2. Setting the Rules

The next day, Savannah sat in her first-period class, the weight of the previous afternoon’s events heavy on her shoulders. The bell rang, signaling the beginning of another hectic school day, but her mind was elsewhere—still processing the fact that Cassian Blackwood had come to her rescue. She kept replaying the moment in her head, how he had stormed into that room and stood between her and Derek like some kind of guardian angel.

It didn’t make sense. Cassian wasn’t the type to get involved in anyone’s drama, let alone hers. He was a senior, a figure of mystery and power, untouchable and cold. Most people admired him from afar, and few dared approach him. So why had he stepped in? And why had he offered this ridiculous fake-dating proposal?

As the teacher droned on about something she wasn’t even listening to, Savannah’s phone buzzed quietly on the desk in front of her. She glanced at it. A message from Cassian.

“You’re still in for the plan, right?”,

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard as she considered how to respond. She had agreed to it yesterday, but now, looking at the reality of the situation, she wasn’t sure she understood what she had gotten herself into.

“Yeah, I’m in. What’s next?”,

Cassian’s response came swiftly, like he had been waiting for her answer.

“Meet me after school. I’ll fill you in on the details.”

Savannah typed a quick reply and slipped her phone back into her bag, trying to focus on the lesson. Her thoughts kept drifting back to Cassian—his icy, calculating gaze, the way he carried himself with such confidence, the mysterious way he seemed to have everything under control.

When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of the day, Savannah gathered her things slowly, trying to shove aside the mounting anxiety. She didn’t know why, but something about Cassian’s presence made her both nervous and oddly... safe.

The walk to the back parking lot felt longer than usual. She kept checking her phone, waiting for his message to tell her where to meet. Finally, when she reached the spot by the bleachers, she saw him standing there, leaning casually against the chain-link fence, his arms crossed over his chest.

“You’re late,” Cassian said without looking up, his voice sharp but playful.

“I’m not late,” Savannah retorted, though she couldn’t help but feel a little flustered. She hadn’t expected him to be so... commanding.

Cassian pushed himself off the fence and turned to face her, his expression unreadable. “You said you were in. Now, we’re going to need some ground rules, if we’re going to make this work.”

Savannah raised an eyebrow. “Ground rules?”

He nodded, his eyes glinting. “First of all, no one can know this is fake. If anyone suspects that we’re not actually dating, the whole thing falls apart. So, we need to be convincing—like, really convincing.”

She wasn’t sure whether to be intimidated or intrigued by the way he spoke, but she swallowed and nodded. “Okay. What else?”

Cassian stepped closer, his presence suddenly filling the air around them. “Second, you’re mine for the next few weeks. That means no flirting with anyone else, no second-guessing this. We’re going all in. If we’re going to do this, we need to play the part. Don’t pull back.”

Savannah swallowed, her heart skipping a beat. The way he said “mine” was not a request, it was a command. But she couldn’t let herself get lost in the intensity of his words. She had to remember why she was doing this: to protect herself from the rumors Derek would surely spread about her.

“Fine,” she said, trying to sound confident. “I’ll play along.”

Cassian’s lips quirked into a smile, but it wasn’t a warm one. It was cold, calculating, as if he was already thinking three steps ahead. “Good. And third...”

She leaned in slightly, her curiosity piqued. “What’s the third rule?”

“No emotional attachments. This is purely for show. We don’t get involved in each other’s personal lives. Got it?”

Savannah nodded. That seemed easy enough. She wasn’t interested in getting emotionally entangled with Cassian Blackwood. Not that it would even be possible, right? He was a mystery, untouchable and cold, someone who didn’t let anyone in.

“Got it,” she said.

Cassian studied her for a moment, his eyes intense. He seemed to be looking for something in her expression, like he was trying to figure out if she was being honest or not. Finally, he nodded and stepped back.

“Alright. Let’s make sure no one suspects us. We’ll start with the basics—holding hands in the hallway, you know the drill. Acting like a couple in front of your friends. That’s the easy part.”

Savannah hesitated. “What about my ex? Derek?”

Cassian’s lips tightened at the mention of Derek’s name. “We keep him in check. No letting him make your life harder. If he steps out of line, I’ll deal with him.”

Savannah felt a shiver run down her spine. She didn’t want to involve Cassian in any more of her drama, but at the same time, she didn’t know how else to handle Derek.

“So, what do we do now?” she asked.

Cassian’s smirk returned. “Now, we go our separate ways and act like everything’s normal. Don’t let anyone suspect a thing. Tomorrow, we’ll take it a step further.”

As he walked off, leaving her standing there, Savannah felt a mix of unease and curiosity swirling inside her. She had agreed to this ridiculous plan—pretend to date Cassian Blackwood to ward off the rumors from her ex. But there was something about the way he spoke, the way he looked at her, that made her question just how “fake” this relationship would actually be.

Would she be able to keep her emotions in check? And more importantly, would Cassian?