Our Fake Relationship

How this all began

"Girl I just wanna see you strip" I sang as I danced through the ridiculously large hallway of my ridiculously plain school. I looked at the dreary white walls with navy blue lockers and thought about how much more basic could this school get. Nothing much ever happened here. You know, the usual high school teen drama. She stole her boyfriend, or he wanted to fight that one guy. She's hooking up him. He's cheating on her. It's all the same. I've been going to this school for two, starting three years now and nothing memorable has happened. I'm so over plain. I'm over boring. I'm over ordinary. Something has to give, I need some type of excitement in my life. I-...

"Looks like someone is taking their supposedly hard break-up well" Gabby said teasingly, popping up beside me. Ah yes, the break-up. I've honestly forgotten that had happened. Gabby, one of my 3 best friends in the entire world. Gabby was the fashionista princess. If her nails aren't done she feels like the world might end. Next we have Liz, the humanitarian and the smartest one of us all. Then we have my very best friend, Emily. I've known her the longest and she's basically my sister.

"Well good morning to you too, Gabby" I said sarcastically. I popped open my locker and immediately saw the picture of Steven and me on the inside of the door. I quickly took it off and placed it in my bag.

"This isn't as bad as a break up as you made it out to be. Poor little Steven must be heart broken." She said having fake sympathy. Gabby never really liked Steven, she didn't think he was the right guy for me. None of my friends did really.

"Well I had to! Steven was a nice guy, but he was getting too boring. I didn't want to hurt his feeling though!" I said sadly as her skinny arm linked with mine and she dragged me down the hallway to my locker. Over the course of this summer I realized that I wanted a change in my life. I guess I had some sudden epiphany that my life was as boring as dry pain, and Steven just happened to be some collateral damage. I had been dating Steven for about 9 months, but nothing with him ever felt right, it just felt safe. Steven was the picture-perfect golden boy. I mean, he had a 4.0 gpa, he did science research, he plays 4 instruments and can speak 7 languages. He wants to grow up to be a doctor and do mission work. He spends his Saturdays volunteering at a Boys and Girls Club. He's... perfect. That's what attracted me to him in the beginning. He was so damn perfect. I could imagine myself being the trophy wife of this amazing, humanitarian surgeon. I would be the president of my children's PTA. I would carry them to soccer practice and recitals. Steven would teach them all the languages he knew. It was going to be perfect.

"This is perfect!" Gabby sang giddily. I rolled my eyes, knowing exactly what was coming next.

"Gabby, if this is one of your annoying plans to get me with a bad boy, give up!" I said pulling my arm away from hers to open my locker. Gabby has always thought that my life needed a bit of excitement. I have a history of dating nice guys. I didn't see anything wrong with that. Nice guys are safe guys. They are stable and reliable. I wouldn't have to worry about anything dating a Nice guy. Which helped after my very first relationship. That ended so badly that I needed something secure in my life. Yet... it was getting extremely tiresome. Like I don't know if I could deal with the suffocating routine of being a trophy wife. I don't think it's for me. I want more, I need more.

"You can't say no to this plan of mine! I don't know how I didn't think of this to begin with. It took me all of lunch to figure this out" She said twirling a piece of her blonde locks around her perfectly manicured finger.

"Is that why you were spacing out all lunch?" I asked shoving some books into my already overcrowded backpack. My schedule was rigorous this year.

"Yes, in fact it was!" She said shoving a fresh piece of gum in her mouth.

"So, what is this marvelous plan of yours?" I asked finally fitting all my books in my backpack and looking at her as a devious grin spread on her rose-pink lips.

"It's not a plan, it's a bet." She said happily.

"No not a bet!" I said defeated. There hasn't been a bet in the world that I haven't completed. I'm an incredibly competitive person. Once someone tells me that I can't do something then I just have to do it.

"Yes, a bet! Your one and only weakness!" She said the last part laughing.

"I hate you!" I said pushing her. She stumbled over her heels for a bit before regaining her balance.

"I love you too!" She said sweetly.

"So, what's the bet?" I asked going on with her little plan.

"You have to date to baddest boy you can get you foolishly nice hands on!" She said with an evil grin on her face. She was quite literally rubbing her hands together like an evil villain. It was getting weird.

"No way!" I said firmly. Been there, done that, not going back.

