Project Publicity || l.h

Chapter 2// Sealed

The silence in the room is intolerable, as the information settles like a layer of dust.

"What?!" Luke stutters.

"It's only pretend. And the only way to make your band popular. Look, we can fix you up in no time; turn you into the hottest guy in school, and if you are dating the hottest girl in school, people will show interest."

"So, you'll advertise my band with popularity. All right....but what do you need me for?"

"If you pretend to be my boyfriend, I could make Ashton jealous. Then together, we could destroy his life like he did mine."

"He didn't destroy your life. You're still the most popular girl in school; everyone loves you." Luke narrows his eyes.

"I care as much about popularity as you do." I glare right back, meeting his eyes. I can tell he's already halfway to saying yes, and I beam in excitement.

"If this doesn't work..." he sighs.

"It will."

"Then I trust you," Luke says firmly. "Jade Thornton, you've got yourself a deal."

...

Then, after any other big announcement that would change our lives....

we take out our textbooks and work on Family Studies.

"You will be assigned a partner of opposite gender and a 'baby'. Your job is to take care it, which includes: hygiene, health care, and safety. Now, last year, there were teenagers throwing their babies in the trash," Mr Lowry had explained, making the class erupt into laughter. "Then there was a student who forgot her baby in her locker. And it died."

"But dolls can't die," Molly Fernandes said, her hand high in the air.

"The doll's battery will expire in realistic death situations....like dropping it, leaving it in the fridge, or putting it in a blender...which, believe it or not, have happened before," he explains.

I remember shuddering at his words. Who the hell would put a baby in the blender?

"At the end of the tern, I'll be dropping by to see that one: nobody is dead. Two: the parents have accomplished a strong relationship of complete knowledge and trust. And three: you have completed your essay on being a parent."

"Okay.....so first off, we need to 'get to know each other', I think that's what he said?" I tell Luke, remembering the words of our teacher.

Luke sighs. "All right, Jade. Tell me about your fantastic self."

"Well." I start to count off my fingers. "I grew up here, with my two best friends Kiera and Brooke. I'm an older sister. The longest relationship I've had was with Ash...shit. Um, I have a dog named Ginger; Ashton gave her to me." I take a deep breath, deciding to start over with no mention of the dreaded name.

"My first kiss was with....." oh shit, that's him, too. "The last time I was at the mall-" no. Try again. "The day I got my braces off-" Nope, that's still Ashton. "My first time skiing, I fell and broke my ankle, so Ashton called the hospital-"

"God damnit! He's everywhere!" I scream, throwing the textbook harder than I'd planned across the room.

"Hey, hey." Luke's eyes soften, his eyebrows furrowed. "He's not here anymore. You need to calm the hell down."

"I still can't believe that bastard cheated. I'm supposed to dump the guy, not the other way around!"

"I understand why you want revenge," Luke says, and then ponders a little more. "But...the plan. Do you really think 'dating' me will affect him?"

"He leaves me voice messages, tries to talk to me almost every day, even knocked at my door a dozen times since the breakup. He wants to apologize. He wants me back. So yes, he will be affected."

"If you say so....but by doing this, you're proving that you're not over him," Luke states hesitantly.

"No. I am over him." Trust me, Luke. There are things you don't understand.

"Allright. I guess," Luke says, but his eyes aren't believing.

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Sorry for the filler chapter. But stay tuned, drama's coming!!

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