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Realistic or Modern Somebody I Used To Know | Main

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Abel Rothenberg.



  • As much as he cared for Olivia, Abel couldn't quite bring himself to tell her about the kind of life he had gotten sucked into. He and Cain had grown up on the dirty streets, left to fend for themselves because their mother was a bit too far gone to care for them. Cain had done okay for himself, aside from the anger issues and the occasional punching of deserving jocks had kept out of trouble. Abel, however, hadn't been so lucky. It seemed like every way he turned, there were temptations that kept drawing him in. Cars, money, making a better life for himself. All of those things were within his reach, at least for a little while. But he just couldn't quite hold on to them, instead taking hit after hit until Cain had to come back to town just to dig him out. The blonde wasn't exactly proud that he had to go crawling to his older brother for help, but there wasn't much he could do in that situation.

    At the end of the day, money was the root of all evil and the source of everything he wanted in life. Olivia's father was well aware of that fact, especially after finding out about the skeletons Abel kept in his closet. He preyed on the fact that, deep down, Abel knew he was no good for the heiress and budding musician, that he would only drag her down in the long run. And he wasn't so much of a selfish asshole that he could do that to her. The bonus of a paycheck from her father was just the final nail in the coffin. Sadly, though, the money couldn't last, and it wasn't long before he was right back where he started, making bad decisions and playing the odds that he wouldn't get caught.

    Olivia repeated his words, and Abel knew his suspicions of poor wording had been confirmed. There was nothing he could do to take it back now. She certainly did not seem happy. Were those tears in her eyes? He felt his heart clench in his chest and the mechanic had to push the feelings away, force himself to ignore them. He couldn't care for her, couldn't let her care for him. He had made a deal with her father, and a deal with himself. She deserved more out of her life than anything he could give her. So, the smile, though faded slightly, remained as Abel continued to eat the dinner before them. "I think that's what is best, yeah," he answered, keeping his tone as even as possible. They sat in silence for a moment over their dinners and, though it wasn't exactly comfortable, it wasn't the worst. But Olivia's follow-up words caught him off-guard.

    "You know what I want?" Now it was his turn to repeat words, though it almost sounded like a question. He couldn't knock her, it wasn't hard to figure out. Hell, the prize wasn't a small chunk of change. "Do you mean money? Of course, I want the money, Livvy. You're probably the only one here who doesn't care about the prize at the end," he answered, not really caring if the statement was true or not. He felt a bit of anger begin to course through his veins. She wasn't about to make him feel bad for trying to get a little piece of paradise. He met her gaze evenly and continued, "But, you most certainly do not understand." How could she? She lived the prim and proper life, the heiress life, the silver spoon life. Then it dawned on him. If she wasn't here for the money... "Why are you here, Livvy?"








coded by weldherwings.
 
Kaya


Montgomery

mood.
"He might be onto something..."

location.
dinner table

outfit.
click!

interactions.
Cain ( apolla apolla )



Even after quite a while, Kaya was still having difficulties to process that it was Cain Rothenberg who was here to compete for the money with her. They worked. Well, they used to. If they weren’t yelling at each other or fighting for trivialities, they worked like a well-oiled machine. If they worked together to destroy someone else, it was usually forever. And sex. Goddammit, that was amazing. They were in the perfect sync and whether it was passion or anger fueling their fire in bed, it was always the best they both ever had. Kaya knew it and Cain would be lying his ass off if he ever claimed otherwise. Their relationship was interlaced with toxicity through and through but deep down, they both knew they might as well be the endgame. Despite all the venom, despite fights, despite wanting to claw each other’s eyes out, they were the couple. And Kaya somehow knew it, that was why she was annoyed beyond belief.

As the main course was brought in front of them, Kaya focused on the real food being finally brought to her and she just had to ask what his point was. No way he knew she was coming. No one knew about their ex that was coming to meet them here. But it definitely looked like Cain was enjoying himself thoroughly, much more than Kaya was. He always reveled in trying to pinch her the wrong way, enjoyed the fact she was a hot head and like to see her all riled up. At least that was what she though. It had to be. Thank god the waiter was always at hand with that bottle of wine, ready to refresh their glasses any time.

Hearing how Cain was not there to make her life a living hell made Kaya scoff out loud and she rather cut into her steak and stuffed a piece in her mouth to make sure she was not going to bitch him out immediately. She might have been a tough girl but Kaya knew that much that wearing that dress, sitting at that fancy table, stuffing her face with a dinner she could never afford and cussing was not a good mix. Instead, she decided to do something she might have never done before. Actually listen to what Cain had to say. And as he talked, she kept eating to make sure the wine was not falling into an empty stomach. And to her greatest surprise, she found something interesting in his words.

As the man finished, Kaya set her silverware down and wiped her lips with a napkin. Reaching for her glass, she took a sip and really looked around. Imagine her surprise when she realized that Cain was right. Olivia did look like she and Abel were breaking up all over again and those two other couples just looked…not compatible to her. With her lips pursed, the brunette turned back at her ex, staring right in his eyes again. And for a moment, it was all back. Their good times. When they actually were a force to be reckoned with. Kaya bit the inside of her cheek as she was swirling the crimson liquid in her glass. This was a Sophie’s choice right here. Trusting Cain was always a risk but if they managed to put their differences aside, they could actually thwart the competition. “We’re going to eat them alive.” she smirked, commenting on the other three couples. “But make no mistake, Rothenberg. You’re still a piece of shit.” she shrugged and downed a half of her glass in one go before returning to her food. “Well…you never answered though. Found someone else to suck life out of?”

code: s e v e n s e v e n
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Declan


Bennet

mood.
"One last race?"

location.
dinner table

outfit.
click!

interactions.
Nat ( Desert_Blossom Desert_Blossom )



Declan was not the same guy he had been in high school. Obviously. He did not change a lot but it was some change nonetheless. One of his newly acquired features was that he started to call things with their own names. And being mostly among other men, he became slightly harsher and maybe even rougher. Or crueler. And he never realized. Until this very moment. Seeing Natalie so sad, trying to hold her tears at bay. But a part of him knew that maybe she needed to hear what he had to say. Dec was tired of being blamed for what he was not responsible for. When they broke up, it was not just Natalie turning her back on him. Their friends were divided into two camps. Team Dec and Team Nat. And rest assured, those bitches really made him feel it.

But sitting in front of her, across the table really, things became different, a little more unexpected than Declan had assumed. He really didn’t want to make her cry. Yet, there was no way he was going to take fall for something he didn’t do. As she asked for more wine and the waiter approached the table, Declan pointed at his glass as well. Apparently, the alcohol consumption is going to be high tonight. To calm his fire down a little, the man started to look around at other tables. One couple looked calm, they even smiled at each other and the conversation seemed to be going well. Hell, couldn’t this be the same between him and Natalie? Jesus! But the other two tables looked not that much in sync. There was a girl on the verge of crying and the last couple looked like they were about to fight. So really, what was worse?

When Natalie spoke again, it brought Declan’s gaze back to her. And again, her words made him take a deep breath in. “Natalie, come on. I never said you were responsible for anything but the break. You are making this way more tragic than it actually is. You wanted a break. We got one. I slept with another girl. Because we were on a break. I was single. And you were too. So can we, please, stop going at it over and over again? It happened. What do you want me to do about it? You slept with other guys too. Fine, so what? We…were…on…a…break.” Declan made a pause between words, leaning across the table to look at her. That one tear on her cheek made him wince because he knew it might have been his fault but hell if he was going to say it out loud.

“Look, we used to be a team. And hell of a good one. So why don’t we just forget whatever happened? We were kids. Stupid teenagers. Now we should know better, eh?” he shrugged and pushed his dinner plate away. His appetite was gone and though the steak looked magnificent and under any other circumstances, the athlete would have devoured it whole. Yet now, his mood was completely gone. Mood for dinner that was. “We are different people now, Nat. And you know better than to cry here. Don’t give that to them. It’s all they want. To see you cry. So go on, cry if you need to. But not on camera. We can totally pull this off. Shit, you’re the class president and I am the varsity quarterback. Let’s ignore everything and focus on the assets. Look at us and tell me we can’t win this.” he smirked and though he was still pissed for the whole “it’s Declan’s fault” bullshit, he decided to ignore that for now. Something was telling him that this debate was not over but he needed to make sure he and Nat were on the same boat. At least for this thing. Maybe one last race.

code: s e v e n s e v e n
​
 










































Natalie Mayfair








A dry laugh escaped Natalie's lips before she could stop it when Declan suggested they just forget what happened. If it was so easy for him to just forget, then the blonde envied the man across from her. Obviously he'd not been as affected by their break up as she had, which stung in its own way. Perhaps that was the way it was supposed to be though. People dated and broke up every day and it wasn't a life shattering event for them. Why was it so hard for Natalie to just let it go then?

Taking a sip of her wine, Natalie allowed herself a moment to consider Declan's words instead of just brushing them off like her initial reaction had been. She'd put her walls back up, and had calmed some, her emotions safely guarded once more. Still, her gaze flitted around the set as she thought, drifting everywhere but to Declan. She wiped her cheek for good measure once more when her ex told her not to cry in front of the cameras. It was tempting to retort that he was the reason for her tears and that maybe he shouldn't be so much of a jerk and then she wouldn't have to worry about crying... But Natalie knew the camera would gobble that up as well.