"Fine, be a chicken, loose the bet." She turned on her 4-inch heels and started to walk away. Who even wears heels to school? Nonetheless, I couldn't let her smug ass walk away, even though I knew I should have.

"Wait..." Although I couldn't see her face, I could feel that stupid smile of hers creep up on her face "I'll do it." I mumbled defeated. She turned to face me and I saw her cocky smile.

"What's that? Did you say you'd do it?" She said placing a hand to her ear.

"Yes, I said I'd do it!" I said a little bit louder. She ran over to me and suffocated me in a hug

"Yay! Finally, I have succeeded!" She clapped her hands together before stopping. "Oh, details you have to get him by the end of the week next week." She said simply. Oh no big deal, I just have to find a guy and get him to go on a date with me by the end of the week... and not sound desperate. Okay.

"Piece of cake!" I said sarcastically with a fake smile on my face.

"Make sure he's someone that I would think is high on the bad scale!" She said making a scale with her arms.

"But of course." I said laughing at her use of the words 'bad scale'.

"I mean someone bad that I'd probably want you to go out with!" She said emphasizing the point she was trying to make.

"Ok!" I said dramatically. I was trying to get her off my case so I could think about people.

"Good!" Her very expensive phone beeped. "Sorry Hun, I gotta go! Totally forgot I had a meeting with the guidance counselor. Something about that detention I got last week." She said frustrated.

"Bye sweetie" I said giving her a quick hug.

"Bye Hun" She said before turning around and walking towards the guidance office. I got her hint completely; probably because she kept looking at him the whole time she was giving me those torturous rules about how "bad" the guy has to be. Jared Taylor! Ha! Never in a million years! That little bastard can go die in a ditch for all I care! Although I must admit he would be perfect for Gabby's little bet. If only there was a way I could date him without actually dating him. Stupid thought. How can you date someone without actually dating them? I must be sleep deprived. I must be delusional if I even, for a second, thought about dating Jared freaking Taylor. Yea, definitely not. I began my walk to class when something, or should I say someone, rammed into my shoulder. Instant pain coursed through my shoulder. What in the world? I looked up and saw the culprit staring down at me with that annoying smirk that he always has on his face.

"Damn it Taylor, watch where the hell you're going!" I hissed at him. I held my shoulder hoping it would soothe the pain a bit

"Aww, did I get the princess upset? I'm sorry your majesty!" He said bowing.

"f**k you!" I said angrily and started walking away. He grabbed my wrist and I snatched it away from him. I do not want that boy touching me.

"I apologized!" He said smirking.

"Ha, as if that was an apology!" I snapped back. "If you thought that was an apology then you really need to get a lesson on proper apologies." I said clenching my fists.

"It was!" He said matter-of-factly.

"Well maybe you need to work on it a little more." I said frowning.

"And maybe you should work on your sense of humor a little more" He said smirking.

"Oh, I'm sorry that I don't find being rammed in the shoulder funny! My apologies!" I said in the same tone of voice as his "apology".

"Look at who needs to work on their apologies" He said with his stupid smirk still on his face. I turned on my heels and started to walk away. "Ashely wait." I looked back annoyed. He winked at me! Yes, actual winkage! How repulsive! I flicked him off!

"Name a time and place babe." He yelled back after me and I immediately felt dirty. I stormed into my next class, which happens to be Mr. Campbell's Speech class. I sat in my normal desk, which was soon occupied by Gabby's butt on top of it.

"I saw you talking to Jared." She said smiling.

"You mean you saw me arguing with Jared." I replied still frustrated by our encounter.

"Same thing! I think he'd be perfect for our little bet" She said gripping the desk tightly and giving me an over excited smile.

"I think he be awful!" I said plainly as I yanked my notebook out of my backpack.

"What? He f*****g perfect! He's smart, he's bad, he's hot, emphasis on hot, and I totally approve!" She said listing off his 'positive' characteristics.

"Yea, and he's also a major asshole who, by the way, is completely and totally full of himself. He thinks he's the most perfect person in the whole world, when in fact he's insufferable. God, the thought of him makes me want to punch a wall, or better yet, punch his face!" I grumbled before slamming my textbook on my desk. I let out a huge huff of air. I could literally feel myself getting hot from how angry I was. No one has ever stirred up this much resentment in me, but Jared is just reaches a whole new level of infuriating.

