Chapter 3: The Deal

Hazel’s POV

If being invisible was a sport, I’d have been a gold medalist. At least until yesterday. Now, everywhere I walked, whispers followed me like ghosts.

“She’s the one Jaxon Carter kissed...”

“Did you see that video? She didn’t even push him away...”

“Poor Trey. His stepsister’s a total freak.”

Each word was a knife twisting deeper.

I clutched my books tighter to my chest, wishing I could disappear into the floor. Every look, made it harder for me to survive the day.

I headed straight to the library, I knew stepping foot into any class right now would be disastrous for me. So I choose to hide here at the far end and bury myself in books.

Only that a few minutes later, I heard a footstep approach, and Jaxon was taking a seat right beside me. Is he now stalking me?

“What do you want, Jaxon?” I snapped, my voice thin but steady.

He smirked leaning in close, “Relax, Sunshine. We didn't quite finish things up yesterday.”

"Don't call me that." I groaned

“Why not? You kind of glow when you’re mad.”

I closed my book and looked him straight in the eyes. “Whatever game you’re playing, I’m not in it.”

“I don't think so,” he said easily, flipping open the book I had just closed. “Since my girlfriend and I caused such a scene yesterday, we should at least make it convincing.”

I blinked. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. Everyone saw us kiss. You want them to believe it wasn’t a pity move, we’ve gotta play the part.”

My stomach twisted. “You’re insane.”

“Maybe,” he said, grinning. “But you’re still trending, Sunshine.”

He handed me his phone. My name was everywhere.

#HazelAndJaxon. #CampusItCouple. #NerdScoredTheCaptain.

Hundreds of comments, more than half of them were nasty, the rest were obsessed.

I didn’t ask for this,” I said, shoving the phone back at him but even as the words left my mouth, I could still see the nasty comments buried in my memory.

The comments had called me everything from a freak to a slutty nerd. Someone even edited a meme of me next to Trey, with the caption “Sibling goals gone wrong.”

My stomach twisted so hard I thought I might throw up.

I was always minding my business around campus and staying out of the spotlight but now I was trending for the wrong reasons.

“You’re gonna need me,” Jaxon said it slowly, like he knew I was breaking on the inside.

I hated that he was right. I hated him for being the only person who could make the noise stop.

“You blackmail me, you kiss me, and now you want to date me?”

My laugh cracked in the middle. “I didn’t ask for this,” I said, shaking my head

“Neither did I. But unless you want Tiffany’s fan club digging deeper and dragging you, you’re gonna need me.”

I held my forehead in my arms. I'd deliberately put my phone on flight mode since yesterday because I didn't want to see myself trending, but for how long would I keep hiding? This is all Jaxon's fault.

He raised a brow. “Fake date, of course. You think I am interested in you?”

My jaw dropped. “You act like saving me was a favour and not your choice.”

He leaned in just enough for me to smell the faint hint of his cologne. “So here’s my offer. You tutor me, you fix my image on your blog. I help you survive this mess.”

My voice dropped, I wasn't going to let him corner me just like that “And if I say no?”

“Then you have to keep hiding because Tiffany and her gang aren't about to let you slip away.”

I let out a deep sigh. “I wouldn't be in this mess if you hadn't kissed me in front of everyone.”

He shrugged. “Well, I wouldn't have if you weren't obsessing over your brother.”

The silence between us stretched for a long while, both of us staring at the other.

Maybe I couldn’t control the rumors but I could control how much I let them break me.

And right now, Jaxon Carter was the only way to stop me from bleeding in public.

Finally, I whispered, “You’re a jerk.”

“Yeah,” He said, smiling. “But I’m your jerk now.”

We sealed the deal with a handshake that neither of us wanted to admit it lingered too long. His hand swallowed mine whole and it was surprisingly warm too. I felt a single tingle run up my spine, so I quickly pulled my hands away.

Because I knew one thing for sure, the relationship would be fake, but the danger that would come with it wouldn't be.

***

Jaxon's POV

I knew her before she ever looked my way; quiet, smart, witty, and unbelievably cute. So when I saw her in the middle of the drama, I didn’t think much. I just acted. And now, the whole campus thinks I’m her boyfriend.

I leaned back in the chair, dragging a hand through my hair remembering Coach’s words from this morning replayed in my head:

“Your GPA sinks one more time, Carter, and you’re benched. I don’t care if you’re the captain.”

Benched. Right before the playoffs.

That wasn’t happening.

Just maybe, the universe had decided I was too good to be benched, because the girl who could save my grades had just set fire on her reputation.

And now I couldn’t get her out of my head.

When we stepped out of the library, it was official.

I walked her to class, holding her hands. Every step she took beside me was a silent brag. The nerdy girl who wouldn’t even look at me freshman year now walked hand in hand with me and every jealous stare made me want to keep her there longer.

When we passed the cafeteria, Trey stood by a vending machine.

The second his eyes spotted us, I felt Hazel tense in my hands.

He looked… furious and Tiffany mirrored a worse expression, like she wanted to strangle both of us.

“Hazel,” Trey said finally, his voice hard. “What’s going on?”

I answered immediately, slipping my hand around her waist like it was the most normal thing in the world “Just walking my girlfriend to class.”

Trey’s eyes dropped to where my hand rested on her hips. His jaw flexed. “Girlfriend?”

I smirked. “You heard her yesterday.”

Trey took a step closer, close enough that I could see the anger trembling in his hands. “Stay away from her.”

“I don’t take orders from you, Rivers,” I said stepping in closer to him.

The tension crackled, thick and hot, until I heard Hazel's voice. “Enough!” she snapped, pulling me away. “Both of you.”

Trey glared at me, then turned to Hazel. “You don’t even know him, Hazel. He’s using you,”

She stared at him, letting out a bitter laugh “You know what’s funny, Trey? You only ever remember I exist when someone else does.”

He blinked, guilt washing over his face. “Hazel, that’s not fair...”

“No,” she said quietly. “What’s not fair is pretending you care now.”

The air hung in total silence before Tiffany drew the attention to herself.

"You can keep trying, Jaxon, but I know you guys are just putting up a show."

"I bet you wish you were the one I was holding." I spat out.

"Watch your tongue, Carter. Not every girl will throw themselves at you." Trey tackled me back.

“Check the messages,” I said, tossing Trey my phone. “Your girlfriend’s been busy.

His face drained. Tiffany stammered, reaching for him but he pushed her away. “You tried to humiliate Hazel while throwing yourself at him?”

“I can explain!”

“You must think you are hot? You are frolicking with my sister and my girlfriend wants you" Trey was suddenly boiling hot and red. "Just fuck off, Jaxon!"

“I thought you hated him.” He faced Hazel again.

“I…” Her voice cracked, so I replied to him.

“Maybe I just like getting under her skin. Looks like it worked.”

“Shut up,” Trey snapped, storming out.

Tiffany called after him, desperate and humiliated.

“Nice work, babe. I didn’t know you had it in you to shake the whole campus.”

She looked at me like I’d just detonated her life and maybe I had. But hell, I couldn’t stop. Not when she looked that heartbreakingly cute.

She jerked her hand out of mine. “If you’re going to drag me into your little game, Carter, then you play by my rules. Got it?”

My grin faltered. For a second, I didn’t see the quiet, shy girl from the library anymore.

“Can’t wait to hear them,” I murmured.

“After your practice, at the locker room by 6 p.m.,” she said and walked away.