The Mentor

Chapter 5

That night I was hanging out in Sam's room watching tv and passing around a disposable he bought earlier that day, pineapple lemonade, good flavor. He was playing whatever game on his PSP and I was laying on the bed talking to him about the fiasco that went down earlier.

"Is Kyle going to be okay? He seems really off his game dude." Sam commented.

"I don't know, his house got foreclosed on and then he gets shit on on top of that, I wouldn't be happy either. Let's just hope he doesn't drop out of the competition."

"I like the tattoo he did on you today."

"I know! I love it, better than what was there before. What the fuck is the deal with Nunez?" I sighed, running a hand through my hair.

"Well for starters, Kyle punched him last season."

"I know, I know but they shouldn't have any bias."

"But they do, why do you think Kelly and I have won so many challenges?''

"Because you're both amazing artists?" I guessed, I wasn't sure to be honest.

"Not just that silly, because they like Kelly. They're not a fan of Kyle cause he's got a short fuse."

"I mean yeah he does but not around me, and I'm the one working with him directly, not any of those judges. He just seems really beat down to me. I mean he asked me to stay in his hotel room last night."

'You think he likes you?" Sam raised an eyebrow.

"I have no idea. Maybe he does. I don't know why he would."

"Well he did get to tattoo your-" I cut him off.

"Shut up, I don't want to hear about it. Everyone already giggled at me about it. I don't wanna hear it."

"Alright then. To be completely fair though you've been there for him more than anyone else has. His family hasn't, the judges haven't, and he's known for being a lunatic." He did the "crazy" finger motion to his head.

"America voted him back so I guess they must like his work. I think he's a solid artist."

"He is, judges are just biased."

"He was going on and on last night about all these crazy conspiracy theories about the judges. He might be right."

"He is- you know it and I know it."

"Then why are we here if there's no chance of us winning the prize money?"

"Like you said on the first day, education. Maybe he thought he had a chance and is taking the sadness out on you since he can't blow up at you. The judges like YOU and YOUR work, not him. The only one that isn't biased is Dave."

"I suppose you're right. Should I try to talk to him about it?"

"Only if you feel comfortable, it's not my call. Josh saw the romantic tension between you two and talking to Kyle might make it worse."

"You think there's romantic tension?" I was a little taken aback.

"I'm not going to say I think there isn't. That little comment from you on the first day was funny, but all it did was cause suspicions to arise. Kyle IS significantly older than you."

"Not by that much..."

"20 years is a lot, Jamie." Sam sighed.

"No one even knows how old he actually is..."

"Who cares? That comment made the sexist pigs in this competition latch on to you. Jime Litwalk, Josh Hibbard, James Danger, you name it they're on to you. They think they have a chance with you and that's why they're being condescending."