A good show

"What's more romantic than being understood?"

• Kane •

"You followed her home, you started a fight with Tommy, three of them, over her" he said
"Just leave it" I said
I didn't want to talk about it
"Are you doing this because you like her? Because if you do, you can just tell her you know? You don't need to fake date her" Keon laughed

"Just fucking leave it" I said again
He threw his hands up
"Fine, forget I'm here" he said
"Would be great" I mumbled, looking at my phone

"So you wanna watch something? Or we could order food-"
"No I have to go out. I'll be back soon" I said
"Where are you going?" He asked
"None of your business" I said, beginning to type.

• Inara •

Homework is the worst thing ever invent-
I looked at my phone, surprised by the message

Kane
- Get ready, we'll go out now

It wasn't a request
Nor was it polite.
Yet a part of me smiled. Because at least I could learn more about him

I got ready, unsure where we were even going
Before I trailed downstairs

• Inara's Outfit •

"I'm just nipping out with Ivy" I lied
"Okay, back by te-"
"Ten, I know" I called, shutting the door

I nervously approached his car
Why had he changed his mind?
"Hey" I said, getting in
He said nothing

"Where are we going?" I asked
Again nothing
"Kane you might have to actually talk to me if we're hanging out" I pointed out
He looked at me briefly
Before his eyes fixed on the road once more, no words.

I sighed, leaning my head in my hand, looking out of the window

•

When he stopped the car outside the ice cream shop, I couldn't help but smile at him
"Thought you wouldn't be caught dead here" I joked
He rounded to my side of the car, shutting my door abruptly
"Shut up and walk" he said

"That's not very gentleman like, this is a very bad start to a date" I teased, walking ahead of him
"This isn't a date" he said
Clearly

Once I'd actually managed to order something, he then surprised me by paying
He was a very confusing guy
I looked at him across the table
Sat content with a pot of chocolate ice cream

Nothing else on it
Whilst I opted for a sundae
"Let's talk then, come on, tell me all your secrets" I said, trying to start the conversation
"Tell me yours, why did you date someone like Tommy?" He asked out of no where

And I was stumped
Because it was the question I had been asking myself for the past two months
Why on earth I gave a guy like him a chance

"I'm not sure to be honest, I guess he was funny... at first, he was nice to me, he was interested in me" I tried to explain
No one had ever really asked me out before
I thought Tommy was a nice guy

"But then he practically forgot about me every time a girl caught his eye. And then when I broke up with him, I found out about Mallory" I said
"Him and Mallory were obvious" he said

"Were they?" I asked deflated
"Yeah" he said
I dropped my head. Was I really that much of an idiot? To not even notice it?

"The team... they hated him for it" he then said
Was he trying to make me feel better?

"What about you?" I said, trying to steer the conversation away from me
"Why are you so adamant to not have a girlfriend?" I asked

"My life is... complicated. I have enough shit to deal with without a girlfriend demanding my time and attention" he said calmly
Complicated?

"Really?" I asked
"Yeah, relationships, they're a waste of time. Two people trying to constantly please each other, it never works" he muttered, eyes fixated in his ice cream as he reeled off... a warped truth

"A relationship isn't all lies and fights. Having someone there for you is... well it's essential. We're not lonely creatures Kane. We need companionship, that's just basic biology" I explained
"Really selling it" he grumbled

"You know what I mean, having someone to talk to, to confide in, to hold, buying each other gifts, stealing kisses and holding hands, sleeping beside one another, it's nature. It's contentment" I explained, only to get nothing back but a stare

Did I say something wrong?

"What?" I asked
"Nothing" he said quickly
"No what?" I laughed
"Nothing, you just talk a big game for someone who dated Tommy Hawthorne" he said

"Well I'm not talking from experience" I laughed
Tommy was a nightmare
"Good" he said

•

"This was actually really nice" I said, to no reply
He just looked at me, waiting for me to get out his car
"Okay, goodnight then, I'll see you tomorrow?" I said
He nodded

I got out, heading back inside

• Kane •

I watched her walk up her path
"Good night" I mumbled

• Inara •

School was dragging. Longer and longer as the morning went by
And when lunch came I was both relieved and drained
Because we now had to sit with Kane and Koen

Ivy and Koen thought all of us sitting together would reenforce the image that me and Kane were dating
But if this mornings awkward car ride was anything to go by then lunch seemed... pointless

