FAKE DATING THE FOOTBALL CAPTAIN

three

The silence in Coach Reynolds' office stretched for several seconds.

I stared at the floor.

Xander stared at the wall.

Coach stared at both of us like he was trying to figure out whether we were the dumbest teenagers alive.

Finally, he sighed.

"Neither of you is in trouble because of the video itself."

I looked up.

"What?"

"The problem isn't what happened. The problem is what people think happened."

I frowned.

Coach turned his laptop around again.

The school forum was still exploding with comments.

Half the students were convinced Xander and I were secretly dating.

The other half were convinced we'd been hooking up in the locker room.

I wished for death.

Again.

Coach folded his arms.

"Right now, nobody believes this was an accident."

"It was an accident," I said immediately.

"It doesn't matter."

"It should."

"It doesn't."

I hated when adults did that.

Beside me, Xander leaned forward.

"So what exactly are you saying?"

Coach looked between us.

"I'm saying the school board wants this situation handled quietly."

"And?"

"And the scholarship committee wants assurance that Amelia isn't involved in anything inappropriate."

I groaned.

"There was nothing inappropriate."

"I know that."

"Then why is this even happening?"

"Because perception matters."

I hated that he was right.

Coach sighed again.

"Look, if this turns into a bigger scandal, everyone loses."

He pointed at Xander.

"You lose your captaincy."

Then he pointed at me.

"You risk your scholarship."

Neither of us spoke.

Because we both knew he wasn't exaggerating.

Coach was quiet for a moment.

Then he dropped the bomb.

"There is one option."

Immediately, my stomach sank.

Whenever an adult said there was one option, it was always terrible.

Xander looked equally suspicious.

"What option?"

Coach clasped his hands together.

"You two tell everyone you're dating."

The room went silent.

I blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

"I'm sorry..."

I laughed nervously.

"I think I heard that wrong."

"You didn't."

I turned to Xander.

Xander turned to me.

Then we both looked back at Coach.

"No."

We said it at exactly the same time.

Coach didn't even flinch.

"It's the cleanest solution."

"It is the stupidest solution," I argued.

"We hate each other."

"Exactly."

Coach nodded.

"Which is why nobody will suspect you're covering anything up."

I stared at him.

Was he serious?

Apparently he was.

Xander leaned back in his chair.

"Absolutely not."

Coach raised an eyebrow.

"Would you rather explain to college recruiters why you lost your captaincy?"

Xander's jaw tightened.

Coach turned to me.

"And would you like me to tell the scholarship committee that the rumors are still spreading because you refused to cooperate?"

I immediately shut up.

That was unfair.

Very unfair.

Coach knew exactly where to hit.

The room fell silent again.

I looked at Xander.

Unfortunately, he was already looking at me.

Our eyes met.

Instant irritation.

Just like always.

"No."

He said it first.

"I agree," I said.

"Good."

For the first time all day, we agreed on something.

Then Coach smiled.

A dangerous smile.

The kind adults smiled when they already knew they had won.

"That's unfortunate."

I didn't like where this was going.

Coach opened a folder on his desk.

Inside were printed screenshots from the forum.

Dozens of them.

The rumors were spreading faster than wildfire.

Some students were already claiming they'd seen us together for months.

Others were making up entire relationship timelines.

One person had even posted a blurry picture of us at a family barbecue two years ago.

My eyes widened.

"Why do they have that?"

"Because teenagers are terrifying," Coach replied.

Fair point.

Xander grabbed one of the papers.

His expression darkened.

"They really think we're together."

Coach nodded.

"Exactly."

Then he leaned forward.

"So either you spend the next few months convincing people the rumors are harmless because you're dating..."

He paused.

"Or you spend the next few months fighting a scandal that could damage both of your futures."

Neither of us spoke.

Because suddenly the choice didn't feel like much of a choice.

I hated it.

I hated him.

I hated everything about this.

Slowly, I turned toward Xander.

"Just so we're clear..."

"Yeah?"

"If we do this, I still hate you."

A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Good."

I narrowed my eyes.

"Why good?"

"Because if you suddenly started liking me, I'd be concerned."

I grabbed the nearest pen and threw it at him.

He caught it.

Coach pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Wonderful."

Neither of us looked sorry.

Not even a little.

Coach pointed toward the door.

"You have until tomorrow morning to give me your answer."

I stood.

"So we can leave?"

"Yes."

I immediately headed for the exit.

Unfortunately, Xander reached the door at the exact same time.

We bumped shoulders.

Hard.

"Watch where you're going."

"You watch where you're going."

"It's a doorway."

"Exactly."

The coach groaned behind us.

As we stepped into the hallway, neither of us noticed the group of students waiting nearby.

Phones were already out.

