The Art of Faking It

Max's baseball cap was pulled so low his forehead disappeared, a strategic choice when you're trying to become invisible in the middle of a crowded stands. His mom had cut his **hair** two days ago, and somehow managed to make him look like both a fourth grader and a mid-life crisis having dad at the same time.

"You gonna sit there all night staring at Chloe or actually talk to her?" TJ whispered, elbowing him in the ribs. "Because this weirdoes-in-love vibe is messing with my zen."

"I'm not staring," Max lied. "I'm observing. There's a difference. It's called being perceptive."

"It's called being a creep, bro." TJ grinned. "But honestly, same though."

Chloe was three rows down, laughing at something Ryan had said. Ryan, who'd somehow morphed from Max's lab partner to the guy who made everyone's voice go weird when he walked by. Max had been **spy**ing on their situationship for three weeks now, which was honestly pathetic behavior even by freshman year standards.

The concession stand line stretched forever. Max needed **water** like his life depended on it – nervous sweating was real, and it wasn't cute. He grabbed a bottle from the cooler, feeling like he was making a tactical decision in a video game where every social interaction could end in disaster.

Then he saw it. Ryan's hand brushing against Chloe's shoulder. Her leaning in. The whole movie scene moment.

Max's brain went full **bull** in a china shop – zero thoughts, just chaos. He marched down there because apparently self-sabotage was his brand now.

"Hey," he choked out. Both of them turned. Max stood there, water bottle sweating in his hand, brain completely empty. "I mean – hey. What's up. I mean, obviously you're at the **baseball** game, that's what's up, but like, what else is up? Not that anything needs to be up, I was just..."

Chloe's eyes widened. Then she started laughing. But not like, mean laughing. Actual laughing.

"Max," she said, "you're literally my favorite person right now."

"I... am?"

"Ryan was just saying how nobody talks to anyone at school anymore because everyone's too busy trying to look cool." She gestured between them. "And then here you come, absolutely faking it, and it's honestly the most real thing that's happened all night."

Ryan nodded. "Respect, honestly. That took guts."

Max's face burned. But somehow, he was grinning too. "Well," he managed, "I've always believed in committing to the bit."

"Sit down," Chloe said, patting the empty spot beside her. "We were literally just talking about how we need a fourth for Mario Kart later. TJ too?"

Max's heart did something genuinely embarrassing. "Yeah. Yeah, he'd be obsessed."

Sometimes the worst moments became the best ones. Not that he'd ever admit that to TJ – his ego was already bad enough.