Beyond the Lens

by Hannah Ellis

  “I’m a primary school teacher. School’s just broken up for summer and I got stopped on my way home. Well, on the way to the pub, if I’m honest. The rest of the staff couldn’t believe it when I rang and said I wouldn’t make it to the pub because I was on the way to an all-expenses-paid trip to Spain.”

  I rooted underneath me for the seat belt, clicking it in place. “Wow.”

  “What? You’re amazed one of us actually has a proper job?”

  “To be honest, yes. Although I did have a job. I just got made redundant this morning.”

  “That sounds like fate,” he said.

  “Maybe. What are the rest of them like?” I asked, looking around at everyone settling in for the flight.

  “The young guy’s called Ryan,” he leaned in and whispered. “He seems to think he’s a bit of a stud, so you’d better watch out.”

  “I’ll bear it in mind. Thanks for the tip. What about Captain Caveman?” I asked. He smiled at the nickname.

  “That’s Dylan. He’s a ‘musician’,” he told me with a wink. “Apparently he was busking when they found him. I think they were getting desperate at that stage.” He looked around the plane. “Then there’s Chrissie; she seems nice. A student, I think. Over there is Aussie Margaret, the great traveller.” He nodded across the aisle from us. “And Kelly’s next to her. I’m not sure what Kelly does for a living but my guess would be either a lawyer or a doctor – what do you reckon?”

  I snorted in response. “My bet would be a surgeon.”

  “Oh yeah, you could be right, surgeon would be more likely. Not just a plain old doctor.” We both laughed before Matt glanced at the camera. “Aren’t we mean? I hope she is a surgeon just so we have to eat our words. It’s amazing how easy it is to forget about the cameras, isn’t it?”

  “Far too easy,” I agreed.

  Chapter 4

  I felt the sun tingling blissfully on my skin as soon as we stepped out of the airport in Majorca. It was a long time since I’d had a holiday, and the heat was a delicious reminder of what I’d been missing out on. I hoped I would have time to relax and indulge in some rays.

  We were ushered into a row of waiting minibuses. I stayed close to Matt. I’d enjoyed his company on the flight; he was easy to talk to and had a good sense of humour. Chrissie was on our minibus too, along with Adam and one other cameraman. A young guy climbed in behind Jessica, and I took him to be her assistant. Jessica sat in front of me, looking mildly flustered. There was an array of bags scattered among us, which shifted when we finally set off and drove away from the airport.

  I’d been expecting to stay at some tacky accommodation in the heart of the tourist area but as we drove further into the arid countryside it became more apparent that wouldn’t be the case.

  Eventually the minibus pulled onto a dusty single-track road and we meandered along for a couple of miles before finally arriving at a gated driveway. We stopped momentarily before the gates juddered open and we drove through.

  I peered out of the window but the track was overgrown, and the way it weaved meant we couldn’t see the house until we were right in front of it. The convoy of minibuses used a fountain as a roundabout and came to a stop in the shade of what I would describe as a sand-coloured castle. We craned our necks once we exited the buses. The finca towered over us, set against the cloudless blue sky.

  “Welcome to your home for the week,” Jessica said, dwarfed by the huge front door. “Follow me and we’ll get you settled.”

  We trailed behind her through the massive wooden doors which opened into a draughty entrance hall. The walls were adorned with random pictures and stuffed animal heads. Nothing seemed to quite fill the space. Large as it was, the room seemed to serve no purpose. I glanced through an open door at the far end, which appeared to lead to an inner courtyard.

  We ascended wide stone steps into a huge living room. Again, the furniture and decorations seemed too small for the size of the place. Even the few windows were tiny.

  “Come and see the best bit,” Jessica instructed us. She led us outside through double doors into a little piece of paradise. At one side was a living area with comfy couches and a few scattered tables, and beyond that stood a long dining table with benches down either side. I walked across the beautifully kept lawn in front of us to look out over the low wall which lined it, and peered at the fountain and minibuses down below. There was a dog running between them. I followed the wall, stopping at the still water of the swimming pool, which glinted invitingly. The whole outside area was like something from a top hotel. I turned and marvelled at the sun loungers scattered around the lawn, each with its own grass sun umbrella. It seemed I might get time to sunbathe after all.

