M A Y A

People who I'd love to kill—couples. Especially on Valentine's Day.

No honestly. I am trying to poop here but the couple beside my stall are quite literally having sex. Loud, thumping, moaning sex that is hindering my concentration, thank you very much. I have constipation already as it is.

I don't hesitate from slamming my fist against the wall. "Keep it down, will you! People are trying to poop!"

They momentarily went silent and I thought wow, peace at last but no. I was wrong. Dead wrong. In fact, as if to annoy the fuck out of me, they increase the volumes of their moans.

"Oh for fuck's sake." I dump the toilet paper, flush, pull up my black leggings and head out. I don't forget to slam the door of my stall open, especially to let the couple in the stall know of my evident annoyance and their lack of human decency.

Finding another washroom, even though it will take me at least five minutes to walk across the entire campus of HallWood University and enter the rumoured haunted building no one dares to enter, is my only option. When you have constipation, distance, time, ghosts, nothing fazes you.

Don't get me wrong. Couples, or non-couples love to fuck all the damn time in washroom stalls. But not during usual class timings. Valentine's Day just happens to be a declared freedom from tedious classes so these horny bastards can literally do it the whole day. And this specific washroom just happens to be a unisex one.

I hear the stall door opening while I wash my hands.

Like a fucking bad start to the day, my eyes land on the guy who just, quit cockily, walked out of the stall. He winked buckling up his belt and I'm pretty sure my current expression is nothing that says I am swooning. In fact, it mirrors my extreme interest in puking on him.

Chase Dalton. Even if he knows no one, everyone knows him. A rich guy with a billionaire family, has a trust fund, and also happens to be the top student of the Fashion Department. Sure he got the looks, the body (objectively speaking). Yes he is a physically attractive human being but did he sit alongside thousands of students for the admission test, ran for the practical modelling test, and additional screening test? Nah. Of course not. His lovely father contributes financially to the university and courtesy of the 'unbiased' Board of Students, they let Chase in without any admission tests.

Despite being a Psychology student, how do I know so many details about Chase's life?

Let's just say, people here gossip a lot.

As if on cue, the girl who was equally involved, struts out of the stall and I am genuinely shocked. She is a gorgeous girl and Chase doesn't even match her standards. I have no idea why she decided to fool around with him of all people.

A narcissistic, nepo-baby, fuckboy is what I always deduce Chase Dalton to. And oh, the red flag I read in books that I must avoid at all costs.

Bea places a smooch on Chase's lips right after she walks out the stall and I roll my eyes internally at how quickly the two begin eating their lips out.

Until, the door slams open. I figure something is terribly wrong when I notice Chase and Bea scattering to far ends like poppy seeds.

Chase appears confused and guilty after connecting certain dots and Bea appears wholeheartedly guilty.

I peek my head out for a bit. Can never miss the opportunity for some drama in my tedious life you know.

"Bea...what are you doing here—" the guy, whom I recognise as a member of the HallWood University Swim Team. He also happens to be the best friend of Chase Dalton, which is like a known fact all around the campus. They are literally tied to butts, completely inseparable and both equally...well, hot. Although perhaps I might like the best friend, better.

Elliot Whitmore is everything that Chase Dalton isn't. He is kind, humble (despite him basically coming from a family of old money and an ancestor who was a literal King), responsible and definitely NOT a playboy like a certain someone. He is also a committed man with eyes only for his girlfriend.

Only thing is, no one knows till this day who the mystery girlfriend is. Not until today.

Elliot's face pales when he realises what has occurred just minutes ago between his best friend and girlfriend...Bea. And my disgust and loathing for Chase continues to grow.

"You..." Elliot does not stare at his girlfriend and something tells me the betrayal of his best friend hit him deeper. "You fucked my girlfriend?"

Surprisingly I don't see regret, or perhaps a cocky smirk on Chase' face. He just seems guilty but not the kind of 'I am sorry' guilt but 'I didn't know she was your girlfriend' guilt.

But Chase remains silent for whatever reason. Bea on the other hand, pretends as if she never met a person named Chase in her entire life.

"Elliot babe, it's not what you think it is. I would never do that to you," Bea says, pulling a shaken Elliot into a hug. The sly wink she throws at Chase doesn't go unnoticed by me. At least Chase makes no effort to flirt back behind his best friend.

Even though I'm having such a bad urge to go and just reveal the truth, I know better than to step out of drama. Especially the ones involving the elite circle of HallWood University. I can't afford to get myself tangled up in a mess when my freshman year just started a few months back.

Suddenly I'm painfully reminded of my impending final assessment paper and Mrs Sinclair's stern yet expectant eyes of me being able to produce a more unique paper instead of my previous submission. I need to get at least an A+ on this paper before 2nd semester ends. That was the deal with my mother.

My attention gets pulled away from the depressing thoughts as I feel a strong arm wrapping around my waist and my head crushed against a stiff yet warm chest. Damn, those abs. But then I look up and find Chase Dalton with a tightened smile trying to look lovingly at me.

