The Ruel's That I Break

an unusual phone call

I wake up to the sound of my phone ringing from the other side of the room. I am wrapped in the silky sheets from my hotel bed, I feel so comfortable I don't want to get up. So I decide to not answer. If it's important, the person will call again. Last night was great. After a hot as hell make out session on the yacht, we jumped in a taxi and Ruel walked me up to my hotel room. I wanted him to stay with me for longer but he said that his manager would freak out if he wasn't back at his own hotel soon. My phone stops ringing. But a couple of seconds later, it starts again. I decide it must be important so I reluctantly get up and answer it. It's Larissa.
"Hello?" I say.
"Parker," Larissa says, and I immediately detect stress in her voice, "Something bad has happened, but don't freak out, I'm handling it."
But of course, when you get a call from your manager saying that something bad has occurred, it is near impossible not to panic.
"What happened?" I shriek.
"Early this morning the paparazzi released some photos of you and, umm, well..." Larissa says slowly. Painfully slowly. Slow enough for my mind to be consumed with thoughts about Ruel. Fuck. They must have caught me with him. We haven't been very careful. Shit. We're going to be in so much trouble.
"Of me with who?" I demand through the phone, anticipation racing through me.
"Lucas," Larissa says. I don't know whether I feel more relieved or shocked. I feel a lot of both emotions.
"When he was being your undercover bodyguard yesterday, someone spotted you together and now everyone thinks you two are a thing."
"What?" I shout, trying not to panic but not succeeding.
"Are you two dating?"
"No!"
"Are you romantically involved?"
I spit. This is bullshit. "No!" I repeat, frustrated.
"Well, a management response meeting has been arranged in on of the hotel conference rooms, room D, at 11:30am. At 11:15am an escort will come and get you, and take you there. This means that you have half an hour, be ready."
"Alright," I reply, my still half asleep mind desperately trying to process this sudden information overload.
"See you then."
"Yup, bye."
I order some breakfast and take I quick l
shower while I wait for the food to arrive. I then get changed and my breakfast is delivered, which is some absolutely delicious French toast. By then it's almost 11:15am so I scroll through social media for a few minutes to kill the remaining time. Turning on my phone I am instantly ambushed with a hurricane of posts containing pictures of myself and Lucas out exploring New York City. And I deny it, it looks obvious that we could be dating, I can see why everyone thinks we are. I read a some of the comments beneath one of the viral posts.

OMG they r cute, def a thing

gotta credit Parker, she has good taste, that man is fine asf

i ship this aww

well, looks like my chances with Parker have decreased even more.

wait this is so cute

thanks for reminding me i'm single.

i'm obsessed with her outfit, Parker is soo pretty

anyone know who the guy is?? he's hottt

Right on 11.15am a security guard arrives at my door, and we make our way to the meeting room.

"We have noticed that this situation is bringing you a lot of media and public attention. And, your followers have drastically increased, it is positively affecting your career," Larissa informs me once I have sat down at the large meeting table.
There are at least ten other people sat around it, the only one I recognise being Lucas. He is wearing a dark blue suit, which makes him look very much like a stereotypical business man, he blends in with the others at the meeting. His dark brown hair is styled neatly, and his sapphire blue eyes are accentuated by his suit. He catches me observing him, so I look away quickly.
"So, the decision has been made to keep it going for the foreseeable future."
"What?" I say. I glance at Lucas who is staring down beneath the table uncomfortably.
"We think it's a good idea to continue it for a while, feed the interest and attention you are receiving, not ever officially confirm or deny the dating rumours, just drop hints to the media and drive the public crazy," Larissa explains.
"So basically I have to pretend to date Lucas," I say, a million questions running through my mind. But the biggest one is, What about Ruel? However I don't say it aloud because I haven't even told anyone about him yet apart from Skye.
"Correct," one man answers.
"Are you even going to ask me if this is alright with me? What about Lucas, is it alright with you?" I say.
"It would be idiotic to shut down the attention now. But if you have a reason and insist you don't want to go along with this, you don't have to. Lucas has already said it's okay with him." Larissa replies.
I look over at Lucas once more, who is still looking down except now his cheeks are tinted red.
"So what do I have to do first?" I ask.
"A table at a cafe has been booked for the two of you for lunch, and a paparazzi company has been tipped off," another guy says.
"Alright," I say. More information is explained to me however not much makes it to my brain as that is already crowded with thoughts. Then the meeting ends and I am given an hour to get prepare before a taxi is ready for Lucas and I. As I enter the elevator to go back up to my hotel room, I call Skye on my phone. Luckily, he picks up quickly.
"Hi Parker-" he begins to say but I cut him off.
"Oh my god, I need you, something has happened, be at my hotel room in five please!"
"Okay, but why? What's going on?"
"I'll explain when I see you."
"Alright, bye!"

Four minutes later, Skye arrives at my hotel room.
"Have you seen the news?" I ask.
"What news?" he answers, puzzled. I take that as a no.
"The other day when I was out touring around New York, I was with an undercover bodyguard named Lucas. Basically the press caught us together and got pictures, and now the whole internet thinks we're dating," I explain.
"Oh my gosh," Skye replies, his mouth hanging open with shock.
"I know, but that's not the biggest thing. Apparently it's bringing lots of positive attention to me, so I just had a meeting with Larissa and some others, and I have to pretend to date him for a while so it can continue."
"What? Really? Are they allowed to make you do that?"
"I think so."
"Jeepers. But what about Ruel?"
"I know! I have no idea what I'm going to do..."
"Shit."
"Anyway I have to go on a fake date with Lucas soon so can you please help me get ready?"
"Of course."