Friends, lovers... and an orange

Chapter 10

"I think you should frame it."

"What?"

"The photo of you and Mason. I think you should frame it, you look so cute..." Jourdan said. It had been a couple of weeks since Valentine's Day, and people were still talking about it. According to her, it had broken the internet.

"Whatever" Adele said, rolling her eyes. "There is no one outside."

"What?"

"Outside. There are no paparazzis waiting" she said. "You know I always check before going out for my run and... there is no one."

"Well, that's good, isn't it?" Jourdan said.

"Definitely. But it also feels... weird. Has something else happened? Why would they suddenly disappear?"

"I haven't seen any new scandal. But maybe since everything seems ok between you and Mason, there is nothing to report" Jourdan shrugged.

"What do you mean?"

"I think paps aren't as interested in you as they were before because you kind of made it official with that photo. They followed you to catch you together and confirm your relationship, but you basically gave the confirmation yourselves."

"There is no relationship" Adele said.

"You know what I mean."

"There is no relationship. Stop smiling like that."

"Like what?"

"Like that" Adele said, moving her hand in front of Jourdan's face.

"If there is nothing going on, why do you get so nervous every time I mention it?" she teased her.

"Because... urgh" Adele groaned. "I'm going out for my run."

"Ok, have fun. And please be careful! The buses with Mason just wearing his underwear are back, and I don't want you getting distracted and ran by one."

"Urgh" Adele groaned as she left their apartment.

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"You know... Jourdan's theory is kind of interesting" Mason said.

"Uh?"

"If they are leaving us alone because we've shared a photo together, maybe they will keep leaving us alone if we share more."

"What?" Adele said.

"Think about it. If we share like a couple of stories together here and there, like of you coming to visit me on set or going on dates, they will be getting the content they want and there will be no need to follow us around. We will be the ones in charge."

"You want us to go on dates?" Adele asked. He had said more, but her brain had got stuck on that part for some reason.

"Fake dates, of course" Mason chuckled.

"Of course, yes" she repeated, taking a sip of her coffee to hide that she was feeling her cheeks get warm.

"What do you say? Should we do it? I think it may work."

"You want us... to fake date?"

"Yeah" he shrugged.

"I don't know, Mase. What if us sharing more, even if it isn't real, has the opposite effect? What if instead of leaving us alone, it makes them want a lot more?"

"There is nothing like trying."

"And your agency? Will they agree?"

"My agency will love it" he snorted. "This is what they've been asking for since my mother's birthday party."

"For you to have a fake girlfriend?"

"For you to be my girlfriend" Mason said, his eyes focused on Adele's when he said those words, her stomach doing funny things once again.

"Ok, fine" she sighed.

"What?"

"Let's do this. Though they have to promise that they won't send the paps after us like they did at the airport. Like you said, we are in charge."

"They didn't..."

"I'm not stupid, Mason. I know it was them."

"Ok. I'll discuss it with them."

"No, you won't discuss it. You will tell them."

"Fine. I will tell them" he said, rolling his eyes and trying not to smile. "Thank you, Addie."

"What for?" she asked.

"For playing this game. I know how much you dislike it."

"I do. But I like you a lot more and I don't want to see you looking miserable, so" she shrugged.

"Did you just say that you like me?" Mason asked with a teasing smile.

"You know what I mean."

"Sure, Addie. Sure..."

"I'm starting to like you a lot less, you know?"

"Ok, I'll stop" he laughed. "But again... thank you" he said, taking her hand on his and giving it a little squeeze.

"You're welcome, Mase" Adele smiled.

The next day, a photo of that moment of them smiling at each other at the coffee shop where they had met, was everywhere, someone definitely recognising them and taking advantage of the moment to earn some money. But they didn't care, this was the game they were going to play now: fake boyfriend and girlfriend.

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"Are you sure about this?" Jourdan asked Adele after she told her about her and Mason's plan.

"It'll be just for a while and to see if your theory actually works."

"My theory, yes. But don't blame me when you end up falling in love with Mason."

"What?" she laughed.

"Adele... Your feelings towards him have already changed. You've gone from being friends who see each other once in a while, to basically calling and texting every single day and meeting every time you can. And now, you will be acting as a couple. Things can get confusing, you know?"

"We are just friends. That won't change."

"Couples also are friends. And they say friendship is the base of a good relationship" Jourdan shrugged.

"I just... urgh. Don't make things more complicated, please."

"Ok, I'll shut up. But Adele... promise me that you will be careful, and that if you start having doubts about your feelings, you will tell me."

"That won't happen."

"Addie..."

"Fine, ok. If my feelings change, I will let you know."

"Thank you" Jourdan said as she hugged her, Adele thinking that she was already breaking the promise she had made just seconds ago.

Because even if she wasn't sure yet about what was going on, she knew that her feelings for Mason had already changed.