“The Girl Who Judges Everyone” (Part II)

Kyungri decides to sit at the head of the table, and is mostly keeping to herself. She feels like she doesn’t need to interact much with the people who have been eliminated, and she’s perfectly content with throwing out subtle shady comments every once in a while. At one point, Enca hears something she says about the caliber of the competition that’s still in the running, and she takes it badly.

Enca: Excuse me, I don’t want to interrupt your bitching, but I’m going to interrupt your bitching. How about you don’t say anything at all if everything that’s going to come out of those fake lips is going to be a barbed comment? How about it?

The people sitting close to Enca and Kyungri immediately fall silent. Matthieu and Harrison look at each other with slightly uncomfortable smiles on their faces. Kyungri is momentarily stunned into silence, and stares at Enca for a few moments. She regains her composure, though, and then just scoffs and takes a sip of her beverage. She sets it down, and everyone on their side of the table seems to lean forward, waiting for her response.

Kyungri: I’m sorry Enca, do my comments bother you? Because you know what is bothering me in this moment? Your lash is crooked. Fix it.

Harrison snorts into his drink and Matthieu stifles an amused laugh. Neither of them thought that Enca and Kyungri had any beef with each other, so it’s more than a little interesting to see the new rivalry unfold. Enca doesn’t look happy though, and shoots Kyungri an angry look.

Enca: Honey, every part of this body is perfectly in place. And it isn’t any of your business to poke that… that nose thing on your face into things that don’t concern you. You think my lash is crooked? Well, at least my lashes aren’t surgically enhanced. Where did you get yours? Did you cut off and glue spider legs to your eyes?… Honey, I look like a snack and you know it. So cut your bullsh*t.

Kyungri: Sweetie… I’m happy to see that you’re finally getting a personality. I applaud you for attempting to come for me, it’s certainly a daunting prospect. Maybe with some practice you could actually say something interesting next time! But for now, let’s all raise our glasses and toast to this development!

No one raises their glasses, and Kyungri just cackles, shaking her head.

Kyungri: No? Just me? No problem, my raised glass is worth more than any of yours! *giggles* Anyway, let’s continue with this party, I’m getting bored of this.

Enca looks away, annoyed at the argument. She’s never had a problem with Kyungri, but her snide comments are getting under her skin. She should’ve known not to try to call her out, she thinks to herself, but she needed to say it. She turns to the other side of the table and starts to pay attention to what seems like a fight brewing next to her. Harrison also looks away sheepishly, unsure of whether to talk to Enca or Kyungri first. Matthieu squeezes his hand under the table and the pair smile at each other, wordlessly implying that they can’t wait to leave the table.

Meanwhile, there is indeed a fight brewing next to Enca, as Charlee is still angry at Todd for throwing away their leverage the week he was eliminated in.

Charlee: See, I knew I had to have only the best people in my alliance, and I chose wrong! Shame on me, because I saw potential in you but didn’t recognize that the glimmer I saw in you was just the dull shine of a loser.

Todd: Bitch, excuse me? You’re really going to bring up a mistake I made when you left home right after me? Girl, get it together. If I’m a loser, then you’re also one, AND a bitter one at that. Get over it.

Charlee: I will be bitter all over your ass! Don’t even try to come for me.

Todd: Sweetheart, the shade writes itself when it comes to you. You’re the joke of this show, and no one has ever thought you’re a contender. Just accept that as a fact and you’ll maybe find peace in that rotted heart of yours!

Patricio: Oh, isn’t that something! The bitchy duo, confronting each other? Who would have thought?

Charlee: Do you have something to say to me? Because it sure sounds like you have an opinion you want to rattle off.

Patricio: Yeah, well, I could probably come up with something clever for you, but I’m not even going to bother. You’re a waste of space and time, Charlee! I would have nominated you fifty times if I could have.

Charlee: You know what, didn’t you leave first, asshole? I find it quite fresh that the first out is here trying to trash talk me when he couldn’t even make it to the third episode!