As much as Natalie hated to accept that maybe Declan was right, his point about not giving the show what they wanted was valid. And, it was true that they had made a phenomenal team when they were dating, and happy, and in love, and... Natalie finally glanced back over to Declan as she recalled their simpler times together and how easy it had been. His features were a little sharper now, his jawline more defined, but looking at her ex brought back so many memories- all of which were good, great even, until the very end. Yet it was those last memories that had played on repeat the last few years.

Part of Natalie wished she had a time machine and could just go back and stop herself from asking for a stupid break... but then the other part reminded her that the break opened her eyes to how quickly she was replaceable to Declan. The blonde hadn't exactly meant for the break to serve as some kind of test of their relationship, even while paused, but it ended up that way. And Declan failed. And now, they had submitted themselves to a different kind of test in a way. And again, Declan had failed, at least he had failed to live up to Natalie's hopes. But now, as he talked about how they had the potential to win the competition...

"So is that why you agreed to come on this show? To win the money?" Natalie asked, finally breaking her silence. She took another sip of wine, studying Declan for a moment. Her question was blunt, but not angry. If Declan hadn't come to apologize to her, then she genuinely was curious as to why he would put himself through this humiliation. "I imagine you don't actually need it, unless you're hiding some kind of gambling problem and owe your bookies." Natalie added, tilting her head to the side some as she imagined the different scenarios that would lead to a pro football player needing even more money.

Natalie hadn't kept up with Declan's career, but she knew how lucrative pro-sport contracts could be. Though lots of money had a funny way of making people want lots more. Perhaps that was the case with Declan. To be honest, the blonde hadn't given much thought to the competition and monetary reward aspect of the show. She'd been so focussed on the apology she expected to receive that this conversation with Declan was the first real time she'd ever considered if the two of them could win.

"A few years ago we would have had this in the bag, easy." Natalie said, finally responding to Declan's belief that they could win. "But then again, we wouldn't even be here." She sighed, setting her wine glass down and leaning forward onto the table a little, careful to avoid her untouched plate. Somebody would be sneaking down to the mansion's kitchen for a midnight snack once her appetite returned and her empty stomach caught up with her. For now though, Natalie glanced around to size up their competition.

"I'd say we might have a 50/50 chance of winning..." She said, weighing their odds against the two tables that seemed to be in rough waters and the couple happily enjoying their meal together. "But if you're not going to apologize, then I'm not sure if even the money is enough incentive to put up with you for a summer." Natalie added with a small smirk, taking a jab at Declan but not wanting to open the apology can of worms again.

There was no use beating a dead horse tonight. Besides, they were bound to argue about that again later, if Natalie didn’t find some way out of her contract. While her comment about incentive was said in jest, Natalie truly didn’t know if the chance to win money was worth exposing herself to the trials and tribulations of reality TV. Closure would have made it worth it, but Natalie wasn’t holding her breath for that anymore.





































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Couple’s Table


































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_amaranth_ _amaranth_


















































nine lives




 










































Grayson Moore








Teasing Corryn about her eating habits elicited a stunning smile out of the blonde, and Gray watched her for a moment. Prior to this evening, it had been over a year since he'd received a genuine smile from his ex. Sure, they'd run into each other at work events, but the smiles shared between them there were just polite and a show put on for the potential clients they were courting. Outwardly they smiled and occasionally laughed lightly, but inwardly they were either scowling or cursing their toughest competition- each other. It was nice to be on the receiving end of a real smile tonight.

Stabbing a piece of broccoli off of his own plate, Grayson popped it into his mouth with a grin. "I like broccoli, and the chef seasoned it perfectly." He replied with a shrug. "Some of us are just grown ups and like green vegetables."

The conversation about their respective pets helped lighten the mood, and proved to be a successful direction of conversation since work was off the table. Cory seemed happy to talk about Penelope, and Gray couldn't help but love talking about Ace. Aside from his career, his progress with his rescue dog was something that Gray was most proud of.

"Hey, I can say I'm terrible, but you can't..." The dark hair man said, laughing a little as he feigned offense. His laughter faded though when Corryn brought up the duet she'd been teaching him before they broke up, and he finished off his wine glass at the thought. A server quickly filled it up again, already in the vicinity after refilling Corryn's. While Gray had accepted their separation, as Cory put it, and had recovered from it rather quickly, it still wasn't something he liked to dwell on. Especially when he was in the presence of his ex. Luckily, the blonde was as tactful as ever and easily shifted the conversation back to a lighter topic- golf.

"Yeah I remember. First and last time I took you to the course with me." Gray said, taking another sip of wine as he recalled the catastrophe. "I think you must be the only person to get closer to the hole with your club than the golf ball..." He mused, referring to Corryn accidentally losing grip on her club during one of her swings and sending it flying onto the green, while the ball remained at her feet. "You looked cute in your golf attire though. You can be my cart girl any day on the course." He winked.

Their day on the green had been one of the few times Gray had seen Cory royally fail at something, and he actually quite enjoyed it. At least it proved she was human just like everyone else. As insulting of a day to the game of golf as that day was, it was a fond memory, now. At the time it wasn't very fun, for Cory at least.

"Well, would you look at that..." Grayson said suddenly, glancing down at himself before checking his pulse for comedic effect. "It's been a few minutes and I'm still alive, and no convulsions. I think we can safely say the broccoli isn't poisoned." He declared, teasing the blonde woman across from him before taking a few bites of his steak. Even as he ate, Grayson wondered if they'd be serving dessert. If there was any chance of ice cream being served after then he'd forego the mashed potatoes to save room.

"If they feed us like this every night, there better be a gym in the mansion..." Grayson said, sharing his thoughts aloud. There had to be some kind of workout room in a place so big. Wouldn't the show want their cast to stay looking good?





































Entertained






























Couple’s Table


































Outfit
























MadiRaiCat MadiRaiCat


















































nine lives




 






olivia




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camila cabello



crying in the club








If Olivia were being honest with herself, there was a small part of her that still believed in fairy tales. Not like Cinderella or those other classics, but fairy tales in real life. She'd grown up believing in them, and while most people grew out of that phase, she just never had. She still believed that she could find her Prince Charming in real life, even if he was far from a real prince or even princely. Just look at Abel. He was far from those things, but even back then she'd known without a doubt that he was who she wanted to be with forever. And for a while there, she'd thought that he felt the same. But then he left, wrenching her heart out and stomping on it before he even left her garage.

Going from thinking she'd never see him again to sitting across from him at a fancy dinner was quite a shock to her system, and she didn't think she'd fully processed her feelings yet. All she knew was that he still gave her butterflies, only now there was a wave of nausea along with them because it was clear he'd moved on. How he'd managed to do so, she had no idea. Looking at him from across the table, she remembered how it felt to run her fingers through his hair, to hold him and be held while they watched movies or lounged. She remembered the crazy times, the good times, and even the bad.

When her lower lip quivered, she bit down on it hard to keep from making a sound even as he confirmed that burying the hatchet was best for them. Her follow up statement was probably better left unsaid, but the words slipped out, and his response made her frown deepen as she stared down at her steak. He was right; she didn't care about the money. She didn't even really care about the fame, even if her singing career had been her dream since she was a little girl. Somewhere along the line, her dream had shifted to include him, and that hadn't changed. Not even after he left.

The touch of anger in his voice brought her eyes up to his, and she felt herself bristle against the negativity. Before she could answer, though, he asked her why she was there and she stopped. What did it matter? "To win." She lied, stabbing a piece of steak, bringing it to her lips as she leaned back in her seat. "There's more in this for me than money. I'm a well known face, and my fans will tune in every week to watch me." She basically quoted her agent then, not that he'd know that. She hated lying, but she couldn't tell him the truth. Not when she knew it didn't matter. "Don't tell me I don't understand, Abel Rothenberg, not when you don't even know who I am anymore."






♡coded by uxie♡
 






cain




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machine gun kelly



home








If there was anything Cain was good at aside from getting Abel out of trouble, it was coming up with a plan on the spot, and that's exactly what he was doing here. It was obvious to him that Kaya was less than thrilled in most ways about seeing him again, but there was a flicker of interest there and he could work with that. With that charming grin on his face, he took one look at the other couples and knew that he and Kaya had the best chance of winning here. As long as they could keep their smartass mouths shut, that is. That would be the real challenge, not winning the money. The spark was there, though, and he planned on igniting it.

Seeing her expression when she turned her attention back to him, he held his breath as he waited for her answer. She held her wine in her hand, swirling it some as she thought, though he kept his fear hidden that she might turn him down. But then she spoke the magic words and his grin widened as he reached for his own wine, downing what was in his glass once again. "Of course we are." He winked at her, moving to take another bite of his steak as she called him a piece of shit. "But I'm your piece of shit, doll." He blew her a kiss before popping steak into his mouth again, his eyes never leaving her.

