The yellow was starting to get on his nerves.

Twisting his lips in distaste, he leaned in for the shot , the cue stick steady in his grip—

"Mark my words. You can't get it in." Rad grinned eyeing the concentrated look on his friend's face.

"Watch me." He replied in a calculated manner.

And Rad watched with a fascinated face when Zack moved the cue stick and the yellow shot zapped towards the pocket and  — it stopped right at the edge of it!

Taunting him.

So close and yet so far. .

His grip on the steel rod hardened to the point of breaking. The veins on the back of his hand popped out.

Rad could hear the alarm bells go off because a pissed off  Zack was not a sight anyone would want to see or be the receiving end of.

He was heartless at winning and knowing his condition, Rad didn't want him to lose his shit.

"Calm down ! It's just a stupid game." Rad said now tapping the yellow shot and it rolled. . slipping in to the pocket. Disappearing from sight. " See? It made it. You won."

Zack didn't answer.

He kept staring at the space the ball had been at few moments ago.

Rad rolled his eyes .

"Zachary Smith! It's a good for nothing game and not an—"

"I don't get it." Zack said suddenly . His eyes not wavering from the spot.

"Don't get what?"

His blue eyes moved towards Rad , the cold look in his eyes so unflinching so . . cold. Rad shifted on his feet.

"Her. I don't get her."

Rad sighed and then placed the cue rod on the board . . moving towards his friend he wished he had never made that bet ever because with Zack everything was about winning.

About scoring.

He made it look like a life and death situation.

Zack was standing rigidly. His muscles tight and tensed. His jawline sharp and protruding.

"I'm taking my bet back. You can have my car for free."

"No!" He snapped, startling Rad, as if finally coming out of his stupor. He raised his index finger at his friend's wary   face. " I'll get your car after I get her! After I'm done with her!"

Rad took a deep breath trying to be patient with his hard headed friend.

"She's not going out with you under any circumstances—"

"I will make her! She walks on the ground as if she owns it! I'll snatch the ground right under her feet and watch her fucking beg!" Zack got breathless.

Rad couldn't argue with him because he seemed like a mad man. A man who had lost his senses. .that too over an ordinary girl.

The door suddenly opened, casting a light in the dimly lit room and a head peaked in.

"Baby? You coming?" A feminine voice asked and Zack pushed his hand in his hair. . messing them up.

"In a minute." Zack muttered darkly.

"Oh-kay! I'm waiting . " She sounded quite happy now sending a flying kiss towards him before stepping out and shutting the door.

"Oh-kay!" Rad cried out in a thin voice and Zack shook his head.

"Come on!" He laughed. " You gotta admit it sounds funny! Also, " his voice dropped down ," where did you get her from?"

Zack smirked .

"She seemed good for the night."

××××××××××××××××

He wasn't having sex .

It seemed as if. .he wasn't present in the present.

Zack couldn't hear the ah ah of the— whatever her name was!

He couldn't hear the slap of skin against skin! The sweat! The heat! The naked body underneath him. .he couldn't feel it!

Listen buster! I'm not going out with you in any way!

His mind was occupied by —

"Fucking bitch!" He said out loud and the girl snapped her eyes open right in the middle of orgasm.

"What?!!" Her eyes turned into slits.

Zack glanced down at her and then the position they were in . . interlocked intimately— he had no idea what happened but he just. . . shut off! Shut down!  He couldn't keep up with the pretense anymore.

As if he was having the time of his life when he wasn't.

Pulling back and out from her, he looked around the bed for his boxers but his pants were lying in heap right on the floor. He snatched it and got off— the girl watching him warily from the bed — sliding the pants over his muscled legs and zipping it up— he turned towards her .

Seeing her sprawled on his bed didn't pull at his heartstrings at all.

"Get out." He said in a calm manner.

And she shot up straight into sitting position, her breasts jerking at the movement— catching his attention and. . . not his desire.

"Are you fucking insane?!!?!" She screeched."  You were fine just a second ago and —"

He shut his eyes .

"Your voice is fucking my brain out. On your way out, don't speak . " He opened his eyes tiredly, seeing the surprise on her face morphing into anger.

The redhead jumped out of the bed stark naked and came at him like a banshee— ready to strike at him. Punch him. Gouge his eyes out!

And he stepped to a side.

She went barreling forward!

With one hand, he pulled the silk sheet off the bed and then turned around at the fuming girl.

She yelped when he threw the sheet at her .

"Cover your shit, for Christ's sake." He said in a bored voice and with an inflamed face she covered herself with the sheets .

Zack didn't wait for her.

He went towards the door.

With her yelling behind.

×××××××××××××××

Shirtless and with a pounding headache, he took the shot and winced feeling the punch of it.

The liquid warmed his blood . .his body and slowly. . he opened his eyes . . looking around at the built in bar at his house.

It had been him wanting the bar to be pitch black in color. Charcoal black so when the lights hit it off , it would sparkle like a diamond.

Well, his mother didn't give him a childhood so at least she could  let him do whatever the fuck he wanted to.

And she did.

But what mattered wasn't his mother. .it was him.

Because. .

What was happening to him?

What was wrong with him?

He kept wondering about the fat girl . .kept thinking about her . .

Only for the bet's sake.

That's what he was telling himself.

Only for the fucking bet's sake.

Placing the sparkling glass back on the bar, his red rimmed eyes seemed haunted . .

"I'll strip you down to the core of your worthless existence. .so much for your pride."  He smiled humorlessly.

No one heard his dark voice except the walls around.

And once . . .once he gets her on the bed, it was game over!!

×××××××××××××××