DOUBLE AGENT

Chapter Two

{ picture of Olivia Hampton (or Elena Blackburn) above
p.s. these pictures are just what I personally imagined the characters to look like,
you can imagine however you want the characters to look like }

{ song of the chapter;
How To Be A Heartbreaker - Marina and the Diamonds }

I'm stood silently in the elevator. I didn't think that Archibald knew I was there, let alone think that he would smile at me. That damned smile. The same smile that made the girls swoon and fall at his feet.

I didn't even realise that I'm looking at myself in the mirror until a dull thud brings me out of my train of thought.

I'm still getting used to the fact that the FBI made me change my dark brown hair to an extremely light, beachy blonde. I also didn't think that it made much difference, but apparently the FBI didn't agree, Reese's exact words being - "Damn. Unrecognisable". Well I guess if the FBI of all things thinks I'm unrecognisable, then I must be.

The elevator dings, and I get to my floor. I walk down the hall until I reach the apartment, and swing open the door. Once I drag my bags in, the door slams shut. I look around. It's an ordinary apartment- of average size and typical furnishings. It's bigger than my studio apartment on the other side of New York, but it must be a broom closet compared to the luxury apartments and penthouses above me, in this very building.

I collapse on the grey sofa, sinking into the plush seats. It's surprisingly comfy. I grab my backpack from the floor, and carefully pull out my case file. I flip through, occasionally reading parts that stand out to me as important. Apparently, Olivia Hampton moved to New York from London to go to law school, is very confident and has no idea who Christophe Archibald is.

Great. I'm pretending to be the girl I've always wanted to be- intelligent, confident and immune to the playboys of the world. Oh well.

• • •

I didn't realise how hungry I was (a first for me) until my stomach rumbles. My fridge is empty (well duh, I just moved in), so I decide to go out to buy groceries and also buy myself some takeout. I grab my bag and keys, and head out the door. As I turn to lock the door behind me, I suddenly hear a voice.

"I thought you were never going to come out."

I whip my head around and see Archibald, leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets, smirking.

"How long have you been standing there?" I tease, smirking back at him. Momentarily he looks taken aback, as if he didn't expect me to tease him and be so bold. At least I'm getting the grasp of Olivia Hampton's personality. He composes himself and crosses his arms.

"Quite long actually. I was starting to think you were dead, especially after you saw me in the lobby." He runs a hand through his tousled hair and grins at me.

"Well, you're confident aren't you?" I reply, raising an eyebrow at him.

"So are you." He retorts, rolling his eyes.

"You seem like the playboy type. Well, I'm not going to be another of your conquests." I turn and lock my front door, and start walking down the hall. Suddenly I stop, and turn back to him. He's exactly where he was, not moved a muscle. Almost like he knew that I was going to turn back to him.

"How do you know where I live?" I ask, crossing my arms and narrowing my eyes at him.

"I have my ways."

"Well that's vague, isn't it?" I reply, rolling my eyes, only he grins back at me.

"You love rhetorical questions. Don't you, Olivia Hampton?"

• • •

I stand there in the middle of the hallway, dumbfounded. I open my mouth, but I can't string any words together.

"Keep your mouth open any longer and you'll catch flies." Archibald laughs, still leaning against the wall, but seeming more interested in me. I immediately close my mouth at this comment and narrow my eyes and him.

"Well you know how to pick up girls, don't you!" I retort, and he only smirks. If I had a dollar for every time he smirked in the past 5 minutes, I would be a millionaire. Like seriously! Does that boy know how to do anything other than smirk? "How do you know my name? And don't you dare say 'I have my ways'" He stands there for a few seconds, as if trying to decide what to say next.

"I possess methods which I own." he says finally, smirking while doing so.

"Oh my god, I officially hate you. You just said 'I have my ways' in different words!" I exasperate, running a hand through my hair. This boy will be the death of me. "Don't dodge the question, I'm serious. This is creepy, bordering on stalkerish." He sighs and comes off the wall, no longer leaning against it.

"It was rather simple, really. I asked the landlord who you were by showing security camera footage of you running through the lobby. He figured out you're the one who moved in today and told me what apartment you moved into." I raise my eyebrows. He was actually quite smart, when he wanted to be, at least. The FBI painted him as a spoilt brat who's one joy in life is to spend his family's money, and act reckless.

"I've gotta say, I'm impressed. Still creepy, but impressive." I say this, as I lean against the wall, mimicking him. "Who are you, anyway? You now now who I am..." I play along with my character, as apparently Olivia Hampton has no idea who Christophe or any of the Archibalds are. She must have lived under a rock. Christophe appears to think so too, as momentarily he looks quite shocked as everyone in the country knows who he is. He regains his composure, and maintains a neutral look.

"The name's Archibald. Chris Archibald." I start laughing at his attempt of looking cool by impersonating James Bond. He starts laughing too, but stops when his phone suddenly rings. He presses a button and the ringing stops. "I've gotta go, but I'll see you around..." he winks, and heads down the hall.

I'm dazed as I'm leaning against the wall. Christophe Archibald just flirted with me, and I flirted back. I realise that I've forgotten why I've left the apartment. What's wrong with me? I head back inside, having no idea. I look around the apartment, and my eyes fall on the fridge. Oh, right... I was supposed to stock the fridge.

What has Archibald done to me? He's made me forget the one thing I was doing. It was that damn smirk of his.

That damn smirk.