It's really short tonight because of work (of course) and all in Owen's pov. Please note there is no chapter tomorrow night because I have other plans but you only have to wait a week until the next chapter of Why the Two of Us Should Never Touch.
Ch. 4 Pretending
(OWEN)
"What's the favor?" I question after Clare tells me she needs a favor.
"My mom figured out that I've been seeing someone and she wants me to bring my new boyfriend to dinner," Clare explains.
"And you want me to play the boyfriend," I comment and she nods.
"If I bring Bianca to dinner and admit I've been dating here I'm pretty sure you'll never see me again," she remarks.
"No problem I can play the boyfriend at the family dinner," I reply and Clare lets out a sigh of relief.
"Thanks Owen," she grins.
"No problem so what time should I be there?"
"Six, dinner is at six," she says.
"Cool you want to just hang here for the day? Tell me the dos and don'ts of meeting your family? Plus, we should probably get our stories straight," I comment.
"Yeah hanging out here is a good idea," Clare nods. "Let's keep the story simple, I became friends with Bianca and began hanging out with you and then you asked me out. It's all true except for the part about us dating but less chance of getting confused that way," she says.
"Okay simple is good so what about your family? Anything I shouldn't talk about or say?"
"Well you already know Jake and his dad is pretty easy going. My mom will probably ask some questions but just stick as close to the truth as you can. I wouldn't mention throwing Adam into or a door though."
The girls hang at my place until it's time for Clare and I to leave to have dinner at her place. Bianca decides to just stay at my place so she can hear how it went afterward. I drive us to her house and when we walk in Jake's mouth drops open and he looks like might pass out.
"Mom, Glen this is my boyfriend Owen," Clare says.
"You're going out with Owen?" Jake exclaims while I'm shaking hands with his father.
"Well I've been hanging out with him a lot since becoming friends with Bianca and he asked me out," Clare replies and Jake closes him mouth. I can't tell if he's being protective or just shocked.
"It's nice to meet you Owen, dinner's ready please sit down," Clare's mom says.
Jake's dad and Jake remain pretty quiet over dinner but Clare's mom asks me a lot of questions. About my family, my hobbies, my plans after high school and other things. It's kind of amusing actually, I've never been interrogated by my dates family before and I'm not even really dating Clare.
"I'm going to walk Owen out to his car," Clare says after dinner.
"Alright it was nice to meet you Owen," her mom replies.
"Thanks for doing this Owen they believed everything. If I'd brought Bianca to dinner and told Mom I was dating a girl she'd have flipped."
"No sweat, I'll tell Bianca how tonight went and we'll see in school tomorrow," I grin at Clare. I see her mom watching us through the window so lean down placing a tiny kiss on her check while I hug her, "We're being watched," I explain and Clare smiles.
"I'll see you tomorrow," Clare smiles.
"So how'd it go?" Bianca asks when I get home.
"It was fine; her mom asks a lot of questions. You want to crash here tonight?"
"Yeah," she nods.
Bianca stays in my room for a while before she goes to the guest room to sleep. In the morning I drive us and Tris to school. Tris walks ahead of us and goes into school first. Bianca and I are walking slower and talking, at least until we get inside.
"Hey Owen I hear you're dating Clare," Mo hollers from across the hall and everyone in the hall hears.
"News really travels fast," Bianca mutters.
"Well he is friends with Jake. Are you going to be okay with this? We can tell them the truth," I remark.
"No Clare's not ready for that, not sure I'm ready for that. No this will work well for us you keep pretending to date Clare," Bianca says.
"Maybe we should fill Clare in on this plan," I comment.
"Good point let's go wait for her outside."
We go outside sitting on the first picnic table and waiting for Jake's truck. When we see it I stand and Jake stops the truck so Clare can get out, Bianca stays where she is.
"Good morning Girlfriend," I say helping Clare out the truck.
"Morning Boyfriend," she smiles kissing my cheek without missing a beat.
I walk with my arm around her and Bianca joins us as we go inside. The three of us walk down the hall together, Clare between us and my arm around her. We duck into an empty classroom and I lock the door.
"People at school know we're dating, well think we're dating," I tell her.
"Yeah I got that. Are you okay with this? It was just supposed to be one dinner," Clare comments to Bianca.
"Yeah it's the perfect cover, the three of us hang out anyway," Bianca says.
"Like you said we'll keep it simple, I'll walk the halls with my arm around you, maybe holding hands. Kisses on the cheek, if you do it right it can look like you're actually kissing," I tell her.
"And when we're alone I get you all to myself," Bianca smiles gripping Clare's shirt and crushing their lips together. I don't mean to stare at them while they kiss but it's kind of hard not to watch.
"Ready to do this Girlfriend?" I ask Clare holding my arm out to her.
"Let's do this Boyfriend," Clare says linking her arm with mine and we leave the classroom with Bianca following behind.
The next update is Sunday and that will be the last update for Short Story month.