Prologue:
Shawn and Philip are sitting in dot.com, playing a video game. Philip isn't 
even trying to win as he stares into space. Shawn throws his hands in the air 
as he celebrates winning. "I got you this time Philip!" Shawn cries.
"Huh?" Philip mumbles as he turns to Shawn, suddenly snapped out of his day 
dream. "Okay Philip..." Shawn began, "what's up? Why did you drift into the 
land of Ga Ga?"
"I was thinking of Chloe..." Philip said, "she can't find out about the bet."
"What are you talking about?" Shawn asked confused. "She'll have to find out 
about the Last Blast bet sooner or later...and I think sooner is better than 
later."
"Brady, if Chloe finds out about the bet she'll hate both of us...and Belle 
will really hate you." Philip explained.
"Philip, the bet was a bad idea and now we have to deal with the 
consequences...even if they are bad." Shawn said. "Anyway, why would I worry 
about Belle hating me? She hates me every other day anyway."
"Shawn...I know you like her and the discovery of this bet will destroy any 
chance you have of a relationship with her." Philip said.
"This is a joke, right?" Shawn asked, laughing.
"Shawn, everyone can see that you and Belle belong together." Philip replied.
"I have no romantic interest in Belle Black." Shawn said, stuttering. "I 
mean, we are barely friends...all we do is fight."
"Whatever." Philip said, smiling as he knew Shawn was denying the truth.
"Belle and I together is so unrealistic and unlikely." Shawn said, continuing 
to stutter.

Chapter 1 


Belle and Shawn were in Shawn's kitchen, cleaning up. Belle looked very cute, 
as usual. She was wearing a baby blue sun dress that came down to just above 
her knees and her blonde hair was pinned with a few stray hairs hanging down. 
Shawn was wearing jeans and a red t-shirt. "I think this is so sweet." Belle 
said. "You know, cleaning the house so your parents don't have to worry about 
it."
"Yeah, well they have enough to worry about with the baby being sick." Shawn 
said. Belle bit her lip, searching for the right thing to say. "Shawn, I'm 
sure everything will be okay..." Belle said, "but just remember that I am 
always here for you if you need to talk...or if you just want someone to lean 
on."
"Thanks Belle." Shawn said, taking Belle into his arms for a hug. "You know, 
if someone had told me that things would turn out like this after I returned 
to Salem I would have laughed in their face."
"Yeah..." Belle said, still hugging Shawn, "with everything that was 
happening with your mom at the time I'm surprised that things seem kind of 
normal now."
"I was kinda talking about us." Shawn said, pulling away from the hug.
"Us?" Belle asked, trying not to smile. "It just seems so right when Shawn 
said 'US'." Belle thought.
"Yeah." Shawn said. "If someone had told me when I returned to town that we'd 
be standing in my kitchen hugging, I wouldn't have believed it. I mean, it 
sure did seem like we hated each other."
"I know." Belle agreed. "That changed though when you lost that rebel 
attitude and I stopped being the 'perfect girl'."
"No, you're still the 'perfect girl'." Shawn said, looking directly into 
Belle's eyes. There was silence for a few seconds but for Belle and Shawn, it 
seemed like eternity. Belle glanced at her watched. "I better go." Belle 
said, breaking the silence. "I have like a million things to do." 
"Oh, okay." Shawn said, trying to hide his disappointment. Belle grabbed her 
purse and headed towards the front door. Shawn followed. She opened the door 
and turned to face Shawn. "Maybe I'll see you at dot.com later." She said.
"Maybe." Shawn replied as Belle left the house. Shawn closed the door and 
leaned his back against it. "Philip's right..." Shawn thought, "Belle can 
never find out about the bet."

Chloe sat in dot.com, waiting for Philip to arrive. They were going on a 
semi-date to the movies. Chloe was wearing a short grey skirt with a slit up 
the side and a pale pink shirt with 3/4 length sleeves. Her long brown curly 
hair was hanging down naturally. She hoped Philip would like her outfit as 
Belle had persuaded her to add some colour to her wardrobe. "Oh no." She 
groaned as she watched Jan approach her table. "Well, well, if it isn't ghoul 
girl." Jan sniggered.
"Jan, go away...I'm waiting for Philip." Chloe said.
"Do you have a date with Philip?" Jan asked, surprised.
"Yeah...sort of." Chloe replied.
"I didn't realise Shawn and Philip had a bet on you again." Jan said.
"What do you mean with 'bet on again'?" Chloe asked. "Are you implying that 
they've bet on me before?"
"Well, how else would you get a date to the Last Blast dance?" Jan asked, 
smiling. "Philip would only ask a ghoul girl like you if he'd lost the 
bet...which he did."
"I don't believe you." Chloe said, her eyes filling with tears.
"Well, why don't you ask him?" Jan said, pointing towards Philip who had just 
walked in to dot.com. Philip saw Chloe and Jan together and suddenly he 
looked very panicked. Chloe knew by his expression that Jan was telling the 
truth.

Shawn was lying on his bed, throwing a baseball into the air and catching it 
again. He couldn't stop thinking about Belle. He smiled, remembering how cute 
she looked today. It felt so right when he referred to him and Belle as 'US.' 
He remembered what Philip said about Belle being destined to be Shawn's 
girlfriend. "Philip is right." Shawn said aloud. "I have to tell Belle that I 
like her...and not just as a friend." The phone began to ring. He put down 
the baseball, sat up on the bed and answered the phone on the second ring. 
"Hello." He said.
"Shawn...this is Philip." Philip said, out of breath.
"Hey man...I thought you had plans with Chloe." Shawn said.
"That was before Chloe talked to Jan." Philip replied, still out of breath. 
"Did Jan upset Chloe?" Shawn asked.
"Sort of but it's our fault." Philip gasped.
"What?" Shawn asked, confused.
"Chloe knows about the bet and right now I think she's heading over to 
Belle's to tell Belle about it." Philip explained.
"What?!" Shawn exclaimed.
"Yeah...so take my advice and get over to Belle's now to tell her before 
Chloe does it for you." Philip said.
"I'm on my way." Shawn said, already making his way down the stairs. He threw 
the phone down on the sofa and opened the front door. He walked outside to 
find Belle sitting on the porch swing, looking visibly upset. "Are you going 
somewhere Brady?" Belle snapped. Shawn looked at Belle. He was lost for words 
as he seen the hurt in her eyes. "I'm waiting Shawn..." Belle said, "are you 
gonna tell me or not?" Shawn stayed silent, staring at the porch floor 
because he couldn't stand to see Belle hurt.
To be continued...

Can Shawn and Belle's blooming relationship survive the truth about the 
bet?...Or will Belle's anger towards Shawn cause her to fall into someone 
else's arms before Shawn can reveal his true feelings? Find out in Chapter 2