Olive Smith is a third-year Ph.D. student, and honestly, she's super focused on her research. She's kind of a nerd, always in the lab and not really thinking about dating or relationships. But there's this thing with her best friend, Ahn, who keeps pushing her to date. Ahn is like, ââYou need to find someone!ââ and Olive just rolls her eyes.
One day, Ahn tells Olive she's worried about her love life and wants to know if Olive is dating anyone. Olive panics because she really doesn't want to talk about it. So, in a moment of impulse, she decides to tell Ahn that she's seeing someone. The problem? She's not. To make it believable, she quickly thinks about who she can pretend to be with. That's when she spots Adam Carlsen, this super grumpy but smart professor who's kind of intimidating.
In a wild move, Olive runs up to Adam and kisses him right there. It's totally unexpected and hilarious, but it's also really awkward. Adam looks surprised, and Olive is freaking out inside, thinking about how she just made a total fool of herself. But then, Adam plays along, and they agree to fake a relationship. Olive is relieved but also scared because now she has to keep up the lie.
As she walks away, Olive feels a mix of excitement and dread about what just happened. She knows she has to figure out how to keep this charade going without letting Ahn or anyone else find out the truth. This first chapter sets up a really interesting dynamic, showing Olive's personality and her worries about relationships. It's funny, awkward, and totally relatable for anyone who has ever had to fake something in their life.
Reflection:
I think this chapter really kicks off Olive's crazy adventure. It makes me wonder why we feel like we have to be in a relationship just because our friends say so. Like, can pretending actually turn into something real? I'm super curious about how Olive is going to handle this whole situation. It's gonna be interesting for sure!