Page 135 of Collateral Damage
Bymingle, he means network. He’s about to become the talk of the town.
Despite all the stress I’ve been under lately, I can’t let this magical moment slip away. I take Cooper’s hand, prepared to enjoy every second of tonight, and not worry about how it looks that we’re together. We’ve followed all the rules given to us by the network, but tonight, rules be damned.
He pulls me to him, one arm around my waist and the other on the back of my neck. Our eyes meet for a long moment before he dips his head forward, claiming my lips. We don’t care who’s watching. We kiss like we’re the only two people in the room.
All too soon, Perry interrupts us with an announcement over the microphone.
“Thank you all for joining us tonight, and many thanks to our cast, crew, sponsors, and the network for making the dream of Top of the World come true.” Cheers ripple through the crowd. “Without further ado, please turn your attention to this sneak peek of our pilot episode. You’ll notice something special for the show—a live social media feed on the right side of the screen, highlighting real-time reactions from at-home viewers.”
A projector lights the screen on the far wall, and the house lights dim.
The promo opens with a sweeping drone shot of the Manhattan city skyline at sunrise, hazy golden light bouncing off glass and steel. The camera speeds up, zooming in on one of those buildings. I instantly recognize it as Cooper’s, and myheart soars. Cooper squeezes my hand and gives me a boyish grin.
The floor to ceiling window is shaded, the viewer unable to see inside, but the drone passes through an open door, revealing six young New Yorkers——our inaugural cast.
A deep and catchy voice speaks over ambient music.“Some people live on top of the world. Their lives, careers, relationships, and futures are brighter than most. Who are these people? They’re the rich and the famous, the privileged and elite, and for one hot summer, six of them will live together under this roof.”The voice deepens.“Who are they underneath the fame and money? For these six lives, everything is about to change.”
The image flashes to Justin, smirking as he runs lines in front of a mirror.“Everyone loves him on the silver screen,”the voice over narration says,“but can they handle the real Justin Mercer?”
Then on to Gloria, working out in the gym.“Her looks made her a millionaire, but perfection comes at a high price. And her love life? That’s anything but perfect.”
Onto Audra Mason, strumming her guitar, sitting cross-legged on the rooftop.“She’s spent her life being the good girl pop star, but is she actually a bad girl looking to reinvent herself?”
Cut to the siblings, playfully arguing with each other over the dinner table.“These siblings are political royalty, but are they tired of playing it safe?”
Finally, a shirtless Benton dips into the hot tub, sending a ripple of feminine giggles through the crowd.“And what about the playboy who scores on more than just the ice? Is he ready to take a shot at true love?”
A montage of footage flashes across the screen, from dinner parties, to wine glass clinks, steamy hookups, tearful confrontations, and the carefree bonfire on Nantucket.
The promo ends with the six of them standing on the penthouse roof, overlooking the city, and the title flashes across the screen.
The voice over finishes with,“Top of the World, where the dreams are big, but the egos are bigger.”
The screen goes dark, and the crowd explodes into thunderous applause. Not for the first time, I know what we’ve done here is going to work. Clearly, I’m not the only person who can’t wait to watch the first episode.
Fifty-Eight
Sybil
Present - Age 27
Perry made sure to prep me and Cooper for what to expect. After the red carpet arrival, where everyone would be dressed to the nines, the cast would give interviews while the rest of the guests enjoyed themed cocktails and conversation. After the initial announcements and promo trailer, there would be an early viewing of the pilot.
Everything tonight is meant to create buzz for the show, so cameras are expected to be everywhere, especially the cellphone cameras of all the social media influencers. We’re counting on them to spread the word even more, and gaging their reactions so far, they’re already salivating at the content possibilities.
“Who’s ready to view the first episode?” Perry asks into the microphone, and everyone cheers. “Remember, when the show airs in two days, it will be paired alongside a real-time social media feed. Viewers can comment and like or dislike what’s happening as America watches together.”
I’m not sure if I’m going to like that, but Perry insists it’s going to make our numbers better. The social media influencers seem excited, at least.
We shuffle into the large theatre for the premier, and as expected, the cast and most important crew members get to sit in a sectioned off clump. That’s how I end up behind our cast and their dates. I finally spot Benton.
He and Gloria arenoteach other’s dates for tonight.
They broke up in dramatic fashion on the last day of filming. Their drama will be the final linchpin of the season. Until then, they have to pretend to be civil with each other, not that Gloria is even trying. She keeps shooting him scathing looks.
Benton doesnotseem happy about it, but I know for a fact he’s happy to be rid of her.
I catch his eye and give him a thumbs up. He only shrugs. I’ve assured him it’s all going to work out, but he’s convinced he’s going to be the most hated man in America. I feel guilty about that, and I promised to go to bat with him in post editing.
