Dimitri and I spent the last three weeks getting to know one another. If we would going to fake it, we needed to make it look real. It felt like the longest speed date ever, but I learned a lot about him in that short time. He loved Westerns; books and movies. There were some things I already knew from tabloids, but I learned things like his favourite food, his favourite movies, how he liked to drink his coffee, and his favourite song on his albums.

He learned similar things about me, except he learned about my very small family. My mom got mixed up with the wrong crowd when I was twelve and essentially surrendered her rights to me and I was taken in by my best friend's family.

I had spent a bit of time at his place, a modest penthouse downtown. It was homey and not what I expected a man with his status to have, but it clicked with his personality. He wasn't extravagant like the media made him out to be. He liked the simple things.

We had discussed introducing me into his life publicly through media platforms, so he asked if it was okay to post a picture of me. I was skeptical about it but figured it was the best way to start things. There were a few pictures that were circulated of me and him from the bar the first night, everyone curious about the 'mystery girl' he had been seen with. There were a few of us running, a few of us out and about. In all of the pictures, nobody got a good look at my face.

I scrolled through my feed, liking the photos my friends posted before I came to a stop on one that made me smile and shocked me. I hadn't received a notification that I had been tagged in it either.

It was from Dimitri's page and it was me, but if you didn't know it was me, you'd be left wondering. It was me sitting on the ledge of his balcony, my back against the brick and my one leg dangling off the edge. The sun was starting to set, and with the way the photo was angled, you could barely see the side of my face, but you could see my fingers pressed against my lips.

The caption was simple.

So move me, baby. Shake like the bough of a willow tree.

Deciding to play into our roles, I liked the photo and left a quick comment.

If I had known you'd be taking my picture, I would have flipped you off instead with a kissing face emoji. Once I posted my comment, I swiped over to my texts and sent him a quick message.

You have to send me that picture!

Another thing I learned about him, his secret passion was photography. He rarely posted those photos, but this one he did. I smirked to myself and set my phone down, but it pinged almost immediately. I picked it up and smirked to see he sent me the photo.

Everyone is loving the photo. Nice comment. I'll have to recreate the photo with the bird.

When I woke up the next morning, I was boggled at the amount of notifications on my phone. Now I understood why Dimitri warned me. There were so many likes and comments, and the amount of new followers was overwhelming. I wasn't sure if I was proud or a little scared at the overnight popularity.

I set my phone back down and then sighed when it rang. I didn't look at the ID, knowing that only one person called this early.

"Liss, before you go nuts," I started but there was a man's laugh on the other end.

"I must meet this Liss, I've heard a lot of nice things about her," Dimitri laughed and I smirked.

"Morning," I said and ran my hand through my hair, resting my hand behind my head.

"Morning. You busy?"

"I just woke up. Why?" I yawned.

"I was wondering if you wanted to get breakfast. I know a place where they won't eat us alive," Dimitri said. I chuckled under my breath and looked at the clock.

"When?"

"I figured I could pick you up in a half hour. Or longer if needed?"

I started to climb out of bed and headed toward my closet. "No, thirty is good. Dress code?"

"Casual, he said and I could hear the eye roll in his voice, "But bring sunglasses."

I snorted into his ear. "When do I leave without sunglasses?" I asked. He laughed and hung up shortly after that, leaving me to get ready. There wasn't much I could do with my hair in thirty minutes, but I sprayed some texture spray into my hair and scrunched gently before getting dressed. I choose simple, nothing that was too flashy or stood out. Jean shorts and a T-shirt with the Hogwarts logo on the front. I wasn't a huge fan, but Lissa was and she was so excited when she bought it for me that I couldn't not wear it.

I tucked part of the front into my shorts and slipped on some running shoes, collecting my keys and phone and putting them in my purse. Another gift from Lissa I couldn't refuse to use. But she bought one that suited me and my style, so it was kind of perfect.

Once I did a quick brush of mascara and lip gloss, I put my sunglasses on and pulled half my hair up into a climb as I left my building. Dimitri was waiting outside at the curb, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel as he waited. I tapped on the window and he unlocked the door, letting me slip in.

"Morning," I yawned, covering my mouth as I took my glasses off.

"Hi," Dimitri said as he pulled away from the curb, heading back into the city. I wasn't paying attention to where we were going, but instead browsing through my phone. I found one article on my feed and laughed.

"Heartthrob bachelor no more! Who is the mysterious woman that has made her way into the life of Dimitri Belikov," I read aloud, rolling my head to look at him, "Also, what was the caption from?"

Dimitri smirked. "It's a lyric from the new album," he said, "The song is titled Movement."

I nodded. "I like it."

Dimitri smirked. "It was that or 'we were born sick, but I love it, commend me to be well," he explained.

"I think I've heard a teaser of that one on TikTok," I said with a small squint, "Take me to Church?"

