Ok, so I didn't put in the day that the real couples hang out because I figured if you really wanted to know what they did you could look up one of the many fanfics where they spend a day together. I skipped to Sunday. Sorry to disappoint, but this story is focusing on the game, and the game starts on…
Sunday
"So" Eddie said sitting next to Patricia. "You're up early"
"So are you" Patricia retorted.
"Why are you an early bird today?" Eddie asked. "Nervous about the project?"
"Nervous? What have I got to be nervous about?" Patricia asked. "It's just a dumb project"
"Mmhmm" Eddie said with zero belief.
"Look I'm not nervous" Patricia said. "I'm just not looking forward to you and my best friend hooking up"
"We won't be 'hooking up'" Eddie said.
"You know what I mean" Patricia rolled her eyes.
"Well no one's particularly happy about this" Eddie said. "I'm not happy about you and Mick"
"Mick and I barely talk" Patricia said. "You have nothing to be worried about"
"Let's get this clear, I am not worried" Eddie said.
"Of course not" Patricia said.
"I swear! I'm not jealous!" Eddie said.
"Oh let's face the facts Eddie" Patricia said after seeing Trudy come down the stairs out of the corner of her eye. "You're jealous, I'm jealous. That always seems to be how it is"
"So what are you saying?" Eddie asked.
"I'm saying... what's a relationship without trust?" Patricia answered with a question. "I think until we learn how to trust each other... we should cool it"
"Cool it?" Eddie repeated. His heart began to beat double time. "Are you breaking up with me?"
There was something in Patricia's eyes. It wasn't regret, remorse, guilt, sadness. It was reassurance. And that's what made Eddie realize, she was doing this all for show. And it was very believable. The speed of his heart slowed down and he had a small sigh of relief, but his look of real fear turned into the best angry one he could munster. He clenched his fists and stood up.
"That's fine with me" Eddie said and left the room. He immediately took out his phone and texted her.
Just to be sure, this was all pretend for the project... right?- Eddie
Absolutely. That's a dumb reason to break up anyway- Yacker.
He smiled at the text and began to think up ways to ask Joy out.
"G'day Mate!" Mick said in his Australian voice to Patricia upon seeing her by herself watching TV. She jumped a little at the sound of his voice. "Never thought I'd scare you"
"You didn't scare me" she argued. "You surprised me. I don't like surprises"
"It's good you're up" Mick said. "I thought we might talk about this project"
"Are you scared?" Patricia asked.
"Why would I be scared?" Mick asked, genuinely curious.
"You think you could handle dating me for a whole week?" Patricia asked.
"Of course!" Mick said immediately.
"Right, you're Mick Never-Scared Campbell" Patricia joked. "But seriously, we need to have a leg up on the rest of them. I don't do well to losing"
"Don't you remember who you're talking to? I agree with you a thousand percent" Mick said. "So what are we gonna do? ...We could go all Fabian/Nina with it and be love sick puppies" Mick suggested.
"I don't think that would gain us points, I think it would lose us points" Patricia responded. "I mean, I'm pretty sure we're not supposed to change who we are. I think the key point is to think about us as individuals and how we are in relationships"
"And how we would be in a relationship together" Mick added.
"Exactly. If we think about that we really shouldn't have a problem this week" Patricia said. "So how are you gonna ask me out?"
"That's a surprise" Mick said getting up.
"What? We talked about surprises!" Patricia said. When he ignored him and headed to her room she called: "I'm not into the whole Cheerleader Mick thing!"
Alfie started to walk up the stairs, but turned back for a muffin Trudy baked. None of them are supposed to have breakfast until it's time. On Sunday's it's nine to ten, and it was going on seven now. He figured they should just have breakfast. Everyone was up. Jerome was sitting in his bed half ready for the day half ready to climb back under the covers. Mick and Patricia were just talking. He saw Eddie not a minute ago. He heard the girls talking. He was sure everyone was awake. Anxious about the 'break ups'. Alfie was fine after reminding himself every thirty seconds that it wasn't real.
He made his way up the stairs and to the end of the hall where the attic was. After Nina, Amber, and Mick came back, there were some adjustments. Mick moved in with Fabian and Eddie again, using bunk beds. Nina and Amber got their room back and Willow and KT moved into the attic. He knocked on the second door in the attic after going up all of the stairs. KT opened and motioned for him to come in. She smiled at him and left so he could have time with Willow.
