Attached Strings √

Chapter 24

Paul's POV

We watched as the car disappeared into the distance and - as if I'd gotten shocked by electricity - I quickly removed my hand from Chloe's waist and went inside. I was feeling a bit uncomfortable around her. This was all new to me because I'd never felt that way in Chloe's presence before. I hated the fact that Chloe and I were just pretending. There were times when I just wanted to hold her but couldn't and, honestly, I hated those times because I didn't really like not getting the things I wanted.

"That went well." Chloe initiated the conversation and I was silent, engrossed in my session of silent thought.

I was glad that my parents had believed our little show but I didn't want them to believe us so easily. I wanted Chloe and I to have go to lengths before they believed us.

I knew this was selfish of me but one of the reasons I brought this whole fake relationship idea up was because it would grant me the opportunity to do things to her that I knew she wouldn't allow me to do on any given day.

"Not as well as I thought it would," I replied. She looked slightly confused. "I don't think my dad bought it," I lied smoothly. "While we were in the kitchen, he asked a lot of questions so I suggest that tomorrow we do something that will get his mind off those suspecting thoughts and make him believe us completely."

"Oh, and what would that be?" Chloe was interested in knowing.

"Let him catch us making out."

"Okay." I hadn't expected her to agree with me so easily. Chloe would never agree with me effortlessly, I knew she was up to something.

Silence filled the room.

"Your performance was pretty good today, well except for the 'payback' but you did good," I complimented.

She smiled.

"... and you look cute in that hairstyle." I added.

Cute? Seriously? What the hell was wrong with me? Calling a girl cute?

Chloe replied with a shy 'thank you' and I suddenly forgot about the fact that I was getting soft. It didn't matter anymore. I was proud of myself for being able to make her smile and blush like that. I was even surprised that she had gotten along with my mother so fast. That was not the only thing that surprised me though. I was even more surprised by the way my words flowed easily when I was telling my parents how we had met. I didn't even have to think about what to say about her. By just looking at her, I knew exactly what to say.

Because you said exactly what you saw in her.

Yes, it was indeed what I saw in her. The last time I'd checked we were only acting but there were emotions behind my words - I felt them. All that I'd told my family was the truth and, at that moment, I was not even pretending. But that could only mean one thing. It meant that I... that I... Go on, say it. That I...

That I like her.

Yes, I liked her. I actually liked Chloe Jones. I had feelings for her. I hadn't - in a long time - felt something for a girl. Everything started making sense now, it was why I'd suddenly lost interest in other girls, it was why I'd preferred spending most of my time indoors with her - it was because I liked her.

As pleasant as that realisation was, I knew that I could not act on those feelings because of three reasons:

1. Chloe would never reciprocate them.

2. My fear of rejection.

3. The final clause of the contract.

Therefore, there are to be no attached strings between the two parties.