As Seen On TV

34. As Seen on TV

It was right there, sitting on the bed, directly across from me, and all I could do was stare at it. I didn't know what I expected from Jazmin, but I knew that it wasn't a note addressed to me and me only. She hadn't left one for Patrick, which I could tell he was slightly disappointed about, despite the weird circumstances under which their relationship had been left and the way he tried to nonchalantly brush it off, and as far as I know, she hadn't made contact with anyone since her mysterious disappearance yesterday. 

All I could think was: Why? Why me?

The answer to those questions, I suppose, lay within the envelope.

When we had arrived at the hotel and found that she was nowhere to be seen, we did a thorough search of the hotel. She hadn't left a single clue as to where she had gone, or why. We then checked all her social media: her Snapchat story, her Instagram feed, but there was nothing. Radio silence.

By that time, it was almost 1 in the morning, and we had gone downstairs, bedraggled and exhausted, to find Veronica. We came into her room, but instead of her being in a silk nightie with dark circles under her eyes, she had been sitting in a swivel chair, still in her pantsuit, hair and makeup as immaculate as always. It was unnerving. Did the woman never sleep? She must have been a robot.

She had turned to us, one perfect eyebrow arched inquisitively, and said nothing, waiting for one of us to break the silence.

"So, um, we didn't really know what we should do, but, uh, we figured we should tell you..."

Veronica sat, waiting for Patrick to finish. He had stepped forward, while Andrew and I hung back, none of us quite sure how this situation should be approached. It was like we were in sixth grade, and, having been called to the principal's office, were now being forced to explain something that was entirely out of our control.

"... Jazmin is gone. She packed up and left. No sign of her anywhere."

Veronica blinked. We blinked back at her. For a moment, an unreadable expression flitted across her painted-on features. Then it was gone, replaced by the same cold, unfeeling expression she always bore.

"Ah," she stated, and that was all. She had no reaction past this simple sound. "Was that all you came to tell me?"

Patrick looked to me, and I shrugged helplessly. At least it didn't seem like we were to be punished for this. It was all too weird. It was almost like Veronica had expected this development.

Patrick scratched at the back of his neck.

"Uh, well, yeah, I suppose."

Veronica smiled, and the sight was almost more unnerving than her usual frown of disapproval. 

"Ms. Rodriguez will be contacted and dealt with shortly. As for right now, it doesn't change much for you three. Your contracts still hold. The show must go on, and as I'm sure you're all aware," here, she smiled even wider, a devilish glint in her eyes, "she was never really part of the main attraction, anyways. This almost makes it better, in a way." She spoke as if we weren't even there, as if she was just musing to herself.

We stood in silence. I felt anger begin to arise in me, at my circumstances, mainly, but they had been concentrated into one of pure anger for the woman before me. She seemed, at the moment, to be the root of all my problems.

She cleared her throat and made a sound that I later realized must have been a chuckle.

"Well, you should be off now. I'll notify everyone else of this slight... hiccup, and they will adjust accordingly. Nothing for you guys to worry about. Just get some sleep, heal up, and be up ready to film some great drama tomorrow morning."