Chapter 3: The Girlfriend Contract

Just then, he messaged me: [Can you come downstairs?]

My heart jumped. I scrambled to the window, peeking through the blinds. There he was, waiting under the maple tree, hands in his pockets.

I ran to the balcony and saw him standing under the maple tree. Sensing me, he looked up and mouthed something.

He smiled up at me, a little crooked, like he was in on some private joke. I waved, nerves jangling. This felt unreal.

I hurried downstairs, and before I could bring up the confessions page, he suddenly said, "Will you be my girlfriend?"

He didn’t waste any time. I blinked, trying to process his words.

My eyes went wide. "Huh?"

I wasn’t sure I’d heard him right. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it might burst.

He looked down, long lashes half-hiding his eyes. "Just pretend," he mumbled.

His voice was softer now, almost shy. I caught a hint of pink in his cheeks.

"I get a lot of confessions. It’s becoming a problem."

He sounded tired, like this wasn’t the first time he’d had to deal with it. I almost felt sorry for him—almost.

Was this some kind of humble brag?

I snorted, but bit my tongue. He seemed sincere, not arrogant.

"In return, I’ll never tell anyone about you popping my mom’s bike chain off."

He glanced at me, a little smile tugging at his lips. I grinned back.

My eyes lit up. "Deal!"

I stuck out my hand, sealing the bargain. It felt like we were making a pact in a spy movie.

Was I getting the short end of the stick? No way!

I figured it was a win-win. I’d get peace of mind, and he’d get some breathing room. Not a bad trade.

He took my hand. "Let’s put on a show."

His grip was warm and steady. I tried not to overthink it, but my heart fluttered anyway.

He snapped a picture of our fingers intertwined.

The flash caught me off guard, but I didn’t pull away. I watched him check the photo, his expression softening just a little.

It was the first time I’d ever held hands with a guy. When he let go, my palm was sweaty with nerves.

I wiped it on my jeans, hoping he didn’t notice. My face felt hot, but I couldn’t stop smiling.

A faint smile touched his lips. "Goodnight, girlfriend."

His voice was gentle, almost teasing. I felt like I was floating as I made my way back to the dorm.

His smile hit me like a jolt of electricity. I floated back upstairs, only to hear Casey shriek, "The campus heartthrob just added me!"

She burst into the room, waving her phone. Her eyes were as wide as saucers.

Then she looked at me in shock. "Jamie, are you two together?"

She grabbed my shoulders, shaking me gently. I tried to look innocent, but my smile gave me away.

I hesitated. "Sort of, I guess."

I shrugged, not quite believing it myself. The whole thing felt surreal.

Casey sighed, posted the official announcement photo Lucas sent her to the confessions page, and the gossip crowd went wild:

Her fingers flew over her phone, and within seconds, our "relationship" was campus news. My notifications exploded.

[No way!]

[Did the eggs or the strawberries win him over? If so, I have a shot too!]

[Come on, the girl’s really impressive, okay? She had a perfect GPA her freshman year and is the class rep!]

[Wow, seriously?]

I scrolled through the comments, half amused, half mortified. It was weird seeing strangers cheer me on.

Casey used her personal account to hype me up in the comments.

She dropped compliments like confetti—"Jamie’s the best!"—and I blushed, grateful for her support.

The next day, as part of the act, he brought breakfast to our classroom—enough for my whole dorm.

He walked in with a tray of muffins and juice, looking like he’d done it a hundred times. My friends squealed, snapping photos for their stories.

Casey, eating her cupcake, was moved to tears: "Wishing you two a lifetime of happiness."

She dabbed her eyes with a napkin, grinning at me. I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t stop smiling.

I was surprised when he first showed up, but soon realized he was just fully committing to the bit.

He even winked at me, making sure everyone saw. I tried not to laugh, but failed.

I beckoned him closer, and when he leaned in, I whispered, "I don’t have to pay you for this, right?"

I tried to keep my voice low, but I could see Casey’s ears perk up. Lucas smirked.

He shot me a look and whispered back, "No."

His tone was dry, but I could see the corner of his mouth twitching.

I was so happy, I blurted out, "Love you!" before I could stop myself.

It slipped out before I could stop it. My face turned bright red. Lucas blinked, then looked away.

A faint blush crept up his face as he coughed and looked away. "I’m heading out, got class soon."

He cleared his throat, but I caught the smile tugging at his lips. I felt a little giddy.

My whole dorm waved him off: "Bye, see you!"

They chorused like a well-trained choir, giggling as he left. I shook my head, but inside, I was beaming.