How People Fall In Love

My mind has been all over the place ever since I woke up.

The actual things I did this morning were a blur, but I knew I went through my morning chores quickly, and then pulled up a map on my phone so I could remember how to get to Parker’s place. I had only been there a few times, and it was scattered throughout the years; we usually went to my apartment because it was bigger. Half of my mind was busy studying directions, while the other was planning on The Parcel Project. (Yep, I used the ship name. Sue me.)

I had to pinch myself this morning to check if I was actually awake, but the call history was there on my phone, and I had checked our channel and our latest video; it had increased by another million while I was asleep! My heart was pounding. The feeling was exciting; it’s a bit strange, but I liked it when there’s a problem to solve, when there’s a restriction, or a deadline placed upon me. Additionally, this whole thing was nostalgic. This was just like when we were acting together when we were younger. And since we’ve done it before, we can easily do it again! There was no doubt about it.

Friendship was very close to romance anyway. The lines intersect and blend together, and when someone is looking from the outside, they wouldn’t be able to know any better.

I crossed the street and briskly walked down the sidewalk. Thankfully, these next few blocks were familiar in my mind, so I could easily go back to my thoughts while walking.

I could probably picture the reactions of my close friends if I told them about this new event in my life. Diana would probably be shocked, but she would quickly come around when I explain the situation. She was also a bit of a romantic at times; she might even tease me about how the whole thing sounded like a romcom premise, and how Parker and I might actually end up together, bla bla bla.

However, Violet, my older cousin, would be immediately appalled. She would say that it was a bad idea, and she would probably say that this would make things messy. I'd have to convince her that nothing like that would happen; we were professional actors (or I used to be one, at least), and we knew how to keep things work-related and how to keep their actual friendship together separate. I prepped a speech in my head.

Of course, the first thing I have to do is to reconfirm with Parker, because whatever he thought of last night could be different from how he thinks when he’s actually had a decent breakfast and a cup of coffee.

I stepped into an old orange building and went straight towards Parker’s unit. I rang the doorbell and waited patiently. 

Parker opens the door, hair all messy and eyes barely half-awake.

“Hi, Parker—Oh wait, did I just wake you up? Ahh, I’m so sorry…”

“It’s fine,” he says, wiping his eyes with his hand, clearly still groggy. His speech was slurred and there were some indented lines around his hands, most probably caused by the wrinkles in his sheets. I looked at his outfit and bit my lip. He was wearing a cozy home t-shirt with a cartoon panda on it. It was the type of uncool fashion sense that circled right around to being endearing.

However, there was no time for such thoughts. I walked through the door and quickly made herself at home. I sat cross-legged on the sofa. “How are you feeling?”

“Honestly, it’s 7 am. I don’t think I have a proper grasp on reality yet.”

“Did I get here too early? We kind of have to act fast, though; if we’re going to go through with the plan, that is. Are we still up for it?”

Parker blinks slowly, willing himself to try to wake up. “I am if you are.”

I beam at him. “Great! I was hoping you would say that.”

I grabbed my notebook from my bag and started flipping through the pages. I made sure to write some things down so I could remember all the different points we should tackle. "The main problem is that we’re not actually dating, but we have to act like we are..." I murmured to myself, grabbing a pen. "So, we have to get our story straight. Like, when did we even start dating?”

“Shortly after filming Sunset Heart together?” he shrugs. “Or maybe even during filming?”

I scrunched up my face. “So we’ve been dating since we were teens? I know we’re selling a fantasy here, but it feels like that’s laying it on too thick.”

“What’s wrong with the idea?” He sounds defensive.

“It's just...you mean to say we’ve been dating ever since and we never broke up? Really? That long?”

He sighs. “I forget how jaded you are. What do you suggest then?”

“We were friends all this time, but only started dating a few months ago.”

Parker crosses his arms. “Okay, then what’s the catalyst? How do you suddenly go from thinking I’m your most amazing best friend into being madly in love and uh..." He pauses, trying to find a good exaggerated phrase. "...wanting to run off into the sunset with me?”

He did have a point. Hmm.

“Well, I don't need a catalyst." My voice had an unsure tone, but I kept going. "Maybe, I just look at you one day and shing!" I waved my hand around, simulating make-believe sparkles in the air. "I’m in love. There doesn't need to be a deep reason. Life's not a movie anyway." 

He looks at me with an amused expression. "You don't have a lot of romantic experience, do you?"

"Shut up. You already know that I don't."

He nods. "Do your own backstory, and then I'll worry about mine." Parker fakes a shudder. "You might come up with something weird for me."

I made a face at him and got back to my notes. "We also need to figure out some ground rules on how to act in public."

"Like what?"

"I don't know, how far should we go when acting like a couple, I guess? Boundaries?"

"The furthest is probably just holding hands. Or my arm around your shoulder. You know. PG-13 stuff."

I nod and scribble down in my notebook. "Keep it PG-13." I was about to move on to the next topic, but thought of something.

"Oh, wait. Does that include kissing?" I asked, glancing up at him.

"Probably not...why, did you want to make out with me in public?" He laughs a little so I can tell that it's a joke, but he sounds a bit strained.

"Of course not." I paused, realizing that my abrupt answer probably sounded harsh. "I don't have any experience with those things anyway. It would be immediately obvious that we're not a real couple if I did."

The rest of my visit went on this way, and we talked and talked until my notebook was completely full. I knew I said that I didn't like acting anymore, but for some reason, this whole fake dating thing with all the ideas and guidelines was fun for me.