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Chapter 7
publish date:
2026-03-14 04:03:33
Latest chapter
What We Pretended To Be Chapter 18
Maria:“I don’t think I’m competing with him anymore.”It doesn’t sound dramatic.That’s what makes it worse.Noah says it like he’s stating something obvious. Something he’s already accepted.I try to respond.“That’s not—”The rest doesn’t come.Because I don’t know what I’m correcting.He doesn’t push. Doesn’t fill the gap. Just waits a second, giving me space to say something that actually means something.I don’t.“I’m just tired,” I say instead.It’s the easiest thing to reach for.It also sounds exactly like what it is — an excuse.Noah nods anyway.“Yeah,” he says quietly.No disappointment. No frustration. Just… understanding.I don’t like that.It feels like he’s already adjusted to something I haven’t caught up to yet.“I should go,” I add, too quickly.He steps aside.“Okay.”No hesitation.No attempt to stop me.That settles something in a way I wasn’t expecting.I pick up my bag and move toward the door. My hand lingers on the handle for a second longer than necessary.S
What We Pretended To Be Chapter 17
Maria: Daniel doesn’t text.He calls.I’m halfway through brushing my hair when my phone lights up, his name cutting through everything else. For a second, I just stare at it, like maybe it’ll stop on its own.It doesn’t.“Hello?”“We have a shoot today.”No greeting. No build-up.I pause, brush still in my hand. “We what?”“A campaign. My mother’s brand.”I sit down slowly.“That’s not funny.”“It’s not.”A beat.“She signed us.”Something in his voice—flat, controlled—tells me this wasn’t his idea either.“Without asking?” I say.“Yes.”I let out a quiet breath, pressing my fingers against my temple.“Of course she did.”He doesn’t respond to that. He doesn’t need to.“My mom agreed, didn’t she?” I ask, even though I already know the answer.“Yes.”I close my eyes briefly.Right.That tracks.“When?” I ask.“An hour.”That’s it. No room to argue. No space to process.The call ends, and for a moment, I just sit there, brush still in my hand, hair half done, like I’ve been paused mid
What We Pretended To Be Chapter 16
Maria:I almost turn back.Not dramatically. Just a quiet pause at the gate, hand hovering near the bell like I forgot why I came.It shouldn’t feel like this. It’s just dinner.But it’s not just dinner.It’s his space. His world. Somewhere I’ve never really been, even when we used to know each other.I press the bell before I can overthink it.The door opens almost immediately.Daniel.He steps aside without a word at first, like he already expected the hesitation.“You’re on time.”“I try.”“That’s new.”I give him a look as I walk in, but it doesn’t land the way I expect. Everything feels… softer here. Less sharp.The house isn’t cold.That’s the first thing I notice.It’s big, yes. Clean. Expensive in a quiet way. But there are signs of actual life — books not arranged for show, a chair slightly out of place, a faint warm smell drifting from the kitchen.I didn’t realize I was bracing myself until the tension in my shoulders eased.“You can relax,” he says behind me.“I am relaxed
What We Pretended To Be Chapter 15
Daniel: “Why wouldn’t I?” It comes out clean. Easy. Like it belongs there. Maria doesn’t answer right away. I can feel her eyes on the side of my face, searching for something I’m not ready to give. I keep my gaze fixed on the road, fingers steady on the wheel. It’s easier this way. If I look at her too long, I might say something that breaks the version of this I’ve been maintaining. The car stays quiet after that. Not tense. Just… aware. The low hum of the engine fills the space while streetlights slide across the dashboard in slow gold streaks. She shifts once in her seat, like she’s about to speak, then decides against it. Good. Silence is manageable. I drop her off at her building. She murmurs a soft goodnight, already halfway out the door. I nod. Wait until she closes it behind her. Then I pull away. I don’t look back. — But the drive home feels longer than it should. The pause keeps replaying. That single second where she didn’t move. Didn’t stop me. Didn’t pull a
What We Pretended To Be Chapter 14
Maria: I don’t call Daniel. I unlock my phone, stare at his name until the screen dims, then lock it again. Walk a few steps down the sidewalk. Come back. Stand there like I forgot something important. I didn’t. I just don’t want to hear his voice yet. It feels like it would… settle something. And I’m not ready for anything to settle. So I text Lily instead. “He asked if I’m choosing him. Noah.” “I didn’t have an answer.” The reply is immediate. “Maria.” Then: “That’s not small.” I lean my forehead briefly against the car window. The glass is warm from the sun, and I close my eyes for a second, letting the heat press into my skin. I don’t know what I feel. She starts typing. Stops. Then: “That’s worse.” Before I can respond, another message comes in. Daniel. “Where are you?” I stare at it. Too long. “Home.” A few seconds. “We have something tonight.” No softness. No question. Just… fact. It should annoy me. It doesn’t. “What time?” “7.” I drop my phone i
What We Pretended To Be Chapter 13
Maria:Noah is already there when I arrive.He always is. Same seat, same posture—like he’s been waiting long enough to settle into it.I slide into the chair across from him.“Hi.”“Hey.”We smile. It lands, but something slips through it.He looks at me a second longer than usual.“You look tired.”“I didn’t sleep much.”“Because of me?”I shake my head. “Just… a lot.”He nods, but it’s not agreement. More like he’s placing that somewhere he’ll come back to.We order. Routine does most of the talking. It helps, for a minute.Then it doesn’t.He leans back slightly, eyes still on me.“You pause now.”I frown. “What?”“When you answer things. You stop first.”I almost deny it. Almost.Instead, I reach for my glass, take a sip I don’t need.“I’ve always done that.”“No.” A small shake of his head. “Not like this.”I don’t argue again. I can’t. The silence stretches just enough to say he’s right.“It’s just… a lot going on,” I say, and even to me it sounds like something I pulled off a
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