chapter 4

Chapter 4

Octavia

I didn't sleep well, even though my bed felt like I was sleeping on a literal cloud. Cole's face kept haunting me after that kiss with his cousin, and even on the drive back to my new apartment, I could barely bring myself to speak to Hakeem. My mind was too occupied replaying the kiss, leaving me with no words.

“Fuck! Damn it, Tavi!” I screamed into my pillow, furious with myself for being stupid enough to let that kiss get into my head.

“The kiss meant nothing. Just a smooch of mucosal membranes” I spoke out loud to no one in particular.

“No need to act strange, okay? it's just a way for you to put things in order and you did great” 

My little pep talk was interrupted by a quiet chortle. My head snapped toward the bedroom door, and my heart nearly leaped out of my chest when I saw Hakeem standing there, looking thoroughly amused.

He was dressed differently from yesterday, wearing a grey hoodie and joggers. Somehow, even in something so casual, he still looked every bit the professional athlete he was.

“Oh my God!” I shrieked. “Didn't you go back to your own apartment last night?” Great. Another brilliant question from my already malfunctioning brain.

“I did. I'm here to take you to class.”His voice was cold, yet there was something undeniably gentle about the way he looked at me.

“Excuse me?”

Before I could say anything else, he continued, his gaze dropping briefly to my lips before returning to my eyes.

“We're supposed to be dating, Whitman. I can't exactly claim you as my girlfriend and then let you show up to school alone.” He tilted his head, a faint smirk touching his lips. “People need to believe we're together, don't they?”

I nodded like someone who had just been hexed.

“How long have you been standing there?” I asked, silently praying he hadn't overheard my little argument with myself.

“Long enough.” he replied with a smirk tugging at his lips.

He turned to leave but paused at the doorway. “I think it was much more than a mucosal smooch.” He winked before adding, “I'll be waiting for you to get dressed,” Then he finally walked away, leaving me staring after him like an absolute fool.

Fuck! I cursed under my breath.

The drive to school was short, filled mostly with silence and the soft hum of the engine. Hakeem drove with one hand on the steering wheel, his broad shoulders stretching the sleeves of his hoodie.

His hockey duffel bag sat in the back seat, his gloves and jersey peeking out. The faint bruise on his knuckles reminded me of all the times I'd had to nurse Cole's bruises after his games.

Not again…

I hissed, desperately trying to stop my thoughts from drifting back to Cole.

We pulled into the college parking lot, where students hurried toward the main building while others gathered in noisy groups. Hakeem's car had barely come to a stop before a few heads turned in our direction.

Oh, great. I'd forgotten he was practically a fucking hockey celebrity. Which meant my life was about to become the centre of everyone's attention.

I reached for the door handle, but Hakeem stopped me.

“Wait.”

Before I could ask why, he leaned closer. His cologne filled my nostrils, warm and ridiculously intoxicating. Oh, he smelled good.

“Just wait here while I get the door for you Whitman,” he said.

Ouuu, what a gentleman. Was this in the script, or had I accidentally signed up for the premium fake-boyfriend package?

I watched him step out and walk around the car to open my door. When I climbed out, the stares hit me almost immediately.

Most were directed at Hakeem, naturally, but a few curious eyes wandered toward me.

“Oh my God, it's Hakeem!”Excited squeals followed.

“Who's that with him?”

I heard the whispers, but Hakeem didn't seem to care. His eyes were on me, his attention so focused that, for a moment, I almost forgot we were surrounded by people.

He looked at me like I was the only girl on campus. You know when a guy is completely whipped? Yeah, that was exactly how he looked.

I almost laughed. He was so damn convincing that even my heart did a little flip.

He slipped his hand into mine as we walked toward class, instantly drawing curious stares.

Girls called his name coyly, one biting her lip while another flashed him a flirtatious smile. “Hakeem,” someone purred. 

He barely spared them a glance, his fingers settling more securely around mine.

Well, well. Of course, I knew his reputation. Hakeem was a famous bad boy, and if there was anything he shared in common with his cousin, it was their apparent commitment to dipping their dicks in pussies.

But I didn't care about his past or how many girls had probably occupied his bed.

As long as this arrangement saved me from being remembered as the pathetic girl who chased after her best friend, I was willing to play my part.

Even if my fake boyfriend had an irritatingly handsome face and a hand that felt suspiciously right around mine.

Hakeem stopped me in the hallway, right where everyone could see us. My lecture hall was only a few feet away, while his classes were in the opposite direction. He'd told me earlier, though I hadn't bothered asking where exactly.

Then he slipped a hand into his pocket and brought out a folded letter. A love letter.

At least, that's what it looked like.

He held it up just enough for the students nearby to notice before leaning toward my ear.

“A little something for you.”. 

Before I could ask what he meant, he pressed a kiss to my forehead. Then he walked away. Just like that.

I stood there in a daze, clutching the letter and wondering why my chest felt so strange. It was probably  the crowd. Or the fact that he'd kissed my forehead as though it were something he did every day.

Whatever it was, I wasn't going to think about it.

Especially not with half the hallway staring at me and several people holding up their phones.

My phone began buzzing. I pulled it out to find messages from the college's social platform.

“Is this true?”

“Is something going on between the redhead and Hakeem?”

“Wait, isn't she the girl who likes Cole?”

A smirk spread across my face as I locked my phone.

Oh, this was working beautifully.

Let them talk. Let them speculate. By lunchtime, the entire college would probably believe Hakeem Lannister was hopelessly in love with me.

And Cole? Well, I hoped he was choking on the news.

I stepped into my lecture hall a few minutes early, thanks to Hakeem's little chauffeur service. I was still smiling when I looked up and found Phyna standing in front of me, making my smile vanish.

“We need to talk,” she said sternly. And judging by the look on her face, this wasn't going to be a friendly little chat.