Page 24 of Fake Rocks
“So, we’ll do the shoot first and then have a chat after, if that works for you both?” the journalist asked.
“Sure, sounds good,” Rosie replied smoothly. “Where are the hair and make-up team?”
The woman pointed into a curtained off area to one side of the large warehouse sized space.
“Super.” Rosie beamed and linked her arm through mine, walking us off in that direction. “I’m serious, Saff, you’re looking good today.”
“I stayed in last night. Had a heavy one on Tuesday.”
She raised an eyebrow. “I was going to talk to you about that.”
“Ladies, hi! I’m Laura and I’m going to be your make-up artist today.” A petite redhead with amazing green eyes approached us and ushered us into our chairs. She pointed to a guy who was on his phone. I recognised him from Rosie’s social media accounts as her hairdresser, Ronnie. “I think you already know him.”
At the sound of Laura’s voice, Ronnie’s head snapped up. “Darlings! So happy to see you again and looking forward to making you both look fabulous. Although it will be easier work with one of you.” His gaze swept dismissively over me.
“Always a pleasure to see you too, Ronnie.” I was used him by now and knew he was joking.
We took our seats and waited for the magic to happen.
This was the part of shoots I always dreaded. I had my own look, the way I wanted to portray myself. And it was a constant battle to be asked if I minded it being toned down or exaggerated. I was happy with the pink hair, the tats, the nose ring, the dark make-up and avant-garde clothing, even if some of the more mainstream media weren’t.
Laura started Rosie’s make-up first, while Ronnie took a look at my hair. I tried to ignore the disdainful sneer on his face as he lifted up strands and wrinkled his nose.
“Who’s the guy you were with on Tuesday night?” Rosie didn’t beat about the bush, simply went straight in for the jugular.
“What do you mean?” I pleaded innocence, although it wouldn’t wash. Not with Rosie, she’d known me too long.
“The Gosshad you out with the band but looking very cosy with someone.” She elongated the word ‘very’.
I hadn’t even thought to look at the gossip sites, considering it had been a pretty low-key evening and I didn’t remember getting close to Tris. Although there was a huge chunk of Tuesday night which was a total mystery to me.
“Here.” Rosie held out her phone, where she’d helpfully bookmarked the relevant page.
The picture in question was a shot of Tris and I walking hand in hand somewhere along the King’s Road from the restaurant to the pub. I had to admit we looked good together. There was a splashy headline questioning who he was and how happy I appeared. I was surprised they hadn’t asked for people who knew him to get in touch with the full story. There was also a shot which was obviously much later in the evening of the pair of us getting into a taxi. Or should I say, Tris loading me into the car. Jesus, he really did have his work cut out.
“Well?” she demanded.
“Ouch!” I winced as Ronnie twisted some of my hair around his curling wand, pulling it tighter than necessary.
“Where the hell did you meet someone who looks sonormal? I mean, come on Saff, he’s not exactly Troy Carson, is he?”
I wanted to tell Rosie the truth about the fake relationship. But Jonas warned me against telling anyone outside of Tris and his family exactly what the deal was. But Rosie and I had been best friends for a long time and I knew she wouldn’t tell anyone. I wrestled with my conscience for several minutes. Jonas was right, we didn’t need this getting out. It was meant to be improving my reputation, not doing it more damage. So I stuck with the story I’d told Darren and Barney.
“We were at uni together.”
“Bullshit,” snorted Rosie. “I knew everyone you knew at uni. Hell, I know everyone you knew at school. And I would absolutely remember this guy.”
Bollocks. She was right.
“You don’t know everyone I hung around with. I met him at that underground club I used to go to. Remember the one? Oh, no, you wouldn’t because you never went to it.” Mentally, I fist pumped. There was somewhere I went without her.
“Babe, everyone who went there had mohicans and piercings and more tattoos than you. If he went there, he’s had some serious work done since then.” Rosie’s eyes were closed as Laura applied eyeshadow.
I was glad she couldn’t see me. It was a wonder I wasn’t going up in flames for the amount of lies slipping out of my mouth. “If you never met him at the time, you wouldn’t know,” I said, triumphantly.
“We lived together. I saw every man you ever slept with at university. And then some.”
I poked my tongue out at her.
