Chapter Text
Ocean O’Connell Rosenberg is cornered in her kitchen, listening to her mother’s voice laced with the eagerness only a woman planning a family reunion could muster. It’s a tone Ocean knows all too well, as it usually precedes something insidious, like Aunt Marla’s probing questions about Ocean’s “busy” life, or Uncle Carl’s musings about how back in his day, people settled down young. She’s heard it all before, but this time her mom’s enthusiasm hits differently.
“It’s going to be so wonderful to have everyone together again! Oh, Ocean, your cousins are bringing their new partners! Wouldn’t it be lovely if you had someone special to introduce as well?”
Ocean forces a smile. “Yeah, mom. Totally,” she says, her mind already racing. In this family, she’s the “achiever,” the one they all expect great things from. Being single at the family reunion isn’t a big deal to her, but it’s the endless questions that will follow that make her want to scream. So, she lies, as smoothly as she can:
“I already have someone.”
Her mother’s expression lights up, and Ocean feels the panic set in.
“You do?! Oh, that’s wonderful, sweetheart! Who is it? Tell me everything!”
The words tumble out before she can stop herself: “It’s Noel Gruber.”
The problem with her choice becomes clear later that afternoon, when she finds Noel in their second-period art class. He’s hunched over his sketchbook, probably drawing one of those scandalously dressed 1920s women he likes so much. She approaches him, clutching her textbooks like a lifeline, and he barely looks up as she clears her throat.
“Noel, I need a favor,” she says, keeping her voice low.
He raises an eyebrow. “Ocean O’Connell Rosenberg, asking me for a favor? My, how the mighty have fallen.”
“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. I’m serious, okay? I need you to be my fake boyfriend for my family reunion this weekend.”
Noel’s smirk vanishes, replaced by an expression of pure confusion. “You’re joking, right? Why would I ever do that?”
Ocean sighs, running a hand through her hair. “Look, I panicked and said your name, so you’re literally my only option.”
“Ah, how flattering. You make a girl feel special, Ocean.” He leans back in his seat, considering it. “And what, pray tell, do I get out of this little charade?”
“I’ll… I’ll help you with our choir project,” she offers, though it’s clear she’s scraping the bottom of the barrel here.
Noel’s eyes glint with interest. “Tempting, but not enough.”
She huffs, leaning closer. “Okay, fine, what do you want, Noel?”
He grins, clearly enjoying this too much. “You’ll write my part of the essay. And,” he pauses for dramatic effect, “you have to cover for me when I skip choir practice next week.”
Ocean groans, crossing her arms. “Fine, fine. Whatever. Just, please, help me out here?”
He shrugs. “Alright, Rosenberg. I’ll be your knight in shining armor. Or, well, as close to it as you’re going to get.”
The next day, Ocean drags Noel outside during lunch for a crash course in being her “boyfriend.” She paces in front of him, gesturing wildly as she talks. “Okay, so you need to look… normal. You know, like you don’t secretly hate everyone in a ten-mile radius.”
Noel blows a strand of hair from his face, crossing his arms. “I’m sorry, was that supposed to be some sort of insult?”
“Yes!” Ocean snaps. “And, you’re going to need to use your straight voice.”
Noel tilts his head, genuine bewilderment in his expression. “I don’t have a straight voice.”
“Yes, you do,” Ocean insists. “It’s the one you use whenever you talk to the choir director and when you’re at work.”
Noel lets out a huff of laughter. “Ocean, that’s just me pretending to be polite. It’s not—”
“Well, use it,” she cuts in, her tone clipped. “Because if my aunts start getting suspicious, they’ll tear you apart.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of disappointing your extended family,” he says with mock sincerity, then sighs. “Fine. I’ll use the ‘straight voice.’ Just try not to act like you’re repulsed by me the whole time, alright?”
Ocean’s family reunion is everything she feared it would be, amplified by the relentless cheerfulness of relatives she barely knows. They gather in her grandmother’s backyard, the air filled with the scent of barbecued burgers and the distant hum of her cousin’s Bluetooth speaker. Noel stands stiffly beside her, dressed in a button-up shirt that she swore she’d seen him iron that morning.
The first test comes when Aunt Marla sidles over, her smile a little too wide. “Ocean! It’s so good to see you. And who’s this handsome young man?”
Noel manages a passable smile, extending a hand. “Noel Gruber. It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am.” His voice is smoother, softer, and just unfamiliar enough that Ocean feels a flicker of relief. He’s actually trying.
Aunt Marla’s eyebrows shoot up, clearly impressed. “Well, aren’t you polite? You’ve got yourself a good one, Ocean.”
Ocean forces a laugh, slipping her hand into Noel’s. His palm is cold, clammy, but she holds on tightly, flashing a smile that she hopes looks genuine. “Yeah, he’s… really great.”
