“The Highlight Hotel is the current home of The Fabulist and all the contestants in the game. We have the entire hotel to ourselves. With this many rooms, you’d think each contestant might enjoy their own floor, but that would be too easy.”
He strolls, and Hogan follows him. Bryce focuses on a new camera, but Hogan stays on him for a moment before panning the room. The technical mechanics of production are intriguing. Maybe I went into the wrong field.
“Our contestants will share rooms. Females with females, males with males, of course, on the second and third floors. To make it interesting, we’ll be sending each contestant one at a time. When I call your name, please come and get your key and make your way to your room. Your luggage will be waiting for you. You must stay until your roommate arrives. On a side note, you’ll notice our crew with you. They cannot speak to you while filming or intervene in any way. Please act as if they aren’t there. Round one begins tomorrow. We’ll see you back here for breakfast between eight and nine. Filming starts at eleven. Wear comfortable clothes.”
Carmen leans forward and glances at me. Somehow I know in my heart, we’re going to be separated. How much pull can one cameraman have?
“Ervin, Courtney, and Finola.”
They get their cards. A cameraman follows them.
“Andrew, Carter, and Sam.” I rise to get my card. Carmen hasn’t been called, so maybe there is a chance. Hogan follows us with the camera.
We walk silently to the elevator. Once inside, it becomes obvious we are all on the third floor. Hogan is filming the entire time.
“Why in the hell would they put me anywhere near you? You’re not my type. If I had my choice, I’d room with Courtney. She’s a real woman.” Here we go. Stuck-Up just can’t control himself.
Five sighs and purses his lips.
“Wow. The first chance you get, you have to show the world what an asshole you are. I hate to tell you, but you’re no one’s type. You’ve successfully made the entire population cringe at once. And for the record, the other side of the world would still be too close to you.”
He pivots and bends down to get in my face. “You’d better watch yourself. I know for a fact there are already several other players who also can’t stand you.”
I lift on my tippy-toes to get into his face. “Good. I’m not here to make friends. Bring it. I’m not scared of you or anybody.”
He huffs loudly as the elevator doors open, pushes past, and exits, turning down the hall to the right. My room is to the left. Five appears apologetic. He stops me before I start toward my room. Hogan is still with us. Other cameras are stationed in the hall.
“I wish I could apologize enough for him. If any guy ever spoke to my daughter that way, I’d lose my mind.”
“No apologies necessary. I know there are decent men out there. He just isn’t one of them.”
He nods his head and treads away. His room is closer to Stuck-Up’s than mine. Hogan is still following me. It makes me smile. I hope he stays with me the whole time. He creates all these odd emotions in me and I can’t figure out what it is I’m feeling. Strangely, I want to trust him, but I’m not sure I can.
I slide the key card and open the door. Hogan steps in front of me to record my face as the door closes. The room is gorgeous. It’s a double queen with a large bathroom and a small sitting area. My luggage is by the door, along with another bag I don’t recognize. My heart sinks. It’s not Carmen’s.
The door swings open, and I hear her before I see her. She screams loudly in excitement before rushing to me and throwing her arms around me, cackling.
My roommate is BM. Lord give me strength.
“What luck! New York represent! Do you prefer the bed by the window or the wall? Because I really like the window.”
I motion toward it. “Take it.”
She falls onto the bed. “What a day. I wonder if I’ll ever be able to sleep with all this excitement. I’ve been known to have insomnia. I hope I don’t keep you up at night.”
Perfect. This keeps getting better and better. Now that the roommate issue is settled, I have a moment to examine my temporary home for the next ten days. That is, if I last that long. There’s a small camera positioned in the center of the room near the ceiling that seems to follow our movements. I immediately rush to the bathroom and am relieved not to find one there. That would have been a deal-breaker.
“What’s up?” she asks, concerned.
“I wanted to make sure bathroom filming was off-limits.”
She glances up toward the ceiling and stands from the bed, concerned. “Is it?”
I smile. “Yeah, it seems that way.”
“Well damn. I would hope so. No voyeurs allowed,” she squawks with a finger-pointing motion and a fake frown.
