Faker

by Sarah Smith

I was a moth drawn in by the glow of his white skin, his curly blond locks, broad shoulders, that sharp jaw.

What in the unholy hell is this bullshit?

His paleness never ceases to wow me. Living in Nebraska, I was surrounded by countless white children in school, but Tate puts them to shame. His skin practically glows.

He’ll just make fun of me. Like how he smirks when I call flip-flops “slippers,” or how he frowns when I say “auntie” instead of “aunt.”

My olive skin is ten shades darker than his, thanks to my Filipino mother. My dad is a pale white guy, but the Asian gene is strong.

recalling the advice I’ve read in countless blogs and articles on how to be a girl boss when you’re working with mostly dudes. Quickest way to get rid of an unwanted smiler? Scowl. It embarrasses the offender into dropping it.

“I’d expect more from a group of professionals.”

But who the fuck wants to work outdoors in the heat??? In a heat wave ?.?.?.?

Ms. Echavarre?”

Miss Sarah really used part of her own name huh?

“Did it ever occur to you that this family might be intensely private? Yeah, we can ask to take a photo of them to distribute for media purposes, but they might feel like they can’t say no. We’re the ones building their house, after all. Maybe they don’t want their faces plastered all over Twitter and Facebook.”

didn’t have to be so cruel in his delivery,

What have you done or said to him that deserves kindness in how he speaks to you about a dumb idea?

“It’s pointless to meet with you if all you’re going to do is criticize my ideas.

Maybe feigned professionalism will work this time.

Emmie is incredibly unprofessional.

Why did he even suggest working with me if all he’s going to do is insult my ideas and make cutting remarks?

You’re a girl boss who works hard, kicks butt, and lets no crap slide.

Fuck this girl boss nonsense

“Maybe you should be more mindful of where you position your face.” I shrug at him. “Jesus, Emmie.” The scowl he shoots me could melt rust from metal. “It was just a joke,”

Not a funny one.

“You’re traveling. She understands you’re not available. And every time I offer to pay for international coverage on her phone when she visits Auntie Marla in the Philippines, she rebuffs me. Says it’s not worth the money and that emailing is better anyway since we don’t have to pay extra for it.”

Sis your mom just doesn’t wanna talk to you cuz you’re so insufferable

the urge to prove Tate wrong outweighs even that. I will fake bravery, and I will climb this terrifying wall.

Just wetness and flesh and the blank flavor of saliva.

I swear I taste Tate’s clean flavor.

What

The way his torso cuts through the fabric is how that shirt is supposed to look on a body. He sets the hammer clutched in his fist on a nearby sawhorse. The visual reminds me of Thor decked out in all his superhero costume glory: hard, chiseled mass bulging through every inch of fabric. The shiny gray color is the perfect counter to his glowing white skin. He is the god of thunder dipped in a milk bath.

The nurse takes my vitals, gives me a gown to change into, sticks an IV into me, then tells me I have to give a urine sample before the doctor can see me.

Miss Sarah have you ever been to the ED??

“You remind me of the Scandinavians who travel to the Big Island for the Ironman race.

“No ‘try.’ You are strong and tough.

No she’s not lmao

Sometimes we couldn’t even finish out a lease because my parents wouldn’t have enough money for the rent, and we’d get evicted.” My chest squeezes at the memory. “I’m sorry,” Tate says. “It’s fine. First-world problem.” “It’s not.

Wtf? Did this bitch really just say eviction is a first world problem???

Growing up on an island, showers were the rule. My mom would get pissed if she caught my sister or me taking a bath. Said they wasted so much fresh water, and we needed to be less wasteful.”

My face burns at my phrasing. Tit. Excellent word choice.

Really? You’re gonna be a child about the word Tit? Why am I surprised? I shouldn’t be considering Emmie is a child.

My first day back at work. Ten days postsurgery

Excuse me but what? Ten days for a laparoscopic procedure??

I clutch my abdomen, whispering, “Ouch!” between breaths. Cackling this hard kills,

Wow, ok. Sis is acting like she had a hysterectomy. She had a laproscopic appendectomy. MINOR SURGERY! Fine, we can argue any surgery is major but Emmie had an uncomplicated procedure. And she works a desk job. If she was still having pain 10days status post a laproscopic procedure? She needs to go to the doctor.

“It could be great side money for me,” Will says. “Loads of people love Star Wars. Who knows how much they’ll pay for vintage toys.”

STAY AWAY FROM STAR WARS!!

Lol k

“I don’t want to work in a place where an employee thinks he can speak about his coworkers like that.”

Sure sure sure. But in the time you worked there, Tate, you didn’t hear this asshole speak about women that way? Bullshit. I call bullshit.

“Working here, around all these guys, I have a shield up every day. Knowing you were looking out for me means everything.”

“Yeah, he was a little short with me. I offered to come see you, but he wouldn’t tell me what hospital you were at. He said he had everything under control and didn’t need my help.

What?

She always worked, always had a job. Supporting herself was never a problem. Maybe if my dad had been a harder worker like her, or more ambitious, we could have stayed. She would have been happier.”

Makes me wonder how much of Emmie’s mom is inspired by Sarah’s mom.

For my beautiful anak, who’s as sweet and strong as this coconut.’”

“It hurt to know they wanted to be mean to me, make me feel like an outsider, just because I looked different. I was this dark Lilo-girl from a place they only knew about from a Disney movie.”

They saw you, this beautiful girl from Hawaii who looked different from them, and they didn’t know how to handle it.

“Please. Don’t.”

NO MEANS NO EMMIE

The decor is tacky as all get-out with laminate tabletops that haven’t been replaced since the early ’80s and red-and-white-tile walls reminiscent of a public restroom.

That sort of malarkey.

Tate are you and old man?

“I was afraid that if I told you he called, you would ask him to come take care of you and tell me to leave. I wanted to be the one there with you.”

Totally not weird behavior

The wetness of his mouth, the firmness of his tongue, the way he seals his lips against mine makes me forget everything that isn’t this kiss.

The guttural sounds coming from his throat are like catnip, and I’m the greedy feline who can’t get enough.

I can’t with this comparison

I gently pull, exposing more of his stunning skin.

He softly bites my left breast outside of my shirt.

EXCUSE ME WHAT

I set the container on the roof of his car and turn back to mine. Pulling out my phone, I type out a text to him:

Yo this girl has no damn sense. Why in god’s name is she leaving out food on top of a car in the summer?

“It’s my mom’s maiden name. It’s Filipino-Spanish. When I was in college, I got this idea in my head that since she raised my sister and me, we should change our last names to hers. My mom was always the one to take care of us. It felt like she got shafted in a way. She gave birth to two daughters, raised us, and we ended up with our dad’s last name. It didn’t seem fair.”

A lot of people wouldn’t legally change their names, not even for their mom.

Yes they would.

Not everything needs to be a powerful statement about character or society or whatever. Sometimes, things are the way they are and nothing more.”

I want you for so many other reasons. Your smile, your laugh, your thoughtfulness. Your strength and sweetness.

Very shallow. I’m not asking for a masterpiece love story, but god at least give me proof and more reasoning of why either of them like each other beyond this.

The sour scent of sweat laces his usual evergreen spice.

🤢🤮