( chapter seven )

" Love is scary: it changes; it can go away. That's the part of the risk. I don't want to be scared anymore. "

- Jenny Han, To All the Boys I've Loved Before

❁

TOM LOOKED UP TO THE CEILING AND WAS THINKING ABOUT Y/N. He didn't know what came over him. Thinking about their date yesterday just made him thought about Y/N more.

After she met his family, especially his mother, they have been telling him how lucky he was to be with a girl like Y/N.

"Y/N's a great lady." Tom's mother suddenly said that made him startle.

"She is, isn't she?" Tom answered his mom.

"A keeper, I must say," Nikki added. "You are lucky, Thomas."

And that made him feel guilty. All of this was just pretend. But was it really just pretending for him?

After a few weeks of being Y/N's fake boyfriend, they have been growing closer each day which made them feel comfortable with each other. Opening up with each other was easier compared to before. Just being with her in general already makes him feel happy.

Is this all really just pretending? Or is it becoming a reality?

"Rule number five and the important one. No falling in love, Holland."

Tom remembered the contract that they signed before they started this whole thing.

"I can't like her." He said to himself. "It's in the damn contract, Holland." He sighed and sat up. He runs his fingers through his curls and punched a pillow.

Why won't this feeling go away?

"Damn it, Holland." He cursed. "You officially have feelings for Y/N."

❁

"You met his family yesterday?" Erika asked Y/N as she munched on her snacks. Both of them were under the bleachers for no apparent reason. It was Erika's idea.

"Yep. Never thought he would have such a wonderful family, honestly." Y/N said. "And cute siblings too." She added.

"Oh my god, you have Tom, Y/N!" Erika scolded Y/N. "Can I have one of them though?"

"You already have Harrison, Erika." Y/N scolded back which made Erika glare at her.

"What makes you think I and Harrison are together?" Erika asked.

"It's obvious," Y/N answered and that made Erika slap Y/N's arm but Y/N just laughed.

Meanwhile, Tom was walking in the hallway with the strap of his bag on his shoulder until someone familiar approached him.

"Hey, Thomas." Camille greeted him and made him cringe when he heard her call him his full first name but he shrugged it off.

"Hi, Camille. What are you doing here?" Tom asked.

"Mind if we talk?" She asked.

Tom sighed and looked around to see if Y/N was around. He didn't see Y/N since this morning so he got a little worried.

He didn't know why he even agreed to talk with Camille in the first place.

"I and my boyfriend broke up," Camille said as soon as Tom and she reached the bleachers. They sat together but Tom was a little bit distant from her.

"W-what?" Tom looked at her confusingly. That fast?

"I was the one who broke up with him." She added and looked at Tom.

"But why? You left me for him so why leave him now?" Tom fired back.

"Because I still want you, Tom," Camille answered that made Tom frozen.

Little did they know, Erika and Y/N were still under the bleachers and were listening to their conversation. Y/N stopped eating as soon as Camille said that.

"You just realized that now, Camille?" Tom asked her. "Just now?"

Erika looked at her best friend who was just listening attentively to their conversation.

"Damn," Erika whispered. "She's trying to get your guy, Y/N."

Y/N tried to ignore what Erika said and continued to listen.

"Yes, Tom. I'm so sorry but I still love you. Don't you still love me too? Didn't you beg for me to stay when I broke up with you? I'm here now and I swear I'm never going-"

"That was before, Camille." Tom interrupted her. "I have Y/N now-"

"Don't even mention her name to me," Camille said. "I want you to leave her, Tom. She's not worth it."

"I think we should just leave, Y/N," Erika said. "It's not worth hearing."

Y/N could already felt a pang on her chest and her head was already boiling up. She felt jealously overcome her too.

Jealous? Why would I be jealous? This was all just pretend, right? This was what he wanted right? She thought to herself.

Erika pulled her away from Tom and Camille's conversation since she was already sensing Y/N jealousy. Erika hugged Y/N for comfort and rubbed her back.

"He won't go back to her, Y/N," Erika said.

Y/N just sighed, still feeling the pain inside her chest.

