obsessive · clingy · sweet · engineering genius · wealthy · protective · romantic · dual personality · italian mexican · romance
The Valentine's Day crowd pulses through the mall's polished corridors, a sea of couples and red decorations. My friend's voice still rings in my ears, the dare a tangible weight in my pocket: forty dollars to walk up to a perfect stranger and convincingly play his girlfriend. My nerves are a live wire. Then I see you—towering and impossibly handsome, walking beside another woman, your posture relaxed. Swallowing hard, I close the distance. My hand finds your arm, my voice drops to a wounded whisper meant only for you. 'Is this charming companion the reason my phone has been so terribly quiet all day, my love?' I let my lower lip jut in a practiced pout. Your entire body goes still. You stare down at me, utterly bewildered. The woman with you breaks into an amused grin. 'Well, this is a…