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“So why did you agree to be her fake girlfriend, if you hate her so much?” she asked. Wasn’t that the most-important question?

“I’m not going to be her fake girlfriend,” I said.

“What did she say when you told her?” she asked, and I couldn’t make eye contact with her. “Mia.”

“Uh huh,” I said, staring into the container of brownies. I definitely needed another one thanks to this conversation.

“You haven’t told her,” she said, and it wasn’t a question.

“I just got home!” I said.

“Do you want to be her fake girlfriend?” Lark asked.

“No! I don’t!” I said and Lark pursed her lips as if she didn’t believe me.

“It kind of feels like you do,” Lark said, shrugging one shoulder.

“I don’t, I promise you,” I said.

“It’s okay if you do. I mean, it’s totally weird, but I support your choices, even the weird ones,” she said, patting me on the arm. “She is hot, you know.”

Of course she was hot. Her level of hotness had nothing to do with it. It was everything else about her that I couldn’t stand.

“Fake dating could be fun,” Lark said. “All of the fun and none of the complications.”

“Lark. She thinks I’m straight,” I said.

“So? You’re not going to develop feelings for her, right?” she said.

“Absolutely not,” I said, making a face. “She’s literally the last woman on earth that I would ever fall for.”

“Then go for it. See what it’s like hanging out with the people who snubbed you in high school. It’s almost like a do-over. Hang out with the popular girl and see if the grass is greener.”

I hadn’t considered that. While a lot of people had moved on from high school friends, myself included, Tenley had obviously not. If I went to her social media right now, it would be like traveling back in time. All the same people hanging out in all the same places, just with legal alcohol now. It all sounded boring as fuck, but I had to admit, I was curious. I couldn’t help it.

I let out a breath.

“I’m only going to go to one party. I only need like, an hour, tops, to see the other side. Then I’m out. An hour is probably as long as I can stand to pretend to like Tenley anyway,” I said with a laugh.

“You have to go and then give me constant updates. I’m invested in this,” Lark said.

“I will,” I said, picking up my phone. “Okay, what the hell do I say to her?”

Lark helped me write out a pretty neutral message to Tenley, asking when and where I needed to show up to be her girlfriend.

There’s a party Saturday night at Tommy’s. We can start there she sent. We’ll need to go over everything ahead of time so you don’t look awkward with me.

That was a nice little dig that had me fuming.

Who says I’m going to be the awkward one? I responded. Maybe I’ll be an amazing fake girlfriend, you don’t even know me.

I’m not going to half ass this, Mia. I want to get this done so I can get back to my life she sent.

Wow, you’re really selling this opportunity to me I responded.

What do you want, money? She sent.

I thought about that for a second. I could really leverage this and make some cash. In addition to being blessed in the looks department, her parents were both doctors and had generational wealth. Truly, she had been handed everything.