⁺◦ 𝔥𝔬𝔱 | 𝘀𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 .

↳ 𝐝𝐤 .

you'd never been in love before, but that was besides the point. whether or not you were experienced when it came to love was insignificant because you needed the money. the only way that you'd win the money is if you pandered to the audience's insane love for romance.

you landed yourself on a reality tv show to further your writing career, but there was a catch. the catch was that the show was centered around love. well, actually, the show was an experiment to see just how quickly people could fall in love after meeting each other. when you saw the commercial that advertised it on television, you scoffed.

it was only after the prize money was mentioned that your ears perked up like antennas.

five-hundred thousand dollars would be awarded to the couple that viewers believed were the most in love. the viewers would vote each week for the couple that seemed to be thriving in the experiment. you knew people well enough to know that the viewers would probably end up voting for their favorite couple rather than the most deserving one.

so, you knew exactly what you had to do to ensure that you'd win. meeting a nice guy who's willing to strike up an alliance with you is exactly what you planned to do. the two of you would parade around the mansion, laying it on thick with the romantic gestures when the cameras come around, and snag all of the screen time.

luckily, all you had to do to become a contestant on the show was send in an email.

you pulled your computer out in an instant, while the commercial was still on the screen. some middle-aged man that looked computer generated rattled off the email address that you're supposed to send the email to. your fingers flew across the keyboard, as you typed in the address. you double checked it and triple checked it just before you started writing the email that'll make you two-hundred and fifty thousand dollars richer.

it was a grim Thursday evening when you received the email that let you know that you were selected as a contestant on the soon-to-be reality tv show, how to fall in love.

the next twenty-four hours consisted of packing outfit after outfit. you also packed your journal, just in case inspiration strikes while you are away. you made sure to pack the pearl necklace and earrings that your grandma gifted you just before she passed away. a pearl wasn't your favorite gemstone, not by a long shot, but it became your favorite as soon as your grandma handed them to you. she was one of the few people in your family that had faith in you and your dreams.

right before a tear leaves your eye, you get a call from an unknown number.

who's calling me?

ignoring the call is what you should do. you should just let the phone ring until it stops.

what if it's the show runners calling me?

you ignore the calls that continue throughout the night, but it interrupts your sleep. all throughout the night, you toss and turn.

the next morning, you board a plane and run into someone that you hadn't seen since you were in middle school.