Chapter Thirteen

Zoe

It seems like hours before Amadeo gives up, but he does and I'm finally able to sneak back to my villa and pack. I know he cares about me. He wouldn't have spent so much time with me if he didn't. But damn, his words hurt. And as much as I wish they weren't true, they are.

Grabbing my phone to book an early flight back home, I see I have a bunch of missed texts and calls. Several of them are from my sponsors.

Swallowing hard, I open my voicemail.

Heart pounding after the first one, I open my social media accounts and see I'm trending, just like my sponsors said.

Splashed everywhere is news that I'm a fake.

Plopping down on the sofa where Amadeo did things to me I'll never forget, I read the shit people are saying about me.

Zoe Wayz gave me the courage to get off my butt and do the things I always wanted despite my worries. I'm saddened by the news she's nothing but a faker.

I loved this chick. Would have married her. Glad I found out she sucks.

She seemed so real and down to earth. She wasn't some star athlete, she was just like me, a book nerd but she did the things she read about, or so I thought. I'm crushed by the news she's a liar and a cheater.

Beneath that comment is a picture of me and Amadeo together at the falls. My chin wobbles at how happy we look in the shot. I want to reply to the comment and defend myself, but it wouldn't matter. No one would believe it. Once a faker, always a faker.

I read on, but don't even make it much farther before I'm curled in a ball crying my eyes out.

Amadeo promised he would keep my secret and I believed him. How could I have been so wrong? Maybe he was telling the truth. Maybe there was never anything between us.

I hear a pounding on my apartment door before my eyes have even opened. Someone else has obviously slipped past security and found their way to my condo. I blink at the clock. It's two in the afternoon.

Ugh. Go away.

It's happened at least three times a day for the last few weeks; I just wish they'd stop waking me up. All I want to do is sleep. Like doctors put severely injured people in comas to heal, my heart is severely damaged, and if I can sleep through the worst, maybe I'll make it. I certainly can't function as I am now, bawling myself into dehydration every second of the day while hiding in my condo as far away from any social media as I can.

I wonder if the Mennonites would take me in? There's no social media there. No television either since the local news station has picked up the story now too.

I stumble past the living room, glancing at the balcony where my television, computer, laptop, and cell phone sit, and make my way into the kitchen for some water.

I should be showering in it, because—I sniff myself—I stink. But I only take a few sips to wet my dry throat so I can yell at whoever's at the door.

"Go away, Zoe's not here."

"Zo! It's me. Let me in."

Grinding my teeth, I walk to the door, looking through the peephole to see my own face staring back. I take my time looking around to make sure no one else is lurking near my sister, waiting to pounce.

When I'm satisfied there's no one, I turn the lock and open the door. "What do you want, Fiona?" I glance at her a little closer and my heart suddenly drops. Her eyes are red and swollen, maybe even worse than mine.

"What's wrong?"

"I broke up with him."

"What?"

"Mark and I are over." Before I can ask why, she bursts into tears, pushing past me into the condo.

Shutting and locking the door, I follow her. "I'll make us tea. Here," I say and hand her a nearly empty box of tissues. "Tell me everything."

"He what?"

"He's the one that leaked that you were a fake. He's a jerk. A big evil jerk."

"I am a fake, Fi."

"No, you're not," she says, dabbing her eyes with an already soaked tissue. "It may have started out like that, but that's because it was for a school project, and it didn't matter. It wasn't your intention to deceive anyone, Zoe, and he knows that. He's an asshole."

Suddenly I realize what that means. If Mark is the one that leaked the story, then Amadeo didn't break his promise.

My heart does some weird dance in my chest, but it sinks back to its heavy state the moment I remember that doesn't change a thing. He was still faking everything with me. I was still just his pretend girlfriend.

"Why did he do it?"

Her eyes flick up from her lap and land on mine. "He said he did it for me."

My brow rises. "How does ruining my life help you?"

"I was upset that you bailed on my rehearsal dinner. He wanted to hurt you like you hurt me." She looks down at her lap again, where her fingers are shredding the tissue she's holding. "I shouldn't have been, Zoe. I should have understood how you felt and accepted it."