At her next question, he laughed, having to cover his mouth to keep himself from spitting his food out. Of course he'd slept with people since Kaya, as he was sure she had as well. But honestly, none of them had matched the passion and fire he and Kaya had had between them, but he couldn't inflate her ego that much. "Here and there." He answered instead, shrugging. An idea occurred to him and he scooted the chair back suddenly. None of the other couples had been this bold, but damn if he wasn't a bold person and he had no issue making the first move.

Not caring who watched, he stood from his chair and walked around the small table, over to Kaya. He gripped the arms of her chair suddenly before leaning down close to her, his eyes meeting hers fearlessly. "You can't tell me you haven't missed me, KayKay." His lips moved closer to hers, just brushing against them as one of his hands moved to grasp her shoulder, close to her neck. "I've missed you." He breathed against her lips, his tongue darting out to trace her lower lip before he moved in closer, biting it suddenly, dragging her lip with him as he straightened. Then he let go, winking at her again before he returned to his seat.






♡coded by uxie♡
 







Corryn Russell.



  • The luscious red liquid began to fill her glass once again, aerating and bubbling in the center as the waiter poured it. For a moment, Corryn became acutely aware of the cameras around them, remembering they were there again. She was comfortable on camera, confident and photogenic. But, despite her career choice, the blonde was absolutely terrified of public speaking, especially when it involved talking about herself. Most times, Cory just powered through her anxieties. She would force her tone to be even and strong, find people in the crowd she could make eye contact with, use her looks to command space. But that wasn't really a possibility on a reality TV show. At the end of the day, hundreds of thousands of people would probably see her face, hear her talk on their TVs. The show staff could edit their interactions however they wanted, portray her in whatever light they wanted to. And she had no control over it.

    The thought set off a hoard of butterflies in her stomach, and Corryn took another drink from her refilled glass to try and tame them. Gray seemed so poised and present, either unaware or uncaring about his every move being watched. She wished she could feel the same. Thankfully, he shared the memory of her failed golf venture, causing Cory to forget about her insecurities for a moment, and laugh lightly. "That was exactly one time," she mused, blue eyes finding his once again. With a shrug and a teasing tone, she added, "And I told you I was going for a trick shot. So, it most certainly wasn't a mistake." The smoothness at which they talked to one another brought about a bit of nostalgia, reminding her of the days when they worked together and were on the same team rather than competed against one another. While the blonde rather liked beating him, the lack of stress associated with working together was far more pleasant.

    "Maybe not poisoned, but still gross," Corryn shot back with a smirk, still avoiding her broccoli as they continued to eat. "I imagine there would be a gym somewhere, this house is absolutely massive," she answered, looking up at the building once again. It was gorgeous, bigger than any mansion she had seen before, including her parents' place. The show must have a pretty large budget and a good team, all things considered. "If anything, there's a pool that looks particularly tempting." Almost as if on cue, the waiter reappeared, setting a single plate in the center of the table before removing their practically empty dinner plates from in front of them. The plate contained a molten chocolate cake topped with whipped cream, a chocolate-covered strawberry, and a dark chocolate design in the shape of a heart. It was gorgeous, even though Cory wasn't a huge fan of desserts.

    Alongside the plate, the waiter placed a key. Tied to it by a bright red ribbon was a plastic tag with the number '4' written on it in some sort of calligraphy. "Your room key. You will be staying in Room #4, up the stairs and to the right at the end of the landing," the waiter simply said before turning away to the next table. The blonde's stormy blue eyes fell on the key for a moment, realizing there was only one. Despite generally being prepared for all that life had to throw at her, the thought that they might have to sleep in the same room hadn't even occurred to Corryn. Sure, they had done far more in the same room before. But they were no longer together, and the thought made those butterflies from earlier resume their flitting in her stomach. "They... want us to room together?" she said in a bit of disbelief, "Surely they can't be serious."








coded by weldherwings.
 







Abel Rothenberg.



  • From an unbiased perspective, it was clear to see that the Rothenberg brothers had been dealt fairly unfair hands in life. Their mother wasn't mentally sound and, because of her illness, couldn't properly care for her sons. His father, different from Cain's, denied that Abe was actually his son early on, and dipped before the blonde was old enough to even remember his face. Abe had asked his mother several times who his father was, even just his name so that maybe he could meet him or learn more about him. But every time he tried, she went off the deep-end, muttering about how God had given her two miracle babies and their fathers weren't important. In his attempts to grow up while not losing his childhood entirely, Abel made stupid decisions like stealing from the corner store or egging a few houses with his friends. Maybe it was for attention, or maybe it was because of his anger. Either way, it was the beginning of the end for him.

    Given how badly he needed the money, Abel couldn't quite figure out why the prize would be important enough to Olivia for her to agree to go on the show. She had money, she had a powerful family, she had a good life as far as he knew. What more could she possibly need? Moreso, out of all over her exes, assuming she had more than just him, why would whoever submitted her name choose him to be her opposite? Maybe because the bad boy dating the good girl brought in better ratings? Annoyingly, it was all a circus to him. Because it brought up old feelings, things that he missed, like standing in the garage working on the cars with Liv keeping him company, or hiding away in the maintenance quarters where he stayed, watching crappy old rom-coms that he didn't really like, but she seemed to enjoy. To be completely honest, Abel would do absolutely anything to keep her safe and happy, even if that meant leaving so she could move on to bigger and better things.

    "To win?" Abel repeated though it sounded like a question. Since when did she care about winning something like a B-grade reality show? Her words about being a well-known face and having fans didn't sit right with him, didn't sound genuine. It was almost as if she was embodying one of those TV show celebrity heiresses, someone who was famous only because they were born to money and created fake drama so people would talk about them. Suddenly not very hungry anymore, Abe sat his fork on his plate and pushed it slightly forward. That wasn't the girl he loved, the one who would dance and sing like no one was watching, who hated running, and preferred shopping at thrift stores. Her words struck deep and the fire in his vein continued. "I guess you're right. I don't know you at all, Olivia," he answered, his tone terse. The waiter appeared, dessert in hand. But Abel had lost his appetite, and instead grabbed the key as he pushed back from the table to stand. "I'm going to check out the room," the blonde said. And, with that, he walked back into the house.








coded by weldherwings.
 
Last edited:
Kaya


Montgomery

mood.
"Fuuuuck..."

location.
dinner table

outfit.
click!

interactions.
Cain ( apolla apolla )



Being basically on her own her whole life taught Kaya a thing or two. Her parents were not the model couple at all, they’d rather spend all their money on cheap whiskey from the dirtiest convenience store in town they could find and the rest went for weed or powder or pills, anything to keep their high up. The Montgomerys only had two modes, either they were yelling at each other or fucked like damn bunnies. One had to appreciate the irony, right? Considering how Kaya’s relationship with Cain was, well oh well. At least they never felt the need to abuse all kinds of substances. Sure, Kaya would lie if she said she never got high, hell, she still smoked a joint or two a week but in comparison to her parents, she was pure as a lily. Those two were a model example of something Kaya never wanted to become. And maybe that was a tiny little part of why she always came back to Cain with her tail between her legs.

Yet, not everything that happened was her fault and she was ready to fight to death to prove it. She was fucked up alright and knew it. It wasn’t like the petite brunette was not aware of her mistakes, she was far from a perfect girl. But Cain was an asshole and he knew how to talk to her, how to touch her, what to do around her to make her purr. That guy read her perfectly, he knew her like no one else. Dominic never had a chance back in their high school days, no matter how long the two dated. All Cain needed was one look and Kaya fell under his spell again and again and again. And so many times, she hated herself for being so hooked up on a man who could love her better than everyone else but also could hurt her more than she ever was.

Here at this table, it was happening again. Kaya was ready to throw that delicious velvety wine in his face for being a smug ass once again and once again, he knew exactly what to say to shut her up. Playing the competition and the strongest couple card. Kaya had to remained quiet to realize that he was right, considering the other people there. She didn’t know those other two guys, just the Rothenberg brothers. And with the girls, she spent a brief moment that did not tell her anything useful. Except Olivia. But that girl was softer than a stuffed dog. Even now there were tears in her eyes and in some sort of sadistic way, it made Kaya grin ear to ear. She was going to squash her this time. So yes, she simply had to admit that Cain was right, no matter how much she hated it. But it was still nothing in comparison what he did after their little smartass exchange.

The second Cain stood up, Kaya tensed. He was right. She couldn’t tell she didn’t miss him. Hell, she missed him like crazy, even that stupid-ass nickname he had for her. Her face remained the perfect poker face as she looked up to see his eyes, sparkling with mischief as always. She was imprisoned between the chair and Cain’s body she could still describe to the smallest detail. His cologne swirled around her nose, creating a ball in her throat. Her heart was pounding against her ribcage and all sorts of ideas filled her head, only strengthened by the brief touch of his lips on hers. Kaya flinched when his hand landed on her bare shoulder and her jaw was clenched tight. What was he doing? This was a show but damn, were they really going for these moves already? It took almost inhuman strength not to moan over his teeth on her lip. Thank god, the second Cain left, waiters appeared again to bring the luxurious dessert and gave Kaya a moment to breath and suppress the blush on her cheeks. “You missed me, Cain? Really? Bullshit me not, had you missed me, you would have come to the bar any time.” the girl hissed and suddenly, the chocolate deliciousness looked bitter. Kaya pushed her plate away, trying to get ahold of her emotions. He was doing it to her again. She wanted to hug him, curl in his arms, tear his clothes off, fuck him, kick his ass, scratch his eyes out and yell at him for hours. And all at the same time.

