CHAPTER NINE

Tough Cookies

- not yet edited -

The car sped through the curved road of the mountain, Tori's view out the window overlooking a valley of trees and rooftops. Chantal had convinced the driver to open the windows in the hopes that she could smell the nearby wineries. Instead of catching the scent of fermented grapes, she breathed in the sweetness of evergreens and wild flowers. The air was cooler and thinner this high into the mountains. In the distance, she could see the blue outline of hills and distant plains of Earth.

Her body leaned to the left and against the door as the driver made a wide turn onto a dirt road. The car rocked back-and-forth over the uneven terrain. She watched as the large trees vanished behind the window and were replaced by rocks and bushes with thin, needle-like bristles.

A house came into view at the end of the road. As the car approached the two-story house, she could see the fine details of its clay-colored walls and red tile roof. Beautiful vines crawled up the height of the house, their fingers sprawling above the square-paned windows.

The house was absolutely beautiful. It could be on a postcard, advertising its desert glamour to everyone. Through its windows, she could see glimpses of rustic decor: leather couches, wood tables and floors, and potted plants.

The car came to a stop at the side of the house and alongside three vans with darkly tinted windows. Chantal didn't seem to notice the other vehicles. She jumped out of the car as soon as the driver opened her door. Her shoes hit the Earth with a satisfying crunch. Instead of waiting for the driver, Tori slid her bottom against the leather of the seats and exited through Chantal's open door.

"Do you see this house?" Chantal said, overlooking the private grounds and surrounding view of mountains. "This is incredible. We have our own mountain." she said a little louder, her voice traveling in the breeze.

The familiar sound of a trunk opening brought their attention back to the car. The driver was putting their bags onto the road. Chantal rushed to the back of the car in time to grab her duffel bag before it could hit the ground.

"Thank you." she told the driver, and delivered a smile.

"You're welcome, Miss." He brought Tori's suitcase to the ground and then closed the trunk.

She took the handle of her luggage and started wheeling it toward the house. The wheels caught on the rocks and refused to budge. She tried pulling it again, using her back and weight to draw the wheels toward her. She was successful, but it didn't go without struggle.

They eventually made it to the door of the house, walking up the stone-lined path to the porch. Chantal knocked twice on the door.

Oddly enough, Tori wasn't having a panic attack. Her nerves were nowhere to be found: not in her stomach, not in her throat, and definitely not in her head. Instead, she felt an overwhelming sense of motivation and peace. It was almost like this was where she needed to be, and she felt eager to welcome this new beginning.

The door opened and a petite woman with dark hair held out a hand. "Chantal and Tori." she smiled, her voice genuine and enthusiastic. "Welcome."

She couldn't put her finger on it, but she knew this woman was kind-hearted. Maybe it was her charming smile or the glint in her brown eyes, but she gave off a relaxed vibe that Tori could trust. It also could be the fact that the woman made an effort to know their names, which is something that didn't go unappreciated.

She exchanged a handshake with the woman and noticed the arrangement of gold rings adorning her thin fingers. The jewelry was trendy, and complimented her olive skin tone.

"My name is Victoria Garcia. You're going to be seeing a lot of me in the next few months. I'm the assistant and will be guiding you through the process of the show." Her lashes fluttered as she spoke, her smoky makeup and well-groomed brows reminiscent of Kim Kardashian's style. "Please come inside. Don't mind Josh. He's going to hook you up with a microphone."

A man, who she assumed to be Josh, rushed toward her, a wire dangling from his hand. His expression was blank as he clipped a small device, the head no larger than the tip of a marker, to the collar of her shirt, then he moved to do the same for Chantal. 

Once they were wired, Victoria began walking through the foyer. A man in a polo shirt came out of nowhere and took away their luggage, rolling the bags across the hardwood flooring.

Tori and Chantal followed Victoria into a hallway, their eyes wandering over the framed artwork on the walls.

"There are two wings to the house. The right wing will be reserved for females only, and the left wing is for the males. Chris is moving your luggage to a room." Victoria talked fast as she moved into the living room.

