Faked for you

Chapter seven

Ellie's POV.

"So Miles how the season going so far?" Arthur asks as I run my hands up and down Miles arm. Jesus this man has muscles that I never knew about, how did I not notice this about him??

"Actually so far it's going very well, we've won four games this season and I hope we make it to the play offs. I have no doubt we can do it" Miles smiles as he rubs his thumb up and down my hand while his fingers are locked in mine "especially since I've gotten myself a lucky charm" Miles looks at me before looking back at Arthur.

"Good point" Arthur laughs "so I think we all want to know... how did you two get started?"

"Well Arthur, we actually met at a library. Ellie here was carrying a huge pile of books and then she fell right on her face, but she was lucky enough for me to be there to catch her" Miles just lied. He lied on live television and it was a good lie, It's something that's very believable and would probably happen. He lied to protect me, he didn't want everyone to know he and I met at the strip club I work at "the next day I found her again and we traded numbers over a cup of coffee" not a total lie.

"Right out of a romance movie, so Ellie what do you do?" Arthur chuckles. And there it is.

"I... I work at" I trail off but before I can finish Miles hand squeezes mine before he jumps in.

"She is working at a publishing firm downtown"

"Good for you Ellie. So how long has this been going on exactly?" Arthur says fidgeting with his notes "what I mean by that is how long has this been a secret from the world?"

Everybody in the audience laughter filled the room while I just smiled. I assumed Miles wanted me to answer since I haven't really spoken yet since we've been on the show.

"Two months" I lie. It's been three weeks since I've known Miles. Miles looks at me and smiles again before turning back to the audience "two months of being with this man" I smile while leaning my head on his shoulder.

"we've got a touchy couple here" Arthur laughs before I lift my head back up feeling my face feel like it's on fire. This is embarrassing. Before anybody says anything else I hear a phone go off. Miles pulls his phone out of his pocket and I see the name mom flashed across the screen. He presses ignore and pushes his phone back in his pocket.

"Sorry, that was my mom" Miles chuckles continuing to rub his thumb across my hand.

About a half an hour goes by with Miles answering questions about the season so far and then a few more about us. Nothing so interesting that Miles or I had to lie about. I feel bad enough for lying on tv where Anna probably is watching laughing at me. She's probably sipping her tea while talking to the tv and knowing it's all a big fat lie, But honestly I would do the same. Before I know it the show is over.

"Thanks for coming out tonight but unfortunately the show is over and I gotta wrap it up" Arthur laughs.

"Of course! Thanks for having us" Miles nods as he stands up still holding on tightly to my hand.

"Yes thank you and thanks to all of your for coming" I smile to the audience and back at Arthur while I follow Miles back stage.

Once we're in our dressing room again I wrap my arms around Miles and at first he just stands there but after a few seconds he hugs me back. He held me so tightly it felt good. Nobody but Anna has hugged me in years and having Anna is good and all but I missed the physical connection with people and I'm so thankful that Miles is in my life to bring me these feelings again. I pull away and smile at him before he finally smiles back.

"Thank you for lying for me back there" I nod as his hands still hold my waist close to him.

"Of course" he whispers. For a split second I thought he was going to kiss me but instead he was just walking back towards the table. Watching him walk away leaving me empty again left a lump in my throat and a bitter feeling in my stomach. I stood there for a minute empty and hollow before he snapped me back to reality.

"They sent us champagne" he says so faint I can barely hear him. He sounds just as upset as I feel "want a glass?"

"Yeah I could use one" I nod before sitting down on the couch. As he pours me a glass of champagne I feel naked. He's looking at me like I'm crying or dying right in front of him. He has pity eyes, the same eyes my mother had the week before she killed herself. She knew what she was going to do and she knew that it would break me a little. I'm pretty sure everyone in my life has pitied me once since I've known them, even Anna. I don't blame them, I sometimes pity myself but when Miles give me the pity eyes he looks nervous or scared for me. Like he cares. I've never seen anyone give me that look before but it's almost refreshing from the other looks I've always gotten.

"Did you know my mother killed herself?" I ask before sipping my champagne down. I'm not sure why I said that but I was thinking about it and I just let it slip out I guess.

"No, I didn't know" he sighs trying to look in my eyes but he can't because I'm looking down. I try to avoid eye contact when I talk about this but it's hard.

"My father cheated on her when I was eleven and it was too much for her I guess. She shot herself one day while I was playing in the backyard with our dog after school, I found her body and I sat by her for hours thinking she would wake up again but when my grandma came over she found me covered in her blood. Still to this day I don't believe she really did it" It was silent for awhile until I looked into his eyes. That look left his face. He was in pure shock that I just told him what I never tell people "I don't really tell anyone that" i add.

"Sunshine, that's horrible and not what I expected you to say" he sighs trying to smile but he can't. I can't either "I never thought I'd get Eloise Wilson to open up to me but here I am"

I giggle a little but faintly "do you really think I'd drop my walls for just anyone?"

"No, you hide yourself from the dark and now I understand why" he sighs taking a deep breath of air "Ellie you sat by your mother for hours with hope that she would stay with you and now you can't stand by anyone anymore hoping they will stay. You fake a smile every day and I'm not going to lie, I wish you wouldn't hide that gorgeous smile of yours"

My heart has skipped multiple beats and the lump in my throat grew. My leg was shaking a lot and I couldn't stop it. I chug down the last of my champagne before placing the glass on the table and sliding a sweater over my arms.

"Thank you Miles" I nod as he stands up and pushes his hands in his pockets.

"Of course, should we get going?" He clears his throat.

"Yeah, I'm tired"

By the time we got back to Miles place to grab my phone charger that I had forgotten a while ago it was already about dinner time. The drive was long and we made a lot of stops to get food and mostly because I had to pee from all that champagne I drank earlier. Miles teased me for it a lot but I didn't care, When you got to go you gotta go. When we got inside his huge apartment I searched around for awhile until I finally found my charger plugged into the outlet behind his toaster.

"Thanks for letting me grab my charger" I smile

"Yeah sure, hey want to stay for a drink?"

"Yeah why not" I shrug sitting down at his island counter while he searches his cupboards for any kind of alcohol.