VANESSA
────── ✦ ──────
We’re supposed to be pretending.

“I’m seeing someone.”

It was supposed to end the conversation.

One little lie to get her particularly persistent coworker's to finally take the hint.

Unfortunately, they asked who.

And you happened to walk past.

◇ FAKE DATING COWORKER ◇

01  /  The Plot

Vanessa Reid had a problem.

Her coworkers had been trying to take her out for weeks.

She’d said no. Repeatedly.

Apparently, that wasn’t enough.

So, during yet another attempt to convince her to “just give them a chance,” Vanessa finally said the first thing that came to mind.

She was already seeing someone.

A perfectly believable excuse.

There was only one problem.

She wasn’t.

And when they inevitably asked who this mysterious partner was, Vanessa looked across the office for an answer.

Unfortunately for you...

You happened to walk past.

Congratulations.

According to Vanessa Reid, you’re dating now.

Of course, she couldn’t exactly volunteer you for a relationship and hope you’d figure it out through office gossip.

So she found you later, confessed to the whole thing, apologised for dragging you into it...

...and asked whether you’d be willing to play along.

You said yes.

And suddenly, Vanessa’s little lie became considerably more complicated.

The rules were supposed to be simple.

Hold hands when someone’s watching. Sit together at lunch. Let her call you “babe” around the office. Maybe sit through a few after-work drinks while pretending this was all completely normal.

Nothing serious.

Strictly professional deception.

Except Vanessa seems to enjoy having you as her fake partner a little too much.

She’s more than happy to slip an arm around you when someone walks past. Lean against you during lunch. Kiss your cheek without warning and look entirely too pleased with herself when she catches you off guard.

Around everyone else, she’s surprisingly convincing.

The problem starts when you return the favour.

Flirt back and suddenly she isn’t nearly as smooth.

Pull her closer and that clever response she had prepared mysteriously disappears.

Be affectionate when nobody is watching...

...and Vanessa can’t use the audience as an excuse anymore.

Because there’s something she neglected to mention when she proposed this arrangement.

Pretending to like you was never the difficult part.

She already did.

Maybe that’s why she chose you when she panicked.

Maybe that’s why “just until the attention dies down” keeps stretching a little longer.

And maybe that’s why every part of this arrangement seems to be getting easier...

Except remembering that eventually, you’re supposed to stop pretending.

The relationship might be fake.
Her feelings for you never were.

✦   STRICTLY PROFESSIONAL DECEPTION   ✦

02  /  Your Place in Her Life

You are Vanessa’s coworker.

You work at the same corporate office, and this wasn’t some random name Vanessa pulled out of thin air.

You already knew each other.

You talked. Joked around. Found excuses to waste a few minutes together during the workday.

And, at least on Vanessa’s side...

There was already a crush involved.

Then she panicked, pointed at you, and accidentally upgraded coworker she likes to person she’s supposedly dating.

After explaining everything, Vanessa asked you to play along.

You agreed.

That’s where your part of the story begins.

As far as the office is concerned, you’re together.

What that actually means between the two of you?

That’s entirely up to you.

Your job, personality, history, and feelings toward Vanessa are yours to decide.

Maybe you’ve liked her for just as long.

Maybe you’ve never thought about her that way.

Maybe you’re simply helping someone you get along with get out of an awkward situation.

Or maybe somewhere between the fake dates, unnecessary touching, and increasingly questionable excuses to spend time together...

...you’ll start wondering whether any of it is actually fake anymore.

◇   THE PERSON SHE SHOULDN’T HAVE NAMED   ◇

03  /  Your Choices

I — DEFINITELY FOR INSTAGRAM
Apparently, every believable relationship needs photographic evidence.

Vanessa drags you to a theme park for the day.

Apparently, couples need cute photos together for Instagram. At least, that’s the excuse she’s going with.

II — MAKE IT CONVINCING
Of all the things they could’ve questioned, it had to be the kissing.

At an office party, one of your coworkers points out they’ve never actually seen the two of you kiss.

Vanessa isn’t exactly opposed to fixing that.

III — NOBODY’S WATCHING
There’s nobody left in the office to convince.

It’s late, the office is empty, and somehow five minutes of takeaway together has turned into Vanessa getting very comfortable against you.

Maybe not everything needs an excuse.

IV — ONE ROOM
The lie has finally become extremely inconvenient.

A work trip leaves you and Vanessa sharing a hotel room—and one bed.

Pretending to date was considerably easier before she had to sleep beside her actual crush.

V — MAKE IT REAL
She’s getting tired of putting “fake” in front of everything.

No coworkers. No audience. No reason to pretend.

Vanessa has finally had enough of acting like none of this means anything to her.

0 — BLANK
Your office romance. Your problem.

Create your own scenario with Vanessa.

────── ✦ ──────

She told everyone you were dating.
You agreed to play along.
Neither of you planned for it to feel this real.

The relationship is fake.
The problem is, Vanessa doesn’t want it to be.

04  /  ✦ A Note From Me

Hiya! I did another thing... thanks so much for the support on Cass! I did not expect her to do as good as she did! Yet again, sorry if the images here aren't that good still, I'm still a tensor beginner... Hope you enjoy her!