The Fake Couple

It was a normal day in the life of the 24-year-old Josh Hopkins who has been working at his dream company and has a beautiful wife waiting for him at home. At least this is what he was dreaming about until the alarm buzzed. 

Josh: (Yawns) “Time to get up buddy, and go for another day of waste while job hunting.”

Meanwhile, there is a loud knock on the door by Josh’s flatmate and college friend Sara. 

Sara: (Yelling) “Wake up you good for nothing guy, I am going to the restaurant, make sure you get your ass dressed and find a job already, or else you are moving out of here.”

Sara works as a waitress at a restaurant while struggling to be a published writer. Josh finally wakes up and dresses up to leave for the unending struggle that has been the routine of his life since he lost his last job. On his way, he kept thinking that only if there was a way for him to win some instant cash then he would not need to be worried about the daily nagging by Sara. 

At this time, something crosses his eye. He takes a second look at what is supposed to be a poster for the new reality TV show “Survival Couple”. 

The poster says: “Enter with your beloved partner now to have a chance of winning a million dollars in just 10 days.” 

At first, Josh completely ignores the thought thinking the last time he talked to his ex-girlfriend Kathy was 2 years ago. The day continues just like the other days with Josh returning home hungry and disappointed. On his way, he bought instant noodles, well what to expect from a jobless guy. Soon, Sara returns home exhausted. 

Sara: (Sitting with her head tilted on the sofa) “So you useless guy did you find a job? Or you again just roamed around and ate instant noodles?)

Josh: (Laughing) “HAHAHAHA! You know me so well.”

Sara: (Throwing the cushion at Josh) “This is no laughing matter, we haven’t paid the apartment dues for the last 5 months and this month Mr. Cook is sure to evacuate us unless we clear the dues.”

At that moment a sudden idea hit the not so bright mind of Josh and he smilingly said,

Josh: “Hey, I saw a reality TV show poster for couples; the winning prize is a million dollars and that too in just 4 days, what say we give it a shot?”

Sara: (Surprised, and then burst into laughing) “You and me as a couple on a reality TV show? They would instantly catch upon our lie.”

Josh: “No. not necessarily. Look, we have known each other for the last 8 years and have been sharing an apartment for the last two years; in the eyes of many people we would definitely be a couple.” 

Sara: “Yeah, that is true but can we win the show? Do you really think so?”

Josh: (Confidently) “Yes! It is at least worth a shot, we aren’t getting anywhere with our careers anyway.” 

Sara: (Still unsure) “All right, let’s give it a go, register us and we will see what happens.”

Josh: “Hey are you so opposed to the idea of even dating me for 4 days to even not be swayed by a million dollars!”

Sara: (chucking) “That’s because I know you dumbass, and I also know that you are still hung up on that ex-girlfriend of yours.”

John: (Silently) “Hmmmm……”

That night Josh registers both of them as a couple for the reality TV show. They get an email the next day regarding an audition to grant entry in the main show. Both Josh and Sara get dressed and go to the venue. 

Sara: “Woah! This is huge, just look at the size of that stage.” 

Josh: “Yeah well what did you think? They are giving a million dollars as the prize money and from what I have heard they will make the main round participants live together at a separate venue.” 

Sara: “That is so cool man; we get free food for 4 days.” 

Josh thinking in his mind that they really need to win the competition or they are not going to have a place to live starting next month. As he was lost in this thought their name was called up.

Judge A: “Introduce each other and tell something weird but cute about each other.”

Josh: (Seemingly looking tensed) “Ummm… So, this is my girlfriend Sara James. We have known each other for the last 8 years, went to high school and college together, and now we live together. She has a habit of suddenly talking in impersonated voices of famous movie villains; it always cracks me up (laughing).”

Sara: “This is Josh Hopkins my boyfriend, and as he mentioned we have known each other for the last 8 years and currently live together. He has a weird habit of thinking way ahead like marriage, children, etc. He builds up different scenarios and asks me questions, any other girl would totally feel weird but I kind of like his way of thinking.” 

Judge B: “All right, this is a test, please fill it separately, you have 3 minutes, do not think long just right the first thing that comes to your mind otherwise you will not be able to complete the entire test which could lead to disqualification.” 

Josh and Sara fill the form in a hurry and hand them over and then look at each other chuckling.

Judge B: “Okay, thank you for your time. We will email you your results by tonight and the details about the next round.” 

Josh on his way out: “Woah! That was nerve-racking, I was about to spill the beans in the test.”

Sara: “Totally, I don’t even know how I did on the test; all the questions were related to the cheesy stuff that couples do.” 