"If you've come to break up with me, let me have it!" Willow said with a scream as she opened her arms out.
"Uh... well I wasn't-" Alfie started.
"It's ok!" Willow basically screamed. "I'm all ears"
"Will-"
"My body is ready and I'm good to be dumped!" Willow screamed still with the her arms open. Before Alfie could say another word, she began to cry, letting her arms drop beside her.
"Willow!" Alfie was shocked as he ran over to her and put his arms around her. "It's just a game! Or project or whatever, it's not real!"
"It was real the first time you dumped me" Willow cried. Alfie didn't know what to say to make things better. "It's over Alfie"
"What?!" Alfie exclaimed. "This is for the project right"
"Yes" Willow said quietly as Alfie loudly exhaled. "But if by the end of the project you want it to be permanent, it can be"
"It won't be" Alfie reassured her. She smiled at him.
"So how are you gonna ask Nina out?" Willow asked.
"I don't know" Alfie said.
"Well if you want to win, it has to be a big gesture" Willow told him.
"Are you... helping me?" Alfie asked. "You know this is a competition"
"Yeah, but I want everyone to have an even playing field, because I know Mara's mapping out every possible strategy to win" Willow chuckled. "That's my girlfriend"
"Yeah how do you feel about being gay or bi or whatever you are?" Alfie asked. WIllow shrugged.
"I've always kind of loved the Lesbian Gay Bi Trans Queer Community" Willow said.
"You can just say LGBTQ" Alfie told her.
"Sometimes I say the full thing so I don't forget" Willow said. Alfie smiled at her.
"You really are amazing" Alfie said to her. Alfie left the attic and bumped into Nina.
"Oh!" She exclaimed. "Oh, hi... future... boy.. friend"
"Hi uh" he said just as awkwardly. "Future... girlfriend"
"Ok we need to talk" she said pulling him in her room. "This is awkward"
"Yeah" he said.
"But if we wanna win or get the best grade" Nina started. "Or even a good grade. It can't be"
"Ok" Alfie said.
"We're gonna have to hold hands and hang out and... kiss... and stuff" Nina said. "So I'm just telling you, when we do this project tomorrow, we need to go all out. No awkwardness"
"Ok"
"Are you actually listening?" Nina asked.
"Yes I'm listening"
"Well all you're saying is ok" Nina mumbled.
"What else am I supposed to say?"Alfie asked.
"The project doesn't start until tomorrow and already you're arguing like an old married couple" Amber said coming in. Nina and Alfie looked at each other, with a look that said 'progress'.
"Ok Fabian" Mara said not looking up from her notebook as she came into his room. "Let's get right to the point. We've broken up, it was mutual"
"Uh... ok" Fabian said.
"Great" Mara said and left, crossing that off of her to-do list.
"She's gonna be a tough one to beat" Eddie said.
"Well, if she's looking at only the logistics" Mick started. "Then she's gonna forget about the feelings part of it, which is the most important part"
"Uh Mick" Eddie said to him. "Could you do me a favor?"
"I guess" he answered.
"When you kiss Patricia... don't enjoy it" Eddie said.
"I won't" Mick rolled his eyes. "But I'll have to act like it"
"I know" Eddie just said. "Yeah I know"
Joy stomped into the living room and sat on the couch. Jerome followed her in with a look of desperation on his face. They had their 'break up' all planned out. Neither of them do things small when there's a competition. Especially when money is involved for Jerome. And Joy is not a fan of losing. At all. So for them, this 'breakup' was go hard or go home.
"Just tell me why you're breaking up with me" Jerome almost pleaded. "This is ridiculous you just drop the bomb what kind of crap is that?"
"Fine!" Joy exclaimed. "There is someone else"
"Who?!" Jerome yelled. She stood up and left the room. "WHO IS IT?"
Trudy, who was watching in the kitchen, was unsure for a moment if it were real or for the project. "These kids really are talented" she chuckled.
Who is your favorite couple? And to clarify for those who are confused, who is your favorite fake couple? I ask because the pretend couple that gets the most votes is the couple that wins the game.
So far Patrick is in first place with 4
Famber is in second with 3
Nalfie in third with 2
Kerome in fourth with 1
And Joddie and Millow both have 0
