Faking It

Chapter 35: The Lies Were White

Maybe this was how it always went when you met your boyfriend's parents. Maybe the kind of meeting where they implored you to call them by their first names only happened in movies. But as I gulped down deep breaths against my urge to vomit and wove through the guests, back towards the bathroom near the elevators, I knew that was a lie. I'd heard all about it when Jake had first met Simon's parents. They'd gone to brunch, and by the end of it, Jake and Simon's mom had exchanged numbers, and Simon's dad had invited him on their annual fishing trip. They'd been on a first name basis ever since. Meanwhile, I couldn't imagine ever calling Theo's parents anything less formal than Mr. and Mrs. Ellerby.

I shoved open a bathroom stall door and hovered over the toilet, certain that my stomach was about to empty its contents, when I realized how ridiculous all of this was. It didn't matter that I couldn't imagine calling them by their first names. Fake girlfriends didn't call their fake in-laws anything. And yet here I was, acting like this was real. Again. The wave of dizzy nausea passed, leaving me with nothing but a cold sweat as I sank down onto the seat.

"Get a grip, Ellie," I muttered into my hands, resisting the urge to scrape them through my styled hair.

Instead, I fished out my phone.

It's official. I hate black-tie galas, I sent to Jake. I chewed my thumbnail as I waited for his reply, only to remember that he and Simon were hosting a dinner party.

The bathroom door swung open, admitting a burst of chatter and piano.

"...his date? What was that, a bargain basement dress?"

Two sets of high heels clacked against the bathroom tiles.

"Looked like it. And that bruise?"

One of them made a gagging noise before they both giggled.

My stomach hollowed out. I debated hugging my knees to my chest so they wouldn't see my feet beneath the stall divider, but I stopped when my phone buzzed with a text from Jake.

Stay strong. You're just as good as any of them, El.

Heat had climbed up my neck, but I set my jaw. He was right. Intimidated as I was, I wasn't about cower here while people gossiped about me. I was worth more than that. Besides, I was never going to see any of them again. This would be my first and last family outing as Theo's girlfriend. I might as well give the bathroom gossips a dose of their own medicine while I could.

With a deep, steeling breath, I stowed my phone and shoved open the stall door. One of the girls choked off her giggle and bit her lips when she noticed me in the mirror. The other simply arched an eyebrow as she leaned in to reapply her lipstick.

"You have a good eye," I said as I washed my hands. "It was a bargain rack buy."

They both stared at me with that smugly amused, superior look that I absolutely loathed.

I inspected my reflection as I dried my hands. My neck had gone all splotchy, but I pressed on. "I guess it just goes to show that you can buy as many designer dresses as you want, but they won't land you an Ellerby." I fixed them both with my brightest smile. "Have a nice night. I know I will."

My heart was pounding a mile a minute when I strode past them. Neither had reacted to my words, but it had felt damn good to say them. Squaring my shoulders, I rode that high all the way back to the hallway, where I spotted Theo just beyond the towering flower arrangements near the bar.

He was standing with Madeleine and two girls I didn't recognize, his trademark grin in place as they talked. It was almost painful how handsome he looked, standing there, absolutely at ease despite all the extravagance surrounding him. I had to fight not to hunch every three seconds, whereas he threw his head back with laughter, completely comfortable, almost as if he was born to attend galas like this.