The FAFSA Bride. ||| on hold |||

Chapter 2: The Plan

"Bryce, wait, I can explain..." Michelle had chased Bryce down University Avenue, filled with students and transients walking about. She grabbed his arm, noticing how strong it felt beneath her risks.

"Look, you're pretty Michelle. I mean, God, you're like a living embodiment of all my fantasies."

"I'm sorry, what? You think I'm pretty..." Michelle blushed.

"Yeah Michelle, I thought that was the point. We get coffee, we hang out, maybe we hook up or something."

"Do you hook up with a lot of girls, Bryce?"

Michelle's gaze burned into Bryce's body. And for some reason, her scrutiny bothered him.

"I don't know you," Bryce said. "And I don't need to defend my sex life to you, which by the way,  is amazing. I don't need to marry some girl I just met, because frankly, I am not insane."

"Neither am I,' Michelle said. "I am not some crazy "I like to marry strangers" kind of girl. I just thought to myself, I am going to have to put off going to school another year unless I can apply as an independent for Financial Aid. I can't be twenty-four, I don't want a baby, but I can get a husband. And clearly, you need the grants just as bad as I do."

"Wait, that's what this is about? You want to have some sort of green card marriage, but to get financial aid?"

"Yes," Michelle said. "I know it sounds crazy, but for the first time in months, I have hope. It's brilliant, and after school, we can get a fuss free divorce, I promise."

"I don't want to get married, I am only twenty," Bryce said. "I still have some...wild oats to sew."

"Fine," Michelle said. "Behind closed doors, we can be just friends. We'll be roommates with a marriage license. I'm fun to live with, I have references. Plus, I'm a good baker and I don't get jealous easily."

"I don't know Michelle," Bryce said. "It might not even work. We'd have to apply for FASFA late, and we might get screwed anyways."

"But we could try," Michelle said. "If our application still get denied, we can annul our marriage. It will work, I swear."

"I need to think," Bryce said. "I think a healthier plan might be for us to get drunk and hook up until we forget all of our problems."

"Here is my number," Michelle said, handing him a piece of paper. "If you consider it, call me."

"And if I decided I just wanted some booty?"

"Don't say "booty", ok. You're not a pirate. And I think you need me just as much as I need you, ok."

"So, is that a no to the whole casual sex idea?"

"Let's get married first," Michelle said. "Then we'll hash out all of the details later, ok?"

"You're insane, but I'll think about it."

Bryce walked away thinking about her offer. Mostly, he wondered how it was possible that was tempted by the idea. Once she'd explained her rational, Bryce was taken with her. Sure, she was proposing fraud and what probably broke three biblical commandments, but it was ingenuous.  As he glanced back to see her hips sashaying in the wind, he shook his head. She wants a man on paper, not in her sheets, He tried to tell his body. But every fiber of his being wanted to know what it felt like to be with a woman like Michelle, and to be with her for real. It was insane because they'd just met, but he felt a spark. He picked up his phone and texted the phone number, swearing as he did so. Committing to the worst decision he'd possibly ever made, Bryce texted Michelle back.

BRYCE: Hey, it's Bryce Santiago. I am down with the plan, we should meet up tomorrow to plan out the scheme. Scholarship money, here we come.