Page 83 of Never Ever Getting Back Together

When I fish my iPad out from its hiding place, Kim starts crying again.

“Thank you, thank you,” she chants as she logs in to her profile.

“It’s nothing. I can’t believe they won’t let you talk to him. That’s so messed up.”

I leave her alone for a while with the door shut while I fix my hair in the bathroom. When I return, she’s still crying, but the grief is now mixed with total panic and distress.

“He’s in the hospital,” she says once I close the door. “Thehospital.He broke an arm and some ribs. One of our other friends was driving, but she wasn’t hurt, thank god.”

“God,” I breathe. “What are you gonna do?”

She grips my iPad so tightly her knuckles go pale. “I don’t… I mean… I’m not leaving, if that’s what you’re suggesting,” she says sharply.

“I wasn’t.”

“Good. Because I’m here for the long haul.” She scowls at me, then her face softens. “I just want to call him.”

“Feel free. I’ll keep an eye on the hallway to make sure no producers barge in.”

She nods, gives me a shaky smile, and returns to the iPad while I go to stand guard. Skye joins me after a few minutes, and we sit on the floor together against one of the walls. “How is she?” she asks, and I update her.

“All this for Jordy Miller,” she whispers. “I’d be so furious if I were Kim.”

“I’m sure she’ll get there soon.”

Skye nods, then brightens. “So, did the iPad trick work as well as I predicted?”

“I didn’t do it as a trick,” I say. “It was just the right thing to do.”

“Yeah. I know.” She sighs. “You know, there’s a good chance you’ll lose it now. You’d better send a last message to everyone, just in case. So they don’t wonder why you disappeared.”

“Oh. Right. Good idea.”

“All my ideas are good. When are you going to realize that?”

I give her a weak smile in response. We sit in silence for a while, then she fluffs the bottom of my hair, which I’ve curled and brushed out. “I like this,” she says. “Very princess-y.”

Things with Skye are… interesting. Right now, we seem to be mostly platonic, except for when we’re making out in a distinctly un-platonic sort of way. Don’t get me wrong, I’m enjoying every second of it. But I can’t help wondering how normal this is. Like, more than once over the last few days I’ve disappeared into our room alone to google things like “friends with benefits but she touches my hair” and “hookup vs relationship.” From what I’ve read, we don’t really act like we’re just hooking up. But Skye said she wants it to be casual, and I’m totally fine with casual, especially when we’re trying to focus on our takedown mission.

It’s just that, sometimes, she confuses me.

“I’m prepared today,” I say, touching my hair where her fingers just were with a self-conscious smile.

“I can see that. Let’s cross our fingers for a win.” Skye leans in and lowers her voice. “So… can we talk about something?”

Us? Is she going to ask me about us? “Of course.”

“I was intending to take this to the grave, but I’m feeling really guilty about something, and I need your advice.”

So… not us? “What’s up?”

“I know we said we wouldn’t do anything to the other girls…”

I narrow my eyes. “Yes, wedidsay that, Skye.”

She drops her voice to such a small whisper I can barely hear her. “I know, but Kim’s been worrying me. She’s coming around, but not quickly enough, and we’ve only got two eliminations left before the finale. So, yesterday, I told her to make sure she really lets Jordy know how much she likes him.”

“Skye!”

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