Let's Pretend

A month has passed. It’s been a while since Dahlia and Nate had interacted with each other. Everything resumed as it was before Dahlia asked him to be her ‘boyfriend’. The only exception, however, was that Elmer stopped stalking her. Instead, he started hanging around a bit more with Nadie. Sometimes though, Dahlia felt like a third wheel being with them. It was as if she wasn’t meant to be there tagging along.

Dahlia never admitted to Elmer of her plan, and no one would tell him. It was fine as is. He was happy. And so was Nadie. But Dahlia on the other hand…

Every time she thought of Nate, there would be sharp pains in her heart like someone was stabbing her. She felt hollow. Empty. But she continued on with her life.

Besides, they were just pretending. They didn’t actually have feelings for each other, they just faked it. She said so herself that Nate would only pretend to be her boyfriend until Elmer gave up on her. And he did. But why was she feeling this way? She hated it. Let’s face it, he didn’t like her. End of story. The end. And to think, it all started because she asked him to be a part of her ridiculous request.

“Hey Doll, are you okay?” someone asked, bringing Dahlia back to reality. Turns out, it was Elmer.

“Wait, what did you say?”

“I asked if you were okay, Dee,” he replied. She could have sworn he had called her Doll. She shook her head, trying to get rid of the reminders of him.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine.”

“Are you sure? Is it about Nate?” Nadie interjected. Dahlia stayed silent and averted her eyes. Nadie stared at her pointedly, but didn’t say anything. Her best friend shouldn’t be crying over a guy. She was better than that.

They were at the park, walking along a worn out trail… that Dahlia and Nate had wandered on together. Not again. Can’t he just get out of her thoughts?! Wait, it’s working.

“That reminds me,” Elmer started. “How come you and Nate don’t talk much anymore?” Damn. It only lasted for a second.

“Let’s just say we… broke up.”

“Seriously? I thought you guys really liked each other.”

Dahlia felt a lump in her throat and her eyes start to water. No! She wasn’t going to cry over him!

“I thought so too,” she whispered, more to herself than to Elmer. She sighed.

They continued to walk together, silently. Elmer had his arm around Nadie’s shoulder and Nadie had her arm around his waist, while Dahlia trudged behind, not wanting to bother them. Talk about being a third wheel.

“Dee, we’re going to get ice cream. Want some?” Nadie asked, looking over her shoulder. Dahlia nodded.

“But you’re paying,” Dahlia told her, playfully. Nadie smiled and looked mischievously at Elmer.

“He’s paying actually.” Elmer and Nadie laughed as they went on. Dahlia sat at the nearest picnic table and chuckled to herself.

“You wish,” she heard Elmer say.

Dahlia crossed her legs and looked around the park. It was vivid today. There were no clouds in sight and the sun was shining brightly. The grass seemed greener and the inhabitants of the park looked livelier. There was a soft breeze that was shaking the vegetation oh-so-slightly. It was an absolutely beautiful day.

She idly glazed towards a group of people playing baseball in the field. A guy glanced at her—someone with dark hair and vibrant hazel eyes. Her heart rate shot up.

Shit! That’s Nate! Dahlia thought. Shit! Shit! Shit!

A string of profanities followed after. She turned away from the field and wished for Nadie and Elmer to hurry back. She hid her face in a curtain of brown hair as she propped her elbow on the table and leaned her head on her hand, trying to conceal herself. Only it made her stand out more.

Then she thought, Why am I hiding from him? There’s nothing to be worried about. Is there?

She pushed her hair back and sat upright.

“Hey, Dahlia,” someone greeted, softly. She turned to look behind her and was face-to-face with Nate. She nearly had a heart attack. She quickly stood up to cover her awkwardness.

“Hey, Nate.” She nodded towards him. He cleared his throat and stood uncomfortably, shifting his weight from one foot to another. He was perspiring pretty heavily, whether it was because he was nervous or that he just came from playing. Dahlia assumed it was the latter.

“H-how’s it been going? For- uh... you?” he stuttered. Is that how their relationship ended? Succumbed to small talk? Albeit, it was kind of cute the way he stumbled with his words… Dahlia mentally slapped herself. She should really stop thinking those thoughts.

“It’s been good, I guess,” she lied. She didn’t want him to know that she was miserable. “How about you?”

Nate stared at her weirdly. His face was indifferent at first. Then he furrowed his eyebrows and scrunched up his face.

