All in the Game

by Barbara Boswell

  Ty waited for Shannen, who was one of the last to come in. She was followed by Lauren and last of all Rico.

  Surprisingly, both twins were dressed alike in pale-pink sundresses. Their hair was styled exactly the same way, too, pulled back into a neat thick French braid. They looked like duplicates of each other, though Ty still knew which was Shannen. He just knew.

  He also knew that the twins hadn’t dressed alike during the entire Victorious shoot. Shannen had confided they’d stopped wearing identical clothing in elementary school unless they were plotting a switch.

  Ty was curious and kept his eyes fixed on Shannen, willing her to look at him, to provide even a hint of a clue. But she never made eye contact with him. Was she avoiding doing so?

  It was as if they were back in the early days of Victorious, when Shannen had pretended she didn’t know who he was, when she’d resolutely followed the game’s guidelines “to treat the cameras and crew as if they weren’t there.”

  “Can you believe it? This is our last night of filming!” Heidi whispered to him.

  Ty brightened, drawing an odd look from Heidi, who was visibly saddened that the shoot was over. Now she would have to find another job on another show, the fate of production assistants when production wrapped.

  Of cameramen, too. But he was an ex-cameraman after tonight. A kind of bittersweet relief surged through Ty. He felt like a refugee who’d decided to return to his native country after a self-imposed exile.

  The jury was seated on a three-tiered riser with four of the ex-contestants on each bench. Shannen, Lauren, Rico and Jed sat on the lowest one. Ty noted that Shannen was seated next to Jed, which he knew wouldn’t please her. But she’d made the sacrifice to spare Lauren from sitting there.

  He wondered if he and Shannen would ever know what, if anything, had transpired between Lauren and Jed, and conceded that basically he didn’t care.

  Both twins tried to extend the coverage of the very short skirts of their pink dresses over their thighs, the struggle faithfully filmed by Reggie. Despite a valiant attempt, a major expanse of their slim, tanned legs remained exposed.

  Ty drew in a deep breath. This was going to be a long night.

  Konrad and Cortnee entered next, with Bobby Dixon between them. He motioned the two finalists toward two high-backed chairs. The pair took possession of their jungle thrones, and Bobby began to talk.

  “As you know, this is our last night here on the island, and the winner of Victorious will be crowned tonight. We have assembled a jury along with the surviving two contestants in the game.” Bobby varied his inflections, perhaps in an attempt to create suspense?

  If so, he was not succeeding. Ty was bored. He commiserated with the viewing audience who would have to endure the speech.

  “Konrad, Cortnee, it’s time for each of you to address the jury and tell us why you should be the one voted Victorious. Who wants to go first?” challenged Bobby.

  If he was trying to start a conflict, it didn’t work.

  “She can go first,” said Konrad.

  “Really? ’Cause I don’t mind if you do, Konrad,” replied Cortnee.

  Bobby looked vexed. “All right, all right, go ahead, Cortnee.”

  Cortnee jumped to her feet and gave a perky little speech about the fun she’d had and how much she’d learned during the game. She ended by saying she would like to win, but if her good friend Konrad was the winner, that would be okay with her.

  It was Konrad’s turn and he remained seated, holding a piece of paper in front of him. He began to read the same speech Cortnee had given, though there was nothing remotely perky in his delivery. He read in a monotone and replaced his name with hers in the appropriate place, but otherwise it was verbatim. Clearly a collaborative effort, with the actual writing undoubtedly done by Cortnee.

  Bobby heaved a sigh, displeased by the lack of both drama and suspense. Ty saw the beleaguered announcer glance at Clark Garrett, who stood a few feet away from him. He saw Clark nod his head twice. Two emphatic nods.

  Some sort of code? Ty was pondering that when Bobby started talking again.

  “I guess everybody remembers that in the past, certain reality shows followed a format from beginning to end. After the two finalists in the game told us why they should be voted for, each member of the jury would ask a question to be answered by the Final Two.”

  Ty panned to the jury members, who were listening intently…or at least giving the impression they were.

  “Those questions usually were versions of ‘What have you learned about people as a result of being on this show?’ or ‘What is the most important quality a winner of this game should have?’ Am I right?” Bobby whirled around to face the jury, a move so unexpected a few of them gasped.

  “Expect the unexpected!” Bobby proclaimed. “Because from now on, we’re blazing our own trail. After the questioning on those other shows, everybody on the jury would then vote on who they thought should get the money. The votes were read and the winner crowned. But here on Victorious, it’s going to be different. Because we’re different. We are no blatant rip-off of any other show. We’re original!”

  “Bobby’s a better actor than I ever thought,” Heidi murmured to Ty. “He sounds like he actually believes Victorious isn’t a blatant rip-off.”

