*Kate's POV*

Girlfriends and boyfriends should know each other, even the fake ones.

'Let's play '20 questions.' I suggest, sitting on my bed.

'Never heard of it.' Aiden shrugs.

'It's simple. I ask you twenty questions, and you ask me twenty questions. I should get to know my boyfriend,' I joke.

Aiden chuckles, leaning back comfortably. 'Alright, you start.'

'Okay,' I say, thinking for a moment. 'What's your favourite movie?'

'Pirates of the Caribbean,' he replies without hesitation. 'Your turn.'

'Pride and Prejudice,' I say with a smile. 'Classic.'

He chuckles. 'Nice. Alright, what's your favourite food?'

'Ice cream,' I say, and we both laugh at the memory of our earlier conversation. 'Yours?'

'Pizza,' he says. 'You can't go wrong with pizza.'

'Okay, now a couple story. How did we meet?'

He smirks. 'How about this: We met at a party, and you challenged me to a game of pool. You lost, but we ended up talking all night.'

'No, you lost,' I argue.

He merely shrugs. 'Fine. You're the boss.'

I smile, satisfied. 'Alright, let's get a bit deeper. What's your biggest fear?'

His expression shifts slightly, becoming more guarded. 'Losing the people I care about,' he says quietly.

I nod, understanding his hesitation. 'I get that. Mine is getting tricked by the people I love.'

'Sounds like there's a story there. Is it about this ex of yours, Tyler?'

I hesitate, unsure how much to reveal.

'Well, Tyler and I dated for almost two years,' I begin, tracing circles on the ground with my toe. 'He was charming, funny, everything a girl could want... or so I thought.'

Aiden listens intently, his eyes focused on mine. Something about his gaze tells me that he understands it.

'But then, about six months ago, I found out he'd been cheating on me,' I confess, feeling a twinge of hurt even now. 'With one of my so-called friends, no less.'

Aiden's expression darkens, something passing through his eyes. 'That's rough,' he says softly.

He doesn't say he's sorry. His body language suggests that it's something he'd experienced.'

'I'm talking to a player, who am I kidding?' I question myself.

Nevertheless, I'm thankful for the lack of sympathy. Nothing's more unbearable than false simps of sympathy.

'But hey, enough about me. Your turn now. Tell me about your family.'

Aiden's shoulders tense, and he looks away. 'I don't think now's the time,' he says. Leaving without another word.

Boys are hard to understand sometimes.

*Aiden's POV*

I head away, my hands in my pockets, feeling like I had just revealed too much. I keep my feelings to myself. Showing emotions is for the weak. It's surprising that I opened up to a random girl.

I don't date, love, or get into any serious relationships. I only hook up. I prefer casual flings. No feelings, no complications. I never want to experience the kind of life my parents had. My parents' relationship was a train wreck, and I've spent most of my life avoiding that kind of sh*t.

Kate caught me by surprise, kissing me to prove something to her ex. I've been with enough girls to recognize attraction, and I can tell that Kate is interested in me. However, she seems to be holding back, which is unexpected, as most girls die trying to impress me. They love my bad boy vibe.

When she talked about her ex, the hurt in her eyes was genuine. She's been through something real, something painful, I could relate, even though I know I shouldn't care. Losing trust in someone you love - it hits a little too close to home.

This is exactly why I avoid getting close to anyone. Emotions are messy, and they always lead to disappointment. I can't let myself get involved in this sh*t, not now, not ever.

I'll play along with this fake boyfriend thing just because that Tyler guy seemed like a bully, but I can't let it become anything more.

I reach the cabin and see Kate still sitting on her bed, looking a bit lost in thought. She glances up as I enter, her eyes searching mine for something.

Answers, maybe? Reassurance? I don't know. But I can't give her more than what we've already agreed upon.

'Hey,' I say, leaning against the doorframe. 'Sorry about earlier. 'It's just... there's some stuff I don't usually talk about.'

'We should probably head for dinner,' she says, anxious to change the subject.

