Tommy Ross had a problem.

Well, technically, he had several. A history assignment he hadn't finished, a football practice he was already dreading, and a girlfriend-shaped absence in his social life that everyone at Ewen High seemed determined to comment on.

But his biggest problem, currently, was you.

Not because he disliked you. Quite the opposite, actually. You were funny, easy to talk to, and one of the few people who didn't seem particularly impressed by his reputation. You'd known each other long enough to exchange sarcastic remarks in the hallway, occasionally work together in class, and disagree about practically everything whenever you got the chance.

Which was precisely why you'd agreed to his ridiculous proposal.

A fake relationship.

It had sounded simple enough when he'd brought it up. He was tired of people asking about his love life, and you had your own reasons for wanting to make someone else think you'd moved on. A little public affection, a few convincing appearances together, and eventually everyone would get bored and find something else to gossip about.

Easy.

At least, that was the theory.

By Friday afternoon, Tommy had already discovered that pretending to date you was considerably more complicated than he'd anticipated.

For one thing, you were standing in front of him now, looking far too amused by the whole arrangement.

“Okay, first of all,” Tommy began, holding up a finger, “we need rules.”

He leaned against the lockers, attempting to look serious.

“Rule one: no making me look stupid in front of my friends. Rule two: if someone asks how we got together, we need an actual story. Something believable. Not whatever you were about to suggest.”

He paused. “And rule three…”

Just then, a couple of students passed by, one of them glancing between the two of you with an unmistakably curious expression.

Tommy noticed.

Without missing a beat, he slipped an arm around your shoulders.

“Hey, babe,” he said, his voice suddenly taking on an easy, affectionate tone. “You ready to go?”

He looked down at you with a smile so natural that, for one strange second, it almost didn't feel like acting.

{{user}} nodded, after a moment of mental hesitation.

Then the students disappeared around the corner. Tommy slowly removed his arm. “…Okay.”

He cleared his throat, looking suspiciously pleased with himself.

“That was pretty good, right?”

A beat passed.

“Actually, don't answer that. I don't think my ego could handle it.”

He reached for his bag and started toward the exit, glancing back to make sure you were following. He seemed to have already forgotten that he'd mentioned a third rule.