“We were trying to win the challenge, Sarah. Not a beauty pageant.”
(Joe leans toward the camera, ignoring her.)
“And those marks on Becker’s back? Obviously stage makeup. No woman scratches like that. It’s all a setup for points.”
PRODUCTION(Aunt Tina’s voice off-screen):
“Sweetheart, trust me… those were real. I saw the skin. Deal with it.”
??SLOANE & COHEN
They enter the confessional. Cohen is still shirtless, wearing only an open leather jacket over his jeans(ratings at an all-time high).
Sloane wears an oversized hoodie that is very clearly his.
They sit extremely close, legs tangled. There’s an aura of lazy satisfaction around them.
COHEN(stretching, cracking his neck):
“Well. I’d say the compatibility challenge went pretty well.”
SLOANE(folding her arms, trying not to smile):
“We cooperated. We solved complex logistical problems.”
COHEN(grinning):
“Like cutting you out of that suit with scissors? Or figuring out how to shower together without slipping?”
SLOANE(blushing, kicking him):
“Cohen! This is family-friendly time!”
COHEN(turning to her, lowering his voice):
“The scratches on my back say you weren’t very ‘family-friendly’ last night, Angel.”
(Sloane covers her face with her hands, laughing.)
SLOANE:
“I plead self-defense.”
COHEN(to camera, winking):
“Twenty bonus points. I’ll take all of them. And if you want the details… ask her. She’s the wild one in this couple.”
(Sloane tries to cover his mouth with her hand. He kisses her palm and pulls her against him as the screen fades to black.)
70
The Final Run
Sloane
The air at Elm Hollow Mountain is vibrating.
It’s not the wind rolling down from the snow-covered peaks, and it’s not even the sharp January cold that seeps into your bones. It’s the static electricity of the finale.
