Chapter 14

                                    

                                          
"Don't make that face. It makes you look dreadful on camera." Saoirse scolded as she tilted the viewfinder toward her.
Aviva's features seemed to be permanently fixed into a grimace as she silently recalled the latest events in the villa. She chucked a cushion at the producer.
Saoirse ducked out of the way before the pillow could connect. It landed with a soft thump against the wall behind her. "Oi! Expensive equipment here!" She placed a gentle hand on the camera.
"Sorry. Let's just get this over with." Aviva crossed her arms, face resembling that of a grumpy toddler. Saoirse's stern glance in her direction had her drop her arms and smooth away her frown in an instant.
Saoirse cleared her throat, pushing her glasses up further on the bridge of her nose. "Okay, new girls means new competition. We've got a lot to cover today and not much time to do it. Tell me what you think of Arlo."
Arlo, one of the latest editions to the villa, was a confident, fearless girl. Athletic, sexy, and swarthy, she knew how to work a room. Suresh was quick to respond to her blunt flirtations, and Aviva was slowly coming to terms with him jumping so quickly from one girl to the next. He'd completely abandoned the idea of leaving the villa now that he had a new playmate. It didn't stop him from giving Aviva sex eyes during dinner, though.
Arlo had staked her claim on Suresh as soon as she laid eyes on him, and initially, she seemed to treat Aviva kindly, apologizing for moving in on her ex and all that. Then she took him out on a date, and her attitude shifted.
"I think Suresh must've said something to her about recoupling because she's been sniping at me since they got back from their date. Like she's threatened by me or something? Maybe I'm overthinking it."
"Interesting. Should she be threatened by you?"
"What? Do you mean, like, if I'm still into Suresh?"
"Are you? You did share the bed the other night."
"Okay, that was only because neither of us fancied being feasted on by mozzies. Moment of weakness that will absolutely not happen again." Aviva insisted as she rested her head on her hand. "No, Arlo's got nothing to worry about. Not from my end, at least. But we all know Suresh's head turns more than a weathervane."
Saoirse raised a page on her clipboard, looking down at whatever was written. "Alright, how about Meera?"
Meera reminded her of Alfie, a girl-next-door type of beauty with a modelesque figure. It wasn't surprising that Alfie was drawn to her. The two of them went on a date, too, and when he came back, he seemed different.
"She seems really lovely. I think Alfie might be smitten. He told me..." Aviva frowned. "Well, you already know what he said..."
"Say it to the camera, please. And tell me what you thought when he said it." Saoirse urged her, pointing to the blinking red light with her manicured finger.
"He said that Meera was refreshing and...'drama-free'. Be that as it may, it's not like I have any control over things in here. I didn't choose to be in this situation. I don't like being the center of all this shit. I don't want all the attention on me. Honestly? It would be great if Suresh weren't here. I feel like everything that's happened so far is because of his stupid little mind games. It's like he wants me to suffer. I feel like I'm being haunted by my past, but at the same time, I can't help it if this is the situation I'm in." Aviva took a breath and carded her fingers through her hair. "I just wish it didn't affect every aspect of my life in here."
"Every aspect?" Saoirse questioned, tapping the pen against her chin.
Aviva squinted at the woman in front of her. "What are you getting at?"