"Sophie's smart. But she won't figure it out unless you tell her." He met my eyes. "You didn't tell her, right?"
"No. But I hated lying to her."
"Get used to it. For the next three months, lying is your new normal." He paused. "Speaking of which, we have that party at Marcus's place on Saturday."
My appetite vanished. "Do we have to go?"
"Yes. It's important that we're seen together at social events. Plus" his expression darkened "I need to keep an eye on Marcus.
Make sure he understands you're off-limits."
"He already knows I'm 'dating' you."
"Knowing and believing are different things." Kai leaned back in his chair. "Marcus is the type who needs a very clear message. Saturday's party is where we send that message."
I pushed my salad around with my fork. "And how exactly do we send that message?"
"By being the perfect couple." His eyes locked on mine. "Which means you're going to need to be a lot more convincing than you've been."
"I'm trying"
"Try harder." His voice was firm but not unkind. "I know this is difficult. But if you want Marcus to back off, if you want to protect your scholarship and stay safe, you need to sell this. Really sell it."
"What do you want me to do? Hang on your every word? Giggle at your jokes?"
"That would be a start." He reached across the table and took my hand. His thumb traced circles on my palm a gesture that looked intimate but felt calculated. "Look at me like you actually want to be here."
I forced myself to meet his eyes, to soften my expression, to pretend this was real.
"Better," he murmured. "Now smile."
I smiled.
"Like you mean it."
I tried again, thinking about something that actually made me happy. My acceptance letter to Stanford. The day Aunt Maria threw me a surprise birthday party. The first time I aced a test at Blackwood.
Kai's expression shifted slightly. "There it is. Hold that thought."
Then he stood up, walked around the table, and before I could react, he pulled me to my feet and kissed me.
This kiss was different from yesterday's. More confident. More public. His hand cupped the back of my neck, and I could hear the gasps and whispers around us.
When he pulled back, my face was burning.
"Now they believe it," he said quietly, just for me.
He sat back down like nothing had happened, and I sank into my chair, my heart racing.
Around us, the cafeteria had erupted. Phones were going crazy, people were talking over each other, and I could already see the notifications lighting up my phone.
Sophie was staring at us from across the room, her expression unreadable.
I looked at Kai, at the boy who'd turned my life upside down in less than twenty-four hours, and wondered how I was going to survive three months of this.
"Eat your lunch," Kai said calmly. "You need your energy."
"For what?"
"For Friday. My basketball game. You're sitting courtside, and you're going to cheer for me like your life depends on it." He took a drink of his water. "Because it does."
The rest of the week followed the same pattern.
Kai picked me up every morning at exactly 8:00 AM. We'd drive to school in comfortable silence, him always with the perfect coffee order. At school, we'd be seen together
walking hand in hand down the hallways, sitting together at lunch, stealing kisses between classes.
To everyone watching, we were the couple of the year. Blackwood's bad boy finally tamed by the quiet scholarship girl.
But in private, we barely spoke. The car rides were silent except for logistics. The touches were mechanical. The kisses were performances.
And every night, I'd lie awake wondering what Kai's real agenda was. Why he needed a fake girlfriend. What he was protecting me from.
Thursday night, I was studying in my room when my phone buzzed.
K: "What are you wearing to the game tomorrow?"
Me: "I don't know. Jeans? A sweater?"
K: "Wear something that shows you're mine. School colors. My number if you have it."
Me: "I don't have your number."
K: "You will. Check your front porch."
I frowned and walked downstairs. When I opened the front door, there was a shopping bag sitting on the porch.
Inside was a Blackwood Academy basketball jersey. Number 7. THORNTON printed across the back.
My phone buzzed again.
K: "Wear it. No arguments."
I stared at the jersey, at his name across the back, and felt the trap tightening around me.
This was real now. Tomorrow, I'd sit courtside wearing his jersey, cheering for him in front of the entire school. Saturday, I'd walk into Marcus's party on his arm.
I was becoming Kai Thornton's girlfriend in every way that mattered.
Except for the part where it was all a lie.
I pulled the jersey on, looked at myself in the mirror, and barely recognized the girl staring back.
My phone buzzed one more time.
K: "Send me a picture."
Me: "Why?"
K: "Because I want to see it on you."
I almost refused. Almost told him this was going too far.
But then I thought about Marcus. About the threats. About everything I stood to lose.
So I took a selfie me in his jersey, my expression neutral and sent it.
Three dots appeared immediately.
K: "Perfect. See you tomorrow, girlfriend."
I set my phone down and stared at the ceiling.
Three months. I just had to survive three months.
But as I lay there in Kai Thornton's jersey, feeling the weight of his name across my shoulders, I couldn't shake the feeling that three months was going to change everything.
And not in the way I expected.