I flop down on my bed then immediately jump off. I almost forgot my own rule. I check the mattress and duvet. Then I move the nightstand and check around the bed. I sigh and slowly inch downward onto the mattress. It’s firm. I think it’ll be okay. I bounce up and down, and it squeaks. Gazing up briefly, I notice both BM and Hogan regard me cautiously. I feel I need to explain.
“My dad traveled a lot growing up. He once brought bed bugs home. It was a disaster of epic proportions. I’ve been paranoid ever since.”
“Can I assume we’re good? You just made my skin crawl.”
I smile and nod in embarrassment until she laughs loudly, causing the grin to slide off my face. Her laugh vibrates in my chest. It hurts my ears and leaves them ringing. I’m going to have to get used to it or get rid of her. The latter sounds more appealing.
“Not much to do here,” she says. “I think I’ll go down to the bar for a drink. Want to come?”
I shake my head. She spends a few minutes in the washroom and after she leaves, I sigh loudly and run my fingers through my hair. I want to talk to Hogan, but I know I can’t. He’s still filming, and I don’t like it.
I decide to unpack my bag and place the toiletries in the bathroom. He follows me until I reach the door, since the bathroom is off limits. As I press my fingers into my lacy undergarments, I decide it might be time for a little fun. I remove the first thong and carefully lay it on the bed, then I place a matching pink lace bra next to it. I repeat the process with a red and purple matching set. I’m dying to see his expression, but I can’t look. When I pull out the black bustier for a formal dress we were told to bring, I swear I hear a slight groan. Hiding a smile, I make sure not to meet his eyes. This is going to be a blast.
There’s a frantic pounding on the door. I grab all my undergarments and toss them in the drawer. I yank open the door and Carmen is standing in front of me with a tear-drenched face.
I grip her arm and pull her into the room, searching the hall to see if anyone is out there before closing it.
“What the fuck, Carmen. Tell me why you’re crying right now!”
“I’m rooming with Courtney. When she found out she said, ‘Oh hell no.’ She marched out the door and I followed her. I wanted to ask her what was wrong.” Carmen continues to sob as I pull her to the bed. She sits and I grab the tissues, hand them to her, and begin to pace.
“She took the stairs. We’re on the second floor. I kept trying to talk to her, but she ignored me. She got downstairs and went right up to Bryce. Then she yelled, “You cannot put me with her. She talks non-stop and I refuse to have to sleep anywhere near her. She smells.”
I clench my hands into fists. “She did what? What a seething bitch! I’m going to wring her scrawny little neck.”
“No, you can’t fight my battles. I just needed to get it off my chest. Bryce told her she should speak to the producers. I was so embarrassed I rushed back to the elevator. Brenda saw me. I think she knows we’re friends. I asked her if she’d seen you. She told me you were in the same room and gave me your room number.”
“Let’s go.” I pull her arm, but she refuses to move.
“No! Sam, please don’t say anything. I don’t want to make it worse.�
��
“Worse? That selfish little whore needs to be put in her place. Who in the hell does she think she is, speaking to you that way? You’re a hundred times the woman she is. Fucking bitch!”
“I wish I had your confidence, Sam.”
I slide down next to her on the bed as she wipes her nose. “You need to stand up for yourself.”
She sniffs her shoulder. “Do I really smell bad?”
“Oh my God! No! You smell like apples, same as your lotion. I swear to God I will cut a bitch if she ever hurts you again. If that nasty slut ever even scrunches her nose at you, I will drop-kick her skinny ass so fast she’ll fall flat on her fake tits.”
Carmen smiles. “Thank you. I knew you’d make me feel better.”
“I haven’t liked her from day one.” I pace. “She needs to go. She just stepped up a level on my ass-kick meter. I didn’t think it was possible for anyone to be higher than Stuck-Up. No one talks to you that way. No one!”
Carmen reaches for my hand and smiles. “I feel much better. I’ll be okay. I can take it. She’s not the first and she won’t be the last.”
“We’re too old for this shit, Carmen. When in the hell will people stop acting like bullies on the schoolyard and grow the fuck up?”
