Chapter 29 Not Mine To Want
Mia's POV
The second I slid into the passenger seat and closed the door, the scent of Josh's cologne and the soft hum of the engine wrapped around me like warmth. The sun was beginning to dip, casting the inside of the car in gold and soft shadows. I reached for the seatbelt just as Josh turned toward me, that trademark smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Well, well, well," he drawled. "Liam Alcaraz starts circling like a hawk."
I rolled my eyes, biting back a smile. "Josh."
"I mean," he cut in, dramatically placing a hand over his heart, "I always knew you were secretly irresistible, but I did not think you would have the school's golden boy ready to throw hands over you."
My cheeks burned. "It was not like that."
Josh raised a brow. "Really? Because it looked like he was two seconds away from shoving me into traffic when he saw me waiting for you."
"Josh," I hissed, laughing despite myself.
"I am serious." His voice dipped, playful but low. "The way he looked at me, that was not a casual nod. That was a territorial nod."
I groaned, covering my face with my hands. "We are just literature partners. We have a performance next week, and Ms. Rivas made us pick our own partners, so he asked and I said yes. End of story."
Josh was quiet for a second. Then, in a softer voice, he added, "Still, I could not believe he had the guts to go for it. Even knowing I was your boyfriend."
I gave a small smile. "You sound like you actually care about playing the part."
Josh's eyes flickered with guilt. "I hate it."
I blinked. "What?"
"I hate making you lie for me," he murmured. "I hate that you cannot even look at the boy you actually like because of this whole stupid arrangement. I am your fake boyfriend, and I am the one making your life harder. I never wanted that."
I looked out the window, my chest tight. "You are not making my life harder, Josh. You saved me when I needed it most. You gave me a way to disappear from the rumors. You gave me space."
"But at what cost?" he whispered. "Liam looks at you like you matter more than anything else. And you look away like you are not allowed to feel the same."
That silence settled between us like a thread pulled too tight. Then Josh leaned back in his seat, brushing his hair off his forehead, trying to shake the heaviness from the air.
"Anyway," he said, trying to sound light, "just make sure he does not fall for you completely. I still need you as my girlfriend until my dad backs off and stops forcing me into the family business."
I smiled faintly. "Do not worry. I will keep him at a safe emotional distance."
Josh chuckled. "Yeah, good luck with that."
I shot him a look. "Josh."
"What?" He shrugged. "I may be pretending, but I am not blind. That boy is falling for you."
"Do not worry. I will never break up with you," I said quickly, trying to change the subject as my face grew hotter.
"Mia," Josh replied, looking at me seriously. "I am your best friend. Do you really think I would let you suffer?"
I shook my head. "Please stop. Liam and I are just activity partners. Nothing more. We were only talking about our rehearsal and the topic we were given."
Josh raised his hands in surrender.
"Okay. If that is what you want me to believe, I will not force you to tell me anything," he said. His tone turned serious. "I just want to remind you that I never keep anything from you."
I let out a heavy sigh and finally looked at him. He was smiling, already knowing he had cornered me.
"Fine. You win," I admitted. "I like him a lot. More than I ever liked Daniel." Josh laughed.
"You think it is funny that I like Liam Alcaraz?" I said, slumping back in my seat. "I get it. I know I am out of his league. You do not need to remind me to stop this stupid illusion."
"Hey," he said quickly, shaking his head. "I am not laughing at you. I just find it cute that you cannot even say you are falling in love with him."
"Do not worry," Josh continued. "Liam is clearly into you. I will let you go. Just not yet. I still need your help until I figure things out. For now, I still need you as my fake girlfriend."
Then he smirked. "As for Liam, I might enjoy teasing him a little. I like seeing the Alcaraz heir so lost. I cannot wait for him to finally make a move on you."
I shot him a look.
"Relax," Josh added. "I love Liam like a younger brother. I care about him. I just never saw him that way, and honestly, it fascinates me."
He glanced at me and smiled.
"Do not worry, Mia. You will have him as your boyfriend soon."
My entire body felt hot at his words.
The next day, Liam only greeted me with a good morning and a smile. He did not talk to me much after that, even though he was sitting beside me. It felt like he was avoiding me, and the thought made my chest sink a little.
But after my last period in the morning, he quietly handed me a paper bag and told me to enjoy my meal. I smiled when I realized he had brought me lunch.
Even though I ate alone, I could not stop smiling like an idiot. And when I received his message saying we would rehearse after class, I almost screamed from happiness. I wondered where he got my number, and the thought thrilled me.
That afternoon, after my last period, Liam waited for me and walked me to the parking lot, straight to his car.
And then I realized I had not heard a single bad comment about me all day. Not even from the Golden Four. I could not help but wonder if that had something to do with Liam.
As we left the school, I looked out the window, my heart beating fast for reasons I did not want to admit. I was in Liam Alcaraz's car. And we were not going to the library or a crowded café.
We were going to his house to practice our lines, just the two of us. The thought alone made my stomach flip. It had been so long since a classmate had invited me over, and knowing it was Liam made it even more exciting.
I had been to classmates' houses before, but this felt different. He felt different. Liam had a way of looking at me that made me feel seen, like he noticed the parts of me I usually kept hidden. Like he did not care about the rumors or the noise around my name, only what I did not say out loud.
I tried to focus on the script in my bag and remind myself that this was only for school. But my hands were starting to sweat, and my thoughts kept drifting to things that had nothing to do with our dialogue. I wondered what books he liked. What music he listened to when he was alone. What it would feel like to sit beside him on a couch instead of across from him at a desk.
I glanced at him. One hand on the steering wheel, the other resting casually on the gearshift. His face was calm and focused on the road, yet it felt like his attention was still on me. That was what made it dangerous. Not what we were doing, but what I was starting to feel.
And if I was not careful, I might forget that Liam was not mine to want.