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Jaden || : will you pretend to be my boyfriend for the holiday
Jaden || : ??
It was around 7 in the morning when the message came through. It was around 10 in the morning when wemmbu actually read it. Sitting in study hall, staring at his phone like a fright train. Jaden must've meant to send it to someone else. Because stuff like this just didn't make any sense at all.
"Bro thats crazy."He looked over his shoulder at egg, who at some point, silently made his way over to peer at wemmbu's phone. In a instant wemmbu turned off the phone, huffing out some air as he shoved the device into his pockets. Class was over, In fact, it had been one of his last classes of the day. He was technically on Christmas break now.
"Personal space buddy." Wemmbu shrugged the other away, but not quite in a serious way despite his demeanor. Egg was right at his side in a second anyway, wemmbu slowing his own pace to stay in that side by side placement. When he was younger, he'd look down at their feet to see if he could walk in sync with the other. Now he didn't care enough to look down. Or maybe it just came naturally.
"You gonna answer him?" Egg asked. Peering over again, The hallways were semi empty already than goodness. No one was going out of their way to bump into the two anyway.
"No."
"You keep opening the text,"
"And I'm not answering it."
Egg stared, and Wemmbu stared back. Eggs brow rising as those brown eyes, with somewhat golden hints in them glanced away. Wemmbu was never one for staring contests anyways. Not like that one was intentional.
"...You know that's not how conversations work, right?"
"It's how this one works."
The hallway wasn't crowded but occasional students dragging luggage and duffel bags behind them. Christmas break had officially started, and everyone seemed determined to get off campus as fast as possible. To their families, or the warmth of their own homely bed.
Everyone except Wemmbu.
He had nowhere he particularly wanted to be. Going meant having to deal with his own family.. having to deal with dinners that were so horridly quiet, that wemmbu had developed the biggest peeve against utensils on plates. It meant having to deal with the nagging of his mother and the cold silence of his own father. Christmas was barely even a holiday there, just an excuse to get other equally cold family in the house and make them feel like trash.
His phone buzzed, but wemmbu tried to ignore it. To stay in the thinking and focused head space he was in other than whatever could be going on with jaden. It was hard when his best friend was right beside him.
Egg had immediately looked down, humming and quirking a brow.
"Was that him?"
"No."
"You don't know that.."
"It wasn't."
Another buzz. "He's desperate bro, give him a chance." Wemmbu hesitated. He really really wished jaden was some unbearable person right now. Like he wasn't one of the sweetest.. kindest people wemmbu had ever met. Jaden was great, he really was. He had a habit of swooping in at the best times, to help with studying, to pick something up that wemmbu had dropped. hell.. wemmbu had wanted olive garden and suddenly jaden had extras. Seriously though,, who the hell has EXTRA olive garden..??
Wemmbu groaned.
The second message glowed against his lock screen.
Jaden || : sorry if that was weird
Jaden || : just answer when u wake up lol
Wake up?
Wemmbu checked the time.
11:07 AM.
He frowned as he glanced at the time the message was sent. 7:06 AM.
Who voluntarily existed at seven in the morning? Most people were sleeping in today anyways, many people didn't even have class today for gods sake.
Psychopath behavior. For a brief moment, wemmbu wandered if the other was trying to get him in a car and traffic him off somewhere. The though was intrusive, and quickly shook away. Jaden was too nice for that. His thumb hovered over the screen.
Still, he didn't answer. But the more he thought about it, the less the message made sense. Jaden wasn't the flirty type. He had his moments, but never fully. He didn't act on impulse, he was actually really smart. Jaden definitely wasn't the type to randomly ask people to pretend to date him.
Which left two possibilities.
Either Jaden had texted the wrong person.
Or-
He felt some sort of twist in his stomach, some coil tightening as he tensed up a bit.
Or he hadn't.
The second possibility was significantly worse.. why was wemmbu the decision here? Surely he wasn't the first one. Jaden had multiple friends. He had a lot of girls in the choir who'd kill for him. And he was in the swimming club too so, one of the best. People looked up at him. The message couldn't be for him. Wemmbu. Of all people.
Because if Jaden actually meant to send that to him, then there had to be a reason. And Wemmbu wasn't sure he wanted to know what it was? It was confusing. God- his brain was hurting as he tried to think of what was going through jadens.
