Let's Pretend

Chapter 5

I wake up to a ringing sound.

I roll over to the right side of my bed and reach for the alarm clock sitting on the drawer by the side of my bed. I weakly press the stop button and force myself to open my eyes. I let a wide yawn escape from my mouth while I stir on my bed.

Can't believe it's time already. After a few minutes I finally got myself to sit up only to be reminded what day it is today. Rather, what I will do today. Or what will start today. Rain or shine, today's the day we'll be starting our "relationship" and there's no backing out.

After the first day of school, I told Sean and the gang that I agreed to pretend to be Dave’s girl and they were furious and every single one of them gawked at me. But then after half an hour of them lecturing me of what I’ve gotten myself into, they, Sean, Ana and Sam, got to the realization that maybe this is a good thing. Maybe if I pretend to be Dave’s girlfriend and the plan didn’t work, Stella doesn’t get jealous, Dave will finally leave the girl and can find a new one much deserving for him.

Dave and I have been practicing for a month now. Practicing what to do and say and what not to do and say and things a couple should do. We've been seeing each other after school to practice and to show people we're "going out" or "dating" even though sometimes we're with Sean, Sam and Ana. But showing people we spend almost every day with each other will make it easy in convincing them when we officially tell the public that we are together.

Believe it or not, Dave even prepared index cards. Multi-colored index cards.

Each index card has something written on it. What to answer to questions Stella or anyone might ask. Dave's hobbies, my hobbies. His likes and dislikes, mine too. He even invented dates and occasions like when we officially became a couple, our first date, first movie date, first lunch out, first dinner, first candlelit dinner, first kiss, all the "first's" Stella or a schoolmate might ask.

Dave left the cards with me because he already memorized them all. Yep, he's really serious with this pretending thing. While I, on the other hand, will just shrug this thing off. Just go with the flow and see how far this thing will lead us.

I touch the floor with my feet and stretch lazily. I walk to my desk and take the only chair paired with it. My eyes fall on the index cards again. I absent-mindedly collect all fifty three index cards and throw them above me like confetti. I let them make a mess on my table and the others fall on the floor. I can't believe Dave made all this. The boy who can't even stand Art Class because of its boringness, if there's even such a word, but can write, or rather, wrote fifty three sentences on fifty three multi-colored index cards. Colorful index cards. Then he says he hates Art Class. This boy got some issues.

I do my morning routine.

First, I complain to myself why I'm still sleepy. Then I stretch lazily. Stand up. Hit the shower. Sing like I'm the greatest singer alive in the bathroom. Wrap myself with a towel. Brush my teeth. Smile like I'm an idiot in the mirror. And as always, I'm stuck in front of my closet, having a hard time picking which clothes to wear. Every single time.

But what will a girl wear on her first day with her boyfriend? Especially when I’m trying to convince a lot of people, including my family. Sad, but I lied to them. I had to tell them because I don’t want the news to come from anyone but me.

Last night I told them that Dave asked me if I could be his girlfriend, then I informed them that I said yes. So I told them we are an item now, a real couple. They’re all so happy that Dave and I are more than friends now and the guilt I felt last night is still lingering inside of me. Even if I want, I don't have the courage to tell them that this is all for show. I don't know what their reactions will be, especially my mom's. So as much as it hurts me, I lied. I don't why, but I just don’t want them to know the truth.