FAKE DATING

Day 1

"Okay, so now let me kiss your cheek," he said, stepping closer.

"What? Why?" I asked, my voice tinged with disbelief.

"Because I'm your boyfriend," he answered confidently.

"Fake boyfriend," I reminded him, my heart hammering in my chest.

He rolled his eyes but didn't back away. Instead, he grabbed my hand, pulling me closer. His minty breath brushed against my ear as he whispered, "I'm paying you five hundred bucks for this. Plus, it was all in the contract."

I tried to act indifferent, but the words left my lips in a soft whisper. "Fine."

"Good girl," he said, the words laced with something far too intimate.

Despite myself, a fluttering sensation spread through my stomach. I wasn't supposed to enjoy this. After all, this was just a compromise, a deal—nothing more. But the way he looked at me, the way he touched me, made it difficult to ignore the intense pull between us. I refused to let him see that I was slowly crumbling under his gaze.

He leaned in, his fingers lightly grazing my cheek before pressing a soft, teasing kiss to my skin. My breath caught in my throat, but he pulled away just as quickly, making sure his ex, Diya, witnessed the whole thing.

I felt a strange rush—good and used all at once. Diya left with her trademark "I couldn't care less" look. Rohini, however, couldn't hold back her laughter, and neither could I. We both burst out laughing the moment Rivaan walked away. She was laughing at Diya's reaction; I was laughing at how easily we'd pulled off our fake-dating ruse. The fact that Miss Topper, Diya Sharma, had fallen for it was honestly the highlight of my day.

I still couldn't figure out how Rohini bought the whole story. The night before, after finishing my assignments, I'd called her to check in. I told her Rivaan and I were dating but left out the part about it being a mere two-week arrangement. She didn't even question it, which shocked me. She knew me too well—she could usually tell when I was lying. But that night, she was nothing but thrilled for me.

Something felt off, but I didn't want to overthink it. I'd let it go for the moment.

Finally, the last bell rang, signaling the end of the day.

"So relieved. Finally, the weekend. Any plans, girls?" Yash, one of my cheerful classmates, asked.

"What do you think?" Rohini and I responded in unison, laughing as we walked out of the school.

"Of course! You two are going to have a group study for the Political Science exam on Monday," Yash said, shrugging.

"Obvio," we chirped in reply.

As we walked to the bus stop, deep in conversation about the weekend, I didn't even notice that we had arrived.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Rivaan suddenly appeared in front of me, blocking my way.

"Going home, I guess," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Come on, Nats. He's your boyfriend now—be kind," Rohini teased, nudging me.

"It's only been a day, and already Miss Headgirl's bestie is showing her tantrums," Rivaan smirked at me.

I'd almost forgotten that I had a boyfriend now.

"What do you want?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I want you to come with me in my car. I'll give you a ride home," he said, his voice low and insistent.

God, these rich guys and their constant need to show off.

"But why? I go home by bus. It's no big deal. You're my boyfriend, Rivaan, not my personal chauffeur," I gave him a tight smile, my words dripping with sarcasm.

"Call me whatever you want, but you're coming with me," he declared, his tone final.

"Go ahead, Nats, I'll see you later," Rohini said, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Have fun," she whispered with a grin.

I turned red, rolling my eyes. "Fine. Bye. See you."

I got into the car, and the scent of lavender immediately overwhelmed me, thick and heady. It was almost nauseating, but strangely... comforting.

"Why does your car smell like lavender?" I asked, my stomach twisting a little as I settled into the plush leather seats.

"I like lavender," he said with a grin, shutting the door behind me.

As the car purred to life, I couldn't believe I was riding in a sleek Mercedes-Benz. It wasn't just any car; it was Rivaan's personal car, and I wasn't even sure how to react. For someone like me—who had never even owned a bike—it felt surreal.

"So why me? Why not Rohini?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"Why? Because she's the Headgirl and I'm the Headboy? We'd look perfect together?" he quipped.

"No. Because Diya hates her even more than she hates you."

I raised an eyebrow. "And you don't like her face?"

He shrugged. "I don't."

For a moment, I stared at him in disbelief. Rohini was effortlessly gorgeous—dusky skin, grey eyes, and long wavy hair that could put models to shame. By contrast, I was the awkward sidekick with short brunette hair and hazel eyes.

"She's the most beautiful girl you could ever ask for," I muttered, still bewildered.

"Maybe. But I don't like her," he replied, his gaze fixed on the road.

"And you like me?" I challenged, half-joking, half-hoping.

"You're tolerable," he said with a smirk.

"Charming," I replied, rolling my eyes.

Author's note :
Hey my dear readers this is my first try in writing a high school drama. Since I am not a professional writer there might be a few mistakes here and there, feel free to point them out. Also if you like the chapters do let me know in the comments and turn the white star orange. Your appreciation and support would mean a lot.