Not If I Date You First

Chapter 11

ADA

Standing in the crowd of photographers and fans gathered outside the Met is like lighting the fuse of a firework and waiting for the detonation. Everyone's so caught up in the hype of seeing the Cipher actors they've thrown the rulebook for basic human decency out the window. The paps shove their way through the mass of people, jockeying for the best angles. The fans are just as assertive as they try to maneuver into prime selfie-taking position.

Agnes said I had to make this convincing, so I thought calling Liam my boyfriend on social media would help. I wasn't wrong. My post certainly kindled the rumors about our relationship. But Liam's comment set them into an all-out blaze. The social media alerts started coming in so fast that I thought my phone was going to literally blow up. And when I saw the number of followers on my accounts, I almost blacked out. The idea of so many people knowing who I am and seeing the pictures I take, I can't wrap my mind around it.

"You know these people are going to lose their shit the second your boyfriend shows his face, right?" Chrissy says, scanning the crowd. She's standing almost uncomfortably close to me in the swell of people, but personal space is a sacrifice I'm willing to make. We got here early and managed to score ourselves a prime spot. I'm not moving.

"It's going to be chaos," I say, elbowing the guy behind me, trying to make him back off. His sweat-soaked, hairy arm keeps brushing against my back. It's icking me out big time. I drop my voice. "And you know he isn't really my boyfriend."

"What's all that about him taking his clothes off for you in private, then?"

"Shhhh," I hiss.

The last thing I need is for the rest of the paps to figure out who I am and start snapping pictures of Liam and me. One of Huntley's photographers needs to sell the shots if I'm going to get points. Since Chrissy's the closest one, it'll have to be her. I didn't just brand myself with a phony relationship status for nothing. I'm already dreading having to explain that one to my parents.

My eyes scan the crowd, but no one's paying me any attention. There's got to be fifty other paps out here. Two of them are pushing each other, fighting for a place at the front of the pack. A security guard gets between them before they come to blows.

I didn't think being a paparazzo would be all flashbulbs and rainbows, but I have to admit, I didn't realize it would be this intense. It'll all be worth it when I get to do what I love for a living, though.

"You're gonna need to get these shots and get them to Agnes ASAP if we have any chance of selling them," I say to Chrissy. "These guys aren't playing around."

"We? What are you—" Chrissy starts but gets cut off as the horde jostles forward, knocking her into me. The security guards gesture for us to back up. We shove backward against them, reclaiming our positions. "What do you mean we?" she asks.

"Agnes didn't tell you?" I thought Agnes would've mentioned our deal to the other interns, but apparently, she left that to me. Crap. I hadn't thought about how they'd react. I doubt they'll love the idea of me getting points for their pictures.

"Tell me what?" Chrissy asks.

"I made a deal with Agnes. She's going to give me points for any shots Huntley sells of Liam and me together."

Chrissy doesn't say anything for a beat. When I dare to glance up at her, she's studying me, eyes narrowed. "That explains your post, then," she says flatly.

"I figured if any agency was going to make money off these rumors, it should be Huntley," I explain. "And Agnes thinks Liam's hiding something. She wants me to try and spend time with him, so I can help her expose it."