FIVE: THE TRIBUNEToday's the first day this whole wretched experiment's meant to start, but judging how fast gossip travels in Entertainment, Superman would have been too late to save Lois Lane. I barely had time to roll out of bed and pull a brush through my hair, when the door bell started in that horrible, deafening shrill. "Hows my baby this mornin'? Up for some sweetness from her horn dog?" I glowered at him as he pushed himself past me in the doorway. Well, actually, barrelled over me, would have been a better term, but hey. He walked himself over to the kitchen, pulled out a mug from the wooden rack and poured himself a coffee. Whatta guy...always so risk adverse in dangerous waters. Its probably why women outlive men. "Do you mind?" I reprimanded like he was a two year old. Tapping out a cigarette, I lit it up, just as he breezed past and took it from me. "Hey, give it back" I demanded childishly, as I reached out for the nicotine encased in the slim paper frame. "No girlfriend of mine is gonna smoke" he said as he took a puff and breathed out, closing his eyes briefly to absorb the nicotine. "Give it to me" I hissed as i grabbed the cigarette from his hand and stubbed it out in the glass ashtray on the kitchen counter. "It's a freakin' assignment I got handed by that asshole" I reminded him as I lit up a new cigarette. "We're not starting on it till I say so" "Too late" he sang as he dangled a page of the Tribune in my face, just as I choked. My senses seemed to delay. There in plain sight was the headline; "Backstreet Boy Romances Mystery Date". The article was nothing but a "spy" reporting on yesterday's alleged "romantic" lunch date at Fidoree. A run down of the Boys and AJ's status in the group made up the otherwise flimsy article. Alongside the article was a size R3 zoom photo of my profile covering at least a half of his face. From the angle the camera seemed to be facing, we looked as though we were holding hands. Great. I hadn't even attempted to think of a strategy to approach this and the Tribune's strutting it around like a bathing suit. "We're alleged to be have been going for at least a week" "I just met you yesterday" "And so comes your first lesson in the Entertainment industry; Exaggeration is always a better seller than the boring truth" "The article claims we've been seen bickering in your car" "Sweetness, you were barking in the car yesterday" "So sue me" I grumbled as I poured myself a cup of coffee. "What now?" I added, cursing my boss for making me do this. I took a sip. Extra strong. Just the way I like it. AJ grinned, that horny way only he could pull off without getting arrested. "We're going to play with the press" he laughed wickedly. "We're going to fight fire with fire" Believe me, when I was told by the Firm that I was going to be some industry experiment, I was far from pleased. You might say I was going through a very un-Bone like intermission. But when I found out who they had in mind to be my "so called girlfriend", I decided that this was definitely worth sacrificing my pride for (actually, I wouldn't mind sacrificing my body if she needed to 'satisfy' either) There's nothing I like more than hearing a scornful voice grunting at me as I enter someone's home. It gives me such a warm feeling, I almost hate to remind them that I have a tendency to react violently when I'm this "pleased". Thats exactly the way Minerva greeted me when I entered her home. It didn't exactly make me Bone Happy, but it's the fly girl herself so I decided to repress my normal reactions. I'll just torture her slowly. Dangling the Tribune in front of her face was only my first step. My second step was telling her we needed to fight fire with fire. So I took her to my photo shoot where I knew Instyle wanted our dirty laundry just as much as the five of us wrapped in the one white bed sheet. "Where are you taking me? I demand to know how we're supposedly combating the Tribune" Such is the sweet sound of her voice. "We're going to my Instyle photoshoot" I answered as I pushed the door "I don't intend to stay here an hour and watch you try to seduce the camera in your boxers" she complained. I grinned as I turned to reveal what my intended agenda was. "Seducing beautiful women is my specialty, not the camera and I'll be wearing a lot less than my boxers" "Just what I need- a room full of naked men" she groaned. Did I tell you she has a tendency to diss men in particular? She should really add it to her list of qualities in her Resume- all the major paper's will love her for it. "Baby, just follow da Bone and-" She's a girl alright, but she may have been one of us the way she acts. "Act like a girl" I finally instructed as we approached the door and pushed it open to studio 349 where several tripods were already set up against a grey backdrop. Man, when she rolled those green eyes at me, I just about lost my footing. Glad she did clutch my arm though; heaven knows I could have lost "Alex" by the way she does things. Smart girl; making sure she was in plain view of the journalists and camera men around the room. "Great move Bone" Kevin greeted dryly. "It's almost one thirty and we have a meeting at three" "Yeah yeah" I muttered as she tugged on my arm. I was in no mood to be lumbered by Kevin now. "Minna, nice to see you again" Kevin greeted politely. It's a wonder what women can do to a room full of men. "I trust AJ has been treating you like a lady" "More like treating himself to my coffee" "But baby, thats what couples do... share coffee" I reminded her. I slapped her lightly on her behind, receiving a scowl as a result. I had to try- and did I say she was perfect? She's got a great ass. "Cameras" I mouthed, just as one of the Instyle journalists approached me. "AJ, nice to see you again. Changed?" These guys can be so insincere. He just about bore a hole through Minerva the way he was drilling into her. "Just makin my way there" I replied as I winked at her. If curiosity killed the cat, then I don't know what killed the journalist. I could see him fidgeting. Good. This was working. "Great..." He eyed her again. "We'll interview after the shoot" he eyed her again. "Baby, just got to go in and change" I signalled obviously in front of the Reporter. "Oh, she's just a friend... a very old friend" I stressed. I don't know why, but the papers always seem to get on the idea that a "special friend" is actually code for girlfriend. I could see the Instyle reporter's eyes light up with dollar signs in his eyes. This was easier than I thought. |
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