Connecting the Dots (Shane Madej x OC)

12

*I don't know if this requires like... a trigger warning? This chapter is gonna include Shane and Sophie in a Buzzfeed video about trying weird foods so I just wanna warn you guys, if eating bugs and nasty shit seriously freaks you out... Idk you can skip that part if you want lol it's just for fun so you're not missing out on anything too big. Lmk what you guys think!

The trip to the Queen Mary is set for next Friday night, which means we have a week to prepare and work on other projects beforehand. We've started dropping the videos for this season weekly already so with the Whaley House, and the Toxic Woman ep we filmed last week, the Queen Mary will kick off the end of the season. Three more episodes to drop, three more weeks, and then we're wrapped... It's crazy to think that my first season with Buzzfeed Unsolved is already coming to an end. 

On the Saturday after the Whaley House the boys and I meet up for food, they don't seem too hungover, which is good. On Sunday I facetime my brother Chris for a bit, he's been watching Unsolved every week and he always shoots me a text after the newest episode drops. 

When we get back to work on Monday I actually don't talk to the boys much, another coworker asked me to help with shooting something so I spend most of the day doing that. On Wednesday night Shane, Ryan, and his girlfriend Mari, Devon, and another friend, Katie, who is also from Buzzfeed and the newest member of the Unsolved team, have a game night in Devon's apartment. We play Monopoly and Uno, and the evening ends with Ryan mere seconds away from breaking Shane's neck. 

Thursday Shane and I are asked to be in someone's video together. Which is crazy for me, I've mostly been behind the camera, this will be my first video in front of it. Someone said they wanted us because we were always joking around in the office and thought we'd be a funny pair for the video. I was flattered but also a little bit out of my element. We sit down in front of the camera and the girl who's directing it explains the concept. We're going to be trying a variety of weird foods, I cringe and look over at Shane who looks surprisingly not grossed out by the "menu".

"Ok guys, we're rolling!" Someone says and we look back at the camera. It feels so strange to be on the other side of it. 

"I'm not nervous he says," half to me and half to the camera. "I've got the stomach of a raccoon!" He explains. I laugh and shake my head.

"No, I'm not excited I'll be honest," I say, scrunching up my nose at the thought. 

"You're not excited to munch on some critters!" Shane says, 

"Oh gross don't say it like that, I'm even less excited now," I say, already feeling sick to my stomach. The producer brings us a bag that reads Giant Water Bugs. I recoil. 

"Salted, cooked and dehydrated," Shane reads the packaging, "so they're cooked!" He says, sounding weirdly relieved. I can't hide the disbelief on my face. 

"They're still bugs!" I say and Shane just laughs, 

"They're cooked it's fineee!" He rips open the package and dumps one of the bugs on the plate in front of me. I shake my head and then I hear a loud crunch next to me and look over to see Shane already taking a bite. 

"You're joking!" I say, in shock. 

"Tastes like a pretzel!" He says, "try it!" I know I have no choice for the video but I almost feel physically incapable of bringing the bug to my mouth. I close my eyes and just take a bite. 

"Not that bad right! It's very savory!" Shane says, I shake my head. 

"I guess ... it's just the idea of it..." I gag, "ew." The producer brings us the next item, Wasabi Gumballs. 

"Ok I'm not stressed about these, yeah they're probably gonna burn but at least it's not bugs!" I say, Shane laughs. 

"Why don't go first then." He says, I laugh and pop the gumball into my mouth. 

"Oof," I say, "ok... it's a little hard." I say, the gumball practically chipped my tooth. Shane laughs, and pops his in. 

"Not bad really just tastes like... like you had wasabi after chewing some gum." Shane shrugs. On to the next item... Mike's Hot Honey?

"Hmm, you guys are killing me with the spice." I say, Shane laughs, "It makes me think it's like Mike's girlfriend? Like 'Ohhh look it's Mike's hot honey!" I say, Shane breaks into laughter again. 

"Hey Mike, you got a hot honey, a real spicey honey!" He adds on and I laugh. We both pour some of the honey onto a spoon, clink our spoons together and take a lick. 

"Woah!" I say, almost as soon as the honey touched my tongue it started burning. 

"Holy... oh my god." Shane says, also in shock at the spice. "Mike you have got a hot, hot honey!" He says, I laugh and try not to think about the fact that my mouth is on fire. We try a couple more equally disgusting foods and finally the director calls wrap. 

"Mleh, all of those tastes are stuck on my tongue," I say, Shane nods, 

"Let's get some real food," he says, standing up from the table. 

"Yeah we're good, you guys can go grab lunch or something." The director says. "Thank again for trying that shit. Also, Sophie! You were great! I told you that you guys would be great in front of a camera!" She says. I smile, 

"Thanks!" I say. 

"Glad we could help!" Shane says, and the two of us head out of the studio. 

"That was an experience," I say, Shane laughs. 

"Once in a lifetime stuff!" He says.

"Thank god," I respond as we step onto the elevator. "Oh shit, should we invite Ryan?" I ask, pulling out my phone to text him. 

"I think he's at another video shoot right now," Shane says, 

"Oh, gotcha."

"We'll bring him something back!" He reassures me. I nod and we both step off the elevator and head to the cafe together.