Page 43 of Taming the Beasts

Sure. Whatever.“Eat a banana,” I whispered.

“Why?”

Don’t talk to me off screen!She was going to make me lose subscribers. “Just do something sexy.”

She stared at the camera again without doing anything.

Jesus, what was wrong with her?

“Yikes,” Emma whispered.

Yikes was right. I sent Grudge a text, demanding he ask for a private session. A second later I saw his name at the top of the screen. I used my remote to click on it.

The screen switched to a video of Grudge. He usually had empty energy drink bottles and granola bar wrappers everywhere, but his desk was cleaned off. And his blue hair wasn’t sticking up in every direction. He’d at least run his fingers through it, but it was possible he’d used some gel to tame it or something. And his t-shirt wasn’t wrinkly.

“Did you do something different with your hair?” I asked.And everything else?

“This is how I always look, Zoey.”

Um…no it definitely wasn’t.

He started typing something on his phone. My phone buzzed with a text from him: “Be cool, man.”

Man?I texted him back. “Don’t call me man, man.”

He tossed his phone to the side on the screen and stared at Kebe. “So, Kebe,” Grudge said and leaned forward. “It’s nice to officially meet you.”

Kebe smiled, her cheeks turning rosy.

Okay, it was time for me to bow out. “I was hoping you could show her the ropes for all this, Grudge.”

“Shouldn’t you be showing her the ropes?” he asked. “I’m not you. And I’m happy to watch you show her.”

Perv.I shook my head. He’d asked for a private session with her. This was it. “But you know what guys want. And she needs to know what to expect inprivate sessions.” I stared at him, hoping he’d get the hint that this washisprivate session with her. “Get her up to speed.”

“But what about the pillow fight…”

I grabbed a pillow and smacked Kebe in the side of the face with it. That actually felt really good.

“What the hell?!” Kebe shrieked just as Emma hit her with a pillow too.

“Sorry, Grudge wanted it,” Emma said.

“Not like that,” Grudge said.

Kebe readjusted her mask.

“Well, you should have been more specific,” I said and started walking toward the door.

“Wait, where are you two going?” Kebe asked.

“Just grabbing a cup of coffee,” I lied. “We’ll be right downstairs.”

She nodded.

“Have fun you two!” I pulled Emma out of the room and closed the door.

“So why exactly did you think that was a good idea?” Emma asked. “She was really freaking awkward.”