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I bite my lip, fingers hovering over my keyboard to type out a reminder I’m only pretending to be his. I don’t say it, secretly enjoying it when he gets like this.
* * *
The basketball arena is huge and packed with fans when we arrive shortly before the game begins. Cooper laces his fingers with mine so we don’t get separated as we weave through the crowd to reach the section he got us tickets for. His hand engulfs mine and he holds on tight, using his body as my buffer from getting jostled.
“This many people go to college games?” I ask over the din of chatter.
Cooper shoots me a lopsided grin over his shoulder, his dimple visible through the face paint decorating his cheeks. “Hell yeah. People go nuts for college basketball. Tonight’s the first game of the season.”
Simone and Jenny jump up when they spot us and Jackson nods to Cooper. Ty and Harris have seats in the row ahead of ours. All of them are decked out in school colors, though we’re the only pair matching with our coordinating face paint Coop did before we left my dorm.
“Success! You dragged her away from the library,” Jenny cheers.
Cooper gives her a fist bump. “All it took was a little bribery and sweet talk.”
I tuck my lips between my teeth, thinking of the note and the jersey I’m wearing. “Since when are you and Simone secret sports fans? The only basketball I’ve watched is when the guys play in the driveway.” I steal some of Jackson’s popcorn while we filter down the row to the two open seats. “I don’t even think I know the official rules.”
“My dad and I watch basketball,” Jenny says. “I’m kind of a nut for it.”
Simone shrugs. “It’s a home game and my roommate had tickets she couldn’t use. Sounded fun.” She offers me some of her nachos. “Plus, snacks.”
“Point,” I concede. “The snacks are bomb.”
“It’s all about being at the live games. It’s a totally different atmosphere.” Cooper leans in to kiss my cheek when we sit, draping an arm over the back of my chair. “Way different from watching any sport on TV. You’ll see.”
I peek past him at the girls elbowing each other on the stairs between sections. They recognize Cooper, snapping a photo they’ll likely text to a group chat. They might recognize me, too. We can’t avoid it when we’re together now. Everyone’s invested in both of us as the school’s favorite perfect couple.
Their label for us is starting to sting, chipping away at our lie. I remind myself Cooper needs my help. That’s why I have to keep going, for him. This is all so that he’ll find the right person for him when his reputation is successfully reformed. I never want anyone to feel like they can use him for his body or as a status symbol again.
Fierce protectiveness bursts in my chest as I snuggle close enough to him I could probably climb on his lap, peering up through my lashes. “Good thing I have my boyfriend here to explain it all to me.”
Butterflies tickle my stomach. It doesn’t feel as strange to call him my boyfriend now as when this first started.
He smirks, playing with one of my French braids. “Seems fair, considering you explained the cornerstones for my economics class in a way I could grasp it to pass my last quiz. I’m sure someone as smart as you will pick up on things easily without needing me at all.”
Forgetting about keeping up our act, I beam in genuine pleasure. “You did?”
“Yeah. We just got the scores back today.” His eyes soften and his smirk stretches into a wide smile. “Not only did I ace it, I still retained an understanding of everything you explained. It’s finally sticking.”
“That’s amazing.” I squeeze his knee when it bumps against mine. “But take some credit for yourself. You earned that grade. I only helped you study.”
“Love birds, separate for five seconds and take some pics with us,” Simone announces. “There’s a hashtag contest tonight that Student Life is doing. Most school spirit wins a free dinner at Bluewater.”
“Fancy.”
I waggle my brows, biting my lip at the mental image of Coop in a crisp, fitted button down with the collar open and the ocean breeze in his hair. His sleeves are rolled up too in my imaginary date night, because obviously. I’m as weak for his toned forearms as all of his followers are.
“We’ve got this on lock. Here, make an S with your fingers.” Cooper takes my hands and molds them how he wants them, then loops his arms around me and holds up a B he makes with his own hands next to mine.
His firm chest is warm against my back and his jaw grazes my temple as he hugs me close. It feels good, making me forget about everything that’s been on my mind.
“That’s cute as fuck. God, I hate how good you guys look together. Kidding, no I don’t. I love it. But for real.” Simone snaps a shot of us, then angles it for a selfie. “Okay, everyone in. Go sharks! Give us free crab cakes!”
Jenny perches on her lap and Jackson presses in on her other side. The rest of us echo her enthusiastic cheer and we take some photos, then a Boomerang for the hashtag contest.
My brother is still leaning into Simone’s personal space, looking at the photos while she swipes through them. “Looks good.”
Her eyes flick to him. “Yeah.”