"You sound like you have a lot of pent up emotions towards him." Gabby said leaning closer to me.

"Not a lot of emotions. Just one, hate. I hate him." I replied looking at her. It's true. He has everyone in this God forsaken school caught under his spell. I don't know how, he's awful.

"You probably couldn't get him anyways" She said picking at her nails.

"Is that a challenge?" I asked crossing my arms.

"Depends, would you take it?" She asked smirking.

"No!" I answered. I wasn't going to let her trick me into doing this. I hate him and nothing is ever going to change that. I can't even stand to have a 2-minute conversation with him, much less a whole relationship. It would never work out between us. Never.

"Then it's not a challenge it's a fact!" She said frowning. I could tell she was getting disappointed that I wasn't falling for her plan.

"Sorry Gabs, your tricks aren't going to work with me this time. I'm going to pick a different guy to complete this little bet." I said firmly.

"Everybody in their seats, Ms. Campbell the desks are not made for sitting, so please sit in a normal chair. It's that blue thing attached to your desk that has 4 metal things on the bottom." Mr. Walker said walking into class, addressing Gabby.

"Thank you, Mr. Walker, I wasn't informed about this invention." She said sarcastically while sitting lazily in her seat right next to mine

"Oh, Ms. Woods, I thought you informed your friend about this marvelous invention" He said directing his attention to me. I grinned.

"Oh, I do apology sir, it must've slipped my mind, but isn't it you job to teach?" I said leaning back in my seat.

"Why yes, it is." He said chuckling a bit.

"So, why haven't you taught my friend about this wonderful invention?" I asked sternly with a slight smile on my face.

"Yes Mr. Walker. Why didn't you teach me about this fantastic invention?" Gabby said pitching in on the conversation.

"I don't know, but inventions tie along greatly with today's lesson. Great inventions over the course of time." He said starting the class. Class went by surprisingly fast today. Mr. Walker brought in some of the inventions and let us play with them. "Ok class, over the next week you will be working on a speech. You have to choose what invention you think is most important to society as we know it. Bring it and give a speech on it. Student with the best pitch on why their invention is the best, voted on by the class, gets extra credit. And no, you can't vote for yourselves. Bye, have a nice weekend." Right as he said bye the bell rang.

"Come on Hun, let's go!" Gabby said walking in front of me.

"I'm coming. I'm coming!" I snatched up my books before I was completely drug out of the room.

"What do you wanna do this weekend?" Gabby asked as we walked towards the doors exiting the school. Gabby and I were alone for the weekend since the other two amigos making up our friend group are both out of town. Losers.

"Umm I don't know." I responded. I'm horrible at making decisions. I'm too indecisive.

"We could go to the mall, or the movies, or the beach..." She offered before being cut off.

"I need to talk to you." Damn! He popped up out of nowhere! I looked at the boy next to me.

"What do you want Jared?" I asked annoyed, still angry about him ramming into my shoulder earlier.

"Hey Jared!" Gabby talked to him as if he was some dreamy magical creature. It was repulsive. Like, I actually wanted to gag.

"Hi Gabby, Ashely can you just come with me please?" He asked getting frustrated. Um, he has no right to get frustrated, he's a complete asshole to me all the time and then expects me to go off with him when he comes calling. Yea, no. "Please." He said softer, realizing I wasn't gonna go.

"Fine. Gabby, I'll be back in just a minute" I said handing her my stuff.

"Take all the time that you need." She said still looking at him like he was a giant pair of thigh high Chanel boots. He took my hand and led me way back in some mysterious hallway I never even knew were there. I was so tempted to snatch my hand away from his but didn't.

"What the hell?" I started before he brought a finger to my lip, trying to hush me. First of all excuse him. And second, um ew.

"Shh!" He said looking around the hallway.

"Excuse me, I don't know where your finger has been so would you kindly remove it from my lips!" I said rudely pushing his hand away from my mouth.

"Would you kindly shut the f**k up?" He asked glaring at me.

"I'm leaving." I said starting to walk away.

"No! Please... don't" He asked nicely grabbing my hand again.

"Wow you said please... nicely... twice! Continue." I said waving my hand, signaling for him to continue.

"I need you to do something for me." He said slowly. I busted out in a laugh. He must be joking. He has to be joking.

"You have to be joking, right? What makes you think I'm willing to ever do something for you?" I asked crossing my arms.

