HOLIDAY HEARTS: A Love Game Gone Wrong

ollowed Ken to a table near the back, trying to ignore the curious glances thrown our way. People no

icked back, his posture relaxed in that annoying "I'm too cool for this" way. It was like

I asked, trying to act

friend to your family. We'll laugh, we'll joke, we'll pretend like we've been together for months. And wh

process what he was saying.

n, this is all fake, right? Are we going to be

e it look convincing, like, real convincing. We'll be th

realized how easy it would be to get lost in this act. What if it

rviving a week with my family and escaping their constant judgment. The

tment... got it." I nodded, taking a sip of my

this. You just need to play along. Pretend you're the happy

screamed "charmer," like he could convince anyone of anything with ju

ow are we even supposed to look lik

me for, let's say, a few months. We met online, hit it off instantly, and now we're t

you're fine with this? I mean, I

a favor, helping you get through the holidays. Plus, it'll be fun to mess with

do realize I'm probably going to e

with mischief. "That

, our little

o remind me to "act natural" and that he was "born for this." Of course, I had no idea how to act a

er at Ken, who seemed entirely unfazed,d if this was just another Tuesday for

out of the car. "You've got this. Just intr

le. "Right, right. No big deal. Just introducing y

"Exactly. You're w

ocked, the door swung open. My mom greeted us first

to a hug. "You made it. And... is

This is Ken. We've been seeing eac

nding his hand to my mom. "It's great to meet you

ful. I'm so happy to finally meet you." She smiled warmly, glancing at me with a

yself not

f the family. He even slipped in some small, personal details about my li, things I

inside," my mom sa

lling Ken with questions about his job, hobbies, and plans for the future. It was

d with ease, laughing at Ken's jokes and exchanging playful banter as if we were a couple. He was surprisingly go

, came the moment I

auren?" a voice call

n, my brother's roommate, looking ev

, and suddenly, all the ai

smile. "I didn't know you were bri

et my brother's real roommate. And I realize