To strengthen already strained emotions, the waiter set a key on the table, explaining which room was theirs. Theirs. That word resonated in Kaya’s head and she almost exploded. “Excuse me…” she spoke in a fake sweet tone, tapping the table gently. “Where is the second key?” she asked naively, knowing the answer in advance. “There is no second key, just one. For both of you.” the man spoke politely and left, leaving Kaya in a whirlwind of her own feelings. Her eyes found Cain’s to see his reaction to this new piece of information and before he could, Kaya’s fingers wrapped around the piece of metal, snatching the keys for herself. “Dibs on bed.” she announced, determined as ever not to let Cain anywhere near it. She couldn’t. Letting Cain to share bed with her was like letting a fox in the chicken coop.


code: s e v e n s e v e n
​
 
Declan


Bennet

mood.
"One last race?"

location.
dinner table

outfit.
click!

interactions.
Nat ( Desert_Blossom Desert_Blossom )



Declan was a lot of things but he never considered himself to be weak or to lose his cool easily. Truthfully, he rarely did. That was what was making him such a great player. Even in heated situations, he could keep his head straight in the game, he was nicely level-headed and could always assess the situation accordingly, find several solutions and choose the best one to get out of the precarious moments. It was this feature that made him a high school quarterback and the captain, it was what made his name in college football history and what scored him a place on his current team. Declan Bennet was not easily upset by any situation and to make him riled up required more than a few mean pokes.

And yet, here at the table, he could feel his adrenaline levels rising, his blood was hotter than ever and the fucking bowtie felt like a noose. As if he was close to his own execution. And honestly, this suit might just do that to him on its own. Moreover, Natalie was in a mood more than ever and to Declan, it seemed that they were starting the same chapter once again. Ever since she found out about his fling, it was the same shit over and over again and the football player was already sick of it. Of course, it hurt when they broke up. Hell, she was his first…everything. Natalie was his whole high school experience. She embodied everything he ever went through during those four years and even now at this way too small table, his mind was already taking that trip down the memory lane. Shit. And then he saw her tears and it was just, he hated everything. Mostly himself for agreeing to come here. Because fuck that, this was proving to be not worth the effort and time. The argument. Not Natalie. The gorgeous blonde herself was worth everything, even after…yeah.

The silence falling over the table after the last outburst was killing him. Declan kept drinking his wine, knowing it was probably not the best or brightest idea. He didn’t finish his dinner and though his stomach was asking for more of that deliciously prepared steak and fries. But his throat was not allowing him to swallow anything except alcohol. And how he wished he had that whiskey now. Wine was good but this feeling, this…panging pain he felt inside, that required something stronger. Much stronger that Pinot Noir. “My agent said it was good for the publicity. I don’t care about money.” Declan answered Natalie’s question quietly, swirling his wine in the glass. “Why are you here though? Wouldn’t pin you for a TV show type of girl.” he smirked but it was that typical smirk he used to wear as a boy, not an arrogant asshole-y type of thing.

Once Natalie threw her own jab at him, Declan had to laugh. What else was there anyway? He was not the type to explode and storm out of the room and if anything, he hated conflicts. “Come on, Natty. It wasn’t all that bad, was it?” he grinned. “Remember our senior prom campaign? Dude, it was a bloodbath. And we got on top. We can do it again. Just look around.” Declan leaned closer, making his voice quieter. His strategic mind woke up, working out the best plan for them. “There are two couples driven by emotions, if they get overwhelmed by those, they are bound to make mistakes. The third couple, on the other hand, there is nothing. It feels like this is just oner chore. Us though? We can work it out, you know we can. So why don’t we just…?”

Declan was interrupted by the waiter coming to collect plates and replace them with a dessert. But what was more interesting was the other item they got. A key. More specifically, one key. And the direction to their room. Declan took a moment to realize what it meant and his eyes found Natalie. “I guess, you’ll have to figure out the way how to put up with me now, won’t you?” he shrugged and pulled the chocolate heart out of the dessert, taking a bite, chewing thoughtfully. One of the men, Abel if Declan remembered correctly, or Cain, uh, god knew, those Bible brothers looked too similar, anyway, one of them left the area, looking all riled up and Declan smirked. “Yeah, see? It’s already starting. So? Natty? You wanna hate me the whole summer or are we gonna make it work?”

code: s e v e n s e v e n
​
 










































Natalie Mayfair








The news that Declan had agreed to come on the show because his agent thought it would be good publicity made one of Natalie's delicate eyebrows rise slightly. "I'm not sure if I'd consider this trainwreck good publicity..." The blonde replied, a bemused smile threatening her lips. "Publicity, sure, but airing some of your dirty laundry for the country to see...? Though what's the saying- any publicity is good publicity as long as they spell your name right?" She added, taking another sip of wine.

Declan's smirk when he asked her why she was here was an unfair blast from the past. For a split second, it was like Natalie had actually stepped into that time machine she wished for and was now sitting at the diner with him after one of his games, the same smirk painting his features as he recounted his favorite touchdown or how he had dodged a tackle. The blonde's stomach twisted as she reminded herself of their reality, and she pushed away her thoughts of the Declan she used to love.

"Closure." Natalie answered simply, another sip of wine washing down the lump in her throat. Her blue eyes left Declan's face briefly, needing a moment to reset. She was doing her best to maintain a less hostile atmosphere at the table and avoid any more tears, but this was difficult. If she wasn't angry at Declan for one thing, she was getting choked up thinking about their better times over another.

Declan changed the subject to winning though, and Natalie was thankful for the distraction. She leaned onto the table and took a jab at him, which luckily he didn't take offense to. His laugh made her loosen up a little... just in time for him to bring up their senior prom campaign and send her back down memory lane. As he leaned closer, Natalie's blue eyes studied Declan as he began to lay out his plan and thoughts on winning. While she didn't exactly disagree with Declan's assessment, Natalie was unable to offer her input before they were interrupted by the delivery of dessert and their room key.

One, single, room key. What?!

Natalie's gaze met Declan's as he pointed out that she'd now have to find a way to put up with him now. Natalie could do nothing else for a moment but drain the rest of her wine glass. She didn't know if she was more annoyed at the idea of sharing a room with Declan because of all the arguments it would likely cause... or more scared because of all the emotions it would resurrect.

Natalie's attention turned to one of the men as he got up and stormed off, then shifted to another table as another guy, almost identical to the first, looked like he was kissing his ex. There was already a lot happening tonight it would seem. The blonde's attention returned to Declan though at his use of "Natty" and she considered his question for a moment.

"Can't I do both?" Natalie asked, matching Declan's smirk as she stole the chocolate covered strawberry from the dessert. "I am excellent at multitasking after all..." She teased, taking a bite of the strawberry- her first taste of food during this dinner. Who said she couldn't hate Declan and win the competition with him? Sure, it would probably just be easier to let bygones be bygones, but the past few years couldn't just be forgotten with a simple snap of the fingers.

Hate might have been a strong word to use to begin with though. While Natalie hated what happened between them, and hated that she still was hurt by it... It was hard for her to fully hate Declan. She was angry at him, yes. But she didn't hate him. Not that she'd clarify that. They were his words, not hers.

The 3 glasses of wine were finally catching up with Natalie, softening what likely would have been a stronger reaction to sharing a room. Finishing the strawberry in another bite, Natalie dropped the leafy part onto the edge of the plate closest to her and bit her lip thoughtfully.

"I imagine the room doesn't have two beds in it like a hotel..." Natalie mused aloud, glancing at the key, but not daring to touch it. "Are you still a blanket hog?" She asked, trying not to make the situation awkward, despite her reservations.

She'd never actually lived with Declan before. They'd been too young in high school and then once they were 18 they'd gone to separate schools. They'd stayed over at each other's places of course, but had never officially co-habitated. And this wasn't exactly an ideal time to start now, either.




































Trying to be relaxed






























Couple’s Table


































Outfit
























_amaranth_ _amaranth_


















































nine lives




 










































Grayson Moore








It really was a shame, Grayson thought as he watched the beautiful blonde across from him, that he and Corryn had been split up by their careers. Even though they were enemies in business these days, it felt good to just get to talk to her again. There might not have been the conventional romantic relationship between them, friends with benefits might have more closely described their dynamic, but she had been his partner in crime nonetheless. And as she laughed about their golf trip, it was hard for Grayson not to enjoy himself.

"Trick shot, sure, uh-huh..." The tall man grinned with a teasing roll of his eyes. Corryn's mention of a pool that had caught her eye made Grayson chuckle at the memory of one of their last nights together before they'd officially called it quits.

The pair had gone to Corryn's father's house for dinner, which was awkward enough at the time since Grayson had recently left Russell & Sons for his current company. The dinner was only made more awkward when a business matter required Joseph to leave early, something the man likely wouldn’t have done while Gray had been in good standings. Abandoned at the large, empty house, Gray and Cory had lingered out to the pool after a few expensive glasses of scotch. One thing led to another, and they'd found themselves in Mr. Russell's pool sans clothing, as their swimsuits hadn't been brought. Maybe it was because they both secretly knew that their relationship was already on borrowed time, but they’d made the most of that night together.

