Chapter 2

I stared at Jake.

“An idea?”

He nodded.

I folded my arms.

“If this is some kind of joke, I swear—”

“It isn't.”

“Then what?”

Jake glanced down the hallway.

Students were still passing by, and I noticed more than a few looking at us.

Great.

More gossip.

He noticed them too.

“Not here.”

I sighed.

“Where, then?”

“Library.”

“Why?”

“Because nobody goes there during lunch.”

“That sounds suspicious.”

He smirked.

“Then don't come.”

He turned and walked away.

I stood there for three seconds.

Then I followed him.

I hated that I did.

The library was almost empty.

Jake led me toward the back corner, where the shelves blocked us from the librarian's desk.

He leaned against a table.

I remained standing.

“Talk.”

He looked at me.

“You want Ethan to regret what he did?”

I rolled my eyes.

“Obviously.”

“Then date me.”

I blinked.

Not once but twice.

“I'm sorry?”

“Fake-date me.”

I stared at him.

Jake didn't laugh.

He didn't even look embarrassed.

“You have officially lost your mind.”

“Maybe.”

“You're Ethan's best friend.”

“I know.”

“Exactly.”

“That makes it better.”

“How?”

“Because Ethan knows me.”

I shook my head.

“No. This is ridiculous.”

“Is it?”

“Yes.”

“You said you wanted him to regret it.”

“I didn't say I wanted to destroy his friendship.”

Jake shrugged.

“That's not your problem.”

I stared at him.

“You really don't care?”

“About Ethan?”

He paused.

“Not enough to let him treat you like that.”

Something about the way he said it made my stomach twist.

I looked away.

“Why would you even help me?”

“Because I hate seeing people get what they want by hurting someone else.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“That's surprisingly noble coming from you.”

“Don't get used to it.”

I almost smiled.

Almost.

Jake pulled out a chair.

“Sit.”

“I'd rather stand.”

“Suit yourself.”

He opened his phone.

“So here's how it works.”

I frowned.

“You've actually thought about this?”

“I came up with it while you were hiding in the bathroom.”

“That is slightly terrifying.”

He ignored me.

“We start slowly. We don't announce anything. We let people notice.”

“And then?”

“Then we make it believable.”

I stared at him.

“How believable?”

He looked directly at me.

“Very.”

My cheeks warmed.

I hated that they did.

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because this is insane.”

“Then go back to being the girl everyone feels sorry for.”

That hit harder than I expected.

I looked down.

He wasn't wrong.

By tomorrow, the entire school would know.

People would whisper whenever I walked into a room.

They'd look at me like I was the girl who got dumped.

I didn't want that.

I wanted Ethan to see me and realize he'd made a mistake.

I wanted him to regret making me feel so small.

I looked back at Jake.

“What do you get out of this?”

He shrugged.

“Nothing.”

“That's not true.”

“Fine.”

He leaned closer.

“I want to prove a point.”

“What point?”

“That Ethan doesn't get to decide who wins.”

I frowned.

“What does that mean?”

“You'll find out.”

I didn't like mysterious answers.

But I liked the alternative even less.

“Okay.”

Jake's eyebrows lifted.

“Okay?”

“Fake dating.”

His mouth curved into a smile.

“But there are rules.”

“I was going to say that.”

“I don't care.”

I pulled out my phone.

“Rule number one: No real feelings.”

Jake laughed softly.

“That's your first rule?”

“Yes.”

“Fine.”

“Rule two: We don't kiss unless we absolutely have to.”

His smile disappeared for a second.

“Fair.”

“Rule three: No getting jealous.”

“Easy.”

“Rule four: When I say it's over, it's over.”

He nodded.

“Deal.”

I held out my hand.

He looked at it.

Then at me.

“You're serious?”

“Very.”

He took my hand.

His palm was warm.

For one strange second, neither of us moved.

Then he said, “Deal.”

I pulled my hand away quickly.

“Tomorrow?”

“Why wait?”

I frowned.

“What are you talking about?”

Jake stood.

“We start today.”

“Today?”

He nodded.

“Come on.”

“Where?”

He walked toward the library doors.

I followed him reluctantly.

“Jake.”

He stopped.

“Trust me.”

“That is exactly what people say before something goes terribly wrong.”

He smiled.

“Then we're already off to a great start.”

We stepped into the hallway.

A group of girls immediately looked at us.

One whispered something to another.

Jake didn't seem to care.

Instead, he reached for my hand.

I froze.

“What are you doing?”

“Making it believable.”

“You didn't say we had to hold hands.”

“You didn't say we couldn't.”

Before I could argue, his fingers slipped between mine.

My heart skipped.

It was ridiculous.

It was fake.

It meant nothing.

At least, that's what I told myself.

We walked down the hallway together.

Whispers followed us.

Then someone gasped.

I looked up.

Ethan stood near his locker.

He had seen us.

His expression changed instantly.

His eyes dropped to our joined hands.

Then he looked at Jake.

For the first time since he broke my heart, Ethan looked genuinely shocked.

Jake squeezed my hand.

“Smile,” he whispered.

I looked at him.

“Why?”

“Because he's watching.”

I turned toward Ethan.

Then I smiled.

Not because I was happy.

Not because I had forgiven Ethan.

But because, for the first time that day, I felt like I had control over something.

Ethan's jaw tightened.

Jake leaned closer.

“Looks like it's working.”

I whispered back.

“Don't get too confident.”

He smiled.

“Too late.”

The bell rang.

Students rushed past us.

But Ethan didn't move.

He just kept staring.

And somehow, I knew our little fake relationship had already become the biggest story in school.