Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating(46)

If I let her take a look at my test, if I let her cheat, does that mean I’m good in her books? Does that mean we’re friends? Or friendly enough for her to tell people that they should vote for me for Head Girl? Even if she doesn’t, isn’t the association already going to be much more than I’d ever get without her? People have already started treating me differently, just because I’m “dating” Hani. Who knows how things will change if I’m dating Hani and I’m friends with Aisling and Deirdre?

It’s not like letting her cheat on the test actually has any effect on me. She’s the one looking, and she’s the one who’s going to struggle when it comes to her Leaving Cert. Really, she’s just hurting herself, and I’m just doing what needs to be done in order to make sure the school has the best Head Girl.

Before I can think about it for too long, I lean back in my seat and push my test paper a little closer to Aisling. So it’s easy enough for her to make out what I’ve written. All she has to do is look over. I finish the test definitions like that, and ignore the look of satisfaction and delight on Aisling’s face.

“How’d you do?” Hani asks when she comes over to collect our test papers at the end of class. She barely glances at me.

“Pretty good, I think.” Aisling slings an arm over my shoulder as she says this. Like we’ve been best friends our whole lives. “I actually studied this weekend, so … I think I’ll do pretty good.”

Hani looks slightly confused, but she just nods her head. “Ishita?”

I shrug. “Yeah … okay. Probably. You?”

“Yeah. Okay, probably.” She grabs our test papers and passes them to Ms. Taylor.




Later that day, when I join the three of them for lunch in our base classroom, Hani is sitting facing the wall, with Deirdre beside her and Aisling opposite her. Conveniently, this is the only position where it’s impossible for me to sit beside her. If the others think this is strange, they don’t mention it. They just look happy to see me. I’ve never seen my classmates happy to see me before. A strange feeling surges through my chest at their expressions. I’m not sure if I like it or hate it.

“We should totally do something again this weekend,” Aisling says as we tuck into our lunch. “Like … we could go to a movie. What’s on the cinema?”

“Um …” Deirdre pulls out her phone and tinkers around on it for a moment. “Well … there’s like a bunch of superhero movies, obviously. There’s a new Pixar but it looks kind of bad. There’s another Disney remake and … basically nothing interesting.”

“So … not the cinema,” Aisling says. “Suggestions, Ishita? What do you like doing in your free time?”

“Um … studying?” I say.

Aisling and Deirdre burst into a fit of giggles like I’ve told a joke. Even Hani’s lips twitch like she’s trying very hard not to smile.

“Okay, we’re definitely not doing that,” Aisling says.

“Maybe Humaira has some suggestions?” I shoot her a look, and she finally looks up to meet my eyes. I still can’t read her expression. Usually, Hani is like an open book. Anger, frustration, happiness … all of that is written on her face clear as day. Now, though, it’s like she’s closed up the book for me, and I don’t know how to get her to open up once more.

“I don’t know,” Hani says. “Maybe we should just play it by ear.”

“Well, I think Colm and Barry have that football match Saturday morning? Maybe we could go support them and then hang out together?” Deirdre suggests.

“That sounds perfect,” Aisling says. “We can go to Eddie Rocket’s and get milkshakes.” Another place that has barely any vegetarian options. I don’t say that out loud this time. I’ve learned from my mistakes. And I don’t want to jeopardize everything now. Still, I try to catch Hani’s eyes, but she’s not looking at me. She’s looking everywhere but at me.

“Hey, Hani … do you think we can talk outside the classroom for a second?” Hani’s eyes snap to me and a frown appears on her lips. Before she can reply though, Aisling cuts in.

“Sorry, you’re not allowed to do that.” She slings an arm around me once more and it takes a lot to not try and claw her hands off of me. The way she touches me feels too familiar, too comfortable. Way more comfortable than I want her to be.

“We’re not?” I ask, trying to wiggle out of her grasp without making it seem like I am.

“No … because it would be pretty unfair of you guys to go off somewhere and start shifting or whatever, when we can’t do it.”

Hani does catch my eye at that. I’m happy to say that she looks as confused as I feel.

“Um, you could shift Deirdre anywhere you wanted,” I say. “I mean, I wouldn’t stop you.”

“No …” Aisling rolls her eyes and finally lets me go. “I mean, because we’re in an all-girls school, and Barry and Colm are like super far away. It’s not really fair. It’s like … heterophobia.”

“Well, we weren’t going to—”

“Heterophobia doesn’t exist, Aisling.” Hani snaps before I can finish my sentence. “That’s a ridiculous word.”