"Yeah, a pool would be nice too..." Gray replied simply, keeping his memory of Corryn's bare skin glistening in the moonlight to himself. He didn't want to seem too nostalgic tonight. Not when Corryn was looking as stunning as she was. He didn't need to make anything harder for himself than they needed to be.

Dessert arrived, serving as a delicious distraction, but as much as Gray had been looking forward to something sweet, his attention was more consumed by the room key that they'd been given. Gray noticed his blonde companion staring at the key for a moment, a soft grin tugging at his lips when she uttered that the show couldn't be serious with this stunt of making them room together. Reaching over, Gray picked up the hotel key like it was no big deal.

"At least we get a room. Before coming here I was looking at other reality shows and some of those make everyone stay in communal rooms like summer camp." He pointed out, trying to ease Corryn's concerns. While Gray took some pleasure at the idea of Corryn being flustered for once, he didn't want this curve ball to ruin their relaxed mood or their chances of winning.

"Is it that appalling to think of sharing a bed with me again Cory?" Gray asked, feigning a pout as he spun the hotel key around his finger from the ribbon tied to it. "What is it they say, keep your friends close but your enemies closer? I can't imagine us being much closer than this." He joked, hoping Corryn didn't actually view him as an enemy. At least not here. Not on this show. "I'll even let you pick which side you want..." Gray added with a grin.

Setting the key back down on the table, Grayson took up his spoon instead, and used it to cut into the lava cake. It wasn't as good as ice cream would have been, but the show definitely got points for presentation. One of the guys he'd met earlier got up and left his table, and Gray watched him go for a moment, curious as to what their story was. "One couple down..." He mused, glancing back over at Corryn. "Our odds are looking better by the second."




































Entertained






























Couple’s Table


































Outfit
























MadiRaiCat MadiRaiCat


















































nine lives




 






olivia




filler



filler



filler



filler



filler



filler






  • home (filler tab)



































camila cabello



crying in the club








Sitting there across from Able was getting harder and harder by the minute. When she'd first seen his face, she couldn't deny the shred of hope that she'd felt in her chest, thinking that maybe, just maybe, they could be together again. But as they sat through dinner, that shred of hope grew fainter and fainter until it was destroyed completely. She could hear her agent in her head, telling her basically not to fuck this up, but how was she supposed to keep it together with Abel acting like a total and complete jackass? She needed to find a place the cameras didn't touch, and fast.

She nodded as he repeated her words, knowing in that moment that he didn't believe her just as much as she didn't believe herself. She hated that she was that transparent, but to Abel, she always had been. He'd always been able to tell when she was hiding something, and he always called her out on it. Then he'd do something to make her smile, and that was part of the reason she'd loved him so much. Love, she realized, the thought surprising her. She did love him, had loved him then and still did now. She'd never gotten over Abel Rothenberg.

Only this time, Abel didn't call her on her lies. Instead, he just pushed his chair back and grabbed the key from the waiter. The key. The only one. As he stood, Liv could only stare at his empty seat until he was long gone, heat and embarrassment flooding her face. Abel was the only one to have gotten up and walked away. Shit, even Cain and Kaya had lasted longer than they had, and that was definitely something. Looking towards the house, Liv sat there dwelling in her own feelings, trying to ignore the eyes she knew were on her.

A moment later, though, her embarrassment turned to anger. She snatched her wine up and drained it, standing from the table as well. With all the elegance she could muster, she headed for the house, her heart pounding as she wound through the hallways until she found the rooms. When she found the one she would be sharing with Abe, she saw that the door was cracked. Resisting the urge to kick it open, she just pushed it open as gently as she could muster, stepping inside. She found Abel easily, and her voice died in her throat as she stared at his back.

"Why did you leave?" She asked him suddenly, her soft voice filling the room as tears filled her eyes. "And don't give me your bullshit, Abel. I want the truth."






♡coded by uxie♡
 






cain




filler



filler



filler



filler



filler



filler






  • home (filler tab)



































machine gun kelly



home








Cain wasn't lying when he told Kaya that he missed her. The girl had truly made an impression on him, even with all of their fighting and toxic ways. She was his end game, his one and only, and he knew that. But he couldn't just come out and say that, especially not after how they'd ended things. Yeah she'd left the apartment, but she always did. Then she would come back, find him and they'd make up in the most delicious way possible. But he'd fucked up by leaving, too, and she'd come back to an empty place. He was gone, and that was 100% on him.

But this was their second chance, and he was determined to win her back. As he made his way back to his seat, he could see it in her eyes how he'd affected her. He still had it. His grin never wavered, even as the waiters brought around dessert and a key to each couple. A single key, and he could have nearly jumped for joy. His eyes shifted from the key to Kaya as she spoke, feeling a pinch in his heart realizing she was right. "I could have. You're right." He agreed with a slight incline of his head. The girl pushed her plate away as the key was set on the table, and she politely asked the waiter for the other key. But Cain had already figured it out.

The waiter answered just how Cain expected him to, and his eyes slid back over to Kaya. When she called dibs on the bed, he laughed out loud, shaking his head as he leaned forward on the table. "You can't call dibs on the bed, KayKay. Watch me." Movement caught his attention, and he looked over to see Abel get up from the table he shared with Olivia to march inside. "Well, well, well. Look who we outlasted already." He winked at Kaya, biting his lip as he eyed her front, namely, the key still in her hands. But was that the only thing he was eyeing? Absolutely not.

"Since you wanna call dibs on the bed, I call dibs on first shower. Unless you wanna join me." He stood from the table, extending his hand towards her, pulling her up from the table. "Keep it calm, Kaya, and we've got this in the bag." He whispered as he pulled her in for a hug, wanting to speak to her hopefully without the cameras seeing. "And then afterwards, we'll split the money and you can be done with me." He pulled back, offering his arm to lead them towards the house if she wanted to take it. "Now, shall we find our room, love?"






♡coded by uxie♡
 







Corryn Russell.



  • The idea of staying in the same room as Grayson wasn't what made the blonde marketing executive anxious. They had spent plenty of all-nighters together in the same room, crouched over some collage or aesthetic board they were working on, throwing numbers at each other for a budget spreadsheet, or even just brainstorming ideas. She used to be entirely comfortable around Gray. Though, now that he was working for a different company, her walls had largely gone back up. Flirting with the enemy without the intent to seduce intel out of them was a big no-no, and Cory most certainly wasn't going to cross that line. Well, that was what she told herself anyway. No, the bigger issue was sharing a bed with the man.

    Corryn Russell was an outwardly confident woman. She knew full well that she was pretty, gorgeous even and, in her work, she often used it to her advantage. It was amazing what she could get some grimy old business owner to agree to with a little bit of cleavage and a succubus smile. Maybe that was cheating. But she was more than sure Grayson did the same thing with his good looks. Cory hardly left much to the imagination, as characterized by the tall slit in her current ruby-toned dress. Though she did bring some comfy clothes, nearly all her pajamas were comprised of silky short-shorts with matching camis, nightgowns, or nothing at all. Somehow, the idea of sharing a bed with Gray dressed in those didn't seem like a great idea, especially if she were to stick to the 'no sleeping with the enemy' rule.

    "Ew. Yeah, I guess there's that," the blonde said at the thought of sharing a room with the other strangers in the house. She had to admit, if she were going to be forced to sleep in the same bed as anyone there, she was glad it was Grayson. The girls were pretty, but not her type. And the guys all seemed to bream with toxic masculinity that she just didn't really need in her way. Returning her stormy blue gaze to the man across from her, she couldn't help but think Gray made a good point. If they stayed in the same room, the same bed even, it would be hard to keep secrets from one another. Maybe she could lull him into a sense of security, get him to tell her what clients they're working on, or better yet, what angle they're taking in courting them.

    "I could always just make you sleep on the floor," Corryn stated, a teasing tone to her voice. She rested her chin in her propped-up hand as she looked at him. "But lucky for you, I'm nicer than I appear. And besides, you know I always pick the side furthest from the door." It was true. Whatever anxieties were in her brain that she tried to squelch, one that always won was her inability to sleep on the side of the bed closest to the door, and she wasn't quite sure why. A therapist could most certainly tell her, saying it's an irrational fear of someone breaking in and needing to be furthest from them. But that would require Cory to actually see a therapist for her issues.

    Pulled from her thoughts by the key being set on the table, Corryn grabbed her own spoon and took a bite of the lava cake. It was a little too rich and sweet for her taste, without enough bitterness from the chocolate to balance it out. So, she immediately set her spoon back down. One of the other men abruptly got up to leave, practically fuming into the house. It wasn't long before the woman he was with got up to chase after him. She seemed to have tears in her eyes, and Cory shook her head. "You say that now. But once those two get over their little fight and probably have amazing make-up sex, they'll be much stronger," she answered. Realizing how calculated she had sounded, the blonde turned back to Gray. "Either or." Make-up sex could fix anything, they both knew that.

