Andrew sat on his couch, flipping through his textbook with a furrowed brow. The events of the day weighed heavily on his mind, and he couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled over him since agreeing to Jane's plan. The doorbell rang, interrupting his thoughts. With a sigh, Andrew got up and trudged to the door, already knowing who it was.
He swung the door open to find Jane standing there, a bright smile plastered on her face.
"Hey, Andrew! Ready for our big date night?" Jane chirped cheerfully.
Andrew grimaced at the word "date" but forced a small smile onto his face. "Huh? We are not in school."
Jane breezed past him, chattering excitedly about the plans for the evening. Andrew couldn't help but feel a mix of irritation and resignation; he had agreed to this, even if he didn't want to. They settled onto the couch, Andrew still buried in his textbook while Jane scrolled through her phone, occasionally giggling at something she saw.
"Oh, look! Someone just posted a picture of us on Instagram," Jane said excitedly. "Caption says, 'Cutest couple alert! 😍 #RelationshipGoals.'"
Andrew's stomach churned at the sight of the post, but he forced himself to remain calm. "Hmm, I guess I can act up, huh."
Jane looked at him expectantly, clearly waiting for a more enthusiastic response. Andrew sighed, knowing he couldn't keep up this charade forever.
"Jane, can we talk for a minute?" Andrew asked softly.
Jane looked up, concern flickering in her eyes. "Of course, what's up with the mood?"
Andrew took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he was about to say. "What benefits you in doing something like this?"
Jane's expression softened as she listened to Andrew's words. "It benefits me because my friend told me to get a boyfriend so someone could walk me to my apartment, that's all."
Inside, Jane thought, It benefits me to get close to you, dummy.
Andrew nodded gratefully, relieved to have finally gotten his feelings off his chest. "Hmm, that's all? I can walk you home anytime if you keep that mouth shut."
Jane smiled understandingly, reaching out to squeeze Andrew's hand reassuringly. "Okay, okay. Hehe, I can keep my mouth shut if you let me hold your hand."
"Do whatever you want after," Andrew said, pretending to respond coldly.
As they sat in comfortable silence, Jane couldn't help but feel grateful for Andrew's cooperation. Even though their fake relationship might be over soon, she knew that their bond was stronger than ever.
