And it begins

I headed back to class, my mind still contemplating what had just happened. Was I really dating Jake, the hottest guy in school? We had exchanged contacts and followed each other on social media.Jake had mentioned he would text me about what I needed to do.

"We are dating?" I remember asking, clearing my throat to steady my voice. "Fake dating, but it's not going to involve... you know what?" I said, avoiding direct eye contact.

A mischievous smirk crept across Jake's face as he took a step closer. "I'm trying to make Samantha jealous, and she's not one to be easily fooled," he leaned in, his voice a low whisper in my ear. "You should be prepared for anything," he said, causing me to flinch. A chuckle escaped his lips.

"See you tomorrow, cupcake," he walked away, leaving me in confusion

"Cupcake," I muttered to myself, trying to process the situation.

Shaking my head, I pushed the scenario to the back of my mind and entered the classroom. Just as I was about to step in, a firm grip pulled me into a corner. I let out a sigh of relief when I realized it was Matilda.

"What was that?" she asked, her hands tightly wrapped around her chest. "Dude, you guys almost touched lips. You can't tell me you're not dating. He nearly kissed you in front of the whole class!" Her words spilled out in a hurried and excited manner.

I quickly covered her mouth with my right hand, my eye cautiously scanning passing students. "Shh! Keep it down," I whispered.

"We are not actually dating," I leaned in closer to Matilda. "We're just pretending... just for two months," I explained, withdrawing my hand from her mouth.

"Why?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "That doesn't make any sense to me."

I shook my head and sighed in frustration. It seemed I had no other choice than to tell the whole story for Matilda to comprehend it fully.

Taking a deep breath, I recounted everything that had unfolded, starting from the restroom encounter, the breakup, the confrontation, and finally, the unexpected proposal. Matilda experienced a roller coaster of emotions as I narrated each event.

"Do you know what this means?" she squealed in excitement, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"That we have a chance to meet Blackpink in person," I stated matter-of-factly.

"Well, that..." she paused. "And also because you have a chance with Jake," she added, her voice brimming with excitement.

"What?" I asked, a confused expression on my face. "What part of what I just said don't you understand?"

Rolling her eyes, Matilda playfully nudged my shoulder. "This reminds me of that K-drama... umm, what's it called again?" She furrowed her brow, racking her brain for a moment. "Business Proposal!" she exclaimed, triumphantly recalling the show's name.

"Matilda, this is not some kind of fiction story with cliché twists that go the way the writer wants. This is real life," I scoffed, trying to emphasize the difference. "Besides, he's not the kind of guy I see myself actually dating."

"That's what they all say," Matilda teased, bumping my shoulder before hopping back to class. I shook my head and followed her.

***

Night had fallen, and I found myself stepping out of the shower, a towel wrapped around my chest. Droplets of water trickled down my hair, prompting me to grab another towel to dry it. Just as I settled onto the bed, my phone began to ring, startling me.

It was Jake, calling me on FaceTime. I let out a weary sigh before making my way to the chair by the small mirror attached to the wall, where my makeup, skincare products, and hair essentials were neatly arranged. Placing my phone on the mirror, I answered the FaceTime call, absentmindedly drying my hair with the towel.

"What do you want?" I asked, my gaze fixated on my reflection in the mirror, rather than directly at the phone. Jake's face appeared on the screen, as if he was laying on a bed.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

I paused, diverting my attention back to the phone. "What does it look like I'm doing, stupid?" I scoffed, attempting to hide my slight annoyance. "Why are you calling me this late?"

"We're going to school together tomorrow. Send me your address, and I'll come pick you up," he declared.

"Are you for real?" I asked, a mix of surprise and doubt. It seemed unlikely that he would go to such lengths.

"Do I look like I'm joking?" he answered, using his left hand to slick back his hair. "Send me your address. I'm picking you up at 7:30 am."

"What...?" I began, but he abruptly hung up before I could finish my statement. I let out a frustrated sigh. Finishing up my skincare routine, I changed into my pajamas, preparing to settle in for the night.

Lying quietly in bed, my gaze fixated on the ceiling, I remembered that I had yet to send my home address. I reached for my phone, which lay on the table beside me. Opening Jake's contact, I typed in my address and sent it. The message marked with a blue tick indicated that he had seen it. Despite the late hour, I couldn't help but wonder why he was still awake.