  Chrissie appeared by my side. “How amazing is this?”

  Matt squeezed between us and draped an arm around both our shoulders. “I think we might have a nice week here, girls!”

  I had the feeling I had known these two for longer than a few hours, and a smile crept over my face. Matt might be right; this might just be a good week.

  Then the three of us jumped back as a figure ran past and dive-bombed into the pool, causing a huge splash.

  “Well, that’s put me off using the pool,” Chrissie said. “I wonder how long it is since Caveman last washed … Anyone know his name?”

  “Dylan,” Matt told her.

  “I’ll bet there were things living in his beard,” she said.

  “Hola!” A grey-haired lady in a pinafore dress and an apron offered us a tray of champagne. She was short and kept her head down, only occasionally glancing up, looking suspiciously at the cameras scattered around us. She whispered something in Spanish as we each accepted a drink from her. It seemed Matt and Chrissie had a similar level of Spanish to me, as we all thanked her in English, along with a lot of nodding and smiles.

  “I’m going to check the rest of the house is set up for you.” Jessica’s voice broke the air as I took a sip of champagne. “Relax and get to know each other a bit. I’ll be back shortly to give you a tour of the house.” With that she made her way back inside, followed by her assistant and two other people. I was alone with my new housemates and a handful of cameramen.

  I’d taken an instant liking to Chrissie and Matt but I hadn’t even spoken to everyone else yet. Since I’d be living with them for the next week I decided I’d better introduce myself. Matt and Chrissie followed as I moved over to the lounge area.

  “I’m Lucy.” I reached out a hand, and the cocky-looking young guy sat up from the couch where he’d been lying flat on his back.

  “Ryan,” he told me.

  I smiled at Kelly on the other couch, feeling suddenly awkward. The champagne tasted good and I hoped it would settle my sudden bout of nerves. I glanced at the camera as I raised the glass to my lips, aware that my every move was being watched.

  “Looks like we’re in for a good week, doesn’t it?” Ryan picked up his champagne glass and clinked it against mine. I took another sip and worried I’d get drunk and make a fool of myself. Although I guess I could just as easily make a fool of myself sober ...

  “I don’t think we’ll be sitting in the sun sipping champagne all week, will we?” Kelly asked. “There’s got to be a catch somewhere.”

  “There will be a catch.” Captain Caveman appeared and I took a seat. He loomed over me, dripping wet. “I’m Dylan,” he told me.

  “Lucy,” I replied, self-conscious as he peeled his wet T-shirt off and then his jogging bottoms. I couldn’t help but glance up at him. I registered his toned chest before I averted my eyes, noting that all the girls had their eyes on him.

  “I’m sure they’ll make us jump out of aeroplanes and eat raw snakes and things,” Dylan said while he dried himself off. The aeroplane comment unsettled me. I could cope with anything but sky-diving. That would definitely be my cue to go home. “What kind of reality show would it be if we just sat around in the sun? No one would want to watch that.”

  “I don’t know
…” Kelly looked down and thrust her chest out before looking up at us with a mischievous smile.

  “I’d watch that in a bikini for a week,” Ryan commented with a raised eyebrow, successfully killing the atmosphere. We all threw frosty looks his way. “Sorry,” he muttered.

  “I just hope they feed us well,” Margaret changed the subject. “I’ve seen shows where they ration your food to make you go a bit crazy. Makes for good television, I guess. I like my food – if it turns out like that, I’d struggle to stay calm for long.”

  “So what do you do, Lucy?” My eyes darted to Dylan at the sound of my name. He’d taken a seat on the floor opposite me and leaned against the couch.

  “I’m currently unemployed.” I was surprised to find I sounded quite proud of my statement. I toed my shoes off, then reached down to pull off my socks and stuff them into my shoes. “I had a job this morning … Isn’t it funny how quickly things can change?”