Noel’s grip tightens slightly, and when she glances over, she catches a fleeting smirk before he’s back to his polite, agreeable façade.
They spend the afternoon mingling, and Ocean has to admit, Noel plays the part better than she expected. He laughs at the right moments, talks about their fake “dates” with surprising ease, and even endures her younger cousins quizzing him about video games. But when they finally get a moment alone, hiding in the shade of an old oak tree, he’s quick to drop the act.
“This is agony, Rosenberg,” he mutters, leaning against the trunk. “I’ve answered questions about my favorite football team. Football, Ocean.”
She stifles a laugh, leaning against the tree beside him. “Yeah, well, you’re doing a good job. And my mom is eating it up, so… thanks, I guess.”
He glances at her, and for a moment, the usual sharpness in his eyes is softened. “Yeah, well. You owe me.”
“Yeah, I know,” she says, her voice almost gentle. They lapse into silence, and Ocean can’t help but wonder if maybe this arrangement has been a little less terrible than she expected.
But, of course, that’s when Aunt Marla finds them, beaming with too much interest. “Oh, there you two are! Sneaking off for some alone time, hmm?” She winks, and Ocean wants to disappear into the ground. Noel, however, slips his hand around hers and gives a laugh that sounds shockingly genuine.
“What can I say? She’s hard to resist,” he says, and this time, when he looks at Ocean, there’s a hint of mischief in his eyes. He’s enjoying this, she realizes. He’s actually having fun messing with her.
Ocean forces a smile, even as she imagines every possible way she could make him regret this later. “Yeah, I’m… very lucky,” she manages, squeezing his hand until she’s sure she’s cut off the circulation.
Noel’s grin widens, and they continue their charade, but somewhere between his too-charming smiles and her own begrudging laughter, Ocean finds herself wondering if maybe, just maybe, she doesn’t hate this as much as she thought she would. And if, after this weekend, she might miss having someone in her corner, even if it is Noel Gruber and his surprisingly convincing straight voice.
Ocean’s family reunion winds down, and she and Noel find themselves outside on the porch, the evening air cool and filled with the hum of cicadas. They lean against the porch railing, the silence between them oddly comfortable. Noel glances at Ocean, raising an eyebrow.
“So, how’d I do?” he asks, his tone casual. “Was I convincing enough for Aunt Marla?”
Ocean rolls her eyes but can’t help the small smile that forms. “Yeah, you were… surprisingly decent,” she admits, crossing her arms. “But don’t let it go to your head, Gruber.”
He chuckles softly, running a hand through his hair. For a moment, they just stand there, the distant noise from inside the house fading into the background. Ocean shifts her weight, feeling like she should say something to fill the space between them.
“You know, you didn’t have to try so hard today,” she says, genuinely curious. “You could have just… phoned it in.”
Noel glances at her, and a hint of sincerity breaks through his usual aloof demeanor. He shrugs. “Yeah, well… it wasn’t as terrible as I thought it’d be. And if I’m going to do something, I might as well do it right.”
Ocean blinks, caught off guard by his honesty. It’s strange to think that he’d care enough to make the effort, even if it’s just for a fake relationship. But then he adds, smirking again, “Besides, I wouldn’t want you to think I can’t pretend to be a decent person when I put my mind to it.”
She laughs, nudging his shoulder playfully. “Oh, don’t worry, I still think you’re awful most of the time.”
“Good,” he replies, sounding genuinely amused, and they settle back into the quiet.
As the night winds down, Ocean’s mom comes out to thank Noel for coming, gushing over how nice it was to meet him. When she heads back inside, Noel catches Ocean’s eye with a smirk.
“Well, Rosenberg, I think that’s my cue,” he says, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Got any parting words before I go back to pretending you don’t exist?”
Ocean chuckles, but there’s a small, sincere note to her voice as she says, “Just… thanks, Noel. For helping out today. I owe you one.”
He shrugs like it’s nothing. “Yeah, well, consider it my good deed for the year. And don’t forget about your end of the deal. I expect my part of the essay by Monday.”
She rolls her eyes, but there’s a warmth in her expression. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t push it.”
He grins, a flicker of genuine amusement in his eyes. “Wouldn’t dream of it, Rosenberg.”
With that, he heads down the porch steps, and Ocean watches him go, feeling a strange sense of relief wash over her. Maybe it’s just the end of the long day, or maybe it’s because she doesn’t have to worry about all the family questions anymore. Either way, she’s grateful for the distraction Noel provided, even if their so-called “relationship” was only ever a performance.
She heads back inside, feeling lighter than she has in days, and while she doesn’t exactly consider Noel a friend, she has to admit that he came through for her when she needed it. And for now, that’s enough.