More than just pretend

4

Harper’s POV

Our living room was a mix of warmth and tension, the soft hum of conversation mingling with the clinking of glasses. My fingers curled into fists as I paced the room, my eyes darting to the clock on the wall for what felt like the hundredth time. He was late. Liam was supposed to be here by now.

I could feel the weight of the stares from my family, the judgment simmering just beneath their polite smiles. No one had said anything outright yet, but I knew what they were thinking: I’d been lying.

“Still no sign of the mystery boyfriend, huh?” Chloe’s voice cut through the air like nails on a chalkboard. I turned to see her leaning casually against the doorframe, a smug smile plastered across her face.

“Chloe,” I warned, my voice low. I wasn’t in the mood for her games tonight.

She shrugged, her smile widening. “What? I just think it’s funny, you know. All this talk about your boyfriend, and he doesn’t even bother to show up. Honestly, Harper, did you really think anyone believed you?”

I glared at her, my teeth grinding together. “I don’t have to prove anything to you.”

“Oh, but you do.” She stepped closer, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. “Because right now, you look pretty pathetic. Lying about having a boyfriend just to impress everyone? Classic.”

I took a deep breath, trying to rein in my temper. But Chloe had a way of pressing just the right buttons. “You’re unbelievable, Chloe. Always sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong. Maybe if you spent less time chasing after rich guys and more time focusing on your own life, you wouldn’t be so miserable.”

Her eyes narrowed, and the smugness slipped from her face for a brief moment. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” I snapped. “You’re nothing but a gold digger. Everyone knows it. You latch onto men for money because you can’t do anything for yourself.”

Chloe’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, and for a brief, satisfying moment, she was speechless. But then, of course, she recovered. “At least I’m not a liar,” she spat. “And when everyone finds out the truth about your fake boyfriend, don’t expect me to feel sorry for you.”

“Enough!” My mom’s voice rang out from the dining room, sharp and commanding. Both Chloe and I froze, turning to look at her. She stood with her hands on her hips, her expression a mix of exasperation and disappointment. “Harper, Chloe, I will not have you ruining this dinner with your childish bickering. Everyone, to the table. Now.”

Chloe smirked at me one last time before sauntering off, and I followed reluctantly, my blood boiling.

As we all gathered around the table, my mom sighed dramatically. “It’s such a shame your boyfriend couldn’t make it, Harper. He would’ve been a lovely addition to the evening.”

I bit my tongue, refusing to take the bait. The truth was, I didn’t care about impressing anyone at this point. All I cared about was the fact that Liam had ditched me. After all the homework assignments I’d done for him, the projects I’d practically begged him to take seriously, he had the audacity to stand me up.

I was furious. No, furious didn’t even cover it. I was livid. I couldn’t wait until Monday to tear into him.

Before anyone could start the prayer, the doorbell rang. The sharp chime echoed through the house, silencing the chatter at the table. My heart jumped, and for a second, I felt a flicker of hope.

“I’ll get it,” I said quickly, pushing my chair back and hurrying toward the door. My heels clicked against the hardwood floor, and my pulse raced with every step.

When I opened the door, there he was.

Liam.

His dark hair was slightly disheveled, as if he’d rushed to get here, and his usual smug smirk was replaced with a more subdued expression. He looked... apologetic? But also undeniably handsome in a crisp white shirt and dark jeans that fit him just right.

“Took you long enough,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended.

He raised an eyebrow, a hint of his usual arrogance creeping back. “You’re welcome.”

I wanted to scream at him, but the sound of footsteps behind me reminded me we had an audience. Plastering on a strained smile, I stepped aside to let him in.

“Everyone,” I announced, my voice dripping with forced cheerfulness, “this is Liam.”

The room fell silent as all eyes turned to Liam. He stepped inside with an easy confidence that grated on my nerves, even as it seemed to charm everyone else. My mom’s gaze swept over him appraisingly, while Chloe’s smug smirk faltered into what looked suspiciously like surprise.

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. James,” Liam said smoothly, extending a hand to my mom. His voice was warm and polite, and the ease with which he spoke made me wonder if he’d done this a thousand times before.

My mom took his hand, her lips curving into a smile that made my stomach churn. “Well, it’s about time you arrived. We were just about to start dinner. Please, come in.”