Carmen stretches her neck to Hogan. I’d forgotten he was even there. Reviewing what I just said, I make a mental note to ask him later not to repeat any of it. I hope he stopped filming, but I bet he didn’t. “Are you really okay?” I question, wrapping my arm around her.
“Yeah. I’m okay now, thanks to you. You always make everything better for me, Sammy.”
“I didn’t do anything. Yet. But trust me. I’ll make sure one way or another, she gets hers.”
AFTER CARMEN SPENDS a few moments calming me down, when I should have been calming her, we decide to visit the bar. It’s only ten, and we’re too wired to sleep.
Almost everyone is there. The crew is there filming as well. As soon as we arrive, Hogan stops recording, turns, and places his camera in the corner where there is a bunch of other equipment, plugging it in to another unit. I assume for charging. He exits the bar without saying a word to us. I guess I won’t be speaking to him much while I’m a contestant.
I decide to go for vodka and cranberry juice tonight. Carmen is anxiously searching for Cocoa. I don’t blame her. I’m waiting for her too, but for very different reasons.
Braveheart strolls up to the bar and orders a beer. He pivots, placing his elbows on the edge and leaning back to view the room. As soon as it’s poured, he takes a sip then whispers, “We need to talk. Dining room, twenty minutes,” before trudging away.
“What was that about?” Carmen asks. “What did he say?”
I lean toward her, speaking softly. “He seems to think we’re in a secret alliance of some kind. Personally, I don’t think I can trust anyone who’s friends with Stuck-Up, even if it is an act.”
“Are you okay?” Mighty Maria asks Carmen, placing her hand on her shoulder. “I heard what Courtney said to you. She was way out of line.”
“I’m fine. I don’t know what to think though. I’m scared to go back to my room.”
“After what the producer said to her, I can see why she’s hiding.”
“What? The producer said something? I took off because I was so embarrassed.”
“Oh yeah, she did,” Maria replies excitedly.
“Tell me!” Carmen begs, her eyes bulging. I lean in to hear as well.
“While she screamed at Bryce, unbeknownst to her, the female producer was in the room. She asked Courtney what the problem was. Courtney calmed down a bit. I think she was intimidated by her. Anyway, the producer told her there would be no changes to the room assignment, but if she chose to join other guests, she was more than welcome. Then she said, and I quote, ‘Assuming anyone would want to be around you.’”
“Agh! She actually said that?” Carmen asks with a giggle.
“Yep! I think it slipped out, but we all found it pretty amusing. Even Bryce had to stifle a laugh.”
“Bryce heard?” Carmen asks, concerned.
“Oh, for sure. Don’t worry. She made herself look terrible. Everyone feels so bad for you having to be around someone so selfish.”
Carmen releases a deep breath and I can tell a weight has been lifted from her shoulders. I mouth “Thank you” to Maria. I realize I remember her name and I’m proud of myself. Maria nods to me in understanding. She seems like a genuinely caring person and anyone who is kind to Carmen gets stars by their name in my book.
After having another drink, I slip a hand into my back pocket for my phone to check the time, forgetting I had to give it up. Old habits die hard. I assume it’s probably been twenty minutes. Carmen and Maria are bonding, so I slip out, pretending to use the restroom but making my way to the dining room instead.
The lights are dim and as I amble inside, glancing about and seeing no one, someone touches my back from behind the door. I jump and almost punch him when he half-shouts, half-whispers, “Calm down, it’s DJ.”
I take a deep breath and relax my shoulders. “Don’t sneak up on me. You’re lucky I didn’t hit you. What’s up? Why the meeting?”
The overhead camera rotates and reminds me we’re always being recorded.
“You tell me,” he asks. “Who’s your roommate? What do you know?”
“Umm…” I try to remember her name. I know it starts with a B. Bernice? Beth? Shit. What is her real name?
“Look. It’s not like I can’t find out on my own. Why are you being so secretive? Are you backing out of our deal?”
His nervousness gives me pause. “Remind me again why I should trust you? After all, your new BFF seems to be the person that hates me the most.”
