by Emily Lowry
And Parker.
Could we make this work? Could we fake our way through a relationship for a few months?
Zoe returned, setting a tray of food on the table.
We ate in silence.
When we finished, Zoe crumpled up the burrito wrappers and threw them in the garbage. She returned to the table and folded her fingers together. She looked like an executive about to interview me for a job. An important one.
“I want to hear your plan,” Zoe said, her expression still unreadable. “And, quite frankly, I want to know your reasons.”
Right. Our reasons. I hadn’t even explained those to Zoe yet. “You know Parker?”
“Your wonderful ex-girlfriend.” My sister’s voice dripped with sarcasm.
“That’s the one,” I said.
I explained the situation.
Zoe pressed her lips together. “You’re going to throw my best friend to the she-demon?”
“It was her idea,” I said. “I told her she didn’t have to, that I could just be her date to the Christmas Eve party. But she didn’t go for that.”
“I don’t like it.” Zoe grimaced. “But if you both want to do it, I won’t stop you.”
“It works for both of us,” I said. “I get Parker’s revenge out of the way, and Nina doesn’t have to worry about her mistletoe kiss. Like she said, she doesn’t want a boyfriend.”
Zoe raised her eyebrows. “Nina said that?”
“Yeah,” I replied. “She just wants her mom to leave her alone. She’s not interested in a real relationship right now.”
Zoe frowned, but said nothing further. We left the food truck, continuing our walk home. It was nighttime now, and the streetlights were just turning on. Our neighborhood had a suburban feel to it — cookie cutter houses, each with a two-car garage. A basketball hoop in the driveway. There was a chill in the air — as chilly as it gets in California, anyway.
Zoe slung her dance bag over her shoulder. “So, what exactly is your plan? Like, how are you going to lure out Parker?”
“First, we have to convince Parker that we’re actually a real couple.”
“You two make an odd pairing,” Zoe agreed. “But so did me and Mason.”
“We’ve got a few things we’re going to try. Just little things — things that you wouldn’t pick up unless you were paying attention. We figured that if we do enough of these things, we can get the school rumor mill going.”
“And the rumors will reach Parker.”
“They always do,” I said. “Then we sit back and wait for Parker to make her move. I just hope Nina can take it.”
“She’s not the one I’m worried about,” Zoe said. “At least, she’s not the one I’m most worried about.”
“You’re worried about me? Really?”
Zoe looked at me seriously. “I know you better than anyone else. I know you present yourself as the super chill, relaxed surfer dude. But I also know that beneath the surface, you are a pretty sensitive guy. You know — like the type of person who actually has emotions and stuff?”
“Lies.” I laughed, rolled my eyes, and gave my sister a hug. “Don’t worry — it’s just a fake relationship. I’m not going to get attached. I’m not going to get hurt.”
11
Tyler
Salt clung to every inch of my skin, drying in white, cracked patterns. My hair was dripping wet, my lips were blue, and my elbow was scraped, but I couldn’t keep the smile off my face as I loaded my surfboard onto the top of Jace Griffin’s Jeep.
“Sweet waves today, man,” Jace said, grinning as he unzipped his wetsuit. Jace was in Zoe’s grade at school, but we’d become close friends through our mutual love of surfing. He was so good at surfing, it was infuriating. He was part of the dawn patrol, one of the few people who would be out surfing just as the sun rose. If there was a swell, he was in the water — usually with Callie. And if there was a surf contest, he won. Always.
“Totally, dude.” I wrapped a towel around my waist and examined my banged-up elbows. The moody, cool weather front we’d seen lately had brought some rough, powerful waves with it.
Adrenaline was still coursing through my veins. I’d struggled to keep up today, but the reward of catching a few big waves had been worth the hours of fighting the icy, aggressive tides. I’d been so focused on my surfing that I’d also found welcome relief from thinking about Parker, Nina, and my complete mess of a dating situation.