Charlee: *sips her drink extravagantly* In fact, no! Let me come for you a bit because I’m sure we’re all dying to see you read for filth. Like, you’re like a horny little dog who can’t keep it in his pants when you see a cute girl, but you try to come off as this awesome beach bro that’s all that? Honey, I wouldn’t give you a second glance anywhere, not on the street, not on the beach, and not on this show. You’re a joke! *she sips her drink again and raises her glass, getting more and more animated* You’re the definition of filler—someone needed to go home first so they brought your sorry ass on here so the fans wouldn’t care about the first one out! It’s good you’re here again, because in that challenge you’re also going to be the first out. It’s a perfect role for you!

Patricio is stunned into silence, no witty comeback coming to his mind. He’s used to having the upper hand in most social situations, but Charlee’s drunken comments have hit a nerve with him—he sometimes wonders the same things, if he was just on the show to provide for an easy choice for first eliminee. Not that he would ever admit that to anyone else. He just gives Charlee a dirty look and she looks away, happy that she’s riled him up.

Matthieu: *voiceover* There are fights happening all around me at this point and I’m just holding Harrison’s hand, hoping people are going to calm down soon. Me, I’m over all of this dramatic nonsense, I think there are better things to do with our time together but it seems like this dinner was simply an excuse to put us all in the same place with lots of alcohol, and look! Everyone is slowly falling into this trap… I think I may be getting over this show…

Todd takes advantage of Patricio’s silence and Charlee’s gloating to get a few more words in. Gabriel is sitting in front of him, and takes a few moments off from making eyes at China to listen to what Todd has to say.

Todd: Listen, Charlee. I didn’t want to fight with you or with anyone else for that matter, but honestly. You bring out the worst in people, and it’s not a good quality to have. Sure, I stirred the pot a lot when I was still on the show, and I was petty and conniving and stupid, but I think I learned a lesson through all that, and that’s that you can’t walk around life just being rude and not expecting to be hit back. And look! You’re the rudest, most vile person I’ve ever met and you got your comeuppance!

Charlee: And what makes you think that you can—

Todd: Bitch, did I say I was done? As I was saying, I’m so happy to see that you’re not getting all you want, and I hope that you learn a lesson. Being a villain is glamorous but at the end of the day all that glamour fades away and all that you’re left with is that ugly rotted personality. Get better, girl.

Charlee finally sits in stony silence. Gabriel smirks and nods at Todd, who smiles back. The conversation has stopped all over the table, as everyone wanted to hear what Todd had to say. Someone whoops and then the interrupted conversations continue.

Kyungri: *voiceover* I am looking around the table, thinking to myself, yes, this is exactly what I want to see. All of the lessers just having silly arguments, tiring themselves out while I watch in amusement. It’s like watching daytime TV, except the storylines are literal trash. It’s hilarious. I can’t wait to see how this all turns out. Meanwhile, I am here, serene and ready to win that challenge tomorrow. No one will see me coming, I’m as stealthy as Shaman Unnie conning her way into the Korean high society…

Charlee’s silence does not last, as she hears Louise talking about something that happened in the competition, and she inserts herself into the conversation.

Charlee: Louise, I thought you were better than what I’ve seen. I told you from the beginning that I was here for you, you could depend on me, but all you did to me was treat me badly and nominate me behind my back. What happened to sisterhood?

Louise: What? I never made any promises to you! I don’t understand why you thought my silence was nonverbal agreement…

Charlee: You think you’re so great, so high and mighty, but so innocent at the same time… and yet you sneak around the whole place hooking up with boys when you think no one would see. Oh yeah, Louise, your dirty little escapades are on TV for all of us to see, you know!

Gabriel: What?

Jessie: Yeah, what?

Louise: Well, now that you’re bringing it up… actually, yes! I did happen to have a lovely night with Branden when he was here.

Gabriel: Why didn’t you tell us anything?!

Louise: Oh, you know, I was basking in the attention of someone who ACTUALLY knows how to treat a girl and I wanted to keep it to myself for a while longer.

Jessie: But Lou, you never even hinted that you were into Branden! And I thought—

Louise: Yeah, well, I was going to tell you sooner or later! Plus, can I just say how dreamy and beautiful everything was with Branden? I felt like I was living a dream!

