She snickers. “I mean, sounds kinky, I’m in.”
I shake my head. Honestly, wouldn’t surprise me at this point.
The guys are already all lined up on one side, and I don’t miss the appreciative look they give to each girl as we pass them. My eyes linger on Noah for a second longer, and he puckers his lips like he’s blowing out a breath before he smiles at me. I give him a little wave because I’m a fucking nerd like that, then follow the line to where the other girls are standing.
As per usual, the crew comes over and rearranges us howthey see fit.
“Good evening, everyone. Damn, I’m not sure I’ve seen a better-looking group of people in my life!” Alex exclaims, gesturing to us all.
We all smile and nod in thanks as he continues running down how things will go. The girls will be going first in no particular order. When our name is called, we walk up to the podium and state which guy we’d lock in with. The guy comes to the podium as well, and he’s asked if he wants to lock in. If he says yes, Alex will place a lock on each of the bracelets they’ve passed out to us, officially “locking us in.” If the guy rejects the lock-in, the girl has to go back in line and wait until the other girls have gone to choose again. Since this is their first year of doing things, Alex says it might feel a little clunky and to bear with them. I guess they’ll handle most things in editing.
I look down at the simple gold bracelet. This can’t be real gold, right? It’s gotta be that fake stuff you can get from the grocery store in the clothes section next to the deli? I replay that question in my head, though, and realize I’m being stupid. Of course it’s real gold. I wonder if we can keep the bracelets at the end of the show? Or if they’ll notice it going missing? You know, just in case I don’t make it far in the competition.
“Alright, let’s get started!” Alex says as someone counts us down—three, two, one.
“Welcome back toLocked In: Season One. I’m your host, Alex Martins, and tonight, we’ll finally be able to see who’ll be locking in with whom. Cora, please step forward.”
She looks a little nervous at first as she steps forward to the podium, but I see the moment her gaze locks with Andrew’s. It’s like all of her nerves disappear.
“Cora, who would you like to lock in with?” Alex asks.
“I’d like to lock in with Andrew.”
A grin the size of Texas fills Andrew’s face as he walks up to the podium.
“Andrew, do you want to lock in with Cora, or do you have your eye on someone else?”
He doesn’t skip a beat; his eyes don’t break from hers, not even for a second as he nods and smiles.
“I’d like to lock in with Cora.”
Alex nods and reaches forward, hooking a pair of matching locks on each of their bracelets. As soon as the click of the lock activates, each glows a color. Theirs is orange, and they smile as they glance down at it before looking at each other once more.
“Please take a seat,” Alex says, gesturing to the large U-shaped couch off to the side.
Their fingers intertwine as they walk towards the couch, taking a seat as Alex turns to the group.
“Luna, please step forward.”
She gives me a nervous look, and I nod in encouragement.
“Luna, you a little nervous?”
“I’m shitting bricks over here, Alex,” she replies, laughing nervously.
“Cut!” Daryll yells.
“Oh fuck, my bad. Sorry. I’m, like, shaking,” Luna says, lifting up her hands for proof.
“It’s fine,” Alex assures. “Let’s try it again. Luna, you look a little nervous,” Alex says once more.
Just like that, it’s like she’s willed all of her nerves away.
“Me? Please, you should be looking at that line of men if you want nervous.”
The cameraman pans over to the guys, which gives her a second to laugh it off before the focus comes back to her.
Alex smiles to her. “Alright, Luna. Who do you want to lock in with?”
