CHAPTER SEVEN: FAKE DATING

GRACE POV

Eric’s laughter pulled me out of my shock.

“Grace? Dating the Golden Boy of East Dale University?” He said, like it was the funniest thing he had heard in a long time. “He just wants to sleep with you. That’s all, Grace. Come to your senses!” He shouted.

I frowned at his words.

“Eric, enough!”

Was that all he saw when he looked at me? Someone to be played with and dumped?

“No.” His eyes hardened. “You can’t break up with me, and the next second you hook up with Hayden Reid, my enemy on the ice.” He pushed his hair out of his face in frustration.

“Watch me, you cheated on me.” I slid my hands into Hayden’s, feeling rebellious.

“I knew it. You slut. You always wanted to leave our relationship.”

“I don’t care about whatever you are going through. You should have thought of that when you slept with another girl,” I yelled, my hands itching to slap Eric.

I was breathing too fast in anger. I’d blame myself for how our relationship ended, but I wasn’t doing that anymore.

Hayden stepped in front of me, pulling me behind him. “Don’t you ever speak to Grace like that,” he warned, his voice cold.

“Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?” Eric shot back. The moment was so tense, I couldn’t breathe properly.

“We are over, Eric. Get it through your thick skull. We are over. Stop being shameless. You cheated. You don’t get to act as if I did you wrong.”

Eric’s expression faltered and genuine hurt crossed his face.

It changed in a brief second back to anger.

“You will regret this, Grace,” he swore. He got into his car and zoomed off angrily.

Silence settled between Hayden and me, and I didn’t know how to face him.

I slowly released my hands from his.

“Are you okay?”

“I don’t know,” I sighed, feeling mentally exhausted.

“I’ll drive you back to your dorm,” Hayden offered, placing his hand behind my back as he directed me to his jeep.

The last thing I wanted was to be in the same space as him, not when we had just admitted to a lie that we were dating, but I couldn’t refuse.

“…Okay.”

The drive back to my dorm was quiet, and rain began falling, tapping softly against the windshield.

I stared out of the window, thinking about how to approach the topic. I knew nothing could come out of my relationship with Hayden. He was my stepbrother. That alone was a reality check.

“Why did you do that?” I finally spoke.

Hayden glanced at me, confused. “Do what?”

“Tell Eric we were dating.”

He pulled into the parking lot of my dormitory and switched off the engine.

The rain was getting heavier.

“He wasn’t going to leave you alone. I know men like him. He will keep bothering you till you accept him again.”

“So you decided to tell a lie so big it could ruin us.” I inhaled. “Did you forget, Hayden? We are step siblings. What should we do if anyone finds out?”

“Calm down, Grace.”

Hayden grabbed my shoulders, turning my face so I looked at him.

“No one is going to know. Moreover, we are not related by blood.”

“Yes, I know, but I can’t hurt my mom that way,” I shook my head, leaning back on my seat.

Hayden searched my face then replied.

“It isn’t real.”

I turned to look at him.

“Our dating isn’t real. We are only going to fake date till Eric gets off your back.”

My heart pinched a bit at his words. I cleared my throat to get that feeling out of my head.

“Still…” I wasn’t entirely convinced.

“Ouch! Your rejection stings. I can’t be that bad,” he held his heart, chuckling.

I couldn’t help smiling. I finally sighed.

“You can’t seriously think fake dating is a good idea.”

“Well, if you have a better idea, you can let me know.”

“What’s in it for you?” I asked. “I know you are helping me but why?”

Hayden’s playful expression faded.

“I can’t stand the fact that Eric is disturbing you. Moreover, you are now my little sister.”

Another reminder that we were related now.

I exhaled slowly.

“If we do this…. There should be rules.”

“Okay….. let’s hear it.”

“I’m serious.” I didn’t want to entertain the excitement I felt that I was about to date Hayden Reid.

“Rule Number One: No unnecessary touching.” I gave him a pointed look.

Hayden nodded. “However, we need to make it realistic.”

“Ummm, only when people are watching.”

“Rule number two: no kissing.”

Hayden frowned at my words for the briefest moment.

“Yes. Siblings shouldn’t be kissing.”

He rolled his eyes at me.

“…Okay.”

“This ends the moment Eric gives up.”

“Agreed.”

He agreed so awfully fast, and I registered that he was only doing this to help me out.

“Rule number four: No flirting with me.”

He chuckled. “I’ll try not to flirt.”

“Promise.” I narrowed my eyes at him.

“I’ll… try,” he replied, but didn’t sound convincing.

“Is that all?”

“Yes. Is there anything you would like to add?”

“Nothing. I’m good.”

I brought my hands forward for a good handshake.

He grabbed mine. His hands were warm. It lasted for a second before we both let go.

“So,” Hayden said, “One more thing.”

I groaned. I knew it wouldn’t be anything good.

“People need to believe we are dating.”

“Yes. They will see us together around campus.”

“That doesn’t mean anything. They could think it was just a fling, and it isn’t serious.”

“What do you want?” I asked with a suspicious tone.

“Give me your phone.” He stretched his hands out.

“What do you want to do?”

I unlocked my phone and handed it to him.

He went straight to my F******k app.

My eyes widened, and I quickly registered what he was about to do.

“Oh, no.”

“Oh, yes.”

He showed me the screen, and his hands hovered over my relationship status.

“Hayden.” I gave him a warning look.

Click.

“It’s done. You are officially in a relationship with Hayden Reid. I changed my status too.”

I released the breath I didn’t know I was holding.

My phone vibrated.

Then again.

And again.

Within seconds, I had so many notifications. Hayden’s phone wasn’t any better.

Madison had sent thousands of texts. I wondered how she knew this fast.

“That was fast. It can’t be that bad,” I looked at Hayden in shock.

“I didn’t know I was this popular.” Hayden showed me his phone, and I could see it was already trending on the university blog page, with comments pouring in.

“WHO THE HELL IS GRACE DAVIS”

A comment appeared.

“Don’t look at the comments,” Hayden said, swiping out of the app.

“Well, the news did travel fast, just like the way we want it.”

I nodded. God help me. I wasn’t ready to get my first batch of haters.

“The deal is sealed.”

Outside the car, neither of us noticed a figure standing on the dormitory stairs, her jaws clenched, staring at us with hate.