Liam glanced at me briefly, a flicker of amusement in his eyes as he followed my mom into the dining room. I trailed behind, my fists clenched at my sides. How could he just show up like this, late and smug, as if he were doing me a favor?

As we entered the dining room, Liam’s presence seemed to shift the atmosphere. My dad stood and shook his hand firmly, introducing himself with a kind smile. Liam played the role of the perfect gentleman, answering questions with charm and laughing at the right moments. Even my little brother, who was usually glued to his phone, seemed impressed.

Chloe, however, was another story. She eyed Liam suspiciously, her lips pursed as if she were trying to figure out his angle. Finally, she spoke, her voice dripping with faux innocence. “So, Liam, how did you and Harper meet?”

I froze, my mind scrambling for a believable answer. But Liam didn’t miss a beat.

“At school,” he said easily, flashing her a smile. “We met during a project we were paired up on. Harper was the brains behind the whole thing, of course.”

I blinked, surprised by how natural he sounded. Chloe raised an eyebrow, clearly unsatisfied, but before she could press further, my mom interrupted.

“Well, we’re glad you’re here, Liam. It’s always nice to meet the people who are important to Harper.”

I felt a pang of guilt at her words, but I quickly shoved it aside. This wasn’t the time for second thoughts.

As we all sat down to eat, I found myself hyper-aware of Liam. He was seated next to me, his presence annoyingly magnetic. He kept up the act throughout dinner, answering my family’s questions with an ease that made my irritation grow. He wasn’t supposed to be this good at this.

“So, Liam,” my dad said between bites of roast chicken, “what are your plans after school? Any big goals?”

Liam leaned back slightly in his chair, a confident smile playing on his lips. “I’m still figuring things out, but I’m interested in business. Maybe something in real estate or investment. I like the idea of building something from the ground up.”

My dad nodded approvingly, and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Of course he’d say something that would impress my dad.

“What about you, Harper?” my mom asked, turning her attention to me. “Have you and Liam talked about your plans for after graduation?”

I opened my mouth, unsure of what to say, but Liam beat me to it.

“Harper’s going to do amazing things,” he said, his voice steady. “She’s one of the smartest, most hardworking people I know. Whatever she decides to do, she’ll excel at it.”

I stared at him, my annoyance momentarily forgotten. He said it so sincerely that for a split second, I almost believed he meant it. But then I remembered the smirking, arrogant boy who’d mocked me in class just days ago, and the anger came rushing back.

After what felt like an eternity, dinner finally ended. My parents seemed thoroughly charmed by Liam, and even Chloe couldn’t hide her frustration at being unable to trip him up. As my family started clearing the table, I grabbed Liam’s arm and pulled him into the hallway.

“What are you doing?” I hissed, keeping my voice low.

He raised an eyebrow, his usual smirk returning. “What do you mean?”

“You show up late, and then you act like you’re Mr. Perfect in there? Do you think this is funny?”

His smirk faded, replaced by a more serious expression. “I didn’t mean to be late,” he said quietly. “Something came up.”

I crossed my arms, not willing to let him off the hook so easily. “And what about all the times I texted you this week? You couldn’t bother to respond, but you had time to show up here and charm everyone?”

He ran a hand through his hair, looking frustrated. “Look, I didn’t ask for this, okay? You’re the one who dragged me into this fake boyfriend thing.”

I opened my mouth to argue but stopped. He wasn’t wrong. I had asked him to help me. But that didn’t mean he got to treat me like an afterthought.

“Fine,” I said through gritted teeth. “But if you’re going to be part of this, you need to show up. Not just physically, but actually show up. Do you understand?”

He studied me for a moment, his blue eyes searching mine. Then, to my surprise, he nodded. “I’ll do better,” he said simply.

It wasn’t the apology I wanted, but it was something. I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding and stepped back.

“Good,” I said, my voice softer now. “Because I can’t handle another night like this.”

For a moment, we just stood there, the tension between us easing slightly. Then Liam’s smirk returned, though it was less arrogant this time.

“By the way,” he said, leaning in slightly, “you looked like you were going to murder Chloe at dinner. It was kind of impressive.”

I couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped me, though I quickly covered it with a glare. “Don’t push your luck, Liam.”

He chuckled, the sound low and warm. “Noted.”

And for the first time that night, I felt like maybe, just maybe, we could actually pull this off.