Olivia shrugged.
“Where’s Marney?” I asked.
“She has a Calculus exam tomorrow, so she had to hit the books. With all the cotton candy she ate, she’ll be on a sugar high all night .”
“That guy is such an asshole,” Lucas muttered.
“Asshole is too nice for what he is,” Olivia added.
Olivia and Lucas both stared at me. “Please don’t tell me you still have feelings for the prick.” Olivia seemed incredulous.
“Okay . I won’t tell you.”
“You’re absolutely hopeless,” Olivia said. “But if you want to know if he really has feelings for you, you need to give him a taste of his own medicine.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Flaunt a guy in his face the way he flaunted that blonde in yours .”
“And where do I get this guy?” I asked.
Olivia turned and stared at her brother and he went wide-eyed.
“It’s perfect .” Olivia grinned. “Lucas can pretend that the two of you are going out and you can fawn all over each other for Aaron’s benefit.”
I looked at Lucas. His face was red with embarrassment. “I couldn’t do that to Lucas .”
“I don’t mind,” Lucas piped up. “I’d like to do it.”
“But why?” I asked.
Lucas picked at some imaginary lint on his shirt. “I guess b ecause having a fake girlfriend, even for a little while, is better than having no girlfriend at all.”
I felt like crying again but this time because Lucas was brea king my heart. “You’d do that for me?” I asked.
“I would do anything for you,” Lucas said and he looked at me with such sincerity my heart skipped a few beats.
“Then let’s plan Operation Fake Boyfriend,” I agreed.
***
I made sure to get to class early the next day for Part One of Operation Fake Boyfriend (OFB). I removed the sunshine sticker that Aaron had given me from my test book and placed it on the table where he normally sat. Then I waited. Every week, when he strolled down the aisle past me, we always made eye contact and he winked at me. This week, things were going to be a little different. I removed a Mary Cassatt biography from my backpack and started reading. From the top of my book, I caught a glimpse of the other students walking in. When I saw Aaron enter, I made sure my nose was completely in my book so there was no chance of even an accidental glace at him on my part. I heard him walk past me and take the seat behind me. Then I heard a loud sigh. I assumed he had seen the sticker I had given back to him. Good, I thought, Part One of the plan was now complete.
As soon as class ended, I turned to face Aaron, who was ge tting up from his seat. When he looked at me, his expression was grim.
“I can’t meet with you today after class,” I said matter-of-factly.
He looked like I had slapped him. “Why?”
“I have something else to do,” I said as I turned and headed out the door.
Lucas was waiting right outside the classroom just as we had planned. Phase Two of OFB was about to begin.
Lucas nodded when he saw me, which was the signal that A aron was watching us. Go time. I walked right up the Lucas, threw my arms around him, and gave him a kiss. Lucas played his part well and kissed me back. Even if he said he didn’t have much experience in that department, he was a good kisser. I didn’t feel the same intense feelings as I did when Aaron kissed me but Lucas’s kiss was tender and warm.
When we parted from the kiss, Lucas grabbed my hand and entwined it with his. He smiled at me and we began walking toward my dorm. I knew Aaron was following us because I could feel his energy getting close r.
Aaron stormed up and blocked our path. He had fire in his eyes. I had never seen anyone so enraged.
“What’s up” Lucas said trying to remain calm.
Aaron didn’t even look at Lucas. His eyes burned into mine. “What are you doing?” he spat.
I glared at him. “What does it look like I’m doing?”
“Can I talk to you alone?” Aaron asked.
“Why?” I
“Where’s Marney?” I asked.
“She has a Calculus exam tomorrow, so she had to hit the books. With all the cotton candy she ate, she’ll be on a sugar high all night .”
“That guy is such an asshole,” Lucas muttered.
“Asshole is too nice for what he is,” Olivia added.
Olivia and Lucas both stared at me. “Please don’t tell me you still have feelings for the prick.” Olivia seemed incredulous.
“Okay . I won’t tell you.”
“You’re absolutely hopeless,” Olivia said. “But if you want to know if he really has feelings for you, you need to give him a taste of his own medicine.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Flaunt a guy in his face the way he flaunted that blonde in yours .”
“And where do I get this guy?” I asked.
Olivia turned and stared at her brother and he went wide-eyed.
“It’s perfect .” Olivia grinned. “Lucas can pretend that the two of you are going out and you can fawn all over each other for Aaron’s benefit.”
I looked at Lucas. His face was red with embarrassment. “I couldn’t do that to Lucas .”
“I don’t mind,” Lucas piped up. “I’d like to do it.”
“But why?” I asked.
Lucas picked at some imaginary lint on his shirt. “I guess b ecause having a fake girlfriend, even for a little while, is better than having no girlfriend at all.”
I felt like crying again but this time because Lucas was brea king my heart. “You’d do that for me?” I asked.
“I would do anything for you,” Lucas said and he looked at me with such sincerity my heart skipped a few beats.
“Then let’s plan Operation Fake Boyfriend,” I agreed.
***
I made sure to get to class early the next day for Part One of Operation Fake Boyfriend (OFB). I removed the sunshine sticker that Aaron had given me from my test book and placed it on the table where he normally sat. Then I waited. Every week, when he strolled down the aisle past me, we always made eye contact and he winked at me. This week, things were going to be a little different. I removed a Mary Cassatt biography from my backpack and started reading. From the top of my book, I caught a glimpse of the other students walking in. When I saw Aaron enter, I made sure my nose was completely in my book so there was no chance of even an accidental glace at him on my part. I heard him walk past me and take the seat behind me. Then I heard a loud sigh. I assumed he had seen the sticker I had given back to him. Good, I thought, Part One of the plan was now complete.
As soon as class ended, I turned to face Aaron, who was ge tting up from his seat. When he looked at me, his expression was grim.
“I can’t meet with you today after class,” I said matter-of-factly.
He looked like I had slapped him. “Why?”
“I have something else to do,” I said as I turned and headed out the door.
Lucas was waiting right outside the classroom just as we had planned. Phase Two of OFB was about to begin.
Lucas nodded when he saw me, which was the signal that A aron was watching us. Go time. I walked right up the Lucas, threw my arms around him, and gave him a kiss. Lucas played his part well and kissed me back. Even if he said he didn’t have much experience in that department, he was a good kisser. I didn’t feel the same intense feelings as I did when Aaron kissed me but Lucas’s kiss was tender and warm.
When we parted from the kiss, Lucas grabbed my hand and entwined it with his. He smiled at me and we began walking toward my dorm. I knew Aaron was following us because I could feel his energy getting close r.
Aaron stormed up and blocked our path. He had fire in his eyes. I had never seen anyone so enraged.
“What’s up” Lucas said trying to remain calm.
Aaron didn’t even look at Lucas. His eyes burned into mine. “What are you doing?” he spat.
I glared at him. “What does it look like I’m doing?”
“Can I talk to you alone?” Aaron asked.
“Why?” I
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