My sister lunges herself into my arms, crushing me in an embrace I feel to my soul. "I was a selfish asshole and you didn't deserve any of this."

I pull her back and look into her eyes. "You're not. You love him. Anyone can see it. And he loves you."

She nods, again looking at her lap. "I had such a crush on him from the first time we met in school. But that's no excuse, Zoe. You're my sister. You should have come before him."

"Fiona."

She looks up, her hazel eyes glassy.

"I never loved him. I felt trapped when he proposed. I went along with it because I didn't want him to be embarrassed and then I got caught up in the drama of it all."

Fiona swallows hard.

"I should have let you both off the hook a long time ago, but I was hurt. I'm not anymore. We don't choose who we fall in love with, it just happens."

"That's true. If I could have chosen, I would never have done that to you." Fiona starts softly sobbing again.

"I want you to be happy, Fi, and if he did this as some way to show you he loves you, then forgive him."

"Really? How can I forgive him for ruining your life?"

"Because he did it out of love. And love is all that matters here."

"Does that mean you'll come to my wedding then?"

"God, you still aren't married?"

We both laugh.

"I still couldn't do it without you. And Gran-Gran wanted to come home right away to make sure you were okay. She told me what happened with you and Amadeo." Fiona bites her lip.

I drag in a breath that feels like it's been laced with razor blades.

"Have you spoken to him?"

I shake my head, my eyes and nose starting to sting.

She glances at the balcony and back to me, pointing at my electronics. "How long have those been out there?"

"Since I got back."

"So how do you know he hasn't been calling?"

"Because I was nothing to him, Fi, I was a convenient way to piss off his ex, and that's all."

"Guys that use girls don't usually take them on fancy adventures and dates, Zoe."

"How much did Gran-Gran tell you?" I narrow my eyes at her.

"Everything." She pats my leg and I'm suddenly thankful I didn't tell Gran-Gran about the sex.

"He's rich, Fi, those dates were nothing to him."

Fiona takes out her phone and pulls up the number for The Pellegrino Resort.

Handing me the phone, she says, "Call him."

I shake my head. "No. That trip was supposed to be about finding myself and all I did was find out I'm really good at faking something else. And I'm such a good faker, I fell in love. I think it's time I concentrate on me, and me alone."

Rising, I walk to the balcony door. "And I think I'll start by dealing with my shit first." I walk out and scoop up my cell and laptop. "I'm coming clean myself, shutting down my socials, and then moving on."

My sister rises. "I'm proud of you, Zoe Wayz."

I give her a small smile. "You'll text me the deets for the wedding?"

She nods. "Justice of the peace and city hall. We just want to get married. And I just want you at my side when I do."

After a long hot shower, I make a video. I try not to make excuses, while also explaining as much as I can so my followers know I never meant to deceive anyone.

"I know I've disappointed a lot of people with my behaviour, and for that I'm truly sorry. I won't ask for your forgiveness but I would like to thank you.

I'll be forever grateful to all of you for being here for me and helping me experience things I never would have otherwise. The things I did experience weren't easy for me, and I know I couldn't have done them without your encouragement and support.

And while I'm closing this chapter of my life, I'll never forget all of you and this wonderful journey you've helped me go on.

As far as the accusations that I cheated on Mark go, they're false. Mark and I broke up over six months ago and the man you saw pictures of me with was my fake boyfriend. Yes, I faked a boyfriend too, but that's another story. One that ends with a broken heart—mine.

Anyway, friends, goodbye, and I hope you keep having great adventures."

Using the photo of the sunset I took from the cliff, I post the link to the video on all my socials. And then with a resolute breath, I shut my laptop.

Fiona calls me the next day. "Oh my god, Zo, I saw your post."

"Yeah, I feel better about everything now. I can move on."

"Have you read the comments?"

"No, and I don't plan to."

"You have to. At least the most recent one."

"I can't, Fi. I'm on a permanent social media hiatus."

"Nope, you're not. Go get your laptop right now."

"Fiona, I can still ditch your wedding," I threaten.

She only laughs. "But you won't. Now quit arguing when you know I'm the bigger diva and I'm going to win. Go!"