The room was large, but cluttered with bodies, wires, and equipment. A man with a beard was positioning a camera on the mantel of the fireplace. He tucked it in the space between a vase and potted plant, stepping back from the fireplace to observe his work, and moving the camera slightly when he wasn't satisfied with its placement.

She would need to remember that hidden camera later.

I wonder how many cameras are hidden within the house... Are they in the bedrooms? Will they be watching my every move?

Her fingers twitched at her side.

"They'll be finished shortly." Victoria said, as if reading her mind. "We're just adding the finishing touches. I understand that it can be overwhelming at first, but you'll get used to it."

A phone vibrated from somewhere in the room. Everyone checked their pockets, but it was Victoria that brought a phone to her ear. "Hello? Yes, we can be done in ten minutes. Mmhmm. The cameras are ready. Thank you. Bye." She pressed a finger to the screen of her phone, ending the call. "I'm sorry for the interruption. We didn't expect you to get here so early. Please, enjoy the cheese platter and wine." Victoria motioned a hand to the open kitchen.

Chantal exchanged a look with her friend, and raised a brow. At the mention of wine, she moved with a bounce in her step toward the kitchen. 

The living room was empty of exposed wires and equipment. It now looked like an average room with a leather sectional, loveseat, fireplace, and tables.

A crew of four men stood at the end of the room. Three of the men held cameras on their shoulders while the other man held a stick with a rounded microphone at one end. They hadn't said anything to her, but she still felt uneasy when looking at them.

Chantal sat on a tufted ottoman, her polished legs crossed at the ankle and a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon in her hand. Her attention was on the front door as she waited for a group of contestants to arrive.

Tori couldn't sit. She walked the space in front of the fireplace and messed with the chipped polish on her nails. Her head replayed Victoria's words again and again.

Don't look at the cameras. Don't touch your mic. And don't worry about a thing.

The last part was added because she was sure that Victoria could sense her anxiousness.

Even as her nerves started to buzz, she was glad that they arrived early and had some time to freshen up. The bathroom of the room she shared with Chantal was stunning. It had twin sinks and a crystallized full-length mirror. The glass gleamed back at her as she changed into a satin cami and a pair of dark wash jeans. She replaced her moccasin slippers with a pair of block-heeled sandals. When she was satisfied with the look, she went to the sink and washed her face. The cold water bit her skin and awakened her senses. She didn't bother with too much makeup. A dab of concealer, mascara, blush, and lip gloss was enough for the cameras.

"I think someone's coming." Chantal said, her body perching forward on the ottoman as she peered out the window. "Victoria is talking to someone outside. I think they're getting a mic put on."

Her feet stopped their pacing and her eyes followed her friend's gaze to a window that overlooked the porch and yard beyond it. A pair of suitcases stood on the grass and she could see a head of straight, blonde hair. The figure's face was obscured by the back of Victoria's head.

"Come sit down. Hurry." Chantal ushered for her friend to come closer with her wine glass.

She took a seat on the leather sectional, leaning back to make herself seem comfortable to the cameras. Two camera men left the room to enter the hallway, and the other two men rounded the sectional where she was seated and stood in front of the fireplace, waiting to get their shot. 

"They're walking to the door now." Chantal ran her fingers through her hair, pushing her bangs to the side and fluffing the hairs at the top for added volume.

The sound of the door opening and closing brought a new wave of nerves to her stomach. A scuffle of sneakers on the floor could be heard next, and the first thing she saw emerge from the hallway was the backside of the cameramen, walking backward with the light of their cameras blinking. 

A woman sauntered into the room, her hoop earrings swaying between strands of yellow hair. She was dressed in a pair of Nike joggers, a cropped t-shirt, and sneakers. 

Tori was close to giving her friend a glare and saying, "See. I could have worn my Converse." Instead, she welcomed the young woman with a smile.

"Hey." the woman said, her voice casual and deeper than Tori was expecting.

Another woman came into the room and stood beside the blonde. She looked young too. These women couldn't be older than twenty-five. Their sense of fashion and posture gave that much away. This woman's chocolate-colored hair was pulled into a voluminous bun at the top of her head, its strands framing her thin face. 

