His girlfriend?

Chapter 2

Since I was little, I always wanted to become a celebrity. A very popular person. Dad always said my face was for the public to see. I had always dreamt of showing it on TV. The thought of being surrounded by reporters and them shoving their mics down my throat always brought a thrill through me. 

But as I watched the TV a few hours after I got home, I couldn't help but shiver from whatever emotion I was feeling. I cringed as I looked away from the TV and grabbed the remote from Katherine.

"Why did you off it, Zora?" Kathy glared, her lips curled up into a smirk. "I was literally watching an erotic scene."

I glared at her, standing up to dump my coffee cup in the basin. "Don't you dare put it that way? You caused this mess."

My friend chuckled as she got up from the couch. "I wasn't the one that kissed a total stranger who by the way is the youngest billionaire in the country to make her ex feel jealous." 

"Kathy-" I groaned. 

She raised her hands in surrender. 

"But for real, Zora, are you crazy? I mean, you kissed Elliot Garrett." She screamed and I rolled my eyes. "Elliot Garrett, Zora."

"Yeah, I got that." I winced, as I unlocked my phone and saw the calls I missed from Aaron, my brother. "But I didn't know who he was. Plus, how the hell did the media get there that second? I wanted to apologize but then-"

Even I knew my question was stupid. Elliot Garrett was the youngest and hottest billionaire in the country so of course, the paparazzi would be all over him. He wasn't what I expected. Sure, I have heard the name countless times, and more often than not my best friend was always crushing on his pictures online. I never once saw him though, even in pictures because as much as I loved media and news, obsessing over a young billionaire was never on my to-do list. 

And when I got home, after almost getting followed by the reporters, that is, my friend told me who I just had an encounter with. They shot the video live and before I got home, Kathy already was watching the TV.

In minutes I was all over the news. His supposed girlfriend was what I was tagged as, and countless calls came in most from people I couldn't remember the last time I heard from them. Hell! I even got a call from my Uncle, someone that I didn't even know had his number. 

My picture, or more appropriately our picture was on the front pages of magazines and newspapers. 

"I'm going to take a nap," I called out as my phone rang again. "Don't pick up any calls, Kathy. And please don't you dare book an interview with anyone.

"Sure. Sure. Now go." She mumbled with a chuckle as she switched back on the TV and again my face came up on the screen. Shaking my head at the irrational headlines, I strolled towards my room.

"Elliot Garrett displayed his affection for his new girlfriend in public."

I wondered how the guy was doing, planning ways to kill me, perhaps. How I was able to leave that vicinity without the reporters seeing me still left me baffled. 

I crashed on my bed as I scrolled through my I*******m page. Just three hours and I had multiple messages. Some were threatening me about my relationship with Elliot Garrett while some were trying to form some sort of friendship with me.

"Arggh," I grunted as I threw the phone away and pushed my face into the pillow. 

I had been expecting a call from Elliot at least. Before I sneaked away leaving him to battle with the ever-increasing paparazzi, I had slipped a paper into his palm. My number had been on it and I promised to sort out the mess if he ever needed me to. And in a way, I was thankful he didn't call or leave a message. Because, how in the world am I supposed to stop the viral news or video? 

And the way he looked at me as I sneaked away from his sight made my breath hitch. Like he would kill me if we met again. 

"Hello, and no this isn't Zora Walter so please hang up-"

"Big sis." 

"Aaron?" I moved the phone away from my ears to check the caller's ID and indeed it was my brother.

"Wow, my sister has become a celebrity." He started and I let out a frustrated sigh.

"Look, Aaro-"

"No sis." He cut me off. "I am proud of you. I've got more friends in an hour, Zora not to talk of the girls all over me. You guys are everywhere, big sis. You should have left Marcus since forever." 

"Aaron, I'm not in a relationship with Elliot Garrett, so please hang up and return to your lectures. I will talk to you later. Bye." 

"But, sis I-"

I hissed under my breath as I ended the call. 

Elliot Garrett.

Like I even wanted to have anything with him. 

"Zora, come here. Elliot is giving a speech about the kiss." 

I groaned, pushing my face into the pillow once more. 

"Just what have you gotten yourself into, Zora?" I muttered to myself as I heard Kathy scream my name again.

"Kathy, please-" I shouted back. "I'm not listening to any damn speech. If Aaron calls you, tell him to get back to his lectures. And don't say "the kiss" again. I've heard enough of that."

"You wanted to be popular, bestie." Her voice reached me from the sitting room and I sighed. "You are trending on Social media now, your dream came true. Stop sulking." 

"I'm not having this conversation again, Kathy. Get off that TV or I won't pay for the subscription again."

I didn't hear any word after that and I knew she understood what I meant. My stomach rumbled and I grunted in frustration. 

I didn't even get the groceries before I disappeared, I couldn't. And God knows how Marcus and his girlfriend got lost among the paparazzi. 

My phone pinged again and I swore. How most of them got my number in two hours still baffled me. I had many followers in an hour and they were increasing by the minute. Although it was absurd, I was happy with how much I had grown popular. Just that unlike what I dreamt of, I was popular because of a young multimillionaire.

Shutting my ears and trying to ignore the buzz sounds my phone made every second, I rolled on my bed.

"That's it," I mumbled, grabbing the phone and putting it on Airplane mode. Just as I wanted to shove it under the pillow, my eyes caught a message.

"Meet me at Shirley Restaurant tomorrow by noon. You ought to sort out this mess, don't you think?" 

My heart leaped and my stomach churned as I saw the name just below the message.

Elliot Garrett. 

He messaged and now I had to get this cleared up. Rolling my eyes, I switched off the phone and screamed into my pillow. 

"Fucked up. This is soo fucked up."