The Perfect Couple — Helen Santori

Let's pretend...
Denise Dryer has never had a boyfriend, but then again, she's never really wanted one -- until now.

Denise is crazy about Ty Rogers, the handsome star of the football team. The trouble is, he only seems to like girls who already have boyfriends, so Denise comes up with what she hopes is the perfect plan. She asks her friend Mitch to pretend he's in love with her, and he agrees to play along. He whispers in her ear in the hallway, shares her straw in the lunchroom, and holds her hand wherever they go.

In fact, they put on such a good performance that Ty can't help noticing. But when he actually asks Denise for a date, she's awkward and tongue tied. Why is it so easy pretending to be in love with Mitch, and so hard even to talk to Ty?