Love At First Lie | Herophine Fic

Like To Look

JOSEPHINE

All that's been on my mind while I've been curled up on the couch in the living area, surrounded by the other girls is how many people are here now in comparison to when I first entered this house. We've been here for a good while, curled under blankets aimlessly chatting and watching whatever TV is available. Slowly, we've wheedled the batch from seven down to five, including me. It doesn't seem like five minutes ago that there were seven couples in here.

Knowing and dealing with this takes its toll on you. Well, it has for me. It's so easy to forget but hits you like a ton of bricks just as quickly. For me personally, I find it difficult to deal with knowing it's only real couples that have left so far. All because we've voted them out. Of course, I'd imagine there are still some real couples left but I also know there are definitely fakers here too. Primarily because me and Hero are still here. We're still in the dark as to who the other fakers are but so far we're still here and have pulled everything off between us.

Taking hold of the freshly boiled kettle, I begin to pour some tea for myself and Olivia. I just fancied some English Breakfast Tea and was thankful when I saw it in the tea box. The rest of the girls had a drink, we were the only ones who didn't.

"Ohh, I could go a cuppa," A voice says on a sigh. My and Olivia's heads turn in the direction of the voice and I see Ryan and Hero wandering in together.

"What'd your last slave die of? Shortage of breath?" I reply, coyly while looking at Hero even though it was Ryan asking. Despite my words, I can't stop the giggles that come out of me and neither can Olivia.

"Bloody hell, alright. I'll make one myself," his hands raise like he's backing off, taken aback by my words. Causing me and Olivia to laugh even more.

"I'm joking. Tea?" Both Hero and Ryan nod, so I lift a further two cups out and make their teas along with my own and Olivia's. Hero and Ryan have seemed to gravitate towards each other. I'm glad Hero has a fellow guy-friend here to hang out with. We have to cultivate relationships here to come across as real. And doing this helps us deduce who the fakers are. Aside from us, of course.

Seeing the guys and Olivia take a seat at the counter, I take over Hero and Ryan's cups first before mine and Olivia's. Rounding the corner, I place myself beside Hero, flush to his side. His free arm wraps around my waist, holding me in place.

"Thank you," he says softly, reaching up to place a kiss on my temple. Since our first kiss - and I'm referring to the one in our room, not on the makeshift stage - he's been much more frivolous than I would have expected him to be when it comes to that. But he does it in front of everyone, shamelessly. And I won't lie, I love it. I feel... claimed. Marked even. By a simple touch of his lips.

"You're welcome," I reply, smiling back at him.

"This is a good brew for an Aussie. How long have you been here again? Are you sure your guy's not turning you British?" Proudly, I shake my head no and take a sip of the tea in question.

"Nope, Aussie through and through," I wink cheekily at Ryan and Olivia, causing Hero to laugh beside me. We've got a good thing with these two. With everyone, in fact. But I'm still unsure who the other fakers are...

Just as I'm about to take another sip of my tea, my heart jolts at the loud, all too familiar sound blaring around us. Again, already? By now, everyone in the house knows what the siren signals. We have another task waiting for us. It's only just past 1pm, much later than the last one.

It doesn't seem like two minutes ago that we did the last task and sent home a real couple. But that's the one that changed everything for Hero and I. The one that confirmed while we're a fake couple in the grand scheme of the show, our feelings for each other are very real. Since that shift, I've felt so much more at ease both in front of the others and when I'm alone with him. We can just be ourselves, whatever version of us we want to be. I may sound like a sap but good night kisses are now one of my favourite things.