e

, her voice thick. "I don't have tim

"Here's the deal. I'm failing Professor Harrison's sociology class. If my GPA drops below a 2.5 by the end of the month, I'm academically i

it. "And what does th

t with an A. And in return, I'm going to clean up my bad-boy reputation fo

asp. "You want me to fake

. What happens when the girl he takes for granted suddenly becomes the most desired girl on this campus? I'll teach you how to

sed her face too fast to name, but I clocked it anyway. I was g

re cr

ER's

lounge, my whole chest pulled tight, humiliation and something dangerously clos

d like a mantra, forcing my legs to move faster, like eno

avy textbooks tightly against my chest like a shield, l

ce's ridiculous proposition. Fake date him? The idea was insane. I clutched my textbooks tighter against my

I saw

two people in the world. He had one arm around her waist, pulling her close while she laughed at something he s

r a second, my whole body forgetting what it was doing. I had loved him for three years, and this was what

mme

uldn't. My eyes stayed locked on Brooks, lost in the memory of every moment I'd

s head in my direction, l

h

ar before he spotted me standing there like some pathetic spect

ight into a soli

my fingers clutching the front of his shirt like it was a lifeline. I just needed to hide, just for a second. I didn't want Brooks to see me like

t his chest vibrate with a low scoff

t against my hair, and there was something almost gentle underneat

he rest of the world, my breathing slowly, unwillingly, starting to even out. When I finall

ake sure Brooks finally sees you. I'll make him lose his mind watching you

all, exhausted part of me was already doing the math on how much worse things could actually get f

ing flickering across his face that looked almost like the same tired weight I'd been carrying since last night. I had no interest in

d a few minute

come from the library? S

I typed back quick

in class. Must've

en, I need your he

still wanted to be there for him, even now, even after ever

hat i

through, and my hear

ning the engagement party. You're the b

clean down the middle. Planning their engagement party. Of course, I am the safe, reliable

bably wouldn't work. But what else did I have? Standing on the sidelines forever, smiling through engagement

nd and went l

een his fingers. Smoke curled lazily into the air as he exhaled. He look

my voice steadier than I felt. He raised his brow in

throat. "But I have one rule. No cat

the cigarette away. A smirk tugged at t

clear, sw