The Fabulist

by Chiletz, Dawn L.

  “I’m sure we will. Does that mean you agree?”

  “To be loathed and hated? To be a bitch?”

  Mr. Matthews speaks. “I’ve been doing this a long time. Not only do I know what it takes to make a show popular, but I know what it takes to make a person a successful contestant. People will watch for you. They’ll want to see what you do next. You’ll be known as the girl who doesn’t take any crap. Be yourself. At first, maybe more than usual. If you make it through the first couple of challenges, there’ll be more interviews and more chances for the audience to get to know you. You’re a likeable person. Have a little faith in yourself.”

  I nod my head. “I do have faith in myself. I just don’t trust you or anyone else.”

  “That’s probably why you’ve made it this far. Do we have a deal?”

  I pause. My heart is pounding in my chest. I can do this. I can do this for the both of us. “We have a deal.”

  “I STILL CAN’T believe it! Can you? Are you as excited as I am?” Carmen asks as we ride the shuttle from the airport to the hotel.

  As I nod my head but don’t answer out loud, Carmen decides to begin a conversation with the driver instead. I’m zoned out. It’s been a month. A month since I returned from L.A., a month since Carmen got the call telling her she made it, and a month of listening to her non-stop plotting about how we’re going to win.

  It’s also been a month since I’ve seen Hogan. After the interview, I packed my bags and headed home. I saw him filming in the waiting area as I left my interview, but I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye. That month gave me plenty of time to get my act together and stop thinking like a horny teenager. He’s attractive, but I’ve been with hot guys before and most times their looks are a cover for their small personalities and big egos. I’ve convinced myself he isn’t worth my time. Heck, he probably won’t even be here.

  I researched the contestants I met, and I have a fairly good game plan in my head. I can totally pull off being me, but there’s no guarantee I can pull off the challenges. If I’m honest, I might be nervous that I’m not talented enough to make it all the way. Dammit. I’m already psyching myself out. Think positive. Be confident. I’ve got this.

  We’re at a different hotel this time. They rented the entire place a year ago. We’ll only be here for ten days total, but the show will run for around ten weeks, after editing is complete. We had to fill out a bunch of forms the last time I was in L.A. Carmen had to have her paperwork notarized and mailed in.

  I’m really happy we get to do this together. Even if neither of us makes it very far, it’s an experience we’ll never forget. I was able to get out of several dinner invitations with my family, thank God. I faked a cold, made up excuses about traveling for work, and even created an elaborate tale about entertaining work visitors from out of the country. I promised myself I’d confess everything when the show was done filming. Then they couldn’t talk me out of it and there would be nothing they could do but prepare for the air date. Hopefully, I’ll have landed the dream job by then, and my mother won’t be able to complain too much. I left my dad a message saying I was going to a long training session and wouldn’t be able to talk, but I’d call him as soon as I could. I pray he doesn’t freak out. We usually only go a few days without speaking before he starts to worry.

  When we give our names to the gentleman at the front desk, he takes our luggage and requires us to hand over our cellphones, laptops, and other portable devices. We’re not allowed to use the internet during our stay and any violation of that policy results in immediate dismissal. I kiss my lifeline goodbye. The desk clerk seems to find me humorous. My cell is like my baby. I haven’t been away from it since, well, since I didn’t have a phone. They were very thorough about explaining the rules so I knew I’d have to part with it before we arrived. It doesn’t make it any easier.

  Carmen told her mom about the show. She’s taking care of Boris and has been sworn to secrecy. She’s also the emergency contact for the both of us, so she had to be told a little bit. Mrs. Moran—Carla, as she insists I call her—has met my mother and understands why I might not want her to know. Carmen got the luck of the draw with her. She’s been nothing but encouraging and supportive of every decision Carmen has ever made. I’ve asked her to adopt me repeatedly. She just laughs. I don’t think she realizes I’m serious.

  We’re told there will be a meeting at 6:00 P.M. Until then, we’re welcome to wait in the lounge or explore the hotel.

