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Chapter Three: Fake

My heart fell and I felt as if I couldn't breathe.

How could he do such a thing?

"I just wanted to know what you thought. I know you probably want to hit me, and that's fine. I know it would be breaking my promise to never leave you. I promise you though that it's to keep you safe."

All I could squeak out was: "why?"

Max sighed and frowned at my teary eyes. "Please don't cry. I knew you were gonna cry and it's gonna kill me. Please don't, ginger."

I tried so hard to not cry for him. "But you promised to not leave me. What happens, god forbid, you don't come home? You leave your brothers and mother and me behind?"

He looked so sorry as I said: "you're all I have, Mac."

"You're the only person that truly likes me."

But it was like a light bulb flipped on in that brown curly haired head of his, making him smile.

"I've got an idea."

I nodded, waiting for this magically plan of his. Not.

"What? That you won't go to war?"

He rolled his eyes and held my hands gently. "No, I want to protect you. You're my only friend and I don't want my brothers to keep living in fear that they'll have to go to protect our mom."

"So what's this plan then?"

Mac smiled small, wondering if I'd take the bait for the plan.

"What if we got married?"

My eyes bugged out of my head as he back peddled and quickly explained.

"If we got married though, making it seem as if we're in love or whatever, then everyone will back off of you. You can have your own money, your own life and not be fought over. I'll make money for a house and to take care of you, but you can go buy pants and wear them all you want. You would technically have me forever, and the ring can symbolize that I'll come back to you after the war and that you won't be alone. My grandma and dad would get off my back about finding a girl too. I don't see a problem with this plan."

It was a damn good reason to get married to him. We both would solve problems we would have. He could get his family off his back about settling down, he could go buy that cottage he wanted without his brothers begging to move in with him and I wouldn't be tied down to my ridiculous raging families anymore.

Most people get engaged in fancy restaurants over a candle lit dinner. Its the most beautiful and romantic moment to date, shared champagne and a diamond ring.

Mack and I shook hands in a creek after looking for frogs, making our deal that we would stage a romantic interest to get married and run away together to get our families off our backs.

I stood in front of the little cottage Maxwell was saving to buy. He figured I would think it was just junk and that I wouldn't ever be comfortable living in it.

It was such a cute little house.

It had a little kitchen, one bathroom and two small bedrooms with a little living space too. It was really all we would ever need, but it was adorable.

It was a bit rundown looking outside, covered in vines and the lawn wasn't well kept. The rose bushes were a mess and the cobble stone walk way was covered in weeds.

But I knew it was such an adorable home.

Now, we had to devise a plan. We agreed we would tell our families that we were engaged and wanting to marry within two days. That way we wouldn't have the fighting over whether we would be married in a church or synagogue or have it done by a family member. We would only tell them after Max buys the cottage and he enlists. That way we really wouldn't have much time for the wedding, making it so they wouldn't try and plan something elaborate.