“Are you accusing me of playing both sides? I approached you, remember? I don’t need you to get ahead in this game. I just thought we’d make a good team because no one would expect us to be friends.”
“Are you playing both sides?”
“No. Not from your perspective anyway. Carter thinks I hate you too. He thinks he can trust me. I could never be friends with a guy like him. If you don’t want to hear what I have to say, I couldn’t care less.” He does an about-face to the door, and I pull him back.
“Tell me what he said. I want to know.”
Braveheart smiles. I don’t trust him, but I’ll take what he has to say into consideration. “Carter thinks one of the players is working for the producers. He said he overheard Herman speaking to Lori Sawyer….”
I stare at him blankly.
“Lori Sawyer? The producer?”
“Oh, right.” I feign forgetfulness. Lori. Lori. Lori.
“Anyway, Herman said, ‘Don’t worry. No one suspects him.’”
“Interesting.” The wheels in my head start to spin. My gut has been a wreck with information overload. I can’t seem to make heads or tails of my feelings lately.
“What do you know?” Braveheart asks.
I pace. It’s what I do when I need to think. I wonder how much to tell him and decide I’d better give him something or he’ll get more suspicious of me than he is already. “Earlier today I noticed Tex and Bryce deep in conversation. They seemed a little too serious for people who barely know each other.”
Braveheart snaps his fingers and spins. “I knew I didn’t trust that guy. Maybe it’s him.”
“Are you going to tell Carter?” I ask.
“I have to give him something.”
Rubbing my chin I say, “Tell him it was Five. Umm… the guy with the five kids.”
“Andrew?” he asks.
“Yep. Andrew doesn’t care for Carter. I can see it. It’ll widen the rift between them.”
He smirks. “Good thinking. Anything else? We need to cut this short before they notice we’ve been in the bathroom too long.”
“No, but I’ll let you know when I know more. You go first. I think I’m going to check out the diary room.”
He nods and co
vertly exits. I wait a minute then stick my head out the door, glancing left. I turn right for the boardroom before looking first and run smack into Hogan.
“Going somewhere?” he asks, grasping my arms briefly to balance me.
“I was just, umm... I was going to the diary room and I got lost and I, uh, accidentally ended up here and…”
“You’re a horrific liar.” He laughs.
I elongate my neck and furrow my brows. “I’m not lying. I am going to the diary room. I have something I need to get off my chest.”
I can see the struggle within him to not look down. “Do you need me to help you find it, since you’re so lost and all?” he humorously inquires.
“No.” I sigh in frustration, placing my hands on my hips. “I took a wrong turn. I’m perfectly capable of getting there on my own. I don’t need or want anyone’s help.” I hear the anger in my tone and pull back. Hogan grins at me, stuffing his hands into his jeans pockets.
“Hey, about earlier, with Carmen,” I begin more softly.
“Honestly, Sam, I’m not even supposed to be talking to you. I’m not a part of the show. I should go back to work.”
“But can I just ask you one question?”
“Hurry,” he says, glancing around as if he’s worried he’ll get in trouble. He moves into the dining room and I follow.
“You wouldn’t tell anyone what you heard earlier between Carmen and me, would you?”
His distracted gaze refocuses on me quickly and earnestly. “No, I would never. I can’t discuss anything with anyone except the producers, but they already know what’s happening.”
I nod, and he touches my arm. “Don’t worry, okay? I’m sworn to secrecy. But so you know, I admire you for being so loyal to Carmen. I wish I had that kind of friendship with someone.”
“Thank you.” I stare up into his eyes.
We both pause as we recognize Stuck-Up’s voice coming closer. Hogan furrows his brows and presses his finger to his lips. Grabbing my arm, he yanks me around so we’re pressed together behind the open door, out of sight. I can see Stuck-Up through the crack. My forearms are leaning on Hogan’s chest and the rest of my body is pressed firmly against him. His hands are on my back and he’s holding me tightly in place. A bolt of lightning surges through me at being so close to him. His smell, his touch… wow. I notice a small scar on the side of his neck, just under his ear. I find myself taking an extended breath, not only to calm myself but more importantly, to breathe him in.
The Fabulist Page 9