Josh: “Well let’s see what results we got, for the moment let’s get something to eat from the diner.”

Later that night, they receive an email detailing their selection and the next round.

Josh: “Sara pack your bag we are leaving for Los Angeles tomorrow.”

Sara: “Home huh? It’s been two years since we last went back home. I wonder how your ex Kathy is doing nowadays.”

Josh ignores her and goes to pack his stuff. The next day they leave for Los Angeles on the TV show’s bus. Finally, after a tiring ride, they reach the hotel at which the main rounds are going to happen. All the participants start to gather in the lobby for the instructions, and it is when they see an old face.

Kathy: “Hey Josh! What are you doing here? (Then she sees Sara) Hey Sara! Long time no see girl, where have you been? No one at the hometown has a clue about you.”

As Josh was about to respond the host comes and calls the attention of all the participants. She congratulates everyone on reaching the main round and informs them about the show’s procedure. After the introduction is complete, they tell us to go and rest for the night in our designated rooms. As Josh and Sara were about to leave, Sara approaches them:

Kathy: “So you two are a couple now? Who knew that the kid A of our college and the lonely beauty would end up together.”

For a minute pin drop silence echoes throughout the atmosphere when finally Josh speaks

Josh: (sensing Sara’s uneasiness) “Yeah, astonishing things do happen, I mean look at you who knew that you would start to date the quarterback of our high school football team.”

Kathy: “True, but Smith here is a real sweetheart, he lets me do whatever I want.”

Smith: (Phone rings) “Sorry guys have to take this call; it was nice meeting you both again. Kathy comes to our room when you are done talking.”

Kathy: “So Josh when did you two start dating, was it right after our breakup?”

Josh: “No, it was sometime after when I met her in New York by chance.”

Kathy: (touching Josh’s arm) “You sly dog, I never knew that you could get The Sara to be your girlfriend. Sara so tell me about it does he still do that trick with his tongue in the bed? I have been with many guys but no one can match that.”

Sara seemed uneasy to reply.

Josh: “Hey Kath! Come on give her a break. We are pretty tired from the ride; see you tomorrow at the competition.”

Kathy finally left Josh’s arm when he grabbed Sara’s hand to go to their room. On their way, Sara was absolutely quiet. After freshening up, Josh sits on the sofa and Sara on the bed.

Josh: “I am sorry for what happened downstairs, I had no idea Kathy would be here.”

Sara: (showing a poker face) “Hmmmm……”

Josh: “All right let us get some sleep we have a big day tomorrow. I’ll take the sofa, you can have the bed.”

Sara without saying anything went to bed. The next morning when Josh woke up, Sara wasn’t in the room, he dressed up and went to look for her, he found her walking near the poolside. 

Josh: “Hey! What’s up? Something troubling you?”

Sara: “Nothing much. So, tell me something. Do you still have some lingering feelings left for Kathy?”

Josh: “No, not at all, what gave you that idea?”

Sara: “Well you seemed to be pleased to see her and especially when she was touching your hand.”

Josh: “Oh come on, that was nothing at all, you are overthinking it. Right now we are a couple and we need to concentrate to win the million dollars.”

Soon after that, they went to the lobby for the first competition of the main round. 

Host: “We have here 64 couples with us, after this first round more than half of them will be eliminated from the competition and would have to go home immediately. The first round is the cook-off, in this round all the males will cook a dish in 20 minutes, and then the ladies will have to judge that which dish was made by their partner.”

The round kicks off and all the males hustle and work against the clock. Finally, all the dishes are made and the tasting and decision are done by the females.

Host: “Only 16 females were able to guess the correct dish, their names are Elizabeth Love, Sara James, Kathy Kristen, ………………….. The selected teams have now a 30-minute break during which they can enjoy at this luxurious hotel.”

Kathy: “Congratulations guys! We both made it to the next round, by the way, Josh you made the Half-fried omelet right? I knew it just by having the first bite you still make some cruel omelets.”

Josh: “Yeah that was me, though I was surprised that Sara was able to guess correctly since..”

Kathy: (Interrupting him) “Why? Hasn’t she had your omelet since you two have been dating for a while?”

Josh who almost slipped the secret that he has never cooked this dish for Sara. “No no, I meant that she is very bad with tasting, she can’t even differentiate between Mozarella and Cheddar, I mean can you believe it?”

Kathy: (laughing hysterically and again touching Josh’s hand) “Oh my seriously?”

Sara: (Sighs and then goes to the lobby to wait for the next round alone, meanwhile Kathy stops Josh from going and keeps flirting with him.)

Finally, the time for the second round arrives. 

