I thought going on vacation with a stranger to make my ex regret leaving me was a brilliant plan. It seemed so simple: act happy, make Josh see that I was doing great, and everything would fall into place. I would make him jealous, show him what he was missing, and, maybe, he’d come crawling back. But nothing went the way I expected, and it made me question everything—and even myself.
Standing in the crowded airport, I nervously checked my phone again, wondering if Travis, the stranger I had dragged into this wild plan, would actually show up. The idea came to me during a sad, emotional night at a bar, talking to a guy I barely knew.
I was heartbroken over Josh leaving me, so I spilled my soul to Travis, and, in return, he confessed he was low on cash. Somehow, that turned into the perfect arrangement: I’d get a free vacation, and he’d get a trip at no cost. And I would have someone to make Josh jealous. It seemed like a win-win situation at the time.
Suddenly, a voice broke through my thoughts.
“Hey.”
I looked up to see Travis walking toward me, grinning like this was just another day. He looked so calm, so relaxed, and, honestly, it made me feel even more nervous.
“You made it,” I said, trying to act confident, but my voice betrayed me a little.
“So, still think this is a good idea?” Travis asked, raising an eyebrow.
I hesitated. It didn’t feel like a good idea anymore. “Not really. But here we are,” I said, trying to smile.
Travis shrugged, looking completely unfazed. “No complaints here. I’m on vacation with a beautiful woman and getting paid for it,” he said, throwing a wink in my direction.
My cheeks burned.
We boarded the plane, and that’s when it happened. As I walked down the aisle, my stomach did a flip. There, right in the middle of the cabin, was Josh. And right next to him was his new girlfriend. I felt my heart drop.
“Ari?” Josh’s voice was full of surprise. “What are you doing here?” His eyes narrowed suspiciously when he saw Travis next to me.
Travis, ever the smooth talker, slid his arm around my waist and pulled me closer. “Heading on vacation with my boyfriend,” I said, the words feeling weird in my mouth but somehow necessary.
Josh barely reacted, shrugging. “Well, have fun,” he said, not showing a hint of jealousy or regret.
The plane took off, and I tried to focus, but my mind was racing. Everything had been so clear in my head: make Josh see I was doing great without him. Show him I was thriving, and maybe, just maybe, he’d come back. We were staying at the same hotel—after all, I knew where he was going from mutual friends. Travis and I would just play our parts.
But when we arrived at the hotel, I opened the door to our room, and everything stopped.
“There’s only one bed,” I muttered, staring at the giant bed in the middle of the room.
Travis laughed, looking at me like this was the most amusing thing he had ever seen. “Looks like we’re getting cozy.”
“No way,” I said, my voice rising in panic. I rushed down to the front desk to fix the mix-up, but, of course, Josh overheard me.
“Problems already?” Josh called out, his tone full of teasing.
“Nope. Everything’s perfect,” I lied, my voice shaky as I forced a smile. Travis just leaned against the counter, clearly amused by the situation.
That night, there was no way around it. I had to share the bed with Travis. I clung to the edge, trying to give him as much space as possible. Travis, though, was relentless, teasing me about being uptight.
“Relax, it’s just sleeping,” he said, laughing when I swatted him with a pillow.
The next few days were a mix of awkward moments with Josh and his girlfriend and unexpected fun with Travis. To my surprise, Travis played the role of my fake boyfriend effortlessly. He made me laugh in a way I hadn’t in months. We built sandcastles like little kids, mocked overzealous tour guides, and splashed around in the ocean. Slowly, I started to feel something I hadn’t in a long time—happiness.
One evening, after dinner, Travis grabbed my hand. “Let’s go,” he said, pulling me away from the restaurant and heading toward the beach. He picked me up in his arms, running toward the waves. I screamed and begged him to put me down, but he just laughed, and soon we were soaked from head to toe.
As we stood there, dripping wet, under the stars, something changed. Travis looked at me with a seriousness that caught me off guard. For a split second, I thought he might kiss me. But then reality hit, and I mumbled something about Josh before I pulled away, walking back up the beach. Travis stood there, watching me, his feet planted in the wet sand.
The next morning, everything shifted. Josh cornered me in the lobby.
“I still love you, Ari,” he said, his voice full of regret. “Take me back.”
He kissed me, and I was shocked by how little I felt. The longing I thought I’d experience was gone. Instead, I realized something—I had changed.
“No, Josh,” I said, my voice firm. “I deserve someone who truly sees me. And that’s not you.”
But when I returned to the hotel room, something unexpected happened. Travis was gone. My heart dropped as I walked into the empty room and found his bag gone.
Panic set in. “Travis!” I yelled, rushing outside. I spotted him walking away, his back to me.
“Travis, please don’t go!” I ran after him, desperation in my voice.
He turned slowly, his face cold. “You don’t need me anymore, Ari,” he said, not meeting my eyes.
“Yes, I do,” I said, my voice trembling. “I don’t want him—I want you. You make me laugh, you make me feel alive, and I can’t lose you.”
Travis hesitated, and for a brief moment, I thought he wouldn’t turn back. But then, he softened, and he dropped his bag to the ground.
Without a word, he walked toward me, cupped my face in his hands, and kissed me. It wasn’t for show. It wasn’t part of the plan. It was real.
“Sharing that bed wasn’t so bad after all,” I joked, laughing through my tears.
“It was the best part of the trip,” he replied with a grin before pulling me back into another kiss.
What started as a desperate attempt to win back my ex turned into something unexpected—something real. In trying to fake happiness, I found something I didn’t even know I was looking for. Sometimes, the best plans are the ones that fail spectacularly.
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