Pretend Boyfriend

On the next day, Diana worked peacefully in the laboratory. She felt relieved that her coworkers all act professionally. They only kept working and not bothering about trampling others, unlike what she experienced back at Hopton Research Institute.

It was also a relief that the only other female colleagues in their laboratory are her friends.

It has become a routine to go to the cafeteria and eat lunch with them.

"Can I sit with you guys?" Liam Branigan said, carrying his tray to their table.

Miriam looked up. She recognized their coworker from the laboratory.

"Sure." She looked at the other two girls, checking if there's no objection.

"Sure." Kate and Diana didn't mind as well.

Only then Liam pulled out the chair and sat.

"Rupert called in sick today so I have no one to take lunch with. Thanks for letting me sit with you guys."

"No problem. Is he okay?" Miriam did wonder why Rupert didn't show up. 'So that's why..he was sick..'

"Yeah. Only the flu. He'll be okay soon." Liam assured her.

Miriam nodded, smiling softly.

Kate was browsing her phone when she found a trailer of a new movie she has been looking forward to.

It turns out that Diana and the rest also follow this trilogy and have been waiting for its release.

"Check out its effects!" Kate exclaimed.

"Wow.. It even looked much better than the previous one." Miriam commented.

"Hmm.. as expected of Griffin Entertainment.." Liam said.

"You guys have watched the first movie? Do you think it's better than the books?" Diana queried.

"I've read the books.. And watched the first movie. I don't think it's necessarily better than the movie, or vice versa." Kate

puckered her lips.

"Me too. Maybe for other movies, they would get disappointed that the movie didn't give justice to the book, or that the movie just made a crappy book better." Miriam stated.

"Right..right.. Like I said, as expected of Griffin Entertainment. They can make what you imagined from reading the book come true on screen." Liam aptly said.

"It is, isn't it? I loved the book so much that I was afraid at first of watching it in the cinema. I didn't want to be disappointed. But when I finally watched it, I loved it even more! The actors and actresses didn't disappoint as well." Diana said excitedly.

"For real! They casted it really well. I loved the actress who played as the mother of the female lead. Rose is still as beautiful as ever. Her acting is so natural, as if she's not acting a character." Kate said.

"Yeah.. I think so too. Whatever movie she's in, she becomes the character herself." Miriam agreed.

After talking more and finishing lunch, they went back to the laboratory.

Diana didn't go in right away as her phone in her pocket rang. When she took it out, she saw the Caller ID. It was Chantal.

'What does she want now? It better not be about that guy again. Ugh! I'm already tired of this!'

She went to a corridor before picking up the call.

"Yes?" Diana spoke, sounding bored,

"Diana. Why are you doing this?" Chantal sounded angry.

"Huh? Do what?"

"Don't pretend with me!" Chantal yelled at her, nearly breaking her eardrums.

"Speak up. What are you talking about?"

"What the hell are you planning to do? Why would you pretend to have a boyfriend in front of me, and especially in front of Henry? You're doing this to get his attention, are you?! I'm telling you now, Henry won't get back together with you!"

"What nonsense are you on?" Diana was incredulous.

"Don't play dumb with me! You want to take him away after realizing what you lost!"

Diana laughed sarcastically.

"Chantal, I didn't know you're switching careers to be a comedienne?"

"Y-you!!!! Don't play with me Diana! If you really think of me as your sister, you shouldn't scheme against me!"

"Tsk. Chantal. For the last time. I am genuinely happy for both of you getting together. I don't have any feelings for Henry at all."

"Don't act with me! I know that Henry went to see you last night!" Although Chantal heard from Henry's mouth in his inebriated state that he went to look for Diana to ask her questions, she wouldn't admit that Henry is still holding on to the fact that he dated Diana for 2 years but have never kissed her on the lips.

"Hmm.. I didn't invite him. And I sent him away right away." Diana said.

"It doesn't matter! It's because of you pretending to have a boyfriend! And even showed off your kiss in front of all to see!"

"First of all, who said I was pretending? I do have a boyfriend." Diana said. "Secondly, how is it any of your business how I display my affection towards my boyfriend?"

"It is my business when it's affecting me! What you say or do affects my relationship!"

"It doesn't have anything to do with me. Period. You handle your own boyfriend."

"Then stay away from my boyfriend.."

"Chantal do you hear yourself? Since when did I ever reach out to him? Since when did I entertain him after you got together? Isn't it enough that I didn't make a fuss about you and him? How supportive do you want me to be? Would you rather I be single and available? Hmm? Do you think he's going to leave me alone then?"

Chantal gritted her teeth. She realized that if Diana would say that she's available, then Henry might really hop on back to her. She couldn't have that. She doesn't want to lose Henry.

"But you shouldn't show off your relationship in front of us!"

Diana shook her head in disappointment. 'Where does she leave her brains at?'

"Looks like, we're only going in circles. I'm hanging up. I still have work to do. Bye."

She felt like her time was being wasted just talking about this. It shouldn't have anything to do with her anymore.

However Henry has been acting has nothing to do with her. They are nothing to each other now. What he does is now Chantal's problem.

Every time they accuse her of not being able to move on from Henry is like a big joke to her.