Girlfriend For Hire

Chapter 1: Making Headlines

I get woken up by Phillip our butler, with an abrupt opening of the curtains. "Time to get up Sir, your mother is expecting you downstairs for some breakfast." He informed in a flat tone. "Ugh, can you tell her that I'm busy sleeping last nights party off, and that I'm not in the mood for breakfast.." I groaned while shielding my eyes from the sunlight. "She stressed that it was quite urgent Sir." He insisted. "Hmm, fine, but it better not be one of her lectures about my living again." I sighed and got dressed. "Oh and Phillip, please stop calling me Sir, that would be my father.." I patted him on the shoulder, and jogged downstairs. 

I saw mum reading a newspaper while sipping her usual morning Latté. "Morning mother." I gave her a kiss on the cheek and sat down next to her. "Well I must say, this would be a plesant morning if you hadn't made it to the front page, hmm caught seen drunk and stripping at Volonzo's Club, care to share how much was it worth Marshall?" She threw the newpaper down in front of me, with all the photos of me at the club. "Listen it's just the media mother, they make you look ten times worse then what you are, but they didn't last night, wow I must say I do look in good shape don't I?" I laughed at the paper."Marshall! You think this is funny?! We can't afford anymore stunts like this, your father can't lose companies just because you want to make headlines!" She barked, and rubbed her temples. "Look if I'm too much of a hassle here then, I'll go back to my place and stay there until things cool down ok..?" I rubbed her arm with reassurance. "No you're fine, it's just you need to think very carefully, about what you're doing when you're out in public, because where-ever you are and whatever you do it gets monitored.." She smiled vaguely and put her hand on mine. "I'll pack my bags and I'll be gone by Monday, I'll call you when I'm at the airport." I kissed her on the head and walked to my car.

It was a great Saturday morning in Bel Air, so I took the opportunity with putting my hood down on my Ferrari Scuderia Spyder. I'm meeting up with my best man Felix for some real food and coffee, now knowing that I'm on the front page of the newspaper, that's probably all he's going to talk about, but I love the way he brags about how we get into trouble. "Man you should've seen yourself last night, you looked like you'd just had a pound of cocaine!" He laughed hysterically. "Ahaha I know right! But listen we've gotta keep a lower profile man, mum says that companies a pulling out because of what they've seen." I sighed as I looked at the spread about last night. "Oh c'mon dude! I need you, you're my wingman, and I'm yours, you can't just pull the plug now.." He begged. "Look I'm not saying that we can't go and party and stuff, but we can't do this ok, I don't want my mum having another meltdown.." I insisted."Ugh, alright man, but you're still coming to my beach house party right?" He questioned. "Yeah of course wouldn't miss it, I moving back to my place by Monday.." I assured him. "That's my man!! Now you can offically meet Anistasia!" He grabbed my shoulders.

"Who..?" I blanked. "Dude my girlfriend! You know the one I've been trying to introduce to you, but you're always too busy out sticking someone yourself.." He blurted out of anger. "Shut up! Keep your voice down!" I covered his mouth."Don't worry, I will remember to smile and make her feel welcome ok, listen i've gotta run do you want a ride?" I slide on my shades, and jingled my car keys in his face. "Nah it's ok, i've actually got a ride now and she's a beauty, c'mon I'll show you.." He grined and paid for the coffees. We walked around to the side carpark, and he wasn't wrong about it being a beauty, it was a Maserati GranCabrio MC Convertible. "Ugh, man why didn't you tell me you had one of these!?" I complained. "Because I knew you would probably steal it from me.." He laughed at my reaction to the car. "Yeah you're probably right, can I touch it please?" I begged. "Sure just don't scratch it, that car set me back, big time." He warned me. "Oh man, the paint, it's so smooth.." I ran my hands across the side, I couldn't believe my luck. "Alright, c'mon don't make love with it, that thing took me an hour to wash and polish." He laughed. "Dude are you crazy!? This car is a piece of art! It's supposed to be marveled." I snapped. "Sure, I'll keep that in mind De Vinci.." He laughed, and pat me on the shoulder.

"I'll see you at the beach house, don't be late!" He yelled as he roared off. "Yeah whatever.." I cursed to myself and slugged back over to my car, where some people were taking photos in front of. "Hey, C'mon take pictures somewhere else!" I yelled and shoed them away. "Hey it's Marshall Barclay! Hey man can I have your autograph!?" He asked with a broad smile. "Sure, whatever just keep away from my car.." I signed his notepad and hopped into my car. "Thanks man!" He waved. "Uh, fans.." I sighed and shook my head.

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The photo of the house, is of actor Rob Lowe's mansion in Santa Barbara, California. For the book it is set as The Barclay's Estate.