A Recipe for Disaster

complicated

The next day, I was ready.

I had a plan, and I was ready to use it. I was ready to make Graham jealous, and, if I'm being a little honest, I was kind of excited. I mean, I got to do this whole fake dating plan, make Graham jealous, and maybe even get him to break up with Maya so he'd end up with me. So maybe, just maybe, I could date him. But unlike what I'd seen in TV shows and movies, where fake dating always seems so fun, the only difference here was that I was more than 100% sure I wouldn't fall in love with Ryder. I mean, he was way too annoying to love.

That day, I wore baggy jeans and a lilac-coloured crop top, with my hair in a ponytail. Even though I promised I wouldn't, I couldn't help it—I wanted to look pretty for Graham. And if the ponytail was the only way he might find me even a little bit pretty, I'd wear it for the rest of my life.

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I didn't know exactly what to expect as I walked down the halls.

Maybe I expected everyone to stare at me or even congratulate me for "dating" Ryder. But none of that happened. Well, except for a few stares. To both targeted audiences, really. I caught Matilda glaring daggers at me as I held hands with Ryder. I still remember the panic I felt as she glared into my soul—not a feeling I'd want to experience again.

"Hey!" Graham said with a small smile as he approached Ryder and me. We hadn't walked together for two days now since his grandparents were driving him to school to spend more time with him, but I hoped he felt jealousy as he saw me with Ryder, I hoped he wondered how it would have been if I dated him. I wanted him to feel jealous. Even if it was a little. I just want him to have a tiny idea of how I feel 

"Hey," I said, still holding Ryder's hand as I returned Graham's small smile.

"So, you're finally able to admit you and Ryder are dating," he said with a huge smile, making me subconsciously let go of Ryder's hand. "Yeah! I am!"

He smiled even wider. "I'm so happy for you!" He wrapped me in a hug, his body pressing against mine as I reluctantly hugged him back.

He smells good, I thought, catching a whiff of his black sweater, which smelled faintly of Axe body spray. Hmm. I wish I was dating him, I internally whine. Fucking brain is so slow I couldn't think of that earlier. AHHHH! 

When we let go of the hug, I glanced at Ryder, who was still standing beside us. To my surprise, he wore a small smile—and a death glare eerily similar to Matilda's.

"Why were you sniffing Graham's sweater?" Ryder asked bluntly, right in front of Graham. I felt my cheeks heat up.

"I wasn't!" I lied, forcing an awkward smile at Graham.

Graham gave a hesitant nod, glancing between Ryder and me. "Okay..."

"Come on, Ryder," I hissed, emphasizing his name. "Tell him you were lying."

He better shut the fuck up, because if he doesn't, I swear to fucking-

Ryder shook his head, as I gave him the death glare, hoping he'll understand my eyes. "No, I saw you sniff him." 

Fucking dick! 

I shot him a huge fake smile. "Well, I wasn't."

"You sure about that? Because it seemed like you were." He chuckled, wearing what looked like an insane smile.

"Well, Ryder, maybe you were just being your dumb a—"

"I've gotta get to class," Graham said, rolling his eyes as he waved goodbye to Ryder and me. "See you guys later." He walked off, leaving me to deal with this son of a bitch.

That son of a bitch! I fucking swear, I'll kill him!  I'll take him by the throat and choke him until he can't breath! I fucking swear-!

"What the hell was that?" I grumbled, trying my best to not choke him there and then as I feel the anxiety rise.

"Nothing, just stating facts," he replied nonchalantly, shoving his hands into his pockets and walking a little faster.

"Well," I said, giving him a huge sarcastic smile as I tightened my ponytail to distract myself from punching Ryder in the face, walking to his pace at the exact same time. "You didn't have to say that!"

He shook his head as he gave me an obnoxious smile. "Oh, yes I did."

"No, you didn't," I repeated.

"Yes, I did," he argued back, sounding like a 9-year-old I glared at him in anger as we kept walking to class.

This fuckind dickhead knows what his doing!

"I'm going to fucking kill you if you do that one more time," I said, glaring at him, my anger fuming the more he gave me his, 'I-don't-give-a-fuck-face.'

"No, no, you won't because I have blackmail on you," he practically sang, giving me an obnoxious grin.

"Why are you even doing this? Calling me out in front of Graham won't help our fake dating plan!" I whispered angrily, barely able to control my anger as I tried to keep my hands to myself and not punch him in the eyes.

"Because," he said, giving me a petrifying smile as he patted my head, "you got me detention."

The fuck?  I thought as I immediately stopped walking just to turn and glare at him.

"That was 3 weeks ago!" I practically should, throwing my hands in the air in anger. 

"Yeah, but I'm still mad over that," he shrugged as he kept giving me his stupid, obnoxious, smile, "so I must make you rue the day you got me in trouble!"

"Your fucking dead!" I grumbled, pushing him again as I walked alone to my class, his chuckle became more and more distant as I moved away from this demon of a human.

This motherfucker is going to regret that.