While Louise tells the story of how she and Branden flirted and went out for a moonlit stroll, Jessie smiles hesitantly and looks over at Gabriel, who is not looking very happy for Louise. In fact, he looks downright disappointed. As Louise talks about how she shared her first kiss with Branden, Gabriel’s face shows more and more disapproval and hurt, until it’s obvious to everyone around him that he’s not happy with what he’s hearing.

Gabriel: *voiceover* I don’t like what she’s talking about, because who could know what that guy’s like? I want the best for Louise, she’s like my little sister or something, and I don’t want her to just be sucking some trashy dude’s face just for laughs, she deserves better than that!

China: *voiceover* You know, the night was going well, Gabriel and I had a very flirtatious banter going on and I was sure we were about to sneak away to a bedroom, and then suddenly he’s looking like a mopey little kicked puppy when Louise talked about her little adventure. I don’t know what’s up with that, but I’m not going to be played the fool here, I’m not about to be some guy’s distraction, even if he does look like a gorgeous Adonis. I don’t play that way!

Back at the end of the table, Enzo and Jessie are discussing what comes next after the show. Jessie is unsure of how much time she has left in the competition, and her insecurity about what the fans think about her rises up once more.

Enzo: Jessie, you and I both know that you can have a bad day and then be sent packing; you saw what happened to me! Rocking the competition one day, never in the bottom, and then boom, gone the next. You can’t really count on anything to keep you here, it’s a game of luck! And maybe a little skill. All you can do is hope that you’re popular enough with the fans to be able to survive if you do make it into the bottom. And I wasn’t… but hey, there is so much to come for me that I don’t even mind it so much.

Jessie: Yeah, I mean, I know I can come off really well because I was so popular on that other show, so I know I have it in me! I just hope that I can make it farther so I can bring out a little more personality, I know I haven’t done a great job at showcasing it so far.

Enzo: Oh, but you have! You’ve been lovely to everyone, and you’re a bright ray of sunshine in the house. Your smile is contagious and I love spending time with you! I’m sure the fans love you.

Jessie: Shucks! Thanks Enzo, that’s really sweet of you! Let’s hope everyone else also thinks this, *giggles* Mama wants that prize money!

***

Patricio has been looking at Enca the whole night, and as the party begins to die down, he walks up to her and asks if they can talk. She grudgingly accepts and they find a seat in a more secluded part of the patio.

Enca: No, see, it was YOU that did all those terrible things. All I ever wanted was to be happy with you, and to enjoy my time by your side, confident in the knowledge that I was the only one for you! And what do you do? Flirt all over the place!

Patricio: But I’m over that, and I’m really regretful about what I did! I don’t know why it took me so long, but I’m here now, and I’m begging you for forgiveness. Maybe we won’t be back together so easily, but I would love to have a second chance…

Enca: Second? Honey, most people don’t even get a second of my time, and here you are asking me for a second chance after you screwed me over? With my roommate, Jennie? 

Patricio: It was nothing like that! Ask her, she can tell you! She was even on the show last week, do you really think she would have resisted mentioning something like that?

Enca: Pff. Talk is cheap.

Patricio: But mami, all I want is a chance. I don’t ask for anything else… and seeing you right now, looking so gorgeous… all I want is the chance to shower you with all the attention and affection that a goddess like you needs.

Enca: Hmm…. keep talking like that.

Patricio: I’ve never stopped loving you, you’ll always be my #1! Enca, I love you!

Enca: *scoots closer to him* I think I might be crazy, or no, I’m definitely crazy, but… OK. I’ve missed you too, I can’t really deny it.

Patricio: So let’s make up for lost time! There’s a hot tub somewhere here with our name on it, what do you say?

Patricio: Ya boy is turning over a new leaf! I watched myself on TV, and I really didn’t like coming off like that desperate idiot that I was, and I’m trying my best to be better. A woman like Enca is what I want and need, she’s the most beautiful creature in the world and just being able to have her in my arms again is the best feeling in the world. I hope that I can make it work again!

~•~•~•~•~

Tune into Part III here!