Fake It Till You Make It

Jaxon

I go to lunch, and as I'm walking to my table filled with popular seniors including James, with my tray, James glares at me. I sit down, looking at him but not able to hold my gaze because he looks angry and I don't want to pick a fight with him. Raven, a popular girl on the cheerleading squad that flirts with me a lot has a blank look on her face.

"Why are you so calm?" Raven asks.

"Should I not be calm?" I ask.

"Have you not heard the rumors?" She asks.

"What rumors?"

"That you're dating Leighton Rogers!"

"My sister." James growls.

"What? Who's saying that?"

"Everyone. So it's not true?" Raven asks.

Whatever this is, it started somehow. And if Leighton had something to do with it starting, I don't want to humiliate her by telling Raven it's a lie.
Just when I'm contemplating what to say, Leighton comes up behind me and taps on my shoulder.

"I need to talk to you." Leighton says.

James gives her a look that shoots daggers.

"What's going on Leighton?!" James snaps at her.

She tugs at my arm, ignoring James.

"Please, it's important." She says.

"I'll be back James. Don't freak out." I say.

He clenches his hands into fists and grits his teeth. I follow Leighton into the hallway, where there is nobody to hear us.

"Did you hear the rumors?" She asks.

"Yeah. Who started it?" I ask.

"I did." She says, her face flushed.

"What?! Why?"

"I was in art class. I butted into Jenny's business about how her boyfriend was a bad kisser, and then she teased me about how I shouldn't have been giving her advice because I had never even had a boyfriend, which was true. And then I had to run my big stupid mouth and say that you were my boyfriend." She says speedily, as if trying to get through it as quick as possible.

"Well I'm flattered that I'm the first guy you'd think about dating. But what am I gonna tell your brother?"

"Tell him that. And you were just the first name I could think of. Now I'm gonna be so embarrassed because everyone will know that I was lying."

"What if nobody but your brother knew it was a lie?"

"What do you mean?"

"What if we were in a fake relationship, and only acted like we were dating at school. And then in a month or two we'll stage a breakup." I suggest.

"You'd do that for me?" She asks, her face turning red.

"Sure."

"But I'm nowhere close to being your type. You must be disgusted even pretending to date me."

"That's not true." I say, hurt that she'd think that I thought that about her.

"So you think I'm pretty?" She asks, piping up.

"Yeah, sure. But not in a weird way." I say, smirking.

"I know, it's not weird, but thanks." She says.

"You must be disgusted to pretend to date me though. I heard you don't like mainstream guys like me."

"No, you're cute." She says, too quick to be natural. She covers her mouth, eyes wide.

"Haha. I knew you had a crush on me." I say.

She slaps my arm.

"I do not!" She exclaims, her face as red as a tomato at this point.

"It's okay. No need to hide it." I say, putting my arm around her shoulders and pulling her into me.

At first she fights it but then she leans into my side comfortably.

"Whatever makes you sleep at night." She says.

I slip my hand behind her neck and look down at her full pink lips, and then back at her eyes.

"So you ever kissed anyone?" I ask.

"No. Why?" She asks, blushing again.

"Maybe that'll be on our agenda for this fake relationship then." I say.

"No way. I want my first kiss to be special. Not fake." She says, pushing my hand away and backing up.

"Your loss. Let me know if you change your mind." I say, walking back into the cafeteria and holding the door for her as she comes in.

I walk up to James and motion for him to follow me back into the hallway, and I tell him everything. He seems understanding.