Underneath by V. J. Albert (best e reader for academics TXT) 📖

"No, I want you to try to open your mind. Try to see me for who I am and maybe then you can understand me better. Maybe we could even become friends." Friends? Luca Goldberg, gay guy and random university student for Drama & Theatre. What does Henry – straight as fuck, respectable reputation as bad boy and womaniser, with millions on his bank account because being a pop star – Shaw want from him?

Luca is about to say no immediately but something stops him. Something tells him he could challenge the celebrity. Get something out of it because Luca is so damn sure he won't ever be friends with Henry Shaw, not even ever like him. So yes, Luca hesitates to say no. He thinks about the chances he has. Henry wants him to try to see the real him, well Luca could at least try, for a price of course because he still can't think of any reason, he would cave in and change his mind about the super star. So why not ask for a challenge, when he's so certain to win it anyway.

"I could try, yes but what do I get for succeeding? What do I get when you can really convince me that you're different than all the other shallow and empty shells?" Henry stares at him in the mirror. He probably didn't even expect Luca to even consider the idea. Luca chuckles, while washing his hands and drying them on a paper towel. His chuckle seems never-ending and the older boy isn’t sure if it's actually that funny or if he's just too drunk to think clearly with his mind.

"What exactly do you have in mind?", Henry asks, and Luca is so perplexed that his obnoxious chuckle stops immediately. Is famous Henry Shaw seriously going to accept a challenge by a mortal gay student? It feels so preposterous that Luca feels the need to laugh but he stops himself before a sound leaves his lips. Suddenly he thinks about what his award could be when Henry would not be able to convince the blue-eyed boy that he's different than he thinks he is. It's really hard to think about it because Luca just knows Henry's going to fail and he needs a pretty good prize.

Then suddenly he thinks about Chel and how he made her feel today, she was ashamed about him in front of Henry and all his security people. He remembers that she's pissed as hell at him and that will last for some time. So, all of a sudden Luca knows what he wants, he knows it's splendid because now he's going to win this for Chel.

"Well, you go try to convince me that you're more than what media says about you and if you can't I want you to befriend my sister."

"Your sister?" Henry raises an eyebrow at him. Yes, sister.

"I think I owe her something after tonight and you being her friend would be a dream come true."

"I don't have to date her, right?" Again, Luca is close to open his mouth and laugh because does Henry Shaw really think he'd want him to date his little sister, his favourite sister? Luca isn't really sure if he even wants Henry to be a friend of Chels because he just can't stand the guy and is sure this won't ever change but since his sibling loves the pop star, why not give it a shot. Let Chel find out herself about Henry being a shallow soul.

"How can you even think that I would let you date my sister? First, you're four years older and in her age it's a massive age gap and second, I can't stand you one bit, why would I want a brother-in-law whom I hate to death?" Henry looks pained, but it doesn't matter much to Luca at that moment. A second later the famous celebrity looks collected again.

"Wouldn't think of it. She's not really my type anyway." Yeah right, because she's blonde and blue-eyed. That's just so Theresa-Rhodes-like and you haven't been with that media-bitch for ages. Yeah, right. Luca just glances at Henry in disbelief but leaves it at that.

"Yeah, right", Luca then says though. He's not sure if he had better shut his mouth but he doesn't really give a damn about it. This is just Henry Shaw, some singing lad who's being a media marionette. The blue-eyed boy could think about more important people he wouldn't speak his mind directly like this but that was different with Henry here, obviously.

"Well, accepted but what if I really can show you that there is a real-me behind all the media image there is? What will I get when I actually win?"

"What do you think about then?"

"How about you just owe me something when I win and like you wished I'm going to befriend your darling sister when I fail. Deal?"

"Deal", Luca says and now he's actually not that sure anymore if this was so intelligent to challenge Henry. He starts to think about what would happen if Henry's really going to succeed, if he really can change his mind about the pop star. What would be the thing he'd owe him? Is this whole game really worth getting Lottie some wish she had for 2 and a half years now?

While Luca is thinking about it further, Henry types away a message on his phone. When Luca notices he can't help himself but question who it is that Henry is texting.

Probably one of his rich friends, some models or singers that will be potential future girlfriends for a few weeks, Luca just thinks and let's that thought slip his mind. It's not like it's important, is it? Why would it matter to him who Henry is texting to?

When Henry finished his message, he looks up to find Luca staring at him questioning.

"That was just Nathan, my best friend and guitarist. He's looking for me. Told me a lot of girls are asking for me to come back to the VIP room", Henry answers an unspoken question.

