Gripping the steering wheel tightly, my knuckles turned white as the red Tesla Roadster surged forward. Waves of turmoil surged through me, a whirlwind of emotions I couldn't quite decipher. Sidney had managed to defend herself, leaving me looking like the villain in the tale? All I wanted was for Sidney to play by the rules during her stint on the reality dating show – no dating other guys while the show was in progress. This prompted me to reluctantly call my assistant Bob, who promptly dispatched that contract. It was a reality check she needed, a reminder that the world wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. There was a real risk that she might be kicked off Lovestruck.
I didn't want to end up regretting having her in the competition, but it seemed like I was backpedaling on everything I had said. Sidney couldn't possibly be with Carson Villegas. She was meant to be with me and only me.
Just me!
My foot slammed on the brakes as the realization hit me – was I overreacting? Oh, Rayden, you've really outdone yourself this time. Was this level of reaction even justified? I sat there looking like a complete buffoon as the cars zoomed past the parked Roadster, wondering how this nightmare had become my reality. This couldn't be happening! My mind rejected it over and over, yet a tiny part of me started to think otherwise. It persisted until I finally reached the school's parking lot.
Stepping into my first class, I couldn't ignore the hubbub in the quadrangle. Every single student had turned into a spectator, their focus drawn to something extraordinary. I furrowed my brow. Generally, I wouldn't care about the antics of the common folk, but some bizarre gravitational pull urged me forward.
Amidst the throng of students, I stood tall like a solitary figure. Their laughter indicated that something amusing was afoot, a joke I hadn't been let in on. As I inched closer to the heart of the spectacle, I was taken aback. There, larger than life, was a poster portraying Sidney side by side with a dark-skinned senator, both striking ridiculous poses. Laughter erupted anew, the sound ricocheting off the campus walls. My eyes narrowed. This sort of thing wouldn't typically spark my curiosity, yet some inner force tugged at me.
I lingered, a giant amidst the crowd, as their laughter ebbed away in the wake of my gaze. Murmurs fluttered around me, and I clenched my teeth in vexation. Blast it all. It was as though my body was conspiring against my intentions.
Strolling up to the poster, I put on an air of indifference despite the urge to intervene. The students gathered around the image seemed taken aback as I casually plucked the poster from the tree. Surprise and bewilderment played across their faces.
Initially, I denied caring about the spectacle, but my feet defied me, pulling me closer to the scene. Pushing my way through the group of students, I swiftly removed the poster from its narra tree anchor. I'm no knight in shining armor, not the type to defend a damsel I barely knew. But in some obscure corner of my mind, it seemed like the right thing to do.
Those discussing the image of Sidney and the politician were caught off guard. None opposed my actions, except for Sylvia, the puppet master. Surprise and confusion knitted her expression as she confronted me.
"What do you think you're doing?" she snapped, her voice as sharp as ever. That's her usual reaction when I disapproved of her schemes.
"This won't help you or Sidney!" I retorted crisply before making my exit.
"Really? Sidney?" I heard her mutter sarcastically behind me. I waved it off. What mattered was that Sidney remained oblivious to Sylvia's antics today. Maybe she'd hear whispers, but that's way less scandalous than the actual events. That would save us from unnecessary complications, and the producers from dealing with contestants generating bad press.
I meandered through the university, doing my best to shrug off the madness. I was used to situations like this, familiar with criticism and weathering disdain. But why was I feeling so rattled now? Just because a girl had tried to ruffle my feathers with some supposed truths? Since when did Rayden, of all people, start getting worked up? When did I begin to care?
"Where's Sidney?" I interrogated Meg out of the blue as I crossed paths with her in the hallway. My curiosity about Sidney's whereabouts post-incident was getting the best of me. I was on the brink of attaching a CCTV camera to her bag, turning her into a walking surveillance device, all out of fear she'd endanger the show – and not for any other reason.
"She left with Carson after that paint mishap..." Meg replied tersely, a hint of blame lacing her words. She shot me a side-eye and scurried away.
I was blindsided by her words. How did things spiral so quickly? It felt like one moment we were all sharing a jovial moment – Sidney, Marion, and I. While Sylvia seemed unfazed, I hadn't seen her escalating matters to this extent. Was she so threatened that she stooped to humiliating Sidney?
I knew Sylvia's tricks well. When she sensed another girl even remotely near me, she could concoct schemes far worse than this. She's possessive, treating me like I'm her exclusive property. I'd witnessed the lengths she'd go to in order to remove competition. And now, Sidney was on her radar.
Given Sidney's bold demeanor, I could only foresee turbulence, maybe even an outright showdown. In that moment, I knew I had ignited a storm, and Sidney's tenacity was its driving force. Sidney Pencer wouldn't just let this slide – she'd orchestrate an elaborate retaliation. I had to step in, do whatever it took to prevent that from happening. I knew, because I'd seen the signs.
I tried calling Sidney, but no answer. Panic started seeping in, my anxiety morphing into a wild beast. I didn't have Meg's number to ask if Sidney had changed her digits. My palms turned sweaty. Should I head over to Sidney's place or hunt down Meg for the new number, if there even was one? Finally, I dialed Sidney's number once more.
Four consecutive redials later, I finally heard the ringtone on the other side. Panic surged, and I forced myself to sound casual, waiting anxiously for her response. Against the parking lot wall, I strained to hear the voice on the other end. But there was silence.
So, I sent a text: "Hey, please pick up. It's Rayden." My iPhone became a plaything in my trembling palm, minutes stretching out without a reply. Frustration tangled with my nerves, and I redialed.
When the voice on the other end came through, there was a touch of impatience. I was greeted by a deep exhale, signaling her presence. "Hey," she said, softly, a tone I hadn't anticipated.
I stumbled in my response, caught completely off guard. Since when had I turned into a stuttering mess? I edged the phone slightly away from my face, sucking in a deep breath before speaking. "So, um, have you checked the schedule?" Damn it, Rayden, instead of asking about her wellbeing, I had to go and talk about the schedule. Smooth.
"Yeah, 5 PM. I managed to get a break from the cafeteria, so it works," she replied cheerily, possibly trying to mask her feelings over the phone. The drawback of not being face-to-face – no way to read those emotions. Had I not met Sidney during the pilot episode, I'd have pegged her for a shy, demure conversationalist. But now, my mind meandered, wondering what the girl had up her sleeve.
"They'll arrange for someone to pick you up," I said.
"Carson's giving me a ride," she responded promptly.
A heavy exhale escaped me. She probably caught that, spurring her to explain.
"Carson's a friend. Besides Meg, he's the only one I can trust right now." Her tone held weight. I even heard her aunt's voice in the background, confirming her words.
Her final sentence landed like a punch to my gut. She trusted him. I didn't want to come off as an overbearing boyfriend, so I wrestled to keep my emotions in check. I didn't want her to think I had no right to intervene in whatever was brewing between them. But my words had a mind of their own, and a sentence escaped me that I hadn't planned. It was like some internal compass had taken control, "I'll come get you instead..."