FAKE DATING THE FOOTBALL CAPTAIN

four

I hated it when Xander was right.

Mostly because he knew it.

And judging from the smug look currently sitting on his face, he definitely knew it.

"This is your fault," I informed him.

We were still on the rooftop.

The wind tugged at my hair while I glared at the human disaster responsible for ruining my life.

Xander placed a hand over his chest.

"My fault?"

"Yes."

"You were the one sneaking into the boys' locker room."

"I was delivering a letter!"

"You were committing a felony."

"It is not a felony!"

"It should be."

I grabbed the nearest bottle cap and threw it at him.

Unfortunately, he caught that too.

The jerk.

"I seriously hate you."

"Join the club."

I stood up.

"Fine."

His eyebrows rose.

"Fine?"

"Fine."

His suspicious expression deepened.

I hated that expression.

It usually meant he was about to say something annoying.

"What does 'fine' mean?"

"It means we're doing it."

The words tasted awful.

Like spoiled milk.

Like failure.

Like admitting defeat.

Xander stared at me.

Then, to my surprise, his grin disappeared.

"You sure?"

I blinked.

That wasn't the reaction I expected.

"What?"

"You don't have to agree because you're scared."

I folded my arms.

"I'm not scared."

"You looked terrified in Coach's office."

"Thank you for that observation."

"I'm serious."

For a moment, neither of us joked.

Neither of us argued.

The wind blew between us.

Then I sighed.

"My family can't afford this school."

The words came out quieter than I intended.

Xander's expression softened.

"My scholarship is the only reason I'm here."

I looked down at my shoes.

"If I lose it, that's it."

For once, he didn't interrupt.

Didn't tease.

Didn't make a joke.

"I know."

The simple answer surprised me.

I looked up.

"What?"

"I know."

Something in his voice made my chest tighten.

Because suddenly he wasn't talking like the football captain.

He was talking like someone who understood exactly what it felt like to have everything riding on one thing.

Football.

His future.

His scholarships.

His dreams.

Maybe we weren't so different after all.

The realization was disturbing.

I immediately decided to ignore it.

"Okay," I said.

"Okay."

"We fake date."

His mouth twitched.

"We fake date."

"We do the absolute bare minimum."

"Sure."

"No hand-holding."

"Fine."

"No weird couple stuff."

"Whatever you say."

"No kissing."

His eyes met mine.

For a brief second, neither of us spoke.

And suddenly I remembered the locker room.

The accidental collision.

The brush of his lips.

Heat rushed into my face.

"Oh my God."

Xander groaned.

"Can we never talk about that again?"

"Gladly."

"Great."

"Perfect."

The awkwardness lingered anyway.

Then he cleared his throat.

"So..."

I narrowed my eyes.

"So?"

"We should probably set rules."

"Rules?"

"If we're doing this, we need rules."

That actually made sense.

Which annoyed me.

"Fine."

Xander pulled out his phone.

"Rule Number One."

I sighed.

"You're actually making a list?"

"I'm an athlete. I like strategy."

"You're a control freak."

"That too."

I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, Rule Number One: We only pretend in public."

He typed it down.

"Good."

"Rule Number Two: We do not interfere with each other's personal lives."

His fingers paused.

"What does that mean?"

"It means you don't get to tell me who I can like."

His jaw tightened.

Strange.

Very strange.

Then he nodded.

"Fine."

I relaxed.

Until he added—

"You also don't get to use this fake relationship to make Noah jealous."

My eyes widened.

"What?"

His smirk returned.

"Busted."

"I wasn't going to do that!"

"You literally looked guilty."

"I did not."

"You did."

"I hate you."

"There she is."

I threw another bottle cap at him.

Again, he caught it.

Show-off.

Then his phone buzzed.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

He frowned and looked down.

A second later, his expression changed.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

"What?"

Instead of answering, he turned the screen toward me.

I nearly choked.

A new post had appeared on the school forum.

The title read:

CAPTAIN HAYES SPOTTED ALONE WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND ON THE ROOFTOP.

Attached beneath it was a blurry photo.

A photo of me and Xander standing together.

Right now.

On this rooftop.

My jaw dropped.

"No."

Xander stared at the screen.

I stared at the screen.

Then we slowly looked at each other.

Someone had followed us.

Someone had taken pictures.

And judging by the comments already pouring in...

The entire school was watching.

Our fake relationship hadn't even started yet.

And somehow, things had already gotten worse.

"How popular are you and who the hell is behind this?" I asked.

Xander stared at the post before locking his phone.

"At least more popular than your so-called crush."

I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, please."

A smirk appeared on his face.

"But honestly, I have no idea. Although..." He glanced back at the screen. "It looks like someone doesn't want me to remain captain anymore."

That wiped the amusement from my face.

We both stood there quietly for a moment.

The wind blew across the rooftop.

Students moved around below us like tiny dots.

Then suddenly, I burst out laughing.

A real laugh this time.

The kind that escaped before I could stop it.

Xander looked at me like I'd completely lost my mind.

"What's funny?"

I pointed at him.

"You."

His eyebrow lifted.

"Me?"

"Do you really think anybody hates you more than I do?"

To my surprise, he actually thought about it.

Then he nodded.

"Fair point."

I laughed again.

"Exactly."

"But..." he said.

My smile faded slightly.

"But what?"

A strange look crossed his face.

One I couldn't quite understand.

"I don't think you hate me."

I blinked.

"What?"

"I don't think you hate me."

I folded my arms.

"And what makes you think so?"

For a moment, he didn't answer.

Instead, he just looked at me.

Not in his usual annoying way.

Not teasing.

Not smirking.

Just... looking.

The silence stretched between us.

Long enough to make me uncomfortable.

Long enough to make me look away first.

"Why are you staring at me like that?"

His lips twitched.

Like he almost smiled.

"You really don't know?"

I frowned.

"Know what?"

Before he could answer, the rooftop door suddenly slammed open.

Both of us turned.

A familiar figure stepped onto the rooftop.

And the second I recognized who it was, my stomach dropped.

Noah Carter.

Looking directly at us.