More than just pretend

Harper’s pov Family dinners were a special kind of torture. Not because I didn’t love my family—I did, but in a when-they-were-not-driving-me-insane kind of way—not when every Saturday night felt like an interrogation. Tonight was no different. I was sitting at the long oak table, stabbing a fork into my salad, praying that my mom focused on someone—anyone—else. “You know, Harper,” my mom said, her tone all too casual, which meant she was about to strike, “it wouldn’t hurt to put yourself out there more. Get some friends, date. I’m sure you know life isn’t all about books, right?” My grip on the fork tightened, and I felt my cousin Chloe’s gaze slide over to me like a knife. She smirked. Chloe was the family golden child, the one who could accidentally burn down a building and still get a standing ovation for it. It was bad enough my mom wouldn’t let me breathe, but Chloe? The same Chloe who couldn’t get into college? “Well,” Chloe said, flipping her perfectly curled blonde hair over her shoulder, “I’m sure she knows she won’t find a boyfriend in a library.” The table erupted in laughter, and my face heated. I opened my mouth, but before I could shoot back a retort, Chloe raised her hand with the dramatic flair of someone accepting an Oscar. “Oh, and by the way, Ryan proposed last week. We’re officially engaged!” Her diamond ring glinted obnoxiously under the dining room light. There was a collective gasp, followed by applause. My mom looked ready to cry. I, on the other hand, was ready to melt into my chair and disappear forever. Mom’s eyes landed on me, softening with pity. “Don’t worry, Harper. You’ll find someone one day. Maybe if you weren’t so busy studying...” And there it was. The familiar pang of inadequacy, like a cold hand wrapping around my chest. Before I could stop myself, the words slipped out. “I already have a boyfriend.” The room went dead silent. My stomach dropped, and I immediately wished I could rewind time and slap myself before those words escaped. But it was too late now. Chloe arched a perfectly manicured brow. “You do?” “Uh... yeah,” I stammered, desperately trying to sound convincing. “We’ve been dating for weeks.” Mom’s eyes lit up with a mix of shock and satisfaction. “Well, why haven’t you mentioned him before?” “Because—uh—he’s shy,” I said, grasping at straws. “He’s on the soccer team. Really sweet. And funny.” “And you’ll bring him to the barbecue next weekend, right?” Mom’s tone was so sugary-sweet it made my teeth hurt. I froze. “What?” “You heard me. Bring him. I’d love to meet the boy who’s stolen your heart.” The smug look on Chloe’s face told me she thought I was bluffing. And she was right. I was. But instead of coming clean, I nodded stiffly. “Of course.” By Monday morning, the regret was still fresh and clinging to me like a bad perfume. I sat in the library, staring at my planner, trying to come up with an escape plan. Step 1: Find a fake boyfriend. Step 2: Convince said fake boyfriend to attend the barbecue. Step 3: Avoid complete humiliation. “Step 4,” my best friend Lucy whispered, reading over my shoulder, “don’t die of secondhand embarrassment.” I glared at her, shoving the planner closed. “This isn’t funny.” “Oh, it’s hilarious,” she said, biting back a laugh. “Who are you going to convince to pretend to date you? Because no offense, Harp, but your options are... limited.” Before I could respond, the library doors slammed open, and Liam Carter strode in like he owned the place. His soccer bag was slung over one shoulder, and there was a storm brewing in his dark eyes. He tossed his bag onto the nearest table with a loud thud, making me flinch. The entire library went quiet as he pulled out a chair and collapsed into it, muttering under his breath. “What’s his problem?” Lucy whispered. “I don’t care,” I said. “I just want him to stop making so much noise.” I marched over to his table, crossing my arms. “Some of us are trying to concentrate.” He looked up, and the intensity of his gaze almost made me step back. Almost. “Some of us,” he said slowly, “just got benched for something we didn’t do. So, excuse me if I’m not in the mood for silence, James.” My jaw tightened. “Maybe if you didn’t constantly get into trouble, you wouldn’t be benched.” “Maybe,” he shot back, “if you got out of the library once in a while, you’d have a life.” The words stung more than I cared to admit, but I forced a smile. “Charming as ever, Carter.” “Pleasure’s all mine,” he said, leaning back in his chair, smirking. I stormed back to Lucy, who was trying (and failing) to stifle her laughter. By lunch, my bad mood was boiling over. I grabbed my tray and scanned the cafeteria for an empty table when I heard the last voice I wanted to hear. “Hey, Harper!” I turned to see Jake, my ex, smirking at me from across the room. He leaned back in his chair, loud enough for everyone to hear. “So, how’s life with your textbooks? Bet they make great company. You know, we all bet on how long it would take you to date your textbooks after we broke up. Looks like I won.” Laughter erupted around him, and my face burned. My