“Shit.” He flopped back onto the mattress. Monday. The first episode had dropped last night, and they’d stayed up late discussing how the editors had made them look. The final cut had amped up specific aspects of their personalities. Unsurprisingly, they’d framed Sierra as a ruthless antagonist, with Beck’s chipper, can-do attitude as her foil. Carter, who’d been hyped as the season’s puzzle-solving savant, came across lackluster. It probably helped sell her victim story better.
But it was how they portrayed Adi that confused him the most. Despite his fears, they hadn’t made him the bumbling fool. Instead, one of the higher-ups had decided to omit the entire scene with him attempting to make an anagram. The way they zoomed in on his smile and overlaid his post-round comments during crucial aspects of the room made Adi think they were setting him up to be a main player in the show.
His relief at being portrayed in a good light wasn’t enough to keep his brain from conjuring that terrible anxiety dream, but still, it was something to know the producers weren’t already against for him. He needed his father to see him at his best.
Outside, beyond the incessant beeping, he heard other villa doors opening, contestants calling to one another.
“We should get up,” said Beck, but neither of them moved until Carter pounded at their door.
Adi groaned and dragged himself out of bed. “It’s probably a prank,” he said, stepping into the hall to find Carter wrapping a cardigan around herself and slipping into a pair of flip-flops.
“Maybe,” she said. “But we’re still supposed to vacate the buildings.”
“Says who?”
“Everyone. That’s the entire point of fire alarms.”
Ugh.Rule followers. She and Beck walked out. He sighed, trailing after them. “Where’s Sierra?”
“She refused to come,” said Carter. “She also thinks it’s a prank. Or the producers messing with us.”
Shaking his head, Adi turned around. “I’m going back to bed.”
Carter grabbed him. “Ranielle Russell has already yelled at me twice. I’m not going to give her any more reasons to be mad at us.”
He rolled his eyes but didn’t argue.
Elijah and Lisa were doing a head count as the crowd gathered by the pool. All the contestants were in pajamas and bathrobes except Jarius, who strutted around in a pair of plaid boxer briefs, crushing an empty energy drink with one hand.
Maybe the fire alarm wasn’t caused by the producers at all, but bythatjackass.
No sooner had Adi thought it than that jackass started walking their way.
“Yo, Carter Kelly.”
When she saw him, Carter threw her hands over her eyes. “Oh my god, Jarius, put on some clothes!”
“Can’t,” he said, jutting a thumb toward his villa. “Not allowed to go back in yet.”
Adi grabbed a towel on a lounge chair and tossed it at him. Jarius caught it with a laugh. “Thanks, dude. I might need this after I go for a dip.” He sidled closer to Carter. “Saw your video. That was a nice story you told, grabbing the wrong drink before you—” He pretended to vomit, making Henri from Team Mind Hack take a disgusted step away. When he smirked at Carter, his voice took on an edge that made Adi bristle. “But I’m still waiting for my in-person apology.”
He expected Carter to stammer out some weak excuse. Instead, she lowered her hands and turned to face Jarius with squared shoulders. “You’re right,” she said through her teeth. “I’m really sorry for throwing up all over your nice clothes, Jarius.” Turning away, she muttered under her breath, “Next time I’ll aim for your face.”
Adi guffawed. Maybe Carter did have some bite after all. Jarius started to ask what she’d said when Elijah appeared, clipboard in hand. “Where’s Sierra? She’s the only one I don’t have eyes on.”
Beck said, “She’s not here. She likes to go for early morning walks sometimes.”
“She was already gone when the alarm went off,” Carter added.
“It’s barely four o’clock,” said Elijah, “and you’re filming a round today.”
Beck shrugged.
Elijah looked like he wanted to argue, but he made a note on the clipboard and walked away as flashing lights signaled the fire department’s arrival.
It was ages before they were allowed back into the complex, and the day didn’t get better after that. Something was wrong with the water system, which meant no one could take a shower and their only option for coffee was the sugar-packed “lattes” in the vending machines. With no water to wash dishes, the dining hall put out some energy bars and prepackaged pastries and called it good. It would’ve been fine if Sierra could’ve cooked for them, but there was no time.
The air-conditioning on their shuttle bus was broken, and the day was already hot. When the bus driver announced there’d been a delay and they had to drive around for an extra hour, Adi no longer doubted Sierra’s claim.
