Fake Girlfriend

Around the table, the Cherry family–the whole family–is enjoying their home-cooked dinner of steak, potatoes, and a variety of green vegetables. Also present at the family gathering is the Atwood family, a family friend of the Cherrys. The Atwoods are Noah and Naomi and their two kids, Oliver and Calliope. The Cherrys and Atwoods have been friends since before either couple had kids. The Atwoods are invited to nearly every family gathering of the Cherry family making them practically family themselves.

Many conversations are happening at once, everyone talking over each other. Monica and Peter converse with their parents, June’s grandparents. They’re talking about the normal family drama with Peter’s side of the family–who are not here at this dinner gathering tonight. Naomi is in light conversation with Deliah Cherry, June’s younger and only sister. June is at the other end of the table as her parents, talking to Callie. And by “talking”, June is really trying to flirt.

June has had a huge crush on Callie since the first day of Freshman year of high school. Although they went to different schools, June would see Callie quite often. Callie was on her school’s Varsity basketball team and would go up against June’s school a lot, whether it was a home game or an away game for June’s school. For every home game that was announced, June would be in the bleachers with the rest of the audience.

Having a crush on Callie was a wild rollercoaster of feelings. But the worst thing about it? Callie has no idea of June’s feelings toward her. And it doesn’t help that June is absolutely terrible at flirting. All June wants is to be able to tell Callie how she feels and hopefully score a girlfriend.

“So Callie, how’s ball going?” Peter suddenly snaps June back into reality with his loud question.

Callie’s smile grows. She and Peter have built a solid friendship between themselves on their mutual love for basketball. “It’s great, actually. We’re on a winning streak this season.”

“That’s great! I hope to see you going off to nationals soon.”

“I hope so too, but winning state last year was hard enough.”

June loses touch with reality again, staring mindlessly at Callie. Her smile when she talks about basketball could light up the darkest of nights. In the middle of June’s staring contest with Callie’s lips, she’s once again yanked back into reality when her name is being half-shouted from across the table.

“Junie! How goes it with the love life?” her Uncle Mark, the youngest of her mother’s siblings, asks.

The whole house goes silent like the night was just waiting for this question and what June’s answer will be this time. Of course, the answer hasn’t changed in the slightest since they asked six months ago.

“Oh jeez, that’ll never happen,” Deliah comments. The whole family laughs despite June’s face staying still and turning red from embarrassment. June stomps on her little sister’s foot under the table where no one can see.

“You’re still single?” Uncle Mark teases.

June has been asked this question so many times in her life. It’s her least favorite question to be asked. Yes, she’s single. No, she doesn’t need a reminder of it, especially not from her family.

Without even thinking, June blurts out, “No, actually. I’m not single.”

Once again, the room falls dead silent. Shit, what did I just do, June asks herself, kicking herself for being so stupid. She is not taken.

“No? Well, that’s news! I mean, it’s great news. So, who is this special someone?” Monica asks her daughter, not quite believing that her daughter is actually dating someone.

“I… Uh…” June looks around the room at everyone staring at her expectantly, waiting for her to answer the big question. She glances at Callie who has the same surprised look on her face as everyone else.

“Well?” Uncle Mark pries.

A wave of panic, worse than she’s already feeling, washes over her. She thinks fast and the only idea she has is to just say a random name and hope her family doesn’t ask too many questions.

“It’s Callie.” The words come out way before her brain could come up with any other name.

Well, that didn’t go as planned, June thinks to herself. Her face burns up as she realizes what she just did. Callie, snacking on her green beans, nearly chokes, coughing quietly.

“Wow, I did not expect that,” Uncle Mark says.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Monica asks, a little disappointed her daughter didn’t tell her.

Desperately, June looks across the table at Callie for help, like she’s actually expecting Callie, the girl she just told everyone she’s dating when she is not, to help fill the hole she just dug for herself.

As everyone is waiting for June to answer their questions, June places her foot on top of Callie’s and pleads with her eyes. Finally, Callie speaks up.

“We just, um, haven’t been telling a lot of people,” she says softly. Then her voice grows more confident. “We’ve been waiting for the right time, we didn’t want to make some big gesture. I guess my Junie felt like it was the right time.”

June cringes internally at Callie’s use of “my Junie” but is grateful for her for coming through for her.

Monica nods slowly. “I see, I see. Taking it slow. That’s good.”

“Well, good for you June!” Uncle Mark exclaims loudly.

“Thanks,” June replies softly, sinking in her seat. “Excuse me.” She quickly leaves the dinner table and breaks into a run once she’s out of sight of everyone in the house.

In her room, she paces the length of her room, eventually ending in front of her bay window couch. She stiffly sits on the edge of the cushion and stares out ahead of her. Her mind races, wondering why in the world she just told her entire family and extended family that she’s dating Callie. Her crush. The girl she may or may not be falling in love with. I probably just ruined my chances with Callie, she worries.

“Knock knock.” Callie’s voice comes muffled through the door.

Panicked, June freezes in her spot. “Uh… Um, no one’s home. Come back later.” Then she adds to herself, “Or never.”

“I’m coming in,” Callie says.

Before she can open the door, June blurts out, “I-I’m naked.”

“I’ll wait.”

June sighs. “Okay, fine. I’m not.”

“I know. I’m coming in now.”

Before June can say anything else, Callie pushes open the door slowly and enters her room, shutting the door behind her. Without saying a word, Callie pulls out June’s desk swivel chair and sits, relaxing into it and spinning. June waits in anxious silence. After spinning a few more times, Callie finally stops turning and faces June. The two stare at each other for a few minutes. Well, it’s more Callie staring at June and June doing everything she can to avoid eye contact.

“Okay, I guess I’ll start,” Callie finally says. “What happened down there?”

“I’m so sorry for that. I didn’t mean to put you in that position. This is all my fault. I’m so sorry-”

“I’m not asking for an apology, though it’s nice to hear. I want to know what that was. You just told your entire family, and mine, that we’ve been dating secretly.”

“Well- that’s what happened.”

“June.”

“Okay. I’m just- I’m so tired of my family bugging me and getting up my butt about dating. Every time we see any of the family, they ask me if I’m dating anyone. And every time, the answer is no and they laugh and joke about it. I’m just so fed up.”

“So your solution was to tell them you’re dating me.”

“Well, no. My idea was to just say a random name and hope they don’t pry. It clearly didn’t go as planned.”

“Right.”

“I guess my brain just came up with your name and my mouth said it before my brain could process anything.”

“I can’t tell if I should be flattered or worried that my name was the first to come to mind when you think of a fake girlfriend.”

“I don’t know. But thanks for going along with it anyway.”

“You seemed desperate. You also kicked my foot really hard.”

“Was it that hard? I guess I underestimated my nerves.”

“Yeah, it was. But it’s not a problem.”

“Okay. I’m still sorry.”

Callie crosses her arms over her chest and a teasing smirk forms on her lips. “So what’s your plan now, genius?”

“I didn’t think ahead that far…”

“I don’t think you thought about this at all.”

“Guess not.”

Callie huffs out a laugh, then stands up. “Well, you’ve dug yourself a grave. I’ll play along for tonight. But you better clean this up before it gets too real.”

June takes too long to process what Callie just said. As Callie is closing the door behind her, it clicks in her head. “Wait, what does that mea-” But Callie is gone.