Chapter 2

"I'm not going to go with you unless you tell me the truth," I said firmly, looking at Eva. She appeared surprised at my demand, but eventually nodded.

"Okay, here it is. This morning, while I was on set, my manager David called me, asking me to come to his office after I was done filming. When I got there, he dropped a bombshell on me. He said I have to date Hayden Thorne for a publicity stunt," Eva confessed.

I was taken aback. "But you're already famous. Why do you need a publicity stunt?"

My popularity has been decreasing over the recent years, and most of the movies I've done flopped," Eva explained.

I nodded, starting to understand. "Okay, but what does Hayden get out of it?"

"Well, when Hayden started out, my dad gave him the extra boost he needed to become famous. So he owes him, and I guess my dad called him and asked him to do it," Eva said.

"But why Hayden? Couldn't your manager find another actor to date for the publicity stunt?" I asked, still confused.

"Well, I kind of lied when I said I was surprised when David called me. I asked my dad to set it up," Eva admitted sheepishly.

"Why would you do that?" I asked, not sure I wanted to hear the answer.

"Well, you know I've always had a crush on Hayden. But every time I asked my dad to arrange a meeting, Hayden always refused. And then I saw an opportunity and took it," Eva said with a smug smile.

"What do you mean by opportunity?" I asked, sensing that Eva had gone too far.

"Since we are going to pretend to date, we'll spend a lot of time together, and he'll fall in love with me," Eva said confidently, flipping her hair.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Do you actually think he'll fall in love with you? You can't control him. He's a human being, you know that, right?"

"I don't have to control him. Who wouldn't fall in love with me? I mean, look at me," Eva said, striking a pose.

Eva has always been confident in her looks, ever since we were teenagers. With her long blonde hair, blue eyes, and a body that seemed to have the fastest metabolism, she always turned heads. But I couldn't shake the feeling that her plan was a recipe for disaster.

"I'm sorry Eva, but I can't be a part of your crazy plan," I said firmly, standing my ground as she pleaded with me to come along to the concert. This elaborate scheme to fake a relationship with Hayden Thorne, all for the sake of publicity and to boost her waning popularity isn't going to work and as much as I wanted to support my sister, I couldn't bring myself to go along with her scheme.

Eva looked at me with a crestfallen expression as I refused to be a part of her wild plan. "I'm sorry, Eva, but your idea is just too outlandish," I declared, trying to remain firm in my stance.

A wave of sadness washed over Eva's face as she responded, "I understand. You won't be coming with me, then?"

"I'm afraid not," I replied, shaking my head.

Without another word, Eva slumped off to her room, dejected and defeated. I tried to distract myself by turning up the volume on my show, but my mind kept wandering back to the conversation with Eva.

As the night wore on, I found myself in my room, putting the finishing touches on some work. My eyes stung from staring at the screen for too long, but I persevered until I was satisfied with the result. It was only then that I remembered Eva and decided to check on her.

As I approached her room, I heard hushed whispers emanating from inside. Curiosity piqued, I knocked on the door, and Eva opened it with a smile. "Did you need something, Avery?" she inquired.

"No, I don't need anything, but I thought I heard something," I said."I was just talking to myself, don't worry about it,Goodnight."She added.

I'm surprised that Eva didn't say anything about me not going to the concert. I hoped she realised that her plan was crazy and that it wasn't going to work. "Goodnight," I said before turning to walk back to my room. I fell asleep quickly, exhausted from the day's event.

my peace was short-lived as my phone rang, interrupting my slumber. It was Aunt Mary, who chastised me for not supporting Eva's plan. "Sisters stick together, Avery. You need to be there for her," she scolded.

"Avery, Eva called me and told me you refused to go with her to the concert. Why?" Aunt Mary asked.

"Did Eva tell you what she plans to do?" I asked, feeling frustrated.

"I know she likes the guy, and Steve gave her a chance, so she took it," Aunt Mary explained.

"The fact is that even though you don't like her plan, the least you could do is support her. That's what sisters are for," she added.

"Okay, I'll go with her," I said, feeling defeated.

"Thanks, sweetie. Goodnight," Aunt Mary said before we hung up.

I couldn't believe I would still end up going to the concert, but I didn't want to let Aunt Mary down so I reluctantly agreed to join Eva.I can't believe I'll have to go along with such a harebrained scheme and I'm still feeling groggy from my sleep. I sluggishly drag myself out of bed and stretch my body, letting out a long yawn. Stumbling out of my bedroom, I make my way towards Eva's room, where I hear her getting ready.

After knocking on the door, Eva invites me in, with her face buried in her makeup. "Aunt Mary called me and I've decided to go with you, but just because I'm going with you does not mean I support your plan," I announced to her, trying to make my position clear.

Eva nods in response, "Okay, but I'm still happy you're coming. I'll wait for you while you get ready."

However, something feels off. I can't shake the feeling that Eva is hiding something from me. "Alright, I'll go to my room to get ready, and I'll meet you in the living room," I say, trying to play it cool.

In my room, I quickly take a refreshing shower to awaken my senses. I throw on an oversized sweater that reaches mid-thigh, paired with comfy leggings and sneakers since it's chilly outside. As I stand in front of the dresser, I ponder what to do with my hair. I love my bouncy curls, but since I don't go out much, I decide to tie it in a messy bun, adding some lip balm and putting on my glasses to complete the look.

When I arrive at the living room, Eva is already waiting for me, sitting on the chair with her hair let down, looking dazzling in a skin-tight jumpsuit. However, her reaction to my attire leaves me feeling self-conscious. "Come on, Avery, is that what you're going to wear?" Eva questions, and I start to second-guess myself.

But I shake off my doubts, "Is there something wrong with what I'm wearing?"

Eva brushes it off, "You know what, don't worry. Let's just go."

We exit the apartment and head towards the garage. I don't own a car, but in New York, taxis and trains are everywhere, so I never bothered. Eva walks towards her car, and I trail behind. However, my weariness from earlier starts to take over, and I doze off in the car, only waking up when we reach the concert.

Upon entering the stadium, I'm awestruck by its immense size and the number of people gathered there. Eva leads us to the VIP lounge, which is bustling with at least ten people. As the only one seated at the back, I decide to wear my hoodie and prepare to try catch up on some much-needed sleep since I'm still tired.

When I glance up, Eva is nowhere to be found. Perhaps she went to search for Hayden. As I attempt to locate her, I realise that I have lost my way, and my phone is back at home. I try to ask for help, but everyone seems too busy to assist me.

Suddenly, I'm knocked off my feet, bumping into someone who's sprinting in the opposite direction. I fall to the ground, trying to regain my composure.