I Faked Being in a Relationship to Get the Apartment of My Dreams, but My Partner Got Too Good at

My dream apartment was affordable—but the landlord only rented to couples.

Desperate, I convinced my best friend Jamie to fake a relationship. We got the keys, only to discover our nosy landlord lived next door.

Living together was chaos. He left dirty dishes everywhere; I alphabetized the spices. Between arguments, we staged hugs whenever Miss Helen visited.

Then Jamie made apology pancakes after a fight, and his annoying habits started making me smile.

When he announced a date with someone else, I finally understood why I was upset.

“Don’t go,” I told him. “I like you. For real.”

He smiled. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

He canceled the date and pulled me close.

Outside, Miss Helen gave us a knowing wave.

This time, we weren’t pretending.