Page 34 of Sincerely, Your Enemy

He shrugs. “So? We’ll just say we’re dating casually.”

That’s when it hits me.

We’re still cuddling. We haven’t moved. I try to wiggle out of his embrace, but he doesn’t budge, watching me struggle to untangle his arm from my shoulders with a smirk on his face.

“How am I going to find someone if everyone thinks we’re dating?”

He shrugs. “Men want what they can’t have. You’ll either have Aaron’s sorry ass crawling back to you, or you’ll attract someone better. It’s a win-win situation.”

TJ might be bonkers to think this is going to help me find the connection I’m craving, but one thing is certain.

Whatever twisted game he’s playing…

It’s one we can’t afford to lose.

Lacey

Aveena Harper and Diamond Mitchell have always been kind, good-hearted people. Unlike me, it didn’t take them eighteen years and the tragic loss of a parent to grow into themselves.

Truth be told, I owe a lot of the girl I’ve become to them—after all, you are who you hang out with. With that being said, just because they’re kind doesn’t mean they’re not capable of knocking some sense into you if they feel you’ve lost your way.

Something they’ve made clear by showing up at my house unannounced.

Dia paces around my living room, racking her brain for an explanation. “Did you get abducted by aliens? Is that it? Because not too long ago, there was nothing on God’s green earth that would’ve made you want to date TJ.”

“When we tried to set you up, you said you would rather deep-throat a cactus than go out with him. Two weeks of tutoring him, and suddenly, you’re all lovey-dovey?” Aveena adds.

They’ve been grilling me for answers since they came in.

To no one’s surprise, TJ’s hero moment got people talking—and by people, I mean Heather. She started running her mouth, and the next thing I knew, the girls were blowing up my phone.

What’s crazier? It’s only been adaysince she and Aaron walked in on us.

I know TJ came up with this fake relationship crap to give Aaron a taste of his own medicine, and in his own way, he was trying to be nice, but I wish he hadn’t taken pity on me.

I don’t have the energy to keep up this charade.

“We’re not really dating,” I fess up.

I can’t lie to these girls. They know me too well, and I’d rather have them know the truth than think I’m having a mental breakdown.

“Wait, what?” Dia plops down onto my couch next to Aveena. “But Heather said you were all over each other. She made it sound like you were fucking on the couch.”

On second thought, ifanyoneis having a mental breakdown, it’s Heather. We were barely cuddling, let alone kissing. Not that I’m surprised she’d try to embellish the story for attention.

“There was no making out. And I sure as helldidn’tfuck him.” I cover my face with my hands and groan. “It was TJ’s idea. Heather and Aaron came in when we were studying. They were making out in the kitchen, and I guess TJ felt bad for me because Aaron ghosted me after our date. He started talking shit to make Aaron jealous.”

The girls’ mouths round into a perfect O shape.

“So, nothing happened?” Dia asks.

I shrug. “No, he put his arm around me, and that was that. It was a stupid idea. I should’ve said something. Now everybody knows.”

Aveena chuckles. “Well, shit. We really thought you’d lost your mind for a second there.”

I can’t blame them. I went from hating all men, especially men like TJ, to “dating” him without telling anyone.

“What I don’t get is why TJ even knew about Aaron ghosting you. Why would he care about your love life?” Dia comments.

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