Friendzoned

Fake Boyfriend 101

"It's easy. We pretend to be dating for like three months tops; you show up to my games as usual, go to parties with me, we take those cringe-worthy couple pictures with #couplegoals attached, and we should be good."

           Nathan spoke with caution, pausing every other word to cast a long, almost fearful look, in Owen's direction. I couldn't say I blamed him. Even three hours and two periods later, Owen was fuming. He was in that mode where his entire face took on a faint red hue all the way down to his ear lobes and fingertips. His jaw, usually set and relaxed, was clenched so tight that a muscle was twitching in it and his top lip occasionally curled up in disgust. His green eyes, a muddied cloud of fury and concern, followed Nathan across the Courtyard. My best friend, as delusional as I was starting to think he was, at least had the intelligence to put a safe distance between himself and Owen before the quick, irritable boy could go for the kill.

             "So you're asking Hailey Parish, your best friend, to pretend to be your girlfriend." Owen concluded all that Nate had said in the last twenty minutes in one sentence. "One, why? Two, absolutely not. Three, don't you think you should have let her in on your little secret before you just sent her into the lions den without every a miniscule bit of knowledge about anything?"

             I tore my eyes from Owen beside me and looked to Nathan, desperately hoping he had a sweet, well thought out response to the question.

             He did not.

             "I figured you both would kill me." Nate said quickly. "It was a spear of the moment thing. The idiot from Lakeview was taunting me and it just slipped. You know how the girls at this school are with their selective hearing and ability to spread a rumor within and hour. It was out and being spread like wildfire before I could explain myself."

             Owen crossed his arms over his chest. "You couldn't have just told Ian that it was a load of crap? With a mouth as big as his, it would have circled the school by the end of the day."

             "I thought about it more last night." Nathan said, shifting his blue eyes to me. "And you asked me about Sarah, Hail. If I was okay and why I didn't tell you. Think about how pissed she'd be if she saw us together! She'd be furious. She'd realize what she lost by banging that frat boy."

            "Let me get this straight. You're using Hailey to piss of your ex and make it seem as though you do still have a girlfriend in the eyes of your competitors and the school?"

            The way Owen spun and twisted the words made me grow cold, and for a fraction of a second, I thought Nathan was going to swing at the boy beside me. His entire body had grown rigid, his hands clenched into tight fists at his sides as he stared icily down at Owen.

             "How about you shut your annoying ass up for one second and let Hailey speak for herself."

             The second both pairs of eyes fell on me, I suddenly felt as if I'd been shoved into a tug-a-war match that would have devastating consequences regardless of who let go first.

             If I did agree to this big ploy to get back at Sarah and Nathan's rival, there was only one outcome that could possibly make all the heartache and pain I'd endure during this worth the collateral damage it would cause; Nathan falling in love with me. Sure, it was extremely unlikely and very tropey but if there was even the slightest chance that the feelings could be returned, it could make everything worth the pain.

            But I could see where Owen's side came into play as well. He knew I was in love with Nathan, so the idea of pretending wasn't going to be hard on my end, and would likely have devastating consequences for me. On top of that, Nathan was doing this for his own benefit and it wouldn't do anything but hurt me if the risk I took was a dud and it was all no more than a rouse, a façade, a cover to keep his popularity.