The Girlfriend: Fake It Till You Make It

Chapter 10: Ryan's Persistence

Ryan Mitchell - One year earlier

As I sat looking around the cafeteria, Toby was blathering on about his latest imaginary conquest, and what he would do to her. I could only raise an eyebrow. The others were nodding in agreement. How many of them are actually virgin's in real life? I wondered.

Without being too narcissistic, I'm actually a pretty good looking guy. Like Disney good looking. Most of the guys assume that I have had sex before. I just haven't corrected that assumption.

Sure, I've had my fair share of make-out sessions, and I'm pretty confident in my abilities to reel in a girl.

"You talk to much shit Toby," I called him out. "You wish you'd done half of what you just said. "

Toby's face turned red. "Fuck you Ryan."

Our of the corner of my eye, I can see Brittany approaching, her entourage in tow. When she see's me looking, a big smile appears and she picks up the pace.

"Hey, Ryan!" giving me a shy wave. Urrggh. Here it is. Brittany.

Objectively speaking, Brittany is absolutely gorgeous, and most guys were give their left arm for a chance to be with her. Just looking around at the other males in the room as she walks past, I can see they'll need to resupply the napkins. For all that drool... (What were you thinking??)

But for some reason, I can't quite put my finger on it, but Brittany doesn't do it for me. Like sure, if I thought about her during a lonely shower session, it'd certainly do the trick. I'm not gay.

"So... Ryan? What are you doing this Friday night? I heard there is a new movie showing?" 

Pulling me back from my thoughts, I could she is looking at me optimistically, the other guys are now just grinning. Except for Toby; he looks annoyed. What's up with that?

"Yeah, I heard about that. We were probably going to go," I said as nonchalantly as possible. I don't want to be rude, but I don't want her to get her hopes up either.

"Oh? Really? Well—um—maybe I'll see you there then?" She walked away without waiting for an answer, her friends hugging her arm as they giggled and whispered.

It was then that I noticed a girl sitting quietly a few tables across. She was speaking with another girl when she let out a little laugh. For some reason, it was like my brain just froze. There didn't seem to be anything that made her stand out among the others. But for some reason...

She had dark brown hair, tied up in a simple ponytail. Wearing just jeans and a sweater, she wasn't dressed in anything outrageous or attention-getting. Not like someone else I knew. The more I watched her though, the prettier she was becoming.

She was pretty to begin with, in a bookish kind of way, but she was becoming more beautiful the longer I watched.

"That's Emily Carter," Toby spoke annoyingly into my ear. I swatted him away. "She's a total nerd. Always has her head in a book."

"Oh, yeah?" My curiosity was piqued. "Does she have a boyfriend?"

"Don't know. We only share a few classes, but I've never seen her with one," Toby informed me. "Why? You interested?"

I didn't provide an answer. Emily giggled again, then the two girls got up and left. I stood up. I'm not sure what it was I was going to do. Maybe just go and say hello? Before I could even take a step, there was another girl blocking my way.

"Hi, Ryan?" she said, smiling, then looking at the ground. She then looked over her shoulder at some girls, who must have been her friends. They waved their hands at her, as if to urge her along.

"Um, so... Ryan? I was wondering if you had a girlfriend at the moment."

I saw Emily's back slowly disappearing from view.

"Huh? What? Uh, no," I said, while trying to follow where she had gone.

"Oh? Really! Great!" The girl quickly stuffed a piece of paper into my hand, then turned and ran back to her friends. They all started giggling, then quickly left the cafeteria.

I opened what appeared to be a note, with a name and a phone number on it. I handed it to Toby. "For you." When I looked around again, Emily had disappeared. Damn it!

"Toby! What classes do you share with that girl? Emily."

"Uh? I have Math, English, and Biology. Why?" he asked, already knowing the reason.

"No reason. What else do you know about her?"

"She spends a lot of time in the library, because, you know? She's a nerd." Toby laughed.

I raised my eyebrow and gave him a look that said shut the f*ck up. Which he did. "Who's the other girl she's with?"

"Sarah. What? You like Sarah? Well, she is pretty cute."

Over the next few days, I managed to find out some more information about Emily. She was the quiet type, only hanging around that other girl named Sarah. I noticed when she wasn't with Sarah, she had her head in a book. Either that, or she'd be writing in a notebook. By all accounts, she should be a straight-A student.

I decided today was the day I'd ask her out. I was quietly confident as well. I knew I was considered good-looking by most people's standards, and I had girls approach me all the time. I could do this. A book nerd? Easy.

I found her sitting under a tree in the quad. As I walked up to her, she still wasn't aware of my presence. I got close enough that my shadow was cast over her.

"Hi. Emily, right?" I said, giving her my best smile. She just looked at me quizzically. "Ryan. Ryan Mitchell?" I said it like my name should mean something to her. She just continued to look at me blankly.

"Yes?" she said.

"Oh...Well," scratching the back of my head, "there's a new movie playing tonight. I was wondering if you'd be interested in going? With me."

She returned her focus back to her book. "No, thank you."

I honestly didn't know what to say after that. This had never happened to me before.

"Umm, yeah. Okay then. Bye?"

"Mmm," she grunted.

I don't know what just happened, but it seems to have ignited something in me. The challenge? My manly pride? Whatever it was, I was now determined. I'll get you to go out with me, Emily Carter.

Current Day

"Holy shit! Did you just see that?" Toby exclaimed. "Jordan just kissed Emily Carter! Since when was she a dyke?"

"What did you just say? Are you from the fuckin' 1950's?" I scolded Toby, the others who were laughing stopped. As annoyed as I was to see Jordan kissing Emily, I wasn't going to stand for that homophobic bullshit.

Walking up directly up to Emily, "What's this then?" I looked at the pair of hands there were still holding each other.

Emily hummed and hawwed. Before she could answer, Jordan stepped forward.

"She's my girlfriend. Got a problem with that?" she challenged.

"Bullshit. I don't believe it," I was almost yelling now, drawing the attention of passers-by.

"Well, believe it," said Emily. She had a determined look on her face. She then leaned toward Jordan, held her cheek in her and and gave her a lingering kiss.

Looking at me, "Now do you believe it?" she said with a smile. "Let's go, Jordan." The two walking away hand in hand.

I was flabbergasted. And annoyed. And angry!