“Nah. You’d never leave without getting the last word.”
Had he not seen my performance last night? If that wasn’t getting the last word, then I didn’t know what was.
“What do you want, Kyle? I’m severely hung over, and seeing your face makes me want to vomit.”
“Well, all right. Check you out. In a relatively good mood…considering.”
Years of being Jake’s punching bag made it near impossible to insult Kyle.
“And I wanted to thank you. See, when Kenz and I first heard you were going onNext in Line, we were both worried that you’d take our place as the favorite McKallister on a reality TV show. We worked hard for that title, as you know. Anyway, I should have known you’d screw it all up. I mean, what were we even worried about, am I right?”
“You guys are always underestimating me.”
“I know, and I’m sorry.”
“Is there anything else, or can I go back to my misery?” I asked, rubbing my weary eyes. I was not in the mood for his grandstanding.
“Actually, there is just one other tiny little thing. Have you happened to look outside today?”
The way he said it implied I was missing something, so I rose from my bed and looked out the window. Squinting into the morning sun, all I could see was traffic for miles.
“Not that window,” he said, overseeing my movements through Facetime.
“It’s the only window I have, Kyle.”
“Ah, well, that explains it.”
“Explains what?”
He didn’t answer my question, instead opting for another one of his own. “Have you, by chance, checked social media?”
Now I was getting irritated. If Kyle didn’t spill soon, he wouldn’t make it back to the bunker to tell the others I’d survived. “Just get to the damn point, Kyle.”
“Okay, so. Don’t shoot the messenger, but there’s a crowd gathered outside your apartment building.”
“My apartment building? Why?”
He blinked. Then shook his head. “Why do you think?”
“I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking you.”
“Oh, my god. You really are the worst reality star ever, aren’t you? Okay, let me spell it out for you—B. O. O. M.”
“Wait, what?”
“Dude, you blew up. Twitter. Instagram. You’re breaking the goddamn internet.”
That unbelievable piece of information took a second to process, but once it sank in, I had to know which direction I was trending. “In a good way or bad?”
“Does it matter? No publicity is bad publicity, bro.”
“Tell that to Jake,” I said.
“I have.”
“Kyle, come on. Good or bad?”
“Good. Real good.”
