Prologue,

rules of fake dating; a stranger calls

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                             — FOUR MONTHS AGO

    Davina has a usual routine, so she really wasn't expecting for anyone to think of barging in her dorm-room late at night.

Especially, since she doesn't share her dorm room with anyone not since the previous one she had. Davina doesn't like speaking upon the incident with her ex-roommate, but it's safe to say that she has a restraining order.

   She had a bowl of popcorn on her chest, her eyes practically glued on her laptop screen, and shoving popcorn into her mouth, as she began to hysterically laugh watching someone's body getting dismembered, she immediately whined when she noticed someone turning on her light on, eyes not focusing at the door since she was still maintaining eye contact with her laptop as she didn't want to miss the gruesome parts.

   Davina called out in complete annoyance, "Sofia — You've given me a restraining order, yet you're showing up here? Creep much?" She whistled in utter annoyance only to then hear a familiar males voice.

   Chad was lost for words, "Why'd Sofia give you a restraining order? Also, why is your door not locked?" He raised his eyebrow, and giving a reasonable question as he immediately shut and locked her dorm-room.

   He wouldn't ever lie but he was full aware that his heart skipped a beat, his eyes lingered all over her, admiring her entire features. The way that the blanket wrapped around her body, resting her head on her light blue pillows with a popcorn bowl on her chest, yet he didn't even realize the linger stare she was giving him, and admiring his features, the way his nose was just scrunching up.

   She had immediately shook her thoughts, pausing her movie and began sitting up as she removed the bowl from her chest, "A story for a different time, how did you even sneak into the girls dorm rooms?" She raised her eyebrow at him, the blanket now draped only onto her own legs, exposing that she was only in a long black t-shirt and black under-wears.

   His heart was beating rapidly.

   Though, he didn't ever think about her in such an inappropriate way. Perhaps, to the girls that he had bumped into the girl hallways presumed otherwise, but it was false. He had came searching for Davina because he found a way to somehow get the girl he likes to hold his hand, and perhaps fall in love with him, it's the perfect plan. Giving a small little white lie.

He has given her a shy smile, "Don't ask questions. . ." He had exhaled his breath, and sat on the ends of her bed, "I need your help on something that's really important, it's about a girl." He slowly inquired.

Davina had felt her heart thumping quite rapidly, she wouldn't admit to anyone but it crushed her heart hearing that sentence, but she managed to smile, "What girl?" She raised her eyebrow, she also wanted to know so she can hate the girl.

Was that selfish? She thought.

Nah. She had replied to herself.

Now, Chad had to ultimately lie about this part, the lie slipping right out of his mouth as he spoken to her, "Tara." He had glanced away from her, the distaste leaving his lips since he didn't even like Tara in that sort of romantic way, he views her more like a sister.

He had failed to see the hurt that washed over Davina's eyes, and how she had instantly covered it with a then smile, and had spoken right back to him, "So, why don't you ask her out or something?" Her voice raised a bit, and attempting to not sound bitter.

Great, adding to the list in her notebook of people who to hate or dislike, the list was quite long if you'd ask her.

'Tara Carpenter'.

Chad had shook his head, speaking quite cautiously to her and attempting to not give himself up by accidentally using her name and revealing that she's the girl, "She doesn't even notice my obvious affection towards her, and plays it off as friendly. . ." He was describing Davina, but for some reason she hadn't even caught on, "So, maybe if we'd possibly fake-date that she'd get jealous, and it'll work." He breathed out, and in hopes that she'd agree.

   Davina was fuming on the inside of listening to all of this, especially hearing him describe Tara ( not ), she had no damn idea that she was jealous of her own self, she was the girl that he was speaking about. So, out of her instinct she agreed on doing this considering that maybe. . . just maybe that she'd get him to fall out of love with Tara Carpenter, and in love with her.

   She offered him kind smile that hid nothing, but pain that he didn't notice, "Let's do it." She nodded her head, and ignoring the little voice in her head, that was echoing on how she'll get her heart broken, but she didn't care at least she has him for who possibly knows how long before Tara snatches him from her.

   Chad's heart fluttered in excitement, he wanted to run out of her dorm room and just cheer in victory, "Thank you, thank you." The smile never left his lips, gazing at her in pure affection, but she wasn't quite understanding that he was doing this for her, he wanted her to realize the affection he holds for her.

   Davina giggled at his excitement, she had adored the way his nose was scrunching up and his smile it was so captivating, he had given her so much butterflies, "But we must have rules for this. . ." She had clicked her tongue onto her own teeth, "Hand me a paper and pen. Please?" She sweetly asked him, giving him puppy eyes.

   He searched for a paper and pen quickly handing it her, as his eyes softened at her and curiously watched her beginning to write in the paper, she lightly poked her tongue out, and the way her nose was crinkling, he had quietly admired her features.

   Exhaling her breath, "And done."

   She handed him the paper as his mouth widened, "What do you mean no kissing?" He wanted to groan in frustration, "It'll be more realistic if we kiss." He retorted.

   She had raised her eyebrow, "Kissing is intimate, Chad. We're not really dating, so it's not real, you should save that for the girl you love." She reminded him.

   That is you. He thought.

   He sighed sadly at her answer, "Okay. . . but, isn't holding hands intimate too?" He bit the inside of his cheek.

   Davina had shrugged it off, "People hold hands all the time it means nothing, so we can hold hands and what's said in the paper." She gently told the boy.

   A smile appeared on his lips, "I can do that."Any excuse to hold her hand, "Also, not tell our friends that this is fake." He had reminded her, as he hopes that he can make this relationship real.

   "Mhm. Not even Mindy or Anika."

   "Agreed."

   The two maintained eye contact, that instantly made their heart flutter and cheeks reddened before she glanced away from him that snapped him out of the trance, "I should head to bed, see you tomorrow?" He bit the inside of his cheek.

   Davina offered him a soft smile, "See you tomorrow, Chad." She had waved her fingers at him, watching him lock her doorknob before he shut it right behind him.

She had exaggeratedly laid back down her bed, squealing in quite a bit of excitement and in hopes that she can have him fall in love with her because she was in love with him, though her thoughts were interrupted when her phone rang, rolling her eyes as she had grabbed her phone, nose scrunching up at the no caller ID.

She answered the phone, "Hello?"

A very disoriented voice spoken to her, "How's my star doing?" He chuckled humorously, "You still haven't opened mommy's letter that you keep stashed inside your underwear drawer?" Her entire body froze at the fact that this unknown caller knew something no one did.

Davina had snarled in pure venom, "Listen here — Creep, you come anywhere near me, I'll kill you." She venomously snapped, "Go prank call someone else, fuckface." She angrily spat.

The voice had chuckled, "Is that daddy's genes finally kicking in? Be seeing you soon." The unknown caller hung up that had left Davina upset, throwing her phone into her wall and shattering it.

She had no idea what was coming four months later, or even so prepared for the grieve that she'll spend doing her remaining college years.

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𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞, hope you liked
the prologue.

Hope this didn't
sound like an ass because
things sound better in my
head.

Davina and Chad oblivious
lovers.😍😍