Chapter 4

By the end of the school day, I had learned three things.

First, everyone at Westbrook High loved gossip.

Second, Ethan absolutely hated seeing Jake and me together.

And third...

Jake Anderson was dangerously good at pretending to be my boyfriend.

The final bell rang, and I shoved my books into my bag.

I was halfway out of the classroom when Jake appeared beside me.

“Asking if I was ready?”

“For what?”

“Our first official fake date.”

I stopped walking.

“We have a date?”

He looked offended.

“Of course.”

“Who decided that?”

“I did.”

“That wasn't part of our agreement.”

“It should have been.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“You're enjoying this.”

“A little.”

“Why?”

“Because Ethan is probably watching.”

I glanced behind me.

Sure enough, Ethan stood at the end of the hallway with two of his friends.

He quickly looked away when our eyes met.

I turned back to Jake.

“You're impossible.”

“And you're smiling.”

I immediately stopped smiling.

“I am not.”

“You were.”

“Shut up.”

Jake laughed.

We walked toward the school entrance together.

Outside, the afternoon sun was warm, and students were scattered across the parking lot.

I expected Jake to head toward his motorcycle.

Instead, he stopped beside me.

“Where do you want to go?”

“Anywhere that doesn't involve school.”

“Coffee?”

“Fine.”

We started walking toward a small café two blocks away.

For a few minutes, neither of us spoke.

It was strange.

I had known Jake for years.

But usually, he was just Ethan's friend.

The guy who sat at the back of class.

The guy teachers constantly complained about.

The guy who never seemed interested in anyone.

Walking beside him felt different.

“So,” he said, breaking the silence.

“So?”

“Tell me something about you.”

I laughed.

“You've known me for almost a year.”

“Because of Ethan.”

“Still counts.”

“No.”

He looked at me.

“I know the version of you that everyone sees.”

“And what's wrong with that version?”

“Nothing.”

He paused.

“I want to know the real one.”

My smile faded.

Why did that sound so serious?

“You go first.”

He shrugged.

“I hate school.”

“I already knew that.”

“I like old movies.”

“That I didn't know.”

“I hate coffee.”

I stopped walking.

“You invited me to a café.”

“I didn't say I hated cafés.”

I laughed.

“Okay. Your turn.”

“You.”

I thought for a moment.

“I love photography.”

He nodded.

“I know.”

I stared at him.

“How?”

“I've seen your pictures.”

My heart skipped.

“You have?”

“Ethan showed me once.”

“Oh.”

For some reason, that made me happy.

We reached the café.

Jake held the door open.

I walked inside.

We ordered drinks and sat near the window.

For the first time since my breakup, I forgot about Ethan.

I forgot about the gossip.

I even forgot that this was supposed to be fake.

Jake made me laugh.

Real laughter.

Not the polite kind I'd been forcing all day.

When we finished, we walked back toward school.

Halfway there, I noticed Ethan standing across the street.

He was watching us.

Jake noticed him too.

He leaned closer.

“Ready?”

“For what?”

He gently brushed a strand of hair away from my face.

My breath caught.

“Jake…”

He smiled.

“Relax.”

Then he took my hand.

My heart started racing.

This wasn't part of the plan.

He leaned closer.

For one terrifying second, I thought he was going to kiss me.

Instead, he whispered, “He's still watching.”

I swallowed.

“You didn't have to get that close.”

“I know.”

His eyes stayed on mine.

Neither of us moved.

Then a car horn broke the silence.

I stepped back quickly.

“Let's go.”

Jake followed.

But neither of us mentioned what had almost happened.

When we reached my street, he stopped.

“I'll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

He handed me my bag.

I took it.

“Jake?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For today.”

He smiled.

“You're welcome.”

I turned toward my house.

“Emma.”

I looked back.

He was standing under the streetlight, hands in his pockets.

“Don't forget.”

“Forget what?”

“Our rules.”

I smiled.

“I won't.”

But as I walked away, I realized something.

I had spent the entire afternoon thinking about Jake.

Not Ethan.

Jake.

That shouldn't have bothered me.

But it did.

Because the first rule of our fake relationship was simple.

No real feelings.

And I was beginning to wonder how long I could follow it.

The next morning, I woke up to twenty-three notifications.

I opened my phone.

My stomach dropped.

Someone had posted a picture of Jake and me at the café.

The caption read:

EMMA CARTER MOVED ON FAST.

My hands went cold.

Then I saw the comments.

Already dating Jake?

Wasn't she crying yesterday?

Ethan is going to lose it.

I kept scrolling.

Then I saw one comment that made my heart stop.

They look way too real together.

I locked my phone.

Maybe it was just a picture.

Maybe people were imagining things.

But deep down, I knew the truth.

Something had changed yesterday.

And I wasn't sure whether it was the plan...

or me.