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"Yes, I heard you. And no, I’m not going to call thatstronzo. Why should I, when he’s the one in the wrong? Again."
She nods slowly. "I suppose you’re right. And I agree with you. It’s confusing when he blows hot then cold. I guess it’s naive of me to think it’s easy to put things right by making the first move. But then, this is why I never want to be in a relationship. It feels like so much work!"
"It is, but I guess I’d miss these ups and downs, too—"
"No. Seriously?" She cries.
"No, but…" I cough, then clear my throat. "When I think of a life without him in it, it feels so empty, you know?"
"You have it bad for him, eh?"
I cough again, then reach for a glass of water and drink from it. "I’ve had it bad for him since I saw him on that beach when I was fourteen. Too bad he doesn’t see it the same way."
I place the glass down and take in her pinched features. "Don’t worry about me. I survived this far, and I will going forward, too."
"Of course I worry about you. You’re my best friend."
"Aww, thanks, babe." I flash her a grin. "Enough about me; what about you? How’s the auditioning going for the musical?"
"Nowhere," she says with a jaunty flick of her hair.
"Nowhere?"
She raises a shoulder. "I’m changing course."
"What does that mean?"
"I’m studying to become a chef."
"A chef?"
"I’ve always loved food, and I got tired of going to auditions and never getting call-backs. Also, I got accepted to study cooking in one of the leading schools in London, so—"
"OMG, that’s great news."
"It is, except for the fees. It’s going to put me in debt, but I’m hoping I'll be able to pay it back with my first job. After all, good chefs are always in demand, right?"
"You’re excited about this, huh?"
"I am." She bounces on the balls of her toes. "I love new beginnings. Love this feeling that comes with starting something new."
"And I love that about you. If only I weren’t the type to see things through to the end. It’s a disease—one I can’t seem to get rid of."
She surveys my features closely, "You talking about your pop-star career or your Hollywood beefcake fiancé?"
"Fake fiancé. And both, I suppose." I rub at my temple. Goddamn migraines. I’ve never had one in my life. And now, I seem to get them every other week. I'm sure it’s the stress of having to cope with the demands of my career.
"That ring doesn’t look fake." She gestures to the ring on my finger.
"Yeah, he had to make it look good for the media, you know."
"Those pictures of you, and the post you put up that day with the two of you looked very convincing."
Yeah, I finally got around to sharing the news on my social media feeds, and whoa! My views, which had been on the decline, jumped through the roof. This post is at a million views and counting. Which, in turn, increased the visibility of my other posts. My feed is humming with comments, mainly positive ones from my fans.
So, Declan’s idea of jumpstarting my career with the fake engagement news had been on the nose. Additionally, his follow up announcement that the two of us will star together in his next film went viral. It's simply a statement from him without photos of either of us. But he, or rather, his PR team, tagged my social media handles. Between that and my own viral post, I'm suddenly the darling of the internet again. Only this time, I’m taking everything slowly.
I’m not attaching too much importance to what the fans are saying. Everyone is happy for us and for the upcoming movie, and that's great, but now I know how quickly things can change. My focus is on recording my songs and putting together my next album. That's what I am at my core; it's what I enjoy doing. Facing the camera comes naturally to me—apparently, it’s easier for me to act a part than be myself—so I’ll do the movie with him and then… Then, we’ll see.
