We Can Only Pretend for So Long

“Kyle, if he tries anything, just call me, and I’ll run over and kick his ass for you.”
“Calm down Ryan, he won’t try anything.”
“How are you so sure? You’ve only been going out with him for a little over a week, and you’ve never been on a date, so you don’t know.”
“Wow Ryan, you’re being completely over protective.”
“Sorry for worrying about my younger sister.”
“Aw, you actually care.” I teased.
My stomach churned when someone knocked on the front door.
“I’ll get it.”
“Nope, I got it.”
My brother and I raced towards the door, him getting there first of course.
“Oh, hey.” Must be Jacob.
“Hey, Kylie ready?”
“Her name’s Kyle, and hold on.” Ryan pulled me back into the kitchen, leaving the door wide open.
“Do you remember what I said?”
“Do you remember what I said?”
“What did you say?”
“That my brother actually cares, isn’t it cute?”
“Whatever.”
“It’s just like old times, I wonder if you’re still ticklish.” I said with a smirk.
“Don’t do it Ky.”
“Apparently so.” And thus began the chase.
Ryan ran up the stairs, me hot on his heels, about to take the first step.
A hand wrapped around my wrist and pulled me sideways. I stood there shocked, for two reasons.
Reason one: Jacob had just pulled me straight to him, no room between us as he held onto my waist.
Reason two: There was some odd feeling soaring through my stomach as he looked down at me through his hair.
“Are you ready to go?” I nodded my head, trying to get rid of the feeling.
That wasn’t much of a problem when he let go and began to walk off.
I followed close behind, trying not to slip on the ice.
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
“This isn’t even a real date and you’re trying to surprise me?”
“Just get in the car.” I did as he said and waited as he slid into the passenger seat. “So what should we listen to?”
“Sing it loud.”
“Sing what loud?” He asked confused, and I couldn’t stop myself from laughing. “What?”
“It’s a band. How have you never heard of Sing it Loud?”
“Do they play them on the radio?”
“Not that I know of.”
“Then that’s why.”
“You only listen to stuff on the radio? Then how did you know how to play We the Kings?”
“You’re so dense sometimes. I’ve never heard of them.”
“Okay, then, how about we listen to….Starting Line.”
“I don’t know them either.”
“Motion City Soundtrack?”
“I have them. Which CD?”
“Um, Even if it Kills me.”
He reached across me to get into the glove compartment, and I once again felt that weird sensation spread through me.
He began skipping through songs until he came to number 12, which just so happened to be one of my favorite songs.

I smiled like an idiot as we sang along.
“We’re here.” In my state of la laness, I completely spaced off the fact that Jacob parked the car.
My eyes gazed up through the windshield and my smile grew even bigger. “Go-cart racing?”
“Yup.”
Quickly I jumped from the car and ran towards the door, Jacob jogging close behind.
“Two please.” I hurried the worker while my date pulled out his wallet.
“Fifteen dollars please.”
He paid before taking our passes in one hand, and my hand in the other.
“How much do I owe you?”
“You don’t owe me, we’re on a date remember?”
“But it’s not real.” I whispered as I noticed how many people from school were here.
“I don’t care.” He whispered right back. “So, do you want to eat first, or ride first?”
“Um, let’s get a snack first, and then we can ride!”
So, we did just that, getting a deal of nachos and sharing it before we scurried off to the little cars.
“You better get the car in front of me.”
“Oh? Why?”
“If you get the car next to mine, I’m gonna totally smoke you, it’ll be way too easy.”
“You wish.”
We sat in the cars parked right next to one another, buckling our seat belts and what not.
“Okay, a few rules before we get started today. No bumping, and keep your hands in your car at all times. Now, have fun.” The lame man with the mullet opened the front gate and let us loose.
My line of cars seemed to be moving faster than Jacob’s, because it seemed within a matter of seconds, I was leaving him behind.
The wind whipped in my hair as I drove behind the leader, trying to find the best way to get around him when I heard someone speak my name.
“Hey Kyle, how’s it goin?” Jacob pulled up next to me, smirking as he drove one handed.
“Jacob, you loser, how’d you get up here so fast?” I giggled as I went between watching him and the road.
“I told you it would be easy to beat you.”
“You really think so?”
“Yeah, I do.” He shot me a big smile, that squinted his eyes shut, so of course he wasn’t able to see my attack.
“No Bumping!”
But Jacob quickly retorted and slammed me into the wall.
I’m pretty sure my laughter could be heard through out the whole arena.
Not only did Jacob run me into the wall, but he waited for me to get back to the middle before he grabbed my wheel. “J, let go!” I laughed as he jerked my steering wheel back and forth.
“Keep your hands in your own car!”
“Make me!” So I tried doing just that by grabbing onto his wheel.
Let’s just say, that didn’t really work out.
It actually caused this big crash, and while everyone else was kind of fuming, Jacob and I were laughing our asses off.
“You two, get out now.” Once again the dude with the mullet had to ruin the fun.
Jacob grabbed my hand and dragged me through the front doors, tears now rolling down my cheeks I was laughing so hard.