“Ready?” Jace smiled, hopping into the driver’s seat. He was always smiling.
As we pulled out of the parking lot, the sun hung low in the sky, turning the world pink and orange. The short days of winter were here.
“What’re you up to this evening, dude?” I asked. Mason and Zoe were going to a movie. They’d invited me to come along, but I didn’t feel like playing third wheel.
“I’m on dinner duty for the herd.”
I laughed. Jace’s house was a zoo — he was the oldest of five boys, and all five Griffin brothers, their mom and dad, and about four dogs, two cats, and a couple of parrots were stuffed inside a three-bedroom house.
I couldn’t imagine living in that chaos. Since my parents divorce a few years ago, I’d lived with Mom and Zoe.
“Next time, dude.” Jace dropped me off at my house — which was only a five-minute drive from the beach.
I hopped out and grabbed my stuff. “Thanks for the ride.”
Jace left.
I carried my wetsuit and surfboard over to the hose to wash away the sand. I was only wearing my swim shorts, and I shivered slightly in the cool breeze.
“Tyler?” The voice behind me was quiet, cautious — and made me jump out of my skin.
I spun to see Nina standing there, biting her lip. She was dressed nicely, in tight jeans, ankle boots, and a cream sweater that clung to her curves. I’d always thought Nina was kinda cute with her dimples and her black curly hair — but today, she looked extra good.
“Dude,” I said. “You scared me.”
“Sorry.” She looked uncharacteristically serious and awkward.
“All good.” I smiled. “What’s up? Zoe’s out with Mason. Some movie.”
“I… well, we…”
The color left my face. “We were meant to hang out this evening, weren’t we?”
She nodded.
I groaned. Over text, we’d planned to go to High Street to roll out phase one of our fake relationship plan. How could I have forgotten? This was all so new and different, hanging out with Nina, just the two of us. I slapped my forehead. “I’m an idiot. This is my bad.”
“It doesn’t matter, we can do it another time.” Nina’s expression was indecipherable.
“No way,” I said. Even in a fake relationship, I couldn’t bear the thought of letting her down. “We’re going.”
Nina’s face brightened, and my heart warmed.
“Can you just give me five minutes to shower?”
12
Nina
High Street was wonderful in the evenings. All the shops stayed open late — some hosted open mic nights, others put on crafting workshops and paint nights — and the cafes and restaurants were always bustling with people. The smell of coffee and saltwater carried on the breeze.
I wrapped my light jacket around me tightly. Beside me, Tyler was still in a t-shirt, which clung to his muscular form. Ahead of us, the sun dipped below the horizon.
“So where are we off to?” Ty asked.
“My aunt’s shop,” I said. “She’s a huge gossip, and she’s bound to say something to my mom if she sees us together.”
Tyler laughed his warm, melodic laugh. “And which one is your aunt’s shop?”
“Ocean Sounds.”
“Where I took your trumpet to get fixed?”
I nodded. “The very same. My aunt’s an ex-concert pianist. She opened the shop after she retired from performing. I guess music runs in our family.”
“Makes sense,” Tyler said. “I’ve seen how talented you
are.”
I blushed. Nobody noticed the talent of the high school band trumpet player. I loved my trumpet, and I loved playing it, but I was aware that it wasn’t exactly the sexiest instrument out there. That was reserved for flutes, clarinets, and saxophones. Instruments that didn’t make you puff your cheeks like a blowfish.
“Thank you.” I couldn’t think of anything else to say. I never knew what to do when people complimented me.
Out of nowhere, Tyler reached out and grabbed my hand. His warm fingers interlaced with mine, and he gave it a little squeeze.
My entire body froze in shock.
Tyler leaned closed and whispered, “three o’clock, Blair McKenna.”
Parker’s sidekick and chief bag-carrier stopped dead in the doorway of a clothing boutique. Her jaw hung open, and she was staring at Tyler and I like she’d seen a three-headed alien. After a long moment, she seized a cellphone from her bag and began texting frantically, her fingers flying over the screen.