Of course, he had to mention that a lot of girls are awaiting his return from the restroom, Luca thinks sarcastically. He wonders how many minutes they were in this room together already.

"Like I'd care", the older boy starts. "I don't know how long we're in here already, but I know that it'll end now since I'm going to leave right about now. And isn't there a place you're awaited? We both better leave."

He's not sure why Henry stayed behind in the first place. The pop star was about to leave the loo when Luca came in. There has been no reason to stay and start a conversation with the shorter boy.

"Yes, I'm obviously expected to come back to the table soon. I should head back soon but first I need your number."

Wait. What?

"What for?" Luca is confused. Actually, he's really massively confused. What would Henry rich and famous Shaw need his number for?

"There's a challenge going on between us from now on, you remember? You've just agreed to it a few minutes ago." Luca stares at the taller boy in disbelief for like the hundredth time this night. He can't believe that he surely means it, that he seriously got himself into this shit.

Damn Lottie!

Hopefully it's worth the whole drama and he wins this crappy challenge thing that was kind of his own idea. He could bite his arse that he didn't think about it twice before agreeing to some deal that doesn't sound so amazing anymore now that he thinks about it in a soberer state of mind.

"Right."

"I think we need a timescale for the challenge."

"A timescale?" Luca feels himself getting more and more confused. Maybe it's the alcohol or maybe just the fact that he can't really value the whole damn situation. Of all people it's the most surreal thing to meet Henry Shaw in a random club. Even worse is the fact that now he has a deal going on with the pop star and is about to exchange numbers with him.

What even would Lottie do to him to get to his phone if she found out?

Luca isn't really sure he wants to know. He's actually one hundred percent sure he won't tell any of his sisters about this new acquaintance before nothing else is manageable anymore. Hopefully this really doesn't blow up into his face later on but right now the older one's mind isn't able to deliberate anything at all.

The blue-eyed boy almost missed the other one's answer of his baffled question, but he snaps out of his thoughts just in time for him to hear the words spoken out loud.

"Yes, like a firm date when the challenge ends and one of us wins. It's better to agree on a time now before we postpone the date just because none of us wants to lose the thing, am I right?" Luca just nods. He wouldn't have given it a second thought, wouldn't have exchanged numbers or anything, really. For him all of this was more like a joke that turned out more serious than he would’ve thought and he's not sure if this ends up being the first-ranked thing on the list for 'worst ideas of his life', or not.

"What stretch of time do you have in mind?"

"How about six months? For most people this is more than enough to really get to know someone. For some people even enough to already ask their partner to marry them." Luca stares at Henry startled because what the hell did he just say? Why did he start talking about relationships now? It's not like this is anything but a farce and most probably to entertain the bored shallow celebrity. Maybe Henry has already figured out that Luca was gay and now tries to make fun of it? Or maybe Luca was just thinking too much about some things in general.

"Why not", Luca just says absent-minded.

"Wonderful", Henry smiles brightly down at him and then pulls out his phone from his trouser pocket. "Here, just type in your number."

The shorter boy takes the phone and types in his number and texts himself a short 'hi' and with a 'here ya go' he gives back the iPhone again. Henry nods at him and puts away the device again.

Smiling, Henry opens the door for Luca and lets him exit first. Luca doesn't really notice Henry's good mood, didn't notice any glance by the younger boy the whole time. He's too far into his thoughts and the need to finally leave, Anyway, if there was just a moment for Luca to stare at Henry then it really just was because confusion made him stare at him like a deer caught in the headlights. It wasn't at all because the pop star really was good looking, even beautiful.

He was though, Luca had to admit.

They exit the lavatory together when a fully drunk guy passes them, rushing to the toilets.

"Some people just never know when to stop." Henry sounds affected. Like it really concerns him that people get so drunk and it's the first time since the X Factor times (yes, he had to watch the whole series when Henry Shaw was a participant) that Henry surprises Luca truly. Before he can even ask about it, someone runs into him, almost setting him flying to the ground.

Luca looks up, just to find an acquainted face.

Leon, no, Liam, no, Logan, no. Well, Luca can't actually lie about it that he wasn't interested enough in the guy that he remembered his name and after all that has happened tonight, mostly the bullshit in the lavatory, didn't really help his mind to remember it.

"I was looking everywhere for you. Already thought you might have left without me." The boy looks quite unsettled back and forth between Henry and Luca. "Wait, you look quite familiar."

And suddenly Luca remembers his name, does know that he should leave as soon as he can and