Page 56 of Baby Love

Babykornies@MyManMax11: Book! IT WAS BOOK IN THE BATHROOM WITH PRINCE! (Three shocked-faces) Everyone else is accounted for! OMG!

BanBookhearts@Babykornies: No, not Book. NOT BOOK! Why would Book be in the bathroom with Prince?

Darkriverjournee221025: Why do you think? (Eyeroll-face)

Jimineffect2023: You guys, calm down. It could be totally innocent.

Maxxx0125: I’m telling you, listen with your earbuds on!

KPopdrop@Jimineffect2023: That reaction from Gift tells us all we need to know. (Hiding-eyes face, tongue, pickle)

Straykids21711@Kpopdrop: Banging in the bathroom. (Okay sign with fingers, pointing finger, pregnant woman)

BLFanx1000@Kpopdrop: Love in the loo. (Eggplant, peach)

MrsFelix4eva: Packing it in the potty. (Carrot)

Straykids21711@MrsFeiux4eva: LMAO! Eww (Four laughing/crying faces)

PrinceGiftizreal: How can anyone joke at a time like this?! My ship is sinking!!!

Uh oh.

Spin and I share a look.

Not long after that, the production team relays instructions through the camera crew to act natural and start a game of picture charades using the portable whiteboard and markers. And to stay off our phones.

We do our best, but Ban and Book keep bickering under their breath. I overhear Ban say, “How could you be so careless? I manage to keep my end of the ship, and I have a girlfriend! “

Pretty soon both Ban and Book’s phones are simultaneously pinging, probably with texts from their agent, who, judging by the rate her messages are coming in, must be having a fit. Title and Korn retreat into the kitchen to prepare dinner, and the remainder of us who aren’t embroiled in drama head out to the pool. Someone gets the idea that if we make enough noise hollering and splashing around, we can get a few words in on the situation undetected, and, since our mics had to be taken off to get in the pool, this works pretty well. I inwardly laugh thinking about the production team putting together subs for this part of the feed later. They’ll have to make up entire conversations.

“So, that was Book in the toilet with Prince?” Fluke asks as soon as we’re making enough cover noise.

“According to the fan detectives on the message board, yes. They must have hunted for the footage where Book came out of the bathroom,” I say, avoiding a splash from someone.

“What were they doing in there?” Aod asks.

“What do you think?” Daeng says with a huff.

Spin frowns. “We don’t know that. “

Edging over to us, Max says, “I just checked my phone while pretending to get water out of my eyes with my towel. One of them had their mic on in the bathroom. They were definitely doing something in there. Shit’s hitting the fan.”

We’re too worried after that bit of news to discuss it anymore, instead sullenly floating around the pool for the rest of the afternoon.

After dinner, we make a show of watching a movie that night, but Gift is noticeably absent from the group and Prince and Book are sitting as far away from each other as possible. As Max passes Prince on his way to his seat on the couch, I hear him murmur, “Your discretion is coming a little late, don’t you think?”

Prince ignores him.

Later, when we go upstairs to get ready for bed, Gift walks into the shared room, grabs Book’s bag and pillow, and takes them into the single room, then brings his own things into the shared room and takes Book’s spot in the bed.

Book looks like he doesn’t know what to do. Finally, he heads downstairs to sleep on the couch.

Soon after that, all the lights on the cameras blink off. Looking at my mic under my shirt, I see that it’s turned off, too. Before I can comment, I hear the front door open and someone calls us all downstairs.

Chapter Twenty-Five: Spin

Following the arrival of SPPT’s producers comes the longest lecture I’ve ever been given. We actors are not only reminded of the “sanctity of the ship,” but also about our loyalty to SPPT Productions, who works so tirelessly to make sure we’re taken care of. By the end of the meeting, I feel as guilty as though I was one of the transgressors in this mess, which, thank God, I’m not.

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