a couple days in and she’s getting pretty darn good at this fake dating thing. it’s impressive how easily the pair got on. there were many times where their relationship felt totally believable, even to her. and for someone she didn’t really spend much time with before, atlas was growing on her. riley feels a tinge of disappointment when his hand falls from its place on her waist. was it weird that it felt so good there? like it was somewhere it belonged? “did you see his face? fucking priceless.”

atlas was not a relationship guy. he didn't allow himself to get that close to others, so this agreement with riley was perfect - - fake dating, so he didn't have to get close. no strings attached and every innocent touch meant nothing, right? except, feelings had begun to claw at his chest, desperate to get out. but he had to put them to rest ; bury them if he could. the brunette should take a step backwards and put space between them, but he remains in her orbit. "yeah," gives a half-hearted smile, "he's pissed. i'm sure you'll be getting a text soon enough." which meant atlas' work here was done. expression scrunches in thought before words tumble from his lips before he can stop them, "he doesn't deserve you, you know. it's not my place to say…but he's not worth it, riley."

riley is able to catch the change in his eyes and how they fell once she mentioned her ex. forces herself to think nothing of it, she knows their agreement and knows how atlas is. she wouldn’t be the one to change that. “a text i’ll be ignoring—we’ve only just begun.” teeth dig into her plush lower lip in excitement, she couldn’t wait to see how far they could milk this. his next words aren’t ones she sees coming. her smile falls, a crease appearing between her brows. he doesn’t deserve you. something she’s already heard from others around her. the countless amount of fights he started, flaunted other girls in front of her face, made her feel small and insignificant. everyone saw it and of course she did too, only she forced herself to believe that it wasn’t who he truly was. came up with so many excuses for him that she struggled to think of new ones. “you’re right, it isn’t your place to say. it’s not like you’re going to have a good opinion of him anyway, you’re not exactly his biggest fan.”

this is the closest she’s been to the other in weeks. the breakup was messy and the wound was still fresh, the last thing she wanted right now was to be crammed next to him in the backseat of their friend’s full car. every bump sends her closer to him, the brunette fighting to stay on her side of the seat. she’s staring out the window trying to figure out how she’s going to play this thing off when her phone buzzes.

saige imagined this trip going so differently when they first planned it. she couldn’t wait to spend some much needed time with alex and their friends, especially given how busy they’d both been with their own stuff. it felt like the answer she’d been hoping for—now it feels like anything but. she isn’t naive enough to think this was going to be easy but doesn’t feel like they really have any other choice at the moment. maybe they could find a way to only be around eachother when absolutely necessary?

sober callie would have never let that admission leave her mouth and it’s embarrassing how fast they slipped out once she got some liquor in her. “no, i’m serious! don’t pretend like you couldn’t tell. how i’d always make up some excuse to tag along with you, the way i would stare you down from across the dinner table, how i would always turn red when you looked at me for a little too long. being subtle was never something i was good at.” the car pulls into the house but her attention doesn’t change. “i told myself i was over it but i’m like so not and now she’s coming and just ugh! have i always been this pathetic?” she pouts with a drunken whine. eases out of the car and up the driveway, legs feeling heavy beneath her. she walks up the front steps and misses one, hands reaching out to catch herself. “oops,” she giggles.

now much closer with her arm swung over his shoulder she’s able to notice his natural scent and secretly hopes it lingers on her well into the morning. “why do you have to be so nice? this would be so much easier if you sucked.” he so easily carries her weight, guiding her into the still and dark house and down the hall to the bedrooms. hers is just across from his as it always has been and how tortuous that could be. however, she’s thankful for it tonight. as soon as she hits the mattress she toes off her shoes, the pair loudly hitting the floor one by one. she sprawls herself out on the bed like a cat whilst still in her jeans, eyes slowly moving up ellis’ frame. “lay down with me.”

FREE   CONTENT   !   SPIKE   FEARN   GIF   PACK