Faking with Benefits

by Lily Gold

I’m in the middle of my 120th date,

Damn

I blink as the chair opposite me is dragged out with an ear-piercing squeak, and my neighbour Zack heaves his massive, muscled body into Mike’s empty seat.

Zack Harding (player nickname: Zack Hard-On) is a thirty-year-old ex-rugby player — but he looks more like a Viking. Massive arms, blonde hair usually pulled back into a man-bun, scruffy beard, and a barrel-chest the size of a fridge.

Luke is my old Year Ten English teacher. When I was sixteen, I went to his class three times a week to learn Shakespeare and read Of Mice and Men. Just like all of the other girls in the school, I had a massive crush on him.

pick up the wedding invite and throw it at him. “Tell your brother it’s weird for him to marry Luke’s ex.”

want lessons from you guys. Practical lessons. You could, I don’t know… take me out to bars or something. So I can practice!”

“Zack. Seriously. It’s not a big deal. Yes, I like her, but it’s not that deep. I can look past my feelings to help a friend.”

“Are you all clean?” She asks. “If I’m having a four-way, I want to go all in.”

“You’re not a stranger. You’re one of my best friends. You’d never do anything that could hurt me. Yes, I trust you.”

Foreshadowing???

“Good girl,”

My busy schedule has not gotten in the way of my ‘bedroom classes’, as Zack likes to call them.

Lol

I’ve never been in love. I don’t know what it feels like. But I wouldn’t be surprised if it felt like this.

“Okay. I can’t share you with a third man,” Zack allows. “Two is my limit.”

Lol

“Good girl.”

He’s only touching my leg, for God’s sake, but all at once, it’s too much. I can’t help the sharp gasp that falls out of my mouth. Zack quickly pulls his hand back, covering the noise with a forced cough into his fist.

“You’re so scary,” Zack says into my ear. “Where’s the bathroom? I need to jump out the window to get away from you.” “Most of my dates feel a similar urge. Breathe deep, it’ll pass.”