"Hello." Chantal said from her seat. "My name is Chantal Martins. It's nice to meet you." She held out a hand.

The blonde crossed the room and took her hand. "Alyssa Caldwell. This is my partner, Sienna Goodman." She gestured to the brunette with a manicured finger. 

Alyssa came to sit on the couch beside Tori and shook her hand. 

"Tori Lynn. It's nice to meet you." She nodded in her direction, and then at Sienna. "Where are you from?"

"Denver, Colorado." 

"That's nice. We're from New York City." Chantal beamed between sips of wine. As if remembering that she was being rude, she gestured to the open kitchen. "There's wine on the counter, and some amazing cheeses." 

Alyssa didn't seem interested, but Sienna took Chantal's offer. She made her way into the kitchen, disappearing through the curved archway. 

"So, New York City." Alyssa started. "How is the business up there?"

"It's well. We've been in business for only a week, but we have the perfect location. We get a lot of foot traffic." that was Chantal, using her perky sales voice to bring attention to their shop. 

"Only a week?" Alyssa's mouth frowned in a disapproving pout. "We've been selling in Colorado for three years." 

She could see the lines in Chantal's forehead from across the room.

Before the atmosphere in the room could become any more toxic, the sound of the door opening and closing brought their attention back to the hallway. Sienna's head peaked through the kitchen to see who was coming next.

A woman with fiery red hair strolled into the room, her fingers intertwined with the man at her side. "Hello, everyone." she said in a cheery voice. "My name is Lauren Davis." Her hand left her partner's fingers and fell to her side. 

"I'm August Blackmore. Nice to meet all of you." The man said, his demeanor was friendly, but less outgoing than his partners'. His hair was gelled and fluffed over his forehead. He looked young too. 

In fact, everyone looked so young. She was expecting a lot more wrinkles and maturity, which was the norm for the past few seasons of the show. If she remembered correctly, there might have been a team or two of people under the age of forty. Right now, the room was filled with people that she didn't think had hit the age of thirty. She actually felt like the oldest person in the room.

"Wait, do we have a couple this season?" Alyssa blurted, suddenly interested in the conversation.

"No, we're just great friends." Lauren looked to August and smiled up at him. He was almost a foot taller in height. 

Alyssa looked as if she wanted to say more, but decided against it as the door opened again and footsteps clamored against the floor.

Everyone's attention turned to the hallway again. The cameras followed their gaze and waited to catch a shot of the next group.

She took this moment to count the heads in the room. There were six contestants here already, including herself and Chantal. Three more groups were expected. 

Just as she was considering the lack of male contestants, a pair of men entered the room, their southern accent apparent as they said their hellos and shaking hands with everyone in the room. The man that introduced himself as Carson Lindsey had dark hair and the most beautiful lips she had ever seen on a guy. His face was round, but his body was lean and leggy. His partner had curls of dirty-blonde hair. He seemed to be the quiet one of the group. He whispered a hello at Tori and shook her hand gently before taking a spot on an armchair. 

"Let me guess. You're from Texas?" Sienna was saying as she stood in the doorway between the living room and kitchen, her glass of wine nearly full. 

"We're from Galveston. Right on the coast." Carson said with an air of confidence.

She got the feeling that Sienna wasn't trying to be civil. If anything, the draw in her voice was meant to sound snobbish. 

Carson sat straight in his seat as if he hadn't caught onto her supercilious attitude. 

If Sienna kept up this act, then it would be impossible for the viewers at home to consider Tori as the moody one. As much as she was already disliking the girl, she had to admit that she was happy there was someone in the house that would take the drama-queen position on the show. There was one less thing that she had to worry about. 

Lauren and August sat next to each other on the sectional with Tori, their eyes darting between the others in the room. It was clear that they were trying to get a grasp on the personalities of their competition. She wondered what they were thinking about her.

Chantal broke the silence in the room. "How many of you own a business?" she asked. 

"We opened our shop, Mad Batter Bakery, a year ago." Lauren grinned. 

"I like it." Chantal said and laughed. "What about you?" Her eyes focused on the group of men on the armchairs. 

