✫✫✫

"You want me to fake date you?!" I slammed my hands on the table and stared angrily at the guy I badly wanted to get rid of.

Hannibal smiled annoyingly. "Easy there, babe. We wouldn't want to hurt the table."

Steam was coming out of my nose. When Hannibal called me awhile ago, he told me to meet with him at Lottie's again to talk about the fake rumors spreading about us being a couple. When I came, the whole place was empty. He assured me that nobody was staying in the cafe anymore and he paid the owner so that we could discuss matters privately.

And now he wants to ruin my life. Why does everybody like doing that to me?

"I don't even like you, much less know you! Why would I want to act that I do?" I asked him.

He just kept his smile like he always does. "It's a win-win situation, babe. We both act in love for a few months, we get more famous than we already are and earn a lot of bucks. It'll be easy since a lot of fans are starting to like the thought of us as a couple anyway."

"Like I'd want to act lovey-dovey with a guy like you." I rolled my eyes. "I'd rather eat a million ghost peppers than do as much as hold your hand and call you honey bunch."

"Oh, is that so?" He asked. He lifted his mug of coffee before smirking. "I was expecting you to say that."

I lifted a brow. This guy's face is really ticking me off. "Sure you did. Because you know everything about me after we first met. Huh, as if."

"On the contrary, I do." He said. "I know the basics about you. From your old two-story house, to your father's restaurant that you never visit, and I even know your cat named Mewie whom you blatantly ignore unless she's giving birth to kittens."

I was appalled. "I do not ignore Mewie! That's a lie! Well.. Maybe I do ignore her several times a month but still! What are you, some sort of stalker?"

"Me? Stalk you?" He chuckled. "You wish. I'm just doing my research. And my research tells me that fake dating you, the instafamous star, can make me richer and more popular."

"Wait, so you're trying to use me? For popularity?!" Geez, this guy's more selfish than I thought.

He set down his cup and nodded. "Ouï, mon cher. I wouldn't waste my time looking up on a nobody, now would I? I only date people for my gain, only that. You're lucky I even chose to ask you. Most girls would ask me to fake date them."

"Gold-diggers." I muttered under my breath.

For what seemed like forever, he went on and on about his fake dating life and ground rules and such. I was so glad when he finally stopped with a question. "So, are you willing to make money through dinners, roses and PDA?"

"Can you be even more contemptible?" I rolled my eyes and stood up to leave. "I don't even know how people are drawn towards you and your greediness. It's like you don't know how to court a girl so you forced her to be with you. It's sick."

"Is that a yes then?"

"No, Mr. Narcissus. It's a definite no." I said, walking away. There is no way on earth that I'd fake date a guy like Hannibal. Unless I desperately needed the money, which I don't, I will never ever let myself be linked with that guy.

He went after me and slid his arm around my waist. "If you change your mind, which you will, you know my number." He winked at me before opening the entrance door.

"Why is your arm on my—" I stopped halfway as soon as I saw the many paparazzi in front of us.

"Gigi! Gigi! Look up here!"

"Smile for the cameras Hannibal!"

"Hey don't move too much!"

"Are you two dating?"

"How did you first meet?"

They shot us questions after questions and snapped away, trying to make us stay in our place. I did my best to get out of Hannibal's clutch on me but his hold was tight. While I covered my face, he pushed the paps away. "Please just leave us alone!"

Of course, they didn't listen. His plea just made them even more rowdy than before. We were being squished. I think I felt myself being scratched already.

All of a sudden, we heard loud whistles coming from every direction. What seemed to be bodyguards pushed their way towards us and led us out of the crowd. They were aggressive. About five of them cleared the way and two brought us to a gray SUV. By the time we were inside, I was full of sweat and scratch marks.

"Drive, hurry!" Hannibal yelled at the driver. The paparazzi did their best to run after us but thankfully, we lost sight of them. Bless their thick minds for not thinking of bringing any vehicles.

While I was busy trying to catch my breath, Hannibal was staring at the back of the car as if we we're still being chased. After a few minutes, he looked at me with concern and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Okay?! After I've nearly been killed by camera-armed people, that's all you can say?" I say breathlessly. I was breathing heavily. I know I'm not claustrophobic but I think I'll be one soon. Those people are wild!

"Well I'm sorry but it's not my fault that they attacked us! I don't think I informed them about us meeting!"

"Then who did? I can't be—ow. What the heck?" I felt an awful pain on my arm. It looked like someone dug their fingernails really deeply on it. My wound was an abyss of blood that stung badly.

"Let me see that." He suddenly grabbed my arm and scrutinized it before clicking his tongue. "Those messed up lowlives! That's gonna leave a scar! Roger, call my manager! I need to find out who did this and sue them for violence!"

I nearly choked on my saliva. Talk about extreme measures. "Whoa whoa whoa! What are you, my dad? Just chill for a moment, okay? This'll fade soon, I'm sure of it."

"You could get infected!" He yelled, looking at me angrily as if I was the one who caused my own pain, as if I was the one who led ourselves to being seen together.

"Why are you being so paranoid? You're not telling me that you actually care for my well being, right?" I asked.

He looked startled for a moment before rolling his eyes. "How could I not care for my future money maker? If people see that without knowing the whole story, I could be mistaken for an abusive boyfriend!"

