"Bryce, wait, I can explain..." Michelle had chased Bryce down University Avenue, filled with students and transients walking about. She grabbed his arm, noticing how strong it felt beneath her risks.
"Look, you're pretty Michelle. I mean, God, you're like a living embodiment of all my fantasies."
"I'm sorry, what? You think I'm pretty..." Michelle blushed.
"Yeah Michelle, I thought that was the point. We get coffee, we hang out, maybe we hook up or something."
"Do you hook up with a lot of girls, Bryce?"
Michelle's gaze burned into Bryce's body. And for some reason, her scrutiny bothered him.
"I don't know you," Bryce said. "And I don't need to defend my sex life to you, which by the way, is amazing. I don't need to marry some girl I just met, because frankly, I am not insane."
"Neither am I,' Michelle said. "I am not some crazy "I like to marry strangers" kind of girl. I just thought to myself, I am going to have to put off going to school another year unless I can apply as an independent for Financial Aid. I can't be twenty-four, I don't want a baby, but I can get a husband. And clearly, you need the grants just as bad as I do."
"Wait, that's what this is about? You want to have some sort of green card marriage, but to get financial aid?"
"Yes," Michelle said. "I know it sounds crazy, but for the first time in months, I have hope. It's brilliant, and after school, we can get a fuss free divorce, I promise."
"I don't want to get married, I am only twenty," Bryce said. "I still have some...wild oats to sew."
"Fine," Michelle said. "Behind closed doors, we can be just friends. We'll be roommates with a marriage license. I'm fun to live with, I have references. Plus, I'm a good baker and I don't get jealous easily."
"I don't know Michelle," Bryce said. "It might not even work. We'd have to apply for FASFA late, and we might get screwed anyways."
"But we could try," Michelle said. "If our application still get denied, we can annul our marriage. It will work, I swear."
"I need to think," Bryce said. "I think a healthier plan might be for us to get drunk and hook up until we forget all of our problems."
"Here is my number," Michelle said, handing him a piece of paper. "If you consider it, call me."
"And if I decided I just wanted some booty?"
"Don't say "booty", ok. You're not a pirate. And I think you need me just as much as I need you, ok."
"So, is that a no to the whole casual sex idea?"
"Let's get married first," Michelle said. "Then we'll hash out all of the details later, ok?"
"You're insane, but I'll think about it."
Bryce walked away thinking about her offer. Mostly, he wondered how it was possible that was tempted by the idea. Once she'd explained her rational, Bryce was taken with her. Sure, she was proposing fraud and what probably broke three biblical commandments, but it was ingenuous. As he glanced back to see her hips sashaying in the wind, he shook his head. She wants a man on paper, not in her sheets, He tried to tell his body. But every fiber of his being wanted to know what it felt like to be with a woman like Michelle, and to be with her for real. It was insane because they'd just met, but he felt a spark. He picked up his phone and texted the phone number, swearing as he did so. Committing to the worst decision he'd possibly ever made, Bryce texted Michelle back.
BRYCE: Hey, it's Bryce Santiago. I am down with the plan, we should meet up tomorrow to plan out the scheme. Scholarship money, here we come.
It was five seconds later when he got a response.
MICHELLE: I think I love you, officially. Meet me at Hanks in the morning, and lunch is on me.
BRYCE: I'll be there, and hopefully you'll be wearing that waitress skirt again.
MICHELLE: I will. Be careful or I might think you're flirting with your fake fiancé. ; )
Bryce couldn't help but smile at the sound of that word. Fiancé. Bryce felt himself smile as he tried to push away the feeling that he'd just made a very big, life altering decision with his other brain.
***
Michelle was busing tables, a little bit of bounce in her step. She had spent extra time getting ready that day, straightening her hair and doing her makeup with care. Her coworker roommate Magda, who was a six foot tall amazon woman with perfect blonde locks, eyed Michelle with a curious stare.
"Michelle, why are you so happy to be here? And why are you looking so...decked out today?"
"I just want to look nice," Michelle said. "Don't I normally look nice."
"You always do, but in a natural 'I'm a raven haired goddess who doesn't try' sort of way. Today, you put in extra effort, making us all look like mere mortals. Plus, you stole my blow dryer this morning."
"You don't look like a mortal. You look like my hot best friend, who eats three packs of Oreos and looses three pounds."
"Whatever, your curves are hot. Women pay money for boobs like yours."
"Yeah, well, I still wouldn't mind being thin," Michelle said. "But, I've found an answer to all of my prayers."
"Oh no, is this like that time you spent all of your tips on mega millions lottery tickets? You have the craziest plans girl."
"Well, I can't talk about it," Michelle said. "But I am up to something, and I feel good about it."
"Chelley, quiet down," Magda said. "The guy who just walked in quite possibly the hottest thing I have ever seen. God, me gusta le hombre..."
"That was a little racist and creepy," Michelle said. "Besides, calm down, Bryce is here for me."
"That sun kissed sex God is yours? Damn it, Silas. I hate you."
"I'm taking my break," Michelle said to Magda. "Cover me, and please, bring us some pie."
"Yeah, whatever you say, man thief," Magda said. Michelle knew she was joking, but it was still irksome to hear another woman talk about Bryce that way. So much for not being jealous...
"Hey," Bryce said. "How's my bride to be today?"
"Good, I feel great," Michelle said. "Let's sit and eat. We have a lot to talk about."
"Ok," Bryce said, picking out a booth. He slid in and Michelle smiled. "You look great by the way. It's weird that I've never seen you in your regular clothes, but you still look amazing."
"Wow," Michelle said. "You're such a charmer. I guess I'll have to get used to that, or my face might get stuck blushing permanently."
"You shouldn't blush when I compliment you, Michelle. I'm just pointing out facts."
