EVERYBODY HAS BEEN STARING at me like I'm the new kid. I guess it's because of what happened this morning, but I was getting stared at when I got out of Vanessa's car so it has to be something else.

At lunch time, I walked with Vanessa to the cafeteria. I really wanted to go to the library and take a nap so I wouldn't have to face people, but Vanessa didn't want to eat lunch alone.

And the best friend of the year award goes to......me.

I grabbed a salad because I really not hungry, but I know that if I don't eat something, I'll be starving by the time I get home.

I paid for my food before following Vanessa to a table in the corner. Eyes stared at the back of my head, and I felt uncomfortable.

Sitting in my seat, I opened the lid to my salad before pouring ranch on it. Vanessa was talking about how her ex boyfriend, Zeke, texted her last night looking to hook up.

"I told him no and to stop texting me just for your information," she informed me before plopping a french fry in her mouth.

"Well, that's good to hear," I replied, stirring my salad around.

Vanessa was about to say something until her mouth dropped open. Then a chair scraped  against the floor beside me, and I looked to my left to see Joshua sitting down beside me.

And, apparently, I'm not the only one that noticed.

Multiple people looked this way, and they whispered to their friends. I blushed in embarrassment, and I looked back at Joshua to see him opening his water bottle.

"Can we help you?" Vanessa asked Joshua with a raised eyebrow.

Joshua cleared his throat,"I need to talk to Annie about something."

Joshua looked over at me, and I told Vanessa,"I'll be right back."

Joshua and I both stood up from our seats, and we walked outside of the cafeteria. I felt eyes staring at me, but I tried my best not to look in their direction. Joshua leaned against the wall once we made it out of the cafeteria, and I stood in front of him.

"Have you heard what Asher saying about you?" He asked me, running a hand through his hair.

I shook my head,"No. What has he been saying?"

"Asher has been telling people that you are the one who cheated, and you cheated on him with me."

My whole body froze, but my mind was running a hundred miles per hour.

Why would he say that?

Why would he want to hurt me?

The sadness that went through me turned into anger when I realized that he is trying to keep his perfection reputation perfect.

I looked at the cafeteria, trying to spot Asher. When I did, my mouth dropped open when I saw the huge bruise under his eye. It was a dark purple, and I looked back at Joshua.

"You punched him?" I asked him, making him nod without hesitation.

"Are you mad?" Joshua asked me, softly, like he was scared that I was mad.

But I wasn't mad at him.

Heck, I would punch Asher if I wasn't afraid of the consequences.

"No. He deserved it."

We were silent for a moment, and I pondered for a moment.

Asher hurt me over and over, and instead of me being upset, I'm angry. I'm furious with his actions and how he acts like I'm nothing.

I want to get back at him for all the pain he caused me.

"Let's do this," I said to Joshua who was confused.

"Do what?"

"You and me. You were right. Asher needs a taste of his own medicine. If we fake date, he would be so pissed off," I explained with a scowl on my face.

"You sure? I don't want to do this if you feel uncomfortable," Joshua asked me, uncertain about the fake dating. He kept eyeing my sweatshirt, and I didn't understand why.

"I don't feel uncomfortable," I told him, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

"Okay," he said before adding,"But if you feel uncomfortable at any time during this," he gestures between us before continuing,"promise me that you will tell me."

I nodded,"I promise, and we are going to have to have a set of rules like the movies so we don't do something the other is uncomfortable with."

Joshua looked at me like I was crazy, and I asked,"Have you ever seen a rom-com?"

Joshua shook his head, still looking puzzled. "What in the actual hell is a rom-com movie?"

I sighed,"I'm going to have to educate you. Just come over after school at my house, and we will sit down and make a list of things we are comfortable with and what we aren't comfortable with."

Joshua nodded, glancing at my sweatshirt once more. I looked down to see if there was a stain or something, but there was nothing.

"Why do you keep looking down at my sweatshirt?" I asked him, looking back up at him.

Joshua gave me a side smile, showing his dimple. "Nothing."

I narrowed my eyes in suspicion, but I didn't say anything. The bell rang, signaling that lunch was over.

Students started filing out of the lunchroom, and Joshua disappeared within the crowd.

I was going to wait for Vanessa since I ditched her at the lunch table, but that plan backfired when I saw Asher and Brooke walking towards me.

I quickly ducked into the restroom before they saw me. I got into the first stall that was opened, and I sighed in relief.

Waiting for the late bell to rang, I just leaned against the stall door. Then I heard the restroom door open, and I prayed that it wasn't some mean girls that I have to deal with.

But it wasn't.

It was so much worse.

"Dude, do you think Joshua went soft?" A male voice said, making my eyes widen in surprise.

Why are there guys in the girls restroom?

"No. He just cares for that girl is all," another guy replied.

I peered through the crack between the stall door and the side wall. I saw two boys, and I realized they were some of Joshua's friends.

I think their names were Jake and Xavier.

The blonde headed one looked in the mirror, trying to fix his hair when he caught my eye. I quickly stepped back from the stall door, hoping that he didn't just see me.

"I think there is a child in here," Xavier said, trying to whisper but it didn't work out. His eyes were on the stall door.

"What?" Jake asked, looking where Xavier is looking at.

"I just saw a pair of eyes staring at us through that crack, I swear."

I froze. Maybe if I stand still, they won't see me.

Then somebody knocked on the stall, making me jump a little.

"Hello? Somebody in there?" Jake's voice asked as he knocked again.

There is no way I'm getting out of this.

And because of that, I unlocked the door.

As soon as the stall door opened, both of their eyes were looking straight at me as I smiled, sheepishly, at them.

"Well, you are definitely not a child," Xavier said with a raised eyebrow.

"No, I'm not."

"Then what are you doing in here?" Jake asked me, narrowing his eyes at me.

And here is where the embarrassment sets in.

I tsked,"See, that's a really funny story. I thought this was the woman's restroom which....it's not."

"You look familiar," Xavier said after a moment of silence between the three of us. Then he snapped his fingers. "Leah Perry, right? You are the soccer captain of the girls' soccer team."

I nodded, awkwardly. "Yeah that would be me."

The late bell rang, and I groaned, knowing that there is a huge chance that I'll probably be in trouble with my math teacher.

"I should go. Don't wanna miss math," I told the guys, walking out of the stall.

They both parted so I could walk between them, and they are both freakishly tall.

Or I'm just freakishly short.

I opened the bathroom door, walking out into the hall, trying to hide the embarrassment written all over my face.

I grabbed my math book from my locker before walking into the classroom. The teacher wasn't even in here so I felt relived.

Sitting down beside Vanessa, I opened my math book, trying to wrap my mind around the fact that Joshua and I are fake dating.

I know all about the fake dating trope where two people swear they won't fall in love with each other and within a few weeks, bam, they are happily in love.

But that's not going to happen between me and Joshua.

I can't even imagine actually dating him.

He lives like there is no tomorrow and he doesn't give a crap about anybody's opinions. Joshua gets into fights, and he's mean.

But he hasn't been mean to me.

If anything, he has been more than nice to me, but that might be because he is trying to get into my pants.

That's going to have to be rule number one on the list; no sex.

My cheeks blushed just thinking about it.

Plus there is the fact that I used to hate Joshua until this past week.

I know he isn't a fan of mine either.

Which is going to make this fake dating thing so much fun.

Note the sarcasm.

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Hey guys!!

Thoughts??

also merry (late) christmas to those who celebrate!! i luv you guys so much!! <3

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•Kensli•