Chapter two -
"Get off me you crazy BITCH!" the young lad face filled with anger. Maybe this wasn't such a great idea after all. I dared myself to look him in the eyes. His face was full of fury but I couldn't help but notice the intrigue in his sea blue eyes. He looked confused, like he was judging my next move but he wasn't sure what it would be. I knew I had to do something, anything to stop his intent gaze on me, but my mouth had gone dry and I was unable to form the words. So, I took a deep breath and whispered, "I need your help, please. Look all I need you to do is pretend to be my boyfriend for one week" the desperation of my voice becoming seemingly obvious.
"Are you off your head, love." The young lad's voice beginning to rise, above his normal irritating American drawl, which would almost certain raise suspicion in the house. I stared into his eyes, I need his help, but I seemed to be losing him. I needed to think of something, anything to keep his interest, "Please, I'll pay you £500 for the week?"
"I'll need more than that to put up with you for a whole week!" His voice forceful but then I saw him straighten up and look at me intently. He seemed to be looking for something. He could clearly see my desperation and so decided to see how far he could push it.
I wasn't going to give in to his unspoken threats, but I knew I still needed him "Well you're not exactly Ryan Reynolds either, but if you want more, then £1000 for the week, my final offer."
"I think you'll find you need me, love! It's still not enough anyway, well then I guess I'll be seeing you" the lad took one last look at me, then turned on his heal to walk away. It was in that moment that I realised how much I needed his help, I could hardly walk into my house now after this display. So I shouted after him, "Wait, fine you can have whatever you want, please just help me?"
"Alright, we have a deal, I'm going to be the best boyfriend that you have ever had!" As he turned toward my front door I stared at him wondering why he was willing to help me. I wasn't sure what I had just agreed to but I was sure that his untoward kindness would need repaying at some point. But that was something to worry about another, right now I had to explain why a strange man had just walked into my house.
As I predicted all eyes were fixed on the man who had just walked in and it was in that moment that I realised I knew nothing about this boy: his name, what his job was, what he was even doing at my house in the first place. SHIT! All eyes turned from the mysterious blonde and were now transfixed on me now. How was I going to explain this! The room was silent, so quiet that you could cut the tension with a knife. My mouth had gone dry again and I was unable to form any words. As the silent flew flat my mom was the first to break it "Well Patricia aren't you going to introduce this young man to us?"
"Yeah of course this is my boyfriend…." Unable to finish the sentence I looked to the lad stood next to me who seemed to be revelling in the fact I couldn't get the words out. He stared at for what felt like forever, I was unable to move with feeling the warmth of his glare. It must have been in that moment that he decided to take pity on me as he lifted his hand to shake my father's and said "Eddie Miller, pleased to meet you both, I'm sorry I just showed up like this Patricia never told me you were coming."
It was sister who was next to speak, "Well she never mentioned you either, Eddie. Patricia how could you not tell me, I'm supposed to be your sister." I had never seen her so upset; I guess making up fake boyfriends has other repercussions. Piper shook her head as if she was angry at me, well I never thought about how she feel like when I struck up the deal, I just assumed she be happy for me. I guess I was wrong. So I had to convince her that it wasn't something I was keeping from her "Well, this is fairly new."
Alfie seemed to notice the new growing tension between Piper and I, that's when he suggested we move the party from the hallway into the lounge. It had felt like, we had been in the hallway for hours when in reality we had been merely five minutes. I watched as the house guests dispersed into the lounge area, and realised I knew nothing about Eddie Miller or whatever his name was so I grabbed him by arm pulling him a side to talk. If he was going to play house with me, I felt it was better to know a little more about each, for starters what he was doing at my house in the first place.
"Tell me Eddie, what were you doing at my front door?"
"Well I heard a crazy girl was in need of a boyfriend, to prove to her parents she wasn't a total incompetent!" He was doing it again, trying be cocky; almost like he was threatening me and I knew soon I was going to end up regretting this deal.
"No look I'm being serious, what were you here for?" My questioning making me look like his nagging mother. I looked up examine his face, it was like you could see the cogs turning in his head, whirring around, he was trying to find a way to formulate an answer. He turned his head slightly looked me directly in the eyes and said," I was here to see Alfie; I needed him to sign off on a delivery!" Oh great I had just agreed to date a delivery boy, what had I done! There is no way this delivery boy is going to impress my parents. I couldn't find a lawyer or a doctor; nope I ended with a delivery boy.
It was at that moment, Piper decided to make reappearance; she fluttered through the door asking whether Eddie would be staying for dinner, and he simply replied that he would. Piper left moments later, she was still angry at me for not mentioning it but I couldn't dwell on this. I needed to make Eddie the best boyfriend I ever had. I took long sigh and decided I could stop the enviable so Eddie and I decided it was time to face the music. Upon entering the room, the voices went dead, everyone's eyes stared at us as if we were a science experiment that went horribly wrong. Piper clung tightly to Alfie, shaking her head in disbelief while mom and Dad we sat together holding hand on the sofa. It was in that moment that Alfie was my saviour, jumping in, asking to speak to me alone in the kitchen. I simply nodded and followed him through.
The silence between us was infuriating. Alfie was like my brother, we got along, so this silence between us was awkward but I couldn't bring myself to the first to break it. He caught my eye line and decided to make the first move, "Do you mind telling why you're dating my delivery man?" there was a slight concern on Alfie face making me realise what a great guy he was. Piper was lucky Alfie had always been the caring sort.
"Urm… well you know it all happened so quickly" replying sarcastically, with a glint in my eyes.
"I know that, I believe you were hooked after one conversation. On a serious note, be careful, Okay?" I was taken aback by the genuine concern Alfie had for me, it was reassuring to know that at least someone had my back.
"I know what I'm doing Alfie, but thank you for looking out for me. How well do you know young weasel out there anyway?" My questioning only serving to reassure my curiosity.
"Well he my delivery boy, not my best friend. Look are you sure you know what you doing? And how the hell did you get him to agree to be your boyfriend?"
"I struck up a deal with him, he'd be my boyfriend and well I would pay him a significantly large sum of money for his hard work. How well do you think is at keeping up his end of the bargain?" Alfie eyes widen in front of me, I couldn't quite believe the look I was receiving; was he angry?, concerned?, disappointed?
"What are thinking, I have no idea how good he is at keeping his end of the bargain because I have never had to make a bloody deal with him before " The look Alfie was giving me before definitely disappointment. It was in that moment I realised Alfie could expose me, so I needed to know if I could rely on him.
"Look Alfie, I'm asking nicely will you play along or not?" I felt like I'd been begging everyone today, but if anyone would play along I knew it be Alfie, "Well will you?"