*Kate's POV*

It's a beautiful evening, the kind that makes you feel like anything is possible. I'd be ecstatic if it weren't for Aiden's mysterious behaviour.

The dining hall is already buzzing with activity. Most tables are filled with campers. The smell of food wafts through the air, making my stomach grumble, I'm always hungry, I'm sure we can relate.

Aiden leads me to an empty table. Just as we sit down, a group of girls at a nearby table calls out to Aiden.

'Aiden! Come sit with us!' one of them, a tall brunette with a dazzling smile, calls out, waving him over. The other girls giggle and whisper among themselves, eyes fixed on Aiden.

'You can sit with them you know. I won't mind. Go ahead if you want,' I say, trying to keep my voice light.

Aiden ignores them and holds my hand instead, sending chills down my spine. I turn back and see Aiden's fan club throwing me glares of loathing.

'I can't abandon my girlfriend during dinner now, can I?' He questions.

I'm clearly terrible at this.

'Thank you.' I whisper.

'For what?' He questions back.

'For everything'

'For sticking by me. For not making me feel like a complete idiot in front of ... him.'

He squeezes my hand gently. 'No problem. Besides, it's kind of fun watching his reactions. Now, let's enjoy this spaghetti before it gets cold.'

'What's the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you?' I ask unexpectedly, hoping to keep the conversation light. In truth, I'm scared of how fast he changed when I asked about his family.

'I once got stuck in a tree trying to rescue a cat. Turns out, the cat didn't need rescuing, but I sure did. The fire department had to come and get me down. I was seven.' He laughs, a hearty laugh that makes me smile.

'You must have been a cute baby,' I blurt out, forming a mental image of a seven year old Aiden with that soft hair and innocent green eyes.

'I've never been called cute before,' he says, scratching his chin. 'Beleive me I've been called many things before.'

I see distant sadness in his eyes, something I've never noticed before. I may not have known him long, but it was always the arrogance and the flirty comments.

Suddenly, Aiden's expression changes, and he leans in very close, his lips almost brushing my ear. 'Tyler's watching us,' he murmurs.

Without waiting for my response, he gives me a quick peck, his lips soft and warm against mine.

'Just making sure he gets the message,' he smirks.

I can still feel the warmth of his lips on mine, and my cheeks flush. 'Yeah, well, message received,' I mumble.

'Ready to head back?' he asks, his voice soft.

I nod. 'Yeah, let's go.'

Once we reach our cabin Aiden releases my hand, and I feel a pang of disappointment at the loss of his touch.

'So, about this fake relationship,' I start, hating myself for bringing this up. 'We need to set some ground rules.'

Aiden's expression is unreadable. 'Sure, whatever you need.'

I take a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. 'First off, no actual feelings. This is strictly a fake relationship. No emotional attachment.'

He nods again, without looking at me. 'I could go with that.'

I narrow my eyes, sensing something off about his response. 'And secondly, no hooking up with other people. We need to at least pretend to be exclusive while we're here.'

Aiden's gaze falls on mine, his eyes suddenly sharp. 'Are you saying you don't trust me?'

'I'm just saying that I don't trust anyone who calls themselves a player.' I say, trying hard not to flinch.

He looks away again, his jaw clenched. 'Fair enough.'

I sigh, feeling a bit guilty for snapping at him. 'Look, I'm not trying to be difficult. I just need to make things clear.'

He nods without a word.

'Is everything okay?' I ask, unable to ignore the distance between us.

He hesitates, then shakes his head. 'Yeah, everything's fine.'

I don't believe him for a second, but I let it go. There's no point in pushing him if he's not ready to open up.

'Well, goodnight then,' I say, trying to sound casual.

'Night,' he mumbles, barely meeting my eyes.

Something's not right with Aiden, and I can't help dwelling on his secrecy. But for now, all I can do is try to keep my guard up and remember that this fake relationship is just that - fake.

**

A/N

And the fifth chapter is up! *drumroll please*

What do you think of Aiden's POV? Should we have more of his thoughts?

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