The Three Kings of Langley Academy

XL: It's A Bet, You Bet

Dear goodness, I understand exactly why no one want to volunteer for the charity committee. The amount of things I have to do is staggering and truly astounding.

Not only do we have to make all our decorations from scratch, because apparently it's Langley tradition, but we as well have to plan out everything from the main event up by two weeks, the where and what exactly we have to decorate.

I've even been staying at school far later than I have to for this stupid thing. Boy do I regret signing up.

At the very least we don't have to attend class and get credit in return. There is also the added fact that Tommy and I are friends again, no longer ignoring each other, although that really has nothing to do with the fact I have to stay late at school.

And as I'm going home today, or tonight more appropriately, it'll be a record to how late it is. 10:45pm. Maybe I should've taken Gail up in her offer to go home together instead of waiting for Roux to pick me up by the front gate all by myself.

He said he was stuck in traffic, but it's getting really creepy out here. Yoyo Kyle is still here though, which is why I'm not completely perturbed, although he doesn't really seem like he wants to talk to pass the time.

I sigh, I'll just wait for Roux at a convenience store or something.

"I'll be going, Yoyo Kyle," I wave at the man.

"You sure?"

I nod and begin to walk off.

"Alright, be safe, kid."

Just as I get going, a group of basketball jocks come out of the gate. I recognize one of them as Kravinski, one of the jerks that helped put vinegar on me a while back.

"Hey, Dahlberg. Charity committee is tough, innit?" he asks, gripping his workout back. They looked like they had just finished practice. I remember their championships are coming up.

I ignore them and head on my way.

Kravinski however runs up in front of me, "hey, don't be so mean. We have a history."

I blink at him and side step past him. It's just that his tall varsity friends are now surrounding me.

"Hey! You boys looking for trouble. Quit bothering the girl." Yoyo-Kyle calls.

Kravinski turns to Kyle, "We're just going to walk her off, old man." He then turns to me, "where to, princess?"

I let out a breath and walk past them. They chuckle and mumble.

"Look at her, acting all high and mighty, all because she got the kings wrapped up in her pinkie finger." Kravinski says as he and his chums persistently follow me. I walk off silently as he comes up to my side, "Don't let it get in your head, Dahlberg. I'll do you a favor and tell you the truth. They're playing you."

Finally, I turn to the tall guy and his pointy nose and perfect teeth. I'd like to break a few.

"They made a bet on you honey, all three of them, which is a never before seen incident. My, my, my you must be flattered."

Just then I hear Andy's words ring in my head. His words about Jenny, about them making a bet on her.

"What kind of bet," I ask.

He chuckles, "Interested much? I can't say I can tell you what it is exactly."

I then stop in my tracks and stare him down. "Tell me what the bet was, Kravinski."

"D'aww you do know my name. I'm touched."

"Tell me!"

"Hmm, and why would I? We're not friends, and having Javier by my side is pretty beneficial."

"Just tell me, you low life."

He makes an amused sound and suddenly starts walking towards me. I find myself getting cornered against the wall, "Don't be mean. Just because they like you doesn't mean you're safe from everyone."

I lean in, "I didn't say I was safe."

Kravinski leans back and smirks. "I get why they like you." He turns to his boys and nods, "Okay, I'll tell you. They made a bet to see who could make you fall first."

My face falls, "what?"

He begins to chuckle, "What did you actually think all those guys like you? It's just a game to them. Whoever gets you to like them first gets to keep you. A challenge amongst three."

So all this time they've been pretending. And them being nice is just a sham, a facade?

"And how do you know this?" I ask.

He makes a face, "Oh my gosh, you're on their side? Pathetic. How do you think I know, princess, they told me there was a bet!"

I feel bile rise up in my throat.

"I swear on all that I, Sorenn Kravinski, am," he raises his hands for show.

"Hey, Kravinski," someone yells.

I turn and see it's Saska and Miska. Miska begins to growl in Russian and to my surprise, Kravinski replies in the same language.

Eventually, Kravinski laughs and turns to me, "are you honestly friends with these two losers? I thought it was just Lee trying to keep his reins on you. Do you honestly trust them?"

I find myself turning to the twins. They looked like him, just out of practice, and... untrustworthy.

But was this just Kravinski getting to my head?

I felt my heart begin to race.

"They knew all about he bet and never even though to tell you, Dahlberg." Kravinski blurts.

I turn to Sashka and ask, "is that true?"

"Lilac, don't you see what he's doi-"

"I said, is it true?" I raise my voice. I take their silence as a yes. I scoff, "what are you even doing here?"

"... football practice," Mishka answers my rhetoric question.

I shake my head and walk away from them, "just don't follow me, don't talk to me. I don't want to hear anymore." 

And like a mircale. I see my brother's car coming from the end of the street.