Fake Dating the Football Captain

Kenzie

The smell of burnt toast hit me before my alarm had even finished ringing.

“Blake!” I yelled, stuffing two slices of bread into the toaster again. Are you up yet?!”

I waited for a few seconds but all I got back was silence. I dusted my hands on my jeans and marched back to his room to wake him up for the third time.

“We’re gonna be late for school,” I pulled the covers off his head and shook him repeatedly. “Blake!”

“Okay, okay. I’m up.”

“If you’re not ready in thirty seconds I’m leaving and I’m not joking.”

He looked at me with a smirk. Obviously, he enjoyed annoying me. And he knew I’d never actually leave without him. Especially if mum was around.

By the time I got to the kitchen again, I saw Bridget rummaging through the fridge for anything she could eat, as usual.

I sighed. “Good morning mum.”

She turned like she had heard a ghost. “Oh, good morning sweetheart. I thought you left already?”

“I’m waiting for Blake.”

“Oh.”

She picked up the toast I’d made for Blake, took a bite, and wandered into the living room without asking who it was for. I opened my mouth to say something, then closed it again. It wasn’t worth another argument this early in the morning.

“By the way,” she straightened without looking at me. “I won’t be home tonight. You can take care of Blake right?”

I almost laughed.

As if she’d ever needed to ask first.

“Sure.”

She turned and smiled.

“Great.”

Shortly after, Blake walked out of his room with his bag in one hand amd comic books in the other.

“Hey mum.”

“Put those in your bag,” I said.

I immediately took his arm and rushed out of the house before Bridget could say anything else.

“Are you okay?”

“Huh?”

“You seemed pretty upset just now.”

“I’m fine.”

“Is it because mum’s home?”

“I’m fine Blake. We’re late, walk faster.”

The walk to school from our house wasn’t too long, thankfully. Blake kept talking about a new comic book he wanted but I barely listened. All I could think about was surviving the first day of senior year.

The closer we got to Blake’s middle school, the louder the streets became. Parents hurried their children across crosswalks, buses pulled over every few minutes to drop off students, and every sidewalk seemed packed with teenagers trying to squeeze the last few minutes out of their summer freedom before the school year officially began.

“You weren’t listening again, were you?” Blake asked, nudging my shoulder.

“Hm?”

“I said they’re releasing the next issue of Shadow Strike this Friday.”

“Oh.”

He groaned dramatically. “You didn’t hear a single word.”

“I heard ‘Friday’ isn’t that enough information?”

“It really isn’t.”

I laughed. “It is if you’re expecting me to spend forty dollars on another comic book.”

“They’re collector’s editions.”

“They’re also expensive.”

“They’re investments.”

I laughed, again. “You’re fourteen. The only investment you need is remembering to do your homework.”

Blake shoved his hands into the pockets of his hoodie and sighed like I’d just ruined his entire life.

We finally reached the front gates of his school. Students poured through the entrance while teachers stood nearby greeting them, already trying to organize the usual first-day chaos.

“Have a good day,” I said, reaching over to straighten the strap of his backpack.

“You haven’t given me lunch money.”

For a split second thr smile on my face faltered. I remembered what Bridget did and immediately felt anger again. Reluctantly, I pulled out my small purse from my bag and gave him ten dollars.

He pulled me in for a very unexpected hug.

“I love you.”

I forgot all about the nerves and anger I felt and just melted into his arms.

“I love you too.”

He pulled out and walked away. I waited until he was safely inside before continuing toward Westbrook High alone.

It wasn’t much farther, only another five-minute walk, but the silence gave my thoughts too much room to wander. Between tuition payments, rent that was due next week, and the extra shifts I’d picked up at the diner and cheerleading practice, my mind was already making a list of everything that needed to get done before the day was over.

“Kenzie!”

I barely had time to turn before someone wrapped their arms around me from behind.

“Good morning to you too,” I laughed.

Candice finally let go, looking way more happy and energetic than she needed to at right in the morning. Her blonde hair fell neatly over her shoulders, her bright earrings already matching the colorful nails she’d probably spent hours choosing the night before.

Beside her, Avery had an even wider smile.

“Happy first day,” she said.

“You both are way too cheerful for this early in the morning,” I replied.

“I’ve had coffee,” Candice said.

Candice linked her arm through mine as the three of us started walking toward school together.

“So,” she said, lowering her voice, “have either of you heard the news?”

I exchanged a look with Avery.

“What news?”

“The football team is freaking out because Jace Ryder’s coming back today.”

Avery raised an eyebrow. “Already?”

Candice nodded enthusiastically.

“Apparently he got even taller, he’s captain now, and Coach Thompson thinks he’s going to carry the team straight to State.”

I forced myself to keep walking even though my heart was literally in my stomach now.

“I heard he spent the last three years at military school,” Avery added.

“That’s what the rumor is, but only his close friends know for sure.”

Candice looked between us before narrowing her eyes at me.

“Wait… didn’t you two know each other before he left?”

For a split second, every memory I’d spent years trying to forget came rushing back.

A crowded hallway, his voice raised in anger, and a look on Jace’s face I’d never been able to erase.

“It wasn’t a big deal,” I said quietly.

“Not a big deal?” Candice stared at me. “Kenzie, the entire female population of Westbrook has been talking about him for two weeks.”

“And so? The Jace I knew wasn’t all that and I don’t think I can see him any other way.”

Seems the universe was listening and was determined to prove me wrong. Because as soon as we got into class, the first face I saw was Jace. He was surrounded by multiple girls and other members of the team who loved the attention.

Candice was right. He had a major glow up. He was taller, had broader shoulders, a better haircut, a great body and a confidence I had never seen before. I could see his muscles struggle to fit in his shirt. I was in awe.

He suddenly turned to me and I just wanted the ground to open up and swallow me. But I forced myself to smile at him regardless in hopes that he had forgotten who I was and let everything go.

Boy was I wrong.

His smile immediately dropped as soon as he saw me.

“To your seats, now.” Miss Ana said between me.

I hurriedly walked to my seat at the back with Candice and Avery.

“Jace, can you come to the front of the class?”

He walked up and everybody’s face was beaming with excitement, except me. I couldn’t even hold eye contact.

He introduced himself and as luck would have it, I was the only one who had an empty seat next to me.

He sat down and took one short look at me before facing the board again.

“Didn’t think I’d see you here.”

“Never left.”

He smirked and pulled out his book from his bag without sparing me another glance.

Three years apart, and somehow the air between us still felt just as heavy.

While Avery and Candice were blushing, all I could think about was how terrible this school year was about to be.