Faking It

Chapter 10: Enter the Nickname

Much to my frustration, he took his role as a tutor seriously. So seriously that I'd begun to wonder whether Theo's offer was the only way I could get him to view me in any kind of light that wasn't "that girl who's so bad at history she desperately needs you help to keep her scholarship." That, or ask me out or something. Anything other than the purgatory I was currently locked in.

No. That was the boy-crazy talking. I turned the textbook page with more force than was necessary. I didn't need Theo to help William see me like that. Just like Jake had texted that morning, I was enough on my own. I'd just work up my courage and ask William out and be done with it. Because I'd wasted far too much time daydreaming already, and with a course load that was triple what I was used to, I couldn't afford to keep losing myself in fantasies.

~*~

I'd just barely finished preparing the chapter summary that William had assigned for my Sunday night tutoring session when my iPhone reminder alarm pinged. Rolling off my bed, I snapped my laptop closed, hefted it under my arm, and grabbed my bag. Before I could leave, though, my traitorous eyes scanned my reflection in the full-length mirror that Gyeong-Ja had hung on the back of our dorm door. I made a face at the disaster of my hair—a messy bun, but the bad kind. One with a zillion flyaways that looked like I hadn't groomed myself in days. But it was the weekend, and it matched the oversized sweatpants I'd trudged around in all day. Changing out of them would be officially admitting that I gave enough of a damn about what William thought of me to try to impress him. And if there was one thing I was proud I'd never done, it was change myself for a boy. I wasn't about to start now, even though I was terribly tempted.

I stomped down the stairs, my backpack bouncing, and ignored the group of girls clustered on the couches, glued to the TV. Gyeong-Ja had told me all about their Sunday night viewing parties, and how Emma had made a big deal about putting the subtitles on when Gyeong-Ja had hesitantly joined them last year, "just in case she couldn't understand English." It made me want to punch the petite blonde.

"Hey, wait up."

I didn't slow my pace as Theo jumped up from one of the study tables, much to the surprise of the two other guys working with him. He was wearing a Kingsbridge Varsity Soccer sweatshirt with his name embroidered beneath the crest—the same kind I'd just been given as a part of my official team uniform. I hadn't worn mine yet, but his looked soft and worn-in, as if it wasn't his first year on the varsity team.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"Can I walk you to tutoring?" He lifted his brows, eyes widening as if urging me to take the hint.

I blew a sigh through my nose. "Fine."

Before I could duck away, he slung his arm across my shoulders. "Would it kill you to play along?" he whispered.

I scoffed as he held open the door to the breezeway. "I never said I wanted to—"

"You wanted a free trial. Here it is."

Cricketsong filled the air, and the flagstone path was illuminated by low garden lanterns. The library windows glowed in the blue, evening light. As much as I hated to admit it, Theo smelled nice this close. And for some reason, it annoyed me that someone so irritating could smell so good.

"I don't think I want a free trial anymore," I said, trying to shrug out from under him.

"Come on." He tightened his grip. "Is this really that terrible?"

"Your arm weighs a metric ton."

He laughed, and his chest quaked against my shoulder. "Thanks. I lift."

"Of course you do, gym-bro."

"Have you ever considered it?" he asked, pinching my upper arm through the thin cotton of my long-sleeved shirt. "Bulking up might improve your throw-ins, Emdubs."

"Emdubs?" I said. "Have you already completely forgotten my name? It's Ellie, dumba—"

"Morris-Whittaker. M-W. Emdubs," he said slowly, as if explaining it to a toddler.

I vehemently shook my head. "No. Absolutely not. Ellie is—"

"What everyone else calls you. If we're gonna be—"

This time, I shoved out from under his arm, right in front of the library doors. "We aren't gonna be anything. I just told you, I'm not interested. Especially if you're always this annoying."

He threw his hands up. "You've barely given it a week. Come on, Emdub—hey, wait!"

I ripped open the library door and, as if he wasn't annoying enough already, he followed me in. The ruckus lifted all the eyes at the long study tables.

Theo caught my arm. "I'm sorry, okay?" he said, though laughter danced in his eyes. "I know I can be annoying, but I can't help it. There's something about you that I just can't get enough of."

A giggle erupted from the pair of freshmen girls nearest to us. My cheeks flamed. I knew it was just part of his act, but all the same, it was mortifying to have someone say that to me, out loud, in public. Flustered, my words got all caught in my throat, so I pivoted on my heel and stalked towards where William was watching us from the end of one of the tables.

"Text me later," Theo called after me. Someone aggressively shushed him, and it was all I could do not to flip him off. I settled for an angry shake of my head instead.

"You okay?" William asked quietly, closing his book and standing. I was more than a little embarrassed to discover that he definitely wasn't in sweatpants like me. Instead, he was in a fitted cashmere sweater and those damned distracting jeans.

"Never better," I lied, refusing to look back at Theo. "Did you reserve a study room?"

"Yes." William's brows crashed together when he looked over my shoulder, then smoothed out when his eyes slid to me. "Are you and my brother..."

Dammit.

My shoulders deflated. Theo was right. The proof was staring me right in the face.

"No, not really," I said, hoping my nonchalance offset the mortified blush still lingering in my cheeks.

Someone else shushed us. William studied me as if he didn't quite believe me, then gestured for me to follow him. My heart pounded in my ears as he led me through the stacks, towards one of the windowed rooms meant for group work and talking. But before we turned the corner, I glanced back over my shoulder.

Theo was still watching me, that infuriating grin on his face. As if he knew exactly what his brother had asked, and exactly what was going through my mind.

**A/N: The trial run is in full force! Plus I had to come up with the most annoying nickname for Ellie because that's obviously what Theo would pick. 😅

So, do you think Ellie will have the guts to ask Will out in their tutoring session? Looks like we'll find out in next week's update... 👀 ❤️ 👀

As always, if you enjoyed it, please take a moment to vote and comment! ✨Next update coming next Wednesday Jan 11!✨**