Would You Rather: A College Romance (Campus Games Book 3)

Not really a love letter

As soon as I walk into my apartment, the sound of Gabi’s laughter fills the room.

That’s not typically a weird thing; the girl is always laughing and smiling, but this time it’s different. She’s… giggling. Blushing even.

I freeze at the doorstep, the keys jiggling in my hands as I watch her cuddled up on the couch, controller in her hand, playing a video game.

When I shut the door behind me, her head snaps back and her eyes widen, just now realizing I’m home. “Oh hey,” she says. “How was therapy?”

“Good.” I lean down and take off my heels, groaning when my feet hit the floor. I’ve worn heels for so long; they’re practically molded to the shape of my feet, but there’s nothing like the feeling of taking off your heels when you get home. It’s better than taking off a bra, I’d say. “Intense.”

“Yeah?” she asks, taking off her headset. “Are you okay?”

I nod. This week’s session was tough, bringing back all of my old memories of Daniel. It aggravates me that after all these years, he’s still the topic of my discussions. He’s still the reason I feel empty. Weak. Depleted.

“I’m good,” I breathe out, exhausted from talking about the one person I wish I could forget.

“Oh, by the way,” she says with a smirk. “I saw Lucas’ post today.”

“What post?”

“The one where you guys look like you’re two seconds away from ripping off each other’s clothes.” Gabi’s face lights up with a grin, and I roll my eyes, feeling my cheeks heat up.

Pulling my phone out of my bag, I quickly head to Lucas’ page, where I see the post Gabi is talking about — the one he took three days ago after the interview. It’s the moment that still echoes in my mind, capturing that moment when I thought he was about to kiss me, only to realize when the flash went off that it was just a move to win the stupid bet between us.

My lips feel dry as I stare down at the image on my screen, unable to break away from Lucas and the way he looks at me. I still remember what I felt at the time, wanting him to lean in and kiss me. It’s a thought I haven’t had in a long time, but it seems to be a constant occurrence with Lucas.

But it’s not the picture that catches me off guard. It’s the caption under the post that Lucas wrote.

My favorite person in the world.

My stomach somersaults and my heart bangs against my chest as I re-read it over and over again.

I know Lucas doesn’t mean those words. I know he has to sell our fake relationship, and he’s committed to winning the bet, but it doesn’t stop my heart from drumming all the same, hoping a part of him actually believes that.

“Did you zone out?” Gabi jokes, her words bringing me back to reality.

I quickly turn off my phone, trying to maintain composure. ‘No, I was just… checking something,” I lie, my voice slightly strained. ‘I’ll be in my room.” Ignoring her amused chuckles, I make my way to my room.

‘Oh, I almost forgot,” Gabi says, causing me to stop and look at her. ‘A package came for you today.”

“From who?”

She shrugs and lets out a chuckle. “Probably your boyfriend.”

A subtle smirk creeps onto my face, even as I try to narrow my eyes at her. “Funny.”

“I know. Thanks.”

I let out a laugh and head into my room, seeing a huge pink box with a bow on top sitting on my bed. My brows furrow as I approach it and lift the lid. An envelope sits on the top of the white tissue paper, and I pick it up, opening the letter inside.

I never thought I’d be writing one of these, and honestly, I never had the urge to. But you once mentioned loving the idea of receiving a love letter. Technically, you said you didn’t want one if you’d have to be in a relationship, so I guess this gets a pass, considering our relationship isn’t real.

This relationship might be fake, but this letter isn’t, and while I’ve never written one of these before, what I can do is be honest.

You’re beautiful, Madeline. Probably – no, scratch that, definitely the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. I thought so since the day I met you. Even when I shouldn’t, I always thought you were beautiful. I’ve always loved the way you smile when you think I’m not looking – I’m always looking. Even when I shouldn’t be.

I love the way your eyes light up when you talk about acting and how passionate you are about your dreams. I admire the way you don’t let anything stop you, to the point of agreeing to this charade. I think you’re so brave for going after your dreams. You inspire me.

You’re so incredibly talented, Mads, and I genuinely hope this arrangement works out for you. I hope you get that audition because you deserve it more than you realize. And I’m going to be so proud when I see your name in the credits at the movie theater one day.

So, here’s your not-really-a-love-letter love letter. You can crumple it up and toss it aside, or you can keep it until this is all over. I just wanted to give you something no one else ever has.

I just wanted to make you happy.

Lucas.

He wrote me a love letter?

My eyes blink away the wetness in my eyes as I scan his handwriting over and over again, re-reading the lines where my heart beats twice as fast.

My brows furrow as I place the letter on the bed and pull off the tissue paper, revealing a long, satin-black dress. My cheeks warm at the thought of Lucas buying this for me. I run my hands over the silky fabric, and a smile appears on my lips.

Before I can talk myself out of it, I pull the dress out of the box and slip it on, loving how it hugs my body like a glove, a slit running down my leg. It’s so beautiful. I can’t believe he did this.

