The Girlfriend Act

The walk back to your dorm is unhurried, each step measured, each thought lingering in the fog of recent events. The campus is alive with students milling about, laughter and conversation weaving through the crisp evening air. You, however, are wrapped in your own world, the reality of your situation pressing against your chest like a weight.

Underneath it all, a delicate lace bralette in a soft blush pink hugged your form, offering just enough support while maintaining a sensual, feminine touch. The thong sat snugly against your hips, the fabric smooth against your skin. Over them, you wore a cream-colored ribbed tank top, the material hugging your curves without being overtly tight, the scoop neckline accentuating the delicate slope of your collarbones and cleavage.

Your high-waisted, light-wash jeans fit like a dream, sculpting your figure while remaining relaxed enough to move freely. The subtle distressing at the knees gave them a touch of casual edge. On your feet, taupe suede ankle boots with a slight block heel added just enough height to elongate your legs without sacrificing comfort.

Your hair cascaded in soft waves, a few strands tucked behind your ear, while a minimal touch of glowy makeup accentuated your features—just enough to enhance, never to overpower. A gold chain necklace with a tiny pendant rested against your collarbone, catching the light as you walked.

You sighed, rolling your shoulders as you reached the door. It had been a long weekend—longer than you’d like to admit. You just wanted to change into pajamas, maybe scroll on your phone, and—

You paused. Muffled voices filter through the door—conversation, laughter, an unusual level of activity for what should be an empty space. Your brow furrows.

Liam.

It’s been weeks since you last spoke to him, since he last so much as looked in your direction. The cold shoulder, the unspoken betrayal, the weight of knowing he handed you over to Aphrodite on a silver platter—it’s all been building, simmering beneath the surface. And now, all of a sudden, he’s...chatting? Hosting guests?

A prick of unease runs down your spine as you grip the doorknob and push it open.

The moment you step inside, the air shifts. Three pairs of eyes snap toward you.

And then—your stomach plummets.

Your sister is here.

“Oh my god,” she gasped, eyes widening as you stepped inside.

Your breath hitched.

She looked… exactly the same. Familiar in a way that made your stomach twist.

She’s perched comfortably on Liam’s bed, a small suitcase beside her, looking effortlessly put together in a way only she can manage. Her wavy chestnut hair, a shade or two darker than yours used to be, is pulled into a loose half-up style, stray strands framing her sharp, familiar features. She’s dressed casually but with a stylish flair—form-fitting light-wash jeans with a few artfully placed rips at the knees, a cropped white tank top that accentuates her toned arms. White sneakers complete the look, pristine despite her travels.

Her expression, initially open and cheerful, shifts into confusion the second she sees you.

And why wouldn’t it? To her, you’re just some random woman walking into her brother’s dorm unannounced.

Her voice pulled you back to reality. “Oh—sorry, I didn’t mean to—uh—who are you?”

You froze.

Liam—who had been lounging in his chair, looking exhausted just moments ago—suddenly straightened, his eyes wide with panic.

“Oh! Uh—this is my girlfriend, Luna.”

A slow horror crawled up your spine. Your sister blinked. “Your girlfriend?”

Liam gave you a meaningful look—his eyes screaming just go with it, for the love of the god.

Your throat was dry, your heart pounding, but you **** a bright, awkward smile. “Uh, yeah! That’s me.”

Your sister’s brow furrowed. “Wait, really?” She glanced between you and Liam, then at the suitcase you were still holding. “Then… where’s Lucas?”

Fuck.

“Oh, he’s probably at lecture,” Liam said smoothly. “Or a tutorial. You know how busy he is with classes.”

Your sister scoffed. “Then why isn’t he answering my texts for, like, weeks?”

You jumped in, feigning a laugh. “Oh, yeah, he’s been totally swamped. Like, he barely has time for anything these days.” You waved vaguely. “Super buried in work.”

Liam nodded eagerly. “Yeah, it’s been crazy. That’s why she’s here with me instead—figured she’d just crash for a bit.”

Your sister’s gaze flickered back to the suitcase in your hand. “I'm Chloe by the way, I'm Lucas's older sister. So… why do you have that?”

Liam opened his mouth, but you beat him to it.

“Oh! Uh, I just got back from a weekend trip,” you lied smoothly, setting the suitcase down with a casual shrug. “You know, a little getaway. Just needed some time away from the campus stress.”

Your sister eyed you for a long moment. You smiled back, praying she wouldn’t press further.

Finally, she exhaled. “God, this is weird.”

You swallowed. “Uh… what is?”

She gave a half-laugh, shaking her head. “I just—ugh, I don’t know. I wasn’t expecting this.” She gestured vaguely between you and Liam. “I mean, when I stopped by, I thought I’d finally get to see my actual sibling, not—” She sighed. “Not that I don’t like you, it’s just… surprising.”

You **** a nervous chuckle. “Yeah, uh… totally understandable.”

