Just Pretend

Chapter One: The Favor

I was sitting on my bed with my laptop when I heard the door slam shut and my brother, Michael's, voice echo throughout our apartment. "There is no way in hell," I heard him say. "Come on, man!" a familiar voice followed. "No!" Michael shouted.

"Your sister is eighteen," the voice said. I hung around my brother's friends enough times to be able to distinguish which voice belonged to whom. This voice was low and soft. And the familiar lisp was what told me it belonged to Calum. "Why don't you let her decide for herself?"

"Because I'm her older brother. And you're an asshole," Michael countered. I rolled my eyes. There was a reason he chose music over law school. He'd make a terrible lawyer.

"Are you afraid she'll say yes?" Calum challenged. There was a moment of silence. I couldn't help but wonder what they were arguing about. And more importantly, what it had to do with me.

"Fine," Michael snorted. "My sister isn't that stupid."

I repressed the urge to reply with an insult to Michael. We had gone so long without arguing— two weeks, to be specific — I didn't want to break our civil streak. The wooden floor creaked as my brother and his friend walked to my room. Calum appeared first at my door. He looked nervous, keeping his eyes on the floor. Michael was right behind him, his face smug. Michael looked confident in whatever point he was trying to prove.

"I want to ask you for a favor," Calum spoke slowly.

"What's up?"

Calum hesitated. "Go ahead," Michael urged, "Try her."

"What's going on?" I asked.

"I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend."

A laughed escaped from my lips. "That's funny," I told Calum. "Seriously though, what is it?"

Calum's face remained stern. He wasn't smiling and he definitely wasn't laughing. "That is it," he said.

He wasn't kidding. "Why?" I asked.

"My parents and sister are coming to visit next week and they think I have a girlfriend."

"Why would they think you have a girlfriend?"

Calum bit nervously on his bottom lip. "Because I told them?" he said as more of a question rather than an answer.

"Why the hell would you do that?" I exclaimed.

He shrugged, "They asked and I panicked!"

I shook my head, "No, Cal. Are you crazy? I have a boyfriend."

"I told you," Michael said smugly.

Calum couldn't accept my answer. He rushed to the edge of my bed, his eyes were pleading. "Hear me out," he said. "I'll talk to Ashton and tell him it'll only be for a week. I just don't want to let my parents down."

"Then maybe you shouldn't have lied."

"Come on, Ellie," Calum begged, "please. I need to show them I've changed."

"But you haven't changed," I stated.

Michael and I met Calum two years ago. He was the new guy that moved into our building. Although he was new, it didn't take him long to build a reputation. Many of the tenants in our building, including myself, noticed the different girls that walked in and out of his apartment each morning and night.

My brother was quickly impressed, considering he had not been on a date since his last serious relationship over a year ago. He befriended Calum with the intention of learning Calum's tricks. To their surprise, they realized they had more in common than their obnoxious obsession with girls. One being: they both went against their parents wishes of going to college. I can't ever forget my mom and dad's face when Michael told them he wouldn't be attending and the fights that emerged from it.

As we became more acquainted with Calum, Michael and I learned that Calum wasn't the commitment type — which explained the different girls he had coming and going. He explained it was because of his parents' divorce. He spared the details. His parents did not like his womanizing trait. They never ceased to remind him of that fact. They also continuously showed him their disapproval in his life choices, such as the type of career he was pursuing or his refusal to settle down, ironically considering their own divorce. Calum loved music with his whole heart, mind, and soul — much like my brother. Rather than going into business school, Calum pursued music. And he was damn incredible at it.

Behind the bad boy exterior and rebellious facade Calum had on, all he truly wanted were his parents' approval. He admitted it to Michael one night when they were both drunk in our living room. Calum had a hard time growing up in his older sister's shadow — the family favorite, Mrs. Perfect. All his parents saw him as was their 19 year old son that couldn't hold down a girlfriend and who was hopelessly chasing his dream.

As all of the information I had gathered within the two years of knowing Calum came flooding into my mind, things pieced together. Calum needed his parents to believe he had settled down. They were coming to visit to see how Calum's life turned out with all the contrary decisions he had made. This was his time to change things. If he could be get them to just believe he was in a steady relationship and was able to pay rent with the money he made from his music, maybe -- just maybe -- they would finally be proud of him.

"Why me, Cal? You can get so many other girls to play girlfriend with you." I told him.

He shrugged, "Because I trust you."

I scoffed, "You trust me?"

He nodded. "I trust you not to fall in love with me. And vice versa."

I rolled my eyes. "Fall in love with you, Calum Hood?" I shook my head, "Never."

A mischievous smile crept upon his face, almost like he didn't believe me. "So then you won't mind playing my girlfriend?"

"Fine," I said. "But you're talking to Ashton."

Calum left our apartment cheerful and with hope in his eyes. Michael, however, continued to look at me displeased. "I can't believe you agreed to it!" Michael said furiously as we sat together on our couch watching reruns of old television shows.

"I felt bad!" I said honestly. "You know how much Calum loves his family and his parents aren't exactly proud of his life choices. He needs a break. And I thought I could help give him one."

"By lying to his parents? Yeah, that'll solve things," Michael replied sarcastically.

"It's only for a week. What's the big deal?"

Michael groaned in frustration. "What's the big deal?" he repeated. "The big deal is that you're creating this big lie that will blow up in your faces!"

"One week," I made sure to enunciate so Michael understood the short duration of the charade I was going to play. "Then, we'll make up some sob story about how we broke up and wala — problem solved."

"This is such a bad idea," Michael muttered under his breath. "What about Ashton?"

"He's still in New York. His school isn't out for another two weeks. I'll explain everything to him when he gets back. 'Hey I'm pretending to be your friend's girlfriend to impress his parents for a week' isn't exactly what you wanna hear during finals."

Michael shook his head disapprovingly at me but remained silent. He dropped the conversation and fixed his attention on the television. Ashton was attending New York University. We had been in a long distance relationship for almost a year. He'd come visit me in California during his breaks and vacation. Occasionally, I'd drop by for a surprise visit and spend a week hiding beneath the sheets with him inside his dorm room. Other than that, our relationship's foundation was based on video chats, phone calls, and text messages.

I knew pretending to be someone's girlfriend while I had a boyfriend of my own was not a brilliant idea. But I empathized with Calum. He looked so desperate to try and impress his parents. I looked at the brighter side of things. It was only for a week. Perfect timing. By the time Ashton arrives, Calum's parents would be gone and the charade would be over. What could go wrong?