Mr & Mrs Fake

Chapter Seven

After dinner, Theo and I step outside into the cool night air, a breeze gently tousling my hair. I hesitate for a moment, feeling the weight of everything we've just agreed to. "I guess you can just follow me back to my place," I suggest, trying to sound casual. "We can hash out all the details when we get there." Theo gives me a nod, his eyes steady, yet I can't help but notice the flicker of uncertainty in them. "Lead the way," he says with a faint smile.

I slide into my car, my hands gripping the steering wheel a bit too tightly. My mind races as I watch Theo's car pull in behind mine. The absurdity of the situation hits me again—two people who barely know each other, planning to get married for the sake of convenience. It sounds like the plot of one of those cheesy rom-coms I adore, but this is real life. And real life doesn't usually come with a happily ever after.

As I drive, I try to shake off the unease creeping up my spine. I even consider, for a fleeting moment, flooring it and leading Theo on a wild goose chase through the city streets, but the thought is as ridiculous as the situation itself. Instead, I turn up the music, letting the familiar melodies soothe my nerves.

When we reach my apartment, I unlock the door and try to inject some cheer into my voice. "Welcome to my humble abode," I say, pushing the door open and immediately greeted by the excited yips of my little chihuahua, Klaus. "Hi, Klaus! Hi, baby," I coo, bending down to pet him as he dances around my feet.

Theo steps inside cautiously, his eyes glued to Klaus as if expecting the tiny dog to transform into a vicious beast. I laugh at his expression, "Don't look so nervous. He's not really vicious."

Theo scoffs, trying to play it cool. "Who says I'm nervous? I'm not nervous. Just keep him over there," he insists, edging around Klaus like he's maneuvering past a sleeping lion.

"Yeah, okay," I tease. "Do you want something to drink?"

"I'm good, thanks," Theo replies, glancing around the room. There's a moment of awkward silence as I press my lips together, trying to think of what to do next. "Well, um, just make yourself comfortable. I'm gonna go get changed and then we can discuss our, uh, arrangement... just stay put."

I hurry to my bedroom, my heart pounding in my chest. What the hell am I doing? I quickly change into something more comfortable, then grab a large binder from my closet—the infamous wedding planning book my mom and I have been curating since I was ten. If we're going to pull this off, it has to be believable, and this binder is going to be our bible.

When I return to the living room, Theo's eyes widen at the sight of the binder. "What's that?" he asks, curiosity piqued.

I smile, feeling a strange mix of nostalgia and anxiety. "It's my wedding planning book. If we're gonna do this, it has to be believable. My mom and I have been working on this since I was like ten."

Theo takes the binder from me, flipping through the pages with a look of both amusement and mild horror. "This looks... intense. Can we really make this happen by the end of the month?" he asks, sounding doubtful.

"Oh, I have no doubt," I reply confidently. "We—or should I say my mom—can pull it off. Once I tell her I'm getting married, she'll be in full-on bridezilla mode. We should start with some questions, though. If we don't know anything about each other, they definitely won't believe it."

"Alright," Theo agrees, leaning back on the couch. "I'll go first. What's your favorite color and food?"

"Yellow and mac and cheese," I answer without hesitation.

"Mac and cheese?" he echoes, as if I've just admitted to loving something bizarre.

"Why not?" I defend. "It's delicious. I love mac and cheese. I want to be mac and cheese," I joke, causing Theo to laugh.