"We own The Bread Basket." Wesley finally spoke up. 

"And we're the owners of Sweetie Pies." Alyssa said, and tossed her straight hair off a shoulder. 

"I think I see a pattern here." Chantal looked into her glass of wine as if she was contemplating the secrets of the universe. "What do you think about season four being all about business owners?"

She had to admit that her friend was on to something. "And can I say that none of us look over the age of thirty? Which is something I find very suspicious considering the last three seasons were mainly veterans with multiple businesses."

Lauren and August nodded their heads in agreement. Carson leaned forward in his seat, folding his hands together in the space between his knees. 

"It doesn't seem too far-fetched. I'm sure they're cooking up something new for this season." he said. 

Before anyone else could get out their idea, the door opened once again. 

All at once, four people walked into the room. The last two groups of season four. 

The group was led by a woman with black hair and a pointed smile. Her hooded eyes were large and curved slightly, their dark brown color prominent against her teal blouse. Her voice was soft as she introduced herself as Iona Nguyen. A man followed her steps to the center of the room. He shook hands with Carson first, and then Chantal. 

"Theo Phillip." He repeated as he made his way around the room. "Iona and I are from Florida."

At this, Tori's eyes perked up. "I grew up in Florida." she said, her hand shaking the rough skin of his palm. 

"Really?" He gave a crooked smile. "What part?"

"Orlando."

"Ah, you're a city girl. We're from southern Florida." His voice was friendly, and made her feel some comfort. Finally, she found someone that she could relate to. 

Theo scratched the dark hairs on his face and turned to find his partner. Iona found her way into the kitchen and was picking cheese off the silver platter. 

Tori brought her attention back to the next group of contestants. They were a man and a woman. Through the conversation, she learned that their names were Juliet and Lawson.

She noticed a sleeve of tattoos on Lawson's right arm. He wore bootcut jeans and a plain t-shirt. He seemed nice enough, his smile genuine as he appeared interested in the conversation he was having with Lauren. 

Juliet was sitting with Chantal, her legs crossed on the floor since all the seats were taken. Her thick hair was curled in tight, black strands, and her sharp jawline flattered her face. She was probably the most attractive woman in the room. The gold set of necklaces around her neck brought a shimmer to her dark complexion. 

Again, she didn't think these people were over the age of thirty. Many of them looked younger than her, which she found to be nearly unbelievable. It could be possible that Theo was a year older than her, but it could be the stubble on his chin making him seem more mature.

The men and their cameras left the room now, exiting into the hallway. Their sudden movement seized the eyes of everyone in the room.

Victoria came through the kitchen, catching everyone by surprise. The walkie talkie in her pocket buzzed, but she ignored it. Instead, she smiled and clapped her hands together. "I hope you've had some time to get to know each other." Her eyes wandered over Tori and the other contestants. "We're going to start the evening with private confessionals. I'll call each of you one at a time to meet me in a room upstairs. After that, you're free to spend the night as you please. Tomorrow is the first day of the competition. Don't worry, I'll be here in the morning to help you along." She paused and looked over the room once more as if checking for any questions or raised hands. 

"Great." Victoria continued. "Please be ready at seven tomorrow morning. The day starts early in California." Her last words were said with an extra flair of delight. 

"Thank you, Victoria." Chantal called after her as she turned on her heels and walked away. 

Now, they were left alone with their new roommates. She focused her eyes on her lap as a conversation broke out between Carson and August about the drive up the mountain.

She was about to agree that the surrounding flowers were beautiful, but Josh knocked on the kitchen wall to get everyone's attention. "Theo Phillip. I'm taking you upstairs to do your confessional." he said, his voice sounding as bored as the grumpy look on his face.

Theo jumped out of his seat and met Josh at the kitchen entrance. "Looks like I'm the first pick of the day. I'll see you all later." 

Iona waved at her partner, and Carson said a goodbye.

The time on her watch said it was 2:37. It had been two hours since she arrived in California, and one hour since stepping foot into this house. She wondered what the next two months would be like, and when she would see Caiden.