Zain POV
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The next few days felt like a blur. I hardly focused on anything except the wild idea swirling in my head. Every time I saw my phone light up with a message from Ella, a wave of dread washed over me. I couldn’t let my parents win.
When Theo and I met up at school, it was almost surreal. We exchanged glances, the unspoken agreement hanging between us. The plan was ridiculous, but it felt like my only lifeline.
During lunch, I sat across from Theo, a plate of half-eaten food in front of me. He was scrolling through his phone, pretending to be nonchalant, but I could see the gears turning in his head.
“Okay,” he finally said, looking up. “I’ve thought about it. If we’re gonna do this, we need some ground rules.”
“Ground rules?” I repeated, trying to hide my excitement.
“Yeah. Like, how are we going to act? Are we holding hands? Are we telling people? And we definitely can’t let your parents find out it’s fake.”
I nodded, already feeling a rush of adrenaline. “We should keep it low-key, maybe just at school and around family. We can act like we’ve been dating for a while, so it doesn’t look suspicious.”
Theo smirked. “So, you’re ready to be my boyfriend now?”
His teasing tone made me laugh, easing the tension. “I guess so. Just don’t mess it up, alright?”
“Me? Mess up? Never!” he said dramatically, and we both chuckled.
The next day, the plan kicked into gear. We walked into school side by side, and I could feel the weight of our charade. I glanced around to see if anyone noticed, but it felt surprisingly realistic.
In our first class, Theo leaned over and whispered, “So, are you still into basketball?”
“Uh, yeah, why?” I replied, caught off guard.
“Just trying to get into character,” he said with a wink.
As the weeks passed, we settled into a rhythm. I loved how easily we slipped into playful banter, even in the middle of pretending to be a couple. We shared lunch, studied together, and even walked home, sometimes with our fingers brushing. It was exciting, and I found myself looking forward to every moment.
But as much as I enjoyed it, there were moments when I caught myself lost in thought. Was this really just a ruse? Or was I developing real feelings for him?
One evening, while we were working on a project at his house, Theo paused and looked at me with a serious expression. “Zain, do you think we’re crossing a line here?”
I hesitated, my heart racing. “What do you mean?”
“Like… are we pretending so much that it’s starting to feel real?”
His words hung in the air, and I felt a rush of emotions. “I don’t know,” I admitted, feeling vulnerable. “Maybe it is. But I don’t want to think about that right now.”
Theo leaned back in his chair, his gaze softening. “We can take it slow. I just want to make sure we’re on the same page.”
“Yeah,” I said, feeling relieved. “Let’s just see where this goes.”
As the weeks turned into months, the lines between pretend and reality blurred. With every laugh we shared and every secret we exchanged, I realized I was falling for him—and that scared me more than the prospect of marrying Ella.
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