  I looked at Dylan, to find him staring at me intensely. I shifted in my seat and glanced around at the cameras, my eyes landing on Adam who was leaning against a pillar nearby.

  “So you quit your job to come on the show?” Kelly asked.

  “No.” I pulled my gaze to her. “I was made redundant. I was on my way home when I bumped into Chelsea. If I hadn’t lost my job, I wouldn’t have even stopped for Chelsea; I’d have waved her off and kept walking. I’d be at home now watching a movie.”

  “Are you serious?” Kelly asked. “Just sitting at home on a Friday night?”

  “I usually go out,” I mumbled as I realised everyone was looking at me sympathetically. “But my flatmate, Melissa, has been having some cash-flow problems so I’ve been trying to be a good friend and stay in with her.” That seemed to placate them. I went out with Melissa sometimes, but neither of us were big partygoers.

  “What do you do, Ryan?” I attempted to draw the attention away from myself. Rooting in my pocket, I found a hair band and pulled my shoulder-length brown hair off my neck and tied it in a ponytail.

  “I’m an electrician,” Ryan told us. “Or I will be; I’m doing an apprenticeship.”

  “And you can just take a week off without any problem?” I said.

  “I doubt it,” he said, his voice light and jokey. “But I decided being rich and famous might be worth giving up my career as an electrician!”

  “So, ladies and gentlemen,” Jessica reappeared looking refreshed and cheerful. “Who’s ready for the grand tour?” She moved over to us, followed by two more cameramen. “You’ve already familiarised yourselves with our outdoor area. I’m sure you’ll spend most of your time here. We’ve tried to make it really comfortable for you and hope you’ll take full advantage of that. Come on …” She moved into the house. “This is the living room.” The furniture was old and mismatched, giving the room a dreary feel.

  “This is the dining room.”

  It was a huge room with high ceilings, minimally furnished with a long solid table and matching chairs. “Maria, the housekeeper you met earlier, will provide all your meals. You can eat where you want but I guess you’ll be most comfortable outside. Through here is the kitchen.” She moved on and we followed her, taking in our surroundings. “A breakfast buffet will be set out for you here in the mornings, so just come and help yourselves. There are also soft drinks in the fridge, and tea, coffee and snacks, so make yourselves at home.” I glanced at Margaret, who gave me a thumbs-up, happy to learn we’d be well fed.

  “This leads down to Maria’s apartment and is off-limits.” Jessica motioned a door in a corner of the kitchen. “Please respect her privacy. The same is true of the rooms above the kitchen.” She moved back the way she’d come and pointed out the staircase next to the kitchen. “That’s where the crew are staying, so please stay out of that area. I’ll show you where you’re sleeping now.” We followed her back through the dining room and up another staircase back near the entrance.

  “You have another living room up here,” she told us while we filed up the stairs to join her in a plain rectangular room. Our luggage was lined up against one wall. There was little else to see. Two small couches faced each other in the middle of the room with a small rectangular table between them. Long windows ran the length of the room, making it light and airy, but it had a musty feel to it, as did most of the house. I got the feeling they wanted to encourage us to be outside as much as possible.

  “The boys’ bedrooms are down that end.” Jessica pointed back towards the staircase. “And the girls’ rooms are over there.” We automatically split up, the boys going to check out their rooms while we headed to the opposite end of the living room to find ours. Two doors opened to identical bedrooms, connected by a bathroom. They were basic, but nice enough. I felt Chrissie’s eyes on me and she gave me a slight nod. I followed her through the bathroom and into the second bedroom, where she fell backwards onto one of the twin beds. I flopped onto the other, and that was how we decided where we would sleep.

  We regrouped in the living room before heading back downstairs and outside. “I would really encourage you all to relax and enjoy your week here,” Jessica addressed us again once we were seated. “Try to forget about the cameras; just be yourselves, and have a great time. You probably won’t see much of me, but Chelsea will be around now and again to keep you informed of anything you need to know. Maria should be out shortly with some dinner for you. Enjoy your evening!” She gave a quick wave and left us.

  “I’m still not sure what the catch is,” Kelly said.

