Reid Anderson

Does she have any friends? She said she had never made any. Oh lord I don't know if I can handle this just to get some good grades. I was trying to be friendly and I was trying not to get irritated with her but so far tonight I've been doing all the talking, and she's the one who wants to be popular. She won't be popular if she can't even talk to anyone.

We walked out of the bathroom together after I had to teach her how to make a friend, are we in kindergarten? My god.

I looked down at her as we got into the living room and gave her a small reassuring smile. I walked up to more people I knew and she followed, hopefully she'd talk this time.

It was Grayson, my best friend, and his girlfriend Jasmine. They were both holding solo cups and taking sips from them while talking to each other.

"Hey man!" I said to Grayson as he dapped me up. He didn't bother ask who Maeve was which gave her the perfect chance to introduce herself to Jasmine. I was tuning in on her conversation while trying to talk to Grayson.

"Nice score tonight!" Gray said to me after I heard Maeve speak.

"I like your hair, it's so pretty!" She said sweetly to Jasmine who had super thick curly hair.

"Aw thank you!" She gushed.

"Uh thanks dude." I finally replied to Graysons comment after eavesdropping on Maeve.

"Is it naturally like that?" Maeve asked her with a smile on her face.

"Yeah it is!"

"Its beautiful I love it!" Maeve complimented again.

"Coach said that if you don't get your grades up you can't play anymore, dude." Grayson said pulling me out of Maeve's conversation

"Yeah I know I'm trying to work on it."

"Good man, I need you in our games."

"Yeah I know." I shook my head.

"Whose this?" Grayson looked at Maeve. I looked at her for a second hoping she'd introduce herself.

"I'm Maeve." She gave a little smile.

"Oh cool, I'm Grayson." He stuck his hand out to dap her up. Shit does she know how to do that? She went in for a handshake oh god. Her hand slipped into his but he moved his thinking she knew what she was doing. They exchanged an awkward laugh.

Jesus.

He dismissed it. "How come I've never seen you around before?" Grayson asked her following his question with a sip of his drink.

"You probably weren't looking hard enough." She gave a little laugh and so did he.

"You're probably right. Most of the time I'm staring at Jasmine." He snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him, making her giggle. Maeve looked at me and noticed her eyes soften because of them. I had to admit their relationship was cute and everyone was jealous of what they had.

"I'll see you later man, we're going to leave soon." Grayson said pulling Jasmine along with him. I looked at my phone and it was 10:30. Had it really been an hour and a half?

"Alright, bye." I waved him off before I turned and looked at Maeve. It was pretty dim so I couldn't see her well but I could make out her features.

"Do you have a time you need to be home?" I asked her searching her blue eyes.

"Nope." She popped the p.

"Alright." I stepped closer so I was towering over her a little more. "Do you want to exchange phone numbers so we can communicate about this?" I asked her.

"Yeah sure."

"Here put your number in my phone." I handed it to her and she typed it in. I watched her as she did. Her round nose that turned up just a bit, her short blonde hair, her rosy cheeks, her soft eyelashes, her plump lips. Why was she kind of-

"There you go." She interrupted my thoughts by handing me my phone back. She had sent herself a text on my phone so she would have my number.

"Cool." I said flatly as I looked at her, she looked at me too. It felt like we were looking at each other for an eternity.

"You feel like making anymore friends tonight?" I laughed a little as I asked it.

"I think I'm good." She nodded her head with a grin.

"Is it cool if we leave soon then, my mom won't be too happy if I'm home late, especially with the state of my grades." I sucked air in through my teeth.

"Yeah for sure." She nodded her head. "Can I go get my soda back though?"

"Yeah of course, I'll wait."

She walked off, finding the kitchen to retrieve her orange soda. I watched her walk off, and the curve of her ass. I watched that too.

"Hey Reid." Bethany came up to me and put her hand on my bicep. We used to date last year. She got kind of attached. But she was a bitch and all her drama stressed me out and I started to do bad in football and school. The breakup was for the better. Or so I thought, she didn't agree that much.

"What do you want Beth." I cleared my throat and rolled my eyes. She knew I wanted nothing to do with her.

"A little harsh don't you think? Well anyways I just came to say hey, and I'm wishing you and your new girlfriend a happy relationship."

"What? What girlfriend?" I stared into her dark brown eyes that were evil.

"That little blonde, Kate saw you guys in the kitchen whispering and touching."

"She's not my girlfriend."

"Right right."

"Just because we were touching doesn't mean we're dating Bethany, grow up." I scoffed.

"Mhm, and just because I fucked Troy doesn't mean that I cheated on you right?"

Oh and I forgot to mention she cheated on me too. I wasn't too upset. I was already emotionally detached from her before it happened.

"Those are so not comparable, and you know it. Now get lost, I'm not interested in talking to you."

"Oh hush I know you want me." She came closer.

Just then Maeve appeared and walked to my side with her soda.

"Aw there she is, the beloved girlfriend." Bethany looked all cheery.

