Page 38 of Fan Favorite

E die floated into the Key mansion on a cloud of dopamine.

How many of her thirty-five years had she wasted feeling not good enough?

Not pretty enough, not thin enough, not cute and sweet and adorable enough?

But after tonight, Edie Pepper was done with all that.

Suddenly anything was possible. She was beautiful!

Gorgeous! Sexy! The star of her very own romcom!

She was magic . Everything seemed to sparkle as Edie twirled around the foyer on numb toes—so what if the fairy-tale stilettos were sort of excruciating?

An entire night spent in Bennett’s arms!

And then, strangely… Peter’s ?

Edie was too exhausted to think about that now.

She was determined to stay in her dreamy haze for as long as possible.

It didn’t matter if teams of people had orchestrated every single romantic moment.

Or that she was supposed to call Charlie “Bennett.” Or that absolutely nothing like this had ever—or would ever—happen to her again.

Because right now Edie understood why girls all over the world were obsessed with Cinderella. Going to the ball felt fucking great.

Edie skipped up the stairs on her maimed feet to the room she’d been sharing with Max since they’d become besties after the volleyball game.

Max’s previous roommate, Kimberlee, had been eliminated the night Edie arrived.

It felt so long ago now, like everything had changed and would change again.

Edie opened the bedroom door and a dart whizzed past her head.

“Oh, shit, sorry!” Max called from her bed.

The weirdest thing about the Key mansion was that it was actually somebody’s home, leased to production twice a year—a sort of showbiz Airbnb.

Max and Edie had the tween boy room, sports themed, with Lakers bedding, beanbag chairs in the shape of baseballs, framed jerseys, and a dartboard on the back of the door.

Max loved shooting darts from her bed and kept a cup of missiles on her nightstand.

Edie pulled the dart out of the carpet. “What are you doing up?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” Max said, taking the dart from Edie. “Probably because I was too excited to hear about your super-special-fantasy-one-on-one date! Squee!”

“Liar.” Edie laughed. She shut the door and flopped onto her bed. One of her extensions stabbed her skull. She wriggled a pillow underneath her head. “But I’m thrilled you’re up because obviously I’m dying to talk about it.”

“Obviously.” Max turned on her side to give Edie her full attention. “So, let’s hear it. Was it everything you ever wanted?”

“And more,” Edie said dreamily. And then she launched into a no-detail-too-small play by play—the Goo Goo Dolls, the dancing, the portraits, the champagne, the kissing .

But as she described Bennett Charles on his knees, holding her face in his hands, kissing her until she thought she might rip his clothes off right then and there, suddenly Edie realized she was being insensitive.

“Max, my god. I’m being an asshole.” Edie sat up.

“I’ve never dated the same guy as my friends before—do you even want to hear this? ”

“Edie,” Max said, shaking her head. “It’s fine. Obviously, I’m a lesbian.”

“Wait, what ?” Edie jumped up. She grabbed her pillow and hit Max with it. “You’re a lesbian? This whole time? My best friend in the whole entire world is a lesbian! I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”

But Max was laughing too hard to speak. Tears were forming in the corners of her eyes as she fended off Edie’s pillow assault.

“That’s the first time I’ve said it out loud!” Max marveled. “I thought I was bi. Or pan. Or sapio. But Bennett’s sealed the deal. I’ve been thinking about it all night. I’m definitely a lesbian.”

“Oh my god.” Edie dropped the pillow and enveloped Max in a hug. “I’m so happy for you.”

Luckily Max had a bottle of cocktail party pinot squirreled away in the closet. They sat on the floor between their beds and passed it back and forth while Max revealed everything. Her mom, an ardent Christian and die-hard Key fan, had nominated her for the show.

“At first, I was annoyed. But then I figured, why not? I’d torn my meniscus and couldn’t compete for six months.

And it seemed like maybe Bennett and I had a lot in common—sports, camping, whatever—so why not give it a shot?

It felt like a win-win: Sharon gets to tell her friends I’m straight; I give men one last shot.

But I have to tell you, and I’ve thought about it a lot .

” Max took Edie’s hands in hers and gave her a serious look. “Men are awful .”

Edie nodded vigorously. “They are awful!”

“Have you listened to Bennett talk?” Max continued. “Like really listened? I’m pretty sure I’ve never heard him say anything that wasn’t directly about him.”

“He’s not that bad,” Edie protested. “I think he’s cute. And the way he talks about the world—I never thought I wanted to ride a camel across the Sahara. But now, maybe I do!”

“I should’ve done The Challenge .” Max took a swig of the wine. “I would’ve killed on The Challenge .”

This night was truly wild. Edie couldn’t get over it.

Max was a lesbian and Edie was a full-grown woman dating her high school boyfriend on TV.

