Faking It (Fake boyfriend Duet 1)

If anything else, the whole thing just strengthened my desire to show all of them especially Zac that breaking up didn't affect me in the slightest.

And Gunther will help with that.

Several minutes later, Daphine is pulling out from the curb and I'm walking into Baldwin Reads & Sno-cones, my dad's bookstore located in the central hurb of Shelbourn falls. I inhale the homey scent of the books on the shelves, the aroma of the blue raspberry, pins colada, watermelon, cherry snow cones already making me feel better. This....... This is why I come here.

Dad is ringing up the customers at the counter, checking that he doesn't need any help, I make my way to the reading area and drop my bag next to one of the plush single-seaters before retrieving the book I've been waiting to read for months. Its a young Adult urban fantasy novel by one of my favourite authors.

I can't wait to drive back into the supernatural world she'd created and resist my favourite characters. Zac may have hurt and disappointed me but Josephine Angelini will never let me down. I'm a few chapters in when Dad rounds the corner, a pile of books in his arms. "Hey cookie."

A smile curves my lips. "What you got there?"

"Just Some books the customers decided they didn't want to buy at the counter." Putting them back on the shelf, he asks. "What are you doing?"

My dad is a total book nerd, which I'd inherited to his absolute joy and relief—his own words. So when he left his job four years ago to start Baldwin Reads &Sno-cones, I was one hundred percent on board with it. Mom wasnt really convinced, but seeing the bookstore flourish eventually won her over.

A few times a week, I'd come here, providing assistance where I can and devouring my snowcones, and books in my favourite genres. Baldwin Reads & Sno-cones has become my favourite place in the world.

"Beautiful Dead by Yvonne Woon, have you read it yet?"

"No but let me add it to my MRL." ( Must Read List.)

"So how was your day?"

Zac just let the whole school know that he'd dumped me and is now dating Lytton Hollister, so everyone thinks I'm loser. But on the plus side, Gunther finally agreed to be my fake boyfriend. So its been good I guess. "Uneventful."

Dad's hazel eyes— that were so much like mine now narrow. "Don't you have any plans with Zac?".

Considering we already broke up, that's a big fat no. "Nope, I'd rather stay here."

"Well, I could use some company." he winks.

I should tell him about Zac–and I definitely will–but I'm not in the mood to discuss what happened right now. I just want to curl up in this sofa with a pina colada snow cone, so I can forget about the breakup even for just a few short hours. Then I'll focus on how I'll be able to get back at him with Gunther's help.

Totally doable right?

*********

"So you've totally lost your mind?" Daph says dryly.

We're eating lunch in the cafeteria,and I just told her that her brother finally agreed to help me out. I didn't tell her yesterday because I was so upset on seeing Zac and Lytton together, I hadn't been in the mood to talk. But more importantly, I knew she was against the plan from the start. She tried to talk me out of it when Gun came up with the idea.

Tried being the operative word. My mind is already set. I'm not surprised that she's not being supportive about it, though. While I tend to be impulsive and reckless, Daphine is level-headed and cautious. That's why she makes sure to keep me grounded. That's what she's been doing since we met and became fast best friends back in kindergarten.

While I appreciate that, sometimes I wish she'll say "scerw it" and throw caution into the wind. A little adventure can do her good-but while our personalities differ, we share some similar physical features. She stands at five-nine like me. We also have the same slim body build. And we both have long hair, although hers is light Brown, she has the same deep green eyes as Gunther's though, which she frames with her purple-rimmed glasses.

I bite into my cheese burger. "Its going to be fine, Daph, don't worry about it."

"I can't. You know worrying is what I do."

I pat the back of her hand. "I know hun, but try not to. Trust me, its going to be fine."

"But Nikitta, seriously, are you okay? You were awfully quiet yesterday. We haven't really talked about the um, new development." By 'new development', I take it she means Zac and Lytton.

"What is there to talk about? He moved on just like that. No amount of talking will change the fact that he heartlessly dumped me and replaced me with one of the FFB's." I exhale an audible breath. "Anyway, I'm doing fine. I was upset when I found out, but I'm okay now."

"Are you sure? If you want, we can skip last period and go to the mall or something?"

I blink at her. "You want to skip last period?"

"Yeah, that's what I said."

I can't help but laugh. "Since when do you skip classes?"

"Since my best friend got her heart broken by some douchebag and needed cheering up.

"Awww Daph," I coo, putting a hand on my chest. "That's soo sweet."

'Shut up." She rolls her eyes; her cheeks burning.

