And I feel for her—I do. But the show seems bent on playing up the emotional angle, and it’s beginning to bug me. Call me heartless if you must, but why can’t we just bake? Why do we need a backstory?
“You girls look like you’re very close. Tell us, how did the two of you become friends?”
A little warning goes off in my brain. I don’t know if it’s the way Mason says the question, or the wary look in his eyes, but something is amiss.
“Believe it or not, we didn’t even know each other before Thanksgiving!” Sadie says with a laugh.
“Really?” Mason says, mock-shocked. “How did you team up?”
“I’m dating Harper’s good friend,” Sadie says. “We heard about the auditions, and we both love to bake. One thing led to another, and here we are!”
Mason stares at me for several seconds, wrestling with himself. I go cold, and my hands begin to tremble.
He fakes a laugh. “You two must be the forgiving sort considering the circumstances.”
Sadie blinks, confused. Then she smiles, clueless. “I’m not sure I understand.”
Looking like he’s ready to crush the script in his hands, Mason stares at the wall beyond us. Though he doesn’t meet our eyes, it will be impossible to tell from the angle of the camera. “As I understand it, your boyfriend introduced you to Harper the very same weekend she was going to attempt to work out their rocky relationship. Apparently, she transferred colleges just so they could be together?”
Sadie’s face goes completely blank. She turns to me, stunned.
Mason growls and tosses the script on the floor. “This is repulsive. I’m not doing it.”
I feel nauseous. How did Tammy know? It certainly wasn’t in our admission essays.
Unless Mason told her. The thought makes me ill. After all the time we’ve spent together in the last few days, I thought we were becoming friends.
Serves me right for letting myself get swept away.
The cameraman shakes his head, looking disgusted himself.
“Ask them the original questions,” Mason mutters, and he walks out the door.
The crew exchange looks, and then the cameraman sighs in a way that makes me think he doesn’t get paid enough. “Sit down. We’ll try to make it quick.”
“I’msorry Sheila and Clary, but you’re going home,” Mason says.
Sadie and I stand, nearly emotionless, as the two women nod. They put on brave faces and head for the exit.
I probably look callous with my cold, hard expression, but it’s the only way I can keep it together.
I’m so mad at Mason; I can’t even look at him.
As soon as they’re gone, Mason introduces our next theme: packaged cherry cordials. As the other teams dash for their boxes, Sadie and I walk at a normal pace. She’s still in a stupor. I can tell she wants to ask me if it’s true, but now’s not the time, and we both know it.
No matter how I try to focus on the challenge, my mind wanders. People all around the world are going to see that interview. People I used to go to school with…friends…my family. Brandon’s family.His parents.
Sadie sets the box between us, and we both stare at it.
“So, uh, what about cherry cordial brownies?” she asks.
I nod. “And cherry chip cookies. We can chop up the cordials and fold them into the dough.”
“We’ll need something pretty for the last one to give us an edge.”
“What about cherry chocolate cheesecake cookies?”
“Okay.”