  The hotel is beautiful. It has an old-world charm, even though the flat-screen TVs and modern upgrades say otherwise. We have three hours to kill until the meeting, so Carmen and I decide the best use of our time will be to poke around.

  We wander the halls of the first floor. There are multiple locked doors that refuse to open no matter how hard we pry. We find the dining room. It’s lovely with red walls and ornate chandeliers that match the ambiance of the rest of the surroundings.

  After peeking into the lounge and seeing a few unrecognizable faces, Carmen and I decide to take the elevator to each floor.

  We find housekeeping, stairwells, and exit routes as well as a few meeting rooms and the general location of vending on every floor. Vending machines are extremely important during stressful times and it seems they added them to several floors just for the show. We were pleased to see a vast selection of candy bars, chips, and gummy bears. All the important food groups.

  As we hit the button for the eleventh floor, we notice the twelfth floor requires key access and it piques our interest. Having Carmen here with me makes everything that much more enjoyable, and not only am I relaxed, but I’m convinced every decision I’ve made up to this point has been the right one.

  As soon as we exit onto the eleventh floor, we’re met by two men wearing earpieces and suits.

  “Hello, ladies. I’m afraid this floor is off-limits to contestants. Only people with special permission are allowed up here.”

  “And how do we go about getting permission? They told us to explore. Surely they wanted us to explore the eleventh floor as well,” I say, blinking my eyes seductively at him.

  The blond with the earpiece, who seems to be made of brick, smiles politely but says nothing as he hits the down elevator button. He’s completely unaffected by me. It kinda hurts my feelings, but not really.

  “That’s it? You can’t at least give us a hint?” I ask.

  “You’ll learn everything you need to know shortly. Have a wonderful stay, ladies.”

  “Bye! Thanks, guys.” Carmen waves as the doors close.

  “Do you think they were hiding something?” she whispers.

  I laugh. “Probably, but I think they were also just doing their jobs. I can say this though: gaining access to the eleventh floor just became my new goal.”

  We go to the lounge and find seats at the bar. “What can I get for you?” the bartender asks.

  “Whiskey straight.”

  “Diet Coke.”

  I pull out my wallet, and Carmen pushes my hand away. “I’ve got this, silly.”

  “No, we’ve got this,” the bartender replies. “Drinks are on the house.”

  “Are you shitting me?” I ask.

  He laughs. “I don’t joke about money.”

  “Well, damn. This show keeps getting better and better. I think you just became my new best friend,” I tell him.

  “Hey.” Carmen nudges me with her elbow.

  “What’s your name?” I ask him.

  “Jack.”

  “Jack. I will remember your name easily because it’s the first part of another drink I love. Jack Daniels.”

  He smiles as he dries a glass with a towel.

  “I’m Sam, and this is Carmen. You’ll probably be seeing a lot of me here.”

  “Not so much of me,” Carmen adds with a giggle.

  “I look forward to it.”

  Jack is balding and has big bushy eyebrows that don’t fit his lack of hair up top. If his name wasn’t so easy,
I probably would have called him Bush. I really need to get better at this name stuff. It’s a wonder I survived management at Bingham’s with my lack of memory. I guess I always had people around to remind me. I lean over to Carmen. “You’re going to have to help me with the names.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  I down my glass of whiskey as Carmen sips her soda. I elbow her when High-Rise steps into the room.

  She smiles brightly and jumps up to hug him like she’s being reunited with an old friend. “Tom! I’m so happy to see you!”

  He seems taken aback as she approaches. The corner of my mouth lifts slightly at his obvious discomfort. He didn’t hide his reaction well, although I’m certain Carmen didn’t notice. She was too busy squeezing him.

  “Carmen, right? Are you on the show? I didn’t see you in L.A.”

  “Yes. It is Carmen. They called me afterward and told me there was an opening and they needed someone just like me to fit it. I wasn’t about to say no. It’s such an honor.”

  “Hmm, I see. Hello, Sam. Good to see you again.”

  “You too.” His name is Tom. Tom. Tom. Eh, I like High-Rise better.

