Fake Dating My School's Basketball Captain

Guilt

By the time the last bell rang, I was already tired. I couldn't even listen to anything that was taught in the last class.

I walked out of class slowly as I made my way down the hallway and towards the parking lot.

People were still talking about the Spring dance. Of course, they were. It was all everyone had been talking about for the past two weeks.

I spotted Brooke ahead of me, already halfway across the lot. I was about to call out to her when my phone buzzed.

Brooke: Oh my God, Kiana, I’m so sorry. I completely forgot I have cheer practice today.

I paused, reading the message. Another one came in immediately.

Don’t wait for me, okay? Lucas said he’ll pick me up after practice.

You can just head home.

Love you 💕

I stared at the screen for a second before typing back.

It’s fine. Don’t worry.

Then I slipped my phone back into my bag, took out my car keys, and continued walking towards my car.

The parking lot was louder than usual, people laughing, car doors slamming, music blasting from somewhere in the distance.

I got into my car, shut the door, rested my head back against the seat and closed my eyes, staying like that for some time.

‘Noah Harrison.’ I exhaled sharply, opening my eyes again.

“Why did I say that?” I muttered under my breath.

It just slipped out. Like my brain panicked and grabbed the first name it could think of. I stuck to it because it meant nothing, and it was believable, since every other girl in school liked him.

But I felt guilty for lying to Brooke. She meant no harm, but the truth is far more messy and complicated. I just couldn't bring myself to tell her.

I started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. The drive home felt even more tiring.

I kept on thinking about Ryan. He'd probably be in basketball practice as well. Where were he and Trish headed earlier that was so important?

I forced my eyes back to the road, letting out a quiet breath.

There was so much traffic, but I couldn't care less. My mind wasn't on the road anyway.

By the time I got home, I was exhausted. I parked the car in the garage, grabbed my bag and stepped out.

The house was quiet when I got in.

“Mum?” I called out.

There was no response, she probably didn't get off from work early today.

I dropped my bag by the couch and walked straight to my room. I took a quick shower and changed into something more comfortable.

I had lots of homework to do, but I couldn't concentrate on any of it. No matter how hard I tried to concentrate, my mind circled back to something else.

Brooke’s voice echoed in my head again.

“I’m glad you’re moving on from what happened with Evan.”

I let out a quiet breath. “I moved on a long time ago,” I whispered.

But if that was true, why did it still feel like this? Why did it still sit somewhere deep in my chest like it hadn’t fully left?

I frowned slightly, sitting up.

Maybe because I hadn't, maybe I never really moved on.

I still remember that day, I remembered everything about it.

I remembered how excited I had been, the way it felt like something important, the way I thought it meant something.

And then, everything changed.

I hadn't thought about this in a very long time. I made sure I didn't.

I leaned back against my headboard, staring up at the ceiling. It was funny how something you thought you had forgotten could just come back like that. So clear, like it never really left.

I remember standing in my room that day, holding up the dress we had gone shopping for.

It wasn’t anything too fancy, just a simple one-shoulder, knee-length, navy blue dress.

But to me, it wasn't just a dress. It felt like the most beautiful thing in the world.

I remember how many times I tried it on, turning in front of the mirror, trying to see if I looked different, better, more beautiful.

I remember asking my mum if it looked okay. And the way she smiled at me like she already knew what I was feeling.

“You look beautiful,” she had said.

And I believed her.

I remember sitting on my bed afterward, my heart beating so fast I couldn’t even stay still.

Thinking about the dance, about him, Evan.

Even just saying his name back then gave me butterflies.

I closed my eyes slowly. Back then, everything felt simple, or maybe I was just too naive to see it any other way.

I thought he liked me. That was what annoyed me the most.

Not the embarrassment, not the way everything ended. But that one small, stupid belief.

I opened my eyes again, staring at the study table where I left my homework.

I let out a quiet breath, shifting slightly on the bed. I couldn't just get it off my mind no matter how hard I tried.

But once the memory started, it didn’t stop.

It just kept going, slowly pulling me back to when it all started.