A shy high school senior jock and a closed-off girl battling an immune disorder fake a relationship to win a social media contest.
Being shy isn't easy, especially when you're the new kid at school. Scotts Valley's football program is subpar compare...
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"Let's talk fair!" Violet took her lunch seat. "It's two weeks away."
"Yes." I was all over this conversation topic.
No one approached me about Brody or looked differently at me, but we'd done nothing different today to show we were a fake couple. Given how much I freaked out whenever I thought about it, I appreciated not discussing 'us' as long as possible. What was us?
Xavi rolled his eyes. "Let's not and say we didn't."
"Fair?" Brody frowned.
"You can't not know about the county fair," I teased. Mom circled the date on her calendar at the bakery and on our home fridge. "It's a big deal around here."
"Uhh..." Poor Brody's ears were now red. "Why?"
Vi smirked and rested her elbows on the table. "Because we have less to do."
Nia looked between me, Vi, and Xavi. "What kind of fair is this?"
"The county fair." I kicked out the chair next to me. Brody smiled and sat, setting down a tray with more food than the rest of us combined. "Local entertainment."
"Every year, Santa Cruz County holds a county fair in Watsonville. Livestock animals, suspect rides to make Xavi puke, food Paige can't eat, racing pigs and turkeys, a three-foot diameter apple pie, an art and photography show—"
"There will be no puking," Xavi interrupted.
Vi and I shared a silent smile. There was puking last year. Xavier would never admit it, just like he wouldn't admit how he geeked out over the Lego displays. We all did. They were awesome. Even the whirly rides and rigged games to win a five-dollar prize for twenty dollars were fun.
"Aww." I patted his arm. "We can win you a goldfish, Xavi."
"No." He scowled.
"Dude. If you're sitting with us, you have to tell me where you put all your food." Violet pointed at Brody's two trays. "Your muscle-to-fat ratio might be too low for this table."
Brody blushed, not catching her teasing, and looked at me. I smiled.
"High metabolism?" he said and shrugged.
Cheeseburgers, fries, beans, and the limpest broccoli prompted me to point at them. "High metabolism and empty fillers."
"Is it edible?" Xavi leaned closer to squint at the broccoli. "Looks like it needs to be put out of its misery."
"Done." Brody scooped the entire tray section up in one bite. His cheeks puffed out but he chewed it while we watched him. "Barely edible."
Why was his eating cute? He was like a starving animal. I cupped my mouth, holding back the urge to laugh.
"So, county fair," Brody prompted with full cheeks, making Xavi shake his head.
"It's fun." I took a sip of water. "Violet's entering the—what?"
