Between Two Choices

The evening sky began to change color, hues of orange painting the horizon. In a small café in the city center, Liana sat alone in a corner. The chatter of other customers failed to chase away her loneliness. A nearly cold latte sat before her, untouched. She absentmindedly twirled the small spoon in her hand, not really intending to drink it. "Am I really this pathetic?" Liana muttered, staring at her phone filled with photos of her friends—all happily paired with their significant others. A family dinner invitation had just popped up, too. “Come with your partner,” it read at the bottom of the message. Her heart sank. She knew her family always emphasized relationships. At every family gathering, that dreaded question would always come up: “When will you get a boyfriend?” Liana let out a long sigh. She really didn’t want to face that again. “Fi, I can’t take it anymore,” Liana blurted out as her best friend, Fika, appeared in front of her. Fika, carrying a pile of books, raised an eyebrow. “Can’t take what?” “Everyone has a partner. Me? Always alone. And now there’s another family gathering next week,” Liana said in despair. Fika sat down, chuckling softly. “Oh, so this is about love again? You’re too serious, Li.” Liana looked at Fika with hopeful eyes. “I can’t go alone this time, Fi. I need a boyfriend. Even if it’s just fake.” Fika was taken aback, then laughed harder. “You’re serious? A fake boyfriend? I know you’re desperate, but this is crazy.” Liana bowed her head in embarrassment but remained resolute. “I don’t have any other choice. I don’t want to be humiliated in front of my family again. Please, Fi, I need your help.” Seeing the determination in Liana’s eyes, Fika finally relented. “Alright. But don’t think I’ll do this for free. I know someone who might work. His name’s Arga. I’ll arrange a meeting for you two tomorrow.” “Arga?” Liana repeated the name with curiosity. Fika smirked. “He’s my brother’s friend. A nice guy, though he can be a bit annoying. Perfect for pretending.” Liana felt a sense of relief, though doubts lingered in her heart. Was this really a good idea? Could someone truly pretend to be a part of her life, even temporarily? But her mind was made up. This time, she would face the holiday season without feeling alone, even if it meant pretending. Outside, the sky had turned dark. Liana gazed at her reflection in the café window, as if asking herself: Could this be the start of something new? The next day, Liana woke up with mixed feelings. Part of her felt relieved knowing she would finally meet Arga, the man Fika had suggested. But another part of her was riddled with doubts. Was this really a good idea? What if he didn’t agree to her plan? Fika sent a text early in the morning. "Meet at the usual café at 3 PM. Arga’s in. Don’t be late!" Liana read the message while biting her lip. She had no idea how to prepare for this meeting. After choosing a simple outfit—a white blouse and her favorite jeans—she tried to calm her nerves. By three o’clock, Liana was already at the same café as the day before. Fika was seated at one of the tables, waving enthusiastically at her with a wide grin. But Liana’s attention was immediately drawn to the man sitting next to Fika. He was tall, with dark, slightly messy hair that gave him a relaxed vibe. He wore a denim jacket that seemed too casual for a meeting like this, but somehow, it suited him. His smile was faint, more like someone observing than greeting. “Liana, meet Arga,” Fika said cheerfully. Liana awkwardly extended her hand. “Hi, I’m Liana.” Arga shook her hand briefly, then gave her a look that was hard to read. “I hear you need a fake boyfriend?” Liana almost choked at his bluntness. “Fika told you everything, huh?” she asked, shooting a glance at Fika, who simply shrugged with a grin. “She said it was urgent,” Arga replied casually, though his eyes held a hint of curiosity. “So, how’s this going to work?” Liana tried to explain, her voice shaky. “I just need someone to pretend to be my boyfriend during a family gathering. I don’t want anything weird or too serious… just for a few weeks.” Arga nodded slowly, leaning back in his chair. “Alright, no drama, no feelings involved, right? If that’s the rule, I can agree to it.” Fika smiled triumphantly. “See? Easy, right? I knew you two would click.” But Liana felt annoyed at Arga’s casual tone. His laid-back attitude left her wondering whether he was genuinely serious or just treating this as a joke. The meeting was brief. After discussing practical details like the schedule for Liana’s family gathering and things they needed to maintain their act, Arga stood up to leave. “See you, Liana. I hope you don’t regret choosing me,” he said with a short wave. Once Arga was gone, Liana turned to Fika. “Is he always like that?” Fika chuckled. “Relax, Li. He’s a good guy. Besides, this is just pretend, right? It won’t be that complicated.” But deep down, Liana knew it wouldn’t be as simple as it seemed. There was something about Arga that made him hard to figure out. His gaze, his way of speaking, even that half-smile—all of it left an impression she couldn’t shake. And Liana didn’t know that this simple meeting would be the start of something far more complicated than just “pretending.”