"Okay, well the first question is something I probably should have asked as soon as I invited you to interview." Joe said, diving right in. I moved a bit in my chair to get comfortable on the other side of the desk from him.
"Yes?" I urged him, pursing my lips and setting my bag on the chair next to me.
"Are you currently in a relationship?" Joe asked, looking blankly at me. I did a double take and wrinkled my eyebrows.
"No- sorry, what kind of interview is this?" I asked hesitantly, looking down at the indescript papers in front of me. Joe sighed.
"Okay, this band I'm working for? They've got a solid fan base, but we need more. We need something to bring attention to them, something to stir up a bit of anything in the music world and to keep people interested. Nothing would do that better than if one of the boys was suddenly in a public relationship." Joe explained. I glanced around the room, still lost.
"And why am I here?" I asked. Joe sighed again, staring me straight in the eye.
"I need you to date James Mcvey." Joe said simply.
"Who Mc-what?" I asked, crossing my arms. This did not sound like a good idea, at all.
"James Mcvey. He's one fourth of The Vamps and I need you to date him. It'll be fake- of course, but it needs to seem real." Joe went on. I shook my head vigorously.
"No, I'm not dating some stuck-up pop star with an ego the size of the UK." I snapped, letting my anger out. I normally kept reserved and calm, but this was not your everyday request.
"Elizabeth, please consider this. You're perfect- an attractive low key girl from a bakery that would not only keep the boys grounded and be a good influence, but would give the boys a good reputation rather than if he dated some queen. And they're not that bad, just teenage boys at their finest." Joe shrugged, leaning towards me and resting his elbows on the table.
"Really, thank you Mister O'Neill, but I don't think I can do that for you." I said, moving to get up.
"One hundred thousand pounds will be your first payment. Tell me how easy it is for an eighteen year old girl to pay for a flat in London on the salary of a bakery-worker." Joe said. I closed my eyes and took a calming breath, sitting back down and frowning at Joe's expression.
"I want more information, and I want to meet this guy before I agree to anything." I said flatly. Just as I said it, the phone rang and Joe smirked.
"You're in luck." He lifted the phone and put it to his ear. "Yes? Send him up. Tell him I've got a surprise." Joe sniggered, hanging up.
"Is that Josh?" I asked. Joe laughed and shook his head.
"James. His name is James Mcvey, Elizabeth." Joe corrected. I sighed and sat up straighter, at least wanting to make a nice impression. The door opened and as soon as I saw who was in the door I looked to Joe, as if asking if this was him. Joe nodded before I returned my gaze to James, standing.
"I'm Elizabeth Watson." I said politely, holding out a hand. James glanced between me and Joe, confused as ever, and then shook my hand, flashing a million-dollar smile.
"I'm James Mcvey. Lovely to meet you." James took the chair next to mine, handing my bag over. I set it on the floor and crossed my arms, looking to Joe.
"Let me guess, judging from his obvious happiness, you haven't told him yet." I said sarcastically.
"Told me what?" James cut in, looking between us again.
"James, meet Elizabeth, your girlfriend." Joe said, smiling. James' head snapped towards Joe like lightning, a laugh escaping his lips.
"Sorry, my what? I've only just met her, what do you mean?" James asked, turning to look at me. I sighed and shrugged, and he turned back to Joe, now looking panicked.
"We need buzz-" Joe began, but James cut him off.
"We need buzz so you're giving me a girlfriend? That's not how things work, Joe." James said suddenly, staying calm despite the look in his eyes.
"That's exactly how it works." Joe replied, looking at James. James shook his head.
"Joe, you can't do this to either of us! I've only just met her, and you can't throw some innocent girl into all of this. Imagine what people are going to say to her, you've seen the way people get about celebrities when they're dating, they say terrible things!" James said, looking at me with a hint of worry. It was almost sweet how concerned he was about me. "And besides, you can't expect me to just, well, date her! It's dumb to be in some sort of relationship that means nothing." James went on, and I nodded.
"He's right, I don't want to have to deal with his fans hating me, and what if they get cross with him? It's an all around bad idea." I said. James nodded, looking at me and then back to Joe.
"Well, think of it this way. Elizabeth, you need money. We all know that." Joe began.
"I don't know that." James cut in, and I nodded furiously. Joe raised an eyebrow and went on.
"And James, I can honestly tell you that no matter what, we're getting you a girlfriend, and I can honestly say she's the golden one. It's her or misery, bud. You choose." Joe said simply, looking between us with finality. James sighed.
"I'm not getting out of this whole fake-girlfriend thing, am I?" He asked. Joe smirked and shook his head.
"Sorry, James." He said with absolutely no genuine apology in his voice.
"I guess, if you need the money and I need the girlfriend, this sort of makes sense in a sick, completely twisted way." James said, glaring pointedly at Joe, who shrugged.
"How long does this have to last?" I asked quietly, looking at Joe, who smiled like he knew he'd already won. Which he had, but I wasn't going to say it flat out. I needed the money, he was right. But this was all ridiculous. I guess I'll just have to deal for-
"A long time. Not one of those one-month things that blows over, we need you to stick aroudn for a while." Joe said, picking up a packet of papers. I let out a breath and pulled a pen out of the mug on his desk.
"Where do I sign?"
