It's Just Pretend ✔️

Chapter 8

'I knew he was gay!'

'Wait he's pan! That means us girls still have a chance!'

'Ew, what the fuck!'

'Is he a top or a bottom?'

'Okay, who cares about him coming out, can we talk about how sexy he looks!'

'But who was the guy he was with?' The comment underneath that one made me cringe. 'Probably Henry, they must have broke up a bit back. Probably had makeup sex lol' I roll my eyes at the comment and choose not to delete it, knowing people will think it's true if I do.

I let him do things to me because he told me he loved me and I believed him. I fell in love with him. The main reason I moved away was to get far from him. He sent me spiraling into a depression making it clear nobody else loved me except him.

I got out of there as soon as I could. It just left me a little hurt. That's why I just want to be alone. I have mum and I have a dad. I've got my cat and I don't need anyone else. Not stupid Damien. I will not let him use me.

The phone rings and I look at it again. I recognized the number, but at the same time I didn't know who's it was. I answered anyway thinking it might be an agent or manager of mine.

"Hello?" I answer and I can hear his breathing on the other end. "Hello darling, how are you?" Speak of the devil. "I'm fine" I answer and he waits a minute. Calming myself, I know it's my fault.

"I'm sorry, has anyone found out it's you. I really didn't want this to happen. I dragged you into this and they are going to give you so much attention if they find out who you are" I explain walking around the safety of my house.

"Hey. I called to make sure you were okay. I just won't let them find out, but I know you just kind of came out to the world and that's a big deal and I read some of the comments. You looked amazing by the way" he tells me and I whip around embarrassed.

"You saw the pictures?" I repeat and he chuckles. "Of course, I have to follow my darling lover" he whispers into the phone and I stare down at the floor. "You don't need to pretend to date me anymore" I remind him.

"What if-" I cut him off not wanting to hear it. "I'm okay thanks for asking, anyways my parents want to know if you would like to do a boyfriend photo shoot- no? Okay great, I'll tell them" I answer my own question.

"Zach" he mumbles and I just roll my eyes. He will not use me. I won't let him. I can't go through that shit again. "Damien" I reply and he goes silent. "I'll call you if I need your services, for now, I don't. Thank you" I smile into the phone and he sighs.

"If you need to rant call me, goodbye darling" he replies and I shake my head. "Goodbye," I hung up after that before throwing my phone on the couch. "Fuck life! Fuck this! Fuck that! Fuck everything! Fuck! I'm going to throw myself out a fucking window! Things were going right!" I start yelling throwing pillows around my house.

One hit the counter smacking the kitchen knives to the ground. I cringe at the clatter and hurry to pick up my tantrum of a mess. Rajah was giving me a tired look, mad I woke him up from his nap. "Sorry buds, you sleep. I'm going to my audition and if for some reason I fuck that up too- we're moving to Antarctica!" I yell getting myself riled up again.

I grab my keys and wallet and head out the door. Practically stomping to my car. The drive there was awful and I was constantly telling myself not to just crash into the next tree.

When I got to the building there was a lineup of young men and paparazzi taking pictures, so they could say they got the first picture of the new rising star playing as Lynx. I grabbed my bag from the back with my script and notes.

The hero was born in the wilderness and when found by other humans he was experimented on knowing no one would go looking for a boy who had no family. Basically, they put something in him that enhances all his abilities like his stealth, strength, jump fucking far- if I read the script correctly. Anyways there's an evil genius villain that sort of shit, he makes friends with some nerdy kid, and then they have some costume sort of montage thing.

The villain is trying to like do something that involves hurting the world, I don't know I've been dealing with a lot of shit.

I walked past the people in line and paparazzi soon started following and I jogged the rest of the way into the building. I closed the door and let out a breath of relief. "Mr. Tatton you're here!" Somebody shouts and I'm pulled into a separate room.

I blink and look around to see I'm in one of the auditioning rooms. "Well let's start" the director begins and I drop my bag. "Well that's quick but okay" I chuckle and he smiles starting the recording.

"So let's start with a funny line, see if you can make them laugh" he smiles and I nod racking my brains for some of the funnier lines. I thought of the scene where the nerd kid I believe his name is Ian says break a leg. I look at my leg confused and I grab it pretending to break my leg, I cringe at the fake pain but with my Lynxy powers, it doesn't hurt too bad.

I give it a second for 'Ian' to shout 'holy fracking cows' before saying my line. "What? You told me to break a leg" I keep my face a serious as possible looking off to where my fake Ian would be.

This was so embarrassing. "Great!" He shouts and I kick my leg out making it straight again and no longer numb. "You're going to need to be able to cry" he looks over to me unsure and I suck in a breath.

"Easy" I want to be lying. At the moment I felt like crying was the easiest thing. "Well
show us what you got kid" he looks over before writing on his notepad.

"I-Ian? What's going on. Y-you said that we were a family. If you leave me how will we be a family?" I ask the tears pricking my eyes as I fall to my knees to stare at my nonexistent Ian.

I gave it a second for him to stutter out his lines. "You taught me everything I know about society. I'd still run into all the non-moving doors if it weren't for you" I let out a sad chuckle grabbing the nonexistent shoulder.

"Please don't leave me. You promised me I wouldn't have to be alone anymore!" I let out a sob before quickly standing and wiping my eyes. "Jeez that was intense, sorry Ian" I pat my fake Ian's head.

The other people chuckle and I flash them a smile. You're obviously a great actor, physically fit, well known, and a hard worker, not to mention attractive" he looks over his list and I bite my lip nervously.

"You should be getting a call in a week" I grin widely. "Thank you so much! You won't regret this!" I cheer and he nods falling away on his clipboard. "I know I won't" he mumbles writing something down.

I ignore it and grab my supplies before making my way out the door and back into the parking lot. "Tell us what the new movie is about!?" "Is a romance!?" "Horror!?" "Action" "are you guest starring?" "Zachary do you have a lead!? Or were you just wishing them good luck!?" "Mr. Tatton! Mr. Tatton are you trying out directing!?" They pester me with questions after questions.

I get into my car and start it. The pesky reporters stand in front of my car and I honk just wanting them to leave me alone. They just surrounded my damn car and I was still teary from the scene earlier and the high chance of me getting the job. Not everything was ruined. At the moment I was about to just give it all up and become a waiter or something.

"Will you tell us who your boyfriend is!" They start to go back to the relationship thing and I rest my head on the wheel letting the horn blare. Maybe they'll get annoyed and go away. Taking my head from the wheel I roll the window down enough for them to hear me.

"If you don't leave me alone, I'm done. You won't hear anything else from me ever again! No relationship! No movie! No more photoshoots! You'll be known as the reporters that cause Zachary Tatton to kill himself, ya got it!" I yell.

I knew it was a bit harsh but they all stepped back a little, shocked by my words. Of course, they immediately started asking more questions. "Are you mentally ill?" "Mr. Tatton are you suicidal?" "Is it your boyfriend's fault!?"

I wiped my eyes and just locked the doors. Sending them the finger, I let my seat fall back and I reach back grabbing a hat. I put it over my eyes and put my arms over my head before letting myself drift off.

Yes, I'm sleeping my problems away.