fake-ish :: bws

Eleven

PART THREE - THE LIE

v

When the meeting ended, it was almost midday and I was just starving. I was craving some pizza, so I literally ran up to Olivia's car, getting in and putting the seatbelt on. She took a little while to arrive, cause she was talking on the phone with one of her other clients or whatever. So I took that time alone to think about everything. I had just signed a contract. For real. A contract for a one-year long fake relationship with a boy I'd never even heard about until now. And we were getting paid. Actually receiving money just to be seen together and pretend to be a happy couple. It was fucking insane and it didn't feel real, and I had no idea how my life ended up looking like that.

I watched as Olivia finished her call, walking towards the car, typing on the phone, and then entered the car snorting.

"What?" 

"Oh, it's nothing, just work. Don't worry," she said. I just nodded, unlocking my phone and going through social media. Olivia settled herself on the car seat and cleared her throat. "We need to talk," she then said. I looked up, frowning. 

"Did something happen?" I asked, nodding at her phone's direction, and she shook her head saying no. She sighed, looking down at her hands.

"I know what you're thinking," she turned to face me. I raised my eyebrows quizzically. "You're thinking about just pretending to break up with Lucas, even though Nicole told you not to. But you won't tell her, obviously, so you're just gonna fake it for her and for the press for as long as it's necessary. Am I right?!" she asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

I leaned on the seat, taken aback. I was shocked. It was exactly what I was thinking. But I wasn't gonna tell her, obviously. I gulped and didn't answer her.

"Please don't do this," she said. "He can't know, Victoria. Seriously," I don't think I'd ever seen her so serious. 

"So why can Brad's bandmates know?" it was at least unfair, right?

"Cause they won't tell anyone."

"Oh, and why would my boyfriend tell anyone???" I said, incredulous. 

"I'm not saying he would, but we can't take the risk, sweetheart. This is a serious matter. You just signed an actual contract that's worth millions. If this gets leaked, it could ruin everything. Your career. Your bank account. And not just your life, but mine and Joe's and Brad's and his bandmates. We can't risk that."

I sighed. Yes. I knew that. So why did I feel like nobody else's life was getting destroyed except mine?

"But you know we can trust him," I pleaded. "It's Lucas, Olivia, for Christ's sake, you know him for as long as you know me! We can trust him more than we can trust this band. You know this!"

"Yes... I know," she nodded, sighing. "But I also know that all of this - it doesn't involve him. It involves you and Brad and the band. And only the 5 of you. Therefore, I know that Brad's bandmates' career depends on this as much as yours. Even more. They're unknown. They basically don't have a career yet - unlike you, I must say. So you think, do you truly think that they'd be so stupid to the point of compromising their one big opportunity of making their dream come true?! Of course not! I bet you that Joe's telling them the exact same thing as of right now. No one's happy with this situation, kid, not me, not Brad and definitely not you. But it's what we have to do. It's only one year. You won't even feel it. It'll be like the blink of an eye. And then it's done! You can do whatever you want with your life again. You can go back to Lucas, or whatever you wish," she smiled kindly. I sighed and looked out the car window, feeling tired. I was tired of overthinking that whole thing.

"One year is a lot of time for a relationship, Olivia," I looked back at her. "I can't just break up with him tomorrow and then, a year from now, call him and say 'oh hey there, so! I know I broke up with you over nothing last year but what about we get back together?' Of course not! Who knows what might happen in this year, Olivia? Twelve months! That's enough time for him to fall out of love with me or to find another girl, to move to another country, he could even die-"

"You don't even like him," Olivia shot, interrupting my speech. My jaw dropped. What?

"What did you say?" I whispered.

"Oh come on now, Vic. I know you don't like him that much anymore. I know you inside out, you really thought I wouldn't notice? You might still like him, yeah, I mean, it's been 3 years, but you don't love him anymore - if you ever did." 

I just stared at her. I didn't know what to say. I just blinked and slowly nodded my head, opening my mouth to say something, but the words just didn't come out.

"Admit it, sweetie, it won't be that hard for you to finish this relationship," she said, grinning. I still had no reaction. I never imagined that she would notice anything. I thought I wasn't being that obvious about my feelings for Lucas.

"I can't lie to him," I finally said, after clearing my throat. "I can't just make up a general excuse to back up this shit and expect him to believe me, cause we're going just fine. Like, there's honestly not one single thing that's out of order for us right now," I sighed, looking out the window again. "Plus, he always knows when I'm lying."

"Okay but... it doesn't really matter, does it?" I looked at her again. "I mean, it makes sense to break up if you don't like him anymore," she tilted her head.

"But I don't want to break up, Olivia," I said, a little too rude. I rolled my eyes. "It doesn't matter if I like him - and I do like him, by the way. I don't feel good about breaking up with him and I don't think I should be forced to do that."

Olivia sighed and nodded, giving up.

"Okay so let's make an agreement," she said. "I'll leave this up to you and, if you decide not to break up, I'll have your back and I will help you keep Nicole in the dark. And if she finds out for some reason, we'll both take the consequences. Does that sound good to you?" she squeezed my hand.

"It sounds just about perfect," I said, smiling. "Have I told you you're an angel yet?"

"You may have," she smirked. "We're in this together, remember?" I nodded. "Don't ever forget that." I smiled and hugged her. Angel.

"Ok so can we just go get something to eat now, please, there's a black hole in my stomach," I said, and Olivia immediately turned the car on and drove away.

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