“Oh, fuck this!” he shouted as he swiftly took a step towards Dahlia.

She felt her back hit the edge of the table. Nate was so close to Dahlia that she could feel heat emanating from him.

He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand and pushed her bangs away from her eyes. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. She couldn’t find any other explanation. It was so bad she felt like puking. But she didn’t want to add another embarrassment on her list of humiliations.

Nate cupped her chin. Dahlia’s heart raced as her eyes fluttered from his eyes to his lips. Then he kissed her.

It was rough, yet gentle. He didn’t want to hurt her, it seemed.

Dahlia couldn’t help it. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself closer to him. Nate dropped his hand from her chin and embraced her. She felt her cheeks reddening, but she didn’t care. They broke away a second later.

And she didn’t think it could get any more bizarre. But it did. Out of the whole time they were ‘together’, he never blushed. And yet, he was blushing now! She smiled. Then she registered the scene around her. His friends were hollering and whistling at them. Her eyes widened. They were watching?! It appeared that they got bored, a while later, and continued to play their sport.

Nate put his hands behind his neck and smiled sheepishly. He then looked down, apparently taking an interest of his shoes.

“I still like you, you know,” he mumbled. She looked at him.

“I’m sorry what?” Dahlia asked. She didn’t hear him.

“I like you,” he repeated, louder. This time she heard. The corners of her lips curled into a playful smile.

“I can’t hear you that well.”

“Dammit, Dahlia! I fuckin’ love you!” he shouted, throwing his hands in the air. She laughed.

Grabbing his hands, she said, “If it makes you feel better, I love you too.”

“That was clichéd,” Nate commented, smiling.

“I know,” Dahlia replied. “I just wanted you to embarrass yourself for once.”

“Consider it done. Wait. I gotta ask you something.”

“And that is?”

“Will you be my girlfriend? My real girlfriend, I mean.” He had a smirk on his face and Dahlia returned it.

“I’ll think about it.”

His face fell. There was a mix of confusion and disbelief on his face. Dahlia couldn’t help but giggle.

“I thought about it!” she exclaimed a moment later.

“Well…?”

“My answer is yes.”

Nate smiled and hugged Dahlia.

“Whoa, whoa! Whoa!! What is going on here?!” It was Nadie’s voice. She had separated Dahlia and Nate by going between them and blocking them from each other.

Dahlia looked at Elmer and he shrugged. He had three ice cream cones in his hand, presumably his, Nadie’s, and Dahlia's.

Nadie pointed an accusing finger at Nate.

“What do you think you’re doing?! How dare you taint my Dee?!!” she yelled. She came over and hugged Dahlia, shielding her from Nate.

Nate and Dahlia’s eyes met and they smiled slightly. Leave it to Nadie to overreact.

“Why were you hugging her, you monster?!”

“I can’t hug my girlfriend?” he said, nonchalantly.

She gasped dramatically and glared at him. Apparently, she and Nate were having a stare-off.

“Why are you here?” Nadie started, grimacing.

“Uh, it’s a park.”

“The ice cream’s melting,” Elmer interrupted, though they ignored him. He shrugged and ate his cone. Dahlia took her cone from him and started to eat it. She knew what was going to happen; Nadie was going to interrogate him until he was uncomfortable.

“Why did you come back?”

“For Do- I mean Dahila.”

Nadie threw question after question at Nate and he answered just as fast.

“Why did you hurt Dee?” she finally asked.

“I did? I didn’t mean to. I thought she didn’t like me as much as I liked her…” he trailed on, looking remorseful. He stole a glance at Dahlia, who was eating and speculating.

“Mm-hmm. Then why were you so cold to her when you guys ‘broke up’?” she added air quotes for effect, showing him that she knew what really happened.

“I thought she didn’t like me! I thought that that was it! I didn’t want it to end, but it did!”

“So then you grew some balls just now and asked her out again?”

“YES!” he shouted, exasperated. Nadie sniffed as she crossed her arms. Then she smiled genuinely.

“Fine, I approve of you, Nathaniel Pierce. But if you make her cry, so help me, I will shoot you.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” he told her, recalling their parents’ occupation. He smiled as he sat beside Dahlia and wrapped his arm around her.

Nadie sat down too, next to Elmer.

“Hey,” Elmer started. “This is like a double date.”

Nate and Dahlia looked at each other and intertwined their fingers. No doubt, Elmer and Nadie did the same.

Everyone smiled. It was like a double date.