Both of them stepped out of the car, and Faye said rudely, "Did you not see me coming?"
"I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention. I was in a hurry," the driver apologized. Before Faye could speak, the sliding door from the black van opened, and out came a young man in black jeans and wearing a black leather jacket with one of his ears pierced. He had one AirPod in his ear and the other in his hand.
"My manager already apologized, and if you can't accept that, then that's your problem," he said.
She was gonna let it go as she was in a hurry as well, but now hearing this bratty kid speaking made her want to stay and argue.
"I'm sorry for what he just said." The manager said. "Lake...," the manager gave the young man a look, saying 'watch what you are saying'. "You better get in the van before anyone notices you. I'll handle this," the manager continued to say to the kid as he reluctantly headed back to the van.
"You should watch that kid of yours, or he might get punched in the face if he continues talking like that," Faye gave friendly advice to the manager. "Be careful next time," Faye said as she didn't have the time to teach that person. She glances at the young man and glares before entering her car. Faye drove off and reached Janine's shop.
"Janine, where's the person?" Faye said once she entered the coffee shop.
"Um, he's right here," Janine said and wiped her hands down and pointed to the thin-looking guy in the corner, drinking a cup of coffee.
Faye walked up to the person and said, "who are you? And how do you know my name?"
The man quickly set his cup down and coughed into his napkin before speaking, "sorry, for the inconvenience, but I need your help."
Faye's eyebrows rose and said, "excuse me? Need my help? Do I look like a kind person to help others?"
"Um, well it says that you will help people, and this person gave such a good rating," the person said and showed her his phone. On the bright screen, a 5-star rating review was on a website for Janine's shop as it was Liam's review boosting how she helped him and others should go to her. Her face froze, and a forceful smile tightened on her face. That little brat... Faye thought. She pulled out her phone and dial Austin. "Hello, Austin. I would like you to take down this review immediately. I will send you the link. Thank you," she said and hung up. "Well, excuse me," Faye said and turned to leave.
"Wait! Please....," the man said hopelessly before he collapsed to the floor and started coughing crazy.
Janine rushed over as Faye helped him up.
"I'm sorry.... I'm fine. I just need a few minutes." The man covers his mouth.
"Do you want me to call an ambulance for you?" Janine asked.
The man shook his head and continued to say, "no, I'm fine," and continued to cough.
"No, I'm going to call an ambulance for you," Janine replied.
"Oh, that's not necessarily. I already know what I have... so that's why I need your help?" He said.
"Don't worry. It's nothing expensive or exchange of your lungs...," he said softly and continued, "I just need you to be my fake girlfriend so I can break up with my girlfriend," he stated.
Both Janine and Faye look at him with disgust.
"If not what you think. I'm not a bad person. I.." he added.
"Sure," Janine said, crossing her arms. "What a douchebag...," Janine said beneath her breath and looked at Faye in disbelief.
"No, it's not like what you think. I'm dying. I'm in the final stage of lung cancer. I'm going to the hospital tomorrow, but I can't let the one I love watch me slowly die and cry alone while trying her best to smile for me. That's why I need your help to be my fake girlfriend, so she will hate me and never want to see my face and never know the truth.." he said in sorrow.
"Are you stupid," Faye straight up said to him and walk over to sit on a stool.
"I know... but I can't let her know," he said.
"Why? It would hurt even more if she finds out later," Janine said.
"That's why she must never know," he said.
"Ain't it best for her to spend the last moments with you for her to cherish?" Janine continued.
He smiled sadly, "yes, but knowing her. She will never move on. She will carry that pain with her, and I want her to find love again with someone who will take care of her and love her more than I did," he said. Janine looked at him in pity, but it didn't last long as Faye broke the sadness.
"How do you know she doesn't know?" she said.
"She doesn't," he said very sure of himself. "How sure are you? Look at you," Faye pointed out, and he became quiet. Janine nudges her. "What?'' Faye said quietly.
"Keep quiet," Janine hushed her.
"That's fine, then she will think I'm such a horrible cheating bastard. I would rather her hate me than be sad and cry," he said, "so please help me." he looked at them with desperation in his eyes.
"I'm sorry, but no," Faye said.
"Faye...," Janine said, but Faye didn't change her mind. "You help him," Faye said.
"Me?" Janine said, shocked. "No, I couldn't...." Janine said softly.
