After discovering that her boyfriend of three years is cheating on her with his girl best friend, Yasemin Hogan knows she can do way better than a little material revenge. Julian broke her heart, she will break his.
By fake dating his enemy.
Elija...
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If I had thought yesterday that I was more nervous than ever, it was without considering my state today.
First day of our fake dating.
How was I supposed to react? We hadn't talked about how our first interactions should go, other than the fact that I'd recommended we take it slow so it wouldn't seem absurd to everyone. Elijah and I have despised each other for five years. Our cold rivalry dynamic couldn't be erased overnight for love. We weren't going to jump on each other, kiss and be nice to each other that quickly. Clearly impossible.
I knew it, but still my heart was pounding so hard as I walked the halls waiting for him to show up. I felt the feverish apprehension of someone having their first Tinder date, with a guy they've been talking to for months, and not knowing whether to kiss him or shake his hand.
My thoughts were occupied with the memories of our relationship from its inception to now. Its evolution from rather cordial to downright hostile. And each time, I remembered one thing.
How it started.
With a kiss.
We had attended the same middle school in Nuevos Angeles but in different groups of friends. We were both fourteen years old. On a multi-class field trip to the country in the last days of school, in June, we were all sitting on the grass having lunch when a friend of his shouted with a mocking tone:
"Elijah, you don't know how to handle women!"
"If you don't shut up right now, I'll punch you in the face."
Me and the girls turned around, amused and curious. The blonde boy, happy to have attracted female attention, then proceeded to explain to us that Elijah Harden, here, pointing to his friend with the disheveled black hair and icy stare, wanted to invite a girl to the movies. But he probably wouldn't be able to kiss her properly when they were in the theater together. He had kissed a girl in his class, but it hadn't gone very well.
"He pressed his lips against hers without moving. She tried to put her tongue in his mouth and he panicked and pushed her away violently. He's been scared ever since."
We laughed and Elijah glared at his buddy in such a way that he finally sat back down, the amusement drained from his body.
"Elijah, you're not funny..." he grumbled.
"I don't mind you saying that to show off, if it amuses you, but you're trying too hard."
He gave us all a dirty look and I took a deep breath. His eyes. Someone had to contact the authorities. They had stolen the color of the sun.
"All this to give yourself a spotlight in front of girls, huh? "
"Not even true! Anyway, she told everyone at school that you're a bad kisser!"
