- 2.
Reality show backstages are always swarming
with reporters.
Brenda’s words brought all the eavesdropping
く
reporters into a frenzy.
“Ashley dared to hit her teammate before
they even win. She’s horrible.”
“Show business is all about who has the
money. Someone like Brenda will always get
bullied!”
“Brenda had to have been pushed to the
edge. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be crying like
this. Ashley’s the worst!”
Brenda seemed to revel in the crowd’s
support.
She angled herself to catch the light and
squeezed out a few tears for the cameras.
I saw what she was doing.
く
“Weren’t you in the director’s room all last
night? How could I have hit you? Did you
want me to break into the director’s room?”
The reaction was instantaneous.
“Whoa! Is this about the director sleeping
with contestants?”
“I thought this show was supposed to be fair?
Is it really this corrupt?”
“Is Ashley making this up? No one would go
to the director’s room, right? You need to
have proof before starting rumors!”
Brenda turned pale.
She was stunned.
She didn’t think I knew.
She stammered and quickly denied it.
“Y–you’re lying!”
I watched her fall apart.
I raised an eyebrow and glanced at the
security camera.
The show’s backstage camera was live
streaming everything.
Some of the reporters realized what I was
suggesting.
They pulled out their phones and started
watching the previous night’s dorm footage.
The crowd went wild.
“Brenda wasn’t in her room last night. She left
at 8 pm and didn’t come back!”
“Ashley stayed in her room all night. So, the
bullying thing is fake?”
“Did Brenda really go to the director’s room?
If she’ll do that before the debut, what is she
gonna do when she’s a star?”
Brenda heard everything.
Her face flushed.
She clenched her fists.
“Ashley, stop changing the subject! E–even if
く
you didn’t bully me last night, you’ve bullied
me before!”
“If you really want to prove you’re innocent,
give me the lead vocals tonight. Let everyone
see if this group is really fair!”
The crowd went back to supporting Brenda.
“Brenda has a point. If Ashley says she didn’t
bully her, then give her the lead vocals today!”
“Yeah, if you’re not as good, then give up the
spot. It’s embarrassing to hold on to it.”
“I don’t think Ashley is that great. She’s not
even a good person!”
I smirked and stepped forward.
L
“I’ve been practicing the lead part for a week.
What happens if giving it to you costs us the
competition? Can you handle the
responsibility of losing for the whole team?”
My two other teammates, who hadn’t said a
word, spoke up.
“Yeah, Brenda, Ashley sings the best in our
group. It’s kind of crazy to ask for the lead
vocals right now.”
“If we lose, you can cry to the director. What
do we do?”
“Y–you guys-”
The two were always eager to support a
winner.
They started talking when their interests were
threatened.
Brenda was angry.
She gritted her teeth.
“I promise! If you give me the lead vocals,
we’ll win first place.”
