I waited nervously outside the Delta Mu house. Maybe asking Jade to do this was a mistake. She’d seemed willing enough, but what if she changed her mind halfway through the week and admitted the truth? If I thought things with my parents were bad now, that would only make it worse. Jade wouldn’t do that to me. Would she? Despite knowing Jade for close to a year, I didn’t actually know all that much about her. Every time she seemed close to opening up, she stopped short. I couldn’t blame her though. I hadn’t exactly been forthcoming myself.

I’d just headed for the front steps when the door opened, and Jade walked out wheeling a black suitcase. I hurried up the steps to take the bag from her. “Hey.”

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Jade mumbled while I placed her bag in the trunk.

“I can’t really believe it either, but I appreciate it.” Not only was she going to help me save face with my family, but I got to spend a week with her. I knew there were better ways to spend time with a girl, but maybe getting away from campus was what we needed. Dating on campus was complicated even when most of the students were away. It was hard to change up anything.

“Why you need me to do this still makes no sense.”

“I already told you why.” I held open the passenger door for her. She was going to have to get used to me doing those sorts of things if she was going to pretend to date me. I could be dumb about plenty of things, but I still believed in chivalry.

“Why not tell your mom you broke up with the girl? Wouldn’t that be easier?”

“No. She’d hound me like crazy about what I did to mess things up.” I closed her door and went around to my side. There was no easy way to explain everything to Jade. The full story involved years of depression and a mother who believed finding the right girl would fix everything.

“You mean your mom wouldn’t side with you?” She scrunched up her nose in either confusion or disgust.

“Not on this. You don’t know my parents.”

“I wasn’t being judgmental. My mom would do the same thing.”

I studied Jade’s beautiful face. I knew she didn’t see what I saw, but there was no questioning it. She was gorgeous. “Really? That surprises me.”

“Your mom does the same thing, so why would it surprise you?”

“Because you’re you, and I’m me.” I turned on the car. I hadn’t left much leeway for us to make it to the airport.

“And that makes sense because….”

“Forget it.” I pulled away from the curb. The street had only a fraction of the traffic it had during the school year. “You’ll understand more when you meet my parents.”

“What if they don’t like me?”

“You’re pretending to be my girlfriend, yet you’re worried about what my parents will think?”

“I don’t know. I’m probably not the usual type of girl you bring home.”

“Yeah, I don’t bring girls home much.” I didn’t bring girls home at all. First of all I hadn’t met any worth bringing, and second I knew how intense my family could be.

“Wait. What name are they going to call me?” she asked in a strained voice.

“Jade.”

“Uh, they never asked your girlfriend’s name before?”

“They did.” I looked straight ahead. “I never told them. I didn’t want my mom trying to snoop around. At least that’s the excuse I gave.”

“Yet they bought that you’re now ready to bring the girl on a family vacation?” Skepticism dripped in her voice.

“It’s all my dumb brother’s fault. He told them I would come, and I’d bring my girlfriend to meet everyone.” I sounded lame even to my own ears.

“And you couldn’t tell them no?”

“Not after that. My mom would know I was lying.”

“But you’re lying now.”

“Yes… but it’s different.” It was sort of.

“Why, because she doesn’t know?” Jade put a hand on my leg. The touch was at once comforting and exciting. If I was getting excited over her hand on my leg I was in trouble.

I glanced over. “And look you’re already playing your part.”

“Oh. Sorry.” She moved her hand.

“I meant it was good. This isn’t going to be that hard.” I missed her hand.

“Your family isn’t scary, is it?” She stiffened.

“Define scary.” I didn’t want to worry her, but I didn’t want to sugar coat it either. She was going to find out soon enough.

“Oh boy. Maybe you should turn around and drop me off.”

“They’ll be really nice to you. Just stay away from my brother. He’s a little crazy.”

“Dylan, right? He dated Juliet.”

I groaned. “Yeah. If you’ve talked to her about him then you know why I’m warning you. He’s an ass most of the time.” Dylan had dated one of Jade’s sorority sisters, and he hadn’t treated her well. The fact that I’d had a huge crush on her for years didn’t help my feelings on the subject either.

