For some reason, Heather hadn't gotten into her choice of colleges. Hell, she hadn't even gotten into one of her top FIVE colleges, and instead she had to slum it, with a less prestigious college than she deserved.
And it SUCKED.
Her parents had pretty much stopped contacting her. Sure, they hadn't really been present in the first place, and they still paid her tuition and sent her money each month, but other than that, she never heard from them. Her so-called "friends' had also ceased contact. The only people that had bothered to get in touch with her were the last people she wanted to hear from, and naturally she has ignored every text, letter and email that they sent.
Her castmates from her reality TV days kept bugging her, but they couldn't possibly have something of any importance to her, Heather was back to normal life and about to head off to college.
She'd been staying in a small motel for the months before the term began, and the day had finally come when she could move into her dorm. Finally, she thought, the dingy motel room had beginning to get on her nerves, it didn't at all suit the lifestyle she deserved, the life she would have had, if she hadn't been robbed after working so hard to win.
Heather struggled to carry her bags up the steps of the dorm, her arms full and bags slipping from her grip. She had almost made it, before tripping on the last step and tumbling down, her luggage scattered around her.
Could this day get any worse? she thought to herself, rubbing her already swelling knee.
"Want some help?" a pale hand we stretched in front of her, and she glanced up to see her former teammate and rival.
"What are you doing here gothy?" Heather looked up at Gwen, narrowing her eyes
"I drew the short straw and had to come get you" Gwen sighed, rolling her eyes
"Get me? Like I'd want to go anywhere with you!"
"I'd say the mansion Beth bought is nicer than this dump" the pale girl shrugged, gesturing to the drab grey building that towered over them. "And as a plus, you get your own room"
"What makes you think I want to bunk in with you and that dork?"
"You won't have to room with some random" Gwen sighed, exasperated. "And, the bathrooms aren't communal. Also, it's not just me and Beth, it's almost everyone from the show. Surprisingly, this is the best college any of us got into."
"Fine, I guess that sounds okay- but if you think I'm going to singing Kumbaya by the fireplace you've got another thing coming" Heather threatened, gathering her things with the other girls help, loading them into the small hatchback that Gwen drove and grudgingly climbing into the passenger seat.
The house was MASSIVE, unlike anything she had ever seen, it was clear that Beth couldn't have bought this house with just her winnings from season two, the expansive gardens blooming with flowers, a stream passing through, glittering in the sunlight. The house itself was beautiful, a modern design, the different levels clad in mostly glass, giving the home an irregular, but unique shape, adapting to the slight hill the house perched on. Around the side of the house, Heather spied an infinity edge pool, surrounded by luxurious palm trees and recliners.
Heathers eyes widened "How did Beth afford all this?" she breathed, taken aback by the beauty of the structure.
"She didn't spend the money when she won- I think season two right? She invested it and made big bucks, and lucky for us, she decided she wanted to go to college here"
"So, who's actually here?"
"Pretty much everyone from the first three seasons- I think the only ones who aren't are Duncan, he's still locked up; Justin is modelling somewhere in France, Zeke is still feral, so they've got him in a rehabilitation centre. Oh, and Blaineley- since she's like thirty."
"And everyone that is here is living in this house?" Heather questioned.
"Yes."
"Everyone?"
"Yes Heather" Gwen replied, exasperated.
"Even- "
"Alejandro?" The goth cut Heather off. "Yes, your little boyfriend is here, and he's a really good cook, even if he is an evil snake"
"That- Jerk" Heather stuttered "Is NOT my boyfriend"
"I thought you guys got together last season?" she questioned
"I don't want to talk about it"
Gwen seemed sceptical and focused her attention on the road, and pulled into the driveway, parking behind a red lancer.
The welcoming party wasn't very, uh- welcoming, Heather speculated. It looked like most of her castmates had better things to do, Beth and Sierra being the only ones giving more than a hello before retiring to different parts of the house, the purple haired girl enthusiastically taking her hands and pulling her down the halls.
Heather had never really liked the superfan, but she resolved to play nice, she wasn't exactly the best at making friends- sure she had always been the queen bee, but actual friends? They were few and far between.
"So since last season, me and my Cody have been getting really close-, like we were more than friends since World Tour, his words not mine" Sierra rambled "But last week he surprised me with a trip to my favourite restaurant and the movies, we aren't going steady yet, but he held MY hand. I mean, isn't he just the cutest" The girl sighed, clutched her arms to her chest
"Sure, super cute" Heather deadpanned
Sierra stopped at the last door in the expansive hallway, and gestured to the room behind it
"This is your room Heather, I helped plan it, I hope you like it"
Heather placed her bags at hear feet, stepping into the room. It was bigger than her room back home, lush cream carpet lining the floor with walls to match and a red feature wall behind the large four-poster bed, complete with a black bedspread and satin pillows.
