2. Brooke

It was too early for her to be functioning. She was on East Coast time. When she finally got a hold of her phone that was a few inches away from the bed, on the floor, it was 8:06 a.m., which meant it was just past 5 a.m. in Malibu. Falling back into the pillow that wasn't her own, she glanced over and saw him sleeping peacefully. All she could recall from the night before was getting into his car and him pulling down her panties. Making a mental note to not drink so much in order to relive her sexual encounters, she slid out of bed, grabbed her belongings and slipped out the door before he woke up.

Brooke Knolling is a typical 25-year-old millennial who lives life glued to her phone. Existing off meaningless sex and being able to fit into a size four, she had always been eye candy to the paparazzi growing up because of her father – James Knolling – director of several popular television dramas from the 90s. She loved putting on a pout in public to seem like she could never get any privacy when cameras captured her photo for gossip magazines. Being the center of attention never became redundant. She was always searching for ways to stay relevant despite her father's reputation, her stagnant modeling career and many brief relationships, and she always found them. Newly single, Brooke stopped believing in monogamy, which left no room for honest friendships or relationships in her life. She had her handful of close girlfriends, but remained unhesitant to throw any of them under to bus if push came to shove.

One evening, last year, while attending a packed event during New York Fashion Week, Brooke noticed a new face sitting by herself at the bar drinking a Long Island Iced Tea. Wanting to be friends with someone so beautiful, she introduced herself to Camryn Louis, initially thinking she was someone important by the way she dressed and the two hit it off. Befriending Camryn was similar to befriending an alien. She wasn't use to socializing with people who were born with a silver spoon in their mouth and that alone, to her, was extraterrestrial. Knowing Camryn could hold her own, at times she liked to think she was her secret project; her charity case. Anything she could do to enhance her life. Everyone deserved a taste of fame.

However, her fame sadly began to dull so it couldn't have been a better time when she got the call from her agent telling her about a new reality show that was in the middle of pre-production. The producer, Freddie Gene, a forty-something-year-old who was great friends with her father, sought her out first to be part of the cast. All she had to do was fly out to L.A., answer a few questions, and sign the contract once her lawyer looked it over.

Brooke looked through her Malibu closet and decided to sport a cropped, graphic tee, no bra, and pair it with a tight, knee-length denim skirt and black suede pumps to match. Given her tiny stature, she never struggled to find something to wear. She looked hot in anything.

Combing through her shoulder-length black hair, she wondered what he was doing – the guy she hooked up with the night before. Of course, she remembered who she went home with, but as the day unraveled, she couldn't help but to think if he could recall just as much.

Audition:

Strutting into the audition the way she did the catwalk; she was surprised to see a panel of only four people.

Joanna, a co-producer of the show, firmly shook her hand and was very welcoming.

"This won't take long." Joanna reassured her.

Brooke sat down on the only other available chair in the room.

"Just to get you caught up to speed..." Freddie now spoke. "The show is called One Way In and will follow the lives of ten celebrities here in the Los Angeles-Malibu area depending on how the storylines unfold."

Brooke smiled.

"You were our first pick when it was time to draft a cast because you're Brooke Knolling – a successful model born into a wealthy family who has accrued numerous famous friends over the years. Our viewers, in a way, grew up with you and know who you are very well."

Freddie sounded so convincing. He was selling her the concept of the show without mentioning the destruction it would bring, even to her. This level of fame was sure to give Brooke the kind of publicity she wasn't ready for.

He fingered through some papers he pulled from a folder and said, "Start from the top. Give us some A-listers you know would be interested in doing the show and we'll have our people reach out to their people if we think they're a fit."

She cleared her throat and all four of them waited in suspense with pens ready.

"For sure Paige."

"Paige Willard" asked Joanna.

She confirmed.

"We figured." Joanna looked at Freddie and half-smirked. "Why should Paige be a part of the cast? How could her storyline be woven into the fabric of what the show is about?

