Fake Date, Real Trouble
📌 Synopsis
When Callie Reyes gets caught in a lie about dating her school's golden boy, she’s forced to ask him to play along—or risk total social doom. But fake dating Miles Carter comes with one condition: no real feelings, and definitely no kissing. Too bad her heart didn’t get the memo.
Part 1: The Setup
“You’re dating who now?”
That was the exact moment my entire high school career started spiraling into what can only be described as a K-drama minus the budget and cute soundtrack.
I hadn’t meant to say it. It just kind of slipped out between a mouthful of cafeteria fries and a desperate need to not look like the pathetic girl whose crush just rejected her publicly.
So when Taylor asked if I was still into Ben Rivera—who, by the way, is an emotionally stunted walking protein shake—I panicked. And instead of telling the truth like a normal, mentally stable teenager, I blurted:
“I’m actually dating Miles Carter now.”
Yes. That Miles Carter.
Mr. Perfect. Captain of the soccer team. The guy with stupidly perfect hair and a jawline that could cut through my GPA.
The guy I hadn’t spoken more than five words to in my entire life.
Taylor’s mouth dropped open.
Amber choked on her Vitamin Water.
Even Ben, two tables away, looked over like he’d just heard his name on a crime podcast.
“You’re what?” Taylor blinked.
“Dating Miles. Since last week.” I added casually, like it was no big deal that I was inventing a relationship with the most wanted boy in school. “It’s not that deep.”
They stared at me like I’d grown an extra head.
And that’s how it started.
By seventh period, the entire school had heard about my imaginary romance.
And by eighth period, I was being followed by Olivia Langston—Miles’s ex and social media demon queen—with her heels clicking like a countdown to my funeral.
“Hey Callie,” she drawled, brushing imaginary lint off her designer top. “Funny. I didn’t know Miles had lowered his standards.”
“Maybe you’ve just been out of the loop,” I said sweetly.
A small crowd ooohed like we were about to throw hands behind the gym.
Before she could snap back, a voice cut through the hallway.
“Callie. A word?”
My spine straightened.
Miles Carter was standing at his locker, arms crossed, an eyebrow raised like some Disney prince dragged into a teen soap opera.
Crap.
Part 2: The Confrontation and the Deal
“A word,” Miles repeated, already turning and walking down the hall like he fully expected me to follow him.
And honestly, I did. Mostly because Olivia was watching, and if I ran away, she’d probably start a rumor that I wet myself.
Miles stopped near the stairwell, away from the crowd. His blue eyes studied me like I was a homework assignment that didn’t make sense.
“So,” he said. “We’re dating now?”
“Okay, yes, technically I said that, but only because Ben was being a total jerk and—”
“Callie.” He held up a hand. “I’m not mad.”
That surprised me.
“You’re not?”
“No. I’m... curious. Why me?”
He looked amused, like this was funny to him. I wanted to slap the smirk off his perfect face.
“Because,” I muttered, “you’re the most unapproachably perfect guy in school. You don’t date anyone long enough for them to catch feelings. And you never talk to girls like me. It was believable.”
Miles raised a brow. “Girls like you?”
“You know,” I waved a hand between us, “the sarcastic, emotionally unavailable type who wears combat boots to school and uses humor as a trauma response.”
He grinned. “That’s oddly specific.”
I rolled my eyes. “Look, I’ll fix it. I’ll say we broke up. You don’t have to—”
“What if I said yes?”
I blinked. “Yes to what?”
“To playing along.”
My brain short-circuited. Miles Carter, human embodiment of the golden retriever and heartbreak combo, was offering to fake date me?
“Why would you do that?” I asked suspiciously.
“Because,” he said, casually leaning against the wall, “Olivia thinks I’m still hung up on her. It’s pathetic. You, on the other hand, just called her irrelevant to her face. I like that.”
I stared at him, jaw slightly open. “You want to fake date me… to annoy your ex?”
He nodded. “It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement. You save face, I kill a rumor. And we both win.”
“What’s the catch?”
“No real feelings,” he said immediately. “No actual kissing unless necessary. And no telling anyone it’s fake.”
I crossed my arms. “And if I say no?”
He shrugged. “You deal with Olivia. And probably get roasted by the entire school for lying.”
Well. He wasn’t wrong.
“Fine,” I said. “Deal.”
We shook hands.
I didn’t know it then, but that was the moment everything—my heart, my friendships, my entire mental stability—started to spiral.
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