"Aren't you already one?" I deadpanned.

He groaned and looked away from me. "Ugh, whatever. Get a bruise for all I care. I'm not paying for your medical fees."

"Like I'd make you!" I snapped back. I slumped in my seat and crossed my arms. I don't know what Mr. Narcissus's deal is, but I'm not going to delve in and let myself be confused with his actions.

✫✫✫

When I got home (courtesy of the annoying Hannibal), I felt and looked like a hot mess. My hair was sticking out in at least forty different directions, my clothes were wrinkly and slightly torn, and I was feeling particularly grumpy. Not to mention, my wound was still aching because Hannibal wouldn't let me visit the clinic and demanded that I aid it at home instead.

I was just about to tiptoe my way inside the bedroom when the lights flickered and I noticed Paul sitting on the couch with a frown on his face. His arms were crossed and his hair was disheveled, meaning he probably stayed up late waiting for me to come home and fell asleep.

"Where were you?"

Not feeling like dealing with his endless nagging, I proceeded to go to my room. "Just.. Went out to get some fresh air. Good night."

He slipped in between me and the door and brought out his phone. He showed me a recent article of me and Hannibal posted a few minutes ago, featuring yet another load of gossip. This time though, they had believable evidence. I'm not sure if Paul is buying it, but he sure looks like it. "You went out to get fresh air with Hannibal?"

I'm too tired for this. "Yes. Maybe. No. I don't know. Can we just talk about this tomorrow?"

My puppy eyed look obviously didn't work on him. He just raised an eyebrow before sighing. "Stop trying to dodge me when I'm—"

"Ouch!" I let out a strained cry when Paul clutched on my arm and pressed on my wound. He immediately let go and jumped slightly, muttering a series of apologies that I didn't bother accepting.

"Hold on, did Hannibal do this to you?" He raised his voice just a little, but it was obvious that the kettle was close to whistling. He held my wrist and examined my wound. "Gosh, if this is his way of convincing me to give him permission to date you then it is not worki—"

"What?" Was I hearing him right? How does he know about the thing with Hannibal?

When I looked at him, he was biting his lip and looking away from me. I slit my eyes and was just about to point an accusing finger at him but he decided to avoid that by running away. "Uh, let's nurse that wound! Let me get the first aid kit!"

I rolled my eyes. Of course he chooses to become a good brother now. Of course.

Waiting for him, I sat on the couch and took out my phone. When I opened it, I wasn't surprised with the amount of notifications I received from all of my social network accounts. Most of them consisted of fans bugging me about Hannibal, some being totally against the idea because he was considered an international playboy, and others being totally supportive to the point of creating a ship name for us. Ugh.

"Ew, why?!" I scrolled past my twitter feed, making a disgusting face upon seeing collections of photos with me and Hannibal entitled 'Hagi'.

Well, it's better than Ginnibal. That just sounds like some weird guinea pig's name.

"Okay, I'm ba—why do you look constipated?" Paul walked towards me with a white case and furrowed his brows when he saw my face. I ignored him and continued looking through my phone. "It's nothing."

I felt the couch dip and glanced beside me to see Paul shuffling through the first aid kit and pulling out cotton balls and medicine. He looked like he didn't know what he was doing.

"You know, I can do this by myself. Shoo." I put a hand on the case but Paul slapped my hand away.

"No way! I'm your brother. Not to mention, your manager, so I have to do this."

He was strangely being out of character. Paul rarely helped me out when I got hurt or showed any concern whatsoever.

He definitely wanted something.

"What do you want?" I asked with a tired tone. I'm seriously getting full of everyone's requests shoved in my face.

Paul looked up at me innocently. "What, I can't be a nice brother?"

"Cut the crap and tell me. I'm not letting you lay a hand on my wound until you tell me."

Proving my suspicions, Paul scratched the back of his head and looked at me uneasily. I gestured for him to spit it out.

"Well, I sort of got a call from Hannibal's manager and he wants me to convince you to dateHannibalbecauseitsgoodforpublicityandcanearnyoualotofmoney." He spoke the last few words quickly, but I understood it clearly. And I'm not happy about that.

"And you agreed?!" I asked angrily. When he didn't answer, I slammed the kit shut and stood up, bringing the case with me.

"Gigi, please hear me out!" He caught up to me and put a hand on my shoulder.

I shrugged it off and gave him a glare. "I don't have time for your explanations."

"But—"

"You know that I've never dated anyone and I intend it to be with someone I really love, and yet you still agree to a stupid deal because you want to make me even more famous!" I twisted the doorknob and kicked it open. "Do you really have no consideration of how I feel?!"

Paul looked down guiltily. "I just want you to reach your dreams."

I threw him a disgusted look. "You ruined my dreams when you posted that video."

"Just give this a chance, please! Forget the past and give this a chance!"

I slammed the door and screamed from my side of the door. "Never!"

Then and there, I decided that I would never agree to be Hannibal's stupid boy toy even if my life depended on it.

✫✫✫

omg sorry for the loooong delay. Sue me. I'm an awful author. But if it helps, I might have more time to write now because I have two months before school starts. I'm also really excited to write because I have Hannibal and I like writing his and Gigi's interactions. Hihihi. Hope you liked this update!

xoxo

~Naf ♡