  “Let’s not look a gift horse in the mouth,” Matt said. “It’s a free holiday. I intend to do as I’m told and relax and enjoy it!”

  “I think the catch is them,” I pointed out the cameramen. “I’m not sure I’ll be able to forget about them long enough to enjoy myself. I hate the thought that anything I say or do could be shown on TV. I feel like I’ll be on edge all week.”

  “Just don’t say or do anything embarrassing,” Ryan told me plainly. “Then there’s nothing to worry about, is there?”

  “Surely no one sets out to embarrass themselves,” Dylan said. “But you never know how you’ll come across on TV. I think Lucy’s got a point; the cameras are distracting.”

  “Why did you come then?” Ryan asked. “It’s for a TV show. We’ll all be famous. If you don’t want to be on TV, why come?”

  “Good question.” Dylan looked distant. “I just got talked into it. I’m hoping it doesn’t turn out to be a huge mistake.”

  “I’m not sure why I came either,” I confessed. “I still can’t believe I agreed to it. I don’t want to be on TV. I’m hoping I can just hide behind the rest of you and barely be noticed.”

  “That’s if this even gets on TV,” Matt put in. “It didn’t seem definite to me.”

  “I’d love to be a celebrity,” Kelly told us. “I think I’d be great at it.” Her eyes twinkled and she had us all laughing when Maria arrived with a huge tray containing plates and tableware.

  “Thank goodness they’re not starving us,” Margaret sighed when we sat down to a huge pan of paella, an assortment of breads and an olive oil dip. “There’s even wine. Now I can relax!”

  “Of course there’s wine,” Ryan said. “We’ll be drunk and embarrassing ourselves in no time. It’ll make great TV!”

  “Not me,” I commented under my breath while I pulled out a chair to sit down. I was confident the rest of them were big enough personalities that I would be able to fade into the background. I could sit in the sun for a week and then get back to my real life.

  Chapter 5

  “What do you think of Dylan?” Chrissie asked me in the darkness. I was glad I was sharing a room with her. Kelly and Margaret seemed nice too, but I felt really comfortable with Chrissie.

  “He seems nice enough, once you get past the beard.”

  “It’s off-putting, isn’t it? So much facial hair on such a young guy. How old do you think he is, anyway?”

  “I’m not sure,” I told h
er quietly. “Late twenties? Maybe younger?”

  “Can’t be younger,” she whispered. “How many years would it take to grow a beard like that?”

  “It’s not so long, really,” I mused. “It’s just unruly. I bet he’d be really cute without it.”

  “No way!” I could just make out Chrissie’s silhouette as she sat up in bed. “How can you say that? He looks like he’s probably flea-infested.”

  “He’s got nice eyes, though.”

  “You don’t mess around, do you?” She lay down again, wriggling to get comfy. “Looking into the boys’ eyes on the first day?”

  “It wasn’t like that,” I told her, chuckling. “Anyway, what do you think about Matt? I think he was flirting with you.”

  “Now Matt is definitely cute. Was he flirting with me? How did I miss that?”

  I plumped my lumpy pillow. “I thought so. Maybe.”

  “Don’t put ideas in my head. You’ll make me self-conscious around him. I just came for a holiday. I don’t want a TV romance.”

  “You really think this will end up on TV?” I asked.

  “Probably not. But we’d better get some beauty sleep just in case.”

  “Goodnight, Chrissie,” I whispered and turned onto my side. The room was uncomfortably hot, and I was certain I’d find it hard to fall asleep.

  I was feeling surprisingly relaxed, though. I didn’t usually drink much, so it might have been the champagne that had an effect on me, but I was really calm about this bizarre situation. So far it had been fun, and I was happy my fellow housemates were so pleasant.

  I decided a break from reality might be just what I needed. I smiled to myself, realising the irony of this; that I was currently taking part in a reality TV show. This was an entirely different kind of reality to what I was used to, though.

  ***

  The sunlight woke me early, and I showered while Chrissie slept on. In the upstairs living room, I was surprised to find Adam dozing on a couch, his camera by his side. I moved to the window and looked out over the back of the finca.