    The night seemed to be boiling down, coming to a close, and it was strange to think that that actually made her a bit disappointed. She was really enjoying her dinner with Grayson, even though she couldn't completely shake the feeling of being watched. None of the show staff were really instructing them on what to do, and none of them went off after the other couple that disappeared inside. They probably already had hidden cameras and cameramen in there to monitor everything. Cory reached out and picked up the key by the ribbon, glancing from it to Gray. "Maybe we should go check out the room too? Either that or the hot tub and the pool. Or both. Your choice."








coded by weldherwings.
 







Abel Rothenberg.



  • If he were being completely honest with himself, Abel knew that he was being unfair to Olivia. He did what he thought was best for her without stopping to even ask what she wanted. Maybe he was pulling a page out of his brother's book, or maybe it was the whole 'masculine man protects damsel' stereotype that was drilled into his head. Either way, it broke the cardinal rule of a long-lasting, positive relationship: proper communication. While Abel knew a lot about Olivia's life, it was plastered all over the tabloids and entertainment news sites, after all, he hadn't told her a lot about his. That had been by design, as he was convinced at the time that if she knew everything, she would run for the hills screaming like a banshee. Her father was much more into background checks, and most certainly did one on him when he found out about their secret affair.

    Abe had never told Liv why he had left, and he was sure her father hadn't either. It had been part of their agreement, and Mr. Kennedy made quite the case for doing so. "You're a street rat with a temper. You're a criminal who probably won't last long enough to give her a whole and happy life," he had said to Abel, fury in his eyes. At the time, Abe was sure his eyes almost mirrored the older man, and he wanted nothing more at that moment than to deck him in the face. But that would be exactly what Mr. Kennedy wanted. The man was nothing if not manipulative. "What will happen when you inevitably end up in prison? Are you honestly going to ask her to wait for you? She's an heiress, an up-and-coming singer superstar. You are holding her back, and you will continue to hold her back unless you leave."

    Those words cut like a knife, but Abel couldn't help but believe him. Olivia was his exact opposite. Empathetic and passionate and emotional and transparent. The angel to his devil. She deserved more. Abel pulled himself from his thoughts as he strode through the house, finally finding the room that matched the key in his hand. It only took a moment to turn the nob and step inside. Their bags had already been moved into the room, set on either side of the single king-sized bed pushed up against the center of the wall. In all his anger, Abe hadn't stopped to realize that there was only a single key. But, now that he saw the single bed, it all came together in his head. They would have to live together, in the same room, in the same bed. And he may have just ruined any chance at civility between them. On top of that, he may have ruined his chance at the prize.

    "Son of a bitch," the blonde man muttered, stepping over to the vanity to unknot his tie. He hung it on the corner of the mirror before unbuttoning the top few buttons of his white shirt. If he was going to be stuck there, he might as well get comfortable. Slipping the jacket from his shoulders, he tossed it on top of his suitcase before rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. Letting out an annoyed breath, Abel sat on the edge of the bed and put his head in his hands. The show was a terrible idea. He was supposed to stay out of her life, which is why he avoided even reading about her in the news. That was the deal. A soft voice, clear as a bell, immediately caught his attention, and his head snapped up to look at Olivia. "Why did I leave?" Abel repeated, stalling to think of an appropriate lie. Seeing the tears in her eyes, he couldn't. "It's complicated, Livy," the man answered quietly, running a hand through his hair. "There's a lot you don't know about me. But your father..." Abel paused, knowing he shouldn't continue. "Nevermind."








coded by weldherwings.
 
Last edited:
Kaya


Montgomery

mood.
"This is really nice for sure."

location.
dinner table > their room

outfit.
click!

interactions.
Cain ( apolla apolla )



With Cain sitting across the table, Kaya was thrown down the memory lane. And she would be a bitch to say that everything about them was bad. Sure, they fought and argued and even threw punches at each other but on the good days, they were the power couple. Their dynamic was on point and when united against a common enemy, the world trembled because these two were raining vengeance on anyone who wronged them. Kaya loved and cherished their good days, those moments when they just laid in front of the TV, watched some stupid reality show and bitched at everyone and how they would do it better. Cain held her and her petite form was getting lost in his arms. He always smelled so good, cologne or not. Even the natural smell of his skin was attracting Kaya and curling in her nose even hours after he was gone. Cain was the only man who could rock her world, shatter it in a million little pieces and put them back together. He was her high and low, her friend and foe, the one man she loved and hated the most, one who could hurt her the most only to treat her wounds.

And when he came closer, when he almost kissed her, her skin was covered in goosebumps and Kaya knew he knew. Cain knew her better than anyone so it was only logical that he had to notice how she was reacting to his actions. He left her wanting more and honestly, at that very moment, Kaya hated him for it. She was supposed to be angry, pissed at him for leaving her, she wanted to hate him and look down at him. But he was doing everything right, typical asshole he was and it was making Kaya remember the good stuff too. No matter how hard she was trying to imagine days of their yell fests, throwing shit at each other, cussing and fighting, her thoughts always ended with her in Cain’s arms.

Thankfully, the waiter came and brought the dessert and their key. It finally caused Kaya to start thinking about something else and once she realized she was going to share not only the room but also the bed with her ex, she grabbed the keys and called dibs for the bed. No way was Cain getting in it. Not tonight. Not ever. Kaya had to set clear boundaries here, otherwise, she was fucked. Pun possibly intended. As Cain told her she couldn’t call dibs on the bed, Kaya just smirked and was ready to throw another smartass comment at him but then Abel left the table, shortly followed by Olivia. “She was never any competition to me anyway.” Kaya shrugged, remembering how soft the singer had always been.

When Cain called dibs on the first shower, of course, he simply had to add his tease. “Dream on, Rothenberg. I didn’t miss you that much.” she wiggled her eyebrows, lying her ass off. Protest was on the tip of her tongue when Cain pulled her up from her seat, holding her in a hug but his words stopped her. If Kaya hated something really really a lot, it was when Cain was right. And he was fucking right at this point. If they managed to keep it calm, they truly had a great chance to win. However, the million-dollar question was…could they keep it calm? That was definitely a food for thought and Kaya just gripped the key a bit more, ignoring Cain’s arm. Head held high, she strutted straight towards the house, one hand holding her dress so she wouldn’t stumble.

The house was huge, just the entrance hall could easily fit their small apartment at least three times and Kaya had to bite the inside of her cheek not to make any admiring sound that would make her look stupid. Her heels clicked on the marble floor as she was making her way to the staircase, following instructions, the waiter had given to them. Once upstairs, it only took her a moment to find the room and her eyes went wide. It was stunning, exquisite, something she would never be able to afford. Their bags were already at the bed and Kaya kept looking around the whole place. “I could use to this shit.” she breathed and her fingers traced the smooth sheets on the bed as she walked past it straight to the bathroom. Her gaze fell upon the large bathtub, among other things, and a smirk curled her lips. “Too bad we’re not a couple anymore.” she teased and looked at Cain over her shoulder.

code: s e v e n s e v e n
​
 
Declan


Bennet

mood.
maybe a little flirty

location.
dinner table

outfit.
click!

interactions.
Nat ( Desert_Blossom Desert_Blossom )



Declan had to admit that Natalie had a point, regarding the publicity. Maybe it really was a bad idea to come here and show the whole country what kind of problems one of their favorite football players had to face. So far, his fans only saw him as a teddy bear, his agent had built that kind of image for him. He was almost brutal on the field, played his heart out every time, gave every game his all but outside of the game, he was a really great guy, smiling a lot, laughing, throwing jokes this way and that, gallant to ladies and favored by the media not only for his good looks. He was even on a few front pages already, showing off his body he took the perfect care of. And when his team decided to make a calendar, the kind which raises money for charity, he was Mr. July, showing his abs off on the beach, water droplets all over his body, glistening in the evening sun.

But here, he was supposed to be Declan. Not Bennet, not the number of his jersey, not the football superstar. Just Declan, exboyfriend of Natalie Mayfair. And maybe he forgot how to be just that. Hell, they saw each other for a few minutes and they were already fighting. Shit, she was even crying and that was definitely not his goal here. Not only he never wanted to hurt her but it also made him look like an asshole. He didn’t really want just any publicity, he wanted people to like him for who he was. But apparently, he had already showed everyone he could make a girl cry. Peachy.

Natalie’s reason took him a little by surprise. That one simple word resonated in his head. Closure. Was it possible though? Was it possible to get it in a show like this? Declan didn’t think so but remained quiet, not to jab at her anymore. At least not during this dinner. Instead, he rather changed the topic, distracting them both. Undoubtedly, their breakup and its reasons and who was responsible for what was going to come up again, they were not done with it and since Nat came for the closure, it was bound to resurface at some point. His little pet name he always used for her slipped out of his lips so easily as if it was yesterday they campaigned for the prom and Declan got lost for a second, watching her eat the strawberry. Was he being the worst or was it one of the most sensual things she had ever done? Or maybe it was the wine speaking because he drank quite a few glasses already and did so pretty fast. He was far from a light weight and could outdrink even bigger guys than him but wine was not his drink of choice, like ever, and his stomach was also rather empty. Making a mental note not to drink any more of that ruby red velvety liquid, Declan moved the dessert aside, not wanting to eat any more carbs, considering he almost inhaled the fries. Already used to his athlete meal plan, carbs were not something the footballer allowed himself very often.

