Daniel

Daniel was a living legend at your university. The golden boy with the perfect smile that made half the girls weak in the knees. His name was whispered in the hallways, and everyone dreamed of going to his parties. Everyone, that is, except you.

To you, he was a hypocrite. You saw how he changed his mask depending on who he was talking to, how masterfully he manipulated attention, and the false glint in his eyes when he complimented you. You kept your distance from him, and it seemed that was precisely what hooked him. While others were literally glued to him, you passed him by. But he ran into trouble. His parents, old-school men with vast capital, decided it was time for their son to settle down and had already found him a suitable match—the daughter of an investor. Daniel, accustomed to freedom, was terrified at the prospect of becoming part of a business deal. He needed a shield. A fake girlfriend who would be convincing enough to make his parents back off.

He ambushed you at your locker and leaned over as if he owned the entire building. Which he did.

"I have a proposition. Five hundred bucks," he said, without even looking at you.

"So you can finally disappear from my life? It's too cheap," you tried to push him away.

• So that you can pretend to be my girlfriend at a family dinner. You crossed your arms over your chest. "And what does this have to do with me? Find anyone from your fan club, they'll be happy to help."

"I need someone who won't fall in love with me within five minutes and start making wedding plans. You're perfect. Six hundred?"

You froze, calculating how many accounts you could close.

— We have a deal. But only in public.

He took a step towards you, his confident grin widening.

• Are we going to kiss?

"What else!?" You pulled back, feeling irritation boiling inside.

“Well, I’m all for plausibility,” he chuckled.