The Trouble with Faking by Rachel Morgan

they’re off to the beach.
    “Oh, hey,” I say to them. “How was last night?”
    They exchange an uncertain glance before Kimmy says, “It was fun.”
    I nod slowly, wondering if they’re going to explain the odd looks they’re giving me. When they don’t, I turn and unlock my door.
    “Hey, Andi,” Georgia says. I look back at her. “Are you sure … um, is it a good idea to be dating someone who cheated on his girlfriend in order to be with you? Doesn’t that mean that he might end up doing the same thing to you?”
    “Georgia,” Kimmy hisses beneath her breath.
    “What? I’m just worried about her—”
    “Thanks, but you don’t need to be worried,” I tell them. “Damien did not cheat on Charlotte.”
    They look at me, then at one another, then at the floor.
    “What?” I demand, just as Carmen’s door opens and she comes out. “Carmen, can you please tell them that Damien and I weren’t involved in any secret relationship while he was with Charlotte?”
    Instead of backing me up, Carmen looks away. She quickly pulls her door shut and heads down the stairs. Kimmy and Georgia follow close behind her. It’s only as their footsteps disappear outside that I realise Carmen had a beach towel wrapped around her neck.
    I slump against my door frame, confusion and hurt stabbing at my insides. Seriously? Why won’t anyone believe me?
    Someone jogs up the stairs. I look over the railing and see Damien. The tension inside me eases, and my frown melts into a smile. I didn’t realise I’d be seeing him again so soon. “Hey,” I say as he climbs the last few steps. “Did you have a good chat with Marie?”
    “Yes. Her friend even left us alone for a minute or so. She asked me about cheating on Charlotte, so I told her that wasn’t true, of course, along with the rest of our story.”
    “And she believed you? Because nobody seems to believe me.”
    Damien steps closer. “What do you mean? What happened?”
    I run a hand through my hair and sigh. “Nothing, really. Just that anyone I talk to thinks the cheating story is true, and the people I don’t talk to give me weird looks from a distance.” I head into my room and make my bed, pulling the duvet straight and putting the many cushions back in place.
    “I’m sorry, Andi,” Damien says from the doorway. “I didn’t think it would be such a big deal. Maybe … maybe we shouldn’t do this? I mean, if it’s going to alienate you from all your friends, then—”
    “No, don’t worry about it. My friends will get over it. They’ll remember soon enough not to take rumours seriously. And until then—” I cast a glance over the craft supplies on my desk and the piles of lecture notes already building up “—I’ll keep myself distracted.”
    “That’s actually what I came up here to talk to you about. My mom just sent a message to ask if I’m going home to visit them this weekend. I was wondering if … you might want to come with? Just for today and tomorrow? I know they’d love to see you.”
    A weekend with Damien? Just the two of us, away from the rumours and the stares? YES PLEASE. “That sounds great!” Jeepers, Andi. Wanna tone it down a bit? “Uh, when do you want to leave?”
    “Well, whenever you’re ready.”
    “Cool.” I work hard to keep the rays of happiness from bursting through my smile and blinding him. “Just let me pack an overnight bag.”

 
    Simon’s Town is a beautiful seaside town situated on the shores of False Bay. Houses are built against the side of the mountain rising steeply from the beach, which I imagine gives them a magnificent view of the ocean. Damien turns into the driveway of his parents’ house and parks in front of the garage. I climb out and look up. It’s a double-storey house with a wide balcony across the front of the upper level. Damien’s mom is standing on the balcony waving down to us.
    “Do your parents know anything about our pretend relationship?” I ask Damien as I wave back