Cameras were already pointed at us.

And before either of us could react, someone shouted—

"LOOK! IT'S THE HAPPY COUPLE!"

My life was officially over.

The moment we stepped into the hallway, the whispers started again.

"That's them."

"The locker room couple."

"I heard they've been secretly dating for months."

"I heard she practically lives at his house."

I stopped walking.

What?

Where were people even getting this information?

Xander kept moving.

I didn't.

For the first time all day, I felt exhausted.

Not embarrassed.

Not angry.

Just exhausted.

My scholarship was hanging by a thread.

The entire school thought I was dating Xander Hayes.

And Noah Carter...

God.

Noah Carter.

There was no way he would ever look at me the same again.

Not after this.

Not after seeing me in the boys' locker room with his best friend.

Not after the rumors.

Not after the video.

The stupid love letter was probably ruined too.

Months of crushing on him.

Gone.

Just like that.

"Amelia."

I ignored him.

"Amelia."

Still ignored him.

Then suddenly someone grabbed my backpack.

I stumbled backward.

"What is wrong with you?"

Xander let go.

"You stopped walking."

"So?"

"So Coach literally told us not to make this worse."

"Well, congratulations. My life is already ruined."

Something flashed across his face.

Something strange.

Then he sighed.

"Come with me."

I narrowed my eyes.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because every bad thing that's happened today started with following you."

"Fair."

I blinked.

That wasn't the response I expected.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then he jerked his head toward the stairwell.

"Just come with me."

I crossed my arms.

"Why?"

"Because you look like you're about two seconds away from crying."

My face immediately heated.

"I am not."

"You are."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"I hate you."

"Yeah, yeah. Come on."

Before I could argue again, he started walking.

For some reason, I followed.

Maybe because I was tired.

Maybe because I didn't want anyone else staring at me.

Maybe because I wanted five minutes without hearing the words locker room couple.

Xander led me up two flights of stairs.

Then three.

Then four.

By the time we reached the top floor, I was out of breath.

"Are you trying to kill me?"

"You really need to exercise more."

I glared at him.

He smirked.

Unfortunately, the smirk disappeared when he pushed open a metal door leading outside.

I blinked.

A rooftop.

Not a huge one.

Just a small section hidden above the academic building.

The entire campus stretched out below us.

Students looked like tiny moving dots.

The football field sat in the distance.

The breeze was cool.

Peaceful.

Quiet.

No whispers.

No phones.

No rumors.

Just silence.

I stared at him.

"How did you find this place?"

"My dad went here."

Of course he did.

"He showed it to me."

I looked around again.

It was nice.

Really nice.

"You bring girls up here often?"

The question slipped out before I could stop it.

Xander snorted.

"You seriously think I'd show people this place?"

"You're the football captain. Girls probably follow you everywhere."

"Unfortunately."

I rolled my eyes.

For the first time all day, the tension eased a little.

Only a little.

Then reality crashed back.

My smile disappeared.

I sat down on the concrete ledge.

Xander stayed standing.

For several minutes, neither of us spoke.

The silence wasn't awkward.

Just... quiet.

Eventually he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"You know Noah doesn't hate you, right?"

My chest tightened.

I looked away.

"That's not the point."

"It kind of is."

"No."

"It is."

I shook my head.

"You don't get it."

"Then explain it."

I laughed bitterly.

"You really want me to explain how humiliating today was?"

His jaw tightened.

I continued before he could interrupt.

"I spent months writing that letter."

His expression changed.

Slightly.

"I finally worked up the courage to give it to him."

I stared out at the football field.

"And now the entire school thinks I'm dating his best friend."

The words hurt more when I said them out loud.

"I didn't even get the chance to tell him how I felt."

My throat tightened.

"He probably thinks I'm some crazy girl sneaking around with you."

The last part slipped out before I could stop it.

Silence.

When I glanced up, Xander was staring at me.

Not teasing.

Not smirking.

Just staring.

Then he looked away first.

For some reason, that annoyed me.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Xander."

He sighed.

"You really like him, huh?"

The question caught me off guard.

I laughed softly.

"Since forever."

His expression became unreadable.

And for the first time since I'd known him, Xander Hayes looked almost... disappointed.

The thought vanished as quickly as it came.

A second later he was back to being himself.

Annoying.

Impossible.

Infuriating.

"Well," he said, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets, "that's unfortunate."

I frowned.

"What does that mean?"

A slow grin appeared.

The familiar dangerous grin.

The one I hated.

The one that always meant trouble.

"Because I think we're going to end up taking Coach's deal."

My stomach dropped.

"Oh, absolutely not."

Xander looked out across the campus.

"Then you'd better come up with a better idea."

For the first time all day...

I couldn't.