  There’s a bit of commotion and several crew members enter the room, holding sound equipment and video recording devices. They aren’t setting anything up, just stacking it in the corner. I don’t see Hogan and it creates a small sinking feeling in my gut. I turn back to the bar.

  “Jack, could I have another?”

  “Coming right up.”

  Out of the corner of my eye, I observe High-Rise’s attention is trained on me. Carmen is asking him about Kristann and he’s doing his best to offer as little information as possible. I down my next drink and turn in time to see him raise his eyebrows.

  “If you’ll excuse me, I think I’m going to walk around a bit. I’ll see you two later.”

  Carmen waves goodbye before sliding back onto the bar stool. “He wasn’t as friendly as the first time we met.” She sighs heavily and frowns as she plays with her straw.

  “You can’t let that shit bother you. Remember, this is a game now. Everyone will be guarded and you should be as well. Don’t tell them anything about yourself. Let them guess. You have an advantage the rest of us don’t. You’re new to them. They’re going to be suspicious of you. Use it to your advantage. You could be anyone right now. You could be a spy for The Fabulist for all they know.”

  “Oooh, you’re brilliant! I never thought of it like that. I keep forgetting to not be so friendly. I guess I need to… AGH! It’s Bryce. Bryce is here.” She turns nervously in her stool and fiddles with her straw. “Do I look okay? How’s my hair? Did he see me? Do you think he remembers me?”

  “Hello, Sam and…” He leans around me to see who I’m with. “Carmen! We’re so happy you were able to join us. We were seriously missing something special without your sunny personality around here.”

  Carmen’s mouth hangs open and I can’t help but snicker. Bryce stares at her. His expression flattens when she doesn’t say anything. I elbow her in the side.

  “Ow! Oh, thanks, Bryce. I’m really happy to be here too. I missed you. I mean… I missed the game… the people. Oh, cripes.” She spins away and chews on her straw.

  “She’s nervous,” I tell him in a hush.

  He grins as his eyes move over her. She’s turned away from him. He purses his lips and strolls around me to face her. I press my lips together firmly in excitement as I rotate to see what he’s doing. He curls a finger under her chin and lifts her eyes to his. Damn!

  “Don’t be nervous. You belong here, and I, for one, couldn’t be happier to see you.”

  “Really?” she questions.

  “Really.”

  “Bryce, do you have a minute?” one of the crew members calls.

  He lifts his head and smiles at Carmen. “See you in a bit.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  Her eyes are sparkling in a way I’ve never seen before. I reach out and grasp her arm tightly. I can’t help but stomp my feet on a rung of the stool.

  “Did that really happen?” she asks.

  “Yes it did. He never talked to me that way. I’ve never seen him behave that way with anyone.”

  “Stop it. You’re teasing me.”

  “I’m not! Holy shit, I think he really likes you. Do I get to be the godmother of at least one of your kids?”

  “Please! Look at me. How could he? He’s perfect with his sandy-blond hair and blue eyes. He’s clearly out of my league.”

  The blood boils under my skin. “Dammit, Carmen! Why do you say that shit about yourself? You’re out of his league. You’re kind and sweet and gorgeous, inside and out. Clearly he sees that in you. Why can’t you see it in yourself?”

  “I just… I just don’t want to invent things that don’t exist. I don’t want to get my hopes up.”

  “Let’s be honest. Your hopes have been up for months.”

  She teeters her head back and forth before a wide grin spreads across her face. “He touched my chin.”

  “Yes he did.”

  We both giggle like high school girls at the football field who just made eye contact with the quarterback.

  “What did I miss?”

  I recognize the voice, but I can’t bring myself to gaze up at him. The sound of his words rumbles in my chest, causing my heart to flutter. This wasn’t supposed to happen.

  “Hi, Hogan.” Carmen beams. She smirks at me. I know my face is ashen. He’s here.

  “I don’t know if you remember me. I’m—”

  “Carmen. Of course I remember you. You’re a great addition to the show.”