“I’m assuming he’ll stay out of my way since I’m supposedly your girlfriend.”

“Yeah… not really. Like I said, he’s an ass. Plus, he probably doesn’t believe you’re actually my girlfriend. It’s going to get worse when he sees you.”

“Sees me?” She looked down at her clothes.

“Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately? I don’t get girls like you.”

“Uh, not exactly. You’re the rich boy. You’re the one who’d be unrealistic for me.”

I laughed. I couldn’t help it. “Seriously? Is that what you think?”

“Half my house has a crush on you. Ever since you stood up to Aaron last year you’ve been on the hot list.”

“Yes, when I got my nose broken by Cara’s ex. Wonderful memory.”

“When you stood up to one of the biggest guys on campus to defend a girl. That was cool of you.”

“Glad you think so.” I’d tried to push that night out of my memory. I wasn’t sure what I’d been thinking. Really, I probably wasn’t thinking at all. I’d snapped when my friend’s ex called her a slut. He was a jerk, and I wasn’t going to stand by and listen to him.

“Ok, start telling me everything.”

“Everything about what?” I turned away from campus and toward the airport.

“About your family. What I should expect.”

“It’s not going to be all that crazy. Just my parents, my brother, my grandparents, and a cousin.”

“Is the cousin a boy or girl?”

“A girl.”

“Our age?”

“Twenty-five.”

“Ok. Got it. Any weird food stuff I need to know?”

“About me?”

“No, your family. I already know all your weird ones. You hate mustard and like mayo.”

“You know I hate mustard?” I tried to remember when that would have come up.

“It doesn’t take much to figure that out.”

“Okay. Then nothing else. My family eats what other families eat.”

“Alcohol? Yay or nay? For us since we’re underage?”

“Yes to both. They’re not going to check your ID.”

“Oh thank goodness.”

I laughed. “I never took you to be so alcohol dependent.” Jade rarely drank, and when she did she usually didn’t even finish a single beer or drink.

“I’m usually not, but you’ve never seen me pretending to be someone’s girlfriend.”

“Have you done it before?”

“Of course not.” She pushed my shoulder.

“Glad I’m breaking your fake girlfriend virginity then.”

“You just wanted to use the word virginity.” She crossed her arms.

“No I didn’t. It sounded funny in my head.”

“No more use of that word. I need to stay in character.”

“In character?” I turned onto the interstate. “What does that mean?”

“Should I go with prim and proper? You are a rich boy after all.”

“Stop.” It was my turn to put a hand on her jean clad leg. “You’re not playing anyone but you. The only thing you’re pretending is that you’re my girlfriend and not just my friend. Got it?”

“Oh, you’re no fun.”

“What were you hoping to be? An exotic dancer by night?”

“No, I was thinking more pre-med trying to save the world.”

“My parents are going to be cool with you as you are. The almost sophomore music obsessed Delta Mu.”

“They know I’m a sorority girl?” She cringed.

“My mom was Delta Mu at Harrison. Don’t worry, it’s a good thing.”

“But I’m not really a sorority girl.” She folded her hands in her lap.

“You are as much as I’m a frat guy. Whether you fit the stereotype or not, you’re one.”

She sighed. “All of my acting skills are going to be wasted.”

“Except for the ones involving pretending to be my girlfriend. You’re allowed to go over the top there.”

“Over the top?” I heard the suspicion in her voice. “What, am I supposed to be all over you in public or something?”

“Not all over me, but very happy with me. I’m not looking to make them think we’re breaking up. We can take care of that when we’re miles away from them again.”

Her face fell slightly, but I wouldn’t let myself read into it.

“What about sleeping arrangements?”

“I’m sure my mom will put us in separate rooms. You might be with my cousin though. Would that bother you?”

“Nope. That’s fine.” Jade continued to quiz me on my family as we drove closer to the airport. I told her what I could, but I didn’t want to scare her. I wasn’t taking the risk that she wouldn’t get on the plane.