I take my phone out of my bag and pull up his name, smiling to myself when I read our past conversations. I shake my head, typing out a text.

Me:

You bought me a dress?

Three little dots dance on the screen, making me nervous. I pull my bottom lip between my teeth while I wait for his answer.

Lucas:

No big deal. I just didn’t want you to come unprepared.

Me:

And the letter?

Lucas:

I meant what I said. I wanted to make you happy.

My lips pull into a smile as I stare down at his text.

Me:

Thank you.

Lucas:

Wow. A thank you? I believe that’s some sort of record.

Me:

You had to ruin it.

Lucas:

I love to please you.

Me:

More like displease.

Lucas:

As long as I’m in your head, it’s fine by me.

My heart does a blip at his words, and my eyes scan his text over and over again. Why do I like that so much? Lucas wanting me to think about him.

Lucas:

I just have one request.

Me:

Oh god, what is it? You’re not going to make me do anything embarrassing, are you?

Lucas:

Wear red lipstick.

My brows furrow at his text, and before I can say anything, a loud crash startles me. I turn around to see Gabi standing at the door, with her mouth dropped and a half-eaten sandwich in her hand.

“Holy shit,” she says. I notice the controller on the ground when she leans down to pick it back up.

“Do I look okay?” I ask her.

She nods slowly, her mouth still gaped open. “That dress.”

I let out a laugh at her expression. “Lucas got it for me.”

She nods, a smirk on her lips. “So I was right. It was from your boyfriend.”

I slip the dress off, putting it back into the box, along with the letter that I’m keeping close to me, where I can re-read it often. “He’s not my boyfriend, Gabi.”

Gabi snorts while I pick up a sweatshirt and pull it over my head. “Come on, Madi. The guy bought you a dress. He’s taking you out on a date to the biggest event of the year.”

“It’s a charity gala,” I say with an eye roll. Highly doubt it’s the biggest event of the month, let alone the year. “And it’s fake, Gabi. It’s just something Ana set up.”

She snorts, shaking her head. “It doesn’t seem so fake anymore.”

That’s what I thought, too. “Yeah, well, it is.” I drop down onto my bed with a sigh.

Her brows tug together, and she follows, sitting beside me. “What’s going on?” she asks.

I squeeze my eyes closed, shaking my head. “Nothing. I just… I don’t want to get my hopes up when I know it’s not real.”

She watches me for a while, not saying anything. It’s weird. I don’t like it.

“Say something,” I tell her. “I don’t like it when you’re silent.”

She laughs. “I was waiting in case you wanted to tell me something else.”

“Like what?”

She smiles. “Like the fact that you have feelings for him.”

“You’re crazy,” I say, but my heart beats at her words.

“I’m right,” she corrects. “I can see it when you look at him. I haven’t seen you this happy in a while.” She smiles. “It’s nice.”

“You’re getting emotional.” I narrow my eyes. “Stop that. It’s scaring me.”

“I’m serious,” she says with a laugh. “You were a mess freshman year.”

“Thanks,” I say dryly. “Remind me again why you’re my best friend.”

She shrugs. “Because I’m the best. Clearly. And I can tell when you’re deflecting. Stop avoiding the subject.”

Damn it. She really knows how to read me better than anyone. “I’m not avoiding it,” I lie. “I just know better than to get involved with someone again, okay?”

The mood sobers, and Gabi’s face drops. “Jesus.” She shakes her head. “Your ex really fucked you up, didn’t he?”

I close my eyes, letting out a sigh. “I don’t want to talk about this, Gabi.”

“It’s not good to avoid it either.”

I shake my head. “It’s not an easy thing to talk about.”

“About how that asshole treated you? Yeah, it’s not. That doesn’t mean I want to see you close yourself off to every guy that crosses your path. You’ve been so focused on class and trying to get an audition that you haven’t stopped to think about anything else.”

I’ve thought about it. I can’t stop thinking about it. But the problem is, I can’t let it happen. It can live in my mind where everything is safe and no one can hurt me ever again. “I don’t need a boyfriend.”

“No,” she agrees. “You don’t. But that doesn’t mean you don’t want one. I see how you look at Lucas, Madi. And the interview?” She shakes her head. “Come on. You like him.”

I narrow my eyes at her. “I’m not dying my hair if that’s what this is about.”

She chuckles. “It’s not. Although you’d look amazing in red.”

“I know,” I agree, with a smirk. “But it’s not happening.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” she says, glancing down at the pink box on my bed. “When he sees you in that dress on your date, I doubt he’s going to be able to keep his hands off you.”

“Not a date,” I repeat. “It’s—”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. It’s fake,” she says, “But the fact remains, he won’t be able to stay away from you.”

I swallow down, thinking about Lucas’ reaction to me in this dress. What will I do if Gabi is right? I haven’t been with anyone in over four years, and I thought I’d never want to again. But now…

Gabi lifts herself off my bed, heading toward the door, but before she walks out, she turns around with a smirk. “Just make sure you use protection.”