"Why are you still awake?" I typed, contemplating whether to send the message or not. Ultimately, I decided against it. It wasn't my place to ask, and I shouldn't meddle in his affairs.

Closing my phone, I placed it back on the table. Remaining in bed, I continued to stare at the ceiling, allowing my tired eyes to gradually succumb to sleep's embrace.

Beep! Beep!

The sound of my alarm jolted me from slumber. It reverberated throughout my room, loud enough to startle me off my bed. I stumbled and found myself landing on the floor with a thud.

"Ouch," I groaned, rubbing my sore backside. Glancing at the alarm clock, I realized it was 5:30 am. I hadn't gotten enough sleep. I wondered why I kept going to bed late despite the consequences. Despite my tiredness , I knew I had to prepare for school, particularly since Jake would be picking me up.

I hurriedly took a shower and dressed in my school uniform. Taking extra time, I carefully applied makeup to conceal the dark circles on my face due to lack of sleep. I tied my hair up in a ponytail, a routine I was used to, packed my homework in my school bag, and climb down the stairs.

As expected, my mom was already in the kitchen, busy preparing breakfast. Glancing at the clock it was 6:30am, I took a seat at the kitchen counter and let out a tired sigh.

"You're up early... what a surprise," my mom commented, a playful tone in her voice.

"I have a friend picking me up today, so I had to be up early," I explained.

"Is this someone I know?" my mom asked curiously.

"No, you probably don't know him," I replied.

"It's a he," my dad chimed in, appearing from behind and joining the conversation with a mischievous grin.

"Dad," I groaned, anticipating his teasing. "It's not what you think."

"Oh... what was I thinking?" he teased with innocence.

Rolling my eyes playfully, I walked up to him and gave him a hug. "Good morning," I greeted, trying to divert the conversation.

"Good morning, sweetie," my dad replied warmly, placing a gentle kiss on my forehead before I pulled away.

Having finished my breakfast, I grabbed my school bag and immediately received a text from Jake.

"Meet me outside," his message read.

"Mom, I'll get going now," I informed my mom.

"Okay, sweetie," she replied.

I hurriedly left the house, closing the door behind me. As I stepped outside, my jaw dropped at the sight of a sleek, black car parked nearby.

A sharply dressed man in a black suit stood by the car's door as I approached. "Good day, miss," he greeted politely.

"Hi," I responded, momentarily at a loss for words, overwhelmed by the sight of the luxurious vehicle.

The man assisted me in opening the car door and guided me into the backseat, closing it gently after I entered. Jake was already seated inside, his attention fully absorbed by his cellphone.

"Hey," I called out, hoping to engage him in conversation. He briefly glanced at me before his gaze returned to his phone.

I couldn't help but scoff at his behavior. After all, what else did I expect?

The drive to school felt uncomfortably silent. Driving the bus to school would have been so much better.

"Hey, mister," I spoke up, addressing the driver in an attempt to break the silence. "How much longer until we reach school?"

"We'll be there in a few minutes, miss," the driver replied politely, glancing at me through the rearview mirror.

"Please, call me Piper. I prefer that," I requested, hoping to establish a more casual tone.

"Of course, Piper. We'll arrive shortly," he acknowledged, his voice accommodating.

Curiosity piqued, I further asked, "And what's your name?"

The driver appeared taken aback, seemingly surprised by my interest in him. Eventually, he responded with a slight smile, "Robert. My name is Robert."

"Nice to meet you, Robert," I greeted him warmly. "Did you know that the name Robert means 'bright fame proceeded by a noble reputation'?" I shared, a sense of satisfaction evident in my voice.

"Thank you. I wasn't aware of that," Robert replied, his smile growing more pronounced.

"You're welcome," I said happily.

As the car pulled to a stop, Robert announced, "We have arrived." His door opened, I tried to opened mine but Jake stopped me. Robert stepped out to open mine.

"I could have done it myself," I commented to Jake, slightly annoyed.

As I stepped out of the car, Robert gave me a slight bow, his smile still intact, and returned to his position behind the wheel. Jake and I stood side by side at the entrance of the school, drawing the attention of onlookers. To maintain the facade, Jake took hold of my hand, intertwining our fingers.

Confused by the sudden intimacy, I couldn't help but question him, "What are you doing?"

"We want people to believe we're dating. Just play along," Jake explained, tugging gently at my hand as we walked together.

Girls stared, gasped, and whispered as they witnessed our display. Though it felt awkward and forced to me, I had no choice but to play along.