The Deal

 

"There you are, you slut!"

Sandra's voice cut through the courtyard. I turned toward her and immediately felt every pair of eyes around us shift in our direction. She was marching toward me, her face twisted with anger, her eyes fixed on me as though I had personally committed some unforgivable crime.

"How dare you try to seduce my man?" Sandra demanded.

For a moment I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I pointed at myself. "Me?"

"Yes, you," Sandra snapped.

I looked at Jeremy, then back at her. "I've known Jeremy for about ten minutes."

A few students laughed. Sandra's face reddened. "You think this is funny?"

"No," I replied. "I think it's ridiculous."

Sandra stepped closer to me. "Don't pretend you don't know what you're doing. You've been throwing yourself at Jeremy."

I stared at her in disbelief. "When exactly did I do that?"

"You've been trying to get his attention for months," Sandra accused.

"Months?" I repeated. I turned toward Jeremy. "This is actually the first real conversation I've ever had with him."

The students around us immediately started whispering. Sandra looked at Jeremy. "Tell her she's lying."

Jeremy's expression remained calm. "She isn't lying."

Sandra's face fell. "What?"

"She isn't lying," he repeated.

Sandra stared at him as though she couldn't believe he had actually taken my side. "Jeremy, you can't be serious."

Jeremy didn't answer her. I folded my arms. "See? I didn't seduce anyone."

Sandra's eyes flashed with anger. "You think because Jeremy called you his girlfriend, you're suddenly important?"

"No." I shook my head. "I think you're angry because you don't know what's going on."

Sandra stepped closer. "You stole him."

I almost laughed. "I didn't steal anyone."

Sandra pointed at Jeremy. "You knew exactly what you were doing when you went after him."

"I didn't go after him," I replied, glancing at Jeremy. "He came to me."

The crowd erupted into whispers again. Sandra looked embarrassed. Before she could respond, Michael stepped forward.

"Jessica, what's going on?" he asked.

I slowly turned toward him. "What do you mean?"

Michael pointed between Jeremy and me. "You and Jeremy? Are you actually dating him?"

I stared at him. The nerve. "You dumped me," I reminded him.

Michael frowned. "I know that."

"And then you introduced Valerie as your new girlfriend in front of everyone," I continued.

Michael glanced briefly at Valerie before looking back at me. "So?"

I gave him a cold smile. "So you don't get to question me about who I date afterward."

Several students laughed. Michael's expression darkened. "I was just asking," he said.

"No," I replied, looking directly into his eyes. "You were trying to find out if I had already moved on."

Michael's jaw tightened. I knew I'd hit the truth.

Valerie stepped forward immediately. "Don't act like you suddenly have choices because Jeremy feels sorry for you."

I turned toward her. "I'm not acting." My voice was calm. "And Jeremy doesn't need to feel sorry for me."

Michael scoffed. "Jessica, this is obviously some kind of act."

I smiled. "Funny."

Michael frowned. "What?"

"You're the one who taught me that relationships can be fake," I replied.

The laughter around us grew louder, and Michael's face tightened. Before he could respond, Jeremy stepped forward.

"Jessica, come with me," he said.

I looked at him. "Why?"

"We need to talk."

"About what?"

"The arrangement."

I remembered his offer. Ten thousand dollars. Three months. A fake relationship. I nodded. "Fine."

Jeremy turned and walked toward the university building. I followed him, but not because he had ordered me to. I needed answers.

We walked through the building until we reached a quiet hallway. Jeremy stopped, and I stopped a few feet away from him, crossing my arms. "Start explaining."

Jeremy turned to face me. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything."

His eyebrows lifted slightly. "Everything?"

"Yes." I stepped closer. "You called me your girlfriend in front of the entire university."

Jeremy looked at me calmly. "You needed help."

I frowned. "I didn't ask for help."

"You were about to be slapped," he reminded me.

"I could have handled Valerie."

He gave me a skeptical look. "You could have been hurt."