After they were given the key, Declan joked a little and was glad to see Nat relaxed a little as well. Judging by her little blanket hog comment. “Nah, I’m not. But I am a cuddler.” Dec wiggled his eyebrows, playful smirk shining on his lips as he winked at his former girlfriend. “Shall we maybe…go and see the room then?” he proposed, considering there were two couples who already left, both looking like there was a long night in front of them, each for a different reason. Something was telling him that the second couple leaving was about to test the bed while the first one had a quite different talk to get to. He was trying to figure out everyone and find their weaknesses. And though the guys looked like they could all become good mates here, the competitor in Declan was not allowing him to relax too much. He stood up and buttoned his jacket, offering a hand to Natalie. “Coming then?” he asked and if she accepted his hand, he would help her stand up and lead her towards the house.

code: s e v e n s e v e n
​
 










































Natalie Mayfair








Declan moved the dessert plate to the side shortly after Natalie finished her strawberry, and she knew that their time left at the dinner table was reaching its end. As hard as it was to sit across from Declan and not give in to her conflicting desires to both yell at him and reminisce with him, the idea of leaving the safety of this table and heading to their shared room made Natalie's stomach tighten even more. The wine was helping to take most of the edge off though, and the pair both seemed to resort to joking about sharing the room rather than arguing about it. That was good, right? It wasn't lost on Natalie that they other couples looked to have varying reactions to the idea of sharing a room with their ex. If she and Declan just played it down the middle, then perhaps the show would focus on the other pairs?

Natalie rolled her eyes a little when Declan declared that he was a cuddler with his smirk and wiggling eyebrows, and she shook her head a little. "I'm sure there will be plenty of pillows for you to cuddle with..." She replied, trying not to let her mind wander to the times they used to lay in bed cuddled together. It wouldn't do Natalie any good to remember how safe and warm she felt when wrapped in his arms or nestled against-- Natalie cut her thoughts short, realizing she was doing exactly what she shouldn't.

Her hand went to her wine glass to take another sip to distract herself, but the glass was empty. Probably for the best anyways. She'd hit her limit and then some for the night. No need to go off the deep end night one. Though it was tempting when Declan proposed they go see the room. Natalie just glanced between the key and Declan for a moment, trying to think of any excuse to delay the inevitable a little longer... but before she could reply her ex had stood from the table and offered her his hand.

Reminding herself that this was really no big deal, it was just a room and she was an adult, Natalie nodded, and slid her hand into Declan's. His hand was warm and a little rough from playing football, just like it had always been. The dark haired man helped Natalie up and began leading them towards the house. A few steps confirmed that Natalie had perhaps consumed one glass too many, and she picked up the front of her dress a little to minimize any chance for clumsiness. The last thing she wanted was to be one of those girls who couldn't handle their alcohol and made a mess by falling down or up stairs. At least her grip on Declan's hand would prevent that- wait, was she still holding his hand?

Once they were a few paces away from the table, Natalie slipped her hand out of Declan's , moving it instead to hold onto his arm. That seemed a little less intimate, and Natalie didn't want to seem rude, nor give up her stabilizer. Not that she truly needed to use him as a crutch, but with a dozen cameras lurking around, there was no reason to take any chances. If Natalie was going to be spending time with her ex, Declan could at least be useful for something.

They walked in silence for a bit, following the directions the server gave them to their room. Natalie glanced up at Declan for a moment, trying to think of something to say to fill the void in conversation. Everything her mind came up with though would likely either lead to another argument, or be too soft. She felt like she was walking a dangerous line with Declan, and wanted to stay as neutral as possible, at least for a little longer. Their dinner had started out volatile, but they'd found some kind of genial rapport for now.

The pair arrived at the room before Natalie arrived on a topic of conversation, which was just as well. The key was used to open the door, and Natalie stepped into their new living quarters, releasing Declan's arm. The room was large, finely decorated and fancier than Natalie was used to. She imagined though that this was right in Declan's current realm of luxury though, with his pro status. At least the bed was king sized... they could both sleep in it without being too close. Unless Declan was going to be a gentleman and offer to sleep on the ground.

"See, loads of pillows for your cuddling needs..." Natalie mused, as she walked deeper into the room, spotting her luggage settled in the corner. Using one of the bed's banisters as support, Natalie slipped off one of her heels, before unhooking the other. The blonde let out a small breath of relief, happy to have at least one discomfort removed, as she tossed her shoes over next to her bags.

"So, is this up to your standards, hot shot?" Natalie asked, glancing back towards Declan, curious as to what his dwellings looked like these days. They were likely a hundred times nicer than the dorm and then apartment he had when they were dating during college. It was hard to imagine Declan living anywhere else but his family home or dorm. Really, it was hard to imagine Declan as a pro football player instead of a high school or college all star too. It made Natalie a little sad to think about how different everything was now and how much had changed over the years they were apart. The blonde tried to brush off the feelings though. They were just the wine talking.





































Tipsy






























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_amaranth_ _amaranth_


















































nine lives




 










































Grayson Moore








When Corryn brought up making him sleep on the floor, Grayson raised an eyebrow in amusement at the very idea. The blonde could tease all she wanted, but Gray felt like the odds of him sleeping on the ground were as likely as the odds of either of them ever deciding their jobs didn't matter to them. Hell, he'd sleep outside on a lawn chair or on a couch somewhere in the mansion before sleeping on the ground. Luckily, Gray knew Cory was just giving him a hard time and she continued to talk about her preferred side of the bed.

"Yes, I do know that. But just wanted to be polite and allow you to change your mind if things have changed since..." Gray frowned a little at bringing up their breakup, again. For as easy as the separation itself had been at the time, for some reason he hated actually talking about it. Especially when things were going so well between them right now. It was almost as if he had Cory back. Almost.

"Well since the last time we were together." Gray finished. He knew Corryn didn't like sleeping closest to the door, and while he didn't ever pry into the reasoning behind her anxieties, he was happy to do what he could to make her more comfortable. Even now, despite them being exes, Gray still didn't see any reason to make Cory uncomfortable just for the sake of being difficult. Not like some of the other couples seemed to be doing.

A chuckle escaped Gray's lips when his blonde counterpart brought up make-up sex. "Well, we shouldn't let them be the only ones to have that advantage..." He teased, giving Corryn a suggestive look as a smirk stretched across his features. "Can't let the competition get a leg up, so if you feel so inclined to follow in their footsteps..." He mused, before taking one last bite of the dessert.

With dessert over and the rest of the couples all heading back to their rooms, Gray nodded at Cory's suggestion to check out their own room. "Let's start with our new quarters and then see where the night takes us, eh?" Gray replied, tempted to just head straight for the pool and recreate that night at Cory's father's house. If not for the cameras, he might have actually even suggested it.

Rising from his chair, Gray walked over to Corryn's and offered his hand to help her up. "If it's bunk beds, I call the lower bunk..." He joked quietly, leaning into Corryn a little so she could still hear. Her perfume lingered in the air around her, and Gray immediately recognized and missed the scent. In the beginning he'd done all he could to get that very scent out of his sheets and things, but now... now it was a pleasant reminder of the more pleasurable times he and Cory had shared. He hadn't been entirely teasing about the make up sex after all...

Gray led the way to their room, and despite the size of the mansion, it didn't take too long to follow the server's direction and locate their new abode. Allowing a moment for Cory to unlock the door, Gray entered the room once the door swung open. "I could get used to this..." He grinned, marveling a little at the luxury. This kind of life had always been his goal, and now he was getting a sneak peak of what could lie ahead for him if he stayed on track with his career.

Hell, at one point he'd even imagined that Corryn would still be by his side once they were wealthy and truly powerful, and even if that wouldn't be the case outside of this forced reality, he could enjoy the play acting for now. Removing his jacket, Gray tossed it onto the back of one of the cushioned chairs that was more for decoration than function. He took a moment to glance around, trying to spot where the cameras were likely hidden.

"How many angles do you think they have right now? And how long do you think it would take them to send someone in if we covered them up?" He asked, lurking around the room like some sort of secret agent looking for spyware. "We don't need the public to know about your snoring..." He joked, glancing over his shoulder at Corryn. He gazed at her for a moment, appreciating the stark contrast between her jewel toned dress and the crisp white linens. Damn, she really had chosen a dress that made his pulse race a little, particularly when she was so close to a bed that begged to be put to good use.

"So, ugh, you want to stay here or check out that pool you mentioned?" He asked, looking for some sort of conversation to distract from his wandering thoughts.





































Tempted






























Their Room


































Outfit
























MadiRaiCat MadiRaiCat


















































nine lives




 






olivia




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  • home (filler tab)



































camila cabello



crying in the club








Olivia hadn't expected any of this, but she was here, and it was happening. Seeing Abel again once that curtain had come up, her heart had nearly beat out of her chest, but she'd been happy. Hell, she'd been excited. Closure had been the furthest thing from her mind. Even though she hadn't expected them to jump into each others arms again and get back together on the spot, she'd been thrilled to see him. Nervous as hell with spiking anxiety levels on top of that, but the base feeling of her being happy to see him was there. And for a moment, she'd thought he was happy to see her too.

