WATTPAD FEATURED NOV 2020 AND OCT 2021 - FROM OUR STARS LIST
WATTPAD MULTICULTURAL FEATURED SEP 2022 - AUSTRALIAN WHISPERERS READING LIST
It's difficult to save someone who doesn't want saving, particularly when they're lying to you.
...
Claudia and...
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Tarni does well on the show. So well, in fact, that Lewis and I end up screaming hysterically from the audience as the final Chase ends and she walks away with $9000.
The trip back to the hotel is one filled with smiles and elation and after we check into our room and get the bags from storage, we order take away and lounge around in the living room, eating pizza and watching re-runs of the Chase, comparing Tarni's performance to the one airing tonight.
"Your introduction was much more interesting than this dweeb's," Lewis says around a mouthful of cheesy supreme pizza as a contestant steps up to the desk and announces that he's an avid stamp collector.
Tarni smiles. "They had to make me sound interesting Lewis. No one wants to misrepresent people like us on TV these days."
I glance up, eyes flicking between the two of them, but they're both still staring at the TV and chewing. It makes me feel both horrifically sad and hopefully at the same time, because she's right.
"Probably helped that your basket weaving and carving hobbies are cool too, though," I say and Tarni smiles at me.
Before coming on this trip, I'd been more than mildly nervous about spending a whole weekend with her. Not only was Tarni difficult to read, she also knew I was the one who broke Lewis's nose and had pointed this out to me the only other time we'd talked.
But from the moment I'd gotten into the car with them this morning, she'd been nothing but friendly, and as the day had gone by I'd begun to feel more comfortable around her. It hadn't hurt that she'd offered to teach me how to carve either.
Tarni finishes off a piece of pizza and then stands, glancing at the clock.
"Well, I think that's me for tonight, kids. I want to get up early for a sunrise walk. Are you okay to set up the fold-out mattress?"
Lewis and I nod and Tarni fixes us with a stern look.
"I'm going to come out at random intervals and make sure one of you is on that mattress all night, you hear? No bed sharing under my watch."
I'm mildly horrified at the insinuation, but Lewis grins, nodding once more.
"No worries, Mum. We'll behave."
Tarni shoots us one final look of warning and then walks off to her room, closing the door behind her. I stare after her for a moment and then I glance at the remaining bedroom. Lewis and I hadn't really talked about who was getting the proper bed tonight and who was going to end up on the pull-out we currently were sitting on, but it felt wrong that he should draw the short straw.
"I can sleep out here tonight," I say, jumping up and grabbing the plates and pizza boxes. "You go and enjoy the comfy bed."
Lewis rests his hands behind his head, eyeing me as I move to the kitchen and start packing the dish washer.