  There were guffaws among the crew, including Ty.

  “We’re going to have one final contest to determine the winner,” Bobby announced, sounding more and more like a carnival huckster. “In the unlikely event of a tie, we’ll use the standard method of tiebreaking—that is, the contestant who’s already accrued the most votes against them will lose.”

  The jury members were talking among themselves. Some appeared annoyed, probably because there would be no TV camera time for them in light of Bobby’s declaration.

  Ty was a bit perplexed himself. Until this moment the crew had been told the game would be played out in the exact way Bobby had outlined just before repudiating the plan.

  “Will our twins, Shannen and Lauren Cullen, please come over here?” Bobby asked, but it was really an order.

  The twins exchanged confused glances, which Ty filmed while Reggie captured Konrad’s and Cortnee’s reactions. The two finalists appeared equally baffled.

  “Come on, girls,” urged Bobby when neither twin moved. “You see, you’re the final contest! To win this game, Cortnee and Konrad are going to have to tell you apart. Not unreasonable, since you spent so much time together, true?”

  The twins looked appalled. Shannen finally looked directly at Ty, sending him a “Did you know this was coming?” glare. He was glad to be able to honestly shrug his shoulders and shake his head no.

  Bobby walked over to the twins, clearly ready to pull them from the risers if they didn’t get up of their own accord. Perhaps sensing his determination, Shannen and Lauren rose together and reluctantly followed Bobby to stand in front of Cortnee and Konrad.

  Shannen opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say a word, Bobby jumped in with, “No talking, girls. Just stand there and stare into space.”

  “It’s not enough we’re the freak show, but we’re supposed to stand here like a pair of dummies, too?” complained Lauren, sounding so like Shannen that even Ty had to look twice to make sure it wasn’t.

  No, it was definitely Lauren who’d spoken.

  Bobby frowned his displeasure at the display of disobedience. “Cortnee, Konrad, here are your pens and cards. Write down which twin is standing on the left. For one million dollars, is it Lauren or Shannen?”

  Ty was surprised to actually feel suspense build. Winning a million dollars for telling a set of twins apart was definitely a departure from the formula. A rather stupid departure, in his opinion, but if Clark and Bobby wanted the game to end differently from those past shows, they’d succeeded in that regard.

  It was too bad both Shannen and Lauren looked ready to commit mayhem for having their identities turned into a contest.

  “Time’
s up!” cried Bobby. “Konrad, what is your answer? Who is the twin on the left? Hold up your card.”

  Konrad held up the card on which he’d printed “Shannen.” “She’s the one who mouths off,” he said admiringly.

  It was Cortnee’s turn. She held up her card, which read “Lauren.” “Just a guess,” she said hopefully.

  Bobby paused for heightened dramatic effect. And then: “Cortnee, you are victorious!”

  Cortnee screamed and jumped up and down and hugged Konrad and the twins and even Bobby.

  “It’s like she won Miss Teenage America or something,” Jed said disparagingly.

  Ty recorded it. He also filmed Konrad saying, “I’m glad for Cortnee. She deserved to win. I got the second prize, and a hundred grand is nothing to whine about.”

  Finally, Ty recorded the twins’ reaction when Bobby asked if they really minded being turned into a guess-their-identities contest.

  “Yes,” they said together, and glowered at him.

  “We’re happy Cortnee won, though,” Shannen added. “She is so cute and she’s going to be a big star.”

  The filming was through, and the production assistants set to work dismantling the tribal council area. Ty had to push his way through the throng of contestants and crew to finally reach Shannen.

  Before he could say a word, Cortnee joined them. “Cute dress, Shannen!” she exclaimed enthusiastically. “Silk, too, huh?”

  “We should’ve known Clark Garrett was up to something when he insisted that Lauren and I buy new dresses—at network expense—in the hotel shop. Then he practically begged us to dress exactly alike.” Shannen rolled her eyes. “He said it would be ‘good television.’ We said no until that snake Jed slithered over and said he agreed with us and we shouldn’t listen to Clark.”

  “That took care of that,” Ty interjected wryly. “Lucky for Clark, you and Lauren wouldn’t go along with anything Jed suggested.”

  “We were duped.” Shannen was disgusted. “Clark also said the network was buying everybody new clothes to wear tonight, and that turned out to be a lie. It was just Lauren and me for his dumb plan to use us. Sorry, Cortnee. Though I really am glad that you won,” she added.

  “As soon as Bobby said what the contest was, I knew I’d win,” Cortnee said happily. “I learned to tell you and your sister apart after Lauren started hating me. She’d shoot me these drop-dead looks, but you never did, Shannen.”