"So are we going to Lara's party this weekend?" Ivy asked
"No" me and Kane said in unison
"Why not?" Koen groaned

"Because it's going to be shit" I offered
"Exactly" Kane agreed
"No it won't, besides, you want people to back off you? Leave you alone? Then you need to show them that you're a couple" Koen explained
That did make sense

I looked at Kane, who was too busy in his lunch to notice
"What do you think?" I asked, making him look up
"You want to go?" He asked
"It's not the worst idea, show our faces, let people see" I shrugged

"Fine. I'll pick you up at eight" he said simply
Just like that?
This boy is the most complicated boy I had ever met

He was shut down one moment and then blunt the next
Defiant and then willing.
And when the bell rang and he kissed my head, my mind was in a spin
"See you later" he said, walking away

"Tommy's not happy" Ivy laughed lowly
"Tommy's never happy" Koen laughed
Tommy?
He kissed me because Tommy was watching...
Why does that make the butterflies in my stomach feel worse?
Like they're now dying in there.

I actually felt... guilty for liking it
Liking Kane's attention
I grabbed my things as Ivy waited, before Tommy neared us
Please don't. Please don-

"You can do so much better Inara" he laughed, stopping beside me
"Don't worry about how better I can do. I've already upgraded substantially from the last guy I dated" I said bitterly

"Hey I'm not saying he has to be better than anyone. But you can do better than him. You want to waste your life away on a druggy orphan?" he laughed

"Oi don't yo-"
"Fuck off Tommy" I said, cutting off Koen
"Excuse me" he said, I had never really snapped at him before
"You heard me. He's been better to me in the last three days than you've been in five months. So fuck off" I snapped at him.

•

Wednesday night meant it was practise night
I used to go for Tommy, I'd bring him drinks, snacks
Then I started going for Ivy, so she had someone to talk to whilst she photographed the team

But now. Now I was sat here, in the dying sun, watching my... 'boyfriend' play.

My 'boyfriend' who ran around shirtless... hot and... sweaty
"Is it true you're dating Kane?" Lois suddenly asked, sitting in front of me and Ivy with Poppy
"Yes" I said unsurely

"How did you do it?" She asked
"I'm sorry?"
"How the fuck did you bag Kane Vallow? I need to know your secret" she smiled

"I... we just clicked I guess" I offered
"Yeah... yeah. So how do I click with one of them?" Poppy asked
"Can we chat about tactics later ladies? I'm trying to get a good photo and your heads are massively in the way" Ivy said

"We'll talk tomorrow" Lois smiled
I nodded as they left us
"You've got the fan club well and truly hooked" Ivy mused, looking through her camera

"I don't want them hooked. I didn't want any of this. It seems way more hassle than it's worth" I thought aloud
"Oh I wouldn't say that. Tommy is on the ropes, Mallory is glaring at you like prey and you got me an in with the football team" she chuckled

I groaned, looking up at the clear sky
It was too hot
I was too hot to pretend and sit here

"Break time" Ivy said, putting her camera down
"So?"
"So, do you not think your loving boyfriend could use some water?" She asked

I looked down to Kane, chatting to Koen and some other boy
I got up, reluctantly
"Fine" I sighed.

I trailed down the bleachers, leaning over the barrier as I watched him wipe his face
"Water?" I asked, holding out a bottle
"I have some" he said, rummaging through his bag
"Oh come on, I'm your girlfriend, I'm supposed to bring you stuff" I argued

"Oh yeah? Like you brought Tommy stuff?" He said, abandoning his bag as he neared me
Dear god
"Yes... except you are actually good at football" I said, earning a half smile

"Oh see! I got a smile, now you have to take it" I said
He did so
And I turned around to leave happily, having won another battle
But he grabbed my waist, pulling me back to the barrier

I looked up nervously, only for him to lean in before my mind could even catch up, connecting our lips
Every time he kissed me, I thought I was going to melt
Out of embarrassment? Nerves? I wasn't sure
I just know my chest erupted into butterflies whenever he touched me.

Before he slowly pulled away
"Have to put on a good show" he whispered, his face so close to mine
And his words only registering in my mind as he walked away

A good show.
Because that's all it was. A show.

Vote and Comment
Thoughts???

•