Page 20 of The Bet

The phone clicks in my ear as my sister hung up.Nobody.

Chapter Fourteen

Chloe

I stand in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection. My eyes are hollow, and my face is pale. On the outside, I appear to be the same woman I was when I’d fixed my hair to meet Rich.

The inside? That’s an entirely different matter. I bend down and yank on the hot water to the bathtub. Inside, I’m raw and broken. My body aches a little in the center, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. But my heart? My heart had been ripped to shreds.

Ring. Ring.I glance over as my phone rings.Again. They can call back.I’m not in the mood for new vinyl siding or eliminating my school debts. I want to wallow in my misery.

Once the water is up to the top, I sink into the steaming bath and lay back. As soon as I close my eyes, the image of Rich pops into my head.Shit.

I open my eyes and sit up. “Fucking great.”

How in the world am I supposed to forget my troubles when they’re there, whether my eyes are open or closed?

“Alcohol.” I scrub all remnants of him away and watch the water drain as it swirls and disappears. “Too bad my broken heart doesn’t evaporate that easily.”

When my cellphone rings again, I pick it up.Jenna. What in the hell am I supposed to say to her? Pretend nothing happened or cry on her shoulder?“Hello?”

“Chloe, thank God. I was about to call the fire department.”

I glance down. “That would have been the icing on top of a shitty day.” I grab a towel and wrap it around my middle.

“What happened with Rich?”

My breath catches in a sob. “Oh, Jenna. I did something stupid.” I sag against the wall and slide down to the floor.

“Sugar, what happened?”

“I convinced Rich to take a bet to have sex with me.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

In between ragged sobs, I fill her in on the entire saga. Even to my own ears, it sounds like the dumbest thing I’ve ever done. Not being with Rich. That part had been fantastic – all except his mortification over my virginity. That part sucked ass.

“Chloe…” Her voice trails off. Several seconds later, Jenna says, “I don’t know what to say.”

“I know. It was stupid.”

“Yeah. I don’t disagree with that. Chloe?”

“Yes?”

“Do you care about my brother?”

“Sure. Rich is a great guy.” My stomach heaves. Telling Jenna that I love Rich isn’t in the cards. Everything else has been humiliating enough. Adding that to the mix would be mortifying.

“No. I mean, do you love him?”

“Well…I…” I want to tell Jenna, but if I do, Rich will find out. Jenna and Rich have always been tight. And, once Rich finds out, he’ll pity me even more.

“Never mind. Listen, Chloe. I’m sorry Rich took advantage of you.”

“He didn’t. Didn’t you hear me say I begged him to have sex with me and videotape it.”

“For Christ’s sake, yes, I remember that. Thank God you didn’t tape it. Holy shit. You never know where that could have gone.”

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