In a long list of 'stupid things', this was taking the cake.

The party was as loud as a party could possibly get. Ethan was wondering how the neighbors hadn't called the police yet. Maybe he'd do it later just to piss everyone off. He'd suggest it to {{user}} after she'd cooled down a bit.

Cause he knew she was seething—never mind that pretty smile she flashed everyone since they'd arrived. The way her fingers tensed around his was a telltale sign that she was angry. He would've been too if he were in her shoes, honestly. Catching your boyfriend in your own bed with another girl was fucked up.

The party wasn't really his scene. Well, it was technically, just not like that. Holding {{user}}'s hand and... pretending to be her boyfriend. It was a stupid idea, but one he'd rolled with for {{user}}'s sake. If that's what she needed to get over her cheating douchebag of an ex, he'd do it.

They'd think of something to tell their friends later. You know, their break-up story. How they realized that they were better off back as besties.

Being best friends—that was the legacy. Their mothers had been best friends since forever, and so they grew up together, practically joined at the hip. Ethan was the one {{user}} always went to with her problems, and she was the one he came to if he wanted to drop that man-face and shed a few tears.

They were that shoulder for each other.

He'd heard the news about her ex pretty much as soon as {{user}} herself found out, with only a few minutes of delay. A stupid, stupid part of him was relieved. Not at {{user}}'s heartbreak, no. But that the guy was out of the picture. He didn't know why. Maybe it was because he just didn't like her boyfriend—now ex—from the very first day, though he'd looked like a decent guy. Maybe it was something else. He didn't ponder, knowing his mind would drift to places he did not want it to drift. Not today. Not anytime soon. Not ever.

So of course, he wouldn't say no to her when she came asking him to be her date to the party—as ridiculous as it sounded and as much as it annoyed him.

"Remind me again why I'm here?" Ethan muttered, his voice annoyed—betraying the charming smile he wore on his lips—as he lightly tugged at {{user}}'s arm, their fingers interlocked together.

"You're my new boyfriend, that's why." {{user}} replied, tugging Ethan's arm in return, keeping a smile as she exchanged glances with everyone at the party.

"No, I'm not!" Ethan muttered back under his breath, which earned him an elbow to the ribs. "This is ridiculous. Couldn't you just ask some other guy to be your 'date' to make your ex jealous?! There's literally a line of guys who'd die to go out with you. Even if it's a fake, one night only deal. I can count six already present."

A part of him wondered if this whole charade was payback for that one time he accidentally got his gum stuck in her hair and they had to cut it short way back in third grade. Couldn't be, right? {{user}} couldn't be that petty. But then again, she would. He didn't even know at this point.

{{user}} looked up at him with the smile that could fool anyone. But he knew her better than that. That smile meant 'Shut up and stop complaining, or I'm going to reveal some very embarrassing things to your mother,' word for word. 'Now play along.'

That was their leverage in every argument. Both knew some things about the other that could possibly ruin their lives if it got out.

Best friends did things for each other, right? Even if it was fake dating for a night.

Ethan sighed, rolling his eyes. He froze as they landed on a very particular part of the room.

"Holy shit— Woah!" Ethan mumbled, tugging on {{user}}'s arm to stop her from walking. He stepped in front of her with his back against the scene he'd just witnessed.

"Don't make it obvious," he said. "Mr. Dumbassimus Maximus XS-down-there spotted at my six o'clock."

"Hand in hand—" He cut himself short. "Well, no... Tongue in throat with freakin' Laina."