All Chapters of My Ex's Best Friend Is My Fake Boyfriend: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

The worst thing about getting dumped wasn't the heartbreak. It was having an audience. I stood in the middle of the school cafeteria, holding a tray I suddenly didn't want, while two hundred students pretended not to stare at me. Ethan stood across from me. My boyfriend of eleven months. My first real love. And apparently, my biggest mistake. “Emma, I think we should end this.” His words were quiet, but the cafeteria had somehow become completely silent. I blinked. “What?” Ethan sighed, running a hand through his perfectly styled brown hair. “We're not working anymore.” My fingers tightened around the edge of the tray. “You could have told me this somewhere private.” “I know.” “But you chose the cafeteria?” He looked uncomfortable. Before he could answer, someone at a nearby table whispered, “Oh my God.” Another voice followed. “They're breaking up.” My face burned. Ethan glanced around. “Can we not make this dramatic?” I almost laughed. “I'm not the one break

By the time I reached my first class, everyone already knew.I wasn't sure how rumors traveled so fast.Maybe the school had a secret communication system.Or maybe teenagers simply had nothing better to do.I walked into English class with my head held high.At least, I tried to.The moment I stepped through the door, conversations stopped.Then started again.Louder.“That's her.”“She really is with Jake.”“Already?”“Didn't she just get dumped?”I pretended not to hear them.My seat was near the window.I sat down and pulled out my notebook.Two seconds later, Mia dropped into the chair beside me.She stared at me.I stared back.“What?”“You're dating Jake Anderson?”I sighed.“Good morning to you too.”“Emma!”“What?”“You're holding hands with Ethan's best friend in the hallway less than an hour after getting dumped.”“When you say it like that, it sounds terrible.”“It is terrible.”I lowered my voice.“It's fake.”Mia's mouth fell open.“What?”I quickly explained everything

By the time I arrived at school, the café picture had become yesterday's biggest news.I knew because three different people had shown it to me before I reached my locker.“Emma!”I turned.A girl from my history class hurried toward me, phone in hand.“Is this really you and Jake?”I glanced at the screen.There we were.Jake and me.His hand was holding mine, and I was smiling up at him.We looked... Happy.Too happy.“Yes,” I said.The girl's eyes widened.“Wow.”“What?”“You really moved on fast.”Before I could answer, she walked away.I sighed.“People need hobbies.”“Apparently, I’m their hobby.”I turned.Jake was leaning against the locker beside mine.“How long have you been standing there?”“Long enough.”He reached over and took my books.I frowned.“Give those back.”“No.”“Jake.”“You're carrying too much.”“I've survived seventeen years without your help.”He smiled.“Congratulations.”I tried not to laugh.“You're annoying.”“You like me.”“Fake dating.”“Right.”He sa

By Friday afternoon, our fake relationship had become the most interesting thing at Westbrook High.I couldn't walk through the hallway without hearing my name.Some people thought Jake and I were adorable.Others thought I was trying to make Ethan jealous.A few were convinced we'd secretly been dating for months.None of them knew the truth.And honestly, I was starting to wonder if I knew it either.My phone buzzed as I packed my books.Jake: Party tonight.I frowned.Me: I know.Jake: You're coming.Me: Was that a question?Three dots appeared.Jake: No.I smiled despite myself.Me: You're bossy.Jake: And you're still coming.I shook my head.Mia leaned over my shoulder.“Jake?”I locked my phone.“Maybe.”She laughed.“That's definitely Jake.”“There's a party tonight.”“I know.”“And?”“And you're going.”“I never said that.”“You didn't have to.”She grabbed my arm.“Emma, you've been pretending to date the most popular bad boy in school for a week. You have to go.”“Popular?”

Ethan was standing at the end of the hallway.He wasn't moving.He wasn't speaking.He was just staring at Jake and me.My heart dropped.Jake's hand was still wrapped around mine.For a moment, none of us said anything.Then Ethan's eyes moved to our joined hands.His jaw tightened.“Ethan,” I said quietly.He laughed once.There was nothing funny about it.“So it wasn't fake.”My stomach twisted.Jake stepped forward.“Ethan—”“Don't.”His voice was sharper than I'd ever heard it.“You lied to me.”Jake's expression hardened.“It started as fake.”“Started?”Ethan looked at me.“Did you kiss him?”I froze.Jake moved between us.“Don't talk to her like that.”Ethan stared at him.“You're my best friend.”“And she's not your girlfriend anymore.”The hallway suddenly felt too small.Ethan's face changed.“You knew I still had feelings for her.”Jake didn't answer.That silence was enough.Ethan shook his head.“I trusted you.”“And I cared about her.”“You were supposed to be my frien