Runner Up (3 page)

“I was hoping to share a room with you Hannah, you seem funny and non-catty. So unless you hate the
idea we should be roomies.” Janette was speaking to me. I tried to shake off my romantic thoughts and forced
myself to focus on show survival.
“That sounds perfect. I was day-dreaming I apologize.” I said sheepishly. I had no idea what I needed to do
now.
“Well, I would be day-dreaming, too. My goodness, I think in this race you just made it around the first
corner, and the rest of us are still waiting at the starting gate.” Janette took a look at the broach and smiled.
“This is not a race, just a first date. Everyone gets to have their time with him. Anyway my feet hurt too
bad to run anywhere tonight.” I remembered all the discomfort the night had brought. My nerves were coming
down fast and the thud was coming soon. I just hoped to be in bed before I collapsed. I followed Janette like a
puppy. We found our luggage and weaved through the mansion. We found a small room with only two beds and a
small private bathroom. We quickly claimed it and signed for it with the clipboard lady who wandered the halls.
After a few minutes I was out of my fashion prison and comfortable in cotton pajamas. Janette and I spent
a little time chatting about nonsense and Anthony but we fell asleep quickly.
Chapter 3

That night, though I hated to admit it, I had a fairy tale romantic dream. Before I was fully awake I had a
fleeting memory of my dream with someone strongly resembling Anthony. I lay in bed for a few minutes exploring
the room; it was very Victorian with black and burgundy accents and lovely little details around the room, a shelf
with a few books and an oval mirror next to the window. Light was streaming in and Janette’s hair unwound and
draped over the edge of the bed. Her hair was very long and I was impressed. It was all one length and had no
telltale signs of having extensions added on by the salon people.

Janette turned and stared at me for a second before making a silly face.
“You reminded me of my brothers just now, it makes me nervous to have someone staring at me, usually
it means something bad or embarrassing is about to happen to me.” Janette laughed and sat up. She wore a baggy
nightshirt that could hold at least four of her. Her face was lightly freckled and pixyish.
“I promise no foul play intended, just admiring your hair.” I said and stretched out my tired muscles.
“Well thanks, I kind of like it myself.” She was very witty and that made her extremely likable. She wasn’t
prideful at all, just a bit smart-alecky, in a good way, I thought.
Janette stayed in bed and I got dressed and hurried out to see what was happening in the TV wonderland I
had entered.
* * * * *
The signup sheets were in the kitchen and by 8:30 a.m. a few lists were already full. I read through all the
lists.
Saturday 10 a.m. Brunch
I saw that one was taken for today. The lunch date for one o’clock in the afternoon was taken, too. I found
myself perusing the different options. All four dinner dates were filled in and I didn’t want to steal any other
contestant’s time with Anthony. I would get an all day session plus dinner. I felt so lucky. Hmmm. I saw an open
evening slot on Sunday. It wasn’t dinner, it just said outdoors nine p.m. I wrote my name in that time slot, hoping it
might work for a moonlit walk, though even sitting next to him and talking would be ideal, as well. That done, I got
my simple fruit and cereal breakfast, sat at the table quietly, and wondered what in the world I would do with
myself. My hour date with Anthony was a day and half from now. I missed my laptop, a lot!
The mystery girl with the shawl sat down next to me with her bowl of fruit. I noticed she had dark
features and very exotic eyes. She met my gaze for a half second, then focused on her fruit, and ate silently. I was
at a loss on what to say. She was either very shy or anti-social. My curiosity kept me occupied for a few minutes
wondering how she would date Anthony.
The house was still quiet as there were a majority of late sleepers in the group. I expected to see girls
heading out of their beds as the dates started. I wanted to be up to see what the competition was up too. I figured
if I sat here long enough I would see everyone readied for their hour date with Anthony, not sure why I cared to
know what they all looked like on their dates, but somehow I did.
Janette wandered in at five minutes to nine to save me from boredom.
“You get a date sign up yet?” I asked. I took my plate to the sink, rinsed and put it in the dishwasher. I
didn’t feel the need to be a slob just because I was on vacation, sort of…
“Yes, I signed up for the lunch date on Monday. That gives me time to get up and wake up properly before
I have to be perky.” Janette said. I sat down next to her.
“Mine is listed as a Sunday evening, outdoor date. Not sure what it entails but hoping for a moonlit walk.” I
wiggled my eyebrows and saw her smile in response.
“Good thinking. I have decided not to hate you because you got the broach. Pretty sure the others will not
be as forgiving of your major flaws.” Janette smiled, as she began eating her cereal. Her manners were perfect
while eating, but I could hear her crunching on her cereal.
“Flaws?” I was trying not to laugh. “I know I have them, but I do hate being so transparent to strangers.”
“Well, let’s list them shall we…” Janette said, after she swallowed.
