"Let me get this straight... you didn't want to rebound with someone after your breakup with your ex since you're fully into women, but since your friends don't know that, you need me to pretend to be your rebound?" Griffin asks with raised brows as we sit in a quaint coffee shop in SoHo.

I nod as I swallow my warm hibiscus tea, "Basically,"

"Vina I'm gay,"

"I so did not get that vibe from you,"

Griffin chokes slightly on his latte as stifled chuckles vibrate in his throat, "I guess I'll make sure to make it completely obvious next time I meet a random girl at the gym," he mocked sarcastically, "I mean how did I even get roped into this? I mean we just met—do you fake date random strangers frequently?"

I can't help but laugh as I sit my tea mug back down on the small wooden table that seats two, while the afternoon light sheds in from the big window our table is placed beside.

"Not necessarily, this is just coincidental," I informed him which caused him to give me a narrowed look, "Griffy pretty pleaseee with a cherry on top,"

"Ew do not use that nickname,"

"What? It's perfect especially since we're in that puppy love phase,"

Griffin chuckles, "I haven't even agreed yet," he points a finger at me.

"But you know you want to," I wiggled my brows, "I mean who wouldn't want to be my fake rebound?" I joke.

"Me,"

"Griffin," I say sternly which causes Griffin to sigh with a deflated look.

"Fine Vina, but only if you promise that you'll at least think about coming out," he bargained which easily caused my brows to raise, "I'm not trying to pressure you, but you'll need to soon. It's not realistic long-term wise to hide this—I say to just get it over with and live your best life, and fuck whoever doesn't support you,"

"I guess... I'll think about it," I scrunch up my nose at the intimidating idea.

Griffin nods, "Perfect honey plum,"

"Ew please don't use that pet name ever again," I cringe.

Griffin shrugs, "You said we were in the puppy love phase,"

"Yeah we are, but that pet name is definitely the puppy love phase and honeymoon phase combined by like a trillion times," I retort with a fake gag.

Griffin chuckles, "We'll have to work on pet names, and Griffy is definitely not on the list,"

"Yeah, we'll see about that," I raise a challenging brow at him.

After Griffin and I finish our warm beverages, I head back home to where my roommates already seem to be. Luckily, they were so engrossed in their schoolwork that they didn't pester me with more questions about Griffin. God, last night after I announced the lie, all they did was ask me question after question. It was nerve-racking and stressful to have to answer questions about a situation that wasn't even real, which is why I shut them down before I could dig myself into a deeper hole. Luckily, everything is good for right now, I just need to come up with a strong back story that both Griffin and I know.

And that's exactly what Griffin and I worked on the rest of the week, we would meet up at the same coffee spot called Yolei's after class and discuss how we met in a very detailed way. Luckily, I was able to tell Jade and Jaci that I was going on coffee dates with Griffin which helped with the lie I created that somehow spiraled. I felt like I was redoing the Sebastian chapter of my life—well, at least Griffin is gay and we're both on the same page. Though I felt myself growing more anxious throughout the week with Griffin meeting J&J on Friday.

"Is he a drinker?" Jade asks as she retouches her red lipstick that contrasts against her black long-sleeve sparkly dress while her dark hair is pulled into a tight high ponytail.

Jaci points at Jade as if she had a good point, "More like, is he a good drinker?" she adds as she stands in her baby pink cropped long-sleeve shirt with matching high-waisted pink pants while her platinum blonde hair is pulled back into a middle part low ponytail.

I chuckle, "He's a drinker, but I would need to know the context of what a good drinker is... like how many drinks make you a good drinker? Because you guys are fucking alcoholics," I shift my weight onto my other leg as my shiny gold calf high booties rest on the grey floors of our brownstone.

My gold boots easily contrast against my long sleeve maroon dress that clings to my body. Luckily, it covers my arms and neck given how cold it is right now, while my brown hair is down and parted in the middle which gives even more warmth against my shoulders and neck. Gold jewelry is dangling from my neck, wrists, and ears which perfectly matches my gold and maroon outfit theme—along with my neutral makeup covering my face with a pop of gold eyeliner on my eyelids.

Jade shrugs, "I'd say at least ten shots—" but her sentence is cut short when the doorbell rings throughout the quaint house.

Jaci's eyes glance down to the time on her phone, "Damn he's practical with time... I already approve of him,"

I roll my eyes playfully before walking toward the black front door with Jaci and Jade following behind me as their heels click against the wood floors. When I open the tall door, Griffin is standing there in a long-sleeve oversized black button-up with light jeans and red Jordan ones that manage to contrast against his neutral outfit. He gives me a knowing smile before looking past me at Jade and Jaci and giving them both polite smiles.

"So you're Griffin," Jade stepped past me and out onto the porch where he was standing, "I'm Jade, we've heard so much about you,"

"Nice to meet you Jade—I assume she told you I'm a coffee drinker," he jokes.

Jaci laughs as she steps out into the cool New York air and joins the two on the porch, "She hates coffee, and I'll never understand why,"

"Or how," Jade adds jokingly.

I shake my head with a loose smile, "Okay guys I get it," I try to direct them away from the coffee topic as I step out onto the porch and close the front door behind me.

Griffin loops his arm with mine as we'd previously rehearsed a million times, which is why this whole thing feels so funny to me. I can easily tell Griffin agrees because he keeps pursing his lips whenever he looks at me signaling that he's on the verge of bursting out into a fit of laughter. Pretending to date so I don't have to come out to my roommates... I mean this is pure gold.

"Are we taking an Uber or is the club close by?" Griffin asks curiously.

Jade looks down at her bright phone, "We're taking an Uber to the Upper East... which should be here any minute actually,"

"Tonight's going to be so much fun—Griffin I hope you like to party," Jaci raises a brow at the man.

Griffin tilts his head, "What do you mean like to? I love to," he retorts jokingly which causes a smile to spread on Jaci's face.

"Oh, then tonight should be fun," Jade looks up from her bright phone.

I purse my lips, "So fun," I force the eagerness in my voice even though I feel incredibly nervous.