FAKE GIRLFRIEND

Chapter 13

LOAINE'S P.O.V

Something about today has made me nervous even before it's begun.

Good morning. Alarm beeped at 6 AM. I took a quick shower and changed into business attire. Today Charles would fly back to Orlando after spent almost a week in LA. It's meant we're going to talk about the permanent staff contract he offered me. I actually felt so tired and wish I could take a day off. But it's Monday so no reason not to come to work.

I walked lazily from the bus station to the main building which was like 50 feet. My head was pounding. I noticed that I didn't even walk straight. Sniffy nose. Red eyes. Worried heart.

"Morning all." I entered the room full of staff.

"Hi Loaine." Katrina, Charles' secretary, smiled at me as I walked pass her desk.

"Is Charles here?"

"Just arrived a minute ago. He asked about you. Why so late?"

I took a look at my wrist. "Oh am I? Must be because of the bus. I left the house by 6:30."

"Dang girl it should've only took you twenty minutes to get here, not an hour."

"I know right." I chuckled. "Thanks."

"No problem."

I put my bag, unlocked the locker below my desk, checked the copy machine, took a stack of today's letters and put them on my desk, then knocked Charles' room.

"Unless you're Loaine, don't come in." His typical rudeness welcomed me.

"What is it?" I took a seat in front of him without being asked to.

"New plan." He offered me another letter.

"Can you just wrap it up and tell me? I'm not doing well today. Not interested to read."

"About your Before You Exit contract."

"What about it?"

"Well I'd say you've been doing really well. You play nice. The press buy your reason. I saw the video of you taking over the hard questions they threw at Toby."

"Why now I feel like about to hear the word 'but'?"

"You'll be assigned in LA because we need you there. Three months contract. I said before that I needed you here, right? But then I found out LA headquarter needs you more. Besides, BYE will be-"

My jaw dropped. I couldn't fully blink my eyes. Dry throat. So this was how broken heart felt like. I wasn't sure what I had now with Toby but we certainly were into something. Too soon to title it a relationship, or too scared to admit it to each other, whatsoever these children called it nowadays. Now we got to split? How cool.

"Going on tour with The Vamps anyways." I whispered.

"Is there a problem?" Charles spun his chair around because all this time he turned his back on me. "Loaine?"

All silent. I tugged my nails.

"Oh no." He gasped.

I chined up. "Oh no, indeed."

"But we need you."

"Don't you have somebody else? LA has a million people, that you don't even have to bring an Orlando girl."

"What's so wrong about leaving?"

"You know I can't leave my Mom, Charles. It's never been my choice. I'd rather sign my paper in two weeks rather than being transferred to LA."