The room took the breath from her lungs. It was her dream bedroom, the luxurious décor catching her eye, the mahogany furniture embellished with detailed designs, small cherry blossoms carved into the wood, the light of sunset pouring in from the large bay window opposite to the door.
"I- I love it" the black-haired girl breathed.
"Well I have to go, gotta get ready for tomorrow- I've got a class at 8am"
Still in awe, Heather was left alone in her new room, taking in every detail as she began to unpack her belongings, this was miles better than the dorm room she had toured at the beginning of the summer, noticing every detail and combing it over with her gaze.
Once she had unpacked, Heather sat on the bed and pulled her laptop from her bag, she had not even pressed the power button when a figure appeared in the doorway.
"Dinners ready Heather, and it's DJ's turn to cook so you know it's going to be good" Owen exclaimed, drawing out the end of his sentence. "The dining room is the third door to the left of the foyer"
The large blonde skipped away, and Heather sighed, her day had already been tiring, and now she was forced to sit through a dinner with people who don't even like her.
"Let's get this over with" She muttered to herself, following the directions she had been given to the dining hall.
Dinner was awkward. Extremely awkward, the silence that settled over the group uneasy, and a few noticeable absences adding to the tension. The only positive thing was the food, and she sat stirring her pasta, head in her hand.
The only chatter came from Beth and Lindsay, who were discussing their timetables for this semester, along with Geoff and Bridgette, who were canoodling at the end of the table.
"Soooo, what's your major?" Heather asked her former teammate, Courtney who was sitting next to her.
"Corporate law of course" The brunette answered "Honours as well. You?'
"Business and International trade"
"Cool" Courtney replied sharply, their stout conversation coming to a sharp end.
Soon after she finished her meal, the rest of the group was done, and started to collect the dishes, as if it was routine. Heather followed suite and followed her castmates into the kitchen.
Once again, Heather was taken aback by the kitchen, sure she had been dazzled by the dining hall, but she'd been to many banquets served in high-class establishments, and that was nothing new, but this was different, it felt more like home than any place she had lived before.
The kitchen was adorned with marvel benchtops and an aqua splashback, assorted racks holding spices and herbs, a corkboard with scattered notes and photographs pinned to it. Complete with retro style appliances, the room gave off a modern, but homey vibe. Posted on the fridge was a chores list, Courtney's neat handwriting easily recognisable, showcasing the daily, weekly and monthly chores they each shared in. Heather scanned the rota for her own name, discovering she already had a list of chores to her name, and took a photo for memory.
After she had cleaning, Heather decided to take a stroll around the house, the bright chandeliers lighting the otherwise dark corridors. Every part of the house filled her with wonder, it different greatly from her childhood home, which had been an old mansion fill with antiques. Here, she felt at peace with the ornate designs and the modern furniture.
As she strolled the corridors, she discovered that Beth had organised the ex-contestants so that the men were in the west wing of the house and women resided in the east. In the centre of the house, there was a large library where several wooden desks lined the back wall, partitions separating them and bookshelves covering the other two. At the centre of the library were a cluster of sofas surrounding a coffee table, a matching kitchenette next to the doorway.
Alongside the library, there were two living rooms, complete with TVs and fireplaces, a home theatre and a soundproof music room. Heather was sure that she hadn't seen the entire house when she came across a door with an all too familiar name printed on it.
'Alejandro'
She paused at this door, standing outside it for several minutes, contemplating whether to knock.
You know you can't Heather. Not after what happened
Heather started to walk away, it was late, and she was exhausted. She knew that eventually they'd run into on another, hell she agreed to live with him and the other castmates.
Why did agree to this? She thought to herself, shaking her head.
About halfway down the hallway, the door she had been standing in front of swung open, and there he was, his perfectly toned body glistening with water and his hair damp. In the few years after All-Stars had been filmed, he had changed, his hair longer and he had gotten taller once again. Heather stood there staring at his conditioned body.
What are you doing Heather? You agreed not to get distracted by him again
Heather thought back to the promise she made herself and shook herself out of her trance.
"Heather?" He inquired, locking his gaze to hers, stepping out of his room, clad only in a towel. "I though I heard someone out here"
Remember, no distractions.
"Alejandro. How Err- nice it is to see you." Heather stammered her words but kept her posture stoic and stiff.
"Look- Heather, I think we need to talk about what happened"
"Oh, do you see what time it is? Nearly midnight, geez, I better go to bed" Heather nervously excused herself, rushing away from her ex-lover.
Heather was never usually this nervous around people, she always kept her confident persona on, but after opening up to Alejandro about her past, and with the way things ended she couldn't face him, she wasn't she ever could.