Better Than Me

Chapter 13

A/N: As it turns out, wine is the best way to get the creative juices flowing. Someone keep me stocked with wine 24/7 and I'll never stop writing. Okay, you don't have to do that, but seriously, it helps. Here's the next chapter!

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Chapter 13

I didn't even look up at Frank as he talked about his proposition for Sophia and me. "She's not going to go for it," I said without missing a beat.

"How do you know that? We haven't even had a chance to argue our position."

I glanced up at this just so I could give him a look that made him feel as stupid as he sounded. "Have you met her?"

"It's a good idea, Chris," Frank insisted. "And it'll only benefit the both of you. You've seen the news. The press is already saying it's true without even asking us. Why not give them what they so clearly want?"

"Oh, I've seen the news. And I'm telling you, she's not gonna be happy about it."

"She gave in on the interview with Renee. Who's to say she won't give into this, too?" Frank raised both eyebrows at me and smiled smugly. He didn't care what Sophia or I thought. He was already planning this out in his head.

I sighed. Normally, I was the one with the dumb suggestions. Why couldn't he let this go? It was never going to happen. "She won't. An interview is one thing. A fake relationship is another."

Frank unlocked his phone and shoved it in my face. He had an internet tab pulled up with a news article about Sophia and me. "Do you see this? Chris Ryder and Sophia Hastings: Hollywood's Hottest New Couple? It's phrased as a question. It's up in the air. People are already whispering about it. All we have to do is say yes, it's true."

I hadn't actually read the article yet, but I'd heard about it through Frank and a few of the girls I was uh, involved with. Involved with was probably the wrong way to describe it. "Involved with" insinuated a future where there was none.

"Just read it and tell me it's not the perfect set up." Frank handed me his phone.

I sighed and took the phone from him. I didn't know why he thought reading the article would make a difference. Just from the headline I knew it wasn't going to end well. Plus, this looked like one of those stupid gossip magazines that never got anything right.

Christian Ryder and Sophia Hastings, the stars of the upcoming teen flick "Kidnap My Heart" are Hollywood's hottest new actors. Could they also be Hollywood's hottest new couple?

Okay, describing Sophia as one of "Hollywood's hottest new actors" was kind of pushing it. It was an accurate description of me, sure, except for the new part, but Sophia? Nah.

Ryder, 21, and Hastings, 18, play love interests in the teen rom-com inspired by the New York Times bestselling novel.

The newly single Chris has assured the public and the press that there is nothing going on between the two. Sophia and her newly hired manager have also denied the rumors.

So the newbie finally hired a manager of her own. Halle-freaking-llujah.

Yet an inside source on set reports that "sparks fly around Christian and Sophia, and they always seem to be together."

Always together? We were the stars of the movie. We were forced to always be together. That wasn't an indication of "sparks."

"Kidnap My Heart" fans worldwide are rooting for the pair, but one person who isn't too excited about this news is Christian's ex, Cassie Lovett. A source reports she's had it out for Sophia since before the rumors started.