Love At First Lie | Herophine Fic

Chose Well

JOSEPHINE

Everything changes tomorrow. What I've known for the past nearly two months now will be a thing of the past. Forgotten about until I come back out into the real world, away from the show and anything to do with it. I'm leaving here tomorrow morning. Leaving Mia for an unknown amount of time until I'm either one, caught out as a liar - or faker as they're known in the show - or two, win the obscene prize money with the mysterious Hero.

And tomorrow, I meet him for the first time. We're meeting up at a secure location - a hotel I'm presuming - somewhere here in London before going into the Big Brother-like house where the show will be filmed. The gaps in his profile will be filled for me. Just as mine will be for him. I'll know him. Know the man I'm supposed to be in a relationship with and hopefully trick those who are genuine couples.

It's come around so fast. As Charlie said, there was no time for a proper casting call with me. My casting call was the Zoom call we had. Everyone else, including Hero, had a real casting call. He's met with the producers, got to know them and they've got to know him. You know, the ins and out of a person before they offered him the part. Charlie said he'd be a good fit with me, for what reason I've no idea. But she can't have paired us together for nothing. Which has only spurred my thoughts that perhaps we could do well in this competition. Because that's what it is.

And because it's come around so fast, the nerves that lay dormant, covered by my confidence and belief have now well and truly crept up on me. I'm nervous. About meeting Hero. About the prospect of the show. About everything really. As I said, everything is going to change. And I've no idea whether it'll be for the better or not. I really hope this isn't for nothing. I'd hate myself even more if it was. Nothing would change and I'm hoping a change comes out or after this. Anything will do.

But, nevertheless, I'm excited. While the prospect of the show does unnerve me it also excites me too. It's such a strange feeling. I don't feel torn, I feel somewhere between nervous and excited. But I'd like to think some nerves are a good thing. It's helping to keep me grounded. I don't want fame or attention from this, just the money and of course if Hero and I become friends then even better.

As it's my last night here with Mia for an uncertain amount of time, we've decided to have a girls' night in. We're ordering pizza, having some wine and just one big blowout before I leave. When we decided this, I couldn't help but wonder if Hero had done something with his friends to celebrate - if that's even the right word to use - him leaving for the show.

Given Mia's up-and-down roller coaster feelings towards the show, I've felt like I'm on the ride with her. One moment she's concerned the next she's excited for me because neither of us knows of anyone or has done anything like this ourselves. It's a million miles away from my comfort zone but I can't turn my nose up at an opportunity like this.

But deep down, I know she means well. I've tried to flip the scenario on its head and see it from her perspective. What if it was Mia who was going in for the show and I was being left here? I've honestly no idea how I'd react so I have nothing to compare her behaviour to.

My family knows now too. Initially, I toyed about with telling them we were going on vacation or something but given I don't know how long I'll be without contact with the outside world, I'd be setting myself up for a fail straight away. They'd want to know how long for and where we'd be jetting off to. And I'd have nowhere to tell them. If I did lie, they'd catch me out. I'm a terrible liar, I just can't do it.

They were shocked, to say the least, but I expected nothing less of them. But they were optimistic too, something I've told them to cling onto. Because I certainly am.