Short story.
Writer.shaheen Akhtar.
The Coffee Disaster
"Move! Move! I'm already late!"
Emily Parker ran across the college campus with a cup of iced coffee in one hand and her backpack hanging from one shoulder. Her hair looked like it had lost a fight with the wind, and she was muttering to herself.
"First my alarm doesn't ring, then my cat hides my shoe. What next? Is the universe personally against me?"
Without looking ahead...
BAM!
She crashed into someone.
The coffee flew into the air like it had earned a degree in flying.
A second later...
Splash!
The entire drink landed on a perfectly ironed white shirt.
The campus suddenly became silent.
Emily slowly looked up.
Standing in front of her was the most annoyingly handsome guy she had ever seen.
Dark hair.
Sharp jawline.
Expensive watch.
And now...
A coffee-covered shirt.
He stared at her.
She stared at him.
A student whispered, "Uh-oh... she's dead."
The handsome stranger looked at his ruined shirt and sighed.
"So..." he said calmly. "Is this your way of saying hello?"
Emily blinked.
"No... usually I throw hot coffee."
The students nearby burst into laughter.
The stranger raised an eyebrow.
"Funny."
"I know."
"My shirt disagrees."
Emily folded her arms.
"Your shirt isn't talking."
"It doesn't have to. The stain speaks for it."
She pointed at him.
"You know what? Rich people are so dramatic. It's just coffee."
He looked at his designer shirt.
"This shirt cost more than your phone."
Emily gasped dramatically.
"And yet... it still couldn't survive one coffee."
Someone in the crowd laughed so hard they nearly dropped their books.
The stranger rubbed his forehead.
"What is your name?"
"Why? Planning to sue me?"
"Thinking about it."
"Then my lawyer will contact your lawyer."
"You have a lawyer?"
"No."
"So?"
"I'll find one on the internet."
He couldn't stop the tiny smile that appeared on his face.
Emily noticed it.
"Did you just smile?"
"No."
"You definitely smiled."
"It was a muscle spasm."
She laughed.
"You need a better excuse."
Just then, Emily's best friend Lily arrived.
"What happened?"
Emily pointed at the stranger.
"He attacked my coffee."
Lily looked confused.
"I'm pretty sure the coffee attacked him."
The stranger finally spoke.
"I'm Ryan Carter."
Lily's eyes became huge.
"THE Ryan Carter?"
Emily frowned.
"Should I know him?"
Lily almost screamed.
"He's the son of Carter Industries!"
Emily looked Ryan up and down.
"So... you're rich-rich."
Ryan nodded once.
Emily sighed.
"Great. That explains the expensive attitude."
Ryan folded his arms.
"And your attitude?"
"It's free."
Several students laughed again.
Ryan shook his head.
"I've never met someone like you."
Emily smiled proudly.
"You're welcome."
Before Ryan could reply, the class bell rang.
Emily's face turned pale.
"Oh no!"
She grabbed her backpack.
"If I'm late again, Professor Wilson will use me as an example in tomorrow's lecture."
She turned to run.
Ryan called after her.
"What about my shirt?"
Emily kept running.
"Wash it!"
"You'll pay for it!"
She looked back while running.
"Send the bill to my future husband!"
Ryan laughed despite himself.
"This girl is unbelievable."
...
Later that afternoon...
Emily walked into the campus café with Lily.
She finally relaxed.
"I survived."
Lily smiled.
"Barely."
Emily ordered a chocolate milkshake.
The waiter placed it on the table.
Emily happily picked it up.
"This day can't possibly get worse."
At that exact second...
Someone accidentally bumped into her chair.
The milkshake flew through the air.
Emily closed her eyes.
"Not again..."
Splash!
A familiar voice echoed across the café.
"You've got to be kidding me."
Emily slowly opened one eye.
Ryan Carter stood there.
Covered in chocolate milkshake.
Again.
Emily looked at the empty glass.
Then at Ryan.
Then back at the glass.
Finally, she smiled nervously.
"...Hi again?"
Ryan stared at her for three long seconds.
Then he sighed.
"I think the universe wants us to meet."
Emily couldn't stop laughing.
"I think the universe wants you to buy darker shirts."
Ryan tried to stay serious.
He failed.
For the first time that day...
He laughed.
The Unexpected Challenge
The next morning...
Emily stood in front of her mirror, pointing a finger at herself.
"Today," she declared, "I will not spill anything on Ryan Carter."
Her cat, Muffin, meowed.
"I know. It sounds impossible."
