The Devil's 5'5

Chapter 26 - Fake Girlfriend

March 11, 10:05 AM Seven Oaks Ranch - Creede, Colorado Preston's POV

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Preston nervously raked his hand through his hair for what must have been the sixth time as he quietly paced in front of her door. It was Friday morning and he had yet to tell Azura of the little lie he had concocted using her. While he had tried his best to dodge the arrangements for today, Bryon was quick to ensure that he had no escape route. 

Just tell her and then apologize profusely. Get on your knees if you have to.

Finally finding the courage to knock on the door, he waited for the muffled voice on the other side to grant him entrance.

"Come in."

Taking a breath, he opened the door slowly before stepping in with the utmost caution.

Azura was sitting cross legged on the bed, a laptop on one side and some scattered sheets around her.

He took in the messy bun on her head, the thick black reading glasses perched on her nose and the rest of her simple attire which consisted of a tank top and shorts.

Seeing her in such a casual fit made him wonder how she was still able to look so poised and beautiful. He had to admit that she was a lot less intimidating like this and if anything, she almost hit the criteria for "cute".

She cleared her throat as she pushed her glasses up to rest on her head and he realized that he had been staring at her for a while.

"You can take a picture and save it for later. I won't mind," she teased, and he felt the blood rushing to his face.

"Why would I need to when I can see you every day?"

He hadn't only surprised himself but her as well and watched as the smirk turned into a full smile, the tiny dimple on her upper lip becoming visible.

"My, my. Where does this confidence of yours come from. You've been getting bolder by the day. Keep it up and I just might think you're falling for me."

Of course, it was like she had said. This unknown confidence that sparked inside of him recently only came in short bursts and just like always he was left to stutter a pathetic response.

"I just meant that you're my roommate so I will always be able to see you. And I was staring because you never seem to be doing anything productive."

He had come to realize that the small jabs he took at her were harmless in her eyes and he had learned to stop freaking out when he accidently, and sometimes intentionally, threw a bit of sarcasm her way.

"Hey, I'll have you know that this" she said, gesturing to everything around her, "Is for the Derby festival. Since I don't know too much about this town and can only base things off from my standpoint, I'm creating a document for your dad so that he can look through the ideas and pick ones that would work best with your community."

He nodded his head, impressed with how she had considered that her work and ideas may not always align with the folk in his town. He scanned the various sheets with tables and graphs and smiled at the work she was putting in, whether it was used or not.

"So, I believe that coming to see me in my "studious" mode was not the only reason you came. Did you need something?"

Right, can you be my fake girlfriend at a baby shower today because I was a stupid idiot who created a lie to get away from a girl who has been a nuisance to me since grade 7.