Let me be clear:
Heart-shaped sandwiches are not cute when you're being force-fed them in a hallway by a boy who hums love songs.
"I also made cupcakes," Lucas said, holding one near my mouth. "They're red velvet, like your aura."
WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN.
I fake-smiled. "Wow. That's… spiritual."
Before he could smear frosting on my soul, I spotted my chance,a group of football boys passed by, bumping into Lucas just enough to create space.
I bolted.
No warning. No goodbye. Just pure ✨survival instinct✨.
I ran like a frog escaping a zoo.
Eventually I found Ella near the art room, sipping juice and looking suspiciously like someone who knew everything.
She blinked at my winded face. "Let me guess. He brought cupcakes this time?"
"With aura comments," I panted. "I'm not emotionally stable enough for this."
Ella patted my head like a traumatized puppy.
"Okay," she said, pulling out her phone. "We're fixing this."
Ten Minutes Later...
Rome stood in front of me.
Unbothered.
Backpack slung over one shoulder.
Looking like he'd rather be anywhere else.
Ella had dragged him here with the words: "This is an intervention. For both your emotional health."
I looked up at him, already embarrassed.
"I need your help," I muttered.
He raised an eyebrow. "You're asking again?"
"I'm being stalked by a man who makes frog keychains of my face. YES. I'm asking again."
Rome looked at Ella. "You're actually supporting this?"
She shrugged. "I'm tired of watching him suffer. And also—Lucas is two days away from printing couple hoodies."
Rome sighed. Then looked at me.
Long.
Slow.
Quiet.
"…Fine," he said at last. "But we do this my way."
I blinked. "Wait, that's a yes?"
"It's a conditional yes," he said. "With rules. Lots of them. And you owe me mango juice. Forever."
I nearly cried. "I'll buy you a whole box."
Ella clapped her hands. "Yesss, my little disaster boy is finally fake dating a menace. I'm so proud."
Later that day…
Ella found Lucas by the vending machine.
He smiled at her. "Hey, have you seen Jack? I was going to show him the collage I made—"
"He's dating someone," she said bluntly.
Lucas froze. "W-what?"
"Yup. It's new. He's happy. You should give him space."
Lucas blinked, looking like a rejected contestant on a dating show.
Ella patted his shoulder. "Also, maybe stop making keychains of people's faces. Just a thought."
Somewhere across the school…
Rome walked beside me.
Not saying much. Not smiling. Just existing with his usual "don't talk to me" energy.
But he was there.
He said yes.
We were officially fake dating now.
No contract. No rules. Just one quiet agreement and a box of mango juice between us.
I glanced at him as we walked.
He didn't look at me.
But he also didn't walk away.
And for now…
That was enough.
We turned the hallway corner, just as the bell rang. Students spilled out of classrooms.
Someone pointed. "Wait… are Jack and Rome walking together?"
Whispers. Stares.
Rome didn't react.
He just slipped one hand into his pocket…
And with the other, reached over—
And tugged me a little closer.
My heart did a full cartwheel.
It was fake.
Totally fake.
But if he was acting...
He was doing a dangerously good job.
To be continued...