𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗮 ᵖʰⁱˡ ᶠᵒᵈᵉⁿ

𝟬𝟯𝟲

𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟯𝟲
𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘊𝘓

❝YOU AND PHIL are the cutest fake couple I have ever seen! Not that there are many." Leah lounged comfortably on the plush surface of Maeve's bed, her eyes sparkling mischievously as she teased her friend.

Maeve, perched in a swivel chair, sent a playful smirk Leah's way as she spun from side to side. "Yeah, we try," she replied casually, though her tone hinted at a deeper sentiment beneath the surface.

Leah couldn't help but laugh at Maeve's nonchalant response. "And you're still trying to tell me it's still all an act," she said, her tone laced with playful skepticism. Leah knew all too well that Maeve was adamant about maintaining the facade of a fake relationship with Phil, despite the evidence suggesting otherwise.

Maeve's stubbornness shone through in her next words as she insisted, "Yeah, because it is." Despite her firm declaration, those closest to Maeve couldn't help but notice the subtle glances exchanged between her and Phil, the lingering touches, and the genuine smiles that seemed to betray their supposed "fake" relationship.

Leah's fingers danced across the screen of her phone before she swiveled it around to face Maeve. The photo displayed on the screen was the kiss after the game - a moment of undeniable intimacy between Maeve and Phil. "Two people who have no feelings for each other do not kiss like this," Leah remarked, her voice laced with incredulity.

Maeve's gaze lingered on the image for a fleeting moment before she shrugged, her demeanor remarkably nonchalant, "I guess we do," she replied with a casual air, her tone almost dismissive as she averted her eyes from the screen.

Leah couldn't help but scoff at Maeve's response, her frustration bubbling to the surface as she dropped her phone onto the mattress with a theatrical flourish. Leaning forward, she fixed Maeve with a serious stare, her voice softening with genuine concern. "Come on, Maeve, I'm your best friend. You can tell me," she urged, her words laced with a hint of pleading.

Maeve lifted her gaze from her phone, meeting Leah's eyes with a mixture of apprehension and uncertainty. "Tell you what?" she asked, her voice betraying a hint of defensiveness as she braced herself for the conversation she had been avoiding. Leah's expression softened as Maeve stood up from her chair, joining her on the bed.

"Honestly, Leah," Maeve began, her words carefully measured as she settled onto her back beside her best friend, "I haven't really thought about it much." It was a lie, one that Maeve was all too aware of. The truth was that the blurred lines of her relationship with Phil had occupied her thoughts more often than she cared to admit. What were they? What could they be? Some nights, the questions consumed her, leaving her restless and uncertain.

Leah's gaze bore into Maeve with a knowing intensity, her eyes reflecting the skepticism she felt towards her friend's words. Sensing the need for honesty, Maeve sighed, her resolve wavering under Leah's unwavering scrutiny. "Obviously, I don't hate him anymore," she conceded, her voice tinged with a hint of vulnerability, "and I guess I sort of enjoy his company... sometimes."

Leah's gaze bore into Maeve with a penetrating intensity, her question hanging heavy in the air like a weighty revelation waiting to be unpacked. "What if you were told tomorrow that you don't have to keep this whole act up anymore? How would you feel?" she inquired, her voice tinged with a mixture of curiosity and concern.