Fake It Until We Fall

Ever since I transferred to Westros High, there had always been one person who managed to get on my nerves.

Damon Harper.

I still didn’t know whether it was because his girlfriend hated me, because he was popular, or simply because the universe had decided I needed a personal source of irritation.

From the second I stepped into Westros High, Damon and I had been at war.

Arguments. Debates. Competitions. Pranks.

If there was something we could disagree about, we did.

If there was something we could compete over, we did that too.

And if there was absolutely nothing to argue about, Damon would somehow invent something.

I had no idea why everyone thought he was so amazing.

Sure, he had the looks.

Curly black hair that always looked annoyingly perfect. Blue eyes with the slightest hint of green. Fair skin. A tiny mole on his cheek. A slightly crooked nose.

And that smile.

God, I hated that smile.

I couldn’t deny that he had good fashion sense either. He always looked effortlessly put together, like he’d walked out of some stupid teenage magazine.

But none of that changed the fact that he was an absolute idiot.

A charming idiot.

An irritating idiot.

A jerk.

Basically, an idiot with good hair.

He mocked me when I spoke, bothered me when I stayed quiet, and somehow managed to annoy me even when I completely ignored him.

Which was why I had perfected the art of pretending Damon Harper didn’t exist.

Unfortunately, Damon had never learned the art of leaving me alone.

“Hey, Wallace!”

I continued walking.

“Earth to Wallace.”

Nothing.

“Maya.”

I stopped.

Slowly, I turned around.

Damon was standing several feet away, his backpack hanging lazily from one shoulder.

“What?”

He grinned.

“There she is.”

“What do you want?”

“Nothing.”

“Then why did you call me?”

“I wanted to see if you still respond to my voice.”

I stared at him.

He stared back.

“Unfortunately.”

His grin widened.

“Missed you too, angel.”

I rolled my eyes and turned away.

“You’re unbelievable.”

“I’ve been told.”

“By yourself?”

“Mostly.”

I heard him laugh behind me.

I kept walking.

That was Damon.

Annoying.

Persistent.

And completely incapable of understanding the meaning of leave me alone.

By lunch, I’d almost managed to forget about him.

Almost.

I sat across from Gabby, picking at the food on my tray while she scrolled through her phone.

Gabrielle—Gabby to everyone who knew her—was my best friend and, thankfully, one of the only people at Westros who didn’t seem fascinated by Damon Harper.

She glanced up.

“You know he’s staring at you, right?”

I didn’t look.

“Who?”

“Damon.”

“Don’t care.”

“You’re literally gripping your fork like you’re planning a murder.”

I loosened my grip.

“I am not.”

Gabby raised an eyebrow.

I sighed.

“Okay. Maybe a little.”

She laughed.

“You two are exhausting.”

“He started it.”

“You’ve been saying that for months.”

“Because it’s true.”

Gabby shook her head and returned to her phone.

Then she suddenly looked up again.

“Oh.”

“What?”

She nodded toward the cafeteria entrance.

I didn’t need to look.

“He’s with Sarah.”

That made me glance over.

Sarah.

Damon’s girlfriend.

Or, technically, ex-girlfriend now.

The two of them weren’t together anymore, but the entire school seemed to have a different story about what had happened.

Apparently, Sarah had been seeing another guy.

Nicola.

An upper-year student.

And, according to the rumors, it wasn’t the first time.

Damon looked completely different from how he usually did.

No smug grin.

No stupid jokes.

No effortless confidence.

Just... tired.

For a second, I almost felt sorry for him.

Almost.

Then he looked across the cafeteria.

Straight at me.

His expression changed immediately.

That familiar grin returned.

I sighed.

Never mind.

Definitely didn’t feel sorry for him.

He walked toward our table.

Gabby looked at me.

“Here we go.”

Damon stopped beside me.

“Wallace.”

“Harper.”

“Having a good day?”

“It was until you decided to interrupt.”

He placed a hand dramatically over his chest and said sarcasticly.

“ohh, that hurts”

“Good.”

He laughed.

Then his eyes flicked toward Sarah before returning to me.

Something about his expression changed.

It was subtle.

But I noticed.

“So,” he said casually, “I’ve been thinking.”

“That’s dangerous for someone with no brain.”

“I need a favor.”

“No.”

“You don’t even know what it is.”

“I know you.”

Gabby snorted.

Damon ignored her.

“Just think about it.”

“I already did.”

“You’re very stubborn.”

“And you’re very annoying.”

He leaned slightly closer, lowering his voice.

“You might change your mind.”

“Not happening.”

He smiled.

“We’ll see, angel.”

Then he walked away.

I watched him go for exactly two seconds before turning back to Gabby.

“What?”

She was staring at me.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Gabby.”

She smiled knowingly.

“I’m just wondering what he wants.”

“So am I.”

And somehow, I had a feeling Damon Harper wasn’t planning on giving up anytime soon.