“Good eyes,” I whispered.
Tyler grinned. “Saw the opportunity and took it. Carpe diem and all that.”
He was still holding my hand and didn’t make any move to let go. And so we kept walking, hand in hand, all the way to Ocean Sounds.
When we reached the cornflower blue storefront, Tyler walked straight towards the door, but I pulled him back.
He dropped my hand. “What’s up?”
“I was just wondering… how should we play this?”
“Play what?”
“Like what should we do in there? Just act cozy, or say something to her, or…” I trailed off, lost. I had zero experience in this department. Though I guessed most people had little experience faking a relationship.
“Let’s just go in and ride the wave.”
“I’d prefer a plan,” I insisted. “My aunt, she’s—”
“Nothing I can’t handle.” Tyler winked. “Let’s go, girlfriend.”
And with that, he walked inside.
What was he doing? I scurried after him, heat rising to my cheeks.
Maybe this was all a very, very bad idea.
By the time I got inside, Tyler was already at the counter being accosted.
“Hello handsome, how can I help you?” My Aunt Tammy’s voice carried across the store.
I cringed.
“Hello, Ma’am,” Tyler said.
“Oh, if it isn’t the boy with the banged up trumpet.” Aunt Tammy’s bangles jingled as she reached out to pat Tyler’s arm. “I’m afraid it won’t be ready until tomorrow.”
Tyler’s face was the picture of innocence. “No worries, my girlfriend and I are just browsing.”
“Okay, well you two—” Aunt Tammy stopped speaking when she saw me. She peered over my head as if looking for someone else. Then, when she realized that I was the girl Tyler referred to as his girlfriend, her heavily made-up eyes widened dramatically.
“Nina, my pretty ballerina!” she shrieked, rushing towards me and air kissing me twice.
“Hi, Aunt Tammy,” I sputtered through a cloud of perfume.
Aunt Tammy looked from me, to Tyler, and back to me. Suspicion crept over her face.
“I didn’t know you had a boyfriend, Nina.” She spoke slowly, in a low tone that suggested she was gravely insulted. “In fact, your mother was just telling me she had to set you up with the Stewarts’ son, the second oldest one... what was his name? You know the one with the...”
“Mole?” Tyler piped up, grinning wickedly.
I glared at him.
“Yes, the mole — Edward! That’s the one.” Aunt Tammy nodded to herself. “Great family, the Stewarts.”
“The best,” Tyler agreed.
“You know them?”
“Vaguely.” Tyler waved a hand in the air, then looked at his watch. “Holy mole-y is that the time?”
I nearly choked on my spit, which quickly turned into a cough. My eyes watered.
“Tell me everything,” Aunt Tammy said. “How did you two meet?”
“I.. uh…” I was so, so bad at this.
“Nina’s best friends with my sister. We’ve known each other for years, but only recently did we realize that there was something more between us.” Tyler’s voice was warm and smooth, like a cup of hot cocoa on a winter’s night. He stepped around Aunt Tammy so he was next to me, and slung an arm around my shoulder. “We’ve been inseparable ever since.”
Who knew that Tyler Walsh was such an incredible actor? The way he was looking into my eyes, I almost believed him myself.
Slightly spellbound, I nodded. “Inseparable, yes.”
My aunt’s brows knit together. “Strange, you coming in here the other night with a trumpet, and now you’re here with Nina.”
“It’s Nina’s trumpet. It got dented. I was being a good boyfriend and running errands for her.”
“Oh,” Aunt Tammy responded. “I see.”
She looked at me, and I nodded vehemently. Tyler tightened his grip on my shoulder.
Thankfully, before I spontaneously combusted, another customer entered the store. Aunt Tammy bustled off to help them.
“How did you do that?” I hissed at Tyler.
He chuckled, unwrapped his arm from my shoulder, and picked up a metronome from the shelf. He shrugged. “Older ladies love me.”