“We so need to do that again.” He said, laughing just as hard.
“If we’re ever allowed back in.”
We smiled at each other, and that feeling I’ve felt twice before, with any hatred I felt towards him, was leaving a little trail behind us.
He squeezed my hand lightly and everything came crashing back into reality.
Jacob. This is Jacob, not Nick. Don’t get too excited, just a fake relationship, with an idiot.
Using my free hand I wiped away the tears and led the idiot to his car.
“What should we do now?”
“I don’t know, how long have we been gone?”
“About an hour.”
“Um, lets-”
“Go ice skating.” Jacob finished for me.
“Ice skating? I don’t think I can do that.”
“And why not?”
“I don’t know how.”
Jacob looked away from the road for two seconds in shock. “You’ve never been ice skating?”
“No.”
“But, I thought you went with me and Jay that one year.”
“No, I never went ice skating with you guys. Ry has, but I haven’t.”
“Well, I bet you’ll do fine, and if you fall-”
“You’ll help me back up?”
“No, I’ll laugh at your clumsy ass.” He chuckled.
“Jerk.”
The ride to the skating rink was quiet, even with Motion city singing in the background.
“What size?”
“Um, ten please.”
“Here ya go.” The lady behind the counter handed me some skates before giving Jacob his.
We sat down at a table and I tried desperately to get the skates to cooperate.
“Jacob, I might need your help.”
“And why’s that?” He asked his feet as he finished lacing his blades.
“I can’t do this.”
His eyes looked over at me before trailing down to my shoes.
Expertly, Jacob laced my skates and helped me stand.
“I’m going to fall aren’t I?”
“Probably.”
“I’m going to fall a lot.” I said mostly to myself as I glanced out at the other skaters.
“Well it is your first time.”
“You go first.”
Jacob stepped onto the ice backwards, keeping my hands held tight in his. “Now you.” I stood there for a moment, just staring. “Come on Kyle, people are gonna get upset.”
As carefully as I possibly could I stepped onto the ice, hating the way my feet slid with out me willing them to. My body slowly moved towards Jacob.
“Okay, are you ready?”
“No.”
“Good.”
The loser on ice began skating backwards, pulling me along with him. “I said no Jacob.”
“Which means yes.”
“In this case it actually means no.”
“I know.” He said with a smirk.
“Then why’d you go?”
“Cuz if I wouldn’t have moved you now, you never would have.”
“Did you bring me ice skating just to see me fall?”
“Of course I did, but so far you haven’t, maybe I should let go of your hands.”
“No!” I squeezed his hands tightly.
“Okay okay, I won’t let go.” He chuckled.
We skated that way for quite a while, looking at each other and then elsewhere.
Something Bri said just a few days before our ‘thrilling’ game of truth or dare replayed through my head.
“Maybe you two actually really like each other and you’re just trying to cover it up by saying you hate each other.”
That’s completely ridiculous. I don’t really like Jacob, just slightly.
And it’s only because he’s pretending to be nice to me. Yeah, his looks are part of it, but him being a jerk over rules all of it.
“I think you should take me home now.”
“Um, alright, but we have to go around again.”
“Why?”
“Cuz we can’t cut across.”
“That guy did.” Reaching our hands up I somehow managed to pull the front of my shirt up, and guess what? It stuck.
I squealed and pulled it down.
“Was that a tattoo?” Jacob asked astounded.
“Sh, be quiet.”
A few girls from our high school skated by.
“You guys are so cute together.”
“Yeah. I always knew that hate thing was just an act.”
“Totally. Oh! Hey, we’re taking pictures for the yearbook, mind if we snatch one of you two?”
“Uh sure.”
“Just, keep skating and doing what you’re doing, pretend we’re not here.” So Jacob continued to skate us around, cracking a joke about one of the girls hair that had both of us laughing.
“Aww, it’s perfect. I’ll give you a copy tomorrow Kyle.”
“Thanks guys.”
“Bye.”
We didn’t even say anything as they skated off.
“Now, about that ta-”
“Sh, no okay?”
“Fine, we’ll discuss this later.”
“No, we won’t.” I nearly biffed it stepping off of the ice, but I somehow caught myself.
___________________________
“I really think you could’ve done that by yourself.” Jacob said as I walked behind the car to the other side.
“No I cou-” I stopped mid-word as something tugged on my jeans.
You know that little red random tag that some jeans have on the side of the back pocket? Yeah, the car decided it looked tasty and bit it. “Uh, Jacob, I might need your help again.”
“Why now?” He asked but came back anyways.
“Your car is trying to eat my jeans.”
“How do you even get in situations like this?”
“I have no idea, can you just get me unhooked please?”
“Yeah, hold still.” So I did just that, until he grabbed the tag, touching my butt slightly. “Sorry.”
My cheeks turned scarlet. “Not the first time.”
“I’ve never touched your butt before.”
“Well, not you-”
“Guys have touched your butt before? Like who?”
“Uh, no one.” I tried moving to the side slightly so he couldn’t touch me.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m trying to move so you’re not touching my butt.”
