Forgotten (Falls Elite #1)

32

Tate

I wasn't expecting to find Lexi under the bleachers. It was my usual spot to escape the chaos of school, to grab a smoke and let my thoughts settle. But there she was, sitting in the old, abandoned chair, munching on candy like it was her last meal. The sight caught me off guard, and before I could stop myself, I spoke.

"It's not good to eat candy for lunch," I said casually.

She flinched at the sound of my voice, her wide, emerald-green eyes snapping up to meet mine. For a moment, they flickered with surprise, maybe even a hint of vulnerability. But that look didn't last long. Her face shifted into a scowl, the kind she reserved just for me.

"So?" she shot back, her tone defensive. "It's not like I eat it every day for lunch."

I shrugged, moving to the chair across from her. "Fair point," I muttered, pulling out my pack of cigarettes. I fished one out and slipped it between my lips, already anticipating her reaction.

Sure enough, she huffed, her glare narrowing further. "Smoking is worse than eating candy for lunch," she grumbled around a mouthful of gummy bears.

I couldn't help but smirk at that. "Oh, is it?" I said, voice dry. "Thanks for the PSA. I hadn't noticed."

Her lips pressed into a tight line, and she crossed her arms over her chest. She watched me like she was waiting for some kind of explanation, but I wasn't about to give her one. I flicked my lighter, the small flame sparking to life, and took a drag. Smoke curled lazily from the corner of my mouth as I leaned back in the chair.

"So," she said, breaking the silence, "who were those people at dinner?"

Ah, right. The Lowell family. I should've known she'd ask.

"One of the reasons I needed you to play my girlfriend," I replied, exhaling a stream of smoke.

She raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to elaborate.

"They're one of my father's business partners," I added, rolling the cigarette between my fingers. "He's been trying to push me and Cleo together for years. You know, the whole marry her to strengthen the business alliance thing."

Her lips twitched, and for a second, I thought she might laugh, but instead, she just nodded.

"So that was the last time, right?" she asked, her voice tinged with hope.

I let out a low chuckle and shook my head. "Not quite. We'll need to do this a few more times until my father finally gets it through his thick skull that I'm not going to marry Cleo."

Her mouth fell open slightly, and she let out an annoyed huff, crossing her arms again. "Great," she muttered, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Just what I wanted—to be your fake girlfriend for the foreseeable future."

I smirked at her, leaning forward slightly. "Admit it, Lex. You had fun."

Her glare intensified, and she pointedly ignored my comment, focusing instead on the half-empty bag of candy in her lap. I watched her for a moment, the way her brow furrowed in frustration, the way her fingers fidgeted with the wrapper.

Why did her glare look so... cute?

I blinked, mentally shaking myself. Nope. Not going there. Lexi and "cute" didn't belong in the same sentence, let alone the same thought.

"Alright," she said finally, her voice breaking through my thoughts. "But after this charade is over, you leave me alone. Go back to pretending I don't exist."

I nodded, blowing out a final stream of smoke. "Deal."

Rising from my seat, I flicked the cigarette onto the ground and crushed it under my shoe. "Well, I'll see you around," I said, turning to leave.

"Don't count on it," she muttered under her breath, but I caught the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

As I walked back to class, I couldn't help but glance over my shoulder one last time. Lexi was still there, leaning back in her chair, popping another gummy bear into her mouth like the whole world wasn't spinning around her.

For a moment, I wondered what she'd be like if she didn't have that wall up. If she didn't always have her guard raised.

Then I shook my head. I didn't have time to think about Lexi or her stupid gummy bears.

I had my own problems to deal with, starting with convincing my father that Cleo Lowell was the last person I'd ever want to marry.