Chapter Text
"Elena! Wait up!"
Oh no.
My eyes darted around the hallway, looking for someone or something to help get me out of the situation I was about to be in. But just my luck, everyone around me was already engrossed in their own conversations, and the one place I could go to hide out, the girls restroom, was on the other side of the hallway.
"Finally, I thought I'd never catch you."
I took a deep breath and turned around, crossing my arms.
"What do you want Joey?"
That's right. Joey Feldstein. My first crush, my first kiss, and the boy who betrayed me and stole my speech. We haven't spoken since last year, during his Bah-mitzfah, and I truly wished it'd stay that way. But recently, he's been trying to talk to me, for who knows what reason.
Joey stood in front of me, fidgeting nervously with his hands. I didn't even think that Joey could get nervous!
An awkward silence hung between us for a minute, and I was getting restless. But just as I was about to ask (I had to resist the urge to walk away, mami raised me better than that), he blurted out:
"Do you wanna go out on a date sometime?"
My jaw fell to the floor. Excuse me? The audacity of this boy! He betrays me, and now he asks me out? Unbelievable!
He must have seen my expression of pure disdain, because he starts to hastily explain himself.
"I know, I know. You're mad at me,"
That's the understatement of the year.
"But, Elena, I really like you. I didn't realise it until that day in your kitchen, but I do. And I mean, we were each other's first kisses! That has to mean something right? So, just give me a chance please? I'll prove myself to you."
My brain was running at a million miles per hour. Joey Feldstein is asking me out. JOEY FELDSTEIN IS ASKING ME OUT. If kindergarten me heard this, or even sixth grade me for that matter, she would have combusted. But me right now? I have absolutely no interest in that traitor. That's what I should tell him. That's what I was going to tell him. However, those were not the words that came out of my mouth.
"I have a boyfriend!"
Why did I say that??
It seemed to work though (of course he wouldn't give up until another guy was mentioned, freaking misogyny), because his face fell.
"Oh, really?"
I giggle nervously.
"Yep, sorry Joey, I'm a taken woman now."
I internally let out a sigh of relief. That should get him to leave me alone.
I spoke too soon.
"So, who's the lucky guy?"
I freeze. Oh no.
My eyes dart around the hallway, desperately looking for a worthy candidate that I could use as my fake boyfriend. My eyes land on one person, and before I could stop myself, I blurted out:
"Emilio."
WHY DID I JUST SAY THAT???
Thankfully, Joey didn't notice my internal freak out. Instead, he raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Emilio? Are you sure?"
I made a noise of offense on Emilio's behalf.
"What's wrong with Emilio?" I shot back.
"Nothing! He's a cool guy." He hastily added. "You guys just don't seem like a couple, that's all.
"It's all very recent, we've only been together a few days. But yes, he's my boyfriend. We just haven't really told anyone because we wanted to get use to the relationship ourselves first."
Joey fell silent for a minute, seemingly processing this information, before he finally spoke.
"Well, I'm happy for you. Hope you guys last long."
With that, he walked away.
And I was left standing there, in the busy Orange bay middle hallway, rethinking all my life choices.
---------------
"YOU DID WHAT?!"
I winced as my friends' loud voices rang through the cafeteria. It was now lunchtime, and I was telling Sasha, Melissa and Jessica about everything that happened with Joey.
"Elena! Why did you do that? You could have just rejected him!" Sasha said.
"I know, I know! But I was panicking ok? And now I've roped poor Emilio into this! Oh my goddess, he doesn't even know about it yet! What am I supposed to tell him?" I fretted.
"Calm down Elena, everything is going to be fine. You don't even have to tell Emilio anything!" Melissa told me as she rubbed my arm comfortingly.
I shot her a look of disbelief.
"What do you mean?"
"She means, that you don't have to do anything, because as long as you can avoid Joey for a few weeks, the next time he talks to you and asks about you and Emilio, you can just say you guys broke up and you're still heartbroken and not ready for another relationship." Jessica explained.
"Ooh, yeah! And by the time you 'get over Emilio', we'd be in high school and Joey would probably be over his crush on you at that point." Sasha added.
"This way, you never have to tell Emilio anything, and you can also avoid Joey trying to ask you out again! It's a win win." Melissa finished.
I start to calm down as they explained the plan. It sounds almost fullproof! So, for the first time that day, I allowed myself to relax.
---------------
"Hey Elena, can I talk to you for a minute?"
Our weekly after school student council meeting had just ended, and everyone was packing up and leaving. I was too, when Emilio, the co president alongside yours truly, stopped me.
I turned to him with a smile and nodded. At first, it was weird, having to share my position with another person. We are very different people, and we often have clashing ideas about how we want to improve the school. But over time, we've learnt to work together and compromise, and now, I can't imagine not having Emilio as a co president.
I was expecting him to start up a discussion about what we had talked about in today's meeting, or maybe bring up a new proposal for us to workshop together before presenting it to the rest of the student council. But what he said next was much, MUCH worse.
"So, Joey came up to me today, and he said something really strange."
My mouth went dry. Please, to whichever higher deity is listening right now, please don't let him say what I think he's about to say.
"He said that he was happy for me? That I got to date a great girl like you? And that he hoped that I would treat you right and be a good boyfriend to you? Elena, why is Joey under the impression that we're a couple?"
My heart sank. Oh no oh no OH NO! He was not supposed to find out! How could I have not thought about the fact that Joey might approach him?
I guess the fear must have been obvious on my face, because Emilio was quick to add, "Hey, I'm not mad, I promise. I'm just confused. Did you ask me out without me realising? Wait, when you asked me to go get froyo with you after our student council meeting last week, was that a date?"
Now he was starting to freak out.
"No no no! It wasn't. We're not actually dating. It's a funny story really..." I trailed off, chuckling nervously.
Emilio raised an eyebrow at me.
"See, Joey kind of likes me? And he tried asking me out today. But obviously I'm not interested, at least not anymore after that whole bah mitzvah situation. So, I tried to reject him, but instead of telling him no...I kind of panicked and told him that you were my boyfriend?" I replied sheepishly.
Emilio stared at me silently.
At this point, my palms were sweaty and my heart was beating out of my chest. Oh my goddess, I freaked him out! He's probably super weirded out by me right now, and thinking of ways to end our friendship.
I was so caught up in my own head that I almost didn't catch what he said next.
"So, what's our backstory?" He asked casually.
Wait what?
My eyes widen in suprise.
"We should probably also start acting more like a couple in school. I know it's probably not part of your plan, but it's not enough to fool just Joey, because if we only act all lovey dovey in front of him and no one else, eventually he's gonna catch on." He continued, oblivious to my bewildered reaction.
"Hold on hold on, slow down. You're ok with this?! I thought you'd be weirded out!" I exclaimed.
He shrugged.
"It's not that big a deal. You already told him that we were dating, so you can't exactly back out now, and I would be a really bad friend if I didn't help you convince him. He didn't seem to fully believe it when he spoke to me."
I couldn't help but throw my arms around him.
"Thank you so much Emilio, you're the best!" I gushed as we hugged.
He just chuckled in response.
"Anything for you Elena."
I pointedly ignored the way my cheeks started to heat up at his words.
We spent the next hour working out our story. How we started dating, what dates we have been on, all the little details that would ensure that our story was as believable as possible. And as we parted ways to head back to our respective homes, I couldn't help but smile despite everything that has happened. Emilio really was a great guy; he took everything in stride, and was even willing to help me out!
Maybe, just maybe, this whole thing will work out after all.