Dimitri nodded and pulled into a parking spot on the road, getting out of the car. I climbed out too and waited until he was on my side before walking. I knew it wouldn't take long for someone to notice him, so I was sticking close in case the masses swarmed.

We got inside the restaurant easily and Dimitri asked if I was comfortable being on the patio. It was too nice out to stay inside so I just nodded my head. The waitress greeted Dimitri by name as she led us to the table, asking if he wanted a coffee to start with. Dimitri glanced at me and I asked for one as well. She smiled at me and led us to a partly shaded table, setting the menus down.

I sat across from Dimitri and thanked the waitress when she came back with the coffee.

"Can I get you anything else? Orange juice, mimosa, water?" she asked me. I shook my head and she said that she'd be back shortly. I took a long sip of my coffee and sighed.

"I take it you're a regular?" I asked.

"Somewhat. But, our waitress is my Ivan's girlfriend," he explained, "So we don't need to worry about anyone fawning or disturbing us while we are eating."

I smiled. "That would come in handy. I was surprised that the other waitresses are okay with that. I know that the waitresses at work will get into fights over certain tables."

Dimitri fixed his coffee and took his glasses off too, sipping his coffee.

"Lena won't let them. And the manager is on her side. Plus, I come often."

I smiled and rubbed my face, yawning again tiredly.

"Didn't sleep well?"

"I never sleep well. My neighbours are loud and rearranging their house cause the woman is pregnant with twins, so I can usually hear her walking around at night," I said.

Dimitri smiled at me and I looked down at the menu, trying to figure out what to eat. I think I read the menu twice before I looked at Dimitri in defeat.

"Help. There are too many choices!"

"Get the French toast crisp," he said, "Trust me, it's to die for."

When Lena came back I ordered what Dimitri recommended and her eyes lit up.

"Oh my God, it is so good! Honestly, it will be the best thing you eat ever," Lena said and I knew that I was going to like her. She had a bubbly personality and wasn't putting up a fake front just for her job.

Dimitri made pleasant conversation, explaining how the tour was going to go after the album release. He mentioned that Tasha was planning a party, and he wanted to make sure he didn't have it set on a day when I had a conflicting schedule.

I spotted a few other waitresses watching us as we sat there and a few glared at Lena when she brought our food, and when they noticed me watching them, I glared at them. Don't hate someone because they had a good table.

When I took my first bite, I thought I was going to die of excitement. It was utter perfection and I quickly cut another piece, shoveling it into my mouth. Dimitri seemed amused by my reaction and smirked at me. I offered him a bite and he shook his head but offered me a bite of his breakfast. It looked like eggs benedict of some sort, and I took a bite, moaning quietly.

"That's so good," I mumbled and whipped the corner of my mouth with my thumb.

"It's my favourite," he said and took another bite of his food. I smirked and speared a fried potato piece off his plate and popped it in my mouth, bugging my eyes out at him.

"I would order a plate of just those," I said as Lena swung by again, filling up our coffee cups.

She smiled at me. "Cayenne pepper, paprika, onion powder and garlic powder," Lena said with a smile, "Don't tell anyone I told you that."

I nodded and drank my coffee when she took my now empty plate away, slouching back in my seat with a sigh.

"That was the best meal I've had in…forever," I said with a grin. Dimitri was amused but his posture went from being carefree and relaxed to being on guard.

"We've been noticed," he said, tilting his head and catching Lena's attention. Once he knew she had his attention, he gestured for me to stand up.

"I thought being noticed was good?" I said as we headed back inside to leave.

"It is, but not when there are that many of them and it's just you and I," he said and plucked my glasses off the front of my shirt, "Put those on."

I did as he said and slowed to stop at the hostess' table to pay, but he took my hand and kept walking.

"Lena has a card that is linked to my account that she'll use for the bill," he said as we stepped outside, but even then, whoever he spotted had caught up to us. There was a camera right in my face and I yelped at the unexpectedness.

There were so many people talking at once and I froze. But Dimitri handled the situation expertly and pulled me along with him, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and keeping himself between me and the paparazzi. He didn't answer any of their questions either, instead, making sure I got into the car okay and then got into the driver's side.

I could still hear them outside the car and it felt like my heart was in my throat as we drove away. After a moment Dimitri looked at me and rubbed my hand that rested in my lap.

"You okay?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, just startled me, that's all," I said.

"The first interaction is always jarring. I was hoping it would be so many at once," he said and I understood what he meant. It would probably get a little easier.

Lissa was sitting on my couch when I got home, my laptop balanced on her knees.

"Hi," I said with a wave as I set my bag down and sat down beside her. I sighed and canted my head, finding her looking through my secret notepad on my computer.

"Anything, in particular, you're looking for?" I asked. Lissa was the only person that could look at my writings and it didn't make me antsy. She was the person that knew me best, and she knew how my mind worked. She would look over the pieces and leave notes about what she thought.

