Ethan sat on the campus lawn, staring blankly at his half-empty notebook. It was supposed to be full of notes for his psychology class, but instead, all he had written was:
"Pretend boyfriend."
"Weekend cabin trip??"
"She said I'm a lifesaver..."
And beneath that, a doodle of a crooked heart.
"You look like you're solving quantum physics over there," Mia's voice broke into his thoughts.
Ethan jumped, snapping the notebook shut. "Mia! Don't sneak up on people like that!"
Mia flopped down on the grass beside him, a smirk playing on her lips. "I didn't sneak. You're just off in la-la love land."
"I'm not—" Ethan started, then sighed in defeat. "Okay, maybe a little."
Mia's grin widened as she plucked a blade of grass and twirled it. "So, let me get this straight: You fake-dated your coffee shop crush to help her get back at her ex? Classic."
"Can you keep your voice down?" Ethan hissed, glancing around nervously. "And I didn't fake-date her. I helped her out—just as a friend."
"Oh, sure. Friends hold hands and talk about romantic cabin trips all the time," Mia teased.
Ethan groaned, flopping onto his back. "I don't know what I'm doing. I mean, it was all fake, right? She doesn't actually like me."
Mia lay back beside him, shielding her eyes from the sun. "You're overthinking, Poet Boy. Girls don't ask just anyone to fake-date them. There's something about you she likes."
Ethan turned his head toward Mia, narrowing his eyes. "You're way too invested in my nonexistent love life."
"Because it's entertaining," Mia shot back. "It's like living in a rom-com."
Ethan sighed, staring up at the blue sky. "Something about me she likes…" He didn't dare believe it, but a tiny, reckless part of him did.
---
Later that evening…
Ethan pushed open the door to Steamed Up, the coffee shop where Lila worked, and the little bell overhead chimed. Lila glanced up from behind the counter, her face lighting up when she saw him.
"Ethan! Perfect timing."
"You say that like you expected me," Ethan replied, feeling that now-familiar flutter in his chest.
Lila leaned forward on the counter, flashing him a mischievous grin. "I had a hunch you'd show up."
"What gave it away? My hopeless need for caffeine or my complete lack of a social life?" Ethan teased, trying to sound cool despite the fact that his palms were sweating.
"Both," Lila shot back smoothly. Then her tone softened. "Actually, I wanted to thank you. For yesterday."
Ethan's cheeks warmed. "It wasn't a big deal."
"It was to me," Lila said quietly. For a moment, her playful mask slipped, and Ethan glimpsed something deeper—something real. But just as quickly, she straightened up and grabbed a cup. "So, what's your poison tonight? Latte? Cappuccino? Or do you want to try something… new?"
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "You're making that sound suspicious."
"Trust me." Lila turned her back, and within minutes, she slid a steaming cup toward him. The foam on top had a perfectly drawn heart.
Ethan stared at it, stunned. "You made a… heart?"
Lila winked. "Just a little barista magic. Don't read too much into it."
Ethan lifted the cup to hide his smile. "No promises."
As he took a sip, Lila leaned on the counter again, watching him. "So, Ethan. Be honest. How do you feel about fake boyfriends turning into real ones?"
Ethan nearly choked on his coffee. "I—uh—what?"
"I'm joking!" Lila laughed, her eyes sparkling. "Relax, Poet Boy. You're fun to mess with."
Ethan let out a nervous chuckle, but inside, his heart was pounding like a drum. Was she joking?
Before he could figure out what to say, the door jingled again, and two girls walked in. Lila straightened up, but not before flashing Ethan one last smile. "You're welcome to stick around if you want. I could use a fake boyfriend backup later."
"Backup?" Ethan echoed, grinning. "Is that a promotion?"
"Let's call it… a part-time role," she teased.
Ethan shook his head, sipping his coffee as he slid into a booth nearby. He watched Lila move effortlessly around the counter, chatting with customers, laughing, and making heart-shaped lattes like it was nothing.
Somehow, despite the chaos in his head, Ethan knew one thing for certain: He was in way too deep.
And he wasn't sure he wanted to come up for air.