⭐ CHAPTER 2 — Rumors Spread Fast
By the time Amara entered the school hallway, she already regretted everything.
The moment she stepped through the double doors, conversations slowed. Heads turned. Eyes widened. People whispered. A group of girls near the lockers actually stopped mid-sentence and stared at her like she suddenly had three heads.
Perfect.
This was exactly what she feared.
Tolu, her best friend, spotted her instantly and rushed over with her mouth hanging open.
"Amara Thompson!" Tolu grabbed her shoulders dramatically. "What did you do?"
Amara sighed. "What did I do again?"
Tolu dragged her to the corner, eyes sparkling with chaotic curiosity.
"Oh, nothing," she said casually. "Just that the whole school is talking about you and Kyle Adeyemi dating. You know… the most popular boy in this whole school."
Amara covered her face with both hands. "Oh my God."
"So it's true?" Tolu demanded, voice dropping to a whisper. "You and Kyle? Like… THAT?"
"NO!" Amara hissed. "It's fake!"
Tolu blinked. Then blinked again.
"Fake?"
"Fake."
"Like acting?"
"Yes!"
"Why?"
"Long story."
Tolu looked like she wanted to explode from curiosity.
Before Amara could explain, a loud whistle echoed from the end of the hallway.
Kyle.
Walking straight toward her.
And the hallway reacted instantly.
Girls whispered. Boys stared. Someone even dropped their notebook.
Kyle didn't seem to notice—or maybe he did, and he enjoyed it. With that usual confident stride, he approached Amara and Tolu, hands in his pockets, tie slightly loose like he owned the building.
"Good morning," he said, smiling directly at Amara, ignoring everyone else.
Tolu's jaw dropped.
Amara glared at him. "What are you doing?"
Kyle shrugged. "Greeting my girlfriend. Isn't that normal?"
Her eye twitched. "Fake girlfriend."
"Right," he said smoothly, "but nobody needs to know the second part."
Before she could argue, Kyle leaned slightly closer and whispered, "Relax. This is how the act works."
And then — just to make things worse — he gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.
The hallway erupted.
Someone gasped dramatically.
Someone else whispered, "They look so cute!"
A girl muttered, "Why her? Out of everyone?"
Amara felt her cheeks heat up.
Kyle straightened and nodded casually at Tolu.
"Morning, T."
Tolu squeaked. Actually squeaked.
Amara face-palmed.
Kyle smirked at Amara and started walking away.
"See you later, babe."
Babe.
He said it loudly.
On purpose.
Tolu hit Amara's arm as soon as Kyle disappeared around the corner.
"BABE?!" Tolu repeated, eyes huge. "You let him call you babe?"
"I didn't LET him," Amara snapped. "He just—"
"Oh my God," Tolu whispered, clutching her chest. "I can't breathe. This is better than all my novels."
"It's not romantic!" Amara whispered back. "It's stressful!"
"You're literally dating Kyle—"
"Fake dating!"
"Dating," Tolu repeated proudly.
Amara groaned. "I hate everything."
But her day was only going to get worse.
⭐ LATER THAT DAY — CLASSROOM DRAMA
By afternoon classes, the rumors had reached their final evolution.
Someone said Kyle confessed.
Someone else said they kissed behind the cafeteria.
Someone claimed Amara had liked him since JSS3.
Someone said she fought another girl for him.
That one almost made her laugh.
Almost.
But when Amara entered her math class, she froze.
Samuel — the boy she rejected last week — was waiting for her.
He didn't look happy.
"Is it true?" Samuel asked, crossing his arms. "You and Kyle?"
The entire class went silent. Even the teacher hadn't arrived yet.
Amara swallowed. "Samuel, I don't think this—"
"So it's true," he said tightly. "You said you weren't interested in anyone. But you went for him?"
Her chest tightened.
This was exactly what she wanted to avoid — drama.
Before she could respond, a familiar voice spoke from the doorway.
"Problem?"
Kyle.
Standing there, calm and confident, but his eyes were narrowed slightly — watching Samuel closely.
Samuel scoffed. "Why are you here?"
"Picking up my girlfriend," Kyle said simply.
Half the class gasped. The other half started whispering again.
Amara pinched the bridge of her nose.
God, help me.
Samuel stepped forward. "She rejected me last week. Now she's suddenly dating you?"
Kyle stepped closer too, until they were only a short distance apart.
"Maybe she rejected you," Kyle said quietly, "because she wasn't interested."
His tone was calm, but the meaning behind his words wasn't.
Samuel clenched his jaw. "Stay out of this."
Kyle smirked. "I'm literally in it."
Amara quickly rushed between them before Samuel did something stupid.
"That's enough," she said firmly. "Both of you."
Kyle placed a hand on her shoulder — lightly, but enough for everyone to notice.
"Let's go," he said gently.
And Amara let him lead her out, even though her heart was pounding like crazy.
When they reached outside the classroom, she jerked her arm away.
"You weren't supposed to do all that!"
Kyle raised a brow. "You wanted me to watch him talk to you like that?"
"That's not the point!"
Kyle took a step closer, eyes softening slightly.
"He was stressing you," he said. "And I'm not letting anyone stress my girlfriend."
"Fake," she whispered.
"Doesn't matter," he whispered back.
Amara stared at him.
And for a moment…
just one small moment…
she couldn't tell what was fake anymore.