Love's Beat

Chapter 22

Jesse paused.

     "He what? He has to do what?" Jaden asked, frantic now.

He chuckled at Jaden's look of alarm.

     Jaden shoved his shoulder. "Knock it off," he said which just made Jesse lose it.

He was laughing so hard that he collapsed onto the bench again.

     "The one who loses cannot bother Ember and has to leave the school," he managed to say when he sobered.

      "Are you serious?" He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "No way that kind of bet has any weight to it. Who's going to keep track of whether the other person keeps true to his word?"

      Jesse turned gravely serious then. "We take our bets seriously. No matter how much of an arse Cory might be, he respects any gamble we make. And besides that, we made an oath as kids. There would be three-year span for any bet made. Woody still hasn't stepped into a nightclub for a year and a half now. Reed has four months to go until he can use his X-Box. I can't touch beer for two more years."

     Jaden was incredulous. "You guys are mad."

      "But it's the only thing that will help Ember now."

      "There are such things as loopholes you know. Cory could always find another excuse to get use her. If he's so set on her now, there's a chance he won't stop bothering her no matter what oath he's taken especially one he took as a kid. And you can't keep an eye on him or on her forever. Jesse, this is just ridiculous."

     "You know, you've got to live on a little faith." The corner of Jesse's mouth curled up in a wry smile. "As assurance, I made sure to record the conversation including his clear "Hell yeah, you're on"."

      "That was a smart move. For an idiot."

     He shrugged. "Ah, and I also clarified that the loser would have to move to another country."

      Jaden's eyes bulged like saucers. "Another country?" he choked out. "You'd be willing to do that for Ember?"

      Jesse rolled his eyes at him like he was daft. "Are you kidding? Of course not. If leave my country, I'll leave on my own terms not because of some stupid bet. I'm going to win this with my eyes closed."

     "How can you be so sure?" Jaden yelled, a hair's breadth away from his breaking point. "Your idea can go wrong in so many ways that you'd get dizzy trying to count them. There has to be another way."

      Jesse stood then slammed his hands onto Jaden's shoulders to shake him like a rag doll. "Stop going all hysterics on me and listen. Our bets are solid. Even if he hates my guts, he'll find some other way to get back at me. He won't bother Ember again. Our word is worth that much. Now will you listen to how I plan to make this a sure win?"

He was pretty holding his breath with his hands still on Jaden, his grey eyes imploring him to believe him.

     "Let go of me," Jaden told him, significantly calmer. "I'm not into bromance."

     Jesse's mouth quirked in his signature 'thou-art-smaller-than-me' smirk and released him. "Pity. I give a good cuddle."

     Jaden restrained his eye-roll. "Sorry, not interested in knowing whether you're ready to come out of hiding from your closet."

     "Please, you're practically camped outside my closet. Probably have a shrine built in my glorious name near it."

     "Shut up and tell me what's your plan." Jaden crossed his arms as he leaned against the bank of lockers.