Fake

13. Smooth Sailing, For Now

ANNABETH'S POV
[MARCH 28TH, 2017]

Luke told me he had to go on tour in a few months, which was more than okay with me. I hate to admit it, but I really just want him to leave. I just don't know how much longer I can do this. Every time I see him when he comes over or when we go out, it's too much for me. I can't wait for this to be over, and I know that with Luke leaving, it'll be a hell of a lot easier to pull this off while he's away.

I was supposed to go out to dinner tonight with Luke, and he said he had a surprise for me, which I didn't like. What I still don't completely understand is why he's so invested in this. I suppose because he thinks he has a child on the way, but I know that if it had been practically any other musician with a career taking off, they wouldn't give me the time of day.

Luke is just very kind and he has a good heart. I think that's why he was so easy to fool into believing I was pregnant with his child. He also just might be very gullible. Either way, he believes me, and that's all I needed for now.

Just as I got out of the shower, my phone started ringing. I walked over to my bed and took it off the charger, reading the name of the person calling as I picked it up. 'Penny', is what it read. She was my manager, and also a family friend. She's the one who said she could help me kick off my acting career.

"Hello?" I spoke as I sat down on the floor next to my bed, not wanting to get my bed wet.

There was a pause before she spoke. "Are you alone?" Her voice was quiet, and I assumed that meant she wanted to know if Luke was around me.

"Yes, I am alone." I rolled my eyes. Even though I appreciated her and everything Penny had done for me dearly, I couldn't help but want to hang up the phone right then.

I heard a sigh of relief on her end."Thank God," She chuckled. "Alright, so tell me where we're at."

I nodded even though she couldn't see me. "Well the fake bellies are working, Luke believes it completely. He touched my stomach the other day and that basically sold him on this being real. I don't know why," I picked at the fringe on my towel. "He told me he hoped it was a girl so he could spoil her." I smiled to myself, because that was one of the cutest things he said. He was just so into this, and I couldn't help but feel bad any time I thought about it. "All in all, it's going very well at the moment. He doesn't suspect a thing."

"Okay, did you tell him what I told you to?" Penny asked, getting straight to the point.

Sighing, I looked up at my ceiling. "No, I didn't."

There was another pause. "Why not?" I knew she was angry, but I literally could not do what she requested.

"I can't tell him I love him! We've been talking for not even a month, and if just randomly told him I loved him, that would be really weird and he would either think I was crazy or obviously suspect something." I had stood up and starting pacing my room now. I had to wait a while until I could tell him that I loved him. There was no way I could do it anytime soon.

I heard Penny scoff. "Okay, fine. You don't have to tell him you love him, but you at least have to sleep with him again." There was a weird noise on her end and I realised she was filing her nails. This situation was not stressing her out in the slightest. It was all natural for her. This was something she did all the time. Ruining people's lives.