Heart on Fire (Chandler Riggs)

chapter 3 - puzzled

        I resorted to my country club pool for a relaxing summer Saturday. It had been two weeks since the announcement of my parents' split. I guess word travels fast because I started to receive texts from random numbers, saying that they were sorry and I was in their prayers. I didn't need anyone's sympathy- I needed to be left alone for self-induced healing time.

I lowered the sunglasses onto my eyes as I lied down flat on the tanning chair. My skin was getting kissed by the sun, as it soaked up all of the tanning oils I had applied earlier. I read The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han through the shady lens of the glasses. The words of the compelling novel really triggered vibes inside of me. It made me feel as if I'd left my sucky life and lived inside the book, and that was just what I needed now.  A temporary escape from myself.

After hours of reading and tanning, I gathered my belongings and rode back home on my teal Schwinn. As I got inside, I found myself in an empty home. I put my things in my room, walking around cautiously to make sure neither of my parents were here. As I approached my parents' once-shared bedroom, I saw cardboard boxes and black trash bags covering the carpet floor. I let my fingers roam around the hem of the box before opening it, seeing all of my dad's clothing. Was my dad moving out? I walked around, now checking each box and each bag. All of my fathers clothes, either folded nicely or shoved sloppily into them. I felt tears rush to my eyes but quickly wiped them away when I heard a ring of the doorbell. Carelessly thinking it was just my mother, I walked downstairs in a bikini top and denim shorts and my hair in a damp and wet ponytail. 

I swung open the door, to find the unfamiliar face of a woman staring at the door, and now at me. Her once straight lips curved into a smile as she saw me. She was wearing a black blouse with a white long sleeved shirt underneath and a black skirt that stopped at her knees. 

"Hi, are you Hadley Moone?" She asked me, in a proper voice. I nodded abruptly and her smile widened out even more, if that was even possible. She held her hand out and I shook it, still puzzled. 
"May I come in?" Okay, now I was really welcoming but I wasn't dumb.

"Who are you?" I asked bluntly, as she started to take a business card out of her frocket. It had her picture and name on it. "Veronica Bradley. Chandler Riggs' publicist." I nodded once more, opening the door wider and allowing her and two other people that were dressed similarly to her come in. I shut the door, and turned to face Veronica and her team. Now, I had heard of Chandler Riggs. I knew he was on The Walking Dead and was pretty famous, but that was as far as my knowledge of him extended. I hadn't dared to watch The Walking Dead. Onto the real issue, why is his publicist at my house?

"You've been selected." A ginger behind Veronica told me. I squinted my eyes, looking at Veronica. She had the same smile plastered on her face. Her jet black hair was tied into a clean bun and her piercing blue eyes complimented her face.

"For what?" I asked. And all throughout this, I completely forgot all I was wearing was a bikini top and shorts. 

"I'm guessing your mother, Ms. Brackens, didn't tell you." I was shocked at Veronica's use of my mother's maiden name. I knew my parents had divorced, but it didn't sound real. "She signed you up for the job of Chandler Riggs's fake girlfriend. You know, for publicity." Actually, I didn't know, but I kept listening. I was intrigued. "We chose you to be his fake girlfriend! You have the looks, the style, and everything! You're perfect for him." Now this sounded insane. I was going to be a celebrity's unreal girlfriend? What was my mother thinking? 

"Here's a paper with all the events, appearances, shows, and meetings you are required to be at," A blonde lady that hadn't yet spoke until now, handed me a piece of paper. It was filled from top to bottom front and back. "Before these appearances, someone from Chandler's team will come to your house and chaffeur you to the place, and an artist will do your makeup and you'll get dressed in the back of a limousine." Were my ears decieving me? I couldn't believe what I was hearing. 

"No, I'm not doing that!" I said, quickly, already making my choice. I couldn't be someone's fake girlfriend. I didn't like presenting in front of my class, how would I walk the red carpet full of people? And that's not it, how could I pretend to like someone I didn't even know?

Veronica frowned for the first time I'd seen, but then chuckled. "You have it. You're the girl we're looking for! You'd be crazy to not take this opportunity." 

I thought for a minute, and asked the first question that popped into my mind. "What's the pay?" This better be good if they even want me to consider taking the job.

"Per appearance, you get paid 7,000 dollars." the ginger answered. I was stunned. 7,000 dollars was alot of money. Money that I didn't have. My mom said directly to me that we were low on money, and I'm sure she was expecting me to be the change. The one to do something about it. I tried to tell myself it wouldn't be bad. It's just acting. You'd be getting easy cash.

I sighed before opening my mouth. "I'll do it." I forced a smile onto my lips are Veronica's hands crashed together in frantic clapping. 

"Here, sign this. It's a contract." She handed me a packet about 3 or 4 pages long. I signed my signature on the first page, scanning it briefly. "Okay! This is great. We set up a mall date for you and Chandler tomorrow at four. A limo will be here to pick you up around 3. You can wear your own clothes and makeup. See you. Thank you, Hadley." I opened the door, letting Veronica out. As I looked outside, I looked through the limo's almost opaque windows, seeing a brown haired boy with captivating blue eyes staring at my house.

OK THIS ONE WASN'T SO BAD BUT YAYYYYY CHANDLER IS GONNA BE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER! GET EXCITED!