Devotion

twenty one ﾒ barhoe, not bardot

ANGELICA

"What if I asked you to be my girlfriend just so she could leave me alone?" Luca proposes, and my eyes nearly pop out of my sockets when I hear the words 'I' and 'girlfriend' in the same sentence coming from him—an academic rival and fake lover now.

Alright, let's take some time to think about this. "Uh, no. Ew."

"You say ew, but I know you like me, or at least the way I look," he says, bumping his elbow into mine playfully. I grimace at his take on lightening the situation and scoot farther away. "Please, DS?"

"Are you that desperate to beg?" I ask, crossing my arms over my chest. We look at each other with green vs. blue eyes, and he ultimately wins the challenge. "I will only accept if you get on your knees and ask me like a true gentleman.

Luca groans as he stands, looking around his childhood home. I stay seated on the cushion while he moves away from the area and to a space that houses flowers. He picks out three flowers: orchids, baby breath, and hydrangeas, before walking in front of me. He bends down on one knee and tips the creative flower bouquet my way.

"Angelica Rose De Santis, may I be your fake boyfriend?"

I stand up and take the flowers out of his grip. "That's more like it, B. I would love for you to be my fake boyfriend. Are you going to buy me that Cartier ring now?"

"Will it make you less annoying?" He asks, standing up. I think for a moment before shaking my head. "Great, so you won't make this easy for me, will you?"

"No, but I have a question. Or many," I say, holding the flowers tight as he and I exit his childhood home. "Ask away," he says. "So, you asked me to be your fake girlfriend to ward off the evil spirits of Mia Bardot, but why me?"

Luca opens the car door for me, and I enter before he closes the door. He rounds the car, gets inside, and starts the car while beginning to drive off.

I don't want to sound like I'm insecure, but I want to know why. Was it a spur-of-the-moment thing? Did he feel compelled to ask me out just because I was the best candidate? Am I worthy to be looked at as his girlfriend?

"This may sound like a joke because you consider us to be rivals and we aren't exactly the best buddies, but you're the hottest woman I know," Luca says so nonchalantly that I have to do a double take on his statement.

"Hottest? I doubt that considering you're with a new chick every week, and you'd think that you would find them more attractive." I click on my seatbelt.

Luca laughs while keeping his eyes on the road. "Just because I'm with a new woman every time you see her doesn't change the fact that I find you the most attractive. You know, usually when someone compliments you, you say, "Thank you," but I think you like to be difficult."

"It's a bad thing to be curious now?" I ask, and aren't I annoyed? He's right, (sadly). People say thank you when people give a compliment; it's a respect thing, but since I don't care about respect, I'm not obligated to. "Thanks though."

"I also asked you because Mia hates you, and if she finds you and I are something, she'll leave me alone." Great, so I'm a pawn, so he can avoid the other.

My eyebrows crumple in mere confusion. "So, you like Mia? No one avoids someone that much unless you like them."

"I like someone else, and she's better than Mia, in my opinion." My brows raise in surprise as he admits he likes someone.

My elbow rests on the console as I lean in closer to him. "You must like her to mention liking her twice to me. So, you've got a crush, it seems."

Luca rolls his eyes and breathes out in frustration. "She's a little annoying, but I can overlook that."

"Aw, how sweet." He's got a crush, and that's nice. Not that I care at all. I mean, there's no reason for me to care anyway. We're just partners, barely friends, rivals, enemies—everything that is opposed to one another in the dictionary. "Can I set boundaries for this relationship?"

"So," I begin, looking out at the road. "No kissing, no sexual contact, and nothing behind closed doors."

"I'm not sure I agree with any of these rules," he says. "We have to convince her this is real, and to do that, we need evidence. So get your mouth ready, A."

ﾒ

I receive a chaotic, crazy text message as Luca's car is driving us back home to New York City. As we drive through the bustling city, I look at the message.

Leilani: Hey, A. So, Mia decided to text me and let me know that she's coming over to your house because she knows I'm here. And I think she's also here to taunt you as well. Anyway, I need you ASAP. Love you.

Luca's car pulls up into my driveway, and thank goodness my brother or parents are here because they didn't even know I left.

Leilani wastes no time running out of my house with rollers, my Victoria's Secret robe, and slippers on. "Girl, thank God you're back. I was having a panic attack." She hugs me tight, and I hug her back just as tight.

"I have to tell you something important," I say to her. She leans back to get a better look at my face. "Oh my gosh! Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"No, Luca and I are dating. We have been for two years, just in case Mia asks."

Leilani stands there with her hands on her hips. "Well, golly. Why didn't you just tell me? I mean, about fucking time, because it was getting painful watching you both radiate sexual tension. It's disgusting."

Luca stuffs his hands in his pockets. "It's a fake relationship."

"For now, it is," Lei says with a smile on her face. "And speaking of the devil," she mumbles as a car pulls up the driveway.

Out walks a tall woman with Chanel sunglasses resting on her wavy black hair, bright hazel eyes staring at everyone, and looks that could kill. She got lip filler, though, so I guess. "Aw, is that an angel-devil?"

She walks up to the three of us, her eyes resting on Luca, who stands right beside me. He bends down to my level, his lips touching my ear. A hand snakes around my waist, but his eyes are on Mia. "I have hockey practice; I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay," I say. Luca turns me towards him as he kisses my forehead and says goodbye. Something in me wanted to hate the gesture so badly, but I agreed to it, so I must live with my choices.