Boys (Why Don't We)

Chapter 17

Tuesday

Corbyn - did you guys get the text?

Me - what text?

Daniel - the teachers are kind of far ahead of schedule, so there is no school on Friday!!

Me - yes!

Jack - does this mean that we get to meet Alex sooner?

Me - maybe. I'll have to check with him

Jonah - is Zach already asleep?

Me - probably. That kid needs his beauty rest. I'd hate to see him without it.
____________

Wednesday

"So, you'd hate to see me without my 'beauty rest'? I'd hate to see you without yours. Oh wait, I already do."

"What are you trying to imply?"

"No amount of rest could make you beautiful." Ouch.

"Wow. You're so nice."

"Because you already are beautiful."

"Wait, are you hitting on me? I have a boyfriend," I say with an annoying voice.

"Oh my gosh. Never!" He copies my voice.

"Are you calling me ugly? You complimented my outfit at lunch, how rude. I'm hanging up. I'll see you tomorrow, Becky."

Zach is super cool, because he can be real at times. Then really weird at others. I am on my way to the park. Hopefully, Alex will be there. I need to ask him to pretend to be my boyfriend. If he's not, then I don't know what I'll tell the boys this weekend.

"Where would he be?" I say aloud.

"Jessica!" Someone yells, grabbing my shoulders. I scream and turn to see who it is.

"Alex! Oh my god! Don't scare me like that!" I punch his arm.

"Sorry?" He chuckles.

"I need to talk to you. Can we sit?"

"Sure."

"So, last Wednesday I was in a situation with one of my friends. We said things, and I said that I have a boyfriend. It wasn't a normal situation at all. They asked me what his name was. The group knows basically the whole school, so I had to think of someone they didn't know. The only other person I know is you. Will you pretend to be my boyfriend? It's only until I can come up with a decent breakup story."

"I can do that."

"Thank you so much! They want to meet you. I said they could this weekend, but now that we have school off on Friday, they want to know if they can meet you sooner."

"I definitely don't go to the same school as you, since I don't have Friday off. It might be possible to meet - actually, I have a birthday party to go to on Friday. I'm going to need your number, so that we can talk. And it'd be more realistic."

"Of course. But, do you have a girlfriend? I wouldn't want to accidentally ruin a relationship, because she thought you were cheating."

"I do have one. She's sitting right beside me."

"Already getting into character." I hand him my phone and he gives me his.

"May as well get used to it. How long have we been dating?"

"Two weeks, but three on Friday."

"How did we meet?"

"A little over a month ago, my friends didn't talk to me for a week. I came to the park and met you at this bench."