I nodded and chuckled, as she began listing my “flaws.”
“You are stunningly beautiful, with eyes that show wisdom and wit. You are extremely likable, poised and
the most important flaw is that Anthony has already noticed all of the above. You are now enemy number one.”
Janette said it all with a simple smile and I genuinely felt her friendship.
“Wow I am impressed and flattered, you are very eloquent about my flaws. But I have to say I am none of
those things. I am just a simple girl from Indiana. The makeup team did a nice makeover on me and I admit to
feeling like a stranger when I look in the mirror.” I felt a little uncomfortable. I tried to shift the focus off me. “Are
you some kind of writer?”
“I am a freelance journalist. I dabble in all sorts of writing projects. It keeps my spaz brain busy.” Janette
admitted.
“Well that explains the prolific prose. I am a freelance photographer. No wonder we get along so well,
even with my horrible flaws.” I grabbed a grape from her fruit bowl and stuck my tongue out at her playfully.
“What in the world are we going to do all day? The idea of staring down all the competition has its merit,
but it will be seriously boring to lie around all day. I suppose the pool in the back of the property might pass a little
time.” Janette and I agreed, sitting around all day seemed a bit dull.
“When I made my pros and cons list for the show I didn’t add boredom to the list.” I frowned at Janette,
she nodded.
“I miss my computer.” Janette muttered, as she got up to clean her plate.
I couldn’t agree more.
We put on our swimsuits after breakfast and spent one hour swimming until swimming became so popular
or else boredom had spread. Once the pool filled up with a few thrashing women I moved to the far side of the
patio and found a lounge chair. I draped my towel over a chair and headed indoors for a paperback novel. When I
got back to my lounge chair my towel had been moved. I saw the curvy blonde from last night sitting where my
towel had been. I saw the six other identical lounges on the patio and wondered what would possess her to move
my towel. Maybe she saw me put it there and she wanted to play games.
Oh, good grief. I adore high school drama games.
I felt her watching me through her mostly closed eyes. I recognized her as the bombshell from last night.
She looked just as lethal in her itsy-bitsy bikini as she did last night in her non-existent dress. I searched the patio
and found my towel in a wet pile, stashed in a potted plant. I reasoned that she threw it in the pool first then
rolled it in the dirt.
I was not sure what to do next.
Should I claim the towel?
I paused in thought.
Yeah I have to
, I don’t want to leave it for the staff to clean up. I
sent a happy, slightly sarcastic, wave to the bombshell, who propped herself on her elbows to watch me stoop
down and try to grab the filthy, wet towel. It wasn’t anything that would end the world, but still drama I would
rather avoid.
The towel was too filthy so I dropped it, went inside, snatched a pair of kitchen gloves and a garbage bag,
then retrieved the muddy mess. By then the lounges were full of sunbathing beauties. I tried to be swift to avoid
any attention.
“What happened to your towel, Hannah?” Janette sat up from her lounge. Her red hair was still wet from
the pool.
“It got relocated.” I wanted to keep this brief.
“Oh, I see…” Her eyes scanned the women nearby. She rested her eyes on the one woman not looking
up from her lounge. The bombshell seemed to have fallen asleep or was trying to ignore everyone while she
soaked up the morning sun.
“The cats will play.” Janette finished her thought out loud. She stood up and wrung out her long red hair
with her towel.
“Wait Hannah, I will join you.” She wrapped her own towel around her thin waist and joined me as I
walked into the house with the dirty towel in the bag.
“I will try and find a way to get this to the laundry. I have no idea how she got my towel this muddy in the
short time it took me to get a book, without getting dirty herself. She wasn’t wet at all.” I shrugged. I did not want
to waste one more second thinking about her.
“I know the way to the laundry room. I’ll show you the way.” Janette said and pointed to a hallway I hadn’t
been down yet.
I followed Janette and we quickly got the deed done.
* * * * *
A soft dinging sound interrupted my reading. Janette and I were camped in our room each reading quietly
on our beds. We chatted for a while about home life then we both got quiet and switched to reading. The dinging
startled both of us and Janette was the first to jump out of the bed to open the hall door.
“Attention Bachelorettes- please come to the grand foyer by 12 noon. Thank you from the staff of
Soulmate
.” The message repeated five more times before the intercom system was silent. Janette and I wordlessly
shrugged and went into a flurry to be dressed and cute by noon. Fifteen minutes later we were ready and we made
our way through the mansion to find the room we had the party in last night. Thank goodness for the little arrows
on the wall.
The room looked a lot brighter with the sun shining through the enormous windows. I saw a group of the
bossy interns with their clipboards poised and Randall, the host, standing with them. He was casually dressed and
there were no cameras around. This was not a television activity, I silently mused.
