chapter three
fake
[anya rose steinburg]
-
"hi yes could i get room service to suite 325?" i speak into the phone. "could i possibly have a margarita pizza with half cheese?"

"of course ma'am, any drinks?"

"a vodka on rocks, hold the soda, with three olives and a diet coke please." i say, looking at my oddly chipped nails.

"any services ma'am?"

"a mani and pedi please."

"is that all?"

"yes, thank you." i hang up, flinging myself back onto the bed, turning over into a ball.

the door clicks open, and i immediately sit up, tiptoeing towards the open crack of door. shawn walks in, putting his guitar down, and opening the doors to his room. they shut and music comes on.

i open up my door, going to sit in the main lounge to wait for my room service. they come after about ten minutes, with the food, and ten after 30 minutes with the services.

"would you like us to set up here or your room?" the server asks.

"here would be fine." i smile, sitting down on the couch.

"anya? who's this?" shawn opens the door from his room, and comes out, closing it behind him.

"oh this is a beautician, she's doing my nails." i say.

"okay well make sure you're ready by 7 okay? it's in four hours, if you need me, i'm in geoff's room." he nods at me, before walking out.

"brother? boyfriend?" she asks me, filing down my nails.

"boyfriend, well, arranged boyfriend." i sigh. "it's complicated."

"we have a lot of time." she winks. "i can keep a secret."

"he's shawn mendes, that canadian singer songwriter?" she nods. "well anyway his management want him to have a girlfriend. it pays money for me so i can study what i want to, not what my family want me to do, and helps me live too. so i applied, and here i am." i sigh. "my parents wanted me to go to columbia, in new york, to study medicine, but i rebelled against them, and took journalism instead. they got annoyed, stopped funding for my studies and basically shoved me out of their lives, i needed a job, and this one pays a lot."

"oh wow, i'm so sorry...?"

"anya." i answer, chuckling slightly.

"anya." she says. "he's very polite though."

"to you. he hates my guts." i sigh. "i get why, he's had a girlfriend thrown at him that he possibly has to spend the rest of his life with."

"you have to get married?" i shrug.

"eventually apparently." i look away, seeing shawn come back in. he looks at me, and we keep eye contact for a full on minute, before he looks away, going back into his room.

carefully, i pick up my phone, scrolling through my social media feeds.

"sorry i forgot my phone, see you in a bit anya." shawn waves. i wave back, not looking up from my phone, as he walks out, shutting the door behind him.

"he's hot though." she says, her english accent laced through it. she starts to paint my toes a white.

"i'll give you that, he is gorgeous."
***
"anya are you ready yet?" shawn lightly knocks on my door, as i slip on my black heels.

"yeah two minutes hold on." i rush to get my highlighter, my heels clicking on the laminate flooring.

i fan the bright champagne colour onto all the high places of my face, before dusting a shimmer spray over my exposed shoulders and collar bones.

grabbing my clutch, i slide my phone into it, taking one more glimpse of myself in the mirror, before opening the door, and shutting it behind me.

"you look beautiful." shawn smiles at me.

"thanks but no thanks." i mumble. "let's just get this over with, like you said, strangers."

"anya-" i cut him off by strutting to the door, opening it and meeting the rest of the group outside our room.

"there's cameras outside, and fans, everyone let shawn meet them but the cameras catch shawn and anya." shawn and i nod, as he holds his hand out to me.

"well we are going down there now, see you guys at the venue." shawn and i walk out to the lobby, seeing screaming fans waiting outside the immaculate glass doors, and flashes of cameras going off.

we step out, as shawn goes to greet fans, taking pictures and hugging them, whilst i stand there, observing what is going on. illuminating the scenery, stars flicker regularly, setting the mood of a perfect night.

"hey anya, come here baby." shawn holds one of his arms out, getting his phone out with the other.

"guys up for a snapchat?" he shouts, as they all cheer. i smile, as shawn slips his hand around my waist, taking the photo. he captions it with "london couldn't be better with my favourite girl and people".

"alright we have to go, but hey if any of you are coming to my shows, i'll see you there okay?" they cheer again, as a car pulls up, shawn and i getting in it quickly, shutting the door and driving off to the venue.

"you did great today." shawn says to me. "they love you, and you took everything in your stride. there's gonna be more at the venue, as they know i'm attending but you did great, you'll do fine."

"okay." i nod. "thank you."

"i'm really sorry for how i'm acting anya, honestly." he sighs. "i just its hard you know?"

"yeah i get it, if i were you i probably would quit my job." he chuckles, leaning down in his seat.

"it's just like i don't know you, and now i have to date you and spend my life with you." shawn sighs. "i heard what you said to the beautician, i didn't know you were going through that."

"like you said, you don't know me." i say. "my parents hate me, i have a job i hate, i hate everything."

"why did you even apply in the first place?"

"i needed the money, and i love travelling, but i needed the money." he nods.

"if you want to quit, just tell me, i can get you a job to update like a blog for me instead." he offers.

"thanks shawn but i can find a job myself." i say awkwardly, looking away.

"i know but it's a suggestion." the car pulls up outside the venue, as shawn opens his door up, getting out, holding his hand out, as i take it, getting out and straightening my dress.

"let's give them something to blow up the internet." i look at shawn in confusion, as he dips me down, pressing his lips to mine. i kiss back, placing my hand onto his cheek, cupping it as he pulls me back up slowly, not letting go of the kiss.

the amount of camera clicks i heard was crazy.

he pulls away, as i finally open my eyes. blushing red coats his cheeks, a smirk covering his face, as he tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear.

"go take pictures with your fans, i'll meet you inside okay?" i say, pecking his cheek. he nods, as he starts greeting the line, taking pictures and talking to them.

i walk into the venue, going straight to the bar and ordering a drink. i order a martini with three pitted olives and the same for shawn.

he walks in and spots me, walking forward.

"hey i got you a drink." i say, handing him the martini. "i didn't know what to get you so i just got you a martini."

"that's fine, but next drinks are on me." he laughs, as i roll my eyes.

"this is my second drink in the oat four hours is that bad or not?"

"live young." he smirks, sipping his drink. i chuckle, taking a sip of mine.

"has anyone else arrived?" i ask, putting the drink down on the bar table.

"i'm not so sure- oh there's geoff and my band." he waves them over, taking a sip of his drink.

"shawn your fans went crazy over brian." geoff laughs.

"brian's here?!" shawn says happily.

"yeah he got a flight out here to surprise you, he's still with your fans though." geoff laughs.

"anya come surprise him with me." shawn says, grabbing my hand and pulling me with him.

"shawn calm down." i chuckle, catching up with shawns fast speed.

"sorry i'm just really excited like he's my best friend and he's going to be in london with me!" he says, getting over excited.

he looks back at me, smiling widely.

maybe this isn't going to be as hard as i thought it would be.