After getting ready, she walked onto campus with a bottle of water in one hand.
Lily looked at the bottle suspiciously.
"Are you sure carrying a drink is a good idea?"
Emily rolled her eyes.
"It's just water. What could possibly go wrong?"
Lily sighed.
"I've heard you say that before."
They had barely reached the main building when someone called Emily's name.
"Emily!"
She turned around.
It was Professor Wilson.
"I'm announcing the teams for this semester's business competition."
Emily smiled.
"Great! Please don't pair me with someone who has an ego bigger than the library."
Professor Wilson looked at the list.
"Your partner is..."
Emily crossed her fingers.
"...Ryan Carter."
Emily's smile disappeared.
Ryan, who had just arrived, froze in his tracks.
"No."
Emily shook her head.
"No!"
Professor Wilson adjusted his glasses.
"Yes."
The whole class burst into laughter.
Ryan sighed.
"This is a punishment."
Emily folded her arms.
"I was thinking the same thing."
Professor Wilson ignored them.
"The winning team will receive an internship at Carter Industries."
Everyone gasped.
Ryan looked completely uninterested.
Emily whispered to Lily,
"So he gets an internship... in his own father's company?"
Lily nodded.
"The rich really do play life on easy mode."
Ryan heard that.
"I heard you."
"I wanted you to."
Professor Wilson clapped his hands.
"Enough. Meet in the library after lunch and begin your project."
...
The library...
Emily arrived carrying three notebooks, two pens, and a packet of crisps.
Ryan looked at the crisps.
"Seriously?"
"What?"
"You brought snacks to a study session."
"My brain runs on snacks."
"It explains a lot."
Emily smiled.
"Thank you."
"That wasn't a compliment."
"I accepted it anyway."
Ryan opened his laptop.
"Our presentation is about launching a new café."
Emily's eyes lit up.
"A cat café!"
Ryan looked confused.
"What?"
"Imagine drinking coffee while fluffy cats sit on your lap."
Ryan blinked.
"This is a business competition."
"Exactly. People love cats."
Ryan thought for a moment.
"...Actually..."
Emily grinned.
"You like the idea!"
"I didn't say that."
"You were about to."
"I was not."
"You definitely were."
Ryan sighed.
"This is going to be a very long semester."
...
Two hours later...
Their project was finally taking shape.
Emily stretched her arms.
"I'm starving."
"You've eaten twice already."
"Those were emotional snacks."
Ryan laughed quietly.
"You always have an excuse."
"And you always smile when you think I'm not looking."
Ryan immediately became serious.
"I don't smile."
Emily pointed at him.
"There! You almost did it again."
Before Ryan could reply, his phone rang.
He answered it.
"Hello?"
His expression changed.
"No, Dad... I'm busy."
Emily accidentally overheard.
"I don't care if reporters are waiting."
He ended the call with a sigh.
Emily noticed the frustration in his eyes.
"For someone with everything," she said softly, "you don't look very happy."
Ryan looked at her for a moment.
"Money doesn't solve every problem."
Emily smiled gently.
"I know."
For the first time...
Neither of them joked.
The silence between them wasn't awkward.
It was comfortable.
Until...
Emily reached for her bottle of water.
Ryan's eyes widened.
"Don't."
"What?"
"Please don't touch the bottle."
Emily laughed.
"I'm not going to spill it."
The bottle slipped from her hand.
Water poured all over Ryan's notebook.
Emily covered her mouth.
"Oh..."
Ryan stared at the soaked pages.
Emily waited for him to explode.
Instead...
Ryan burst out laughing.
Emily blinked.
"You're... laughing?"
Ryan couldn't stop.
"I finally accepted my fate."
Emily laughed with him.
"So we're friends now?"
Ryan smiled.
"Let's not get carried away."
As they packed their bags, neither of them noticed someone standing behind a bookshelf.
A beautiful girl with long black hair watched them quietly.
Her expression wasn't friendly.
"So..." she whispered.
"She's the reason Ryan has been smiling lately."
She clenched her fists.
"This should be interesting..."
A Fake Girlfriend... or Something More?
The next morning...
Emily walked into the classroom with a smile.
"I made it without spilling coffee, water, or milkshake on anyone."
Lily clapped dramatically.
"Congratulations! Personal growth."
Emily bowed.
"Thank you. I'd like to thank gravity for taking the day off."
Before they could sit down, a tall, elegant girl entered the classroom.
She had long black hair, expensive clothes, and an expression that could freeze the entire room.
She walked straight toward Ryan.