"I've survived worse."

For a moment his expression changed. "What?"

I shook my head. "Nothing."

Jeremy studied me for another second before speaking again. "You need the money."

My eyebrows pulled together. "How do you know that?"

"I know."

"That isn't an answer."

Jeremy stayed silent. I narrowed my eyes. "Have you been watching me?"

"No."

"Then how do you know I need money?"

"I pay attention," he said.

"To me?"

"Yes."

His answer made me uncomfortable. "Why?"

Jeremy didn't answer. Instead he said, "Ten thousand dollars."

I stared at him. "For three months?"

He nodded. "You pretend to be my girlfriend for three months. In return, I'll pay you ten thousand dollars."

I couldn't believe how casually he was saying it. "You're actually serious?"

"Completely."

I laughed once. "This is insane."

"Probably," he admitted.

"You don't even know me."

His expression remained unreadable. "I know enough."

That answer bothered me. I looked away. Ten thousand dollars. I knew exactly what I could do with that money. My laptop had been struggling for months, my design software crashing constantly, and I couldn't afford better equipment. Ten thousand dollars could change that. I could buy proper materials. I could improve my portfolio. I could invest in my work. Most importantly, I could take the first real step toward building my own design brand.

I turned back toward him. "I have conditions."

Jeremy nodded. "Tell me."

"You don't interfere with my studies."

"Agreed."

"You don't interfere with my design work."

"Agreed."

"You don't tell me who I can talk to."

Jeremy paused briefly before answering. "Agreed."

"And you don't control me."

He looked directly into my eyes. "I wasn't planning to."

"Good." I took a breath. "When the three months are over, we're done."

Jeremy nodded. "Agreed."

I studied his face. He was making this far too easy. "What do you get from this?"

His expression became unreadable. "That's my problem."

"No," I argued. "If I'm going to pretend to be your girlfriend, I deserve to know what I'm pretending for."

Jeremy looked away. "It's complicated."

"Then simplify it."

He looked back at me. "I need everyone to believe I'm in a relationship."

I frowned. "Why?"

"Because I do."

I sighed. "You're impossible."

A faint smile appeared on his lips. "I've heard that before."

I almost smiled back. Almost. Then I remembered who I was dealing with.

I held out my hand. "Ten thousand dollars."

Jeremy looked at my hand before taking it. "Three months."

"Three months," I repeated.

His fingers closed around mine. "Deal."

For one strange second, neither of us moved. Jeremy stared at our joined hands, then he looked at me. His expression changed, and I noticed immediately.

"What?" I asked.

He released my hand. "Nothing."

"You looked strange."

"I didn't."

"You did."

Jeremy turned away. "Forget it."

I watched him carefully. There was something strange about this boy, something I couldn't understand. But I pushed the thought aside. I had another question, a much more important one.

"Why me?"

Jeremy went still. I continued before he could answer. "You could have chosen anyone."

He said nothing.

"There are hundreds of girls at this university who would agree to pretend to be your girlfriend."

"I know."

"Then why did you choose me?"

Jeremy looked at me. For several seconds neither of us spoke. Finally he answered.

"You were there."

I frowned. "That doesn't make sense."

"It doesn't have to."

"Yes, it does," I argued, stepping closer. "You didn't randomly walk into that courtyard and choose me. You knew exactly what you were doing."

Jeremy's expression hardened. "You're asking too many questions."

"And you're giving me too few answers."

He stared at me. I refused to look away. For the first time, Jeremy looked almost uncomfortable, and I noticed it immediately.

"Jeremy," I said quietly. "Why me?"

He remained silent. I waited. Then he finally spoke.

"Because I know it was you that could do it."

My eyebrows pulled together. "What?"

Jeremy didn't answer. I stepped closer. "Do what?"

He looked directly into my eyes. There was something different in his expression now, something I couldn't understand. My heart began beating faster. I swallowed.

"You want to know?" he asked.