Liam, ever the savior, jumped in. “Well, hey, you’re here now! Might as well hang out a bit.”

Your sister gave you another assessing look before sighing. “Yeah, sure. Why not?”

You sat down carefully beside Liam, hyper-aware of your sister’s sharp gaze on you. She leaned forward, elbows on her knees.

“So,” Chloe said, her voice dripping with playful skepticism as she leaned forward, resting her chin in her hand. “You two.” Her hazel eyes flicked between you and Liam, sparkling with amusement. “How long has this been going on?”

You barely hesitated, sliding effortlessly into your role.

“Oh, wow, what’s it been now?” You turned to Liam with a teasing little smile, shifting closer on the bed, letting your bare knee brush against his. “Four months? Five?”

Liam, to his credit, only faltered for a fraction of a second before grinning. “Something like that.” He slung an arm lazily around your shoulders, fingers playing with the ends of your hair like it was the most natural thing in the world. “Time flies when you’re in love, huh, babe?”

Your heart shouldn’t have skipped at the way he said that. But it did.

You leaned into him, tilting your head back against his shoulder, letting out a soft, breathy laugh. “Oh, absolutely.”

Chloe made a deeply unconvinced noise. “Uh-huh. And he never thought to mention this to me?”

Liam exhaled dramatically. “Well he probably wanted to tell you! But, you know, your brother’s…” He gave an exaggerated grimace. “He’s a lot.”

Your breath caught in your throat at the casual mention of your old self, but Chloe just snorted.

“Oh, please, Lucas wouldn’t have cared. He’s not exactly the type to tell me. If anything, he would’ve roasted you both into oblivion for dating.”

Liam chuckled. “Okay, true, but we didn’t want to deal with the headache.”

You sighed dramatically, placing a hand over your chest. “And honestly? It was kind of fun sneaking around.”

Liam turned to you, playing along perfectly, a slow smirk creeping across his face. “Oh yeah? You like sneaking around, huh?”

His voice had dropped, a teasing edge to it, and the way his fingers absentmindedly traced along your shoulder sent a barely-there shiver down your spine.

God. He was good at this.

Chloe caught the shift immediately, her gaze sharpening with intrigue. “Ohhhh. Interesting.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “So, is Liam the bad boy type, then? You into a little danger, Luna?”

You scoffed. “Danger? Please. He’s more of a menace than a bad boy.”

Liam gasped, pressing a hand to his chest in mock offense. “Wow. Unbelievable. After everything we’ve been through.”

Chloe laughed—a knowing, wicked sound. “Everything, huh? You guys serious serious?”

Liam squeezed your shoulder just a little. “Oh, yeah. She’s my girl.”

There was something about the way he said it—casual, confident, smooth as sin—that made your stomach flip.

You turned to him with a smirk, playing your part. “Damn right I am.”

Chloe grinned. “Oh, this is way more fun than I thought.”

You rolled your eyes, shifting your weight so you were angled toward Liam, legs folding beneath you on the bed. He adjusted instinctively, his hand sliding to rest at your waist like it belonged there.

Chloe’s gaze latched onto the movement.

“Ohhh,” she said, drawing out the sound. “You two are disgustingly cute. I can’t believe you’re actually one of those couples.”

Liam raised a brow. “Those couples?”

Chloe waved a hand. “You know. The gross ones. The kind who always have their hands on each other.”

You smirked, eyes flickering to Liam’s. “I do like touching him.”

The look that flashed across Liam’s face—equal parts amused and something else—was gone in an instant, replaced by a cocky grin.

“She really does,” he said, smirking. “Can’t keep her hands off me.”

Chloe howled. “Oh, my god. You guys are so fake.”

You scoffed. “What? No, we’re not!”

She folded her arms, giving you a look. “Then prove it.”

You and Liam exchanged a glance. Liam smirked. “You sure you want to see that, Chloe?”

Chloe gagged. “Ew, not like that! Just, like—ugh, I don’t know, kiss or something. Let me see if this is real.”

Your breath caught. Liam’s fingers flexed at your waist.

And then, as if it was the most natural thing in the world—you leaned in.

He barely had time to think before your lips pressed against his, soft but firm, teasing but just deep enough to feel real. His hand at your waist pulled you closer, and for one dangerous second, you almost—almost—forgot this was an act.

Then, just as easily as it began, he pulled away, grinning down at you.

“Real enough for you?” he murmured.

Your lips tingled. Your stomach plummeted. You swallowed, schooling your expression into something playful.

Chloe looked floored. “Holy shit.”

You shot her a smug look. “Satisfied?”

Chloe let out a breath. “God. I can't believe this.”

Liam chuckled, wrapping an arm around you again. “Is me having a girlfriend really that unbelievable?”

Chloe groaned. “Ugh. You haven't changed one bit.”

Your stomach twisted. Because if she stayed, if she kept digging…You had no idea how long you could keep up the lie.