"That's not…"
"You trapped me into a fake relationship without consent. I'm adding reasonable conditions. You meet my family. You pass the girlfriend test with my grandmother, who can spot a lie from far away. Think you can handle it?"
"Obviously."
"Good. That's Article Five." He started typing. "Article Six: Authenticity Clause."
ARTICLE VI: PRIVATE AUTHENTICITY
6.1 When alone together, both parties may drop the performance.
6.2 Private conversations must remain honest; no lying to each other about non relationship matters.
6.3 What happens in private stays private.
"Okay. Article Six approved."
"Article Seven." Caden continued.
ARTICLE VII: POST DARE HONESTY
7.1 Upon completion of thirty day period, Eloise Bennett must answer one question from Caden Wu with complete honesty.
7.2 Question to be determined by Caden Wu at time of asking.
7.3 No deflection, no partial answers, only truth.
"Absolutely not." Eloise said immediately. "That's not part of the dare structure."
"It is now." Caden leaned forward. "You want me to fake date you for a month? Fine. But at the end, you tell me the truth. The real reason this rivalry started."
"I don't owe you…"
"You owe me this." He interrupted. "You've manipulated me into a fake relationship to make your ex jealous. You've spent weeks planning a trap. You've posted fake evidence of intimate moments without my consent. The least you can do is give me one honest answer about why this started."
They stared at each other across the table.
"Fine." Eloise said. "But I reserve the right to my own question in return."
"Deal."
She turned back to her laptop.
"Any other amendments?"
"Just one. Article Eight."
Eloise paused.
"You add it. The rule you think we need." Caden said.
She looked at him confused.
"What rule?"
"The rule about feelings. About what happens if one of us..." He trailed off. "You know what I mean."
Her fingers immediately moved to the keyboard, and she typed without looking at him.
ARTICLE VIII: EMOTIONAL BOUNDARIES
8.1 No real feelings allowed.
8.2 This is performance.
8.3 Development of genuine romantic feelings means breach of contract.
8.4 Both parties agree to maintain emotional distance and protect their own hearts.
"Is it okay?" She asked.
Caden stared at the rule.
"Yeah, that works."
"Good." Eloise pulled up a signature field at the bottom of the document. "Digital signatures. Let's make it official."
He signed and Eloise signed immediately after.
"Effective immediately." She said, closing the laptop.
They sat in silence for a moment.
"We should go." Eloise said, but didn't move.
"Yeah." Caden agreed, but also didn't move.
Finally, Eloise gathered her things and Caden did the same. They exited the study room together, walking side by side.
The library was almost empty. As they descended the stairs, Caden noticed a group of three students at a table near the entrance. One of them looked up, and pointed his phone at them.
"We're being watched." Eloise murmured.
"Contract starts now, remember?" Caden said.
Without any other word, he held her hand. Her hand was small, cold, and trembling slightly.
Eloise laced her fingers through his.
They walked through the library with hands linked playing the role of couple so convincingly that the students watching them smiled.
Outside, the night air was cool. They walked in silence, her dorm complex was on the left, his was on the right.
"So…" Eloise said. "That went... well?"
"You trapped us both in a lie that could destroy our reputations if anyone finds out. I'd say it went terribly."
"But you signed."
"So did you."
"I should..." Eloise gestured towards her dorm.
"Yeah. Me too."
Finally they dropped hands. Caden shoved his hands into his jacket pockets.
"See you tomorrow." Eloise said and left for her dorm.
Caden stood there for a long moment, watching her go. Then pulled out his phone.
There were 17 new messages. He ignored most of them, but there was one from Eloise, sent five seconds ago.
Good first day of fake dating. See you tomorrow, boyfriend. Don't forget we have Harlow's seminar together. Sit next to me💕
Caden typed back.
Wouldn't miss it, girlfriend💕
Caden arrived at Professor Harlow's Creative Writing Seminar at 9:45 AM which was exactly seven minutes earlier than Eloise typically arrived.
The classroom was in Whitman Hall, the same room where their rivalry had started four years ago. Walking through that door felt like stepping back in time.
It was during the freshman year when they'd both reached for the last spot in Professor Harlow's exclusive creative writing seminar. Caden had gotten there first by thirty seconds.
She'd stopped at his desk.
"You're in my seat, Wu."
Caden had looked up from his notebook.
"First come, first served, Bennett. Maybe try showing up on time?"
Her jaw had tightened.
"Everyone knows I'm Professor Harlow's favorite. I submitted my short story early. She specifically requested I take this seminar."
"Requested?" Caden had leaned back in his chair. "That's interesting, because she specifically told me I had a rare talent and practically begged me to enroll."
He had lied. She'd stared at him then smiled.
"Okay, Wu. You want the seat? Keep it. But don't get too comfortable."
That was the moment their rivalry began.
Only six other students had arrived so far. They all looked up when Caden entered, and gave him knowing smiles.
"Caden!" Sarah called out. "Congratulations on finally making it official with Eloise. We've been waiting for this since sophomore year."
"Thanks. It just... felt like the right time."
"Three months and you kept it secret?" Marcus shook his head. "That's impressive. I would've cracked in a week."
