Maybe there was some sort of logical explanation for all of this. Maybe the twist would make sense.
Rita finally approached us, and any hope I had that everything would be fine was about to be completely destroyed.
“Ladies,” she said warmly, her arms outstretched as if welcoming us into her home. “You’re all probably wondering what’s going on.”
We all murmured a yes, sitting on the edge of the couch, anticipating answers.
“Well, do I have a surprise for you.” Rita clapped her hands together and looked us over like she had the most exciting secret to share.
A cameraman kept his camera pointed at our faces, and I had to force myself not to stare directly into the lens. Being filmed felt about as natural as walking backward. I resisted the urge to touch my face and pat my braid to check for flyways.
“I have a confession to make,” Rita continued, before pausing dramatically. When I watched reality TV, I hadalways assumed they added those in after the fact. But nope. Rita’s pause dragged on for what felt like forever. I could have gotten up, used the restroom, and still made it back in time for whatever grand reveal she was about to share.
“You’re not here for a singing competition—” she looked to Trace, “—or to dance.” Her gaze moved to Rachel. Then her eyes settled on me. “Or to write.”
My throat dried up and I was desperate for a glass of water.
Her eyes moved away from me to land on Sofia. “And you aren’t here to become famous, although if you play your cards right, you just might become beloved by America.”
Sofia giggled before raising an imaginary glass. “Cheers to that.”
My expression probably appeared positively horrified. How could she feel so at ease right now? I wished just a fraction of her relaxed attitude would rub off on me.
“What the hell is going on?” Rachel finally asked, evidently just as tired as I was with the dramatics.
Rita smiled slyly, as if feeding off our combined anxiety. “While you might not be here for the reasons you expected, you’re definitely all here for a purpose.” She took two steps toward the couch. “And that purpose is to find love.”
Bile rose in my throat. This couldn’t be real. This had to be some elaborate prank. Piper must be here somewhere, ready to jump out and yell, “Got you!”
“You heard that right,” Rita continued. “Someone close to you, a family member or a friend, signed you up for the show under the pretense that it was something else entirely.”
Rachel cursed under her breath and Trace gripped my forearm, tighter this time. I wanted to rip my arm away and run for the door. The camera zooming in on our faces was the only thing keeping my expression neutral.
“We all know someone unlucky in love. Maybe you’ve never had a relationship. Maybe you put your career first. Maybe you can’t move on.” She observed me as she delivered that last line. I pressed my back into the couch, hoping the cushions could somehow swallow me whole and I’d escape from this nightmare.
“But someone close to you has saidenough is enough.They’re turning to tough love to force you all into facing your limiting beliefs about love and relationships. They’re forcing you to dive in and face your fears, and feelings, head-on.”
Rachel scowled at this revelation. Trace and Sofia, meanwhile, seemed a lot calmer than I felt.
“So, your journey starts today. Your journey on...Tough Love.”
The sizable pause before the name of the show had me imagining some cheesy theme song being inserted there. This was all too surreal. The idea of a competition show had already been a big pill to swallow. Now this? I realized I had been shaking my head and forced myself to stop. My whole body felt like it was on fire. Thank God I was already seated, or I’d surely pass out.
Rachel’s foot tapped furiously next to me, and I wished I could channel some of what I was feeling into frustration. Instead, I was just scared shitless.
“In the next room, we have four men who have just been given the same revelation. Now you might think, how am I expected to find love with some random guy on this TV show?” She chuckled in a way that could only be described as simulated. “Well, don’t worry. We’ve put you all through a rigorous compatibility test. I can assure you that there are multiple possible and very compatible matches within this group.”
“Yeah right,” Rachel hissed quietly.
“But,” Rita held up a finger, “There is one match for each of you that will fit you particularly well. It’s up to you to figure out who. You’ll pair up with one possible match at the beginning, but you’ll have the opportunity to swap partners later on. Every day we’ll have a new challenge that will test your compatibility and force you to grow as individuals. This show is calledTough Love, after all, and the challenges will be just as demanding physically as they are emotionally. Remember, this isn’t just about finding love, it’s also about growing and letting go of your self-limiting beliefs.”
Rita paused and assessed us all. “You look angry, Rachel.”
Rachel laughed bitterly. “Damn right I’m angry.”
Rita pursed her lips—in an attempt to appear sympathetic, I was sure. “Do you have any idea who might have signed you up for this?”
“I don’t have to guess,” Rachel scoffed, leaning back. “It was my mother.”
