Project Publicity || l.h

Chapter 4// Act One

"You know what else will look good on me tonight?" Luke asks.

"What?"

"You."

Where the hell did he get that line from? The Loo Kemmings I knew was a complete anti-socialist and a nerd that listened to 80's music and taped the map of the world on his locker.

"Pssst, he's gone. You can stop acting." Luke whispers, waving a hand in front of my stunned face.

I clear my throat and straighten myself, moving off Luke's lap. Then I can't help but grin with a fuzzy kind of satisfaction that meant I've gotten what I wanted (like I always do). I hope Ashton got a good look at us. Frigging jerk.

Now back to Luke, who's staring at me with those wide blue eyes.
"I'm impressed by your fake act. I was going to wait a bit longer...but it looks like you're ready for the real deal," I tell Luke.

"Thanks...?" His cheeks turn red and tries to hide it by turning his face to the side.

It's a good thing, because then he can't see me smiling. "There's a party tonight. And you're coming with me...to make our first appearance as a couple."

"Already?!" Luke exclaims.

"Yup. Come over to my house, to prep, Okay?"

"But our project...."

I flash him a wicked grin. "Fuck the project, Luke. You have a girlfriend to tend to."

...

My phone doesn't ring all day, except for one voicemail advertising my next 'perfect vacation to Mexico'. Not even Luke has been thoughtful enough to call me, and though I try to deny it, it bothers me.

I can't stop thinking about the plan, about Luke, and about our afternoon at the mall.

"You look bored." My little brother, Cameron pipes up when I end the Mexico voicemail with a sigh.

"I am bored."

"Are you waiting for that Luke guy to call you up?" He asks, scrambling onto the couch next to me.

"No!" I furrow my brows. It's impossible that a child who doesn't even go to my school would know about him. "How do you know who Luke is?"

"Uh....it's all over Ask.fm." Cameron whips out his brand new iPhone. As proof, he opens up the Ask app and clicks on Ashton's profile.

The first question for Ashton goes a little something like, Q: 'I heard you've still got a thing for your ex?'

To which Ashton replies with, A: 'Nah, I saw her at the mall today, and she's dating someone else.'

I make a little hmmph sound in my throat. So are you, Ashton.

Q: '? Jade is dating someone?' Someone else asks.

A: 'Yeah, you jealous?'

Q: 'Who?'

A: Luke Hemmings

Well, that was definitely not part of my plan....I had no idea Ashton had recognized Luke....of all people. Some luck I have.

"I also found out a bunch of things from Luke's Facebook, Twitter and band page online." Cameron says excitedly. I swear he acts like a third grader sometimes. "He's got a pet dog. He has a lot of sugar with his coffee and sleeps with his window open. He believes in ghosts, and he's in a band with some dudes named Calum and Michael. Their first gig was last year."

Well, it looks like Cameron just completed my Family Studies project. If my crazy social-media obsessed brother keeps talking, I swear I'd know everything there is to know about Luke.

"That's great, Cam." I sigh.

"And one more thing: he probably thinks you're hotttttt." Cam climbs into my lap, poking my cheek with a devilish grin.

"Say that to your secret admirers." I shoot back, slapping his hand.

"Pshhh, they're just girls."

"Who think you're gorgeous." I roll my eyes. "Anyway. What I do with Luke is none of your business."

Cam presses on. "Are you gonna manipulate him? Are you gonna date him?"

"No."

"Why not? He's hot," Cam says. "Especially after you fixed him up." Then he bends over laughing, as if the fact that he called a boy hot is funny.

The makeover, too? This lil' kid knows a damn lot. I smack my brother playfully in the head, and he runs away screaming.

If Cam knows, I wonder how many others know about Luke, too. Our entire cover could be blown off and everyone will know that Luke's just a project I started to make my ex jealous. Not that I'll admit it, but that scares the hell out of me.

With a sudden change in heart, I pick up the phone and dial Ashton's number.