Playing the part

Zara 

I sat there, fork in hand, trying not to stare at people at the restaurant whose eyes had been on me since River sat down at the table.

The restaurant had gone back to its normal noise—clicking glasses, soft conversations, the gentle murmur of people pretending to not be watching us. But I could feel the attention now. The cameras in people’s phones. The whispers about who we were. 

Then I saw her. 

She was blonde. Expensive looking in a polished way that comes from money and good skincare and knowing exactly how to present herself. 

Her dress probably cost more than her rent. Her make up was perfect. But there was something about the way she moved that betrayed the desperation underneath—the way she was trying to look casual while doing something that required all her focus. 

I watched her scam the restaurant as though she was gathering courage to do something before the hostess walked up to her. 

I couldn’t hear what they were talking about, but I could sense something was wrong the minute she pointed at our table. 

The hostess hesitated, clearly calculating whether it was easier to confirm or deny. Then she decided to just handle it and came straight to our table. 

She leaned down, her voice apologetic but careful. “Mr Cassian, there’s a woman asking for you. She says her name is Mira Vale and that she's your fiancée.” She hesitated before she said that last part. 

I felt River go completely still beside me. Not shocked. Not afraid. Just disappointed. Like someone had just told him about an inconvenience he’d been hoping to avoid. 

“Tell her I’m not available,” he said flatly without looking away from his plate. “Tell her to leave.” 

The hostess nodded and walked away. 

But the woman—Mira—didn’t leave. She just stood there near the entrance, one hand on her purse, watching our table. Watching him. Her jaw was tight. Her eyes were focused on me. 

I pretended to eat and not notice her. 

Five minutes passed. Then the hostess came back, and this time she looked genuinely apologetic. 

“Sir I’m very sorry, but she said she’s not leaving without talking to you.” 

River set down his fork very deliberately. Then he stood up, and then I watched his entire demeanor shift. He went from relaxed to controlled. 

“I’ll be right back,” he said to me, his voice sounded worn out, like he’d had said that a million times to different people. 

I watched the whole thing unfold from the entrance. 

Watched Mira’s face light up when she realized he was actually coming over. I watched her reach out like she was going to touch him. Watch him step back just lightly before her hands  could reach him. 

She said something that made him close his eyes like he was praying for strength to deal with this. 

Their body language was very clear. She was pushing but River was pulling away. 

Something in me shifted. 

I don’t think about it. I just stood up and walked over to them. 

“Hey,” I said, and I pitched my voice soft. Intimate. Like we’d known each other for years instead of hours. I reached out and took River’s hands and I squeezed it gently and to my surprise he didn’t bulge. 

He looked at me instead and I saw something flicker across his face. Relief, maybe. 

“This is Mira,” he said, his eyes not leaving mine for a few seconds when he called out her name. But when he turned to look at her, his expression changed and his voice tightened. 

“Oh,” I said, I smiled at her. Not unkind. Just a smile that said I knew something she didn’t. That said: I’m here, he’s with me, so you better accept that and leave. “I’m Zara. River’s girlfriend.” 

She blinked. Actually blinked. Like I had said something in a language that she could not understand. 

“River, can we please talk?” She said, pretending to not mind what I just said. “Just for five minutes. I need to explain something to you—“

“Our food is getting cold,” I said, and I was still holding his hand. Still smiling. Still looking at him, like he was the most interesting thing in the entire world. “And I’m actually starving. We should get back and eat before it’s completely ruined.” 

I looked up at River and raised my eyebrows slightly. 

It was the most natural thing I’d ever done. 

For a second, he just stared at me like he was trying to figure out what I was doing and why I was doing it. 

Then his hand squeezed mine back.

“You’re right,” he said, his voice softening. “Let’s go eat.” 

He started walking back towards our table. Pulling me with him gently. But I turned around one last time—just a quick glance over my shoulder at Mira—and smiled at her. 

A confident smile. 

Then I turned back to River and let him lead me away from her, back to our table and out cold appetizers and whatever this was actually becoming. 

He pulled out my chair for me. Sat down. For a moment, we just looked at each other across the table. 

I don’t know why I just did. But it felt so good. I don’t think I’ve ever done that before. But I want to continue this charade. It might be worth it in the end. 

I could hear people whispering now around us. 

I’m sure by tomorrow I will be the talk of the town. 

“Thank you,” he said quietly. 

“Our food really is getting cold,” I said, but I was smiling. “We should come here again soon, the food is nice.” 

He just looked at me with excitement in his eyes. He shook his head laughing and I didn’t know when I joined him. 

I could feel Mira still standing at the entrance, watching us. But I could care less. We were in our own world now. Just the two of us, playing a game that was starting to feel less like a game and more like something real. 

And I loved it….