I have decided to age up Caine and Diana and the rest by two years to 16, just for context. (Also it was confirmed in some Michael Grant interview or writing or something that Diana is latina so i am going with that). I've always found the idea of a fake dating AU interesting for these two, so I went with it. Obviously a no Fayz AU. Tell me what you think in a review, I'm just sorta going with it at this time. Enjoy!

He had a problem.

It was one of those situations where a simple lie grows and spins out of control and suddenly you find yourself unable to back out of the original hole that you dug yourself without making you seem like an idiot. Then, you wonder whether or not telling the truth would have been so bad in the first place, even if it would have lead to some humiliation, it would have been nothing like this.

Yeah, Caine Soren had a serious problem.

It all started when his family began planning his family began planning their yearly trip to Aspen over Thanksgiving break. His parents, Emmeline and Harrison, would rather spend Thanksgiving elsewhere where they didn't have to pretend to be a fully functioning family. It gave an excuse for the three Sorens to avoid each other for a week, only bothering to talk when mealtime came around. This year however, the trip began to spread to his extended family; racist uncles and their trophy wives were suddenly booking rooms in the resort until it became massive Soren family spectacle. Usually he only had to put with these people when a wedding rolled around. Now he was sentenced to five days of family bonding. Fun.

Caine had never liked his cousin Ethan. He was both loud and obnoxious, unfailing smart and irritatingly two years older. Ethan played the old 'big brother' routine whenever they were forced together; looking past the fact there was only a year between them and less than an inch in height. Caine would never let Ethan one up him, if Ethan had something, Caine had it as well. It wasn't jealousy, it was pride.

So that's why when Ethan was bragging about his girlfriend, Caine automatically said he had one as well.

It wasn't as if Caine didn't have opportunities, it was just every girl at Coates Academy was either mindbogglingly stupid, boring, or both. The one girl that he actually had interest in had shoved him unceremoniously into the friend zone: Diana Ladris.

What did it matter if Caine pretended Diana was his girlfriend to a cousin who lived in Michigan?

Well, it mattered when Ethan was bringing his girlfriend with him to Aspen and is asking why doesn't Caine do the same.

He knew Diana was going to her dads for Thanksgiving, and she hated every minute she spent with him. So it was worth a shot. She would laugh at him and he'd blush and feel awkward but in a few days she would forget the whole thing. It was worth a try.

Diana was sitting in the far corner of the common room, surrounded in a pile of homework. Caine always offered to help her, but that usually lead to arguments and books being thrown, so he tended to leave her alone when she was studying. Diana was sat cross legged arranging notes into neatly colour coded piles. She was wearing a simple Diana clothes; a plain white t-shirt that hugged her curves and jeans highlighting the sharp lines of her leg-

Focus. Now was exactly the wrong time to be a creep.

She didn't look up when he sat on the chair opposite her. Or when he cleared his throat loudly.

They'd been 'friends' for almost two years now, why did he have to be so awkward around her?

"Listen Diana, I know this is going to sound crazy but i really need a favour"

That caught her attention. Usually Caine would never be this openly needy, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

"Fearless leader has come begging? Dear me, it must be serious" Diana smirked, finally bothering to glance his way. "Spit it out, and if it is not totally unreasonable i might actually think about it"

"I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend and come with me to Aspen over Thanksgiving break because my entire family believe you are my girlfriend because i lied to maintain bragging rights"

Somehow that didn't merit a look up.

Diana was trying really hard not to laugh. Caine never begged, he hated asking anyone for anything. This was truly an all time low. She certainly wasn't oblivious to the fact that he had a crush on her, she'd have to be blind to miss all the signals over the past two years. He had accepted his rejection reluctantly. And now this. For Caine, the story wasn't even that far fetched. Caine would rather dig his way to China than let his pride get a hit.

This was really the cherry on top of the mess of the cake that was Caine Sorens web of lies.

"I was the girl you imagined up brag with? I really am flattered Caine, i mean this is completely out of no where"

It was the best form of entertainment to fluster Caine.

Diana cocked her head to the side as she reviewed her options. Normally, she would never even consider anything like this. But due to her moms relapse in health, Diana was being made to stay with her dad this Thanksgiving. The prospect of staying with her dad and his new girlfriend for any length of time made her want to stick pins in her eyes. On the other hand, a fully paid holiday in a luxurious ski resort only join at mealtimes and occasionally laugh at Soren family anecdotes?

Her and Caine were supposedly friends. She didn't hate him, and sure enough he was nice to look at.

Diana Ladris could do a lot worse then Caine Soren.

"I suppose i could be willing to put up with you for a few days, but only if you buy me the a new Tory Burch handbag, my old one broke"

Caine breathed a visible sigh of relief. "Done" he was unable to prevent a wide grin breaking on his face. His parents had already bought the extra plane ticket.

