The Love Game // Larry Stylinson

Day 1 - the arrival

"I actually didn't want to part of this. Well, I still don't want to if I'm honest, but I want to see what happens. Maybe there's someone out here for me" "Stop, stop, stop" The director shakes his head. "You can't use that as your introduction video" "It's honest." I said. "That the Show you're starring in, is Bullshit or what?" Another guy with black hair comes up behind him. "I think that's alright. It could be interesting" Not really what I had in mind but sure. Finally, I can go out of that stuffy, bright room, finally I can breathe normally. So I breathe in - and out. Slowly to calm myself down. What the fuck have I done? I shouldn't have listened to my sisters... this... this is a bad idea. The black van at the end of the street doesn't make me feel better. This is where bad ideas start. Fuck.

A few minutes later, I find myself on the road. At least the view is great. Yellow and purple hills of flowers spread right in front of our eyes and meet the blue clear sky at the horizon. It's beautiful and calms my nerves, even if it's just for a minute. What if everyone will laugh at me? What if I do all of this for... for nothing? "Where are we going?" I ask the driver. No answer. "You can tell me, I can't run away now, right?" Still nothing. This already takes way too long. What if I'm sitting in the wrong van and they kidnap me? No, this can't be it a kidnapper would be more polite.

After five long hours I'm finally here. Right in the mittle of... where am I? It's already dark and some stars are shining. They're not as bright as I'm used to which is stupid I know, but I don't feel home here. I follow some guys to the front door of a massive building. It looks good from the outside, very modern. While everything is getting started I start to look around. Two men come out of a different van, one who looks about my height and age, ginger hear, brown eyes. He looks arrogant... maybe I do, too. My gaze wanders to the guy next to him- tall, brown hair, green eyes and a wonderful smile. He reaches his arm out to me to shake it. "Hey I'm Harry Styles" Something about his name seems to be... magical. It sounds like I have heard it before... in the TV? Styles is not a name for a normal working class person.

"Oh uhm Hi I'm-" "I'm Kilian" Wow, thanks man. But Harry didn't even look at him and continues to smile at me. "You are?" "Louis" I say shortly just in case of any new interruptions. "What's your type? I think we'll see a lot of hot women" The ginger guy is pretty straightforward. Good for him, but it makes me want to punch him in the face... maybe not in front of a camera. Harry is rolling his eyes and when he realizes that I've seen it, he starts to grin. They both came out of the same van so I can only imagine how annoyed he has to be already.

After a few minutes two other men arrive. Michael, a Scottish law student and Fred who currently works as a barista but he wants to become an actor - I wish I could judge him but he's actually nice and chill. Both of them are. Everyone starts talking to each other but Harry is the only one who seems to be genuinely interested. That could be show, he could want to be the nice guy when he's in the spotlight and become an asshole when the lights turn off, but I don't think he knows that they started filming. Something about his eyes just makes me trust him.

Soon after the girls arrive. Lauren is the first one who walks up to us and she introduces herself as a "party-bitch". Alright. But she doesn't even notice me, she already got an eye on Kilian. I lock eyes with a girl who has dark brown hair, blue eyes and red lips. Her Make-up is heavy but well done. "Hi I'm Christina" She smiles and I reply with my name. There are also Ivy, Nicole and Liane. All of them are beautiful for sure, but I thought I would have more of a reaction to it.

Nicole and Liane have their Pokerface on, I can't actually tell if they're happy, disappointed or just tired. Ivy looks at Harry with heart-eyes already... or do I just think that way? He doesn't seem too comfortable if I'm honest. We're all heading in and Christina walks next to me. "Where are you from?" "Doncaster" and she nods "Nice. I'm from Birmingham. It's quite cool to be here... wow would you look at that! It's lovely in here" She's right it is... We step into the living room and are greeted by ten glasses of champagne. Everything is full of bright colours and even tho I would never furnish my apartment like that, it's still pleasing to my eyes, especially the fairy lights on the wall.

Nicole hands me a glass and congratulates everyone on being here. Yeah congrats thousands of people are watching us now and discuss every step we take... yay. I feel like I'm too pessimistic... Maybe I will have a good time. There's Harry who's really nice and I think that we could be good friends. Christina isn't all too bad... I don't have anything against anyone. Well, Kilian does annoy me and there's something about Ivy I don't like but we're all new, anything can change. I've just got to know them. We all talk and talk. I found out that Lauren works as a designer for perfume bottles... it actually suits her. It's unique. Michael plays football in his free time which already makes me like him more.

"Hello and Welcome to our new and first candidates ever on this show!" I almost dropped the piece of chocolate I picked up from the couch table as the voice, coming from the speakers above us continues. "Get yourself ready to vote who you want to stay with until you can vote again. Girls go first." Confused I turn around and see that the girls are already making their way to the thick black door at the end of the hallway. "We already have to vote?" Harry chuckles. "Yeah this is a Reality Show... it would be boring if we'd get to know us beforehand" I feel embarrassed. I should have known that, but my mouth was faster than my brain.

He looks up at me while I'm eating that Chocolate piece. "Who are you voting for?"
"I don't know... probably Christina. I haven't really talked to anyone else"
"You talked to me" his grin is back. That kind of grin that makes your heart skip a beat. But in a good way. "No, but for real I don't know. I don't feel the chemistry between me an Ivy but it's so early... should I really talk about Chemistry? She will probably vote for me and it's a good way to get into the game"
"Oh so you really for the game?"
"Don't tell me you're here just for love... I mean it would be a great side-effect but it's too naive. I could use the money" My cheeks start to tingle. I haven't even thought about the money... well, here goes the nice guy who seemed to be so lovely. Everything can change in here.

It's our turn now and I'm already sitting in one of the five small cabins. There's a tablet right in front of me and I have to click one of the names. It's easy... Christina. Who else? But would she vote for me? It's not that I would like her that much, but I feel like I know her the most. That means I don't know her at all, but... it would be great to get voted by the person I choose. I press send and make my way back to the living room.

"Here on the screen are the results of the voting..." Kilian stands up first. "Lauren?" He grins. They have a match. I can hear Christina laughing from relief. "I thought I would be way to nervous get voted by you" she smiles at me. "I am nervous, too so that wouldn't be a reason" a few seconds later I find myself, standing awkwardly, while she has wrapped her arms around me. Liane and Ivy both voted for Harry and - no surprise there - he voted for the heart-eyed girl Ivy. Does she know why he's here? Liane remains single because Harry didn't match her back. Just like Michael who voted for Nicole, who chose Fred and he matched her. It's really confusing.

"Maybe next time we two should match each other" jokes Michael around and is referring to Liane, but she only shoots a little smile at him. I can't tell if she's uncomfortable or just disappointed because of the results... I'm sorry for her. It could easily have been me. At around midnight we are all going to bed and Christina takes me aside. "Are you comfortable with how it played out? I would really like to get to know you but if you don't it's-" "You forget that we've voted for each other. It's alright" I smile politely and she smiles back.