Friends, lovers... and an orange

Chapter 11

It had been almost three months since Adele had said yes to being Mason's fake girlfriend in hopes that it would help them get rid of the paps, and so far, it had worked.

They had decided to start putting their plan in motion during fashion month. Adele had joined Mason in New York, Milan and Paris, where they were caught by the paparazzis while going for a walk around the city or leaving their hotel. Though they hadn't been caught. Not really. Everything had been planned beforehand with his agency, from the time when they would go out, to the place where they would be spotted, to even both their outfits. The only thing that hadn't been staged, was their faces in the photos.

Mason's agency had told them to look in love, to be affectionate with each other, but Adele couldn't manage to do it. The paps made her feel very nervous and uncomfortable, and in most photos she looked miserable and like she hated life, while Mason looked perfect, always smiling and talking to her, trying to make her laugh and relax. But so far, it had not worked.

Once fashion month was over, Adele had also joined him on some work trips. When he wasn't shooting, they would go out for lunch, dinner or just do touristy things. Sometimes they would be stopped by fans who asked to take photos with them or just Mason, those same fans then taking photos of them when they weren't looking and posting them online. Those photos were some that Adele didn't mind, because they looked real. They were real. Mason making fun of her because her food was too spicy was real. Her laughing every time he tried to imitate the accent of the country they were in, was real. And them taking photos of each other and everything and anything they saw, was real too.

All those photos they were taking, especially Adele, gave Mason a new idea.

"I think you should open your own photography instagram account, Addie. I've seen a bunch of Formula 1 drivers do it with the photos they take during their trips and each race, and they name them something jpg." he explained. "I think you could do the same, and post there all these photos you are taking. That way my agency will stop asking you to make your personal account public, there will be no more friend requests from random people, and you would also be sharing your talent with the world."

"My talent?" Adele laughed.

"Yes, your talent. You know you have it" Mason winked, making her blush.

And that, was how addie.jpg had been born. Fans loved it, Mason's agency loved it, and she had found herself loving it too.

Everything seemed to be working out as planned, but when they were invited to a Vogue party in Madrid, Adele's feelings decided to show up.

So far, she had managed to keep them locked away and to not think too much about all the new things she was feeling for Mason and that had never been there before. But not that night.

As usual, they were arriving together to the event, but then Adele would skip the red carpet. Posing in front of the cameras was his thing, not hers. Besides, someone always took photos of them together inside all the parties they attended, and that was enough to make the fans and his agency happy.

It had been while Adele was talking with one model she had met when she had been in Paris with her mum, that she had seen them. Mason and the girl from Toni's birthday party, the one she had noticed flirting with him. Which was what she was doing again.

They seemed to be just talking, but the way she was laughing at everything he said, the way she flipped her hair and looked at him, and the way she would touch his arm, said that she was doing more than that. She was back at it, and Adele didn't like it. Everyone believed Mason was her boyfriend, so how did she dare flirt with him? And doing it knowing that she was also there, almost in front of them?

"If you'll excuse me" she said to the model she was talking to, whatever she was feeling on her stomach getting stronger by the second. No, not whatever. Her jealousy. She was jealous of that gorgeous girl flirting with Mason.

"Adele, hey" Mason smiled when he saw her walking towards them.

"Hello" she smiled back, putting her arm around his waist and definitely catching him by surprise. He was the affectionate one, not her.

"Have you guys met?" he asked, nodding towards the other girl.

"I don't think so, no. I'm Adele, Mason's girlfriend" she had said, offering her her hand.

"Wait, so this is real?" the girl chuckled. "You two are together?"

"We are, yes. Why?" Adele asked.

"Well, business gossip says it is all PR. You always look so miserable when you are seen out and about..."

"That's because Addie isn't the biggest fan of the paps" Mason laughed, putting his arm around her shoulders like he always did.

"I am not, no. They can be so rude sometimes just to get a reaction..."

"All that gossip you are hearing is just that, gossip. We are very real" he said, pulling Adele closer towards him while kissing her temple.

"We are" she replied while looking him in the eyes, the way he smiled at her making her feel butterflies on her stomach. That, was new.

"Oh, ok. Good for you" the girl said, leaving them alone. After that, they spent the rest of the night together, always touching each other in one way or the other, and Adele found herself loving it.

What she didn't love tho, was her brain keeping her awake when they went back to their hotel.

She had feelings for Mason, she was falling for him. And that wasn't the plan. What was she going to do now? What if she actually fell in love with him? What if he didn't feel the same? Or worse... What if he felt the same? Could they start dating? Like, for real? And would it work? What if it didn't and they ruined the relationship their families had?

"Urgh" Adele groaned, covering her face with a pillow. She needed to speak about all this with someone, but with whom?

Jourdan had already let her know that she could always talk to her if her feelings for Mason changed. Adele had actually promised her she would do it if that ever happened, and they had been friends since they were ten. Jourdan had seen her fall in love for the first time, go through her first heartbreak, and basically everything related to her love life. She knew her better than she knew herself. But she also knew she wasn't in the mood to hear her say I told you.

Her next option was Luca, but he wasn't the best when it came to giving advice. Besides, he would start making jokes, not listen to her, and it wasn't what she needed.

Alex came next. He would definitely listen to her, but she was also sure that he would not be able to keep a conversation like that from his brother. With those three options ruled out, the last one was telling her parents.

When Adele and Mason had told their parents what they were planning on doing, her father hadn't taken it well. He had been very disappointed with them, and especially with her. "If you have fallen in love with each other and are together, I can understand that it may feel weird to share it because of how close our families are. But lying to everyone like this, playing this game... I didn't expect it from you, Adele" he had told her. But could she talk with her mother about this? Could she call her and tell her, hey mum, I have feelings for Mason that go beyond friendship and I think I'm falling in love with him. What should I do? How do you even start that conversation? Also, knowing Elizabeth, she would end up telling Toni, who then would end up telling her husband, who would tell Adele's dad and... No. Her mother wasn't an option either.

"I'm fucked" Adele sighed as she grabbed her phone. It was 5 a.m. and still dark outside, so she decided to put on one of those relaxing videos from Youtube that should help you sleep and not think about anything. They had helped during long flights before, so hopefully they would also do the trick that night.

Hopefully...