Page 38 of Heart to Heart
As they spoke, the camera panned over to us. My body grew rigid as I kept a smile plastered on my face so aggressively, my facial muscles ached. Beside me, Sasha’s hand brushed mine,squeezing it in support. At least I had one friend here. If she didn’t make it to the next round and I did, I didn’t know what I would do.
“Well, are you ready to see the man whose heart you’re all here to win?”
Collectively, a resounding “Yeah” rose from all of us on the risers as though we’d rehearsed it.
“Far be it for me to keep you waiting any longer. Tristan, please come out and join us.”
He appeared from behind a wall of roses, his burgundy suit matching the shade of the petals, looking very much like the Hollywood superstar I’d crushed on so long ago, except he was no longer the twenty-year-old I remembered from his movies. The last few years had matured his features, turning the boy I’d first seen into a man.
And here I was, standing in front of him in a Goodwill dress, my hair escaping from the bobby pin I’d used to secure it in a crown braid that was unraveling more and more with each second, and a set of false eyelashes that were threatening to tear away from my eyelids like shingles in a hurricane with the slightest hint of a breeze. I was the before in every makeover show I’d ever watched.
“Not surprisingly, the season premiere ofHeart to Heartthis season drew in more viewers than any episode in any of our past seasons, and I think we all know who we can thank for that.” Kamila turned their head to smile at Tristan, who had a subtle shade of crimson spreading across his cheeks, as we all took Kamila’s words as our cue to clap for our leading man.
“I’m just happy people care enough about me and my journey to tune in,” Tristan replied, humbly. Unlike others I’d seen on this show, Tristan’s response came out unrehearsed, genuine. I fully believed he wasn’t just saying what he thought the audienceat home wanted to hear. He was sincerely touched, if not a bit surprised, that we and the audience at home were here for him.
Ugh. Why does he have to be so perfect?
“Allow me to predict right now,” Kamila began again, “that this entire season is going to continue breaking records.”
“A smattering ofwhooserupted while the rest of us clapped again in polite response, all while not daring to break the smiles on our faces.
“Wow,” Tristan replied, “I hope so. Even though I must admit I’m completely winging it here.”
“Same,” Sasha called out. Tristan grinned as laughter, most of it sincere, sprang out from the risers. I glanced over at Sasha and winked.
“For a man who’s just winging it, you’re doing a fine job. It’s almost like you’re an actor or something,” Kamila interceded.
“I am?” Tristan’s eyes sparkled as his playful side, the one I remember from many late-night show interviews I snuck in when I should have been asleep, came through. It was nice seeing that side of him again. “I know some critics who would disagree.”
“Okay, viewers, it’s the moment of truth. Did the lady you voted for make the top ten, or will they end up being one of the five ladies being sent home tonight? The results of last night’s voting are in.”
Sasha tensed next to me as some ladies stood up straighter, with others exhaling as though this were the reaping inTheHunger Gamesand notHeart to Heart. Still, as absurd as it felt to be downright terrified to be sent home, I could feel my own muscles tense in anticipation.
“The names of the top ten contestants are going to be called in reverse order from ten to one, with the last person called having been the top vote-getter of the night. If your name iscalled, you will come up to me, claim your ceremonial pin, and then proceed back to your spot on the risers. Clear?”
Some of us nodded while others vocalized their understanding, all of us then returning to a rigid seriousness as though we were on death row and tonight was our execution.
“That’s what I like to hear.” Kamila winked. They turned their attention to the set of cards in their hand, given to them during the commercial break, along with a bowl containing the famousHeart to Heartkey pins given out in every episode. KiKi had purchased a replica of the famous pins online and affixed it to the strap of her purse. After three months, it had turned the strap of her white purse green. These, I was fairly confident, cost a little more than the $1.99 she’d spent.
“Starting at the tenth most vote-getter, we have Taylor.”
A huge exhale erupted from Taylor as she stepped from the middle riser to the lower one, with the women positioned in front of her parting to allow her to come through.
“Taylor, will you accept this key to Tristan’s heart?”
“Yes!” Taylor squealed as she accepted the pin and scurried back to the risers, her excitement meeting the rest of the women like a fart in church. Sasha side-hugged her, and I gave her my first unforced smile of the night.
Tension slowly began to ease among the risers as Tatiana, Genevieve, Eleanor, Brittney Q., Jennifer D., Felicity, and Daisy were called to collect their pins. But with each name called that wasn’t mine, my stomach sank lower and lower.
“Bianca.”
A gasp erupted from Bianca, one that wasn’t quite excitement, but more like…shock? Sasha and I glanced at each other, and I had to keep myself from losing it after seeing the grin on her face.
“She thought she was going to be first,” Sasha muttered under her breath. “Classic.”
We watched Bianca walk over to Kamila, her heels practically digging into the patio. When accepting her pin, she stole a glance at Tristan, murmuring something nobody could make out as hard as we craned our heads to hear. As she turned to walk back to the risers, whatever fake smile she may have plastered on her face dissipated, replaced with disgust. I pitied the poor woman who’d beaten her in votes. They were going to wish they’d never been bo…
“And last, but not least, Avery.”
