Chapter 8

Two Weeks Later

"The label has had some interesting feedback from the press." Frank states.

"Go on then," I encourage. I have been interrupted from my morning routine yet again. My vinyl certainly not playing, and my coffee going cold. My fuse with Frank has been getting shorter and shorter.

"Well, all of your dates so far have been to award shows and other red carpet events. There has been suspicion that your relationship is not even real."

The fact that he says it like it's a shock is absolutely hilarious.

"Well, it's not real. So what do they need us to do next?" Obviously there"s a great big plan incoming.

"It's nothing crazy, Flora, relax. It's a change of scenery that they're looking for, that's all."

I run my hands through my hair, tugging on it.

"You're going to meet with him this afternoon. Go for a walk in the park together. Trust me, it will be much easier than the dates you've been doing so far."

"Fine." I hang up. I don't know how they expect me to be writing an album at the moment when I have to drop everything at their behest.

The easiest thing to do these days is just agree. I switch my phone to ‘Do Not Disturb' and go back out on the balcony to finish my coffee in the sun.

Sebastian Orville and I have been on four dates now. Four. Each and every one of them has gone the same. He picks me up in the limo, we don't talk until we're at the event, and then he goes right back to ignoring me in the car again. I haven't lost my mind again the way I did the first time. I've been matching his energy, it's easier that way.

That's such a lie, it's getting harder each time. I've lost sight of why we're even doing this now too. No one seems to be getting the message we set out for. I don't get to see the media on the Monster side, but the Human side is pretty bad. I haven't had any in-person confrontations yet, surprisingly. But the media online is portraying me as a traitor to my kind. Or at least, that's what the big news channels are saying.

The smaller channels, the more art and music focused groups, have been so supportive. That has been lovely. People are coming out more and more to question why we are taught to hate like this.

I think of that side when I don't feel like doing this anymore.

There's also been talk from Fortune Records about setting up a studio that both Humans and Monsters will work from, right in the center of town, where both sides meet. I don't know how much of that is true, but it does make me hopeful.

Who knows, maybe I'll meet a Dragon Shifter there that isn't a gloomy asshole.

Doubtful.

We follow our usual routine when the car comes to pick me up.

Silence.

I sigh, watching out the window to see where we are going. It looks like we're heading to Center Park, a place where no one really even goes. Half of it is in the Monster side of the city, the other in the Human side.

I get out of the car before Sebastian gets up. I'm wearing a cute little leggings and tank set in bright yellow, covered up by a cozy pastel blue hoodie. My blue sneakers are what have me hopping out before him.

I‘m always wearing some sort of stupid contraption on my feet when we normally have these dates, so it's nice to be able to hop out before him and set the pace.

I look back to make sure he's following. I haven't really looked at him yet, which was definitely a mistake. He's wearing gray sweatpants that hang low on his hips, paired with a black hoodie and sneakers. Ugh, why do men have to look so good in sweatpants.

"Race ya!" I call, setting off at a sprint, my ponytail swinging behind me. I need to get away from him before I lose it again.

He easily out-paces me, slipping by before I've even started really.

"How about we walk," he says, looking pained.

I slow my pace to a walk. "Sure," I say. He really does look in pain. Maybe he has an injury that he doesn't want to tell me about.

So we walk, hand in hand, while some very obvious paparazzi take photos of us. It's all so planned and staged, it's laughable that this is what's supposed to make us look more genuine.

We're barely walking for five minutes when we're told that we're all good to go. Frank was right, this kind of date was easier.

When we're settled back in the car, both our phones ding at the same time. I look down to see a text from Frank:

That went well. You'll be going out again tomorrow night to a club. Monster side of town. Pick up is at 11:30 pm.

Sebastian glares at his phone, his teeth grinding as he tosses it onto the seat next to him.

"Are you OK?" I ask him, gently.

He refuses to answer, refuses to even look at me.

Not for the first time, I wonder why Sebastian is even doing this whole PR stunt.