But, ugh, now that Max pointed it out, it was sort of impossible to ignore just how much Bennett talked about himself—about his travels, his wellness, his future plans—and just how little he asked her about herself, her life, her goals.

Her plan had been to ignore it! Focus on the green flags, not the red ones.

But as the glow began to fade, Edie wondered about its origins.

Was the euphoria she was experiencing because of Bennett?

Or something else? And then there was that other thing she was trying to avoid.

That inexplicable moment at Taco Bell where— just for a second —Peter had looked like he might kiss her.

She didn’t want to think about it because if she did think about it, she’d have to wonder if she’d done the absolute stupidest thing she could ever do and developed a crush on the showrunner , a man so far out of her league he might as well be Idris Elba while she was, well, herself , Edie Pepper, a normal person.

But what was that? His hands on the small of her back, Edie gazing up into his face and finding a relaxed, happy version of Peter, pulling her closer, the length of their bodies touching.

“Max, can I tell you the weirdest thing? You have to promise that you won’t tell anyone.”

“Pinky swear.”

“Okay, look, I know I can be delusional,” Edie began as they joined pinkies, “but after the prom, Peter was there. With a limo. To drive me home.”

“By himself?” she asked, curious.

Edie nodded. “And then we went to Taco Bell and ate nachos and sort of had the best time? It’s so weird. I don’t know what to make of it.”

“I do.” Max scoffed like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “He likes you.”

“Oh my god, he does not .”

“This makes me like Peter more. He’s got taste. Who knew?”

“Max, be serious. Look at him. He’s gorgeous. He’s rich. Jessa says he dates models . He’s the showrunner . He can’t like me .”

“So?” Max shrugged. “You’re gorgeous. Maybe not rich, but you’re employed. And you’re funny and smart and kind, and honestly, he’d be lucky to go out with you. You’re a catch.”

“I’m drunk.” Edie took another swig of wine. “I’m doing that thing where I fantasize things into being that aren’t there. That’s how I ended up on this show in the first place! I’m here to get engaged to Bennett .”

“You don’t seem that drunk.” Max pursed her lips in thought. “Here’s what I think: Besides making new friends, the best part about being here—about being away from our whole lives—is that it’s clarifying . And here’s what I know for sure.” She paused dramatically. “Bennett’s an idiot.”

They burst out laughing. Bennett was sort of an idiot.

But wasn’t he also adorable? And wasn’t his idiocy just insecurity weaseling its way out?

It was charming. When they were talking about how they first met, Edie could tell he was nervous that she might say something that might not fit into this whole world he was building.

And she just wanted to tell him, Charlie, you’re fine, it’s all fine.

But she didn’t even have to because he’d recovered, all on his own.

And then they’d had that moment of connection over the kindergarten cafeteria, and it was a moment you couldn’t really even explain to someone else. It was just this knowing .

But then something occurred to Edie.

“Wait, does this mean you’re leaving the show?” she asked, a little hysterical. Edie crawled over to Max’s side of the room and plopped down beside her. “Because I don’t want you to leave. I need you here.” She hooked her arm through Max’s and laid her head on Max’s shoulder.

“Please.” Max laid her head on top of Edie’s. “I’m going on whatever the big trip is. I’ve come all this way, and Bennett Charles owes me an adventure.”

“You know, my best friend Lauren, she might be perfect for you,” Edie began.

“Pepper, don’t do that thing where you try to set me up with the only other lesbian you know.”

“She’s pretty great though.” Edie elbowed Max in the side. “Just sayin’.”

TAKE 5 PRODUCTIONS

THE KEY

ZO SNEAKS INTO BENNETT’S ROOM

TAPE #412

____________________

00:00:00 THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. A KNOCK AT THE DOOR.

ZO: I’ll never stop fighting for Bennett’s heart.

THE DOOR OPENS. BENNETT BLINKING, CONFUSED, IN HIS UNDERWEAR.

ZO: Can I come in?

ZO AND BENNETT ON THE BED. SHE SLITHERS ALL OVER HIM.

ZO: I had to see you.

BENNETT: Mmm…

ZO: I couldn’t stand it anymore, knowing you were with her .

BENNETT: Trust the process. Believe in us.

ZO HOLDS HIS FACE IN HER HANDS.

ZO: I’m falling in love with you.

He doesn’t say anything for a moment.

BENNETT: I think I’m falling in love with you, too.

THEY MAKE OUT. IT’S STEAMY.

BENNETT: You have to trust the process. I know it’s hard, but everything will become clear.

ZO: That’s not the only thing that’s hard.

ZO STARTS KISSING HIM ALL OVER.

BENNETT: You should go. People will be mad.

ZO’S HAND WANDERS INTO BLACK BOX TERRITORY.

ZO: You don’t want me to stay?

BENNETT MOANS. THE CAMERA BACKS OUT OF THE ROOM. BENNETT MOANS AGAIN.