V & V - Rageous Rageon Rise

Veneered, Blissful, Bubbles

Carlos POV:

Midori and I nervously watch the show. As it plays out, there are multiple moments that I'm just... not that happy with. I don't want to dampen the mood, especially since we had such high hopes.

But as the show progresses, it doesn't come off that good—at least, it doesn't to me. The cooking seems good and authentic, but apart from that, the rest of the show comes off as forced comedic jokes and awkward, very synthetic TV.

Ugh. I can't imagine what Mateo must think. He's so creative; I'm sure his influence on the show would be monumental. But we have to work within the parameters of what the producers give us.

The show ends, and just as I go to call Mateo, Midori's phone rings. She answers it, seeing it's from our producer.

Midori: "Oh? You'd like us to come in now? Oh! Yes! We'll... yes, we'll be right there!"

Midori hangs up. Her pretty eyes alight with excited energy as she stands up.

Midori: "They want us down at the studio to meet them! I need to get dressed!"

She hurries away without another word, leaving me hanging. I get up and leave my phone on the couch, needing to get dressed. I hurry to my room, where I find her already changed into her sweats.

I change into my dark blue ones and hurry out the door with her. I barely tell Padre goodbye; Midori is in such a rush. She gets into the front seat of my car and drives us to the Crazy Cookie Network studio, where our Coture Cooks show is filmed.

She gets us there just as I see Ven's white car pull up with Kid Ritz. The two look like they just got the news to show up. Ven carries a bouncy Jewels in his arms, who oos excitedly once she sees us.

Midori and Ven walk together as I jog up to Kid Ritz.

Kid Ritz: "You got the call, huh?"

Carlos: "Yes. I do not know what it is about."

Kid Ritz: "Neither do we. I guess we're about to find out. But, uh, does the consensus resonate with you that-"

Ven: "That was not the best show we could do?"

Ven talks with a sass that makes me smile.

Carlos: "Yes, it could have been... different."

Midori: "Maybe we can bring up the points we weren't happy with in the meeting!"

She speaks optimistically, but I'm not so convinced. It doesn't seem like Ven, or Kid Ritz is either. As we walk, I check my phone to see a missed call from Mateo. I quickly like the messages he sent, yet I cannot look through things as we enter the set from the backdoors.

I give him a quick call, not wanting to leave him hanging.

Carlos: "Hello, Mateo. I am sorry. I have a meeting for the show. I thank you for watching. I will call soon!"

Mateo: "Bueno. Good luck."

I thank him, then hang up as our producer walks out and motions for us to follow him. We trail after him, Jewels looking particularly interested in everything sparkly and shiny. We're led to a much less glamorous-looking room where we sit at a table, a few business-looking men I recognize from when we signed contracts.

The producer sits down and waits for us all to be seated before smiling.

Producer: "So! We finally got the pilot aired!"

The room claps, making me feel like I should be polite, too, so I follow in the clapping.

Producer: "Now, we have been tracking the ratings, and already, we have a whopping four thumbs up out of five!"