Caden smiled. This was going to be harder than he'd anticipated.
He sat at two chairs left of his usual spot, next to the empty seat where Eloise always sat. At 9:52, the door opened again. Eloise walked in.
"Hey." She said in a casual tone as she crossed him. "You saved me a seat."
"Like a perfect boyfriend." Caden gestured to the empty chair beside him.
Eloise put down her bag, her coffee, and sat on the seat.
"Morning." She whispered.
"Morning." He noticed her hands were trembling slightly as she pulled out her notebook. "You okay?"
"Nervous." She admitted quietly. "About class. Harlow's first assignment is always brutal."
"Right. Class." He knew she was lying.
More students entered. Several people glanced at Caden and Eloise, smiling knowingly.
At 9:58, Professor Harlow came in. She'd been Caden's favorite professor since freshman year.
"Good morning, seniors." Professor Harlow put down her leather bag. "Welcome to your final semester with me."
Professor Harlow's scanned the class and saw Caden and Eloise sitting together. Her eyebrows rose for a second.
"I see we have some new seating arrangements this year." She said. "Mr. Wu, Ms. Bennett, how refreshing to see you've moved beyond your competitive phase."
"We, uh..." Eloise started.
"We figured senior year was a good time to try something different." Caden finished, reaching over to take Eloise's hand on the desk between them.
Professor Harlow's eyes narrowed slightly, studying them with the gaze of someone who'd spent forty years reading subtext. Then she smiled.
"Well. It's about time." She said, and the class erupted in agreement and laughter.
Caden squeezed Eloise's hand gently.
"Now then," Professor Harlow continued, pulling out her syllabus. "let's discuss what I'm going to torture you with this semester."
The class proceeded with discussion of their final portfolio requirements, the semester long project that would define their grade, weekly workshop expectations.
"For your first assignment." Professor Harlow said. "I want you to write about transformation. Not about werewolves. I want you to write about the moment you realized you'd already changed. That who you'd become had been happening so slowly you didn't notice until you looked back and couldn't recognize who you'd been."
"Due next Monday." Professor Harlow continued. "Three thousand words, and please, surprise me. I've been teaching this course for twenty years. Very little surprises me anymore."
As she moved on to discussing the reading list, Caden's phone buzzed in his pocket. He ignored it. Then it buzzed again. Eloise glanced at him, eyebrow raised in question.
"Later." He muttered.
When class ended, students began gathering their things, several going to talk to Professor Harlow about the assignment.
Caden finally checked his phone. There was a text from his mother.
Why haven't you called me back? I want to hear all about Eloise! Bring her to Family Weekend!
And one from Jenna that made him freeze.
We need to talk. Today.
"Problem?" Eloise asked.
"Multiple problems." He showed her his mother's text.
"That's in the contract. Article Five." She didn't look bothered. "I agreed to meet your family."
"My grandmother is going to interrogate you."
"I can handle a grandmother."
"Not this grandmother. She once made my cousin cry over Thanksgiving turkey."
"Your cousin sounds weak." Eloise smirked. "I'll be fine, Caden."
"Ms. Bennett, Mr. Wu." Professor Harlow called them. "A word before you leave?"
They exchanged glances and approached her. The rest of the students had already left, leaving the three of them alone.
"How long has this been going on?" Professor asked them.
"Three months." They said simultaneously.
"Mmm." She didn't look convinced. "And in those three months, neither of you mentioned it? Not once? Despite the fact that I've been advising you both for four years and have heard complaints about each other?"
"We wanted to keep it private." Eloise said. "Because of the rivalry. People had expectations."
"Indeed they did." Professor leaned back in her chair. "I'm not going to pretend I haven't noticed the tension between you two. It's been the subject of much speculation in the English department. Several professors had a bet about whether you'd end up together or kill each other."
"Which way did you bet?" Caden asked before he could stop himself.
Professor smiled.
"I bet on both." She stood up, gathering her papers. "I'm happy for you. Watching you two compete for four years has been exhausting. Maybe this will mellow you both out."
"Unlikely." Eloise muttered.
"Probably not." Caden agreed.
"Well, regardless, I expect your relationship status won't affect your work in this class. I still expect excellence from both of you. No using each other as excuses for late assignments or distraction. And if this ends badly which is a possibility given your history, I expect you to maintain professionalism in my classroom. Understood?"
"Yes, Professor." They replied in unison.
"Good. Now get out of here. And Mr. Wu your first draft for this assignment tends to be overwritten. Correct it before you submit."
"Yes, ma'am."
Outside Whitman Hall, they walked in silence for a moment.
"She knows." Eloise said.
"She suspects." Caden corrected.
"She's known us for four years. She's going to notice if we're acting weird."
"Then we don't act weird. We act like a couple who's been together for three months and is just now comfortable being public about it."
Eloise stopped walking, turning to face him. They were in the public space now with students everywhere.
Article I: PDA required.
Caden realized students were watching them. He stepped closer, bringing his hand up to cup her face.
"What are you…"
"We have an audience." He whispered. "And according to Article I, Section 1.2, we need two kisses per week. Might as well get one over with." His thumb was tracing her cheekbone.
And then he kissed her.