Brooke didn't even know what that meant.

"For starters, she and I have been friends for a long time."

"And..."

"I don't know." She shrugged her bony shoulders. "Maybe she wouldn't be a good fit. She's really going through a lot right now after the divorce and everything. I feel like a part of her died when her marriage went under." Saying it out loud made her feel weird, like she'd just betrayed her friend whom she shared countless conversations on the phone with that lasted long enough to finish an entire bottle of wine.

"You still haven't answered the question – why would Paige be a good fit?"

Brooke resorted, as she always did, back to honest gossip she was so well known for.

"If you want my opinion..."

They all waited on bated breath.

"I haven't spoken to her in a couple of weeks, but I heard she's been fucking anybody she's able to get her hands on." She glanced at her nail beds, feeling as if she just revealed a fact about herself.

"So, she's been sleeping around?" Joanna delved.

"Wouldn't you after a nasty, public divorce?"

"That's shocking" Freddie chimed in. "I always took her for the sweet and innocent one. Are you sure that isn't just a rumor?"

Brooke didn't reply. Paige really was a kind soul that never intended to hurt anyone or tarnish her reputation. It could've been a rumor. But knowing Paige, it wasn't. There was more to that girl than she led on and Brooke usually saw right through her. That's what made them such good friends: they shared one common interest...they liked sex. Only Paige kept her skeletons locked up in a closet while Brooke opened hers for the whole world to see, unashamed.

"Okay. Paige is a great start. Who else?"

"Hmm..." She tapped a finger on her full, injected lips while thinking.

"Chucky Wallace?"

"Absolutely not." Freddie shook his head at the name. "I know what he's up to; the guy is constantly in-and-out of rehab like it's a fucking burger joint...too much of a liability. Next."

"Let's see; there's Michelle, Parker, Miranda, Cora, Leo, Danny, Bryson..." She counted on her fingers before Freddie interrupted her.

"Bryson Knox?"

"Yeah. I mean I don't know him on a personal level, but he and Paige have a lot of history together. Why she'd ever leave his fine ass for her ex is beyond me. And I'm pretty sure he just broke up with that model he was with not too long ago. She's pretty. I wonder what happened there."

Evelyn and Bryson ended their very public relationship of three years just shy of four months ago.

Joanna bit the tip of her pen as she already envisioned the show being renewed for a second season.

"Have you guys hooked up before" asked the other guy at the table who didn't say, or do, much.

"Oh God no. I wish! But I could never do that to Paige. Are you kidding me?" Brooke switched one crossed leg to the other and checked the time on her phone.

Freddie rolled his hand in circular motions for her to continue. He craved more as the pieces were finally coming together slowly.

"He's best friends with Sonny Agnello and Beau Richardson. Is that helpful to know?"

"How do you know them?"

"I don't. I've never met Sonny or Beau. I just know of them, obviously."

The panel whispered to each other before Freddie stood from his chair to wrap up the audition that seemed to have lasted only five minutes.

"After hearing everything today, do you have any questions or concerns about the show? Do you think this is a production you'll want to be a part of?"

"Definitely." She answered without hesitation. "But before I go, I wanted to suggest you possibly considering my friend Camryn."

"Who's that?" Joanna was now beside Freddie, who was sitting partially on the table listening.

"She's another good friend of mine. I met her in New York about a year ago and she is this drop-dead-gorgeous fashion blogger who's really made a name for herself on the East Coast."

"Why should we consider reaching out to her for an audition?"

"Because she's cool. She speaks her mind and doesn't care what people think of her. Not only that, but she could shake things up a bit...you know...if thrown into an environment she's not really used to."

"We'll be in touch." He smiled, shook her hand and walked her out.

She later got a text from an unknown number the moment her plane landed in New York the next day.

Miss me yet?

His spew of arrogance made her chuckle to herself. How did you get my number?

You gave it to me. Remember?

