VI

  “And there they are, folks!” the male host announces, his voice blasting across TV screens and devices all over the continent. “Our fifty-four contestants, in this incredible setting, enjoying their final night together—a moment they will cherish forever before the competition truly begins.”

  “You are absolutely right! Tomorrow, at this hour, there will only be fifty three contestants remaining.”

  “Hopefully, there will be fifty three and not fifty two, if you know what I mean.”

  “Oh, come on. Let’s hope it doesn’t end like that.”

  “Now, let’s take a look at the contestants, shall we? What are they doing right now?”

  “Oh my God! Look at Contestant 22—doesn’t she look stunning in that dress?”

  “Absolutely gorgeous. Can you believe that before Live, she had a doctorate in biology and was involved in one of the world’s biggest studies on death and consciousness?”

  “That’s unbelievable.”

  “And looks like she’s been working out, too.”

  “Well, she should be. They all should be. Now, what do you think about Contestant 1?”

  “He looks like a movie star.”

  “I bet his wife is missing him right now.”

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “And his mistress! Oh my, look who’s dancing together back there!”

  “Our star-crossed lovers, Contestant 13 and Contestant 42.”

  “And they are rocking the dance floor too!”

  “Well, she is a professional dancer.”

  “I love them together. Don’t you just love them together?”

  “Of course I do, a romance like this one is every girl’s dream. I mean, look at that chemistry! Do you think they’re faking it, or is this the real deal?”

  “Oops! It looks real to me. What about you, folks? Let us know what you think in the live chat!”

  “And send us a super chat if you want us to read your message out loud.”

  “I’m being told we already have some of those.”

  “Should we give them a read?”

  “We certainly should. This one says: ‘#ReeseBecca4ever. They're so cute together! OTP!’”

  “Look at this one: ‘She's totally using him for personal gain. #SaveReese.’”

  “‘Save Reese from the bitch.’ Ouch!”

  “‘Save Reese from the bitch.’ There are a bunch of those…”

  “‘I don’t care if she’s using him; that dress is fire!’”

  “‘Stop giving praise to Rebecca! You wouldn’t even notice her if it weren’t for Reese. #AllWomenAreBeautiful.’ Oh, now that’s sweet!”

  “‘That dress is too revealing. Attention seeker much?’”

  “Some of these comments are brutal. Looks like Contestant 42 needs to watch her back.”

  “Well, we can’t modify the people’s opinions; they speak from the heart.”

  “That’s right. We give the people a voice in this show.”

  “Now look at the nice things they say about Contestant 13: ‘Reese is a king! Always so classy!’”

  “‘He could wear a potato sack and still look hot!’ Now, I agree with that.”

  “Oh, oh, oh! What do we have here? ‘I’ve been paying attention to Reese closely; he always looks miserable when he’s with Rebecca.’ Something tells me there’s more to this story than meets the eye, folks!”

  “Is there trouble in paradise?”

  “I don’t know. You’d better stay tuned because things are about to get interesting!”

  “Coming up: what’s up with the twins, tonight. Do they look collected or what?”

  The music swells as the camera pans out, showcasing the other contestants while the transmission is interrupted for commercials. The chat keeps flooding with comments—both praise and hateful remarks for all the contestants alike—Reese and Rebecca being the protagonists of the night. The views are going through the roof. It’s been a good season of Live, one that promises to be remembered for a long time.