I turned to Maeve and her eyes said what the fuck.

It turned me over the edge. I was done with Bethanys crap and I did this just because I wanted to tick her off. I had a habit of doing that, blowing up when I should've kept it all in.

"You know what, maybe she is my girlfriend? But why do you care?" I said a little too loud. Bethany looked hurt and Maeve looked confused.

"She likes me and I like her so that's that, we're dating. You happy now? Is that what you wanted to hear?" I shouted making it apparent to everyone that we were dating. Or fake dating. But they didn't know that. I was fuming. My cheeks were hot and I bet they were red too. I got red when I was angry. It felt like everyone was staring at us.

I titled my head back and blew out a breath before I ran my hands through my hair angrily.

"Let's go." I said grabbing Maeve's hand and pulling her toward me. She complied. She didn't argue. Or ask what was going on. She just followed me.

Once we got outside I heard her small voice squeak up.

"Reid, what's going on." It was small and delicate and I felt bad for putting her in this position. But she wants to be popular and this is the reality.

I let go of her hand and got into my truck and she got in too. I sighed and ran a frustrated hand through my hair. She was looking at me. Her whole body was turned toward me looking for an answer to her question.

"That...was my ex."

"Oh." She let it out. It was a small noise, almost inaudible.

"She's just annoying and was hammering me about you, saying you're my girlfriend and I told her you weren't but then I snapped and then I screamed it to everyone that were dating cause I have no self control. So I guess we're not waiting a week. You're my fake girlfriend now and everyone knows it."

"Oh um okay." The words sounded choked and like she felt weird about this whole situation.

"I'm sorry." I turned my head and looked at her. Her cheeks were pink and she looked nervous. "You did good though, with the whole making new friends thing." I tried to be nice. I tried to encourage her. I tried to let her know I was proud, maybe giving her some more confidence in herself.

"Thanks." She smiled a little. It was cute.

Wait.

What?

I'm not doing this.

I started the engine and pulled out of the neighborhood trying to get her home as fast as I could because I didn't like the energy in this truck. But my next words didn't seem to advocate for that.

"Am I still going to church with you on Sunday?" I asked looking over at her briefly. Can't believe I'm going to church. Jesus.

"I think so, I'll have to check with my mom."

"Okay just text me." I spat out not giving her a look.

"You'll have to wear something nice." She said in a small voice as she fiddled with her fingers.

"That's not a problem."

"Like a dress shirt and some slacks."

"Got it."

"Okay just don't forget, my moms strict about church clothes."

"I won't, Maeve, you don't have to worry."

"Okay cool." She ended the conversation as I pulled up to her house.

I waved to say goodbye and watched her walk to the door before I drove off. I tried to get home fast because I knew my mom was going to bitch about it.

I pulled into the driveway and cut the engine, trying to prepare myself for her.

My mom was at my game and the only reason she let me go to a party was because I told her it was for the football team and I had to be there. She bought it. But she told me I had to be home by 10:30 which I didn't succeed at. Oh well.

I walked inside and she was waiting in the living room.

"Reid Blake Anderson." My mother scolded as soon as I set foot inside. I rolled my eyes at her use of my full name.

"I know, I'm sorry. It went on longer than expected and there was traffic coming back mom, there must've been some accident. And the house it was hosted at was all the way downtown, I swear I didn't mean to be late, I left at 10." I quickly spat out a lie. My gullible mother believed it.

She sighed, "did you find a tutor?"

She hadn't talked to me since this morning since she couldn't find me after the game and after dropping Maeve off I went straight back to school.

"Yes I did." I dropped my car keys down on the coffee table.

"Good, is it the girl you mentioned?"

"Yes mom."

"Good good, she sounded smart from the way you described her."

"Mhm." I sort of tuned her out as I scrolled on my phone.

"When are you meeting with her."

"Sunday, I'm pretty sure I'm going to church with her cause she said she does that at like 10 or something. And I told her I'd go with her if it was less trouble. Then after we'd study, and I'll also be meeting with her on Tuesday and Thursday, and just repeat the schedule each week." I explained.

"You're going to church?!"

"Mhm."

"I already like her, you've never done that a day in your life."

"Yeah whatever."

"Be respectful please, be polite to her parents."

"Yeah mom I will." I said turning to go upstairs.

I could feel my moms smile as I went up the stairs. The energy was radiating off of her. As soon as I got upstairs I plopped down on my bed.

-

The sun shined in my eyes as I fluttered them open. It was Saturday. Finally. I looked at my phone and saw I had received a text from Maeve.

I double checked with my mom, she said you can come to church with us. Be at my house at 9:30 am tomorrow.

Fucking hell 9:30? I'd have to be up earlier than I wanted to on a weekend. Although I was annoyed by that, her assertive text made me smile.

Never would I have believed it if someone told me the weird blonde girl in my classes was tutoring me and I was her fake boyfriend and going to church with her and now her text messages had made me smile. Never. Ever.