  Cortnee glanced from Ty to Shannen. “Now that the game is over, care to tell me what’s going on between you two?”

  “Us?” Shannen and Ty said at the same time.

  “Konrad told me about that day in the ocean when the camera was turned off and it was more than obvious you two knew each other well. He asked if we should use it against you, but I said no.” Cortnee smiled shrewdly. “We’d gotten Jed kicked off, and we might come across as mean and nasty if it looked like we were plotting against someone else—especially a twin. I told Konrad we had to think of our images for potential product endorsements. He saw my point.”

  “Cortnee, you have the instincts of a marketing genius, packaged in a Britney Spears body. I predict you’ll go far.” Ty laughed.

  “I hope so,” said Cortnee. “Clark just told me there’s a list of agents waiting to contact me. I’ll make sure Konrad and Rico get some good deals, too. They’re kinda like the brothers I never had, even though I never wanted brothers.”

  “You’re sweet, Cortnee,” said Shannen. “And whatever your reasons, thanks for—for keeping our secret.”

  “Which you’re not going to tell me, not even now?” Cortnee looked disappointed.

  “We’ll send you an invitation to our wedding,” said Ty. He caught Shannen’s hand. “Think we can find a private place where I can propose?”

  “I…I think you just did. Indirectly. You…you invited Cortnee to our wedding!”

  Shannen was dazed as he pulled her along after him, away from the cast and crew, through the jungle path to the place where they’d first kissed what seemed like eons ago.

  “Cortnee said that Konrad told her it was more than obvious that we knew each other well,” Ty said, taking Shannen in his arms. “Do you agree that we do know each other well?”

  “If we don’t now, I expect we’ll know each other very well by the time of our wedding.” Shannen smiled up at him, her blue eyes shining with laughter and love.

  “So you’re accepting my proposal?”

  “Actually you haven’t officially made one yet, Ty.”

  “I’ll correct that oversight immediately.” Ty got down on bended knee and took her hand. “Shannen, will you marry me?”

  “Yes, I will, Ty.” She knelt down beside him. “I love you, Ty. I love you so much.”

  “And I love you, Shannen. I fell in love with you nine years ago and I’m still in love with you.” He took her mouth in a long, lingering kiss filled with love and passion and commitment.

  The emotional intensity shook them both.

  “I wish we could be together tonight.” Shannen sighed wistfully. “All night, in our own room. But Clark said the crew is staying here in the camp tonight.”

  “They are. But I’m going to the hotel with you—and we’re definitely getting our own room,” promised Ty.

  “But, Ty—”

  “My time with Victorious is over. The editors have the footage, and there is nothing more for me to film. I meant what I said about opening my own law practice, Shannen. I thought it could be in West Falls, if you’d like.”

  “Where my job and my family are.” Shannen was thrilled. “I’d love that, Ty. But we’d better start economizing right away, because it’ll take a while to get a law practice established in West Falls. Luckily my job at the hospital will provide us with health benefits, but I really don’t think we can afford the five hundred dollars a night for a room at the resort. Maybe we can—”

  “There’s something else I’ve been meaning to tell you, Shannen,” Ty cut in. “Five hundred dollars for a room is chump change to me. You see, uh, I didn’t lose my money. My personal wealth wasn’t touched by any of the lawsuits against the other Howes. It can’t and never will be.”

  “You-you’re saying that…that—”

  “I’m rich. Very rich. Are you angry?” He challenged.

  “I’m stunned! Why did you tell me that you’d lost everything?”

  “You were the one who said I had money issues, Shannen. And you were right. But now—thanks to you—I no longer have them. At least as far as you’re concerned.”

  He kissed her deeply. And kept a firm hold on her, locking his eyes with hers.

  “You’re not even going to let me get mad because you didn’t trust me enough to tell me the truth, are you?” she asked in the testy tone familiar to Victorious viewers.

  “That’s the plan.” He kissed her again. “I do trust you, Shannen. And I fully intend to use my money to buy your goodwill. You couldn’t stay too mad at a guy who pays for the repairs to the family diner and Gramma’s roof and sets Jordan and Josh up in the landscaping business of their dreams, could you?”

  “You remembered all that, even Josh’s and Jordan’s names,” Shannen marveled.

  “I also know the names of their two kids, if you care to quiz me. Everything you told me about you and your family is worth remembering, Shannen. What’s important to you is important to me, too.”

  “How could I ever stay mad at a guy like that?” Shannen murmured in a warm, tender tone familiar only to those she loved.

  “How could you?” agreed Ty.

  And holding hands, they went to find the boat that was leaving the island.

  ISBN: 978-1-4592-0078-4

  ALL IN THE GAME

  Copyright © 2002 by Barbara Boswell

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