Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Famous In Love or any characters mentioned in this story. Reviews are always appreciated. :)

To say things were awkward when Paige arrived home was an understatement.

She found Jake sitting on the couch as the smell of familiar queso and beef filled the apartment. Mexican takeout. Of course.

"Hey." She put up her hand in a short wave and gave him a smile before walking over and sitting down next to him.

"Hey. How was work?" Jake asked, passing her plastic utensils and her container of food.

"Long. I'm glad to be home. I'm missed this."

"Me...Or the Mexican food?"

"The food of course. But seeing you doesn't hurt."

"I'm glad." He chuckled before leaning over and briefly pressing a kiss to her lips. She couldn't even fully kiss back, or not, because it was over before she could respond.

After eating and cleaning everything it up, it was just the two of them curled up on the couch. It was silent, but for once Paige didn't mind the quiet. Her life would be more than a little loud and hectic starting as soon as tomorrow morning. Maybe embracing this calm wouldn't be a bad idea.

Jake was flipping through the channels when Paige took the remote and set it aside, clearing her throat before making eye contact with him.

"If you hear things about me, just ignore it okay? There's nothing you need to worry about."

"Paige, you're starting to worry me."

"Just promise me Jake. You won't give in to the gossip and press?"

"Okay. I promise." Paige nodded, leaned back against his chest and turned on the first show she saw. Maybe the tv would block out everything. Even if just for a little while.

The next morning, Rainer and Paige had no filming to do, but instead sat through meeting after meeting with Nina and Rainer's manager. If no other reason than to discuss their plan of action to tackle the rumored relationship.

"So you two are really dating? This isn't just some stunt for publicity? If it is, we need to know now." Nina asked, deciding to finally break the silence.

Their eyes locked from their spots right next to each other on the couch. Paige hesitated for a minute, but nodded to Rainer, silently signaling him that it was okay for him to confirm.

"It's not. We are really together." Rainer said with a firm shake of his head as he clasped Paige's hand and held it up in front for the whole room to see. "See. The real deal."

The room had to laugh at that. Rainer was trying to ease the tension and was succeeding at it.

He set their hands down and instead slung an arm around her shoulder. Maybe a few public displays of affection would help make everyone believe them.

"We fell for each other. It just kinda happened over time." Paige stated, shrugging as she smiled at Rainer, leaning in to his touch.

"Okay. If you both confirm it then, we take your word." Rainer's manager, Sandy.

"So now we need to handle the press. You two will have more attention than ever. Be prepared for that."

Rainer took the opportunity to lean in and whisper to her. "We're doing the right thing."

Paige met his eyes and slowly nodded in agreement. She just hoped she would still feel that way when the movie came out. When the rumor mills inevitably started. When she found a way to explain this all to Jake.

Rainer latched onto her hand just like this morning as they made their way through the crowd of paparazzi. They had just gotten out of lunch, their first public outing as a "couple."

"Rainer, Paige, how long have you two been together?"

"Is it just for publicity?"

"Isn't it a little too convenient for Locked's release later this summer?"

"Go on and give her a kiss Rainer!"

She froze when she heard the last statement. Once again she was met with Rainer's breath on her ear.

"Let's put on a show right?"

Gulping, she turned towards him with a nod. "Right."

He hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her in. Their eyes met. When she was close enough to smell the familiar scent of his aftershave, his kissed her. Softly at first, before he deepened it, pressing his palms to the side of her face.

And Paige did the thing she felt she needed to do, she kissed him back, not caring about the flash of a hundred cameras trying to capture the moment. Real relationship or fake, there was no turning back now. They were in this thing together after all.

Paige sucked in a breath as she saw Jake's silhouette on the balcony.

"Jake? What are you doing here?" She took hesitated steps towards him, a nervous energy building inside her stomach.

He finally spoke, but didn't turn towards her right away. "Remember what you said to me last night? About not listening to everything I hear?"

"Of course."

"Well there's the irony in the situation then." His eyes met hers and she had never seen him look so betrayed. So defeated. This was somehow worse than seeing him find out the truth from Alexis about him being fired. Because this time, she truly was the guilty party.

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't have to hear anything. It's on the front cover of every damn magazine in LA. I saw all I needed to." He turned around to face her, deathly gripping a cover of the latest Star Magazine. The crinkled headline kept popping out at her. The only thing hotter than the Locked books is the on-screen turned off-screen romance surrounding the film.

Well when you put it like that, no wonder Jake is pissed.

"Do I mean anything to you? Does what we have mean anything to you? Are you just stringing Rainer and I along? Or were you just waiting to tell me the news in a gentle way? Well spare me the bullshitty details." His eyes were cold and she felt totally exposed. If looks could kill, she'd be dead right about now.

"It's not real."

"What?"

"The picture is real, yes. But the relationship is not. It's just to boost sales for the book and press for the movie. And it's working so far." She explained, hoping he's try to see it from her perspective. To try and understand.

"So what, he gets you in the public eye and I get you in private?" His bitter laugh made her stomach churn. He was slipping away from her yet again.

"That's not what's happening."

"So tell me this: if I hold your hand in public would people think you were cheating on Rainer?"

Her dead silence was answer enough for the both of them it seemed because Paige glanced at her shoes without a word.

"Rainer must love it. He finally gets you all to himself. And he'll gain more attention too."

"Jake, this shouldn't change anything between us."

"But it does. Because you are lying to the world. I don't know what's real or fake with you anymore."

"You're real." She tried to interrupt, to make her point, but Jake wasn't having any of it.

"I can't keep doing this Paige. I'm sorry but you need to make a choice. Me or him." It should have been a question, a request. But it came off sounding more like a command. He wasn't asking her to choose. He was telling her to. Or he was done.

"It's you okay? I pick you. That's what I tried to tell you in the voicemail. I tried to tell you after you left. I ran after you to try and get you back. I tried to tell after our first kiss. It's you. It was always you."

"Really?"

"Really. I-I love you too Jake."

She felt his arms wrap around her and eased into his embrace. She had finally made her choice. Now she had to live with it. Both of them.

AN: you didn't really think I'd have Paige make her final, final choice in the fourth chapter did you? Nah. Jaige has a bumpy road ahead of them and Raige is only beginning believe it or not!