From a bet to true love

Bailey's POV: Hello, my name is Bailey. I am eighteen years old. This is my last year of high school. My goal is to have a perfect diploma. That way, I can go to my dream university. The other reason is that I don't want to disappoint my mom. She expects a lot from me. I'm trying my best to have perfect scores on my tests all the time. Sometimes, I feel like she cares only about that. I study all the time. At least I have some friends. Well, mostly, I talk with these people at school. I don't have time to go out. It was surprising when the captain of the cheerleaders started inviting me to have lunch with her. It was weird. I have no idea why she did it. At least she is nice to me. There is a group of boys who always make fun of me. Maybe this year won't be the same. One of them seems a bit different. These boys always joke around and get in trouble. He is part of them, but at the same time, it feels like he doesn't like this. If you ask how I have noticed this, I will tell you. I am a quiet student. I don't talk much. When I am in the hall, I barely speak with people. Instead, I prefer to listen. That is how I know many things about the students. Well, I am not spying on them. Let's say that some people don't know how to be quiet. It was irritating me in the beginning. Now, I don't care. I got used to this. I have to say that every person is unique in their way. Well, maybe, except for me. I feel ordinary. I'm not that cool. Also, I don't know how to have fun. Someone might call me boring. I won't get offended. It's the truth. Honestly, I don't know what I want to do with my life. All I aim for is good grades. I never thought about what my job would be after my graduation. I'm sure I will find something to do. I hope it will be a thing that I like. I want to do this for myself. It's the last week of my summer vacation. After one week, I'll start school. It's my senior year. Hopefully, mom won't be so strict with me when I graduate. I love her, but I don't know if she does. It looks like she cares more about my grades than me. At least my dad is not like her. He checks on me all the time. Dad doesn't like that I study so much, but I don't have a choice. I don't want to disappoint mom. After all, she does a lot for me. I have to return the favor. I woke up and checked the time. It was 9 am. I have to get up and start revising. Teachers give us tests at the beginning of the year to see what we have remembered from the last one. I have to get a perfect score on each one. If you think this is easy, you are wrong. That's why I study all the time. No one is perfect, but I think that is what my mom wants from me. When I got ready, I went to have breakfast. I made some toast with butter on top. I'm not that hungry. I looked at my phone and saw a message. It was from Chelsea, the captain of the cheerleaders. Hey, what are you doing? I woke up early today. Do you want us to go out? Don't worry. I don't want anything from you. It's still summer. You can relax. Thanks, but I can't do that. I have to study. Come on. The school year hasn't even started. Have fun. Please. Can't you go out? It's not that easy. You have legs. Use them. I can teach you some tricks. I'm flexible. Thanks, but I don't have time for this. If you don't want to go out with me, say it. No, I want to do it. Fine, I will come, but only for an hour. Yay! Thank you. I'll wait for you at Peter's diner. If my mom understands that I have been out instead of at home studying, she won't like it. That's why I won't tell her. I finished my breakfast and walked out. Chelsea was waiting for me. - Hey. - Finally, you are here. Who knew that convincing you would be so hard? - I'm sorry about that. - Are you ok? You look upset. - I should be studying. - Why? Please don't tell me you have been doing this whole summer. - I have no choice. I should have perfect grades. - You have them. Bailey, you are the top student in the school. What else do you want? - Mom wants me to have a perfect score on every test. - Your mom? Why? It's enough that you have straight A's. Is this why you study so much? - I don't want to disappoint her. - You can't waste your teenage years on books. Now is your time to live your life. - I want to go to university. - Ok, I want that, too. I try my best to have good grades, but I go out and have fun. I think you should try it. - If I do that, I won't have time to study. - That's it. We are going shopping today. - But I didn't bring that much money with me. I have like fifty dollars. - That's fine. All I want is for you to do something fun. Let's go. We'll eat lunch at the mall. - It's ok, I guess. Both of us walked to the mall. I haven't been here in a long time. Let's say that I have nothing to do here. I only come here because there is a bookstore. I love reading. Sometimes, I use this as an escape from reality. Well, the main characters always have more problems than me. Once, I received a romance novel for my birthday. That was my first one. I'm not a big fan of this genre. The book was good. Surprisingly, I liked it. - Let's go to a clothing store. There is a party this Friday, and I want a new dress. - Ok, sure. - Will you come? - I am with you. - No, I mean the party. I haven't seen you at one. - Because I haven't been. I don't like them. - Why? This is what you need. It will be fun. I promise. - Thanks, but no. I don't want to come. - It's your choice. I hope you won't regret it. - I don't think so. Chelsea tried a couple of dresses. Honestly, she looks good at everything. I mean, she is the perfect blonde hair girl with blue eyes. Everyone wants her, but no one can have her. Also, she has a boyfriend. They understand each other well. After all, he is the captain of the football team. It's not a surprise that they are together. It's a tradition in each high school. Unlike some other couples like them, they are not mean. I waited for her at the exit. - Here. This is for you. - Why? I can't take it. - Yes, you can. - What is this? - It's a t-shirt. I wanted to buy you a dress, but I was sure you wouldn't wear it. - You guessed right. I don't feel good in dresses. - Can I ask you something? It's a bit personal. - Yes, sure. - Do you like yourself? - What? - Answer me. - I don't know. I feel like I don't fit anywhere. - That's because you never tried. Bailey, people like you. They don't talk with you because you are so close to yourself. Try to be more open. You will see how differently people will start to treat you. Books are not everything. You can't live like that. - That's what people expect me to