Forced | cake au ✓

Chapter NINETEEN

Michael yawned too before laying his head on Ashton's shoulder. "Nah, we want to be beside you."

"Michael—" I shushed Ashton before he could continue, resting my head on his shoulder as well. "Too early, sleep." I mumbled

Ashton sighed defeatedly. "Whatever, you little shits."

---

Luke

Meredith once pointed out that I, being a well-known actor and model, could easily hire people to do everything for me; from cleaning the house to picking my everyday outfit.
The funny thing was, when I started to become more famous and money came in faster, that was when I realized how much I loved doing the simple things like washing laundry and cooking. Grocery shopping was also one of those simple things.

"What's the difference between lemonade and pink lemonade?" I turned my head towards Nina who was holding a bottle of each, confused.

"They're probably the same," I replied, placing a bottle of orange juice into my cart. "Maybe the pink lemonade is just blushing." My cousin snorted at that. "You're such a dork." She was standing beside me again, eyeing the top of my head. "And you're too tall. Stop being too tall."

"I'm not too tall."

"I'm twenty-five and you're a foot taller than me," Nina pointed out. "I could ask you how's the weather up there."

"You did," I reminded her, laughing. "When I first saw you this morning." Nina lived with her husband in Adelaide and she came here to visit a friend. She decided to stop by to see me. I was born here in Sydney, New South Wales, but my dad got offered a job in San Francisco, California. He didn't want to leave mom and I behind so we all moved to America when I was barely six years old. I moved back here when I first started my acting career, and my parents moved here soon after. Nina's mother, Aunt Loren, is mom's older sister.

"I couldn't help it." Nina smiled. She came by at around ten today and I originally planned to cook lunch for her, but I didn't have any of the ingredients I needed since I've been out of the house so much.

I was looking at the contents at the back of a tub of yoghurt when my phone rang. I pulled it out my pocket, checking the called I.D. and stopping myself from groaning as I answered. "Hello?"

"Hello, Luke. How are you?"

"I'm good. Busy. You?" I place the yoghurt into my cart. "I'm good as well, thank you for asking," She replied, a little too enthusiastically. Just from that alone, I knew what was coming next. "I contacted your assistant just now and she has informed me that you have nothing planned for tonight since your previous schedule had been moved. I've already told your manager that it's the perfect time for you to go out with Calum. You two could get dinner, maybe walk around. Just let the cameras see you."

I turned around and glanced at Nina who was also talking to someone on the phone. I could still hang out with her for a few hours before I left to go see Calum. "Calum already knows?"

"He does. I'll tell him to be at your place by seven. Have a nice day, Luke." And just like that, she hung up.

I slid my phone back into my pocket and heard Nina speaking. "—sure it can't wait until tomorrow?" She was silent for a moment, then dejectedly let out a sigh. "Fine, I'll tell him. Yes, I'll be there as soon as I can."