Never Just Friends

The Deal

As Finn made his way across the courtyard during lunch, he couldn’t stop his eyes from wandering over to the oak tree where Hanna, Elordi, and Emily were sitting. They were laughing—her and Elordi, like everything was perfect. Finn’s stomach twisted uncomfortably, and before he knew it, he was heading toward them.

“Hanna,” Finn said, his voice tight as he approached. She looked up, surprise flashing in her eyes. “Can we talk? Alone?”

Elordi stopped mid-laugh, glancing between Finn and Hanna. Emily raised an eyebrow, curious. Hanna hesitated for a moment, her eyes flicking to Elordi, who was watching Finn closely.

“Uh, sure,” Hanna said, standing up slowly. She turned to Elordi and Emily. “I’ll be back in a sec.”

As soon as they were a few feet away, Finn let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. His thoughts were spinning, the words he needed to say jumbled in his mind.

“What’s going on, Finn?” Hanna asked, her arms crossed defensively. She still hadn’t forgotten what she’d overheard him say to Ciara. “Why the sudden need to talk?”

“I—uh—need your help,” Finn admitted, glancing down at the ground, feeling awkward.

Hanna frowned. “Help? With what?”

He cleared his throat, trying to figure out how to phrase this without sounding like an idiot. “It’s Ciara. She won’t leave me alone. She’s getting... clingy, and it’s affecting everything—school, soccer, my life in general. I need to find a way to get her to back off, but she’s not taking the hint.”

Hanna’s eyes widened slightly. “Okay, and what does this have to do with me?”

Finn looked around quickly, making sure no one was nearby. “I was thinking, if she thought I was into someone else—she’d stop.”

Hanna’s expression turned skeptical. “And you’re suggesting that ‘someone’ should be me? Are you kidding me?”

Finn nodded, his heart pounding. “Ciara won’t touch you, she respects your brother. If we pretended to be into each other, Ciara would lose interest and leave me alone.”

Hanna stared at him, stunned. “You want me to fake-date you?”

He winced at how ridiculous it sounded when she said it out loud. “Just for a while. You wouldn’t have to do anything real. Just make it look like we’re together.”

Hanna’s brow furrowed as she processed his request. “Finn, why don’t you just tell Ciara you’re not interested?”

“I’ve tried,” Finn groaned, rubbing his temples. “She’s not getting the message, and now she’s everywhere—showing up at soccer practice, texting me constantly. She’s making it impossible to focus on anything.”

Hanna glanced back toward the oak tree where Elordi and Emily were still sitting, talking quietly. “So, you want me to help you fake a relationship so you can get rid of her?”

Finn’s heart pounded faster. “Yeah. It’s just until she backs off. I promise it won’t be for long.”

Hanna shifted on her feet, uncertainty flashing in her eyes. “And what’s in it for me?”

Finn blinked, surprised by the question. “Uh, what do you want?”

“If we do this,” Finn said slowly, “and it works, maybe Elordi will notice you.”

Hanna studied him for a moment before sighing. “Okay. Fine. We’ll do it. But if this backfires, I’m blaming you.”