Faking It (Fake boyfriend Duet 1)

My vision is blurry with tears as I run up the stairs towards Daph's room. I couldn't stand to be in the kitchen any longer. I needed to be as far from Gun as possible. I'm almost at the door when a hand clasps my wrist, stopping me. I know it's Gun so I twist around and shove him off.

"Leave me alone!"

His nostrils flare as he staggers back. "If that's what you want, then why are you crying?"

"Because you're a heartless jerk!" I whisper-yell, not wanting to attract the attention of his parents. Its bad enough Daph has to witness our whole exchange and likely already started to put the pieces of the puzzle together before I can come clean to her. I don't want to drag them Into our drama, too.

This whole thing is stupid anyway.

Stupid and fleeting. Because this is exactly what it is. Because Zac was right. Weeks from now, maybe even days, Gunther will go back to his usual M.O —hooking up with girls. And I'll be left pinning over him like an idiot.

It's like I never learn.

"And you drive me crazy!" Roughly Gun runs his fingers through his hair, eyes wild, then cups my face in his hands and the rests his forehead against mine. "You have no idea how much." His breath is hot on my lips, making me want to bridge the distance between us. My heart is thundering in my chest while an ache forms low in my belly, slithering it's way up my chest and settling there.

Even after what he did, I still want nothing more than to kiss him and be with him, to kiss and make up.

I'm truly an idiot.

"Why do I find that hard to believe?" I say sarcastically laughing through my tears, swatting his hands away and wiping my cheeks.. "You haven't even said anything. You just made out with me every chance you got."

Is that all I'm good for? Someone to fool around with?

His brows pinched together in annoyance. "And that wasn't enough to clue you in? I'm not in the habit of kissing girls I don't like Red."

God help me— I want to sucker punch him right now.

"Oh do you want a trophy or something? A round of applause? A medal? A bucket of fucking eclairs?"

He growls. "Why are you so stubborn?"

He's seriously asking me that? After what he did? After all the words he said?

"Because you hurt me you asshole." I stab a finger at His chest. "You keep hurting me and making me cry and I hate you for it!"

He's speechless for a moment, stunned by my words then he gives me a pained look. "Nikky—"

But I'm already done talking. I trudge into Daph's room and slam the door on his face. Thankfully, he doesn't follow me inside. Maybe he realises that he won't be able to get through me. Or that I'm not worth it, after all. But I hear his retreating footsteps through the door.

Resting my head against it, I stare up at the ceiling and will myself not to cry. I don't want to spend another night crying my eyes out, I'm so tired of it. And I still have a paper to write.

So that's what I do. I dive into my science paper, burying and distracting myself with research just so I don't have to agonize about what just happened. Its not until an hour later that Daph enters her room. I'm not sure if she wanted to give me space or she went to talk to Gun, but I brace myself when the door opens and she steps inside.

"On a scale from one to ten, how pissed are you at me?" I ask warily, idling my chair from the study table.

She folds her arms across her chest and leans against the door. "A big fat, fifteen."

Uh-oh.

I wince. "That bad?"

"So you and Gun......" She shakes her head, disbelief crossing her features. "I honestly don't know what to think about it."

"If there's any consolation, my only wish would be that nothing would change between us."

She arches a brow. "You're seriously quoting Whitney Houston's song right now?"

"Who's that?"

She rolls her eyes. "Never mind. It's not the point."

Probably one of her favourite singers. If reading books is my thing, listening to music is hers.

"Why didn't you tell me? She demands

"Because Gun's not just any guy. He's your brother. You already thought it was weird enough to fake date him. I didn't want to freak you out further." Even to my ears it sounds lame.

"Well, do I look like I'm freaking out?"

I shake my head mutely.

Sighing, Daph walks over to my bed and plops down. "You shouldn't have held out on me Nikitta. Maybe you're right. Maybe I would have freaked out. But only for a while, I'd learn to get over It eventually. You're my best friend, I'll never be against your happiness even if it comes in the form of my annoying brother. "

"I'm sorry, D." I hang my head in guilt and shame nipping at me with it's sharp teeth. Looking back on the last few days, it was really dumb of me to keep everything as a secret to her. If I had told her, I probably wouldn't be in this situation. Things wouldn't have gone to sit.

But what's done is done. I just have to be better, moving forward.

"I accept your apology." She declares, providing the fact that she's the bestest friend in the world."

"Thank you."

"But are you sure this thing with Gun isn't just a rebound?"

I bark out a hallow laugh. "Believe me, I've asked that question myself a million times. But no, it's not."

I'm certain, now more than ever, that's it's never been a rebound. My feelings for Gun are real and have nothing to do with Zac.

Which sucks if I think about it. I could've seriously taken a break from another heartbreak.

She sighs. "Well, now that it's been settled. What are you going to do with my brother?"

I blink at her. "What am I going to do with him?"

"I literally just asked you that." She laughs.

"Nothing, its over.. We didn't work out." I shrug, my casual tone hiding my true feelings. "It's just probably meant nothing to Gun anyway."

She doesn't have to know that I feel the absolute worst. That I just want to curl up and cry. Because doing so will make her think the worst of her brother. Even though Gun and I aren't on good terms, I don't want Daph to think that way. I don't want to go between them.

"I don't know Nikky, it doesn't look over to me."

I stare at her. "What do you mean?"

"Gunther is sulking in his room. He has bags under his eyes. Big, awful bags like yours. And the way he looked at you in the kitchen, and he practically ran after you? That didn't scream over and nothing to me."

"You drive me crazy you have no idea how much" he said.

Is her assumption correct? Am I blinded by my righteous anger to see the truth?