Page 129 of Under the Waves

“Yeah,” he dismissed, tone bitter. “Rivals.”

Every nerve in my body fought to react to his change in demeanor.

“What does that mean?” I snapped, spine straightening.

He shook his head, scratching his jaw. “It means that when I’m with you, Wellsy, I feel fucking—”

“—safe,” I finished.

“Yeah, Wellsy.” Jasper sighed. “Safe. With you…it’s always been different. I can beme. I’ve been everything for everyone else my whole entire life, but withyou—” He shook his head. “Wellsy, if rivals is all you can offer me, then I’ll take it. But if there’s even a sliver of a possibility that we could be something more…”

“We can’t be in a relationship,” I hurried to say. “My mom—Jasper, she’dkillme.”

You’re myfakeboyfriend.

Fake. Fake. Fake.

Only for a few more weeks.

She wouldn’t ever know.

Icoulddo this.

He squeezed my hand. “And that’sokay, Poppy. How about we try friends?”

I blinked. “Friends?”

“Yeah, Wellsy.Friends.”

“You want to be my friend?”

He chuckled. “Yeah.”

“I’ve never been friends with a guy before,” I admitted. “Or anyone really, for that matter.”

If Jasper was surprised, he didn’t show it. He didn’t show anything, actually.

“It’s settled then. We’re officially friends.”

He smiled then. Bright and wide and genuine.

Doubt crept beneath my skin. “We’re still…you know…fake dating…”

“We can stop…if you want.”

“I just…don’t you think it’s making everything so…”

“Complicated?” He offered.

I sighed. “Yeah. Complicated.”

“The truth?”

I smiled. “Always.”

“It doesn’t complicate anything for me, Wellsy.” Oh. “We can end the contract if you want to. It’s just a piece of paper, Poppy. If you don’t want to be in this fake relationship anymore, you can leave. I promise I won’t be heartbroken by it. I just want whats best for you.”

“I want what’s best for you too,” I said. Because it was true.