A Hater's Gamble (BxB)

SIX

"When you walk my way, I hope it gives you hell. "

M I L E S

It was Friday and Grace was rummaging through her bag to find her lost homework. I poked around my lunch tray as I dreaded the night. Thinking about the gambling club made me anxious, and more nauseous than I'd like to be.

"Found it!," Grace exclaimed, gleaming. Her smile faltered when she looked at me. "You look glum. What is it?"

I shrugged, returning to poking around my tray. "Tired."

Grace sighed. "Don't lie to me," she said, and nudged me slightly. "Is this about your mom?"

Sure, part of it. Most of it was about my epic loss, but I couldn't tell her that. Grace didn't need to know that part of me.

"No, no," I said, pushing my tray away. "It's...it's about Liam."

Grace scooted closer to me, brows furrowed. "Go on," she pried. 

I surveyed the crowd of students in the lunchroom quickly. After no sign of Liam and the rest, I put my head in my hands. "You're going to tell me how much of a bad luck charm I am."

Grace laughed, it was a pretty sound. "Now I really want to know," she said, taking one of my hands in hers. Her hand was warm, I let it comfort me.

"Guess who's Liam Coleman's new tutor?," I asked, giving her a dead look.

She gasped, retracting her hand out of shock. "Why?," she said, grimacing.

I scoffed, rubbing my temples. "The idiot's failing physics. Mr. Wicks wouldn't take no for an answer. Apparently he's getting blackmailed by the baseball coach or...something like that."

"So he wants you to tutor Liam? For how long?," she asked, disbelief in her eyes.

"He has to have a decent grade by the end of the year," I said tiredly. "Pretty sure that means I'll be stuck with him all year."

I didn't quite know what I had gotten myself into yesterday. Why did I agree to tutor him? I had no idea. Between gambling at the club and tutoring Liam, I was bound to go insane.

"Does he know yet?," Grace whispered.

I shrugged. "Hell, I don't know. I hope not. He'll take an axe to my head when he finds out."

                            ••••••••••••••••••••••

I didn't need a ride home from Grace today, Maddie said she'd only be a little while at her club meeting. I sat against the lockers, head tilted back. My eyes fluttered closed.

There were no footsteps, only silence. It was eerily pleasant. I considered all the possibilities that could unfold at the poker table tonight. Would I win the first round and get to leave early? Would I match cards with another player and have to split the pot? Or would I lose epically like the previous time?

I shuddered just thinking about it. My mother wasn't happy with me, she barely looked my way after I came back empty handed that night. It made me angry, but it also made me more determined to win. In losing the money that night, my mother had no extra money to purchase her sought after drugs. She wouldn't admit it out loud, but I knew just what she saw me for: a supplier, a person that granted her more money meant to fuel her addiction. 

I shut my eyes tighter.

"Medley, you're looking more paler than usual," said a voice like stone. I knew exactly who it was before I opened my eyes. His hair was ruffled and golden, fresh from practicing in the wind. Liam's jaw was fixed irritatedly.

I stood up, sticking to the lockers still. "Don't like the sun," I admitted, shrugging.  

Liam walked slowly to me and stopped an inch away from me. "I don't need your help, Miles," he growled.

I didn't need context to know what he was referring to. "I figured as much, but unfortunately, Mr. Wicks doesn't see it that way. Maybe you can just fail, Liam. I couldn't care less," I said flatly.

Liam's eyes blazed. "You—."

"But apparently this is bigger than just you and me. Mr. Wicks is going to be fired if you fail. He doesn't deserve that," I explained, trying my best not to feel intimidated by Liam's height.

Liam smirked. "Look at you, doing something for someone other than yourself. Never thought I'd see the day."

I wanted to turn him inside out. Light him on fire. He had no idea. Just because of before— No, we didn't talk about that anymore.

"Fuck you, Coleman," I said, zeroing in on his blue eyes. They looked darker in the dim light of the hallway. I immediately wanted to look away.

"I'm sure you'd like that," he said, observing my form. "Am I right? That whole Grace thing isn't real. I know it isn't."

What Grace thing?

I smiled, it was a sinister thing. I decided I would play along. "Jealous?"

He looked at me like he wanted to rip out my throat. "You think you're funny," he said, lowly. "I—."

"Miles?," my sister called from down the hall. She spotted Liam and immediately halted in her tracks. He gave me one last look and pulled away from me, then winked charmingly at Maddie. Then he was out of sight.

Maddie's face was flushed. I wanted to light her on fire too. She then gathered herself and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "What was that about?"

I scoffed and pushed past her. "Let's go," I called, pulling my hood up.