My heart thumped a few beats when Randall turned to face the audience of women. I was curious to see
what was in store for us. After the extremely quiet morning with nothing to do, I was happy to have this
distraction.
“Welcome back to the grand foyer. This is not a broadcast part of the show but it is a planned and
reoccurring event for the guests of the show. You women are treated to several outings and excursions during
your time here with
Soulmate
. There are many perks for being a contestant on the show. Each of you were
assigned an assistant that instructed you last night in your limo. This assistant will be with you through this week.
As people leave the show these assistants will be reassigned as the show moves forward. Today we have a few
events taking place for those without a date. Our goal is to keep our guests happy. If you go to your assigned
assistant they will fill you in on your excursions that are available each day. They will be available tomorrow at nine
a.m.. If you have an early morning date or a late evening date and have free time there may be events you can join
in later, as well. Shopping, eating, exercise, any ideas you have for activities can be shared with your assistant. I will
see all of you ladies at the next date card ceremony. Good luck on your dates and enjoy your days here in the
mansion.” Randall nodded to the group after he spoke.
Janette and I happily joined the swarming girls as we all found our way to our assistant from the night
before. My group was the same as last night and we all got a name-tag handed to us.
Our group assistant was Miss Warner and she was only a tiny bit friendlier than she was in the limo. Since
there were no hard deadlines she had a relaxed, though tight, smile. Today we had several shopping trips available.
I asked for permission to buy a camera and they approved. My assistant would purchase one for me and I would
sign a confidentiality agreement to take no pictures of any participants for the use of selling or public display. My
head swam a bit at the details, but being a professional photographer I understood the show was protecting their
rights.
Besides Janette and I, the other girls were shy and not too talkative.
“I thought Randall said they wanted us to enjoy our time here. This assistant scares us all into submission.”
I said to Janette, as we walked back to our rooms to prepare for our lunch activity.
“I looked around and not all the assistants seem as severe as ours.” Janette pointed out.
“Well at least we get along well. Not sure I could handle this without a buddy.” I added, and gave her a
friendly bump with my shoulder as we walked side-by-side.
I was rewarded with a nod and grin that said she agreed.
Janette and I were not the only fast friends here. It seemed the three blondes that had been mute in the
limo yesterday also joined forces, but not with us. The nametags were going to be a huge asset to me. I was not
quick at memorizing peoples’ names and never had been.
‘I rarely remember a face, but I will always forget a name.’ My dad sometimes used to tease me by saying.
There was a pale blonde that seemed very shy, named Sherry. A rather interesting two-tone blond, black
on the under layer and extremely harsh highlights on the top, with two piercings through her right eyebrow, was
named Deb. The other blond, whose normal appearance had people fooled, until she spoke, very negatively about
everything. Her nametag said Danielle. They seemed to me an odd group to be friends, but I didn’t care too much.
I tried to visualize the girls in my group dating Anthony and was having a hard time.
Janette and I joined the group that went to Rodeo Drive to shop. At three different stores we were given
free reign to buy several outfits. When they heard our group was on the TV show
Soulmate
we enjoyed some
complimentary shopping! It was great advertising for the store, and there is always an angle, I was certain.
I received several evening gowns and had the secret hope that I would get to wear them all on the show.
After hours of shopping I was glad we were returning to the mansion. I was tired of being with so many strangers,
all different personalities that didn’t always act in a way that I found amusing or interesting. A few women were
rude to the sales staff and several were very loud and boisterous, to the point of causing a scene if they didn’t get
what they wanted.
The bombshell blonde, named Desiree, was with us but she kept to her small group. Her name fit her
perfectly. I did not think we were going to be friends. I had my own name for her, “slinky” because of the way she
“slinked” around in skimpy outfits, “skimpy slinky” would work too, but that was just too silly!
Relieved, I climbed out of the limousine and headed toward the dining room, while Janette lagged behind
talking with our uptight group assistant. Dinner would be soon and I was looking forward to hiding in my room for
the rest of the night. I needed a little peace and quiet. I had enough giggles and hair-tossing females. Perhaps I was
not a good TV show personality.
* * * * *
The next day was painfully slow. I didn’t join the events or shopping with the other women but decided to
stay inside. I found a comfy couch and tried to read for the afternoon but checked my wristwatch a thousand
times. Nine p.m. was taking an eternity to come. I saw three different women go on their mandatory hour-long
date with Anthony. I felt my stomach flip, uncomfortably, every time the girl left and returned, looking as dreamyeyed as I felt when I thought about my few moments alone with him. I passed on the reading idea to spend time
going through my luggage and store purchases. I decided on three different outfits that I waffled over for nearly an
hour. I left my room and headed to the pool before dinner, swam a few laps in an empty pool, to clear my head
and get some exercise. I went back and forth in my head about this process too much.