Host: “The second round will have two couples make a team and take part in the treasure hunt. Only the first 6 teams to finish the hunt will qualify for the next round. Kathy, Smith, Josh, and Sara coincidentally end up in the same team.”

Kathy: “Let’s do this guys we have to take the first position, remember Josh how we won the treasure hunt in college, we can do it this time too.”

They all start the hunt and easily reached the last clue first, the last clue required them to take the stairs all the way to the rooftop. All of them ran to the top, Smith being the athlete he was, was way ahead and behind him was Kathy and then Josh and Sara when suddenly Kathy missed a step and slipped, spraining her leg. 

Kathy: “Aaahhh…..Aaaahhh…..Help me Smi……Help me, Josh!”

Josh stops and takes her hand while Sara stares at them, Kathy tells him to take her to the top in his arms or give her a piggyback ride, Josh after retaliating uselessly gives her a piggyback ride. Sara after seeing hurries to the rooftop and they end up winning the Treasure hunt and move to the next round. After that Smith takes Kathy to the infirmary while Sara is still quiet. 

Host: “Congratulations to the 12 teams here to qualify for the finals. The finals will start the day after tomorrow and will go on for two days, and at the end of it we will have our final winner.”

Josh and Sara go to their room, and still, there is a distance between them as Sara does not talk much. Meanwhile, Kathy comes back, she just had a light sprain. The next day passes by as all of them enjoy the leisure activities provided at the hotel, throughout which Kathy keeps flirting with Josh. Finally, the day of the final round arrives.

Host: “The final round will be spread over two days. To win the couples have to do the tasks listed in the instruction manual given to you. The final task carries the most marks and will probably determine the winner, only one team will be able to complete that task.”

Josh looks at the tasks, most of the tasks are fairly simple while some are a bit tricky. The final task is left blank, and in the end, it is written to fill this task after completing the rest of the tasks. 

Both the couples were able to do almost all of the tasks listed, although what they did not know was that one task was different for every couple. Kathy and Smith had the task to go confess and kiss to the opposite gender of one couple, only one of them had to do it. So they decided Kathy should do it with Josh since they already know each other. Kathy finds Josh roaming around the pool at night and goes to him.

Kathy: “Hey Josh listen, I want to confess something to you.”

Josh: “What is it?”

Kathy: “That time I did not break up with you because I was not in love with you but because I was scared that if you had gone to New York we would not be able to be happy. I still love only you Josh. (Kathy then suddenly kisses Josh)”

Behind the scenes, Sara was listening and seeing the whole thing and she hurriedly went back to her room as a teardrop came into her eyes. The next morning all the teams did their tasks, and finally, only the last task was left. The last task was supposed to be thought and done by the males. Sara goes to her room telling Josh to figure it out and then call her.

At night just 20 minutes before the countdown ends Josh messages, Sara, to come to the rooftop. When Sara reaches the rooftop she sees Kathy in Josh’s arms with her leaning on his chest. After that Kathy leaves while Sara hides. Then Sara opens the door and walks towards Josh.

Josh: “You finally came, here I was worried that you might get late and we might lose.”

Sara: “Well I did come early but you were busy flirting with your girlfriend.”

Josh: “Wait what? Girlfriend? Who?”

Sara: (Angrily) “Do not lie, I saw you and Kathy, today and even yesterday night. If you had gone back to her then why even bother to play this stupid show. (Sara bursts into tears)”

Josh: (not knowing what to do) “Hey! it is not like that at all.”

Sara: “Stop lying Josh. (Stuttering) I, I, I, I have always been waiting for you, for the last 8 years I have been waiting for you to love me. First, you did not even see me as a girl, and then you got into a relationship with that stupid Kathy, and then when you finally broke up I thought maybe now you will look at me, I even left a good job opportunity and came to New York chasing after you, I even lived in the same apartment thinking you might make a move on me this way but still to no avail and now when this was supposed to be our show you go back to her and embrace her. I hate you, I hate you so much.”

Josh: “Hey Hey stop crying dumbass, you do not even know the whole story, last night was just a task that Kathy was completing and right now I called her to thank her for breaking up with me because it was because of that I was able to realize something very important (Josh sits with one leg bent and takes out a ring)”

Josh: “Sara James, will you marry me and continue to handle my foolishness for the rest of your life?”

Sara: (In a state of shock, shouts) “Yes! Yes! You stupid dumbass (she starts hitting him repeatedly after wearing the ring and then finally kisses him.”

Host: “Everyone, we have our winner here. The final task was for the couples to show their true love. And what is true love if not marriage.”

Josh lifts Sara in her arms and kisses her again, both of them smile and laugh like they never ever did before, and finally come together as one.