What in the fucking world did I miss to get roped into such a situation.

"I was fucking her." Chase points at my gaping face. Cause WHAT THE FUCK?

Both Elliot and Bea turn to face us. Elliot's betrayed expression is replaced with a somewhat relieved and confused expression which actually makes me feel sad for the guy. As for Bea, she is relieved to have not got caught blatantly cheating and an inkling of fury.

Same here Bea. I did not ask for such a situation to take place.

"Meet my girl, uh Maria!" Chase' grip on my waist tightens.

Maria?!

"It's May—" Chase interrupts me in the middle. Very rudely, might I add.

"Yes babe, I know it's almost May." He tucks a stray stand of my hair. I am literally breathing fire when he sneaks a wink at me and whispers into my ears as if pretending to be all lovey-dovey. "Please help me, Samantha. I owe you one."

Okay now it's Samantha. It's fine. Fucking fine. I just need to endure for a bit more before I kick his balls or get locked up for committing murder with two eye-witnesses present.

"Since when did you date?" Elliot asks smartly.

"Since two weeks back. I forgot to tell you 'cause of classes. Right babe?"

Chase' eyes scream 'Please say yes' and I'm this close to getting out of this cheating, confusion, miscommunication whatever shenanigan it is. But, he did say he owed me one and that could come in handy. Especially from Chase fucking Dalton.

So, I nod. Even though I should just leave, I nod.

"Oh, well, nice to meet you," Elliot says with a grin. He sheepishly rubs the back of his head. "Sorry you had to watch that outburst back there."

"No problem." Gosh this sweet soul just had to have a fuckass best friend and girlfriend, who by the way, is still burning holes into my head.

"I was so stupid to doubt you guys." Elliot sighs. "Anyways Chase, sorry for not introducing you guys earlier too. This is Bea, my girlfriend. We've been dating for over six months now but we thought of not going public." Elliot searches Bea's face who hesitantly gives a signal for whatever thing. "Bea didn't want to, she felt I was too popular and she couldn't handle the attention. So, we were going lowkey." He sighs for the nth time and fixes his girlfriend's lipstick. "Sorry babe. Your smudged lipstick made me assume things even more."

"I accidentally smudged it while taking a nap in the library." Bea giggles.

What a crap load of bullshit, oh my fucking lord.

Ironically I was just ready to touch-up my makeup when the whole drama had started. Naturally so, my lipgloss is—smudged, giving a perfect excuse to Chase for forging his devious plan.

"We'll be out now, give you guys some privacy," Elliot says after a moment of awkward silence and leaves with his girlfriend. I don't miss the seductive 'Call me' and wave Bea shoots at Chase.

Chase does not reciprocate, however. He looks pissed. Mad as fuck, in fact.

"Sorry for that Emily—"

"Maya." I grit my teeth as I utter out. "Maya Roy."

Chase raises an amused brow, putting his arms up in defence. "My bad, Maya. I had to do that back there."

"Roping me into whatever the fuck that was, you mean." I scoff. "To something that I did not consent to, mind you."

"But like a fellow human with decency, you still did." He winked goddamn once again.

"And now we will pretend we do not know each other."

"Hey hey, hold up, Sweetheart."

"Sweetheart?!" I shriek. "It's Maya."

"Okay, Maya." He emphasises once again and I'm pretty sure rather sarcastically. "I owe you one, as I said. But I need your help too. For a few days at least."

"And what's this help you're asking for?"

"Easy." Chase shrugs. "Pretend to be my girlfriend for a month. After that, Elliot will be leaving for a brief internship and when he returns I could easily make something up like we broke up—"

"No." My answer is without any hesitation.

Chase pauses then laughs. "Come again? I didn't hear you the first time."

"I said no, Chad."

His expression grows offended. "First of all it's Chase—"

"Okay Chad now you listen to me. I have a shit load of personal bullshit to deal with so I do not fucking care enough to help you out. It's not my problem you decide to betray your best friend by having sex with his girlfriend—"

He grits his teeth. "Don't assume stuff. I didn't know Bea was Elliot's girlfriend."

"But you knew she was someone's girlfriend?" I scoff back.

"For your kind information, no. I do not fuck women in committed relationships so it's not my fucking issue if they lie." Chase snaps.

"Whatever it is, it's between you guys. I don't care the fuck enough to help you pretend we're 'dating' in front of Elliot." I snap back.

"You're passing on the chance of, even fake dating Chase Dalton."

I laugh at his audacity. "You think you're some bigshot?"

He smirks. "I am, of course."

Okay he might not be wrong but I refuse to yield. "That's your personal opinion. I said no, deal with it."

He groans. "Look, what do you need? I can make anything happen. Free degree, vacation to a foreign country in a seven-star hotel, money—?

My skin prickles with irritation and embarrassment. How fucking dare he. He must've realised that too as he stops speaking.

"Asshole." I throw him a middle-finger, grab my bag and leave.

Guess I'll be walking miles to the other washroom just to fix my makeup.