“Do they now?” I snorted, but I couldn’t help but smile. Tyler had been impressive — cool, calm, and collected under my aunt’s questions.
“Well, one of us had to keep the act going.” Tyler nudged me playfully in the ribs and re-shelved the metronome.
I blushed furiously. “I am the worst liar.”
“I like that about you,” Tyler said.
Before I could think of anything to say in response, Tyler walked over to the guitar section of the store. I followed.
He crouched down in front of a display case that housed a Gibson electric guitar. “Want to know the cool thing about Gibsons?”
“What?”
“They have this robotic self-tuning system. It lets you tune an electric guitar in, like, two seconds. It’s crazy.”
“Do you play?” I asked, crouching next to him. I’d known Tyler for most of my life, and yet, in some ways, I didn’t know him at all.
He shrugged. “A little.”
“Why have I never heard it?”
“I keep my guitar in my room — my dad plays, and I played with him when I was little. Now that he’s gone, I don’t play too much. At least, never when anyone else is around.”
“Why not?” I was intrigued.
“Because then, they might hear me.” Tyler scratched the back of his neck, a bashful look on his face.
“Usually people play music to be heard.” I loved playing my trumpet, and I played it morning, noon, and night, much to the chagrin of my entire family. I couldn’t imagine hiding my music, it was one of my greatest loves in life.
“Usually people that play music are good at it,” Tyler said.
“I’d like to hear you play sometime,” I blurted before I could stop myself.
Tyler laughed. “Trust me, you wouldn’t.”
“It can’t be that bad.”
“It is.” He smiled warmly. “Anyway. You’re coming to the game this Friday, right? Ready to take the next step in our relationship?”
13
Tyler
Another Friday night game, another win for the good guys. It was a smooth, clinical affair. Our offense marched up and down the field with no issue, Mason zipping passes from sideline to sideline on his way to a perfect quarterback rating. I didn’t do too badly myself — over 100 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
Best of all — I didn’t accidentally give Nina a concussion.
Call it a small victory.
After the game, friends and family came down from the bleachers. The other team had already made their way to the bus, and now everyone was milling about, basking in the afterglow of a late season Beachbreak win.
I found Nina w
aiting on the sidelines. “Are you ready for this?”
She smiled. She was still wearing her band uniform — a royal blue shirt with golden stripes on the shoulder. Her face was heavy with stage makeup. “I was born ready.”
I wanted to ask her if she was sure, but I declined. She seemed sure. And like she’d said — Parker and Blair had already seen us together a handful of times. If they saw us together one more time, it might be enough for them to mentally accept that we were in a relationship.
Which would put a target directly on Nina’s back — though I tried not to think about that.
Nina and I walked through the throngs of players and fans. She was holding her trumpet, which had finally been repaired and looked good as new. Spending a week without it must’ve given her some kind of separation anxiety, because now she brought it everywhere she went. Even more so than before. As we walked, people stared, and we ignored them. We smiled, chatted, and made jokes. Most importantly, we kept our eyes out for one person in particular—
Parker.
Our plan was relatively simple. Walk around the field and act like a couple until Parker saw us. Starting Monday, Nina would be wearing my letterman jacket around school.
I loosely draped my arm over Nina’s shoulder. “Have you seen her anywhere? She is here tonight, isn’t she?”
“Don’t worry, she’s here. I saw her glowering from the stands with Tennis Boy earlier.”
Sure enough, Nina was right.
We found Parker standing in one of the end zones, talking to Chad, the wannabe tennis pro. His blond hair was so thick with gel it looked like it was wet. I suspected that if someone touched it, they would feel a gross crunch.
When Parker saw us, she immediately ditched her new boyfriend and marched over. She stared at us, dissecting us with her eyes, like we were a strange specimen she was studying in biology. The corner of her mouth twitched. “What is it that you think you’re doing, exactly?”
“We’re just two friends hanging out after the game,” I said. “Relax.”
