Fake It Til You Make It

8

The doorbell rang and sent a shock through her body. She frantically gathered her things and tried to dash down the stairs to answer the door but unfortunately for her, her father was already down there and answered the door for her. She crept up behind her dad and saw Cameron standing in her doorway holding a bouquet. He looked nervous, a drop of sweat tempted to drip down his forehead.

"Esmeray!" her dad shouted.

Esmeray tilted her head out from behind him and then she adjusted and body to stand beside him. "I'm right here, Daddy." her dad looked down at her, his expression was intense. She couldn't tell if he was angry, all she knew was that she didn't feel good about the way he was glaring at her. "Daddy, this is Cameron. Carter," she added, "Cameron Carter." she introduced him. His eyes didn't leave Esmeray.

"Hello, sir," Cameron stuck his hand out and offered a handshake to her dad. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Shake his hand, Dad." Esmeray's dad slowly reaches his hand out to Cameron and they shake, he finally takes his threatening gaze off of her. "We are going out, just for a little bit."

"You didn't tell me this."

"Well, it was sort of random." her eyes quickly darted to Cameron and then back at her dad. Hopefully, he understood that she needed help with that glance.

"Esmeray and I work together. It's more of a coworker hangout." Cameron makes an effort to save her.

"With a bouquet of flowers?" her dad points out. Cameron looks down at the flowers and bites the inside of his cheek.

"For your wife, of course!" Esmeray's dad didn't look anywhere near convinced but grabbed the flowers from Cameron anyway. Esmeray slipped in between him and out the door.

"See you later, Daddy! Mama is gonna love the flowers, say they're from you!" she shouts louder as she gets further away from the door and closer to Cameron's car.

Panicked, Cameron opens the passenger door for Esmeray and she glares at him as she gets in. She waits until he gets in and begins driving to even look at him.

"You brought me flowers?" she yells. Cameron thought she would be more receptive to the flowers. Maybe she would've if it weren't for her father answering the door.

"I was trying to be a gentleman!" he tries to defend himself.

"We aren't dating, Cameron!"

"But don't we have to convince your parents that we are? Or did you forget that because you actually want to date me?" a small smirk grows on his face.

"Absolutely not. I just didn't tell them about you yet."

"You need to get on that, Díaz. I don't think you can blame me anymore." he shrugs.

"Shut up."

The initial plan for their fake date was to stay in the fro-yo shop, but seeing how dead it was, they decided to take a stroll along the beach with the frozen yogurt.

"I already see some people from my party here." Cameron points out.

"Good. How heartbroken are you about not being able to hook up with random girls now?"

"Contrary to popular belief, Essy," she glares up at him but says nothing. "I don't hook up with anyone. I've only had sex with four girls."

"Only." she emphasizes.

"It's a lot less than people think. Honestly, I don't count my first time. I was only 15 and she was a bit too old for me. It wasn't all my idea."

Esmeray's gaze was softer as she glanced up at him again. "Shit. Why do you let people lie about you then?"