Real(ity) Feelings

Chapter 11

"Okay Dianne, it's time to get serious," Marisol said loudly, as she stomped across the foyer. The couples had all been relaxing by the pool outside when Dianne had gone inside to grab more sunscreen. Marisol had appeared out of nowhere, gripping her elbow and dragging her to the front of the mansion.

"What are you talking about?" Dianne snapped, annoyed that she was being dragged once again by the small woman.

Marisol sighed before turning around, stopping in the dark alcove under the stairs. "It's time to get serious about your future on Oasis Island."

Dianne looked at her, confusion evident on her face. "I don't know what you're talking about...I am serious, I've been committed to Joe since the very beginning..."

"That's what I'm talking about," Marisol sighed. "You and Joe aren't, what we call, end game."

Dianne heard alarms go off in the back of her brain, but she was still confused about the overall point Marisol was trying to make.

"Sure, you and him make a cute couple, I guess," she added somewhat flippantly, "But you aren't creating sparks."

"Excuse you, I think we've created quite a few sparks," Dianne retorted angrily, thinking back to the night before after the selection ceremony, when they had found themselves back in their bed, kissing furiously under the covers as their bodies wrapped tightly around each other, exchanging soft teasing touches until they had remembered the other couples - and the cameras - in the room.

Marisol rolled her eyes, "That's not what I meant. The editors can only do so much with night vision footage of the two of you rolling around under the covers. We know you aren't actually doing anything that risqué. Plus, the audience gets bored with stable couples."

"That's not true," Dianne responded, anger still simmering in her stomach. "I love when there's a super solid couple that makes it through the whole show. People become invested in their...in their love story."

Marisol raised an eyebrow, "Love story, eh?"

Dianne crossed her arms before responding, "Just a figure of speech."

"Whatever, buttercup. I'm just telling you how I see it - the audience craves drama. You and Joe...you're about as far away from drama as you can be. I'm gonna need you to step it up. And soon."

Dianne narrowed her eyes as Marisol turned on her heel and walked out the front door. She had at first been taken aback my Marisol's considerably chillier demeanor - but was now feeling the anger in her stomach bubbling up, settling over her like a dark cloud as she turned and made her way back toward the pool.

---

"Joe, I'm going to need you to step it up," Ben stated plainly, leaning up against the side of the mansion. Joe looked at him, confused. When Dianne had walked inside to grab sunscreen, his producer had appeared out of nowhere, yanking him off the pool lounger and dragging him around the corner of the mansion.

"I'm just going to come right out and say it," Ben continued. "You and Dianne are boring."

Joe felt himself do a double take, wondering if he had heard Ben correctly. "What the hell are you on about, mate?"

Ben shrugged. "I need you to create some sparks or something."

Joe scratched the back of his neck, genuinely confused. He thought back to the night before at the selection ceremony, when he had proudly picked Dianne to be his partner going into week two in the mansion. She had squealed and jumped into his arms, placing an unexpected firm kiss directly on his lips. He had sure felt the sparks then - and that night when they had found themselves rolling around in bed after the other couples had gone to sleep. He smiled to himself, as he remembered the soft noises of approval she had made against his lips when he had finally gotten up the nerve to take his hands lower than her waist, slowly moving them over her hips, thighs and -