“Kyle, the tags on your butt, besides, I thought you were used to it.”
“I’m not-”
“Who’s touched your butt?”
“Just some idiots at school, what’s it matter?”
“Got it.” I took that as an end to that.
“Thank you.”
“Yeah. Maybe you should be more careful.”
“Maybe you should tell your car not to eat my pants.”
“I guess he thinks you look tasty.”
“It’s a he?” I questioned as I snapped in my seat belt.
“Well yeah, my best friend can’t be a girl.” He snorted.
“Your car is your best friend? That’s sad.”
He cranked up the music, pretending that he didn’t hear me.
The ride to my house seemed to take forever, yet, it didn’t seem long enough at the same time.
“Should I walk you to your door?”
“Yeah, I suppose you should.” Jacob jumped out of the car and ran to my side, lending me his hand after he opened the door. “Thank you.”
We walked extremely slow up to my porch, commenting on something randomly. Finally, the door stood to my right as I faced Jacob.
“I had a lot of fun tonight.”
“Yeah, so did I.”
The curtains swayed and I smirked.
But that suddenly faded as Jacob’s hand cupped my cheek, caressing the skin gently with his thumb. Our eyes connected and my breath caught in my throat.
He must have seen Ryan too.
Slowly he leaned in, our faces getting closer and closer together.
“Kyle, get inside now.” He said before yanking me in the house.
“Ryan!” I squealed. “Bye Jacob.”
“Bye Ky-” Ryan slammed the door before he could even finish my name.
“Why are you being such a jerk?”
“I don’t like the idea of you having a boyfriend.”
“You liked the idea with my other boyfriends.”
I stormed up the steps and slammed the door.
Jesus, who does he think he is? Dad? Doesn’t like the idea of me having a boyfriend. Psh, he just doesn’t like the idea of Jacob being my boyfriend.
I stopped brushing through my hair and stood completely still.
Oh god. What’s wrong with me? He’s not actually my boyfriend. He’s my enemy, we’re just trying to pull a prank on everyone, that’s it.
Whipping out my cell phone I called Bri, who answered on the first ring. “How was your date?”
A smile that I had no intention on putting there spread across my face. “It was great.”
“Well!? Tell me about it!”
I giggled before telling her every last detail, except the whole thing being a prank of course.
Knowing Bri, she would tell this to Monny, and she’d tell Josh, who would be thoroughly pleased.
“That’s so cute! See, I told you!”
“Told me what?”
“That you really like him.”
“Yeah, I know.”
Believe me, I know.
“I gotta go, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Alright, later.” I closed my phone before laying back on my bed.
If Jacob would just be his stupid jerky self when we’re alone this wouldn’t happen.
I mean, the only reason I’m slightly, crushing, is because he’s pretending to be nice.
Does someone up there hate me? Because this is really crappy.
My eyes flutter to a close and I fell into a dream filled sleep, all containing Jacob, and all containing the hurtful things he’s ever done.
By the time the alarm clock beeped in my ear, that once burnt out flame re-sparked, setting my hatred towards Jacob on fire yet again.
Why would I even like the idiot anyways? I asked myself, rubbing the shampoo a little too roughly into my scalp.
The bastard tried to kill me.
Why the hell is it so cold?
Quickly I tightened the towel around my body and hastily finished getting ready for school.
“You ready Ky?” Ryan yelled up the stairs.
I fixed my purple eyeliner before running down the stairs.
“Kyle, about last night-”
“Don’t worry about it Ry. Let’s just go to school.”
Ryan took my ‘cheery’ voice and dropped the subject.
The ride to school was short and sweet, no conversations, which meant no talking, which meant no fighting.
Bri was waiting on the hood of her car when we pulled into the parking lot.
Oh no, no, why? Why did I have to agree to this stupid prank?
Now I have to pretend to like Jacob.
“Kyle!” She squealed as I jumped down to the pavement. “Tell me all about it!”
“Bri.” I groaned. “I told you last night.”
“I know, but it’s so cute.”
“What’s cute?” No, god no. Please be an illusion.
“Your date last night.”
The school hallways were slightly crowded as we walked towards homeroom.
“Oh yeah, it was great.” He smiled, trying to wrap his arm around my waist.
But, that wasn’t happening. I pushed him as hard as I could into a locker.
“Kyle! What’d you do that for!?” Bri shrieked.
“Old habits die hard I suppose.”
A yelp escaped my throat as my feet left the floor and I was spun quickly, just barely missing the random students. “Put me down!”
The idiot put me down, but didn’t release me.
Probably a good thing though, because I wouldn’t be able to stand on my own.
“Stupid jerk.” I mumbled, swaying slightly.
“Why’d you push me?” He whispered in my ear.
“You tried to kiss me when I specifically told you not to.”
“You didn’t tell me not to last night.”
“You’re so…..ugh!” With my balance regained I stormed out of his arms.
Bri was only a few classrooms away, so I didn’t have far to go before we met up.
“We’re playing truth or dare at your house tonight.”
I shrugged my shoulders and walked into class, letting the rest of the day blur together.