"Seriously, its sweet and all, but really I'm fine. No need to get in trouble just to cheer me up."

And I'm not lying. Surprisingly, I wasn't as upset as I'd been yesterday. The whole thing still stings– as it should– but I don't feel like moping anymore. In fact, I feel rejuvenated. Like I just found a life-changing purpose. Maybe I did, maybe that purpose came in the form of my revenge plan. Or maybe I wasn't as invested in my relationship with Zac as I thought I was. Either way, I'm not about to think much of it.

"If you say so." Daph sighs, popping a chicken nugget into her mouth pushing her glasses up her nose. "So are you, like going to make out with Gun in public now." She shudders. "I can't believe I just said that."

"I don't know." I give my shoulders a small shrug. "I mean, I guess if the situation calls for it."

Her mouth falls open comically. "But its going to be weird. I mean, its Gun, he's like your brother.".

"No,he's not." I snort

Aside from the fact that I don't have a brother, I have an adorable sixteen month-old baby sister named Lupita— I've never seen Gun like a sibling. It's not like I have a secret crush on him or anything. I know he's very attractive, but I've never been attracted to him. He's always been my best friend's older brother who I sometimes hang out with. He's my friend by extension, I think.

And who you'll possibly make out with.

Ehh, who knows? Maybe it won't even come to that.

Maybe all we have to do is act flirty and sweet towards each other, and that's it. Although I'm also desperate enough that I can totally see myself doing that. Whatever it's just Gun. If it happens, I'm sure its not going to be weird. We'll just probably laugh it off afterward.

Unlike most girls in our school, I'm immune to his charms. I'm confident one measly kiss won't change that so I don't need to worry about developing feelings for the guy. Anyway, that's neither here nor there. Right now, I need to focus on how to make the plan work.

Glancing past Daphine, my eyes shift over to where Zac is sitting. Lytton is right beside him, feeding him lasagna from his own plate like he isn't capable of doing it himself.

Bitterly, I wonder if it's one of the reasons why he broke up with me. Because I don't spoonfeed him things–literally and figuratively. Or maybe because she's a senior like him while I'm still a junior. If I have to make out with Gun a million times just to exact my revenge, I will. As if hearing my thoughts, Daph shakes her head.

"Its still going to be weird."

I shove the remaining chunk of Burger into my month and smile. "Then, you'll just have to deal with it."

°°°

"She's already posting pictures of them? Ughhh. How tacky."

I'm lying on my bed, scrolling through Instagram-spescifically Lytton's Instagram's feed. What can I say? I'm a masochist.

And right now, masochistic me is starting at a picture of Lytton kissing the cheek of a grinning Zac. Its captioned, "best day ever."

Son of a biscuit!!

As much as I hate to admit it, they look perfect together, like a real-life version of Barbie and Ken with their identical brown eyes and gorgeous blonde hair. As if to show how inferior everyone else is compared to them. Unlike the first picture, the next one only contains Zac. He's standing in the basketball pitch in his maroon Jersey, his hands around a ball, looking off into the distance. This one says, "how did I get soo lucky?"

As I expected, the comments on both pictures are praising the new 'IT couple. '

"You guys are so perfect together,"*three red heart emojis*

"Lucky indeed."*heart struck with an arrow emoji*

"You're prettier than the last one. Just saying."*smirking emoji*

My mouth falls open. "Prettier than the last one? What an asshole!!" I snarl. "What the hell? She even liked the comment!"

Well it's official. I don't like Lytton Hollister at all. Considering there's very real possibility that she stole Zac from me, this just sealed the deal.

"Who are you taking to?" Mom's voice startles me. Looking up. I see her leaning against the doorframe.

With a sheepish smile. I say. "Just myself. Hey, are you making a new video?"

My mom runs a YouTube channel that features recipes, crafts and even DIY home repairs. Its pretty popular. Last time I checked, she already had over two million followers. She started it when she was pregnant with my sister and got bored during her maternity leave. It was only supposed to be a hobby, but the cash started coming in, so she eventually left her job in market directing and focused on it instead. She'd rather stay at home after Lupita was born, anyway. So the career shift had been a Godsend. She's never been happier.

And nowadays, Doreen Baldwin is quite the celebrity around town.

"Yes, I was just about to finish up." She has on her denim overalls, and her auburn hair is gathered in a bun ontop of her head. Which tells me she's recording a DIY video.

"Where's Lupita?" I ask

"Sleeping soundly in her room." She pauses. "Is there a reason why Gunther is downstairs looking for you instead of Daphine?"

Holy shit!!