"Ryan."
Ryan looked up.
"Jessica."
Without warning...
Jessica hugged him.
Half the class started whispering.
Emily looked away.
"None of my business."
Lily slowly smiled.
"Oh... this is going to be entertaining."
Jessica finally noticed Emily.
"And who is she?"
Ryan answered calmly.
"My project partner."
Jessica looked Emily up and down.
"Oh."
Emily smiled politely.
"Nice to meet you."
Jessica forced a smile.
"I'm not sure I can say the same."
Emily blinked.
"Well... that's honest."
Ryan stood up.
"Jessica, what are you doing here?"
"My father transferred me to this university."
She smiled confidently.
"Now we can spend more time together."
Ryan didn't answer.
Jessica noticed his silence and immediately changed the topic.
"I heard you have a business competition."
"We do."
"Perfect."
She looked at Emily.
"I'm sure Ryan would do much better with someone more... experienced."
Emily closed her notebook.
"I agree."
Ryan and Jessica looked at her in surprise.
Emily continued,
"So if you want to write the report, make the presentation, collect the research, and survive Professor Wilson's lectures, be my guest."
Lily burst out laughing.
Ryan couldn't hide another smile.
Jessica's face darkened.
"You think you're funny."
Emily shrugged.
"I've been told."
...
That afternoon...
Ryan and Emily met in the café to continue working.
Ryan placed two cups on the table.
Emily looked surprised.
"You bought me coffee?"
Ryan nodded.
"This one has a lid."
Emily laughed.
"You're still scared I'll spill it."
"I'm protecting myself."
Emily took a careful sip.
"Relax."
"I don't trust your luck."
Before Emily could answer, Jessica appeared again.
She looked at the coffee.
"So... you're buying her drinks now?"
Ryan sighed.
"It's just coffee."
Jessica folded her arms.
"My father thinks we should announce our engagement soon."
Emily nearly choked on her drink.
"Engagement?"
Ryan looked shocked.
"What?"
Jessica smiled.
"Our parents have talked about it for years."
Ryan stood up.
"No one asked me."
Jessica looked confident.
"They don't need to."
Emily quietly picked up her bag.
"I think I'll leave."
Ryan stopped her.
"Wait."
She turned around.
Ryan looked at Jessica.
"I don't want an arranged relationship."
Jessica crossed her arms.
"Then what do you want?"
Ryan looked at Emily for a second.
Then an idea appeared in his mind.
A terrible...
Ridiculous...
Absolutely crazy idea.
He smiled.
"I already have a girlfriend."
Emily froze.
Lily, who had just walked into the café, almost dropped her phone.
Jessica looked confused.
"You do?"
Ryan nodded.
"Yes."
Jessica frowned.
"Who?"
Ryan slowly pointed toward Emily.
"Her."
Emily's eyes became as wide as dinner plates.
She pointed at herself.
"Me?"
Ryan whispered,
"Please... just for five minutes."
Emily whispered back,
"You've officially lost your mind."
Jessica stared at them.
"You're dating... her?"
Emily forced the most awkward smile in history.
"Surprise?"
Jessica laughed.
"I don't believe you."
Ryan calmly reached for Emily's hand.
Emily's heart skipped a beat.
She looked at him.
He gave her a silent look that said, Trust me.
Emily took a deep breath.
Then she smiled.
"Actually..."
She intertwined her fingers with his.
"He's telling the truth."
The café became completely silent.
Even the waiter stopped walking.
Jessica looked furious.
"This isn't over."
She turned around and walked away.
The moment she disappeared...
Emily quickly pulled her hand back.
"You owe me."
Ryan smiled.
"I know."
"A lot."
"I know."
"Free coffee for a month."
Ryan laughed.
"Done."
"And dessert."
"...Done."
"And pizza every Friday."
Ryan shook his head.
"You negotiate like a lawyer."
Emily grinned proudly.
"I learned from the best."
As they walked out of the café together, neither of them noticed Jessica watching from outside the window.
She smiled... but it wasn't a happy smile.
"If they want to play this game..."
She whispered to herself.
"I'll make sure they regret it."
Meanwhile...
Emily looked at Ryan and sighed.
"So..."
"So?"
"We're fake boyfriend and girlfriend now?"
Ryan smiled.
"I guess we are."
Emily laughed.
"This is either going to be the funniest mistake of our lives..."
Ryan finished her sentence.
"...or the best one."
Neither of them realised that pretending to be in love was about to become much more complicated... because real feelings were already beginning to grow.
