Fake Girlfriend

Monday at school was strange. I was hoping that everything wouldn’t be awkward between Cole and me, but every time I saw him, he’d go in the opposite direction. I went to find John to ask him what was up with him and Delilah, and he avoided me too. Delilah refused to let me know why she seemed upset during our sleepover, and I was hoping for some insight. It seemed unlikely I was going to get it.

Despite that, I saw John, Cole, and Lex in the hall and did not hesitate to approach them. They all look grim and serious, which may have fitted Cole just fine, but it looked strange on Lex and John. They all noticed me walking towards them, and John’s eyes shifted away from me, and Lex’s face transformed into the usual goofy grin almost instantly. Cole’s eye met mine for just a second, and then I heard him murmur that he had to go to the bathroom and left.

Cole was avoiding me; I knew so instantly. Whether it had to do with Friday’s date or not, I wasn’t sure, but nonetheless, it made me feel very unwanted. Not to mention, John wouldn’t meet my gaze, and Lex’s expression had changed so drastically when he saw me. I was definitely not wanted here.

I shifted uncomfortably. “Uh, hey,” I said.

“Hey Thisbe,” Lex said, being friendly enough. “Everything okay?”

“I could say the same thing,” I muttered, almost silently, but I think they heard me. I looked to John, who still would look directly at me. “I was just wondering if you knew where Delilah was. She isn’t at school, and she hasn’t answered my calls.”

“She wasn’t feeling too well, so she stayed home. She told me to tell you… that she had fun this weekend, I guess.” He gave a small smile. “I assume you guys hung out?”

“Yeah, we had a sleepover. She was acting a little weird, though…”

John just shrugged.

I looked over his shoulder and saw Cole turn the corner in the opposite direction of the bathrooms. My brow furrowed, and I frowned, suddenly feeling very down. I wanted Cole to talk to me, or at least look me in the eye. “Why is he avoiding me?” I accidently asked aloud.

Lex followed my gaze to Cole just before he disappeared around the corner. “Is he?” he asked.

“Yes! I haven’t talked to him since… Friday.”

“Well, you do have Lunch and History to talk to him, right?”

I shrugged and sighed. I couldn’t help but shake the feeling that there was something seriously wrong. Everyone was acting just the tinniest bit strange. It felt like Lex was forcing his goofy niceness, and John still wouldn’t look at me. I didn’t like this feeling.

Suddenly the bell rung, and Lex smiled apologetically. “Sorry, we got to get to class.” I was pretty sure Lex and John didn’t even have next period together, but I didn’t bother commenting. Lex poked my cheek and stuck his tongue. “Now, don’t look so glum, ‘kay?”

I nodded, but frowned.

“See ya, Thisbe,” John murmured, and they left, leaving me in the middle of the slowly crowding hallway.

***

Even at Lunch, Cole managed to avoid me. In fact, Lex and John weren’t there either. I had no idea where they went, but no doubt they were together, talking about whatever they had been talking about before I had interrupted them in the hallway. I frowned when I walked to our table with Duncan from out last class to find their usual seats empty. They were the ones that were usually early, so I knew immediately that they weren’t going to come today. I sat and rest my head on my arms on the table. I stared at Cole’s empty seat next to me.

“Something the matter?” Duncan asked, sitting down in Cole’s seat.

“Cole’s avoiding me. And him, John, and Lex are hiding something from me, I think,” I answered.

“Really?” he asked, cocking his eyebrow.

I nodded.

“John’s been acting pretty strangely, when I think about it,” Sam said from the other side of the table. I hadn’t even realized he and Lola had sat down. His mouth was half full with a sandwich. “He didn’t say too much in homeroom this morning, and it didn’t look like he got much sleep.”

“He skipped gym,” Kyle said, overhearing as he sat at my other side in Lex’s usual seat.

“But Lex and Cole seem fine,” Lola added.

“When has either of those two ever given a hint that something is bothering them?” Sam said.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

Duncan sighed. “Let’s just say, those two have gone through more than their shares of misery, and never once have they shared that with any of us.”

I wanted to ask what exactly Duncan meant, but I knew none of them wanted to expand on that issue. Their shares of misery? Was Cole miserable? He certainly didn’t seem like it, but I guess that was the point. I suddenly felt worried about him, even though he’d been avoiding me.

I sighed. “I just wish I knew why they’re avoiding me,” I said.

