Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 82271 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82271 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“Happens, right?” I tell him.
“Well, you branded yourself with it for a reason,” Jay says. “And you know that shit is permanent. It ain’t going anywhere.”
I can only wish.
Chapter Six
Ari
Silence.
I used to love it, now I think I’d prefer Sookie to scream at me, to throw a chair, to do anything but stay silent.
It’s been nearly two weeks and the minute I sent that text, however hurtful I know it was, I think I expected him to fight back.
I drove a knife inside him, twisted it and expected him to push against the blade while bleeding and hurting.
I adjust my black tuxedo jacket and stare down at my casual grey jeans. I’m wearing taupe heels. My hair’s pulled back into a tight ponytail and I even put on my diamond studs.
I don’t have one hair out of place. I wanted to look professional but classy and… Yeah, I wanted to look really good for when Sookie sees me and I have to suffer through women pining after him and trolling into the mansion.
They’re all beautiful, young, hip, most of them are wearing designer brands and the ones that aren’t are dressed so skillfully that I would never know in the first place.
We haven’t started filming yet but everything’s been signed. I’m just standing there like an idiot waiting for the film crew to start filming B-roll, basically background that’s not even background since they’ll use it and edit it however they want to.
I’ve come to learn that reality is never truly reality.
It’s procured, which is where I come in—to make sure that legally we’re okay in using what the directors want to use. Fame after all, comes at a cost and sometimes that means you become the villain even if you’re Snow White.
The girls are escorted to the living room while I watch. There are five in total since Lucas and Grace are already together and hosting which just adds to the competition part of it. They get to pick and choose from both groups, like an idol buffet.
“This,” comes Lucas’s voice, “is the seventh circle of actual hell.”
He looks down at his cue cards then back up at me. His hair’s red and pulled back into a ponytail and he’s wearing more jewelry than me, plus they put eyeliner on him to bring out his eyes. He looks like he’s ready to go onstage with his ripped jeans, leather jacket, and low white V-neck shirt.
He looks hot. I know why the fans go crazy for him.
“How many rings do you have on your fingers?” I point down and try to offer him a smile. “Are we sure they aren’t going to blind everyone watching?”
Grace, his girlfriend walks up with her hair in a similar ponytail. She’s wearing a red crop top and baggy jeans, she’s a beautiful woman. “This is actual hell.”
Lucas smirks when he hears the words. “Ah, you read my mind, but just imagine if I was out there actually—”
“--getting murdered in your sleep?” She says it so sweetly I do a double take. She shrugs. “What? I don’t share.”
“Not even food.” He whispers under this breath.
“It was my fry and you know it.”
“Technically, it was on a shared plate of fries and on my side after you drew a line with the ketchup.”
I snort out a laugh. “You drew a ketchup line?”
She nods seriously. “Like a straight up crime scene.”
“And you?” I poke at Lucas. “You stole her fry?”
“Ah and you…“ Lucas cocks his head to the side and narrows his eyes at me before telling me in the most real voice I’ve ever heard from him. “Well, you stole Sookie. So, I guess we’re even.”
I freeze.
Grace’s eyes widen as she looks between us. Lucas shouldn’t have said that out loud. He shouldn’t have even confirmed what’s been going on between Sookie and I. The fact that he did means he’s angry on Sookie’s behalf. How much does Grace even know? What am I thinking? They’re in love, he probably tells her everything. He looks away from me like he didn’t just drop a bomb.
“Ummm,” Grace grips his arm and singsongs, “Cameras, Lucas, remember.”
He leans into her, then pulls her in for a hug and glares at me. “I remember.”
Wow. Things got hostile really quick.
Can I blame him though? I know he’s being protective of Sookie. And they all have enough pressure, it’s only natural for them to snap at people that are closest to them, and apparently that’s me.
I’m ready to clap a hand over his mouth or at least somehow defend myself, explain, though I don’t even know what I’d say, but I’m saved when the rest of the guys walk out. The girls immediately start whispering and hugging each other like they’re actually going to be friends once this show starts.
Laughable.
“It’s going to be war and there will be blood.” I accidentally say it out loud.