Page 73 of Love on the Island


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‘This whole show is fixed. It’s a complete con. I saw you kissing someone behind the villa.’ Kassy stands up and waves her hand in my face. ‘THAT’S RIGHT. I SAW YOU. YOU WERE KISSING A MAN. AND IT SURE AS HECK WASN’T ANY OF THESE GUYS!’

Chapter 23

We are all frozen to the spot. I look Kassy in the eye and try to brazen it out. ‘Are you sure it was me?’ I look around with a confused expression to see if anyone could believe such a tale. ‘This isn’t sour grapes because I chose Henri, is it? I can understand you’re mad at me, Kassy, but this accusation has come at rather a very convenient time, hasn’t it? Besides, there’s no way I knew you would be dumped or else I wouldn’t have chosen him.’

Henri frowns at me. I’m not exactly helping myself.

‘I didn’t mean it like that. You’re very nice, Henri. We’d all love a chance to get to know you.’

I feel dreadful deflecting the truth, but it is essential I sow the seeds of doubt. It’s fine me getting axed from the show but not fine if Porscha does some digging – even a light scratch on the surface – and finds out the mystery man is Cam. I’m certain she would sack him rather than let him be with a woman who wasn’t her.

‘I see. So, you would have chosen MY Brad? What a traitor!’ Binky yells at me. She too is excessively livid at being dumped from the island and is acting as though it is all my fault.

How am I enemy number one all of a sudden?

‘KEEP ROLLING,’ shouts Porscha running towards us with her head turned at a sharp angle towards a nearby bush. ‘This is pure car crash. Stay on Kassy, and then keep switching between her and Libby.’

Two camera operators, dressed in black like a pair of snipers, peep out from behind the bush giving Porscha a thumbs-up as she passes by, one hand to her earpiece, the other pointing here, there and everywhere. ‘Good. Camera five and six,you stay with Carlton and Giovanni. Twelve, you stay on Henri and, camera eleven, you pan out to the whole group. Can we get aerial in here pronto? Move it, people. Move it!’

So much is happening right now. I scan the scene. Destiny is smoking a cigarette and talking to one of the assistant producers in hushed mumbles. They keep peering over at me and then quickly back to each other. Porscha is running from bush to bush to make sure the snipers know who their targets are. Runners are fiddling with lights and big furry microphone booms. And Kassy and Binky are openly sobbing. Brad and Marcel are having their backs slapped and doing manly ‘bro’ hugs with fist bumping and promises of seeing each other on the outside.

‘I need my vape back,’ Kassy yells to one of the runners. ‘Then I’m going to the Beach Hut to tell the whole world what a fucking fix this all is.’

‘I’ll come with you,’ agrees Binky. ‘It’s an absolute fucking disgrace. You all should be ashamed of yourselves. Treating us like easy meat.’ She sweeps a furious glare around the area while all the runners and producers do an excellent job of professionally ignoring her. She spots Destiny sucking away onher ciggie. ‘Unless, Destiny, hun. Is there any chance I’ll get picked to come back on as a bombshell?’

Destiny throws a sympathetic glance towards her and shrugs.

‘I will go to the Beach Hut too.’ We see Mimi, not one to be left out, wading into the slanging match. She puts her hand on her hip. ‘After all, she nearly chose Carlton, and it could have been me being dumped. I’m so traumatised right now.’

‘I didn’t nearly choose Carlton!’ I say. ‘You specifically told me to leave him out of this, so that you could have him.’

Oops.

It is now Carlton’s turn to look livid. He yells to Mimi, ‘You deliberately ruined my chance of happiness with Libby just for your own selfish gain?’

Mimi visibly gulps. She has lost her words. Then she looks at me. ‘She didn’t want to steal you anyway. She said she wasn’t interested in any of you. You’re all just one big oily muscle-mountain to her.’

All the men turn to stare at me.

‘No. Of course you’re not all one big oily muscle-mountain.’ I blow my cheeks out. I’m never going to come out of this in a good light. ‘I think you’ll find that I’ve been taken way out of context. The truth is, I think I should be the one to leave the…’

‘STOP TALKING! STOP IT,’ cuts in Porscha. ‘Libby, with me. NOW!’

I immediately do as I am told.

‘JUST TELL US THE TRUTH,’ yells Kassy as we pass her. ‘WHICH ONE OF THEM WERE YOU SNOGGING BEHIND THE BINS?’

Oh Christ.

Apart from anything, the truth sounds far from classy. I am mortified.

The men look at each other with blank expressions before the denials and accusations begin.

Porscha all but manhandles me over to the PANTRY and through the secret door into the safe space. Before she has a chance to say anything, Cam bursts through the door. We trade looks.

‘Cameron,’ Porscha says with almost a sad tone. ‘I think it’s better if I deal with this alone. Woman to woman.’

‘But I want to explain. It wasn’t Libby’s…’