She typed. Not really, but I'm surprised you do. You were pretty fucked up that night.

He sent a text back. Don't be fooled...I remember everything.

She was impressed by his sharp tongue and wondered what else he was able to do with it.

Brooke didn't feel the need to respond right away, if at all. Entertaining a one-night-stand was the last thing she wanted to do. It made her think of her ex.

Scott was her most recent relationship that lasted a month. He was more into her than she was him. He was always too willing to do whatever she wanted. He was her bitch. There was no challenge; no chase. It got boring too quick as did the sex.

She deleted the conversation without sending another word to this mysterious boy toy she didn't want people knowing about. Texting Camryn once she got through the door of her luxury apartment, all she really wanted shoved in her mouth were some well-worth-it carbs. Breadbasket that afternoon was the perfect place to be for a cheat meal.
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Audition:

The panel of four made Camryn question the credibility of the producers. She had her hair slicked back in a high ponytail and wore a yellow tank and dark blue jeans. Looking around the room, she couldn't believe the predicament she was in. Refusing to make eye contact right away, she checked her phone for any new messages. She knew that he knew why she was there in the first place.

"Breathe." Freddie began.

"I'm fine." She gave them a smile that said both Trust me, I'm not nervous and Get me the hell out of here all at the same time.

"We just need to ask you a few questions. All cast members are required to go through this procedure before filming."

"That's what I'm told," she mumbled a bit rudely.

"Great. So, what are you expecting to get out of being on this show?"

"I think we all know what that answer is." She was referring to the article. Freddie played dumb so well knowing that this business arrangement between him and Diana was intended to remain hush-hush. He was the only producer on the panel who knew the real reason why Camryn was sitting in front of them.

"Why don't you go ahead and tell us." Joanna added.

She thought about it for a minute and changed her answer twice. Blowing her cover would mean losing her job and she couldn't go back to aimless interviews with models who barely spoke English or designers who were total assholes to her just to make enough money to get by. Sure, she had the clothes to look the part at events and the apartment to match her persona, but the cost of living in New York, let alone Manhattan, was through the roof. She was lucky if she was able to fill her fridge twice a month. Thank God for the After Parties where the hors d'oeuvres were passed around as freely as the phone numbers of married husbands.

"I'm here because of Brooke. I think we can agree on that." She went with her safest answer.

Joanna asked, "Well, what made you come in today then? You clearly aren't showing much interest in the show, so something must have made you get out of bed this morning."

Yeah – Diana's three missed calls and five text messages reminding me of the option to either get on the plane or clean out my desk come the start of the workweek, is what Camryn wanted to say.

"I guess I'm interested in having fun and meeting new people" was the only generic response that came to mind.

"What kind of fun" asked Freddie intrigued. He knew she was practically talking out of her ass at this point.

"The kind that makes you feel alive. This is my last year in my twenties. I need to go out with a bang." She paused, not knowing why her mouth spoke before she gave it permission to.

All four sets of eyes beamed at her to continue.

"You know...when I was a kid...I couldn't wait to be a teen. And then when I was a teen, I couldn't wait to be an adult. Now that I'm an adult, I don't know what I'm supposed to be chasing after next. We're told to have our life together when we get to this point. What do you do when you don't have all your ducks in a row?"

The panel continued to stare, somewhat surprised that she decided to be so open with them now.

"Do I put all my energy into my career? Finding someone to settle down with who is, most likely, going to cheat on me because I'll have trust issues and he, commitment issues? With this alleged cheater, do we have a baby? How will I know I'm doing a good job at being a mother? I never had one, so I don't know what that looks like. All I do know is that I want to take advantage of what's in front of me without worrying about the consequences. I mean it. I do. I just want to have fun. Because all of the rest scares the shit out of me."

Freddie was blown away. "Wow."

She felt stupid for sounding too poetic – if that's what you want to call it. Whiny was a better word.

"I can see why you became a writer."