His relationship with Flame had ended less than half a year ago. It was bad. Like- wemmbu never thought it would be so bad, but he also couldn't think of any other way it could've went. Every Conversation with flame had become an argument. It was 4 in the morning, raining outside when the two had finally looked into each others eyes and realized they were only making each other miserable
It was a good decision. Wemmbu didn't doubt that, but it hurt like a bitch anyway, But wemmbu had gotten over flame a bit ago, After a good 2 weeks of crying into his pillow while egg rubbed his back, or rejoice made him something to eat.
"You look constipated," Egg informed him.
"I hate you."
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Jaden || : please answer before i die of embarrassment
A pause.
Then another message appeared.
Jaden || : serious question btw
Wemmbu had been staring at the chat for around 10 minutes. Why did he feel so much about this?? it was a FAKE dating request. Emphasis on FAKE. So why was it such a big deal to him?? Wemmbu stared at the screen for a longer while. The message there right in his face. Okay. Serious question. In fact, WASN'T an accident. It would've been deleted by now. Jaden was smart. he would've realized. Not a joke. Not a 'My friend says he has a crush on you' move.
Jaden || : Wemm?
If that didn't prove it he didn't know what would. None the less, wemmbu leaned back. And screamed into his pillow. For a moment after that he froze up till he heard egg sneeze, remembering he was still in his dorm. He sat up, bringing the pillow with him in his lap as he stared at his phone. before typing.
Wemmbu || : sorry i was in class
It took maybe 5 seconds before the typing bubble appeared again. Wemmbu's eyes widened just a spec in a bit of surprise. Maybe Jaden had also been staring at the messages all day.
Jaden || : OH THANK VOID BRO
Jaden || : i thought i scared you off
Wemmbu blinked.
Jaden || : or offended you
Jaden || : or both
Wemmbu found himself smiling despite himself. He seemed to imagine jaden actually saying what he was typing. He could imagine jadens voice, which always sounded like he was smiling. Those Blue eyes that seemed to always be-
okay ew. he needs to stop. He typed with both thumbs, pursing his lips.
Wemmbu || : you might've
Jaden || : 😭
Jaden || : fair
For what felt like forever, wemmbu watched the typing bubble appear and disappear multiple times. If he didn't know any better, he'd think jaden was Nervous.
Wemmbu || : why do you need a fake date?
Jaden || : my family won't stop asking
Jaden || : every year
Jaden || : every single year.
Wemmbu snorted. The other must be exaggerating
Jaden || : i wish i was exaggerating
Well fuck.
Jaden || : my sister has been taking bets
Jaden || : i think my mom has accepted im gonna die alone?? Like im serious i think she pities me.
Wemmbu || : harsh
Jaden || : i know.
Wemmbu smiled at the message again.
Jaden || : i trust u wemm
Oh. Wemmbu tensed up again. Wemmbu was relieved this was over text. He could imagine his stammering for confident words if this was face to face with jaden. The though alone was enough to cringe at.
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And that, that is how wemmbu now found himself awkwardly standing outside a coffee shop. Honestly, who even goes to coffee shops? He feels like people actually sitting down and discussing something important, or hanging out in one was something that only happens in movies. But through the windows he could see people doing just that.
He stood there for what felt like forever, and right as it started raining, the familiar blue car parked nearby. Wemmbu pursed his lips, standing under the tarp as rain began to pound down. It protected him from head-on hits, but the wind blew specs of rain onto him anyway. Loose loose. Jaden got out of the car, hair wet, black with some sort of blue undertones. He ran over with his jackets over his head, he don't know why the other had no umbrella. Maybe he had been in a rush.
Well.. not too much of rush seeing that wemmbu had been standing here like a stood up date for 10 minutes.
"This is a really bad start-"
"I know.."
The words came with a smile that could pay wemmbu's bills. He was thankful for the rain. Hopefully it hid the pink on his cheeks.
"Ill buy you something inside to make up for it..??"
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The two ended up inside, sitting at a booth, quite awkwardly. Wemmbu had a hot chocolate, one that warmed his hands from the chilly winter air and the rain from outside. Hopefully neither of them got sick. That'd be a sucky way to spend the holidays.
The Coffee shop wasn't exactly crowded, but it had a certain amount of people. The lights dimmed with candles and sweet and comfy Christmas music playing. It was comfortable.
Felt like a date!
which it WASNT!!
Jaden was sitting across from him. Seemingly zoned out after ordering a piece of cake. It was a carrot cake. He didn't think Jaden was the type to like carrot cake.
"So.."
Wemmbu started, not really knowing where to go from there. Thankfully Jaden, the saint, did so for him.