"Let's just see about that," Y/N whispered.

❁

Y/N was walking alone in the hallway because Erika had a family emergency back home.

She couldn't stop thinking about Tom and Camille's talk. She would feel her heartache when she thought about Tom going back to his ex-girlfriend but why?

"Rule number five and an important one. No falling in love, Holland."

She suddenly stopped walking as soon as she remembered their contract. She was the one who said that but why was she getting affected? Especially by Tom?

She felt her eyes getting hot and watering while her heart was aching.

No. This can't be happening. She said.

"Y/N!" Her thoughts suddenly fade away as soon as she heard that familiar voice calling her.

She looked back to confirm who it was. "Aiden?" She whispered and wiped the tears away that were forming in her eyes.

He looked at her and panted as if he just came from running. He had that worried look on his face as he looked at her.

"Are you okay?" He asked her, concerned.

"Y-yes." She answered and gave him a weak smile. "I'm alright, Aiden."

He looked at her eyes and noticed it was kind of red. "Were you crying?" He asked.

"W-what? Of course not. Something just got stuck in my eyes-"

"Is it because of that Holland guy?" He interrupted and moved closer to her.

"Aiden, i-it's really nothing. Really." She confirmed.

"I knew there's something is up with that guy." Aiden started. "Did he hurt you?"

"He didn't, Aiden. I swear." She said.

Why was Aiden becoming like this? How did he become so concerned about me? She asked herself.

It's probably because your close. A voice answered.

Or, it's probably because he's starting to like you. Another voice answered.

The thought of Aiden liking Y/N made her head confused.

He has a damn girlfriend, Y/N!

"Y/N?" She heard Aiden call her and that made her thoughts disappear.

Was this pretending actually working? She asked herself once more.

"Please tell me if something is wrong. Or if Holland is hurting you." Aiden said.

"I will, Aiden. But I promise he didn't do anything okay?" Y/N said and looked up to him.

Aiden was about to say something until they heard a familiar stern voice from behind. "Y/N."

Oh, snap.

Her heart started beating fast the moment he called her. She saw Aiden who was about to talk to Tom until she interrupted him.

"Aiden. Let's talk later okay?" She asked him.

"But-"

"Please." She begged.

Aiden sighed and looked at Tom with a glare and looked back at Y/N.

"Take care, okay?" Aiden said and patted her shoulder. Y/N answered with a small smile before Aiden walked away passing by Tom.

"What was that?" Tom suddenly asked with a serious tone. Y/N could only look at him with confusion planted on her face.

"What was what? I just talked to Aiden and-"

"Really? Was it really just a talk?" He asked her and that made her blood boil towards her head. Anger was taking over Y/N by the way he spoke to her.

"It's as if you and Camille didn't have a conversation behind my back." She fired back at him and that just made him chuckle.

"Look. We were just talking about-"

"About her wanting you back, Thomas?" She interrupted him with her arms already crossed to her chest.

He didn't know what to answer so she continued to talk.

"You know what." She started. "I don't even think we need this anymore."

He looked at her and knew where this was about to go but she just looked at her with confusion. "W-what do you mean?"

Y/N sighed and let go of her hands from her chest. She looked at him and tried to not let the tears that were forming from her eyes drop.

"Us pretending, Tom." She finally said it.

And that made both of their hearts ache. Y/N didn't want to let this happen but it was already affecting her and she didn't know how and why.

"Camille is clearly getting jealous of the both of us and that's what you wanted, right? She wants you back." She asked but Tom remained silent. "And now your acting all jealous towards Aiden when what we're doing is just pretend."

Tom sighed and tried to grab your hand. "Come on, Y/N." But instead, you jerked it away.

"See you on the ski trip, Thomas. Then after that, whatever this is will be over." That was the last phrase she said before adjusting her bag to her shoulder and walked away from Tom, leaving him speechless.

He felt his chest tighten as he watched her walk away and that's when he knew...

You've fucked up big time, Holland.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

A/N: sjksj what do you think will happen next? i, myself, don't know either but i hope you liked this!

WORD COUNT 1,637 words
PUBLISHED november 01, 2019