Clarissa Grayson Tate grew up in a wealthy home. From a far, her family looked perfect. To anyone who saw them in a picture or exchanged a few words with them at a party they were lucky enough to be invited to, they seemed like an annoyingly perfect...
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"Okay team! My name is Daniel. I am one of your team leaders but I specialize in personas. Now I'm sure you're all curious as to why you're here and why you're with these specific people. Well, today is the start to your very first undercover mission. You will be located in Ohio. We hand picked the best of the best to do this specific mission. Any questions?" The tall blond instructor paces back and forth in-front of our line up and looks at each of us with mild interest.
"Hi. Yeah um when you said you specialize in personas... what does that mean?" Tess asks in a breathy voice, making me look at her with a raised brow. But Daniel seems to have her full attention. Her hands are knitted together and she's biting her lip slightly.
I look to Emery only to see him already looking at me. I raise my brows at him twice and his face twists into a disgusted expression and I laugh.
"Basically when one goes undercover, they need to have a specific persona. A character they play that the person fits into and can make believable. I am here to assign you a name, a style, and a backstory. Until this mission is over, you are no longer recruits. You're actors. Now all of you line up boys on the right, girls on the left."
We line up and I immediately miss Emery's warmth but I need to remind myself that no one knows about us and one wrong look or touch could easily expose us. This thought makes me sneak a look at Derek who was already looking at me but immediately turns his head and tenses his jaw. I know I've been pretty unfair to him but what I saw bothered me for some reason. I knew that he was a player before so I should have expected this and it's not like we were anything more than friends. I guess seeing him with someone made me feel things i had never felt.
"Tsk tsk." I look farther down the boys line and make eye contact with River. He raises his brows and tilts his head toward Emery and Derek. Meaning he was being his annoyingly observant self and will probably want to talk about this. I roll my eyes and try to pay attention.
"-First and most vital personas to this mission is going to be a couple. But not just any couple. A cute little golden 'it' couple. So! Chemistry tests start now. First pair up let's go." First up was Tess and a boy I didn't recognize so I immediately went back to not paying attention.
I felt eyes on me and I look up to meet Daniels eyes. He doesn't waver in his state or look away. He just looks at me intensely in a way that makes me nervous. I look away but I still feel his piercing eyes on the side of my head. I take a deep breath and distract myself with Emery's hair. God I love that hair. Pulling it and twisting it- I'm pulled from my thoughts when Alissa elbows my rib and realize it's my turn up.
I look over and see that my partner is River. I groan and make my way up to the stage where he's waiting on the prop couch. I sit beside him and grab my script from his hand.
"Taylor can't you see how great we are together? I love you! I want to be with you! Can't you just accept what's good for you?" He reads.
I look down at my line for a second before looking at him in the way I'd imagine my character would when breaking up with her boyfriend of six years to get with the schools bad boy. Oh man this girl is a piece of work. What a bitch.
"Dylan. You know I love you. I've loved you my whole life but you're all I know. I never meant to hurt you but I can't ignore my feelings." Lord insert eye roll. "This wasn't supposed to happen. But it did and he got under my skin. I'm so sorry."
"No Taylor I don't want you to be sorry. I want you to be with me. He's not good for you. I am and I can give you a future. All he could possibly give you is a few weeks of his time before he gets bored and hurts you!" The pain in his eyes makes me almost makes me believe his words.
"You don't know him like I do. He keeps up this act to distract himself from his life. He's had a hard time and so have I. You're all I've had for a long time. The only person who's had my back for a long time but you don't understand me like he does. You try but you can't. Your life is so perfect and functional. And I'm just damaged goods. I didn't grow up rich and preppy like you did Dylan, I was thrown into this life long after my past fucked me up and I've been pretending to be this perfect little princess for you. I can't do it anymore I just can't." I say making myself tear up whilst grabbing Rivers hand.
"I know you love him but you love me too. I know you do. I can give you everything, I want to give you everything. I can't lose you. You're all I have baby. You don't have to pretend to be anything other than yourself with me I promise. I will love you forever, I don't care about your family or your past. I know you and I've known you since I met you that first day. You don't have to be perfect. Not for me." He says, leaning closer to me. I could see Emery cross his arms out of the corner of my eye. Curiosity got the better of me so I pretended to sigh in indecision and turn my head to look at the other recruits. Derek was standing in the same stance as Emery.
"Please don't make this harder than it already is Dyl." I beg.
"I'm going to make it hard Taylor. I'm not going to stop until you see that you're making a mistake."
"There's nothing you can do to-" My words are cut off by Rivers lips on mine. He grabs my face and tangles his fingers in my hair. He kisses me desperately and passionately. This goes on until we hear applause and I break the kiss, resting my forehead on his.
"Good job babe." He says with a smirk and winks at me.
"Thanks" I say surprised by his nice compliment.
"I guess now you're in practice for when you drop lover boy for Jensen Ackles over there." I double take at his words. Did this man whore just comment on my love life?!
"Please. If anything you're more in practice for the next time you beg me to take you back. Last time was a little excessive so maybe you'll go for something a bit more simple you know. Like with actual words and not just a big show of your money." I say patting his chest and getting up to stand with the other girls in line.
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"Okay ladies and assholes. Your personas have been assigned! First up, our perfect couple will be acted by River and Issa. Mr. Steal your girl was a little harder to assign but after some conversation with other team members," oh god please be Kyler or something! Please no drama! I'll start praying and I'll throw away all of my vapes! " we decided on Derek. The rest of you will be supporting characters. The best friends, the family members whatever. Your job is to keep our love triangle on track and focused. Your bags are down the hall to the right, along with your passports and identification. On your way out pick up the file on your personas. Study them. Now get out."
We made our way to the room with our things and them picked up before going out back and into our car. I sat next to Alissa and Tess while river sat between Emery and Derek. These next few weeks are going to suck. I take a deep breath and open my file.
Hey guys omg my first double release! Anyway today I'm going to release the cover, description, and cast of my next book. Let me know what you thought of this chapter!
And I know some of you are wondering where our #Lissa ship went.. well basically after the whole simulation thing, the two of them are somewhat avoiding each other.. and a bit of they're story is in the flashback. Let's just say something isn't right....
Any way so now that Derek, Issa and Emery are going to be living together, working together etc. things are going to get complicated... especially with River playing with their relationships. And if you guys want a better understanding of River and Issas relationship comment comment comment. It's pretty interesting because as you can see, river still loves Issa but for some reason he's not bothered by it... not only that but he's extremely observant, the next chapter on this storyline will show just how manipulative he can be.
