,800 on his own. Biggest clown of the night)
That last one made me smile.
My $420 came back with the winnings.
“Sabrina, you earned a whole semester’s rent on the first day of school?”
The buzz–cut guy leaned over, and his eyes went wide.
“Sabrina, you earned your tuition on the first day of school?”
“Someone was feeling very generous.”
I looked straight at Tristan.
“He practically begged me to take his money. It would’ve been
rude to say no.”
A few people in the room couldn’t hold it in.
Tristan’s face turned livid.
He’d never imagined he’d lose his girlfriend and pay over
$1,400 for the privilege.
Sienna couldn’t help herself.
“It’s barely $1,400. It’s not like Tristan can’t afford it.”
“Sienna’s right.”
He seized on that like a lifeline and turned to me.
The guy who’d posted my photo for a hundred people to
mock, who’d bet $1,400 I was too pathetic to show up, was
acting like he was doing me a favor.
I almost couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
The guy who’d posted my photo for a hundred people to
mock, who’d bet $2,800 I was too pathetic to show up, was
acting like he was doing me a favor.
“Tristan Caldwell.”
For the first time, I called him by his full name in front of
everyone.
“I’m breaking up with you.”
Dead silence.
Tristan froze.
But something flickered in Sienna’s eyes, quick, pleased, gone.
I pulled up our linked duo profile in the game, held the
phone in front of his face, and clicked unpair,
“Didn’t you hear me?”
I pulled up our in–game relationship page, held the phone in
front of his face, and ended it.
“We’re done. Completely.”
Tristan stared at the screen, and for the first time, he looked scared.
“You’re breaking up with me over a game?”
“Everyone said it was a joke. Why are you making this such a big deal?”
I didn’t explain.
Some people would never believe that they had done
anything wrong.
He’d only blame everyone else for not taking a joke.
I turned to leave.
Tristan grabbed my wrist.
“Sabrina, we’re not done talking!”
His grip was tight enough to hurt.
Before I could pull free, Nolan’s hand was on his wrist.
“Let go.”
They stared each other down. The room held its breath.
Tristan clenched his jaw.
“This is between her and me,”
Nolan pried his fingers away one by one and moved me behind him.
“She already gave you her answer.”
“You two are done.”