Her blue eyes pierced through my bullshit and lies. In my defense, I wasn’t always a piece of shit, I think the past few years took everything out of me. I was tired of women’s bullshit, and just wanted to fake it for the holidays and then get back home and wallow in my own self-pity.

I stood outside her apartment as she gawked at me. I couldn’t believe I stooped this low to ask the one person I hated more than anyone to pretend to be my girlfriend. Not only did I ask her, I was willing to pay her.

It felt like hours passed as she stood open-mouthed staring. Judging me with her stare. As if she was better than me, trying her hardest to find some semblance of normalcy in my actions. Maybe I was wrong in asking her, but in my mind I needed this, I needed to not go home and feel like the worst kind of failure. Desperate times, desperate measures and all that craziness. I was very desperate.

“You gonna say something, darling?”

“No sharing a room? And, if we are going to pretend to be a couple, you can not call me darling. Understood?”

“Whatever you say, sugar.” I grinned, crossing my arms.

“The name is Holly, stick with Holly.” She scrunched her brow, in a cute fashion and I couldn’t turn away from her.

“Fine I’ll be by to pick you up tomorrow morning,” I said, relieved I finally found someone to play the part.

The next morning bright and early, I packed a few things and made my way out the door. After sobering up a bit from last night’s whiskey, I realized I may have thought of the stupidest idea ever. Was I really going to go through with bringing Holly to my childhood home?

The crazy idea was already implemented and as I stood outside Holly’s apartment door, I realized for the first time how shitty my life really was. I had a great job, but everything else was lacking.

I knocked and waited. Then knocked again. No answer. Is this girl standing me up?

Minutes later, a very groggy Holly emerged with a small duffle bag.

“How long are we staying?” she asked.

“Just a week, we will leave the day after Christmas.”

Her button nose scrunched as she stared up to me. She flung her bag over her shoulder as she locked her door.

I grabbed the bag from her. “Ready, sweetheart.”

“It’s Holly, remember?”

“Sorry, I just figured we should have cute nicknames for each other.”

“Uhh, no.”

“I remember your boyfriend a while back called you sweet lips. Would you like me to call you that? Whatever happened to him?”

“He drained my bank account and skipped town about three months ago.”

We were almost to the door leading out to the parking lot and I stopped. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m over it.”

We opened the door leading outside as a cold burst of wind snapped around us. She pulled at her coat and we rushed to my car sitting in the lot. After I let her into the front, and placed the bags in the truck I hopped inside of my Audi.

“Maybe we should lay down some ground rules,” she said as I started the car.

“What do you have in mind?” I pulled out of the spot and headed off down the road. Holly’s blue eyes caught mine for a second as I turned onto the interstate.

“Well, for starters. No kissing, or making out of any kind.”

“That won’t be a problem.” For some reason her making it her first rule hurt. I didn’t want to kiss her, but it just reminded me of her bitchy behavior.

She sat quiet for a moment as she watched the passing trees along the road. After a few minutes of wondering if she had anymore rules, I faced her briefly. “Is that it?”

“No touching, and maybe we should come up with a backstory.”

“Ooh a back story, good idea. We’re neighbors and after weeks of flirting, you just couldn’t take it anymore and asked me out. Sound good?” I said.

She flicked her blonde hair over her shoulders as she sat up straighter in the car. “Hardly the case, you asked me out because you were drawn to my beauty.”

I let out a burst of laughter and then realized she was serious. Fucking please.