Duncan chuckled, breaking the tension that seem to linger among us. “Don’t worry about it too much. Knowing them, I’m sure it’s something stupid. They’ll get over it.” I shrugged. Duncan jabbed me in the side, making me sit up, yipping involuntarily. He grinned. “Cheer up, will ya? You’re really going to let those morons bring you down?”

I smiled. “No.”

He winked and grinned again. “That’s what I like to hear.”

***

Even with Duncan’s convincingness, Cole still got to me, especially during History. I sat behind him, but he didn’t even look at me. I frowned, frustrated, and I barely noticed when Brad sat next to me with a smile. Brad. Funny, I hadn’t even thought of him since he left my place Friday before ice skating with Cole.

My cheeks turned a little red at the thought of that date… and that kiss. Was Cole ignoring me because I pushed him away? I mean, I thought after he dropped me off, everything was resolved. Could he really—

“Thisbe Byrd. Cole Ramsey. Brad Halley,” Mrs Hallo said. We all looked up. “May one of you read an article from your paper?”

“I’ll do it, Mrs. Hallo,” Brad offered. He placed his hand on the paper, lying on my desk. He held his hand there until I looked up at him, and he smiled with a wink. He then picked it up and began to read the article he wrote.

Meanwhile, I paid no attention. Usually, a wink from Brad would make me faint inside, but I felt nothing. How strange. I hadn’t really seemed the same way since the Halloween dance. The way he sucked in all the attention when the two of us were dancing… it just made me feel weird. Like something was up. Just like now, with John, Lex, and Cole.

I glared at the back of Cole’s head, not dwelling on the topic of Brad. Cole’s ignorance was getting ridiculous. He wouldn’t even acknowledge me. I furiously scribbled him a note: What is up with you? I folded it up and threw it over his shoulder onto his desk.

He unfolded it, and to my surprise, he began writing back. When he was done, he lightly tossed it back over his shoulder, with perfect aim right on my desk: I can’t say.

My brows furrowed. Can’t say?: Why not?

I tossed it back, a watchful eye on Mrs. Hallo who was contently shuffling papers on her desk, listening to Brad read. The paper landed again on my desk: Because it’s not my place to say. Sorry. They’ll tell you when they want to.

They? I wrote and tossed it back.

I want to tell you, but I can’t. Just be patient. They’ll tell you.

I furiously scribbled back. WHO?!

Cole’s shoulders slumped a little as the opened the note and wrote back. Instead of tossing it over his shoulder, he twisted in his seat, finally looking me in the eye with miserable eyes. They were almost… begging me. I took the note from him, our hands touching for just the slightest moment.

Thisbe, please. I really can’t tell you.

“Ms. Byrd, Mr. Ramsey, is there something you’d like to share?” Mrs. Hallo asked, her gaze over her glasses at us.

I quickly crumpled the note and shoved it in my jacket pocket. “No. Sorry,” I said. I had to admit, I was mad. I hated that Cole was hiding something from me. But, really, what was I expecting? He had hid a lot from me. Like his purpose for going out with me in the first place to get Caroline jealous. Just bringing that thought back to my mind made me even more angry. Then, there was the question as to why I was still his fake girlfriend. And what’s more, Cole never shared his background with me. I knew nothing of Cole Ramsey, in truth.

In any case, I was mad, and as soon as class was over, I got out of there. Brad followed, chuckling a little as he came up to my side. He didn’t sense my anger. “You always are so quick to get out of that class. Don’t even wait for your boyfriend.” He smiled. “You must really hate History.”

“That’s not really the problem…” I murmur, unintentionally rude.

Brad frowned. I sighed, realizing that I had been pushing Brad away lately. He hadn’t done anything to deserve me blowing out my hot air at him. I covered my anger with a smile. “Anyways, how is everything going?” I asked.

He scratched his neck and smiled sheepishly, shaking off my at-first rudeness. “Pretty good, actually,” he said. “I sorta asked a girl out this weekend. “

I tried to hide my surprise. Sure, I hadn’t thought much of Brad lately, but you don’t get over a crush of four years just like that. “Aw! Who?” I said, despite myself.

“Eliza Banks,” he answered.

Eliza was one of those girls who hung with the sporty girls. She was a junior who had been on varsity soccer since her freshmen year, and now played varsity on basketball as well. The only reason I knew who she was was because she was practically the only reason our soccer team made States last year. Honestly, she didn’t seem all that interested in relationships, and she didn’t usually hang out with Brad’s crowd, so I wondered why he was now going out with her.

