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“Avery, hi.” Victoria gave her a soft smile. She lifted one arm for a hug. Good, at least Avery could be herself.
“I’ve missed you.” Avery took two long steps to reach Victoria, placing her hand on her shoulder. Bending over, she wrapped her mom in a tentative hug.
Their relationship wasn’t very expressive, but the more time passed, the more she didn’t want these moments to slip past.
“I haven’t seen you in a while, have I?” Victoria looked towards her bed. There was a cork board hanging by the side that had little reminders pasted on its surface.
“You’re right, it’s been a long time. I was away doing a TV show.” She parked herself on the edge of the bed since it was the only other place to sit in the room.
“Someone hid my earrings from me.” Victoria touched her bare ears.
It took only three seconds of glancing around to find the pair on her nightstand, where she always kept them. So, maybe it wasn’t a good day after all. “They’re right here.”
“Oh,” was all Victoria replied. She picked at pills on the blanket strewn across her lap.
It was hard to get her mom to open up after that. Instead of trying to wrestle any information from her, Avery left the room with a final goodbye and looked for Greta again.
“Step in here for a second.” Greta pulled her to a conference room near the front. “This will be quick. I hate to mention this, but your mom’s account is still outstanding. Here is a bill to get it up to date.” Greta handed her a piece of paper. The weight of the amount lay heavy in Avery’s hands. “I’m sorry. I know how hard you work. We’ve exhausted every avenue to get the bill down, but this is the leftover from the past few months. Maybe you can put out a fund to help? The show you were on might help boost the fund.”
“It’s okay, Greta. I’ll get you the money.” Avery frowned at the amount. She still had the money the show had given her in the beginning, but was waiting for the first installment of the twenty-five thousand. The familiar pinch of money pressure pressed on her chest.
She tucked the paper into her bag and walked outside, adding “get a job until the money comes in” to her to do list.
The weather was cooling down in the late afternoon. Each step felt heavier than the last as the reality of her situation came crashing back. It had only taken a day for her to feel the weight settle in her gut once again.
Stella tossed one side of the blanket for Quinn to take. Sand kicked up as they spread the beach blanket while Amy and Ethan threw a ball near the ocean waves.
Three days after the finale, Stella finally felt like she was getting her feet back under her. It was odd being back home. The only thing still nagging at her was she had no way to get in touch with Avery. Stella wasn’t a fan of social media, and she hadn’t realized she wouldn’t get a chance to talk to Avery after the show concluded.
“I never get tired of the ocean. I could stay here daily and still be awed by the beauty.” Quinn used her pointer finger to push the oversized sunglasses back up the bridge of her nose. “Here, your pasty-ass skin needs some of this.” She tossed the bottle of SPF50 to Stella.
“Thanks.” Stella squirted the paste into her hand and rubbed it into her arm. The waxy coat helped soothe her already hot skin.
“Amy’s cute.” Quinn squinted in her direction. “How long have you been friends?”
“Long enough to know she’s a heartbreaker.” Stella shook her head at the dreamy look on her new friend’s face.
“Not that I can do anything. The rules of the show still bind us. Figures. I sure can pick them, huh.” Quinn spread out on the towel, propping her elbows behind her.
“You can. Avery was a good choice. She’s amazing.” Stella couldn’t hide the yearning in her tone, which Quinn immediately picked up.
“Wait, do you like her? Are you the one she was talking about at the finale?” The ocean waves didn’t drown out Quinn’s shout.
Stella had a choice: Deny everything and try and forget all that had led up to this moment, or explain and potentially lose a budding friendship. She couldn’t talk to Amy about it, and Quinn was bound by the same contract. It was time to come clean. It was the only way forward if she wanted a friendship with Quinn.
“Let me tell you a story,” she said, then told Quinn everything she’d been holding in.
Quinn lay her head back on her arms when Stella finished. “Wow,” she said, then pulled her glasses down to look at her unobstructed. “I wish you had told me or warned me that you had the hots for her. I would have tried harder not to fall for her.” Quinn scowled.
Stella had spent so much time hiding her feelings that it felt awkward to open up about them now, especially with someone from the show. “You know I couldn’t have said anything. So, you’re not mad? She is something special, though, isn’t she?”
“Damn, you’re hella professional. I know you couldn’t. And no, not mad. It makes sense. Now that I think about it, something was probably holding her back, even if I wasn’t sure what. I mean, look at me. I’m awesome, and she wanted to sleep apart for those three days. Anyway, how are you not on any social media platforms? Don’t you need to promote the show at all?” Quinn sat up and reached into the cooler for a water bottle. She twisted the end into the sand, creating a little cup holder.
“I never got into the different platforms. Plus, the upkeep on each of them gives me hives.” She scratched her arm to make her point.
A slender woman with braids flowing down her back walked up, an oversized beach bag slung over her shoulder.
“I’m sorry to bother you, but I recognize you from the videos and the dozens of photos Ethan has around his place. I’m Keisha, Ethan’s girlfriend. Sorry I’m so late, I had to finish up with an appointment.” She held out her hand to Stella, who took it enthusiastically.