"Can you just listen?" with those words my lips sealed shut. "Thank you, can you um... will you.... I mean..." He stumbled over his words and fidgeted with his fingers. I've never seen him at a loss for words. This... this is new. "Screw it!! I need you to be my fake girlfriend!" He said unsurely. It was strange, because I knew he wanted that to come out more confidently than it did, but he sounded... I don't know... scared?

"What?" I asked confused. Well, not really confused, more taken aback.

"Be in a fake relationship with me! My friends don't think I can get a nice girl to date me so they bet me and I have to date a genuinely nice girl by the end of this month and you are the only one at this school, no offense to your friends" He said quickly. Again, he was stumbling over his words. I barely made out anything he just said. My mind was spinning trying to understand what was going on.

"Jared I..." I started but didn't finish. He grabbed both of my hands and I just couldn't speak.

"Please don't say no! I'll do anything! You can choose everything! How and when we start liking each other, when we start to date, how long we date." He said talking fast.

"It's just I..." I was going to tell him about my bet, I was gonna tell him I started thinking about this same thing earlier, but he cut me off. He tends to do that.

"You can even break up with me!" He said quietly.

"I can what?" I said shocked. Jared Taylor, the infamous player, has never been broken up with. When I say never, I mean never! It's basically his entire reputation. His legacy.

"You can... break up... with me" He said chocking up a little. This was hard for him. This was really hard for him. I could see it in his face that this was breaking him a little. I would be lying if I said I wasn't enjoying watching him grovel.

"Deal!" How in the world can I not say yes to this? I can't! This is the one chance I have to break the pattern of him never being broken up with, even if it's only a fake relationship. I have to do this for all the girls whose hearts he used and abused. It would also be perfect payback for him being such a huge asshole to me all these years.

"Seriously?" He said slowly. I could hear the shock in his voice.

"Yes!" I said smirking. Everything was working out in my favor. I was going to win this bet with Gabby, fake date Jared, and then be able to ruin his player reputation as a nice little cherry on top. It was perfect.

"Oh, ok Thanks!" He said uncertain of what he should say.

"Sure whatever, just listen. Come to the beach tomorrow at noon. Bring all your guy friends, hell invite the whole damn school! If we're going to do this, we're going to do this right! This is going to be the biggest thing this school has ever experienced since Kelly's s*x scandal!" I said as the plan began to formulate in my mind.

"When do we start dating?" He asked smiling.

"The Friday of next week, I don't care how you ask me out, just make it public!" I said poking him in the chest.

"Damn girl aren't you going a little fast?" He said laughing and grabbing my finger.

"Well I have a little bet of my own. Gabby bet me that I have to date the baddest boy I can get at this school by the end of next week. I guess you'll have to work." I said looking at him, tilting my head a bit.

"So you actually need me too?" He said smirking.

"If you wanna put it like that! I could have gotten someone else, but Gabby really wanted me to end up dating you. The whole fake relationship thing was pretty smart" I said tapping my chin. I mean, I know I thought of it briefly for a moment earlier, but I never thought it would actually happen.

"Well I'm not dumb." He said slightly defensive.

"So I've heard. Gimme a pen" I said, making him searched through the black hole he called a backpack and handed me a pen. "Call me when you get there and I'll tell you where to meet me. I'll tell you the plan tomorrow." I wrote my number on his forearm.

"I'll be there." He said looking at his arm.

"You better! And please be on time!" I said handing him back his pen.

"I will!" He said rolling his eyes.

"Do try to impress me tomorrow" I said smirking.

"You too" He said returning my smirk.

"So, see you tomorrow?" I said ending the conversation.

"Yea" I watched him walk the total opposite direction in which we just came from. I slowly walked back to gabby.

"I have an idea, how about we go to the beach tomorrow?" I asked Gabby as I reached her car.

"Yay! I really do need a tan!" She said getting into the car.

"Yea, so let's get there early so we can spend the whole day there! And plus, who know who else might show up!" I said shrugging, already knowing who's going to be there.

"You're probably right. So, what did he want?" She asked nodding in the direction of Jared.

"He just needed to ask me something, can you take me home now?" I said buckling my seatbelt.

"Yea, of course, was it anything important?" She asked starting the car.

"Nope, nothing important at all" I replied shaking my head. That is if you count starting a fake relationship as not important.