Diana sat in the common room till late that night, trying not to think about the fact that she actually agreed. God could imagine if anyone found out, no one would take her seriously anymore. That was the main reason Diana had rejected him constantly, no one would leave her alone if she actually got a boyfriend. Drake would mock her constantly if she actually ended up with Caine after all this time.

'Diana's gone soft'

'Diana's finally settling down?'

'I wonder which one of the two is using the other for sex, or whether it is both'

It would still be better than spending time with family. There was nothing Diana wouldn't do to avoid that.

Caine couldn't believe that she had actually said yes. She hadn't laughed at him, at least not out loud. She was willing to go, all for a free trip and handbag. It was better than what he could have hoped for. It wasn't as if this was the first time they had gone away together. Coates Academy had arranged a weekend trip to Santa Barbara (of all places) and both of them had gone. Safe to say everyone had a miserable time, but no massive arguments sparked between them, and that was with Drake there to provoke the pair.

Maybe it wasn't far to compare the two trips. One was a school trip. This was a vacation with family present, where Diana was going to presented as his girlfriend. Diana was quick to issue a list of rules for the weekend to comply to:

1. Hand holding is the only visible sign of affection i will allow.
2. I will make you seem like a saint in front of your family as long as you do the same for me
3. So help me god if you use any pet names
4. This never gets mentioned after this weekend again

All things Caine was pretty fine to go along with. The prospect of Drake knowing Caine used Diana as a fake girlfriend to impress his family? He would rather knock his own front teeth out than endure that.

Diana had been silent for almost the entire flight. She had shoved her earphone in and made no attempt at conversation, a pretty clear signal that if Caine tried to start one up he wouldn't make it to the destination. Over the past two years, Caine had become very well versed on how to tip toe around Diana. No one wanted to be the one to piss her off, not if they wanted to live.

It was strange how their odd little alliance had survived this long. Diana had joined Coates a year after Caine did, and through what almost seemed like accidents they began to work together. It wasn't really happenstance though: Diana saw Caine had power at Coates and Caine saw that Diana was attractive. He never admitted that he knew she was manipulating him, but in the long run it didn't matter. Diana proved herself, spreading a winding gossip chain around Coates. Now it wasn't always necessary to use force when punishing someone; blackmail and bribery also worked beautifully. It wasn't long before they were established as being in charge at Coates Academy.

Just the three of them: Caine, Diana and Drake.

Drake wasn't really on the same level as the other two, but he still lurked on the fringes and leeched off of them. They only let him simply due to the fact that he terrified everyone. Being in charge at Coates meant you had to have the best weapon, and Drake was by far the best. He was a sick dog who would tear into smaller animals for no reward. The pleasure of tearing into those animals was the reward. Sure, he was a loose cannon, and sometimes hard to keep control of, but no one dared touch Caine and Diana with Drake on the end of their leash.

The hotel where the Sorens had booked their vacation was nice.
Very nice.
Diana already knew the Sorens were rich; almost every family who send their child to Coates was. It was the place for wealthy parents to send their troubled children, and the two of them were no exception. But this resort was off the hook.

Sat in the expensive hotel lobby was the colourful cast of the Soren extended family. There was maybe around 15 of them, all dressed in simple clothing with designer tones. They were more or less identical in looks; the men were tall and dark haired, the women were tiny and were fake blondes. Diana stood out like a sore thumb.

Oh well. It wouldn't be the first time she would be stick out due to her race. It was a MAGA world now, Diana knew how to deal with prejudice.

"Diana it is wonderful to finally meet you" Emmeline Soren drew Diana into an uncomfortable hug, passing over her own son. She looked just like every other trophy wife, held together by Botox and tight clothing. She was prettier then most, and for all Diana knew this one could have a personality. From her own personal experience, she couldn't help but be wary of people like her.

"It's great to finally meet you as well, thank you so much for inviting me on your vacation"

"It was nothing at all, it will be nice for Caine to have a, friend with him"

Ethan was yet to notice them. Caine was unconsciously shielding Diana from him, trying t pay attention to the small talk between Diana and his mom. Ethan's girlfriend was the polar opposite to Diana, all blonde hair and wide smiles. Even from far away, he could tell she was pretty.

"Your mother seems like an interesting person" Diana rolled her eyes as Emmeline Soren flitted of to talk to someone else. Always playing the hostess.

"In a couple of hours, we will all go our separate ways and won't have to see them for hours, thank God"

"Fucking better, or i will never let this go. You are indebted to me for life Soren"

"I can live with that"

The lounge was full, with the desk frantically handing out room and keys as more and more families arrived. It was so busy Diana almost didn't see him at first. Some kind of hallucination, some strange sort of Coates Academy PTSD.

But it wasn't. He was slumped in the corner, bent over his phone with a small bag at his feet.

Diana gripped Caine's arm tightly, trying to look anywhere but there.

"Diana, what the fu-" And then he saw what she was desperately trying to avoid looking at.

Drake Merwin.