Evan rubbed his eyes and groaned. "What… what happened last night?"
His head throbbed like someone was having a personal drum concert inside it. Slowly, he opened his eyes, only to realize something was very wrong. He wasn't in his own dorm room.
"Where…?" Evan sat up and blinked. The room smelled faintly of expensive cologne and freshly brewed coffee. But the real shock came when he turned to his side.
Someone was sleeping on the bed next to him.
His heart nearly leapt out of his chest. The person...tall, with sharp features and messy black hair....stirred and opened one eye.
"Morning, Evan," said the voice. Smooth, confident… and infuriatingly familiar.
Leo. His rival. His university nemesis, the guy who had beaten him in every debate, every sports challenge, and even the cafeteria popularity contest.
Evan froze. "W-what… are you doing here?"
Leo stretched casually and yawned. "Sleeping? You mean you didn't know we were sharing a room?"
Evan blinked. No. Absolutely not. This is not happening.
He scrambled to the bed, fumbling for the blanket. And then he noticed it. A crisp, official-looking piece of paper lying on the nightstand. He picked it up and scanned the words, and his stomach dropped.
"Marriage Certificate"
His jaw went slack. "N-no… this can't be real."
Leo tilted his head, amused. "Oh, it's real. Congratulations, Evan. We're… married."
Evan threw the certificate at him. "M-marrying you? That is literally impossible! We hate each other!"
Leo caught it effortlessly, a sly grin forming. "Apparently, someone at the party last night thought it would be hilarious to 'help' us get closer. The drinks, the magician… the paperwork. Boom. Husband and husband."
Evan's mind was spinning. Magician? Drinks? Husband? "Wait… are you telling me that some drunk idiot actually legally married us?"
"Seems like it," Leo said, casually flipping the certificate. "And we both signed it. Or at least… I think we did."
Evan's hands shook. "I… I can't believe this. This is insane! How do we… undo this?"
Leo shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe we pretend it didn't happen? Or… maybe we just… live with it for a while?"
"Live with it?!" Evan screamed. "We can't! I can't! I mean… I don't even like you"
Leo interrupted with a grin. "You mean you don't like me yet?"
Evan groaned and buried his face in his hands. I'm doomed. Absolutely doomed.
The next hour passed in awkward silence. Evan tried to stand up, but the door was locked. He tried calling the front desk, only to be told politely that the room was fully booked and "no, you cannot switch rooms until check-out."
Evan sank back onto the bed. "So… we're stuck. Together. In this room."
Leo chuckled and flopped onto the bed, arms behind his head. "Looks like it. You can try yelling at me all you want, but it's not going to change anything. We're… married now."
Evan felt a strange mix of anger, disbelief, and… something else. He refused to name it. "I can't believe this is happening. This is a nightmare."
Leo leaned closer, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Nightmare? Or… the start of something… interesting?"
Evan yelped and jumped back. "I...NO!"
And then the door suddenly opened.
A woman in a tight suit, carrying a stack of papers, stepped in. "Good morning, gentlemen," she said, scanning the room. "Congratulations on your marriage. There's… some paperwork that needs signatures… immediately."
Evan's scream echoed through the room.
Leo just laughed. "See? I told you it was going to be interesting."
End of Chapter 1 – Cliffhanger:
How did they really get married? And what does this mysterious woman want with them?