She shrugged off the nice words, moving on.
"Ok, so let's talk," Michelle said. "I did some research, and apparently we're not the first people to try this whole 'FASFA' marriage out. So, even though the government doesn't investigate it like they do with green card marriages, we need to be careful."
"Ok, so what does that mean? How do we cover our bases?"
"Well, for starters, we'll need to look like a real couple. We can post pictures of us together online, move in together, and share a bedroom. Sure, we can do what we want privately, but we should probably keep our secret plan a secret."
"Well, I have decent place near campus. Do you want to see it?"
"Yes, because I have roommates. I don't think I can fit two best friends and a fake husband into a studio."
"Three people in a studio apartment, how do you manage?"
"I have tiny roommates, and we like each other."
"Ok, so my place is our new home."
"Ok, there is one more things," Michelle said. "I think we'll need a proposal story, probably with pictures, and a wedding."
"Whoa, ok, that sounds expensive."
"I have a plan," Michelle said. "Have you ever been to Leavenworth? It's just outside of Wenatchee?"
"No, I have not..."
"It's a two hours drive, and it's a tourist town. They have a lot of romantic destinations, and a wedding chapel. We can spend the weekend there, get engaged on Friday. We'll get married the next day, and then we'll have our backstory. My stepmom gave me some money, so I can pay for our trip and expenses. We can tell your parents that we just got swept up in the romance, and got married. They won't be happy, but they will have to deal with it."
"What about your parents?" Bryce asked.
"My dad doesn't give a damn," Michelle said. "That is why even though he can afford to help me, I am destitute. But once we get married, we're golden. I looked it up, and married couples get funds to cover food, housing, books, and tuition. It's a freaking gold mine!"
"My mom will love you," Bryce said. "They're going to have a hard time believing I scored a wife like you."
"That's crazy, you said you hook up with a ton of girls."
"Yeah, sorority girls and loose women. You are the whole package, I can tell. You're sweet and sexy, Michelle. I was up all night thinking about you."
"Which leads me to my next point," Michelle said. "We need to discuss boundaries."
"You said we need to look like a real couple Michelle. So we probably should have a lot of sex, all the time."
"Bryce, be reasonable," Michelle said. "Yes, we need to be comfortable with public displays of affection. We have to kiss and be visibly into each other. But we also need to be level headed. For our plan to work ,we need to stay married for four years to pay for school. We need to live together. Sex complicates things, Bryce. What if we hook up, and the have a falling out? Do you really want to live with an ex girlfriend for four years?"
"No, but... what is we kept emotions out of it. We could just have sex, rip off the band aid so we don't have to live with the tension for four years. And then we can just be friends who have amazing sex a lot..."
"I can't separate emotions and sex," Michelle said. "I've only been with one guy, and when he left, it broke me. If you want my body, you get the heart too."
"And what if I decide I want the heart?" Bryce asked.
"I'm a stranger, you can't know that..."
"Maybe not," Bryce said. "But I like you, and not in a platonic fake husband way. In a I-can't-stop-checking-out-her-ass sort of way. We have natural chemistry, a spark, which is why you asked me specifically to be your fake husband."
"Fine," Michelle said. "But until we don't need to be together, you're limited to first base, in public only."
"We'll see," Bryce said. "So what about a ring?"
Michelle pulled out a small bag, which had a tiny white gold band inside.
"It's simple, but it was my mom's ring. I want it to be my wedding ring."
"Are you sure you don't want to save it for a 'not fake' fiancé?"
"I'm sure," Michelle said. "I like wearing it, it makes her feel closer somehow. And right now, I wish my mom was here."
"Well, if you like that ring, then it will be yours."
"So, what do you think Bryce? Are we really going to do this? Will you be my FASFA husband?"
"Only if you'll be my FASFA bride, my dear," Bryce said. "Till graduation do us part."
***
"This place is so big!" Michelle said. "You have a bed and a couch, I am amazed."
"Well the couch is from craiglist," Bryce said. "And this place is wildly underpriced for me. My mom's best friend owns the complex, so she gives me a discount on the rent if I do some chores for the building."
"Well, I guess my fiance has some connections, huh?"
"So, do you think you'd want to live here, with me?"
"I think I can make it work. We're going to have fun as roommates, once we get our plan set up. I promise, I'm great to live with."
"I bet so," Bryce said. "But I have one more thign to ask. What is your deal, your back story? I told you all about my dad and his job, and I know nothing about you. So, fake fiance of mine, how did you get to this point in life?"
"I'll tell you, but promise me you won't freak out?"
"Scouts honor, darling," Bryce held up his hands in an oath style.
"My dad is Micheal Silas," Michelle said.
"The millioaire? Are you serious?"
"Yes," Michelle said. "My stepmother and I, we don't get along. I made some poor choices trying to split them up, and Dad kicked me out and cut me off. Of course, I can't get grants because I have to list Dad on my aid forms. And I can barely make rent with my waitress paycheck. I got sick last year and went to the ER without health insurance, so I owe the hospital a ton of money. In summary, I am a dead broke daughter of a millionaire."
"Well, I don't care," Bryce said. "I still like you, even if you come from money. But honestly, why don't you ask him for some cash."
"I did," Michelle said. "I got money for our honeymoon. And hopefully, I will never have to beg again."
"Not while I am around, sweetheart."
Bryce surprised both of them by leaning in a kissing Michelle, right on the lips. She inhaled, but secretly, she enjoyed the rush of excitment when he touched her.
"You said I can hit first base," Bryce said. "That felt like a fake first kiss sort of moment."
"Fine, but I am watching you," Michelle said, trying to surpress her smiles. It was all for show, but somehow, she couldn't help but enjoy the game they were playing.