I sigh forcefully, but dutifully grab my laptop from the balcony, wishing it had at least rained and made her demand futile.

It takes me several minutes to boot it up and open my Youtube channel, but Fiona stays on the line the whole time.

And then I see it. The comment she's talking about. It's from MrFaker321.

As if Fiona can see through my eyes, she says, "Told you you needed to see it. Click the link."

I'm shaking but I do as she instructs and Amadeo's handsome face comes onto the screen.

"I'm the fake boyfriend and I have a confession. I don't want to be a fake boyfriend anymore. Even though I was too stubborn to see it at first, there's nothing fake about my feelings for Zoe Wayz. I don't know exactly when it happened, but I fell in love with her."

Just as quickly as he came on the screen, his face disappears, and a slideshow, complete with melodic soundtrack, plays.

My eyes widen as each new picture or short video clip shows all the things we'd done. The waterfall, the parasailing, the hang gliding, there's even a terrible shot of my terrified face as the bungee cord releases and we plunge down into the canyon below. Seriously, the sound of my scream is so horrifying, heat flushes my cheeks in embarrassment. All of our adventures play on the screen for the world to see.

When the reel finally stops, tears are rolling down my cheeks and Amadeo is back on the screen.

"Stop crying, the best is yet to come," Fiona orders as if she can see me.

"She had no idea our helmets were equipped with GoPros because she didn't care about filming any of it. She was just lost in the moment and I was lost in her. I posted this video so you could all see the Zoe I see. The realest, bravest, sweetest, most adventurous person in the world, or at least in my world." Amadeo's look turns serious.

"Zoe, I'm not going to sit here in front of the world and ask you to marry me, but I am going to propose something." My handsome fake boyfriend smiles into the camera and my heart flips at the sight I thought I'd never see again.

"I propose you don't stop having adventures and experiences, you just have them with me. I don't have some big-ass fake engagement ring like your ex did, but I'm going to ask you to be my partner in life and my best friend, while we explore this fabulous world together. And Fuck tradition anyway, this life is ours for the taking, and I want to take it with you."

Now, I'm full-on crying. No, actually, I'm down right blubbering.

"So, will you, Zoe Wayz, be my partner for every adventure from here on out, as long as we both shall live?"

Sniffling and hiccupping, I post a link to a very short video of me, in all my swollen-eyed blubbering glory saying two words.

I will.

A private video message appears on my screen within seconds of my post.

"Is it him?" My sister, who I forgot was still on the phone, asks.

I breathe out a shudder and answer, "Uh-huh."

"Answer it!"

"I'm hanging up, Fi, I'll call you later."

"No, I need?—"

I cut her off, ending the call on my cell while simultaneously answering the video call on my laptop.

"Hey, honey, before I hold you to your answer, I need to ask you one more privately."

I nod, unable to find any words.

"Will you please let me in?"

I'm confused for a moment, not understanding the question.

"I'm here, honey. Can you please open up the door?"

My eyes widen and I look toward my front door.

"Yes, I'm out here." Now the voice echoes from the hallway and my laptop. I rise and rush to it, throwing it open without checking the peephole

"Amadeo." My heart squeezes at the sight of him.

He shoves into the room, kicking the door shut with his foot, while scooping me up into his arms.

"I hate that you've been crying." He sets me on my feet, wiping his thumbs under my eyes. "I hate that I hurt you so badly. And I'm so sorry it took me so long to realize I was holding onto baggage from my parents' relationship that was never mine to carry."

"Land sharks?" I ask with a sniffle.

"The worst kind, hammerheads."

I give him a small smile.

"I learned my lesson, honey. Just because I've never loved anyone before, it doesn't mean I can't love someone."

I bite my lip, holding back another wave of emotion pummeling my eyelids.

"I just needed that someone to be you."

I swallow hard, sniffling.

"Baby, I know I'm no longer your vacation Daddy." His hands cup my face and he kisses my mouth a peck. "But will you have me as your real Daddy?"

When I smile and bob my head, he pulls me back in for a searing kiss.

"I love you," he whispers.

And when he moves from my mouth to my neck, I whisper back.

"Confession? I love you too, Daddy."

THE END