Falling For You

Chapter 6: Unexpected Connections

Almost a week had passed since Mateo had started avoiding me, and it felt like my life was spiraling out of control. The pressure from Roxanne and Aaron was relentless, as they seemed determined to find proof that I was lying about Mateo being my boyfriend. It was infuriating. Ever since Aaron dumped me, everything had become chaotic.

Every time I turned a corner, I half-expected to see Roxanne waiting to ambush me with more taunts, or Aaron casually leaning against a locker, wearing that smug smile of his. The cheerleading practice for the upcoming football tournament only added to my stress. I felt like I was juggling too many things at once, and I was about to drop them all.

Today was no different. I walked through the school hallways, feeling like I was moving through molasses, my thoughts clouded with worry. I was lost in my thoughts when I spotted Mateo walking out of the School Office, his head down, focused on his phone. A mix of hope and dread washed over me. Maybe today would be the day I could finally talk to him and make things right.

“Mateo!” I called out, pushing through the crowd of students, my heart racing.

He didn’t look up. Instead, he quickened his pace, and I felt my stomach drop. I couldn’t let him get away again.

“Mateo, wait!” I shouted, running after him.

I finally caught up and grabbed his hand, turning him around. The annoyance etched across his face struck me hard, and I immediately regretted my impulsive action.

“What?” he snapped, pulling away slightly, his voice laced with irritation.

I stammered, searching for the right words. “I… I wanted to talk to you.”

“About what?” he asked, crossing his arms. The defensive stance made my heart sink.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. “About what happened. About the kiss. I didn’t mean to—”

“Look, I don’t want to hear it,” he interrupted, starting to turn away from me again. Panic surged through me, and I grabbed his hand once more, desperate for him to listen.

“Please, can we just go somewhere private to talk?” I pleaded, not wanting the drama of our conversation to unfold in front of all the other students.

He hesitated for a moment, his expression softening just slightly. Finally, with a resigned sigh, he nodded and allowed me to lead him to a quieter corner of the school, behind the gym where the sounds of chatter and laughter faded into the background.

Once we reached a secluded spot, I released his hand, feeling the weight of the moment between us. “Mateo, I’m really sorry about what happened. I didn’t mean for it to turn into this whole thing. I just… I was feeling overwhelmed.”

He leaned against the wall, arms still crossed, a wall of frustration around him. “What do you want from me, Bianca? I don’t want to be a part of your drama.”

“I know. I get that,” I replied, urgency creeping into my voice. “But I need you to understand. Roxanne and Aaron are out to expose this lie. If they find out the truth, it’s only going to make things worse for both of us. I thought… if we could just pretend to be together for a month, maybe it would take the heat off.”

He scoffed, shaking his head. “And why would I want to do that? I’m not your backup plan, Bianca. You think pretending will solve your problems?”

“I know it sounds crazy,” I admitted, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “But it’s just for the tournament. It could help both of us. You wouldn’t have to deal with Roxanne, and I wouldn’t have to deal with Aaron. We could just get through this and then go back to normal. No strings attached.”