Page 65 of Next Time We'll Fall

“Aw, thank you. Anyway, the producers are coming. You might see my demeanor change a little bit because, like I said, I’m trying to go far. But you do you, girl, and don’t let these other bitches try and take you down.”

“Thank you,” I say.

I watch as she runs her fingers through her hair and sticks her chest out and starts giggling.

She definitely is transforming before my eyes, but I get it. She wants to be a star. She has to stand out.

I think about what my next step should be.

I could leave right now. I could leave the show, go to the bookstore, and move on with my life. But then I feel like everything would be the same.

I could continue on the show, try and win, make money, but find myself in a precarious situation. I don’t want to win a date with August Pitt. I don’t want to sleep with him. I don’t want to be famous.

But I quite like the idea of getting Rafe jealous because he definitely seemed like he was.

But the fact of the matter is, I don’t know if he was jealous just because of the competition or because he actually liked me, and I really want him to like me. And I really want whatever is happening between us to go further, but I don’t know how to tell him that. I am not willing to put myself out there to get rejected and hurt again.

I take a deep breath.

“Don’t make any decisions now, Juniper. Just go with the flow,” I whisper to myself.

“Hey, you.” A tall man with a boom mic points at me. “Come over here. We have some questions for you.”

“Okay,” I say.

I look over at Lily, and she gives me an encouraging smile.

“You got this, girl.”

“Thanks,” I say softly and walk as calmly as I can over to the man with the boom mic.

“We’re going to ask you some questions, and just answer as naturally as possible, okay?”

“Okay,” I say, nodding.

I’m really doing this.

I can’t believe it.

I feel like in the last seventy-two hours, my life has gone from zero to one hundred, and I can barely recognize who I am or what I’m doing.

But I don’t hate it.

I’ve been ready for a change in my life, and if it’s going to happen this quickly, then I am not going to stop it.

“So, tell us your name and where you’re from.”

“Hi, I’m Juniper, and I’m from Coconut Beach.”

“Okay. Can you give us a little bit more enthusiasm?” he says.

“Oh, okay.”

“Five, four, three, two, one. Go.”

“Hi, I’m Juniper, and I’m from Coconut Beach.”

“Okay, that was a little bit too enthusiastic. Plus, maybe push your chest out a little bit.”