do. - You can't satisfy everyone. Do things for you, not for them. No one will say thank you at the end. Don't you want to be happy? - I do. - Then do something. Life is so colorful. There are so many things you can do. - Can we talk about something else? Please. - Ok, fine. Let's go to another store. - Thanks. Chelsea and I went to a couple of stores. Later, we went for lunch. She paid for mine as well. I told her I had money, but she didn't accept them. I don't know why she does this for me, but I appreciate it. The problem is that it's already lunchtime. I have to be at home, catching the books. Well, as I see it, we won't go home soon. I like spending time with her, but I have other priorities. It's not like I chose them. Lately, I feel like nothing is my choice. I always have to do things for people. As if what I did is not enough. I don't even have the right to complain. After lunch, we continued shopping. The only thing I bought was a new book. I almost finished one, which I am currently reading. Sometimes, I open a textbook and put my books inside. That way, mom will think I am studying. After all, I am a person. I need a break. I don't think she understands this. - Ok, let's go for ice cream. - Look, I have to go home. - That won't happen. - I'm sorry, but I spend a lot of time outside. - It's summer. That's what you are supposed to do. Use the sun before it goes away. - I can't. I'll see you at school. - What? Won't you come outside? - I have other things to do. - Fine. Do whatever you want. Call me if you need anything. - Thanks, and I'm sorry. - If you were, you would've changed your habits and started thinking about yourself. - Chelsea said and left I know she is not wrong, but I can't do anything. I can't go against my mom. She won't like this, for sure. Neither will I. I took my things and walked home. Mom was already there. I checked the time on my phone. It looks like she came early today. Hopefully, she will pass the interrogation part. - Hey, mom. - Where have you been? - Outside. I went for a walk. I needed some fresh air. - You can take your books and study in the backyard. - I know, but I wanted to walk. - You need a perfect diploma. - Of course. I will have it. I promise. - I hope so. I don't want to get disappointed. - Trust me. That won't happen. - We'll see. I hope you know what you are doing. - Yes, I know. - Good. Go and study now. You have only one week before the start of the new school year. - Sure. I'll see you for dinner. - I said and left It's better if she doesn't know I was outside since the morning. I took one of my notebooks from this year and put a book in it. I'm not in the mood to study. Also, I can't stop thinking about what Chelsea said. I know she tells the truth, but I can't do anything about it. Sometimes, I wish I was a character in a book. Once the story ends, there will be a happy ending. I wonder when mine will come. As I see, it probably won't be soon. I was reading when there was a knock on the door. It was my dad. Mom doesn't always knock. She likes to walk into my room whenever she wants. - Hey, Bailey. What are you doing? - Reading. - For the first time, you didn't say studying. I'm impressed. - If mom walks in, I am studying, ok? - Sure thing. What did you do today? - Can you keep a secret? - Yes. - One girl invited me to go out with her. - That's great. I'm sure you had a great time. - She bought me this T-shirt. I don't know why. - Maybe because she likes you and wants you two to be friends. There is nothing wrong with that. - Except for the fact that mom came early from work. When I walked home, she was already there. - Ignore her. - She said I could study in the backyard if I needed fresh air. - Ignore that as well. Bailey, you should have a social life. You can't avoid people. - They can be distracting. - Tell me one thing. Why are you doing all of this? For yourself or your mom? - Isn't the answer obvious? She does a lot for me. I can return the favor. - Yes, but not like that. For example, you can do something for her. Maybe wash the dishes or cook. That is more than enough. - For you. I don't think it matters to her. I can do it, but she will still be focused on my grades. - That is because you left her to do it. You can tell her that you want to go out and socialize. I will talk with her, but it's better if she hears it from you. - I don't know. - You are only eighteen. I'm sure you want to do other things than studying. - Not really. I don't know what I want to do. - At least you talk with people. I mean, you got an invitation today. - I have no idea why she talks with me. This girl is the captain of the cheerleaders. She is way cooler than me. I'm a nerd and a loser. - Bailey, that is not true. - It is, dad. No one else is wasting their teenage years behind books. Dad was about to say something, but my mom called us for dinner. I guess we'll continue this conversation later. Both of us walked into the kitchen. The food was already on the table. We sat down without saying anything. I think I will tell my mom what I did today. I hate hiding things from her. - Mom. - Yes. - I want to tell you something. - Go on. - I was outside today. - You told me that. - Yes, but not everything. One girl invited me to go out with her in the morning. - You wasted a whole day outside doing nothing? - No, I had fun. - That is not an acceptable answer. If you keep wasting time having fun instead of studying, you will never have a perfect diploma. - I know. She wanted me to spend more time with her, but I cut her off. - Good. Studying is a priority, understood? - Yes. - Honey, I think you are too hard on her. She is doing her best. - dad said - Which is not enough. She needs to be perfect. - That is impossible. No one is perfect. - If she wants the doors open to every university, she has to study. - She is doing this all the time. - That's how it should be. - Don't you think it's too much? - No, I don't. End of conversation. - Fine. I won't argue with you. The rest of the night I spent in my room. I was watching videos on my phone. Well, when my mom wasn't checking on me. I pretend to study in front of her. Sometimes I get tired of this. I keep doing the same thing every day. I wish I had been like the rest. Their parents are not obsessed with their grades. I have no idea why my mom is. Maybe it's better if I don't know. I might not like the answer. All I want is for her to be happy. Everything else doesn't matter. After all, I don't want to argue with her. When I graduate, she might change her behavior. I hope that my mom and I can keep the good relations.