1. The Intervention

Savannah Bennett had always considered herself a fighter. She had the sharp mind, the quick wit, and the ability to stand her ground when she needed to. But today, in this moment, none of that seemed to matter. Not when her ex-boyfriend, Derek Blackwell, had her trapped in a secluded classroom, his hands on her body, his breath hot against her skin.

“Come on, Sav. You know you want this,” Derek’s voice was thick with frustration, as he pushed her against the desk. “Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”

Savannah’s heart pounded in her chest, her skin flushed with anxiety and fear. She had tried to push him away, tried to tell him that it wasn’t what he thought, but he wasn’t listening. Derek was the star football player at Riverstone High, the kind of guy everyone looked up to—everyone except her.

“Derek, no. Stop,” she managed, her voice shaky as she tried to pull away. “This isn’t me.”

His grip tightened, his eyes darkening with anger. “Don’t pretend like you haven’t been leading me on, Savannah. You want this just as much as I do.”

She felt a lump form in her throat, her mind racing. ‘What do I do? What do I do?’

And then, just as she thought she couldn’t breathe anymore, the door to the classroom burst open with a force that made her jump.

“Get your hands off her.”

Savannah turned, her heart leaping at the familiar voice. Standing in the doorway, his expression hard and fierce, was Cassian Blackwood.

The Cassian Blackwood—the guy with a reputation for being untouchable, the guy who no one messed with. He wasn’t a regular high school student. He was a legend in his own right, a senior with a mysterious edge and an air of danger that seemed to surround him like a cloud. No one expected Cassian to get involved in anything that didn’t directly concern him.

But here he was, and the tension in the room shifted instantly.

Derek froze, a mixture of disbelief and rage flickering across his face. He slowly backed away from Savannah, who was still leaning against the desk, trembling. “What the hell are you doing here, Blackwood?”

Cassian didn’t respond at first. Instead, he took a step forward, his eyes locked on Derek like a predator sizing up its prey. “You touch her again, and I’ll make sure you regret it.”

Savannah couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Cassian Blackwood had just come to her rescue, like something out of a movie. He was the last person she expected to help her, yet here he was, standing between her and Derek like a protective wall.

Derek gave Cassian a last, venomous glare before walking out of the room, muttering under his breath. Cassian stood there for a moment longer, watching the door slam behind him, before turning to Savannah.

“You alright?” His voice was quiet, almost careful, as though unsure how to approach her.

Savannah nodded slowly, still too stunned to speak. Her whole body felt weak, her legs like jelly beneath her.

Cassian didn’t wait for another word. He stepped closer, gently guiding her to one of the chairs near the back of the classroom. “Sit. Take a minute to breathe.”

Savannah was still processing the events. Just a few moments ago, she had been trapped in the worst situation of her life, and now, Cassian was standing here, offering a safe space she never expected.

“Thank you,” she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. Her throat felt tight, her chest heavy.

Cassian’s eyes softened, but there was a sharp edge to his features, something unreadable. “Don’t mention it. You shouldn’t have to deal with that kind of shit. Ever.”

Savannah nodded, but her mind was still clouded by everything that had just happened. Derek. Cassian. The mess she had somehow found herself in.

But the moment didn’t last long. Cassian glanced at his phone, his expression changing just slightly as if an idea had struck him. He gave her one last look.

“Listen,” he said, his voice now steady and low. “I know what’s going on. Derek’s going to make your life hell now that you broke up with him. He’s going to twist everything. You’ll be the one everyone talks about.”

Savannah frowned. “What do you mean?”

“He’s a senior,” Cassian continued, the words calculated. “He’s graduating soon, and when he leaves, he’ll want to leave his mark. And you’re his perfect target.”

She felt a chill run down her spine at his words. ‘A target’.

Cassian’s gaze didn’t waver. “I can help you. But you need to make it look like you’re already taken—by me.”

Savannah blinked, trying to process the suggestion. “What do you mean?”

“I’m offering to help you, Savannah,” Cassian said, a small, almost imperceptible smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “You’ve got rumors starting already. Look”, he showed her his group chat where his someone just sent a screenshot of the latest post made on the schools confession site.

‘Savannah Hart, the epitome of perfection is nothing but a slut. She cheated on her boyfriend by sleeping with a hot straight A dud to get herself straight As’

“The whole school will be talking about what happened in that classroom. But if I step in and we pretend to date? The rumors will stop. Everyone will leave you alone.”

She stared at him, still reeling. Not believing what just happened.

“Wait, you want us to pretend we’re a couple?”

“Exactly,” Cassian replied with a slight nod, his tone casual. “Think of it like a strategic move. You get your peace, and I get to keep my reputation intact. Win-win.”

Savannah didn’t know what to say. ‘A fake relationship?’, It seemed absurd, but at the same time, it might be the only way to stop Derek from ruining her life further.

“But... Why me?” Savannah asked. She couldn’t understand why Cassian would bother.

“Let’s just say I’m good at making people disappear from the radar,” he replied cryptically. “And I owe you one for what happened.”

Savannah furrowed her brow. “Owe me one?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Cassian said, brushing off her question. “I’m just saying, we can help each other out here.”

Savannah paused, uncertainty clouding her thoughts. But the reality of her situation hit hard. She needed something—anything—to protect herself from the whirlwind of rumors Derek was about to create. And Cassian Blackwood, of all people, was offering a solution.

She took a deep breath. “Okay,” she said finally. “Let’s do it.”

Cassian’s smirk widened, but there was something in his eyes—a flicker of something deeper—before he turned to leave.

“Alright then. Consider us officially fake dating, Savannah.”