***You guys remember this book? The one I haven't updated in three weeks?

Okay, here's a summary of what happened last chappy: Jay faked a pregnancy to get the police lady who accosted him and Nya about a parking ticket to leave. He and Nya just had a long conversation in Jay's car about his mental health. Since the police lady is watching them to see if they're really going inside the church (supposedly to tell Jay's parents the good news about the baby), they have no choice but to go inside.***

***(Nya's POV)***

My family never went to church, but I can already tell this one is a very orthodox establishment. I don't know if Jay's parents are Catholic or not, but their house of worship sure is.

Knowing that our friend the police officer is still watching, I begrudgingly follow Jay inside. Actually, Jay pretty much pushes me inside: He wanted to put on the whole "cuddly-pregnant-couple" show for the police officer who accosted us, and I was having none of it. In the end, he ended up placing his arm around my waist – at least it looks affectionate – and dragging me into Couple's Bingo.

"You know, for a girl who's been on the run from the police for two years, you're really bad at pretending," he muses, opening the wooden double doors for me.

I huff. "Maybe I don't want to pretend that I'm your pregnant girlfriend. Ever think about that?"

"I was getting that cop to leave us alone! This could cost me my job, Nya. I'm doing a lot for you here. I can't be that bad of a guy, right?"

"You very well could be. You could be a perv who's been obsessed with me for the past who knows how long. You're either planning to take me back to your apartment and get in my pants...or you're planning to cut me up into little pieces and hide me in your closet." Okay, actually, I don't believe either of those. But Jay is a little crazy. Nobody's willing to pay a parking ticket or risk their career to help a stranger they don't even know.

"My goal is not to murder you! And I don't just 'get in girls' pants', as you put it. I just want to get to know you better, Nya. Is that so wrong?"

"No. It's the part where you think you're going to marry me that's wrong."

"And why is that?!"

"Because people don't marry people they've just met!"

"Okay, first of all, we didn't just meet. I've known you for a year now, even if we only ever made small talk at the cash register of the café. And second...two hundred years ago, or even one hundred years ago, it wasn't uncommon to get married to someone without knowing them all that well. Not that I'd want to take things that fast, but I'm just saying that I'm not that creepy."

"We don't live a hundred years ago, Jay. We live in a society where it's normal to date someone for two years before getting engaged. Or more, if you do the whole 'let's live together and see if we mesh well' thing."

"I'm not technically supposed to live with a girlfriend. My parents are really religious, and they'd have a cow if I was living with you and wasn't married to you."

I sigh. "Good thing your pregnancy excuse was a fake, then." I walk over to the nearest window and try to see if the police officer's still outside through the stained glass.

Jay takes my elbow. "Come on. We should at least tell my parents that something came up. That way, they won't be so disappointed that you can't spend the day with them."

"Or maybe we should tell them that you don't have a girlfriend."

He scowls. "Not yet, Nya. My mom has heart trouble. It's better to just tell her we broke it off later."

"Oh, so your mom has heart trouble, and you thought it was a good idea to make up that we were dating? You really thought it wasn't going to stress her out when she figured out that you aren't in any sort of romantic relationship, serious or otherwise?"

"I told you that I've been essentially single for two and a half years. My mom got really worried about me around six months ago, so part of the reason I said I was dating you was that I thought it'd put less stress on her heart. And according to her doctor, her health is better now than it's been in years, so I can't say I regret lying about you."

"Yes, Jay, but what about when we fake-break up?!" I heave a sigh. "Let's go say goodbye to your parents. And you'd better tell them the truth pretty soon."

"I will," he pacifies me, sounding resigned. "I will. But you don't think there's any chance for us?"

"No. I think you need to get your head checked, because only crazy people 'fall in love' with someone at first sight."

"I can't help how I feel, Nya."

"I wasn't blaming you. I said you were crazy. That means you need mental help." I shake my head. "Which way is Couple's Bingo?"

"To the left." He guides me that way, his demeanor sad.

I feel compassion for him rise in me against my own better judgment.

I mean, Jay's obviously a little off his rocker, but he's a nice person. In a very weird way, I think he does care about me. He just needs a psychologist and probably a new hobby, and he'll be back to normal. And then he can date a real girl and have a real baby. He deserves someone who's real. After he gets help, that is.

I pat his shoulder. "You're doing the right thing here by deciding to tell your parents that we broke up. That's the first step in your mental health journey."

"I'm not crazy, Nya. I had to have background checks and psychiatric exams and IQ tests for my on-the-job training this year. I'm a sane individual with no record. And I have an IQ of 122, for your information."

"I don't believe you're stupid. I also don't think whatever mental evaluation you had accurately portrayed how obsessed you've become with an idea."

"I'm obsessed with you, not an idea. And it's not a creepy kind of obsession, either. I just love you, that's all."

"People don't just love – "

"I know, I know. Clearly, you've spent your life in a world where you have to earn love and wait to show affection until it's socially acceptable. But I haven't."

"I don't think it's socially acceptable to tell a stranger 'I love you'."

"You're not a stranger. And I do love you, which I think I've done a very good job of proving today. I don't know why you can't see it yet." He gives me an annoyed look, then stops in the hall beside a room from which raucous laughter is emanating.

"This is Couple's Bingo," he says glumly. "Please don't just leave, Nya. I have a feeling I'll never see you again."

"Probably because you won't. It's for the best, Jay. You need to meet a real girl you can spend the rest of your life with."

"But you are real."

"But I can't spend the rest of my life with you."

"Why? I'd be happy to take things slow, Nya. You could just come with me on one date, and then maybe another, and then another. I'd be willing to wait two years, or however long you think is 'socially acceptable' before we made things too serious. And I promise I could make you happy."

"You don't even know what I do in my spare time. How could you make me happy?"

"I do too know what you do in your spare time. You like reading romance. You always read at the café. And I bet you like dad jokes and sarcasm and the occasional prank, right? And badminton – you get me as a badminton kind of girl."

I raise my eyebrows.

"Anyway, I could make you happy, Nya. I know I could – I'd find a way." He smiles hopefully.

I sigh, pulling open the door to Couple's Bingo. "You're wrong."

"Why?"

"I was always the last picked for badminton. I'm horrible at it."

He laughs. "If that's the only thing I was wrong about, I think I'll be able to sleep at night."

I'm about to clap back, but Jay's mom's voice fills the bingo room.

"Jay, honey!" she yells, her voice excited. "Why didn't you tell us you and Nya were pregnant?"

My mouth opens, then closes. I look at Jay.

His eyes are wide in surprise and confusion. "I..."

Edna rushes up to us and pulls me into a big hug. Apparently, hugging is a normal thing in this family.

"Margie Phillips heard everything in the parking lot," she explains. "And I'm glad she did, because you two have been taking your time in letting us know. You should've called us as soon as you suspected anything!"

I thought Jay said his parents wouldn't like the idea of us sleeping together. Apparently, they're too excited about a grandbaby to mind right now.

A fake grandbaby.

"Mom..." Jay says reluctantly, obviously concerned about the older woman. "There is no...no..."

She places her hands on my stomach and beams, entirely ignoring him. "How far along are you, sweetie?"

***So I have plans for the next few chapters of this book. Sorry for random updates LOL We should have around eleven-ish more chapters of this AU, but maybe a few more.***