  I realize I’m being rude, so I gather what’s left of my nerve and spin to face him. All my memories of him were so wrong. He’s even more gorgeous than I remember. He’s got a bit of stubble on his face. His dark hair is a spiky mess on the top of his head and his T-shirt is tight in all the right places, accentuating his arm muscles and the curve of his chest to his waist. I try not to stare at the tattoos on his arm, although I’m curious about them. I want to grab hold of his hair and pull his face to mine. Shit. I need to stop it!

  “Hey, Hogan,” I say nonchalantly, as if I couldn’t care less.

  His smile lights up his face as he stares directly into my eyes. “You still remember my name. Glad to know you haven’t forgotten about me.”

  “Well, Carmen did just say it so, I’m sure that’s why it’s fresh in my mind.” I laugh sarcastically.

  He nods. “That’s true. Guess I still need to work on being unforgettable.”

  “Oh, come on.” Carmen waves her hand. “How could anyone forget you? You’re dreamy.”

  His big belly laugh is contagious and I can’t help but smile at the sound. My head swirls to regard her. I can’t believe she just said that.

  “If only Sam thought so too. She thinks I’m an asshole.”

  “I never said that! We’re supposed to be starting over, remember?” I hold out my hand to him. “Friends?”

  He glances down at it briefly before taking it in his. His hand is warm. Mine is cold. He holds it a bit longer than a friend should, and the gaze between us makes my heart flutter in my chest. Friends, Sam. Friends.

  I recoil and change the subject. “So what’s the deal? What’s going on?”

  He glances over his shoulder in the direction of my eyes. “We’re getting ready to set up. Most cameras have already been planted. Do you remember the info they sent you?”

  My eyes lift to the right at the memory of the letters. “We’re filmed constantly. Are they going to film us in our rooms too?”

  “Actually, yes. Up until you go to sleep. There’ll be a crew member assigned to you.”

  “Female, I hope?” Carmen asks.

  “Not necessarily. Not enough of them for everyone. I can put in a special request for you if you prefer.”

  “Do we have our own rooms?”

  “You’ll be assigned a roommate.”

  Carmen eyes me worrie
dly. “What are the chances I’ll get Sam?”

  “I have no idea.”

  “Who gets you?” I ask confidently.

  He shrugs. “They haven’t told me yet.”

  “If you’re going to put in a request, I want you. I don’t need someone following me around who makes me uncomfortable.”

  Carmen smiles. “Can you see if we can be together, with you?” she asks. “Please?”

  His eyes dance between us. “Are you sure about that?”

  “We’re sure,” I respond.

  “I’ll see what I can do.” He winks as he wanders toward someone who seems to be his boss. He has a clipboard and is directing other crew members.

  “You really want him around us all the time?” Carmen whispers.

  “Better someone we can trust, like Hogan.” Watching him as he speaks with his team, I realize he excites and calms me at the same time. I’ve never had a man affect me the way he does. I need to know more about Hogan Harper. There’s more to him than meets the eye. My gut tells me to keep on searching and I always follow my gut.

  THERE ARE TWELVE of us total and I recognize most of the faces. Along with Carmen and me are High-Rise, Stuck-Up, Cocoa, Tex, Braveheart, Granola, BM, and three others I’ve never met. College was cut. I’m not surprised. He probably couldn’t give up his phone.

  We’ve been herded into a hallway outside one of the sets of locked doors on the first floor. Hogan is working one of the three cameras recording our every move. I’d better get used to them. Having one constantly in my face will be a rough adjustment to make. I remember my deal with the executives as I stand in the hall. I’m ready to pounce on Stuck-Up the first time he steps out of line.

  Bryce steps through a crack in one of the doors. He seems nervously excited. I wonder what they have in store for us. My palms begin to sweat.

  “First things first. Welcome. On behalf of the production team, The Fabulist, and myself, we’d like to thank you all for participating in this adventure with us. Behind these doors is a boardroom of sorts. It’s where we’ll begin our journey and where we’ll meet after every challenge. Inside the boardroom is another room off to the side we call the diary room. It’s where we’ll be conducting private interviews. These will be between you, the team, and The Fabulist. The other contestants will not be able to see you or hear what you’ve said. It’s where you’ll vote and express any concerns or feelings you have.”