How About That Cigarette

“You’re probably wondering why I called you out here…”

“My guess it would have something to do with last night.”

“It does...And it doesn’t...I know you had a hand in what happened last night. It all worked out too perfectly for you not to have some part in it.”

“I don’t know what you--”

“Don’t deny it. Katie told me everything.”

“Did she? Well then, exactly what did little Miss Katie say?”

“She told me you planned the whole thing from the beginning. Starting on the night you all went out to the clubs. She told me you were planning to get some of the girls eliminated from the competition.”

“Well, why wouldn’t I? That is the object of the game, isn’t it? Isn’t the tag line May the best Woman win?”

“Not exactly. It’s more like being the first is great, but being the last love is--”

“i know what the show’s tagline is.”

“Being the last is not being the only one left to choose. That’s not what this show is about… You planted the hairbursh in Tiffany’s bathroom kit knowing she and Maggie were already at odds. You made sure Sonya knew about it so that she would go back and tell Maggie. That’s why you sent Sonya back into the rooms to get your gym bag. You knew Sonya would find it, knew she would tell Maggie, and the rest was just a matter of time.”

“You’re just speculating. You don’t have any proof.”

“I don’t need it. The fact that you were the one to tell Dominic about the girls fighting lets me know all that I need to know.You went and told him so that you could look like the peacemaker.”

“I just did what was necessary. It was obvious no one on the show was going to do anything to stop it. You all would have let those girls tear each other apart.”

“And you weren’t at all complicit? You were innocent?”

“You already know what happened.”

“Right. And now they are gone. Three competitors instantly out of the way with you much closer to the finish line. You’ve even gotten Dominick to see you as his confidant.”

“I can’t help what he thinks I might be to him. I don’t control him.”

“And yet you have the most influence in the house. I wonder how you managed that?”

“You make it sound like I used voodoo or something. Clearly not.”

“You used something to get Dominick to decide to give you the first rose of the evening and a guaranteed date. What’s that now, two dates you’ve scored by sabotaging someone else?”

“If you feel like that, then tell Dominic the truth. Tell him I’m playing the game. The game you all constructed for us for this show. Expose the real truth about this circus. I’m sure he will be happy to be relieved of his contract with the studio. You’ll be out of a job until you weasel your way into another contract with another show.”

“And I’m sure you’ll find your way onto another casting couch in front of another male producer whom I'm sure you won’t manipulate into giving you a spot on the roster… Tell me, does it bother you to basically whore yourself for roles on a tv show?”

“Did it bother you?”

“We aren’t here to discuss me. We’re here to talk about you.”

“And what exactly is that? Why did you call me out here?”

“To offer you a role. You do like playing roles, don’t you. Isn’t that why you are here? To play the role?...Regardless of the incident last night, I think you have potential to become a breakout star… We will need to fine tune some things… and have you follow some very simple yet specific instructions…But I think when it’s all said and done, we could really have something.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“You’re curious. That’s good. This will benefit us both… If you follow along.”

“And if I don’t?”

“I’m sure i can find an eager beaver to take the cake I’m offering. Doesn’t require much. In fact, it really is just allowing you to be you and do all your wonderful manipulative antics to capture Dominic’s attention, but with the rest of us in the know. This show is about love and the off-chance of finding love if present with all the possible choices one could ask for. This could be the love story to beat all other love stories… Think about it… Attractive, wealthy bachelor meets attractive, available starlette. The two become America’s newest power couple and we get to watch it all on Prime Time TV. Cigarette?”

“Sounds enticing.”

“Of course it does. It’s my idea. And it can be a great show with the right cast.” 

“I’ll pass. I don’t smoke anymore.”

“It’s not really the smoke I’m offering here. Friends didn’t last ten seasons because their stories were compelling. The audience fell in love with the characters and like Friends, they will fall in love with Dominic... and more importantly you. “

“What about the other girls? What if he likes one of them more?”

“I’m sure you can make it so you are the only one he will ever think about before he puts his head to bed. Like any good love story, there does have to be some sort of opposition. I mean, we are an entertaining resource. We have the girl that everyone seems to like and will believe is the much better choice for Dominic. The Good Girl, if you will. She will be the one that will capture the audience’s heart and will be the one that the audience will want to win.”

“If someone else is playing the Good Girl, who am I playing?”

“The most fun part of all. The Bad Girl… Think about it. The audience will watch night after night to see which woman Dominic leans towards. With every elimination, he draws closer to the final two that he must chose between. The Good Girl that everyone wants him to choose and the Bad Girl that he actually prefers. Sure, the Good Girl will gain all the sentiments. She’ll be the one that has the romantic yet tragic backstory. She’ll be longing for love because she is so good and pure and will basically be a bore because you’ll be there to show the opposite of her. You’ll be the one the audience will love to hate because they know you are bad, but way more fun than the wholesome lump of nothing. With you, the audience will know Dominic has the most fun. With you, the audience will see you bring out his steamy, lusty side and will almost always get him nearly naked whenever possible. The Good Girl will shun his sex while you will revel in it. In the end, the choice is still his to make, however, the decision won’t be an easy one to make.”

“What if we do all this, and he still doesn’t choose me?”

“It won’t matter. By the end of the show, if we have done our job properly, the audience won’t care anything about Dominic anymore. Dominic would just be a means to get to what they really want to see… You. Trust me...In another season, no one is going to give a damn about Dominic. He’ll just be another man indulging himself with a harem of women. The real focus...The real star will be you...Being the first love is great, being the last is nice as well. But when you are the Only one to love… That’s the real achievement.”

“You can make that happen?”

“We… can make that happen… as long as we work together. You might not be his last love, but… if we do this the right way, I can make it so you can come back to love again and again… And wherever you lead the audience, they will follow. Now… How about that cigarette?”