The Quarterback Fell For His Fake Girlfriend

To stop being bullied, I told a lie. I said I was dating Ethan Reed, star quarterback, campus king, the guy everyone feared, but he had absolutely no idea who I was. For weeks, I stayed close enough to make the rumor look real until the mean girls dragged me behind the football field. Still pretending you're Ethan's girlfriend? I was done for. You got a problem with my girl? In a familiar voice, Ethan wrapped an arm around my waist to escape the bullies. I lied and said I was dating the star quarterback, Chelsea. We need you to move dorm. Slipped a form across her desk. My eyes landed on the room number B203. My stomach dropped. Everyone at Elite Prep knew who lived thereValentina Reyes and her cheerleader friends, bullies. Last month, they drove a freshman to transfer schools. No, I blitted. Miss Rodriguez sighed. The decision is final. I walked out of the dorm office feeling sick. My scholarship paid for everything tuition, housing my future I couldn't afford trouble and trouble had a name Valentina Reyes the only person she feared at this school was Ethan Reed future NFL star the golden boy everyone worshiped as if summoned by my thoughts Ethan walked into class surrounded by teammates I glanced up and froze a progress report sat on his desk academic if his grades didn't improve he couldn't play next season. An idea sparked. I grabbed the history worksheet I'd completed for him that morning and marched straight over. Your homework. You did this? You need your Gpa. Also, thanks for agreeing to help me move into B203 after school. What? You know, since we're dating. dating Ethan has a girlfriend since when? I thought I'd just destroyed my own. life after school. And just like that, he played along. The room erupted again; my heart—the lie had worked. Now all I had to do was pretend to date the boy I've secretly been in love with for two years.

The girls of B203 were waiting, like sharks smelling blood. I opened the door and immediately regretted every decision I'd ever made. Chelsea Morales, Valina smiled, it wasn't friendly, I hear you're moving in, looks like it, then let's discuss rules, there it was. The initiation, the humiliation, the reason nobody wanted this dorm. My hands tightened around my suitcase. Then a shadow appeared behind me. Move. A deep voice. The room froze. Ethan Reed stepped inside carrying two huge boxes. The quarterback himself in my dorm room. Valentina looked like she'd seen a ghost. Where does this go? Ethan didn't even acknowledge her. Where does this go? Near the window, he dropped everything there, then walked back outside, returned with more boxes, returned again and again. The entire time, nobody spoke. All done. Nobody breathed. Nobody moved. Finally, Ethan straightened. I followed him to the hallway. Thank you. No problem. Then I did something reckless, something very reckless, I raised my voice. Lunch tomorrow, Ethan stopped. Text me. Half the dorm floor was listening. Ethan disappeared around the corner, and when I walked back into room 302, every girl was staring at me differently—wideeyed, confused, terrified. Wait, are you and Ethan Reed together? She looked toward the hallway, then back at me.