"Yea i- i know its weird to ask."
"Very.""But i promise to make it worth it? This is your holiday after all.. You probably have a lot going on with your family."
Wemmbu, indeed, did not.
"And i promise.. it doesn't have to go past holidays. Just long enough to get them out of my hair about it."
The two stared at each other for a while. Jaden seemed.. desperate. Something about him did at least. Wemmbu really didn't have to think it over for the sake of his parents. But more so for his own sake. He'd be spending the whole holiday with jaden. As his fake boyfriend. Meeting his family. Celebrating. With jadens family.
why me?
"What.. all would i need to do?"
Jaden was ready, as if he had rehearsed this very question in his head multiple times. "Nothing, bro. Well.. not a lot really. All i need is for you to be there."
He blushed a bit. "And to.. hold my hand. Maybe hug me and stuff if your comfortable.. just make it a bit convincing." jaden quickly added. The words had wemmbu on another mental debate.
"..Okay,"
"Okay?"
"I'll do it."
There was a brief moment of silence, and it just felt- horridly awkward. Jaden put his head in his hands, breathing. "I gotta tell you more stuff first." Wemmbu nodded, kinda suspicious. "You can say no after if you change your mind-" "Bro just say it-"
"i live around 11 hours from campus."
That was no big shock.. Jaden was one of the ones who stayed in dorms. Others in the area stayed with their parents. Besides, it wasn't much of big city. If anything, it was there merely for the famous ness of the college.
"My families.. well.. A lot."
Wemmbu Quirked a brow than made jaden sheepishly smile.
"They're great.. really.."
The next smile was warm. From that alone, wemmbu had some sort of faith in his mind that the family was- if anything not horrible.
"Just- super nosey."
That much was clear. If jaden felt the need to bring home a partner for Christmas, there was obviously a reason for such. Perhaps they pressured him for a partner. Wemmbu's parents did as soon as he turned old enough after all. But from the caring smile on jadens face, wemmbu could see it was nothing like his own parents. There was genuine affection in his voice. The kind people only used when talking about loved ones. Wemmbu couldn't relate. Not really.. fuh okay edge lord. Pipe down.
A inhale from jaden snapped wemmbu from his thoughts. "My mom keeps asking if I'm seeing anyone." He continued. "My dad too. I- my sisters make bets about it wem-"
Wemmbu couldn't hold back the laugh as jaden quickly went to defend himself, still smiling.
"They got 40 bucks a peace out of my aunt and uncle last Christmas-!!"
The laughing continued. And wemmbu felt the mood lighten a bit. Thank god. He was going to explode from the awkward tension. The silence wasn't for long, people had begun to leave the cafe, jaden and wemmbu going quiet as they did. Wemmbu found himself watching the ground where people exited. Wanting to look at anything other than Jaden.
"They've been asking all year."
Wemmbu ended up looking anyway, seeing the expression now serious.
"I was dumb. And said around a month ago that i had found someone. They were excited. Skeptical-" A pause. "But excited for me. So happy that i wasn't going to die alone."
Wemmbu smiled at that, which made jaden smile back.
"And if i was going to ask anyone.. I figured I'd ask someone I trusted."
Once again, at that word wemmbu tense up. That feeling in his stomach coming back. Jaden and wemmbu used to not get along, but they had became something reminiscing close friends they past two years.
Wemmbu hated how much he liked hearing it. Trust.
"You don't have to."
Jaden had quickly added, Wemmbu's thoughts quickly snapping back. He glanced up at the other with slightly widened eyes.
"Seriously, If this is weird, forget I asked. Or If you've got other plans-"
"I don't!"
Jaden stopped talking. Wemmbu laughed nervously, looking to the side.
"I don't have plans.. i uh.. was probably going to sit in my dorm all holiday anyway."
Wemmbu spoke softly, looking down at his hot chocolate.
Jaden simply nodded, also looking down. But he was smiling."What exactly would i be getting into.."
Jaden grin grew.
Jaden reached into his backpack.
Wemmbu's eyes widened.
"You can't be serious-"
Jaden pulled out a notebook.
Wemmbu could see the colored sticky notes sticking out.
"Jaden."
"I made a list."
"Jaden."
"There are bullet points."
"You are joking."
Wemmbu dropped his face into his hands.
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Two days after, Wemmbu found himself standing outside of the dorms. With two suitcases. He had dropped crucible and Gambit off at Egg Chan's house yesterday afternoon. It was tragic. Wemmbu nearly teared up. But after spending a while reading over Jadens family members, he was met with the cruel realization that Jaden's dad was allergic to cats.
