The Lying Game

1.

Do not believe all the things you tell yourself when you are sad and alone.

Jasmine continues her story with me barely paying attention. Sorrow drowns out all the surrounding sound me. I chug another vodka, I forcefully cough as my throat and chest burns.

"I'm just saying." Jasmine's voice rings out. "You need to put yourself out there. You're not getting any younger." I roll my eyes. I get the same lecture from my parents. I'm not even that old. Tired of Jasmine's chattering, I get up to leave. I'm also a little bit bored. I wobble a little to hold my balance. I may have had a little too much to drink. I ignore an early headache coming on.

Drunk in Love came on, and my inner Beyonce came out. I went on the dance floor and did my thing. All those dance lessons my mom signed me up for when I was a kid payed off. Guys tried to dance with me but I kept my distance. I was here to have a good time. I felt eyes on me but I kept dancing, the need to know who it was grew. I slowly trailed my eyes around until they landed on a pair deep dark brown eyes. He was in the VIP section, sitting by himself in a calm posture with a stark face thou he looked like he was enjoying the music. Or was he enjoying watching me make a fool of myself.

When the bouncer wasn't looking I sneak into the VIP section. I smooth out my dress and walk towards him, trying not to wobble.

Getting closer to him, without breaking eye contact, i lower myself onto his lap His brown eyes light up in surprise.. It was definitely the alcohol that is making me this confident. His deep brown eyes and light brown hair make him extremely attractive..all i want to do is run my hands through his luscious locks.. I blushed when I realized he caught me staring at him.

"What's your name?" His voice was deep and husky. The music is loud, but I'm pretty sure I heard an accent.

"Emani"

"Well hello Emani" Hello, I would really like your dick in me. "I'm William"

Fuck me sideways.

"Very nice to meet you William" Is what came out.

"How old are you?" He continues to talk when I just want to kiss him. Badly. I enlace my fingers around his neck and flip to show my cleavage to try and get his attention. The whole time, he looks straight into my eyes.

I sigh. "27"

"Did you go to Georgetown?" I sober up a little bit. How did he know that?

"Yeah," I say warily.

"So did I, you looked a little familiar." He eyes me carefully.

I grab two drinks from the tray and swallow both. I place them back down. "I'm tired of talking," I whisper as I lean my head in.

"Do you want to get out of here?" He rubs my smooth legs and it's shooting fireworks and heat to my nether regions.

"Yes"

"Marry me." He whispers seductively.

I look at him and there's mischief in his eyes. This must be some foreplay. "Yes." I hear myself say. Next thing, I'm swept off my feet. The only thing I remember is people shouting and axe cologne.

♠️♠️♠️♠️

I wake up with a pounding headache in an unfamiliar setting. The first thing I smell is cologne. I look at myself and I'm in a Georgetown sweatshirt. I check under my sweatshirt and I'm still wearing the same clothes I wore last night. Nothing happened. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or bad thing.

I can't remember anything from last night. There's a big window showing the streets of New York. On the nightside table is a cup of water and aspirin. I take it. The room is neat. Weirdly neat, everything is in order. Nothing seems to be out of place. Like no one has even been in this room.

The door opens, and a man walks in with a t-shirt and shorts. The man looks like a person out of a catalog. I inwardly high five myself for whatever I did to land in this person's house.

"Goodmorning Emani," He says. His voice melts my soul.

"Goodmorning..." I hold out the word because I don't know this man's name.

"William" He finishes.

"William" I repeat.

"Did we do anything last night?"

"No." He sits on the chair across from the bed. "After the club, I took you to my apartment. You fell asleep in the car and I tucked you in."

"Oh," I pout. Damn. i thought i reeled in a good catch

"You should probably get up soon. We have a lot to do today, and we have papers to sign."

"Papers?"

Before he could reply a tall guy in a neat business suit, which probably costs more than my apartment, walks in. He has dirty blonde hair that slightly falls onto his forehead. He clenches his chiseled jaw line and looks up from his cellphone.

"Where's the girl?" He asks. William points to me. He turns to me and his eyes trail my body, assessing me from head to toe. "Nice, she looks even better in person."

"Excuse me?" I ask.

"Emani Tolbert this is Phoenix, my best friend, and Campaign Manager."

Phoenix shoots a small wave. "Nice to meet you, Emani." He goes back to William. "Did you make sure the paparazzi saw you guys?"

"Yeah, she fell asleep when I was carrying her, it was perfect," William says.

"I'm sorry what's going on?" I demand."You're marrying me." William answers. "You agreed to it last night at the club."

Phoenix cuts in, "Do you know who this man is? William Harrington." I wrack my brain for any familiarity, and then it hits me.

"One of the most eligible bachelors in America." Countless images of his face on billboards and magazines comes to mind. "We need to turn him into Governor of New York. The Governor needs to be a married man, if he ever wants to stand a chance at winning." Phoenix finishes. "We have to sell you two together, as a power couple, to fix his image. The first step is getting rid of the purple hair as soon as possible." He switches back to his phone tapping on it quickly.

I must be dreaming, I think I might still be drunk from last night, this is too lucid. "So let me get this straight, you want me to be apart of some scheme to help him win an election for Governor of New York?"

Phoenix nods. "When you say it like that you make it sounds bad. But frankly, yes, first New York and then The White House. But as you know every vote counts so we need to win over the minorities cause right now William doesn't poll well with them. This is why we require your services.."

I look at William who hasn't said anything. "How can we being married help with that?"

Phoenix shrugs. "Simple, Ms. Tolbert. Everyone enjoys a good love story."