Maybe he had been, but certainly not now. Not as she watched him get up and stalk away from the table like she was diseased or something. Trying to keep it together, she'd felt her embarrassment turn to anger. How dare he just disappear from her life with no good rhyme or reason, and then have the audacity to walk away from her now? AGAIN? Draining her wine, without a care for how many eyes were on her, she marched into the house and through the hallways until she found the room they were sharing. She saw the one bed, but that didn't even click in her mind, her attention directly on Abel.

Her breath caught in her throat as she laid eyes on him, though, her voice faltering. He looked incredible, having shed the fancy jacket and tie, leaving him in just the white dress shirt and slacks. She'd always thought he looked the best in just a wifebeater tank top and some jeans, or even shirtless, but he was still amazing to look at now. She almost couldn't even get the question out, but she finally did. His head whipped up to look at her, and she immediately wanted to apologize. She wanted to take back her question, to say forget it, but she held her ground.

"It's complicated, Livy?" She echoed his words, her voice shaking. He continued, though, but his words didn't quell her need for answers. Not one bit. "And who's fault is that, hm? That I don't know things about you?" She moved closer, her hands balling into fists by her side. With some distance between them still, she tried to reign in her emotions, but found it very difficult to do so. "What does my father have to do with this?" Suddenly she was kneeling in front of him, her hands gently placed on his knees as her eyes peered up at him. "Why did you shut me out?"






♡coded by uxie♡
 






cain




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machine gun kelly



home








Cain was not an idiot, and he knew that him and Kaya teaming up was a very touchy thing. On the one hand, they could make a fabulous team, if they could not fight or argue. That in itself would be a miracle, though, but Cain had high hopes for them. On the other hand, he knew Kaya and he knew their history, and it would be fucking hard as shit not to get frustrated, for both of them. But looking at the other couples, Cain really felt they had a chance here. Look at that, his brother was already getting up and leaving Olivia behind at the table. What a gentleman. And the other two couples, well, let's just say Cain didn't have high hopes for them either.

"Don't forget, Kaya, you can't lie to me." A bright grin presented itself on Cain's face as she told him she hadn't missed him that much. He could tell immediately the girl was lying, but honestly, he'd missed her too. He regretted leaving all those years ago, but once it was done, his pride wouldn't let him go back. He rolled his eyes as she refused his hand, marching towards the house with her head held defiantly high, but he didn't take offense. She wanted to prove to him that she had the upper hand here, and maybe she did, about half of the time. The other half, the ball was completely in his court, and they both knew it.

He followed her to the room, taking advantage of his viewpoint as he did so. Finding their bags already in the room, he immediately started to remove his tie, glancing up when he heard Kaya's voice from the bathroom doorway. Ambling in that direction, he looked over her shoulder into the exquisite room, that grin from before reappearing. "Yeah. Too bad, hmm?" He breathed into her ear, one hand releasing his tie to find her waist. "Though if you want company in that bathtub, you know all you have to do is call my name. You remember how you used to scream it, right?"

Releasing her, he chuckled as he removed his tie completely, tossing it onto the bed. Moving to work on the buttons of his jacket, he removed it and laid it over the back of the chair, untucking his shirt next. Without warning, he kicked off his shoes, simultaneously pulling his shirt over his head, revealing his chest to her. His pants went next, but thankfully, he'd chosen to wear underwear that day. Hey, he had called the shower first, right? Whistling innocently, he headed back in that direction, slipping past Kaya and into the room. "There's still time to join me, KayKay." He told her, twisting the knobs to start the shower.






♡coded by uxie♡
 







Corryn Russell.



  • If there was one thing Corryn knew about those fancy reality shows, it was that they tended to go all out on the location and interior design of it. A lot of the budget made sure that the location of the shoots was impressive and made the viewers want to be there with the cast. Hell, from what she had briefly seen from the front of the mansion to the changing room, to the backyard, ocean, and pool, she could already tell the rest of the house was going to be absolutely awe-inspiring. Glancing at Grayson as he hesitated, she realized that neither one of them really wanted to talk about the break-up. Deep down, she knew their split was hard on both of them despite the facades they tried to put on. But Cory really couldn't consciously admit that herself, much less to him. With a sincere smile, she simply responded, "No, it hasn't changed."

    As much as Corryn enjoyed being there with Gray, acting like their old selves when they were still together, she had to remember she agreed to the show for a reason, and he did as well. It was like counterintelligence, like a honeypot, sent in to get information from the enemy for her. She could only assume that there was something big, important in it for him as well, and she had to keep her guard up. Well, as best as she could anyway. Gray's chuckle caught her attention, and Cory turned her stormy blue eyes back to him. A smirk graced her own features, and she wanted to comment back about how work strongly looked down on 'sleeping with the enemy.' But the blonde remembered they had specifically agreed to not talk about work. Maybe that meant the work rules didn't apply here?

    "Careful there, Grayson," Corryn responded with a playful tone, leaning forward a bit, "You should write checks that you can't cash." As much as Corryn knew she would like to sleep with Grayson again, she also knew that there were cameras on them at all times and she had to keep in mind the reason she was there. So, the blonde executive took her ex's hand to help her into a standing position and hooked her arm through his so he could lead them towards their shared room. Once they reached the door, she used the key to unlock it and step inside. It was beyond luxurious, like something out of a starred hotel. "Wow, agreed," she responded, releasing his arm to warm around the room.

    The bedding was made of the finest Egyptian cotton, the decor was real art rather than replicated department store pieces. While things like this had been a part of her life for as long as he could remember, Corryn could still appreciate luxury. Turning to Grayson, it dawned on her that things hadn't always been like this for him. At one point in their relationship, she learned he had been a foster child and was constantly chasing a life of wealth of his own partially due to what he had gone through. And while she assumed he was doing okay for himself at his new firm, she hadn't really stopped to consider that maybe this was a glimpse into the life he was after. It had been one of the few relationship-based arguments they had when they were together. She could give him the life that he wanted just by being with her. But Gray was stubborn and wanted to earn it for himself.

    "Honestly? At least five I would say," Cory answered, drawn from her thoughts by his question. Though she couldn't necessarily see the cameras, she could feel that they were there. "I would say not too long, they want to make sure they have all the juicy parts to show the world." She moved over to the room to her suitcase, deciding it best to unpack another time. For now, all she needed was something to sleep in that wasn't too terribly indecent. "Honestly? I think we should just stay in. It's been a long day, at least for me. And I'm kinda tired," the blonde continued, grabbing her pajamas from the suitcase. She slipped into the attached bathroom for a short moment, just to change and remove her make-up, before stepping back out into the main room. The silky nightgown she had chosen had lace-detailing on the bust and only came to about mid-thigh. But it wasn't as bad as some of the other lingerie she had brought. Pulling her hair up into a messy bun, Corryn asked, "Is that alright?"








coded by weldherwings.
 







Abel Rothenberg.



  • Mr. Kennedy was a force to be reckoned with. He was a powerful man, who got what he wanted regardless of what others said or wanted. He had a lot of money, more than Abel could ever imagine, and anything he didn't inherently have he most certainly could buy. That included compliance, and Abel was an example of that. He wasn't entirely proud of that fact. But at the end of the day, as much as he cared about Olivia, it was what was best for the both of them. But now that they were there, on that show, locked away in a room with several cameras on them and soon the whole world judging them, Abel couldn't help but think that maybe he had been wrong to make that choice. The show would no doubt flip the situation on him, make him out to be the bad guy who ditched her for the money regardless of the fact that he had practically been forced out. They needed to create drama.

    "Yes, Livy, it is complicated," he repeated, his words a bit stronger now even though hers were shaking. Abe did his best to ignore the rapid beating of his heart that she incited. She was angry, he knew, and she had every right to be. Because, at the end of the day, how could he convince her that all of that was done for her best interest? Hell, he had no idea if it even worked, if she was living the life she always dreamed of having. God knows that he certainly wasn't. "I get it, I get it! It's my fault! Just like everything fucking else!" Abel answered, his voice rising in frustration. He had the stress of the law breathing down his neck, the stress of paying off the people he owed money too, and now the stress of the Kennedys as well. No matter what he did or how hard he tried, he could never get out from underneath the trouble.

    Olivia knelt in front of him and Abel immediately leaned back in surprise, expecting her to slap him or something out of anger. Instead, though, she was gentle, with general concern in her eyes. Abe wanted to tell, he really really did. But the nagging voice in the back of his head, all that stress piled on top of his conscious, he just couldn't bring himself to unload all of that on her. She didn't deserve to share any of that with him. Better yet, she might deem it all not worth it and leave altogether. And if he was being honest, her being near was the only thing keeping him mostly together in that moment. With a heavy sigh, the blonde man stood and stepped around Olivia, unbuttoning the collar of his shirt as he went. "Drop it, Olivia," he said, saying her full name now. "I'm exhausted, I'm going to shower." And with that, Abel ended the conversation, stepping into the bathroom and shutting the door behind him,








coded by weldherwings.
 
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