FAKE GIRLFRIEND

Chapter 8

LOAINE'S P.O.V

The life I have chosen.

I sat alone in my room this morning, pony-tailed my hair, got ready to work. It was fast. In just a blink of an eye, I was now the official girlfriend of Toby - as written on the contract. Effectively today, I should start to act subtly at him and his surroundings, for the sake of the band's reputation. I woke up to huge responsibility that I didn't realize I was making yesterday. It didn't feel real. They were here last night. They had dinner with my Mom. Toby walked into my room and checked on every single detail here in order to get to know me better. I was being all happy and sassy because I didn't realize the big stuff they put on my shoulders. I should give the romantic look with the guy I barely knew. It spells hard.

"Ready to work, beautiful?" Mom checked my laundry bin as she passed my half opened room door.

"Yes." I smiled. "Have you had breakfast?"

"You first. I want to clean everything beforehand." Mom walked me to the kitchen. "Lei?"

I glimpsed at her while taking a bite of this chicken sandwich. "Hmm?"

"Be good today with Toby. They need you. He needs you. I know this might be hard and weird, but you have to act-"

"Mom I swear I got it." I hugged her. "I'm gonna make that $15,000 worth the hard work."

"$15,000? She shockedly stared at me. "They pay you?"

"Monthly." I nodded. "Haven't I told you that?"

"Honey, are you doing this for-"

"Let's stop pretend like we don't need that. I know we do. We gotta live. And my internship wouldn't last forever, also it's not much helping us as we wish it was. They pay me not even half of it for a full time exhausting job."

"I thought you were really liking the idea of being his girlfriend."

I took a deep breath. I wasn't sure of myself, whether I liked it or not. I was just too focus counting dollars that I'd make from now on, for me, for Mom.

"I probably like the idea as well. And the pay comes alongwith. Can't say no, right?" I kissed her cheek. "Gotta go Mommy. Be safe at home!"

"Have a safe ride!" She waved.

I smiled. That's fake. I know that's fake because as I turned right at the corner of the block, it automatically vanished. Nervous. He would pick me up after work today. And I already got my stomach upside down thinking about it.

"Good morning Loaine." The two chattygirls who I met at the elevator yesterday, smiled and said hi to me.

"Hi." I smiled back.

Another staff I met at the hall also bowed and smiled at me. Damn. What just happened with the world? I took a glance at the information board and... yes of course. Remind me it's RCA's Orlando headquarter office. Just as quick, my name was printed in gigantic font already, saying 'Loaine Lagaran is Toby McDonough's Girlfriend' and signed by Charles like some short version of our contract. Of course they cared about my presence, after all these weeks having hard time to even spell my name correctly. None of the staff here has ever successfully done that, until I had to pin my printed name on my table. They called me 'the mail girl' or 'the intern one'. Now it turned to 'Toby's girlfriend'? Not even sound fancy, honestly.

"Loaine my darling! How are you? Come here now asap, I need you!"

Charles spoke through the automatic button. Wait. I was shocked. How was this phone ended up on my desk? It's supposed to be on Katrina the secretary's.