Best Served Fake

thirty-two // the questions game

"So, what do you want to know, then?"

"Well," I said. "Why are you so into the Saints?"

Kai raised an eyebrow. "We live in Melbourne. Everyone is into their footy team." It was true; we were a football state—the football state—and I knew at least five people who'd sell a kidney for a premiership. But then Kai seemed to consider the question. "I mean, I guess we've always been particularly invested. You know that Mum isn't the most checked-in parent, and so Zac used to take me and Isabelle to the footy all weekend—local games, usually—to get out of the house. But they always had the main game on the TV there, so we would watch it. Isabelle thinks the players are hot, and Zac and I fell in love with the game."

Kai looked almost sheepish to have shared so much, but I felt myself soften as I thought of young Kai, hand-in-hand with his siblings, walking to the local football game to avoid a quiet household and a mother who was never present, physically or emotionally.

"So, who do you go for, then?"

"Melbourne," I said.

Kai pulled a face. "Oh my god."

"What?"

"Melbourne supporters are the worst."

"Rude. I'm a delight."

Kai was shaking his head. "I have to rethink this entire fake relationship."

"Oh, shut up," I said. "At least it's not Collingwood."

"Melbourne is just rich people Collingwood."

"You really are die hard," I said.

Kai looked pained. "Can I convince you to swap teams? I'll buy you a really nice scarf?"

"Not a chance, Delaney."

I took a sip of my smoothie again, relishing the teasing glimmer in Kai's gaze and the easy flow of conversation between us. Even though Tommy was an ass, I missed having someone I could chat to. Not just the deep and meaningful stuff, but the everyday things. I'd once split them between Tommy and Sydney, and I felt adrift without my regular outlets. It was nice to have someone to talk to; I just never thought that someone would be Kai Delaney.

"Okay," said Kai. "What's your most embarrassing story?"

I made a face. "How is that going to come up in conversation?"

"It might. Someone might be telling a story about an embarrassing memory you have, and then I won't be able to laugh along with them because I've never heard it."

"You just want to hear my embarrassing stories," I accused. Kai's expression read guilty-as-charged, but he leaned forward, waiting for me to divulge.  I flicked my hair over my shoulder. "What if I've never done anything embarrassing?"

"Everyone's done something embarrassing."

"Oh, yeah? What's your embarrassing story?"

"I was driving, you see, and I happened to hit the parked car of this very pretty girl from school." Kai's gaze raked my face, and I felt that traitorous blush rise again. "It was mortifying."

"Are you this shameless when you flirt with everyone, or just girls you're fake dating?"

"Everyone, but no one else is quite as good at flirting back."

I shook my head and laughed. "I can't believe Jamie's the one with the reputation as a flirt, and you're the one with the reputation as a bad boy."

Kai shrugged. "When you're as rich as Jamie, breaking rules isn't considered quite as bad. And when you're like me, flirting isn't considered quite as harmless. I mean, not at the kind of school we go to."