What He Pretended

Chapter Four

    Sam Wilkinson's jaw dropped and his blue eyes grew wide. "You- you're ridiculous!"

    I rolled my eyes at him. Crossing my arms, I glared at him. "Yes, you've made this clear before, Sam."

    "First, you tell me you've been harboring this secret hatred for me-"

    "Actually, it wasn't so secret."

    Sam continued on as if I had never interrupted him. "Second, you just start spacing out on me. I could see the gears turning in your pretty little head, Ariana!"

    "Congratulations, Sherlock."

    He continued as if I hadn't even spoke. "And now, you pull this on me! Where's the camera crews, Ariana? This some type of prank?" Sam demands. He spins around and yells to no one in particular. "Come out now! I know you're recording this!"

    "You're crazy."

    Sam spins around again. "I'm crazy? You're ridiculous."

    "I'm getting tired of you calling me that." 

    "Well, get used to it, because you are!" Sam exclaimed. He turned around and began stomping away. I rolled my eyes and followed him.

    "It won't sound so ridiculous if you would just let me explain!" I called after him. My patience tolerance level was getting dangerously low. Sooner or later, if Sam kept acting this way, I'd give way to my frustration. 

    Sam spun around, his eyes a tad wild. "Then explain, Ariana Brooks. Because right now, I'm pretty sure you're insane!" 

    I rolled my eyes again and crossed my arms defensively. "Listen, don't take it so seriously! Jai's been nagging me for years to get a boyfriend. And now, it's gotten too much and I'm honestly tired of it. He wants me to go out with you- to be in a relationship with you, for reasons I don't understand," I explained. "So I need you to be my boyfriend. Well, my fake boyfriend.

    We'd do everything a couple does. Go on dates, act totally into each other, hold hands or whatever. And completely fool everyone into believing we're an actual couple." I finished.

    "You're insane." To this, I rolled my eyes.

    "Sam, it'd be a no strings attached kinda thing. We're seniors. We'll date for a few months, break up, and go our separate ways. We could forget all about this. About each other."

    Sam gave me an odd look. "I don't know, Ariana."

    "It'll be fine. Just a fake relationship built off a mutual dislike of one another."

    "That makes it sound worse." I gave him an annoyed look and he sighed. "Let me think about it, yeah?"

    I nodded. It was reasonable for him to need to think about it before making a decision. After all, it was a big choice and I just dropped a major bomb on him. "Yeah, okay. See you tomorrow?"

    Something flickered in Sam's eyes. Pain? I dismissed it immediately. I was probably just imagining it. I had had a lot of coffee this morning. Maybe the caffeine was affecting me. Sam blinked and whatever was there- if it even was- left. His deep brown eyes cleared. It was impossible to read.

    Sam nodded. He lingered, so I was the first to turn away. Adjusting my backpack strap, I walked towards my house again. I could feel Sam's stare on me as I walked away. It made me uncomfortable but I didn't call him out on it. I didn't blame him. He thought I was insane. I suppose it was reasonable for him to stare.

    "Honey, I'm home!" I called out when I entered the Zeta house. It was thing the girls in there and I would do. We'd call out things they'd do in movies. 

    Peyton stepped out of our room. "Oh, finally! Get up here!" Peyton disappeared back in our room. Frowning, I kicked off my shoes. I hesitantly went up our stairs and into our room. 

    "Pey?" I asked laughing. Peyton was sprawled out on her bed, spread eagle style. It was a funny sight to see her like that. Especially since she was in her pink bunny pajamas so soon. I stood by my bed, watching her bemusedly.

    "I have a dilemma, Ariana!" Peyton cried. 

    As I got out a pair of leggings and an over sized shirt I told her, "Tell me all about it, hun."

   "I feel like Luke and I are falling apart," Peyton told me. I frowned again as I pulled on my leggings. "I love him a lot, don't get me wrong. I adore him. But I'm starting to feel our connection fade away. And it's awful!" 

    I fingered my shirt. I was just standing in my Calvin Klein sports bra but I felt fine. Living with Peyton for years made us comfortable with each other. We confided in each other all the time. It was a friendship not to be forgotten. Impossible to be broken or forgotten.

    I was there for her and she was there for me. Simple as that. 

    "I-" I paused, struggling for the right words. "Pey, I honestly don't know what to say." I sank into her bed beside her. 

    Assuming that Peyton wanted to break up with Luke, I didn't want to say anything. Luke and I grew up together, and honestly, I was closer to him than Peyton. He was family. I knew Luke was completely and utterly in love with Peyton and it was destroy him if they ended it. This is were I couldn't say anything. My loyalties tied to both of them.

    "Say something, please. I need to make a decision," Peyton whispered. 

    I opened my mouth to say something but a knock on our door interrupted me. I silently thanked God and got off Peyton's bed. I told her I'd answer it and help her afterward. I was assuming it was our house master Lena or one of the other girls who needed one of us. We had discussed before that there was a strict knocking rule. The other girls in the house had boyfriends. After many awkward encounters of the girls and their boyfriends, I had created the rule.

    I don't regret it one bit. It was a genius move.

    I opened the door with a small smile on my face. "Hey-" I stopped immediately. My eyes grew wide as Sam Wilkinson gave me a crooked grin. I felt a blush creep onto my cheeks, suddenly well aware I was only in a sports bra and leggings.

   "How's it going?" 

   "Okay?" I mentally face palmed myself. 

   "Can we talk?" Sam asked me. All hints of amusement disappeared. I nodded and stepped outside my room. After shutting the door for privacy, I gestured at Sam to say what he had to say.

    "I'll do it."

    "Do what?"

    "I'll be your boyfriend." 

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oooh shit's about to hit the fan! stay tuned loves.

xoxo,

   MikailaxRyan