Arthur Smith's Hollywood Odyssey

"Humph, Arthur!" shouted a tall girl from behind.

Arthur turned around. "Sarah, what's up?" This was Arthur's ex-girlfriend, with at least a 32D chest, not bad at all; but her looks didn't quite match Arthur's current taste.

Sarah, in a strappy skirt, came up to Arthur, arms crossed over her chest, chin held high. "You haven't come to see me in half a month?"

"I fell into the water, got scared," Arthur glanced at Sarah, "heard you're with Ron from the football team?"

Sarah glanced at Arthur. "Ron is the running back for the football team."

"We're done, don't think about clinging to me..." 

"Damn, keep away from Sarah!" A roar came from nearby, as a muscular guy with a few others approached.

"Ron," Sarah smiled, leaning into Ron's embrace.

Arthur smirked, casually pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his jeans, lit one, took a drag, and said, "God, she's just not my type anymore. Breaking up with her was a relief!"

"Humph," Sarah's face changed, "I know you're upset about me dumping you, but talking like this won't change anything."

"Hey, Ron, who did you steal this girlfriend from?" 

"Ah, Sarah, you're spicy. This guy looks like a wimp!"

"Haha, look at his physique, trying to steal a girlfriend from Ron. Does he even stand a chance?"

Ron's cronies started mocking, especially about Arthur's capabilities, flexing their biceps as if to say, "This is a real man, kid!"

Arthur rubbed his temples. Stallone and Schwarzenegger are the hottest muscle stars right now. Last year, Bruce Willis starred in "Die Hard," and teenagers really admire these muscle men!

Arthur felt increasingly awkward surrounded by the crowd. Are all teenagers this confident? Is this what campus jealousy looks like now?

Shaking his head, rolling his eyes, "I don't have time to waste here, I'm out!"

Arthur's dismissive look made Sarah feel ignored. "Ron, look at Arthur..."

"Wimp, stop right there," Ron walked up and grabbed Arthur's shoulder.

Arthur shrugged off. "Ron, hands off!"

"Humph, apologize to Sarah!"

"Boring, my time is precious," Arthur had no interest in wasting time with these students.

Turning away, Ron got angry and shoved Arthur, nearly knocking him over!

The cigarette dropped. Arthur turned to face Ron, who looked smug. It seemed there was no escaping a confrontation today.

"Yo ho..."

"Wimp, you're done for!"

Arthur's gesture meant he was ready to face Ron. Whistles, applause, and cheers erupted, heating up the atmosphere.

"Ron, remember not to cry to mommy later," Arthur mocked.

"Haha!" Ron was provoked by Arthur's words, doubled over laughing, pointing, "I'll show Sarah who her man really is!"

"Wait," Arthur raised a finger, "I'm not interested in her. Got any money on you?"

"Oh ho, Arthur, this kid wants to bet with you. Go ahead!"

Arthur took out all the banknotes in his pocket without taking the coins. He counted five 20 notes, two $10 notes, and eight $1 notes, which was $128 in cash!

"Then let's bet $128." Ron doesn't seem to want to take out the money. 

"Bet $128," Arthur exaggerated, "what kind of adults are we if we can't afford that? The folks at Cal State Long Beach will think we're broke!"

"You shameless... I'm in," Ron laughed.

Arthur casually waved his car keys. "A new Ford Taurus bought two years ago. Let's say it's worth $6,000!"

"Wow," gasped the crowd. Ron, with a modified Challenger, couldn't bet his car. He didn't have enough money in his wallet.

Sarah stared wide-eyed at Arthur. How had he changed so much? What was he up to? Didn't he really love that Ford Taurus?

"Well, scared?" Arthur sneered, "Pathetic!"

"You," Ron pointed at Arthur, then took out all the money from his wallet, still not enough.

"You guys, take out all the money you've got," Ron ordered his cronies.

After a while, they pooled over $2,000. Ron put all the money aside, wrote a check for 4000 and showed it to Arthur, "Is this okay?"

Arthur nodded, casually placing his car keys and money on top. "No empty promises, lots of people watching. Don't embarrass our North Ridge branch!"

"Kid, trust me, I'll personally drive your car to the bank later..." Ron was determined to make Arthur beg for mercy.

"Can we start now?"

Arthur beckoned. "Hurry, I don't have time to waste!"

"Ah," Ron charged forward in a rage.

"Bam!" Arthur ducked and landed a punch to Ron's abdomen. "Ah..."

Before Ron could react, Arthur threw two more punches and then tossed Ron over his shoulder!

"Whump," dust flew as Arthur ignored the stunned onlookers. He glanced at Ron on the ground, bleeding from the nose.

"So tough, yet so useless," Arthur taunted Ron's cronies. "Is he really on the football team?"

Arthur, who once ran a movie theater and arcade, had trained in mixed martial arts to handle troublemakers. If not for school, he'd have incapacitated Ron immediately!

"Uh, Ron's a backup..." His cronies stared at Arthur like he was a monster, impressed.

"Damn, get him to the infirmary, a little ointment will fix him," Arthur said, then happily picked up the money from the ground.

The car was saved, plus an extra $2,128 in cash and a $4,000 check. Holding over a hundred bills felt fantastic!

"Whoa..." Applause erupted as Ron's friends helped him to the infirmary.

"Thank you, thank you," Arthur waved to the crowd, smiling, and then left!

"Ar... Arthur," Sarah watched Arthur leave, feeling bewildered...

*****

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