He redirected his attention to Janine and said, "Please.. I don't have much time." it broke Janine. She made a small sigh before saying, "fine, I'll help you. But you are coming with me, Faye.''
Faye chuckled and said, "nope, you agree. You handle your mess. I'll be taking my leave." Faye was about to leave until Janine clung to her arm. "Faye, pleaseeee," Janine said. "If you don't I will post another ad and even give them your number," Janine threatened.
"Janine." Faye said seriously, "don't you dare."
An hour later, Faye, Janine, and the guy were at the mall. Faye with her arms crossed, said "are you sure she is coming?" as Janine was wearing a mini skirt in the color of apple cider with an oversize button-up knitted cardigan to make her look a little provocative. "Don't worry, my friend had sent her a photo of us to her. She should be here," he said, nervous. They walked around with Janine linking her arms with his. "It looks like an event is happening,'' Janine said.
"What are you talking about? It's already done," Faye said, leaning against the rail and peering down to see some workers cleaning up and the large crowds slowly disappearing.
"Danny?" a soft timid voice appeared before them. "Who is this?" his girlfriend said as her friend was with her.
"Yes, Danny, who is this?" Janine said in ignorance and looked at them with disgust.
"She's a nobody," Danny said to Janine. Faye shot a glance at him as the word 'nobody' struck her.
"Danny, you are such a cheating bastard!" Her friend was standing up for her and was ready to punch him in the face, but his girlfriend stopped her.
"A nobody? We have been dating for 4 years!" his girlfriend yells. "How could you do this to me!" and tears were rolling down her cheeks.
"I'm bored of you," he said so cold as it struck her. "You are boring and plain. Look at yourself!" he said as Faye's hands grip tightly onto the rail and force her mouth shut.
At that moment, a voice spoke as it distracted them all, and they turned their attention to a young man in a black hoodie with a hat and a black mask on his face. "Oh lookie here, a cheating bastard and his ugly hoe roaming the mall." as he was recording them on his phone. Faye said, "Hey, mind your own business." She shot him a glare, telling him to back down because she didn't want Janine's face to be on the internet. "Oh look at that, a bystander taking sides with the cheaters. Not a surprise from a person like you," he said as Faye felt like she had seen him before. And, soon a crowd of people was surrounding them and defending his girlfriend's side. The girlfriend wiped her tears and said, "We're done," and hurried away.
"Danny, you bastard!" her friend said and hurried to chase after his girlfriend. "Come, let's go,'' Danny said as Janine could feel him leaning on her more. Janine helped him away, Faye gave one last glance at the man in a black hoodie.
Once they entered the parking lot and headed towards their cars as there was no one around and he started coughing like crazy. Janine helped to rub his back to smooth his coughs. "Are you okay?" Janine said. He quietly nodded his head. Then someone was also coming in their direction as it was the black hoodie man. He was on the phone and saying, "Yes, I'm heading towards the van right now. I was occupied. Don't worry, no one noticed me." He stopped when he heard loud coughing. "I'm coming now. I'm hanging up now," he said and saw it was those cheaters again.
"I'm...*cough*... sorry for causing you guys so much trouble with the group of people calling you a whore. I thought it was going to be quick,'' he said. "No, it's fine," Janine said. Then he started to tear up. "I'm sorry..." he said wiping his tears.
"I still don't understand you. I hope you don't regret this," Faye said.
"I won't. I know this is for the best," He said before he started coughing again.
"For the Best! Do you think I am stupid!" his girlfriend appears out of nowhere.
"What are you doing here! Get lost!" he shouted but weakly tumbled as his girlfriend caught him.
She burst into tears and said, "How could you do this to me. Why did you lie?"
"Because I don't want you to cry all by yourself when I leave. I don't want you to suffer when I go..." he told the truth.
"I don't care if I cry to myself or suffer at least I can still cherish the moments I have with you now," she hugged him.
"I'm sorry...." he held her tightly, and he weakly leaned on her.
"I think it's best to take him to the hospital," Janine said softly as everyone could see that he was looking paler.
"Wait," he said, "thank you." Janine just smiled as they left.
The man in the black hoodie lifts his hat up a bit to fully see the two ladies entering their red car. As the red car zoomed off, the man pulled out his phone and deleted the video.
"Lake, there you are. What took you so long, we got to go to the next shoot for your next album.'' his manager said.