Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to the brilliant Stephenie Meyer.

Chapter 23

I chat with several more men as the night progresses. I try my hardest to steer clear of Mike, Aro and James, oh and Jacob too. I know that even though I want to, I won't be allowed to send all of them home. Especially not after the little showdown from earlier. They are too good for ratings to be cast off so quickly. This, this is the part that I'm going to hate about doing this show.

I knew going into it that the producers would have a say in who gets to stick around for a while and even on who I take on one on ones, but when it gets to the final few men, that's all up to me. They won't make me keep anyone that I'm not attracted to or don't have a connection with. It'll be up to me completely. I'm glad about that part, though wishing I could have a little more say in my love life, but I understand that they have a show to put on and they have fans to entertain. Just as long as I get the love of my life in the end, that's all that matters.

And as I think about all of the men tonight and who I want to be the one accepting that final peach and placing a ring on my finger, all I see is a pair of gorgeous greens. I pray that they won't make me send him home or not give us any one on one time. I don't think they will. I think they wouldn't want to mess with Jasper and me. Plus, America would probably go ape shit if I came out as a poor innocent victim in the tabloids after it was all said and done, if they sent away the one I was truly interested in that is.

I realize I've been lost in my head for a little too long as Paul is telling me all about his life back home. I think he was talking about an ex-girlfriend, but then I hear him say something about a wife.

So, he was married before.

That's fine by me. I have no problem with that. Sometimes people get married too young, too caught up in the idea of marriage or thinking it's the next step. I know that story all too well. Everyone that I know in my small town and the likes, think you have to get married to your high school sweetheart the second you toss that graduation cap in the air.

It's ridiculous, but also so much of the reason I'm here. I mean, I'm looked at like a science experiment in my hometown. Especially now that I'm here doing this show. Oh, I'm sure little Miss Jessica Stanley, back home is just eating this up. You know, getting to see me in a fish bowl and all and being able to actually have some truth behind that gossip she's been slinging about me all of these years, now that I'm putting myself on national television for her and the rest of the world to talk about and speculate on.

Poor thing. I feel sorry for her really. She married Eric Yorkie the summer after we graduated. It was a shot gun wedding and her daddy was none too happy about it. She now has three kids and stays at home with them, while Eric works construction in a nearby city. I think she's just bored now and there is no doubt she'll want to live vicariously through me. In fact, I'm sure she's already talking to reporters about me and what I was really like in high school, all for her fifteen minutes of fame. I bet she's saying that we were best friends and she's so happy for me. Barf!

I nod and grin as Paul is replaced by a nice looking man named Benjamin. He's your boy next door kind of cute and nice enough. I'll keep him around for group dates anyway.

A few moments later, Jasper makes his way over and announces it's time for me to go to the Peach Room to deliberate. It's so utterly cheesy this peach theme, but hey, it is what it is.

I wave goodbye to the men and make my way to my private room to glance over pictures and talk with the producers off camera about who I can keep and who I can let go.

A/N: Who do you think the producers will want to keep? I'll tell you that at least one of the following will go home: James, Aro, Jacob, or Mike. We'll find out next chapter.

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