The Faces Of Karl Jacobs

Chapter 10: "I faked a relationship for 30 days"

Hailey's P.O.V.

"I'm not fucking doing that!" I screeched, the panic in my blood quickly being taken over by a sense of rage and disgust.

"You asked for my help Hailey," I heard Jimmy's annoyed but patient tone ring through the speakers, "There's not much else that can be done"

I shook my head rapidly as I paced the sidewalk outside of Karl's house. The wind whipped around me feeling as frustrated as I was. I glared at the ground, already resenting his idea.

After a moment of charged silence, I felt my hoarse voice whisper, "He'll never agree to it..." I trailed off, the tears beginning to sting my eyes.

I sat down on the freezing cement of the curb in front of me, my body becoming riddled with exhaustion from the excessive sobbing I couldn't seem to ease.

"I'll convince him." Jimmy's voice sounded final in my ear like he would force Karl to agree to this disastrous plan.

"Is there really no other way?" I whimpered into the speaker, my throat feeling scratchy and dry, a new feeling of dread spreading rapidly through my bones.

I heard Jimmy sigh tightly through the phone, "Listen, it's up to you," He prompted, "You can try to explain the situation to the millions of people already making assumptions.... but Hailey, if I'm being honest with you, those pictures don't look great"

I felt my stomach churn at his words as bile rose in my throat. Posted on every corner of the internet were dozens of photos of Karl and I smiling like idiots while getting coffee today. While it truly was just two people sipping on coffee, the internet manipulated the images into some kind of secret relationship he was hiding.

I scrolled through Twitter aimlessly, my entire timeline being filled with images of myself and questions about who I was. We still weren't sure how the photographer who sold the images knew my name, but the sudden mass amounts of attention I was receiving were overwhelming, to say the least.

"You're the one who told us to be friends Jimmy," I said a new wave of anger resurfacing through my tidal wave of confusing emotions, as I glared at another image of myself blushing.

I could practically feel Jimmy's eye roll, "If you want to blame me that's fine, but try to remember who signs your checks"

A subconscious growl laced my undertone as I mimicked, "Try to remember who signs your checks" in a high-pitched voice.

After another moment of frustrated silence, I hesitantly asked, "How am I supposed to face the judges at next month's competition...?"

I was terrified. I have worked my entire life for this season, for this opportunity. But now...now I may have just carelessly thrown it away by having coffee with a nerd.

As if my thoughts summoned him, I heard the front door behind me creak open as Karl hurriedly stepped into the driveway looking deshelved. I turned my head to glance at him, as his stare met mine his pathetic look of sympathy was obvious across his features.

I sighed, letting a cloud of hot breath take form in front of me, before rolling my eyes and reverting my vision towards the empty street in front of me, "Karl's here" I said miserably to Jimmy, stopping him before he could reply to my earlier question.

"Okay..." Jimmy said softly, taking in a sharp breath, "Hand him the phone, I'll talk to him"

I muttered a quiet "Okay"

I heard Karl's footsteps behind me, as he approached cautiously. I turned to stare up at the man who looked down in both terror and sadness at the look of despair on my face.