Fake • Zach Herron

E L E V E N

Jessica's POV

ugh its Monday... and today Zach and I have to fake a brake up. im really not ready for the humiliation, stares and whispers. and i'll bet Alexis will comment on how she is now back together with Zach. when I got to school I saw Annie and Hallie stood by their lockers and when they saw me coming they shot small smiles - but Hallie waved before she left - Hallie isn't really part of our friend group, she has her own so she isn't around us much.

"hey" she said and leaned against her locker
"hi" I said and opened mine, I put my bag in there and a few books, then I grabbed a pen and shut to locker. I put my phone in my back pocket and the two of us walked down the hall in complete silence.
"um can I ask you something?" she asked "on Friday - you were acting all different"
"I was apparently drunk" I shrugged and she giggled
"I know - I was speaking to you when it hit you - but it wasn't about that. you were acting different with Zach, like you guys are normally really close, but that night it was almost as if you were an actual couple and had feelings for each other" she whispered the last part "do you like him" I bit my lip and looked around she gasped "you do dont you!"
"I dont know ann"
"you.. dont know?"
"I dont know if I like him. I know this whole thing is just fake but when we are alone he still acts as if we are more than friends"
"oh like the other day, we almost kissed in my room - and we were by ourselves"
"really?"
"I havent stopped thinking about it" I sighed
"are you going to tell him?"
"no, no I cant - if I told him it would ruin our friendship"
"he did take you home when you were drunk, he cares about you jess"
"yeah, a best friend would do that.. he thinks of me as a little sister. if I told him all of that would go to shit"
"hes so crazy if he doesn't like you"
I giggled "thanks" she nodded then I saw him. he was stood talking with jack, he looked really stressed about something, he made eye contact with me

"oh shit" I said quickly and turned around
"jess, where are you going? class is this way!" Annie shouted after me, but I was already half way down the hall. I had planed on avoiding Zach today, I dont want to talk to him - I dont want to end this.

"Jess" I heard someone say. oh fuck... its Zach. I picked up my pace and I was almost running, but someone grabbed my arm and turned me around. fuck.. why is he so fast!
"are you avoiding me?" he smirked at me
"no!" I lied. he immediately raised his eyebrows at me
"your avoiding eye contact, and obviously lieing" he said. I looked up at him and made quick eye contact before looking away again
"why are you avoiding me? are you mad? did I do something wrong?... did I say something wrong?" he looked really concerned
"no Zach" I sighed "I didn't realise I was avoiding you - sorry if you thought I was"
"its okay" he lightly smiled. then he pulled me back in the direction of class
"so. how do you want to do this?" he asked - ugh I was hoping he wouldn't say that
"I dont really care" I shrugged, he stopped me
"you do jess - now you want to brake up with me right?" he whispered
"no, no you do it" I said "it would look better. like you will be over me"
"jess..."
"just do it Zach... and do it loud so people hear you" I said
"I dont wanna be a bad guy"
"you've done it with so many other girls. why cant you just do it with me?"
"because this is different"
"how?"
"your different. your different than all the other girls ive dated - and I dont want you to be called names and made fun of.. I dont want to have to laugh along.. so please you do it jess"
"Zach, just get it over with!"
he sighed "this wont affect anything... right?"
"no, course not Zach"
"wait. hold up. I dont want to have to avoid you" he said, and now Corbyn was running up to us
"dude" he said "alexis is dating some guy. she's moved on man" he said and patted Zach's back. whats going to happen now?
"dude we are talking - leave" Zach said
Corbyn looked at me "sorry.." he walked over to the other guys and whispered something
"so" I said, looking down
"this isn't working. we need to do something else - dammit" he sounded angry. he put his hand through his hair and then looked back at me "I guess we are going to have to carry this on" he shrugged "but we would need to move to the next level.. you know?"
I nodded
"im sorry" he said. it was fine for me - I was a little excited. he pecked my cheek and grabbed my hand, walking with me down the hallway and I saw Alexis up against the lockers making out with some guy.
"hey Alexis is over there" I said looking up at Zach, he didn't listen, he seemed to be thinking about something
"zachy?" I said, he looked down at me
"I want you to wear my jersey tomorrow" he said out of nowhere
"huh?"
"tomorrow is out first game. loads of people will be there. she will be there. so you need to wear my jersey" he said "mainly so people dont think its just some fling.. this is real" if only he knew how much I wanted it to be real... "so ill bring you to school tomorrow and you will wear my Jersey"
I nodded. then we made it to my class, he leant down and pecked my lips
"see you at lunch babe" he said then walked away to catch up the guys. when I walked in I saw Annie at our desk so I obviously sat with her.

"hey, so what happened , your not crying" she chuckled lightly
"we are still dating" I said with a little smile, she raised her eyebrows at me "Alexis is now dating some guy - Zach said we should date for longer" I whispered
"what a coincidence" she sighed and looked down at her notepad
"what do you mean?"
"like - today it was all supposed to be over, but now all this has happened" she chuckled again
I nodded before the teacher walked in.....