Even so, I smiled pleasantly. “Is that why you left my house early on Friday?” I asked.

He chuckled sheepishly. “Yeah. Is it bad that I almost forgot about our first date?”

I laughed. “Just a bit.”

Ben grinned. “Well, I gotta go. See you later?”

I gave a little wave. “Yup. See you.”

As soon as he was gone, my shoulders slumped. Cole was hiding something from me, and now, Brad was over me. I sighed.

“So do you get to talk to Cole yet?” a voice asked, startling me and making me jump. I turned around to see Duncan, laughing. “Sorry, did I startle you?” He then noticed the hurt in my eyes, and he frowned. “Hey, are you alright?”

I touched my cheek to make sure there were no tears. “Yeah.”

Duncan didn’t buy it. “What happened?”

“Nothing. Cole wouldn’t tell me anything,” I answered.

His brow furrowed. “He wouldn’t tell you?”

I shook my head.

Just then, Cole came out of the room, bookbag slung over one shoulder and he glanced at us. “Well then, let’s go ask him now.” Duncan put his hand on my shoulder and began guiding me forward towards him.

I tried to turn around, but Duncan was too strong, his arm firmly around my shoulder. “Duncan!” I shrieked softly. “No.”

“Aw come on. It can’t hurt.”

“Duncan,” I hissed sternly, desperateness seeping into my voice. I tore from his grip, but he still wouldn’t let me pass behind him. I tried pushing him back. “Please,” I begged. It was getting hard to hold back the tears. “I really don’t want to talk to him right now, okay?” I think we were close enough to Cole for him to hear, but I didn’t care. “Please.”

Duncan frowned and let me go, and I quickly walked away, taking deep breaths and calming myself down. This was just stupid; I wasn’t about to cry about it. Just when I thought I had control over my tears, I began to hear Cole following me, saying my name. Since Friday, that was the first time he’d said anything to me. I walked faster.

“Bumblebee,” he called.

Without thinking, I stopped and turned around, tears in my eyes. “I told you to stop calling me th—“

He caught up and gently grabbed each of my arms. “You’re such a little kid, crying all the time,” he teased.

I winced. Really, he should know that this wasn’t the time to be making fun of me. Did he not know I was mad at him? “You’re keeping a secret from me,” I said, ignoring his comment, and pulling myself from his grip.

He frowned. “I’m allowed to have secrets, you know.”

Why did those words sting so bad? “I… I just thought—“ My voice was failing me. I thought after Friday that… well, that things would be different. “This has something to do with me, and I want to know what it is,” I said instead.

“Thisbe, I really can’t say…” Cole said.

“Why?!” I shouted frustrated.

Cole grabbed my arms again. “Because I swore not to tell you, and I guarantee, it’s the hardest promise I ever had to keep.” His eyes got soft. “It’s impossible to look at you and not tell you, but it be much better if they did.”

I couldn’t stay angry when Cole was giving me that pathetic look. “You can’t tell me you ‘they’ are?” I murmured.

“I’m sorry…”

I sighed, wiping stray tears with my arm. Suddenly, Cole wrapped me in a hug that made my heart thump. He rested his chin on my head. “I’m really sorry. I don’t like not being able to tell you, but trust me, okay?”

I couldn’t help but rest my head on his shoulder. “I guess.”

“You guess?” he asked, more humorous and less serious.

I gave a short laugh. “Okay, I’ll trust you.” I couldn’t seem to stay mad or frustrated with Cole holding me so tight. He didn’t let go for a while, but the longer he held me, the more it felt like my anger was washing away. Eventually, I laughed and tried to get out of his grip. “You can let go now,” I said.

He chuckled and locked his hands together behind my waist.

“Cole!” I laughed, squirming around.

He stuck his tongue out at me. “Glad to see you laughing again.

I poked his forehead. “Glad to see you talking again.”

Eventually, we realized how close we were to each other. I was literally up against him. Friday in the ice rink came to mind, and my face got warm. Cole looked a little red, too. He let me go.

“Freedom,” I cheered, trying to cover my embarrassment.

Cole chuckled and stuck his hands in his pockets. Funny how neither of us brought up Friday night, and yet at the same time, the lines between fake and real in our relationship were becoming more and more unclear. What exactly the status of us?