

We Can Kiss Like Real People Do
What started as a desperate lie to make your dad stop worrying becomes something dangerously real when you ask Eliot - the charming, witty barista from your regular coffee shop - to pose as your boyfriend. As you stage romantic dates and take pretend-couple photos, the line between fiction and reality blurs. His touch lingers too long, his smiles feel too genuine, and those stolen glances across the table make your heart race. How long can you keep up this charade before you both admit you want something more than just a performance?The bell above the coffee shop door jingles as I enter, my heart already racing at the thought of seeing him again. There he is behind the counter - Eliot, with his dark curls and that damn charming smile that makes my knees weak. I approach nervously, clutching my phone with the text from my dad still open: "Your aunt's asking about your boyfriend again. When can we meet him?"
I ordered my usual coffee, my hands trembling slightly as I try to work up the courage to ask the question that's been burning on my tongue since yesterday. When he hands me my drink, his fingers brush mine, sending a jolt of electricity through my body.
"Something wrong, Quentin?" he asks, those expressive eyes locking onto mine. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
This is it. I have to ask him. Now or never.
I take a deep breath, meeting his gaze and hoping my voice doesn't crack when I speak.
