Page 44 of Ever's Last
“Thanks to you, she hates me. Way to grow a soul,” I yell at her.
“Memphis, shut up. This is something you can come back from.”
I slump down on the steps because I have loved Ever since she was five. Maybe not as I do now because I was so much older, but she was always meant to be mine. And now I don’t have her.
“You can fix this.” Skye smiles at me.
“Why do you care?”
“Because Ever once told me that people can change. I was always so mean to her, but I see how she is and how she sticks up for everyone. She didn’t even yell at me when I told her. That is the kind of girl you need to be with, someone that actually has a heart.”
I laugh a little bit.
“So any idea how I fix this?”
“We have an idea,” Brick looks at Ariel, “but you’re going to have to get used to cameras.”
I stare at him as he tells me what their idea is. It might be genius or stupid. Either way, my life will play out for all the world, making amends one girl at a time. Stand by, America, this will be a long season.
“But first, you have to get through all of this.” Brick gestures outside.
“We’ve talked and Ariel already quit, so that leaves Skye, Natalie, Merry, Nora, and Eva. Right now, you have to eliminate one. We’ve made out the list of who goes when. Natalie will make it to the end, along with Skye because this is TV. You’ll pick Natalie, Skye will pitch a fit, Beau will come get her . . . ”
“So we’re rigging the show?”
“Dude, the show was already rigged from the beginning. Let’s just make it fun,” Merry says.
“And then when we’re done, we will get to the plan to win your girl back,” Skye bumps my shoulder, showing me a little bit of the person I fell in love with.
“Okay, let’s get to berry picking,” I say, feeling a little bit better.
“Oh no, you need to shower and change first.” Ariel wrinkles her nose. I guess I smell of booze and sex.
“Really, Memphis?”
“I thought I lost everything,” I say sadly. Better to guard your heart.
“We’ll wait outside.”
I shower and dress quickly. I can see a bruise forming where Shane punched me.
“Memphis, take your place.” Sal is all business.
“Ladies, it’s getting close to the end. Before we go off on our little berry picking excursion, Memphis has to say goodbye to one of you.”
I call each girl forward, except Nora. She volunteered to be the first.
“I hope everything turns around for you,” she whispers in my ear as I hug her.
“Me too.”
We move to the patch of land that has a bunch of berries and some apple trees. And when Carlton explains the task, the girls put on a good show of excuses. Guess they’re really going big.
I put on a face, one that says I’m trying to be present and laugh when I should, and soon berries are picked. I can see Linc weighing the buckets and declaring Eva the winner. Guess that means a date for me. Shane might try and poison me.
“Eva, you’ll be joining Memphis for dinner,” Carlton informs her. She giggles like a pro. These girls should be actors.
I take her hand and guide her up to the porch, even pulling out her chair for her like a gentleman.
