"Bet?" Joey laughed.
"Yes. If I convince them, you'll do something for me."
Joey lifted her brows. "Do what?"
"Hmm." Adrian rubbed his chin. "You'll be my... guide... while I'm here."
"Guide? And I'm supposed to do what exactly?"
So Adrian went into a lengthy explanation of how he came to be there and how he intended to make the most of every experience, big or small, that came his way. And how he needed Joey's help to achieve that.
She stared at him in consternation. "So, you want to experience life as it is....here. Is that it?"
He nodded.
"And you want to tag along wherever I go?"
He nodded. "Only for four weekends. Weekdays are packed for us, so let's schedule it on weekends. If that's okay? But wait, is anyone going to get jealous or something?"
She shook her head shyly. "None. But what if I don't want to?"
"That's okay...I'll just explore by my lonesome." Adrian shrugged gloomily. "I don't know anyone in this place. Except you." He sighed loudly, feigning extreme disappointment.
Joey couldn't help smiling at his dramatics. "Okay, okay. But four weekends is too much. Just two."
"Three."
Joey sighed. "Alright, three. What if I win?"
He flicked his eyebrows at her. "It's up to you. Name it."
Joey pondered on it, debating with herself whether or not to back out. Under usual circumstances, she wouldn't even think of getting into that kind of bet with someone she hardly knew. Imagine three weekends with him tagging along! Heck, she wouldn't even be having lunch with him now – not that this was a date. It's just that she was always slow to warm up to anyone. But after hearing his reaction to her painting the previous day, something clicked. Her guts were telling her that he could be trusted, at least, just a wee bit more. Besides, she could even win this bet.
"Hmm....I want you..... to compose a song for me."
Adrian lifted his brows in surprise. His other female friends would have asked for free dinner or would have made him 'slave for the day'. This was a first. "Agreed."
And they shook hands to seal the deal just as the lunch hour ended.
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The next morning, Joey found Adrian waiting for her along the corridor after her last class. He had his hands in his pockets and a smug smile on his face. She instinctively knew that she had lost the bet.
"Good morning, Josephine!" Adrian was now grinning from ear to ear.
"You're in a good mood." Joey smirked at him and continued walking. He quickly fell in stride with her.
"Aren't you going to congratulate me?" Adrian kept grinning at her. "I won."
"Really." Joey rolled her eyes.
"Yup. Dexter's parents agreed to enroll him in voice lessons. I told you what a little charm can do."
She glanced up at his smug expression. "Isn't that how you always work? Using your so-called charm to get what you want?"
Chapter 5
Start from the beginning
