Between Two Choices

Chapter 2: An Unusual Introduction

The family gathering was drawing closer, and Liana grew more anxious about her crazy plan. Ever since her meeting with Arga, she couldn’t stop thinking about him. The way he spoke so casually, his half-smile, and his gaze that seemed to read her thoughts—all of it made her doubt whether this was the right decision.

Two days after their initial meeting at the café, Arga sent a message.

“Hey, it’s Arga. We need to meet again to align our stories. If we don’t, our act will be easy to see through. Tomorrow night, same café?”

Liana read the message with mixed emotions. She appreciated Arga’s commitment, but she hadn’t expected him to be so organized. After replying with her agreement, she tried to prepare herself.

That evening, Liana arrived at the café early. She ordered a drink and sat in a corner, mentally rehearsing what she wanted to say. Not long after, the door opened, and Arga walked in. He was wearing a black leather jacket and jeans. His outfit was simple, yet he somehow managed to draw attention.

“You’re here early,” Arga said as he sat down across from her, giving her a small smile. “Couldn’t wait, huh?”

Liana frowned. “I just didn’t want to be late.”

Arga chuckled softly, then ordered coffee before turning back to Liana. “Alright, where do we start? What’s the story you want to tell?”

Liana opened a small notebook she had brought. She had prepared a few key points. “I think we should have a story about how we met, what we like about each other, and why we’re dating. My family loves asking for details.”

Arga looked at the notebook with an amused expression. “Wow, you’re really serious about this. I thought it was just a little game.”

“If I don’t take it seriously, my family will definitely suspect something,” Liana replied firmly.

Arga nodded slowly. “Okay. So, where did we meet?”

Liana thought for a moment. “How about we say we met at Fika’s birthday party? That makes sense since you’re her brother’s friend.”

“Sure. So, I saw you standing in the corner of the room, holding a glass of orange juice, and I was instantly captivated, huh?” Arga said teasingly, making Liana roll her eyes.

“Be serious, Arga. This isn’t funny,” she said, though her cheeks began to flush.

“Alright, alright,” Arga said, raising his hands in mock surrender. “So, we met at Fika’s birthday party. Then, why are we dating?”

Liana paused. She hadn’t expected that question to be so difficult. “Maybe because... we have a lot in common? I like books. You like... what?”

Arga grinned. “I like sleeping.”

Liana sighed. “You’re not helping.”

“I’m kidding,” Arga said with a soft laugh. “I like photography. So maybe we can say I started taking pictures of you because I liked your style.”

Liana nodded. “That works. So we’ll say you liked me because I’m ‘photogenic,’ huh?”

Arga nodded back, then leaned forward. “But there’s one thing we need to agree on before this goes any further.”

“What’s that?” Liana asked.

“Boundaries. We can’t let feelings get involved. If this is just pretend, it has to stay pretend,” Arga said, his tone suddenly serious.

Liana was startled by the change in his voice. He no longer looked as relaxed as usual. His face was serious, and his eyes held a sharp focus on her.

“Agreed,” Liana replied quickly. “We’re just friends pretending to date. Nothing more.”

Arga gave a small smile, returning to his usual laid-back demeanor. “Good. Then we’re safe.”

For the next hour, they spent time discussing other details, like Liana’s favorite foods, little habits to make their story more convincing, and how they would act in front of her family.

“So, if anyone asks, I’m the super-attentive boyfriend, right?” Arga said with a laugh.

“Don’t overdo it,” Liana replied, starting to feel more at ease.

As the night went on, their conversation gradually shifted from the fake relationship to more personal topics. Liana learned that Arga loved photography, but she hadn’t realized how passionate he was about it.

“I like capturing moments that others don’t notice,” Arga said, staring out the café window. “For me, photography is about finding beauty in the small things.”

Liana was fascinated by his explanation. For the first time, she saw another side of Arga—not just the laid-back, humorous guy, but someone thoughtful and full of depth.

“I love books for the same reason,” Liana said softly. “Reading feels like stepping into a world no one else knows exists.”

Arga turned to her, and for a moment, Liana felt his gaze was too intense.

“You know, you’re not as bad as I thought,” Arga said suddenly, catching Liana off guard.

“What do you mean?” she asked, confused.

Arga just smiled. “Nothing. Let’s practice again tomorrow. If you don’t mind, I’ll come over to your house so I can learn more about your family.”

Liana nodded in agreement, though her heart was beating a little faster. She wasn’t sure if it was because of nerves or because something was starting to change in how she saw Arga.

When they parted that night, Liana couldn’t shake the strange feeling growing in her heart. What was she doing? And why, in the midst of it all, did she feel like Arga might become more than just a “fake boyfriend”?