Lilac and Lies

It started as a prank. Then came the feelings. Oops. Avery Lane has a plan: survive the semester with their poetry notebook, a rotating collection of oversized cardigans, and zero romantic entanglements. That plan shatters when their ex waltzes back onto campus—smug smile, new romance, and all. In a moment of impulsive brilliance (or complete disaster), Avery claims they're already dating someone. Cue Santi Ramírez: their debate rival, chronic flirt, and the last person they should be fake-dating. Santi thinks it's hilarious… until the banter starts feeling less staged and more like confession. Between staged couple selfies, late-night greenhouse rendezvous, and a lilac that refuses to wilt, something genuine begins to take root. But when the semester's prank-turned-romance comes up against old wounds and messy truths, Avery and Santi must decide: is this still a joke, or the start of something honest? Lilacs and Lies is a cozy queer rivals-to-lovers novella filled with fake dating chaos, sharp eyeliner, and very soft feelings. Perfect for fans of academic rivals, bisexual disasters, found family, and love stories that smell like rain-soaked violets and second chances.