"I was looking at the one you wrote about Andre," she said and looked at me, "I needed it today."

I smiled sadly at her and sent a copy to her email. "There, now you always have a copy."

She smiled at me and closed my laptop, setting it on the coffee table. I tilted my head at her and got more comfortable on the couch, gently pulling her to lie down. She shifted and rested her head in my lap, curling her arm under her head.

She didn't need to tell me that she had had nightmares all night last night, but I had them too. It would have been Andre's twenty-fifth birthday, and it wasn't until Dimitri was dropping me off that I remembered it.

"Do you want to go to Dell's tonight? Just you and I?" I asked, running my fingers through her platinum hair, and tucking it away from her face.

"Maybe we could make that chicken dish Dad liked so much?" she said looking up at me. Every once in a while, I'd tell her how much she looked like her mom. She was a spitting image of Rhea, and sometimes it hurt to see her when I looked at Lissa. But at the same time, it was a comfort because I saw Andre in her when she laughed.

"We can make that," I said with a small smile. Lissa nodded and smiled at me sadly. While the years had taken away the pain, today was always hard for both of us. Which was why I was so surprised that I was able to forget it while I was out with Lissa.

After a little while we got up to go get the groceries to make dinner. I grabbed a tub of ice cream and some things to make sundaes too, trying to make a better end to the night. I watched her toss a few bags of candy into the cart. Once we got up to the checkout, we realized we put a lot more snacks into the cart than we thought.

When we got back to my place Lissa turned on some music and we started cooking. It was a basic meal, chicken breast, cream of asparagus soup and rice, but it was something we had frequently at her as teenagers. An old blues song came on and I looked at Lissa, remembering it as one of the songs her parents listened to. She smiled and started singing along, the two of us dancing in my tiny kitchen.

Once we finished cooking, we sat down on the couch when there was a timid knock on the door. I set my plate on the coffee table and stood up, finding my pregnant neighbour on the other side, holding a small plate.

She looked embarrassed as she looked at me, and it was adorable considering she was barely five feet tall and as wide as she was tall.

"This is so embarrassing," she started, "But I can smell whatever you're cooking through the vent and it's making my mouth water. Do you have a little bit that I can have? Jeremey is on the night shift, and I can barely stomach cooking any meat or poultry."

I smiled at her and nodded, inviting her inside.

"It's chicken," I said and she nodded, biting her lip.

"Hey, Judie," Lissa said softly.

"Hi," she said softly. I gestured for her to sit in the armchair and she sat down with a grunt. I made up a plate for her and brought it to her, smiling at her as she rested the plate on her belly.

"When are you due?" Lissa asked.

Judie took a few bites as Lissa spoke, groaning happily as she ate. She took a few breaths before she answered.

"I'm thirty-eight weeks," she said between breaths and I made a face.

"You have two more weeks to go?" I asked, feeling a little bit of pity for her.

"I'm praying I go any minute now. I need them out," she said with a chuckle, rubbing her stomach and went back to eating, commenting that this was the best thing she had eaten all week. We ate with basic chitchat, enjoying our meal with company. Once Judie finished eating, she set her plate on the coffee table and smiled bashfully at me.

"I'm sorry about that, but sometimes my cravings are ridiculous and a little embarrassing."

I waved my hand at her. "It's fine. We made more than we needed," I reassured her. I had heard that pregnancy cravings could be monstrous, so I wasn't about to deny her something that taunted her through the connecting vents. I wasn't eager for her to leave either, and I think Lissa enjoyed the extra company too.

"I meant to ask you, Rose, was that Dimitri Belikov I saw you with the other night in front of the building?" Judie asked as she rubbed her stomach.

Lissa turned her head and gapped at me. "What?!"

I cleared my throat. "We're seeing each other," I said to Judie but gave Lissa a pointed look. Judie smiled but nodded. She wasn't one to gossip, but I knew there were questions she had but she kept them to herself. She didn't bring up the topic again, but after twenty minutes, she looked like she was going to pass out. She left shortly after that and Lissa pounced on me, but I put my hands up.

"Chill, it's not what you think," I said but Lissa gapped at me.

"Don't tell me to chill! You're dating him and you didn't tell me?!" she exclaimed.

"It's a job," I butted in quickly, "Tasha is his manager, and we are trying to get the label off his back. I'm like a beard."

Lissa cocked her head at me. "What?"

"I am being paid to be his girlfriend. But I'm also like a support system for him. And honestly, he's kind of awesome. Really funny," I explained, "But that stays between us, okay? To everyone else, it's the real deal."

Lissa looked at me questionably but nodded and smiled.

"You're dating a star," she giggled and I laughed at her.

"I guess I am," I said, resting my feet on the coffee table with a grin.

I am so excited for you all to read this. I have about 11 chapters done so far and I am so excited about it.

Movement by Hozier.