never falling for you.

1. Deals with the Devil

His blonde hair fell so perfectly against the temples of his face as he swished his hand through it a few times. He smiled bright and sweetly looking at the girl who makes him so happy. My heart pounds a couple times, before falling into the depths of the earth. I wished it was me. Samuel with the girl who can some how get every guy she wants. My eyes quickly redirect to the inside of my locker as they begin exchanging saliva in a make out sesh clearly inappropriate for the school halls.

"Stop looking at him like that, you look stupid," He spoke as he shoved my shoulder.
"You're just mad one of your friends is dating your ex," I roll my eyes in return, facing Mateo, his eyebrows furrowed.
Aubrey and him had been dating for a little over a year before she cheated on him and left him for Samuel. I've liked Samual for a while now. I know I develop crushes and fall easy, and hard, but Samual was different from any other crushes I've had in the past. He's my lab partner for this semester and getting to know him made me fall for him, for real. Although now, I'm seeing him in a different light, making out with a girl so publicly who cheated on his ex.

"That was uncalled for, my bad," I shrugged at him having a slight sense of sorrow in my voice.
"It's fine I know you're hurting too," he smile's mischievously as I title my head it utter confusion. "It must suck seeing you're lover boy with another girl, anyways see you tonight!" he smirks as he walks away not even letting me get a word out.

—

I sat in math, embarrassed as I wonder how Mateo knew about my crush on Samuel. I turn to jade as i can feel her eyes piercing through me. She tilts her head down raising eyebrows, she knows I what to say something.

"I don't understand how Mateo knew I liked Samuel?" She immediately bursted out laughing before interrupted by the teacher as she cleared her throat while staring at us.
"Eliza, you make it sooooo obvious, you're always staring at him," she smiles as she looks down and shakes her head. Well, I thought I kept it low key, guess not.

Over lunch Jade and I sat under the tree at the edge of the oval we've claimed as ours since the first day of high school.
"Sucks you gotta hang out with him all the time during the week," Jade says as she takes a bite of her sandwich.
"Yeah it's not like I can make that decision," I roll my eyes in return.

Mateo's family is close to mine. They're good people and his mother is so sweet. However Mateo is just insufferable. But truth is I had a long and hard crush on Mateo. Five years to be exact. I've had other small crushes here and there, but I was always thinking of him back then. He moved next door from a different city in grade six and my family instantly welcomed them into their new town and got close over time. I remember seeing him for the first time. He was the cutest little boy I've ever seen with the softest brown curly hair and always had a cheeky smile on his face when we played together in the front yards of our homes.

As we got older I started to fall for him more, he was quite smart and often helped me with my math homework back in year nine. He'd come over with his family for dinner, and after we'd go up to my room to study. Though a lot of the time we got distracted and ended up watching movies for the rest of the night. That was the year I had my first kiss. It was Mateo. A sweet innocent kiss which made my crush on him even more intense. But by the end of Grade ten is when I noticed him change.

He started going out to parties and started getting attention from girls. Like a lot of girls and got with them too. He began to hang out with a group of idiot guys and soon he became a cocky and egotistical playboy, just like the rest of them. His attitude towards me even changed and we'd start to fight over stupid little things and our parents would have to break up our arguments, and eventually we drifted apart.

Grade eleven is when I finally got over him. I stopped being delusional for once and accepted he changed. He annoyed me so much. The way he would act, the way he would talk, and that stupidly handsome face of his. Even thought I strongly dislike him, I have to keep it somewhat civil as our parents were close.

-

"Mateo darling, go help Elizabeth with the dishes,"
He soon appeared in the kitchen, though I couldn't see him with my back facing the entrance, I could smell the cologne he overdoses on.

"You don't have to," I say quickly turning to face him.

"Do you think that woman gives me choices? She asks, I do," He laughs softly before shoving me aside and grabbing a wash cloth.
We cleaned the kitchen in silence, until he broke the peace.

"We should date," he says abruptly.

"Mateo, are you good in the head?"

"Liz listen, not like that. Like pretend... I wanna get back at Aubrey for cheating," he explains.

"Why? Don't you literally do the same to other girls?" I questioned.

"Ok listen yeah, I've gotten with loads of girls but I've never gotten with anyone else while I already in a relationship,"

"Mmmm.. Well what's in it for me?" I ask.

"Ok I know you like Samual and even thought he's my friend he just can't stay away from my sloppy seconds, soooo.. if we pretend to date it will for sure yet his attention on you." I raise an eyebrow at him. "Ok and I'll do your homework for Ms. Evans' math class," He added.

"Mmm kay I'll pretend you didn't just call me your future sloppy seconds."

"So we got a deal?"

I hesitate for a while. I considered all the bad things that could come out of this, which is, a lot. But the chances of a good outcome was still quite possible.

"Yeah deal," I roll my eyes, "just don't fall in love with me," I say sarcastically.

"I should be saying that to you"