Chapter 2

By the end of the first week I still didn't make any move whatsoever. For the first time in my life I had to act sexy and confident towards a guy and truthfully, I've never even pretended to do that, not even when I'm alone in my bedroom. I have actually tried out some things in front of my mirror, like perking my lips and saying 'Hi Ian' in many different ways but it just wasn't me. A part of me didn't want to mess up for the bet but another part me that I've recently discovered didn't want to mess up in front of Ian at all. Rachel was a great help in finding out where the triplets hang out during their free time as well as whom they hang out with. It was planned for Fred, Rachel, and me to bump into them at the local arcade to see how they react toward our kind and make a judgment on how Ian would notice me in the first place.

We went there in the morning and found them hanging around the basketball games, grabbing attention from the fan girls who followed them like puppies. We slid over to the skate board challenge game and started talking out how we should approach this.

Fred said, "Just go up and talk to him."

Rachel scoffed, "She obviously can't do that."

"Why not? I don't understand how or why you girls can't just do it."

"There is rules mister and unless you want to turn gay you won't understand them."

Fred paled, "Uh no thanks."

"Right then, Brooke when Ian walks away from the pack, bump into him and apologize and such. Classic girl meets guy approach."

"I beg to differ, 'cause classic is the new guy with a girl tour guide… but I guess we can't do that now eh?" I said.

"Right."

Fred said, "Well if you want to make your move you should do it now."

Ian separated himself from his brothers and friends to walk over to the food counter. I gave a thumb's up to Fred and Rachel before causally walking to the food court as if to order food for myself. As soon as I was right behind Ian I reached with my hand to tap his shoulder. Instead of going with the bump method, I'd rather just talk with him, not end up putting each other in an awkward situation.

"Hi Ian…" I said softly.

Ian turned around and walked straight forward with his hands full of drinks. He crashed into me, making the drinks explode and fall to the floor, which made me slip; tripping Ian in the process and having him land on top of me. I landed on my arm, hearing a soft cracking sound as Ian's full body weight landed on top of me. We stay there for a moment, with him looking down at me in surprise and me with my face screwed up in pain because of my arm. The entire arcade has their attention on us with only the background music from various games playing in the background. Ian jumps off of me and kneels beside me.

"Are you alright? I'm sorry, I didn't think anyone was behind me," Ian said in a concern voice.

I groan and sit up holding my arm to my chest, "I'll be alright, and it was my fault anyways."

The counter worker had already gone into action cleaning up the mess as another one refilled the drinks for Ian. Not knowing what to say or do I mutter another apology and ran off to where Fred and Rachel were hiding.

Rachel said, "Oh my god that was a fantastic performance. You clutching your arm was perfect, now he'll feel bad for hurting you the next time you meet."

Tears fall down my face from the pain, "I'm glad you liked it but I wasn't acting about my arm."

Fred flew into action, ushering Rachel and me out of the arcade to head straight to the hospital. Two hours later I found out that my arm broke in two places and for six weeks, I would have to wear a white cast. I was feeling pretty moody and depressed with my recent injury but as we left to go back to the beach strip, I was starting to feel a little better since Fred and Rachel were cheering me up.

Fred came back from the dollar store with several permanent markets. "Okay let's color this baby up."

"Give me the pink one; I have a cool idea for a medieval scene."

"Just don't go over your space I have some great ideas too."

I sighed, "To be a living canvas."

Rachel said, "It could be worst."

"Oh? I broke my arm while trying to talk to a guy, what great motivation to continue. How am I going to work around this?"

Fred scribbled with the black marker, "Like Rachel said it could have been worse. If you want to forget the whole thing you can."

"No way, she still has a chance. This is only a little setback."

I leaned in the chair to get more comfortable, "But is it worth it? I mean I already broke my arm, what else will he break," I laughed.

"Trust me it'll get better. If you want we'll wait while your arm heals up and try again, by that time he'll have forgotten about you again."

"Gee, thanks for the support."

Fred smiled, "There, now your cast is stylish, well, at least my half is anyways."

On Fred's side of the cast he had drawn and colored many different henna shapes and patterns, while Rachel finished up a medieval recreation of a fantasy castle with knights guarding the front gate from a dragon. I grinned and stood up.

"Thanks you guys. Now, I think I deserve a treat for hurting myself so I'm going to get some cheese nachos to share. I'll be right back."

I strolled up with high hopes of getting some cheesy chips from the Snack Shack. While standing in line I swayed back and forth to keep busy, since I hate waiting in lines, when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around to see Ian standing right before me. All I could do was stare and open my mouth, gaping like a fish, in shock.