"Ready?"
Wemmbu soon realized he was still standing at the trunk of jadens Car. Jaden had already put his suitcases in. The realization made wemmbu want to protest. Because he could've easily done it on his own. But it had already been done.
"Oh uh.. yea."
Jaden grinned. Warm in the chilly air. He had wrapped himself up in a navy scarf, and had on a jacket. with whatever was underneath. Another thing was, that wemmbu wasn't big on cars. But looking at jadens, he could tell it was SOMETHING expensive. It had dark blue vinyl. He knew because jadens had the car for two years, and that first year the car was silver. The dark blue was far better in wemmbu's opinion. And everyone else.
The car looked comfy. But it smelt like- a car? with leather seating, and blue seat covers. Smelt like jaden too. Obviously..
3 hours on the road. And wemmbu would never call anything comfy again. The two took turns driving. Switching every pit stop. Jaden was on his second turn, insisting that it would be fine after practically BEGGING for a useless pit stop. Wemmbu complained. it wasn't fair for Jaden to have to do all the work after all.
"You would've complained after 2 hours anyway."
Jaden had spoke with a grin that made wemmbu genuinely want to start throwing hands. Despite the scarf covering the others mouth, he could HEAR the smile. That dork.
Despite that fact, 4 hours later, Wemmbu was practically Hopping into the drivers seat. It was around midnight. The two had done a stop at a gas station to get Wemmbu a coffee so he'd be able to drive when Jaden slept for a couple hours. No shame done. Jaden had been fighting sleep for the past hour anyway. If he didn't pull over, wemmbu would've had to do it for him.
Now Jaden was slumped against the passenger door, scarf loosened around his neck and arms folded over his chest. The car heated was on, but the window was cracked which kept the temperature a little balanced. The seat was leaned back, and a pillow was behind jaden as he looked ahead at the road.
"If you get tired you can-"
"Mhm. I know."
Jaden huffed out a laugh, trying to relax. His eyes, however, kept wandering to wemmbu. Wemmbu whose curly purple hair was pulled back into a ponytail as he listened to the faint Christmas music on the radio. Jaden had realized the two both zoned out while driving. It wasn't a disturbing fact. Just something they had in common. Jaden smiled.
He liked that.
When wemmbu had glanced over, jaden was asleep.
It was about 4am when sun peaked out. Way to early in wemmbus opinion. What happened to daylight savings huh!? None the less, the light reflecting off the snow began to hurt his eyes. It was also when jaden had woke up. Without moving really. Jaden barley made a sound before-
"Breakfast?"
10 minutes later they were at dunkin donuts.
"I'm telling you the Jam filled ones are the best ones,," Wemmbu pointed out, both him and jaden practically leaning out the same window to view the menu. Jaden winced. "We can get some of those.. the lemon ones too." "Lemon." Wemmbu paused in disbelief, turning his head slowly to jaden. "Bro. Trust me. They're amazing." Wemmbu was starting to have second thoughts as he looked back at the menu.
As they drove away, Wemmbu now in the passenger seat. They ended up with 4 jelly donuts, 2 lemon, 2 strawberry covered and 2 cream filled.
The drive after that was kind of energetic. As energetic as it could be at 4 in the morning. Wemmbu kept having to lean over to feet jaden a donuts and Wemmbu was also stuffing his face.
"Dude. Do NOT get car sick in my car-"
"The lemon ones are actually really good.."
The realization made wemmbu flop back in the seat.
Another realization was, after he had closed the donut boxes and put them in the back seat.
"Do i have to kiss you?" For a split second he swore Jaden nearly swerved into the wrong lane. Jaden hissed under his breath and gently glanced at wemmbu.
"I mean.. we don't have to. I don't wanna like.. force you to do something that you don't want to.. But yea. Fake boyfriend.. kissing.. kinda in the same category?"
"Fuckk why would you do this to me!!"
Wemmbu was beyond flushed as he forced his head into his hands. "we gotta be gay and lovey dovey-" Wemmbu complained as jaden snorted. "We don't gotta kiss dude. Promise- i mean i doubt my siblings would appreciate that."
Wemmbu also forgot about that part. Jaden had 3 siblings. Two sisters, and a brother. He really hadn't mentally prepared for this..
He'll worry about it later. It was 4:30 am. And wemmbu had plans on sleeping til the reached the house.
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