fingers tightened around the tray, but the words I wanted to say got stuck in my throat. “Don’t listen to him.” Lucy whispered. “He’s just bitter because you dumped him.” But his words replayed in my head, mixing with Chloe’s smugness, my mom’s disappointment, and the massive lie I was tangled in. I couldn’t help but feel like I was drowning. That’s when Liam walked by. He glanced at Jake, smirked, and said casually, “Funny coming from a guy who got dumped.” Jake stiffened, but Liam didn’t stop. As he passed me, he winked, like he knew he just did me a favor. And that’s when it hit me—maybe he could be my pretend boyfriend. He checked out the description I gave my mom. He was handsome, and he played soccer. But then, he was the almighty Liam Brooks; he probably would revolt at the idea of dating me. With a sigh, I shook my head, dispelling the idea as fast as it had come. —— The next morning, I stood outside the principal’s office, waiting for Mrs. Connors to sign off on a few approval forms for the student council. I wasn’t eavesdropping. Not really. It wasn’t my fault the office door was slightly ajar, and Liam Brooks had a voice loud enough to carry. I leaned against the wall, trying to act casual, but my ears perked up when I heard Principal Connors’ exasperated tone. “Liam, this was your third offense this month. Do you think that’s going to look good to the college scouts?” Third offense? Typical Liam. Still, I couldn’t help but pause. College scouts? “Does it matter?” I heard him reply, his voice laced with that infuriating mix of arrogance and apathy. “My team doesn’t even want me anymore.” I rolled my eyes but stayed rooted to the spot. “You’re a talented player, Liam,” Mrs. Connors said, her tone softening. “But talent won’t get you far if you can’t fix your reputation. Clean up your act, or you can kiss your scholarship goodbye.” That got my attention. Scholarship? I glanced down at the folder in my hands, a slow grin spreading across my face. Liam Brooks was in trouble. And not just his usual brand of trouble—the kind where he got a slap on the wrist and walked away smirking. This was serious. The door opened, and I quickly straightened, pretending to be deeply engrossed in my paperwork. Liam strode out of the office, his jaw tight, his brows drawn together in a way that almost made me feel bad for him. Almost. But then he nearly ran into me, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Watch it, James,” he muttered, clearly not in the mood for conversation. “Maybe if you paid attention to where you were going, you wouldn’t keep ending up in the principal’s office,” I shot back, my tone saccharine sweet. He turned to glare at me, his dark eyes narrowing. “Maybe if you minded your own business, you wouldn’t have been standing here eavesdropping.” My grin only widened. “What can I say, Brooks? You’re hard to miss. Always making noise, always causing a scene...” He rolled his eyes and stalked off, muttering something under his breath. I watched him go, my mind already whirring. Liam Brooks, the soccer star with a crumbling reputation, needed to fix his image. And I needed a fake boyfriend. This... this was perfect. After school, I found Liam at his locker, earbuds in, leaning against the wall like he had all the time in the world. My stomach twisted with nerves, but I forced myself to approach him. “Hey.” I greeted with a half smile. He pulled out an earbud and looked at me, surprised. “What do you want, James?” I took a deep breath, my heart pounding. “I need your help.” His brow arched, and a lazy grin spread across his face. “This should be good.” “I need you to pretend to be my boyfriend,” I blurted, the words tumbling out before I could lose my nerve. Liam stared at me for a moment before breaking into laughter. “Wait. You? And me? That’s hilarious.” “I’m serious!” I snapped. “I told my mom I have a boyfriend, and now she wants me to bring him to this stupid family barbecue. You’d just have to show up and... pretend we’re in love.” His grin widened. “In love, huh? That’s a big ask.” “I could help you out as well,” I said, determination creeping into my voice. “How?” he asked. “I know you’re off the team because of what you did.” “What I was accused of!” he snapped. “Accused of,” I said, rolling my eyes. “I can help you get back on the team.” “You’re a lot of things, James, but you’re not a miracle worker.” “Trust me, everyone knows I have the best grades and reputation in this school. Just two months, and I’ll have you reformed and back on the team, back on track for your college scholarship.” “Hmm,” he hummed, his eyes scanning me with disbelief and curiosity. I bit my lower lip gently, praying he would say yes. Please say yes. Say yes. Liam crossed his arms. “Fine. But I have one condition.” “What?” I asked. “Apart from helping me clean up my reputation, you’ll have to do my homework.” “Fine.” “And school projects,” he quickly chimed in, and I rolled my eyes. “Fine!” I snapped. Liam leaned in slightly, his voice low and amused. “This is gonna be fun, James.” I groaned, already regretting every decision that had brought me to this point.