Ian said, "Hey, you're the girl I bumped into this morning with the soda right?"

I nodded.

He looks down at my cast, "I didn't realize I broke your arm."

I snapped to my sense, "Oh no, it was the way I landed so it's my own fault."

"But if I was paying attention I wouldn't have smacked into you, making you fall in the first place."

I shrugged, "Things happen."

Ian shuffled, "Yeah, but having a cast during the summer isn't any fun. I know; I've been there before."

The cashier called for the next person in line. I turned back and placed my order. As I go to the wait station for the food Ian follows right behind me. I thought that maybe if I ignored him he would go back to his brothers; who I saw where on the beach, but he didn't.

"Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

I look at him, "That's nice of you to offer but you really don't need to. No matter how much we argue with each other, I will still think it's my fault. So thanks but no thanks."

Ian looked down at me, "And maybe I will still think it's my fault and won't relent until I've made it up to you."

We stood at a standstill, in our own mini staring contest, until my nachos rang up. I paid for them but stayed where I was. Bet or no bet this was the perfect opportunity to get inside Ian's circle, so why waste it? Sometimes a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

Ian asked, "How long do you have to wear that cast for?"

Curious I said, "For six weeks."

He nodded, "Fine then, for a month I will treat you at least once a week to something we can do together. Sound fair?"

I paused to think.

"Please don't make me beg."

I laughed, "Alright, you're one tough cookie to crumble."

Ian smiled, "My name's Ian Brenton and you are?"

"Brooke Stone."

We exchanged our contact information via cell phones and he went back to his brothers while I headed back to my friends. Of course during the entire time I was up there, Fred and Rachel were doing their sneaky spy tactics, AKA hiding behind a newspaper they must have grabbed from a neighbor's table. Casually, just in case his brothers or Ian were looking our way, I sauntered back to our table and began to nibble on the nachos letting Fred and Rachel wait for some answers.

"Alright what's the progress?" Rachel eagerly asked.

Fred gasped, "That smile on your face can only mean one of two things, either he asked you out on a date or you had an epiphany about the secret of life and love."

I grinned, "Choice number one is correct, though I'm hoping choice number two will be happening in the future."

Rachel squealed and clapped her hands together, "Excellent, it's all coming together nicely. I suppose we underestimated the whole 'breaking a limb and getting pity love' scenario, though it's very much to our advantage."

"Humph, it's not like I did it on purpose ya know."

Fred nodded, "Well sometimes these things just happen. Might as well go with the flow and enjoy it."

I worried, "You think asking me out is all from pity?"

Rachel licked some cheese off her finger, drawing some male hormone looks from the neighboring, "Well it depends on what he offered, right Fred?"

"If I had caused an accident to a girl I hardly knew? Hmm... I would offer her a meal and maybe a movie if I found her attractive. So what did Ian ask you?"

I paused for dramatic effect, "A once-a-week date for an entire month."

Rachel and Fred literally dropped their jaws and blankly stared at me. I smirked, "Close your mouths before you catch flies."

Fred said, "Oh he's good. Then again, somehow I would expect this out of him."

Rachel sighed, "He's a charmer alright. Oh!" She gasped, "That could be his code name! Prince Charming!"

"Code names?" I questioned.

Fred nodded, "Makes sense, as you continue to sneak closer and closer to Ian's side, we won't be able to talk freely like this anymore."

"Oh I see. I guess that makes sense. I mean, how many times has a perfect plan been ruined by someone overhearing a conversation, or finding written proof of a scheme."

Rachel raised her hand, "I want to be Water Lady."

Fred and I stared at her for a minute, waiting for her to continue. She rolled her eyes, "Oh for water bending, like in Avatar the Last Airbender. Seriously, I thought you guys knew me and my obsessions better."

Fred snorted, "Sure, like I keep a secret journal of all your moves and current hobbies just in case something like this ever comes up. Anyway, if we're picking our own names I want to be Poker Chip."

Rachel laughed, "Yep, see I know what you mean by your code name since we all know how you love to spend your paychecks."

"At least my code name is more obvious with my favorite hobby than yours."

"Alright, that's enough you two. I'll be Ella, short for being Cinderella. Pimp One for Owen and Pimp Two for Evan, and I suppose we should call their fan girls the Pins, cause we all know that they are going to cause some trouble at one point or another."

"True, true," Fred and Rachel nodded.

Fred said, "Well Brooke, let's hope this six week opportunity will bring better luck for you."