I can't tell you how much delight this story has brought me today. we're getting into the dating.

Chapter 4

Tori walked into her speed date room, her eyes lighting up at the warm yellows and purples scattered through the space. It was cozy and inviting, clearly designed to make her feel at ease. She smiled, hugging a velvet pillow to her chest as she nestled into the plush couch. Even the soft ambient music from the surround sound speakers seemed like a gentle nudge to relax.

As she settled in, a voice filled the room.

"Welcome, contestants. You will now have a series of eleven dates. From these, you'll choose who you feel most connected with. Your top choice will rank number one. If it's mutual, a chat line will open for you both to communicate freely. Be mindful: if you sever that connection, it's permanent. So, choose wisely."

Tori bit her lip, nerves bubbling up in her chest. "I guess I'm not severing any connections I get," she mumbled, half to herself, as she waited for her first date.

"Hi, I'm Shelby," she greeted into the air, her voice warm yet tinged with anticipation.

"Hey, I'm Inez," a cheerful voice replied, and Tori instantly felt a kinship. As they chatted, the warmth between them was easy, flowing naturally as they shared stories about their families, laughing over shared childhood experiences. But despite the familiarity, Tori sensed that spark wasn't there, and a small pang of disappointment surfaced.

Her next date, Kelly, was an instant shift in energy. Kelly's bubbly enthusiasm filled the room, and Tori found herself smiling as they shared stories about their previous dates. They laughed about the quirks of the other contestants, and Kelly even hinted at the less-than-welcoming "Gigi," warning Tori with a playful laugh that she was a "tough one."

"Noted," Tori laughed, a hint of curiosity sparking.

Jade sat in her own room of black and purple, her expression a careful blend of disinterest and skepticism. Each interaction felt tedious—every giggle, every overly cheerful contestant had grated on her nerves, and Kelly was no exception. The girl's preppy attitude had put Jade on edge from the start. She needed someone who could break through her walls, someone real.

And then, a voice came through.

"Hey, it's Shelby," the girl greeted, her voice warm and self-assured, with a gentle curiosity that felt strangely inviting.

"Gigi," Jade replied, sinking deeper into the couch. Her tone was guarded, but there was an edge of something else there too. "Look... I'm going to be real with you. I'm a bit closed off. I mean, I'm here, obviously… but I don't think I'm ready to just pour my heart out or anything."

A pause filled the air before Shelby's voice drifted through, light but reassuring. "Well, that wasn't at all rude or standoffish," she teased gently, a hint of humor in her tone. "I know someone a lot like you... I bet Kelly drove you up the wall, didn't she?"

Jade's mouth curved into a grin she couldn't quite stifle. "Wow... okay. Yes, she did," she admitted, a soft laugh slipping out.

They fell into a rhythm, the natural exchange surprising them both. Tori found herself leaning forward, captivated by the woman on the other side of the wall. "I'm going to try hard not to compare you to her," she continued with a chuckle, "but I really liked that girl, so I think I could really like you."

"Kelly?" Jade asked, a note of surprise in her voice.

"No… um... just an old friend," Tori admitted, her voice softening as she thought of the person who had left a lasting impression on her life.

Jade felt a warmth spread through her chest, and a flicker of vulnerability seeped into her voice. "I've been feeling kind of... unlovable lately." The words tumbled out before she could stop them, a confession she hadn't intended to make.

The weight of Jade's words settled over them both, and Tori felt a pang of empathy. "Don't say that about yourself," she said, her voice gentle but firm. "No one deserves to feel unlovable. Maybe one day, you'll tell me what makes you feel that way. But for now... I can promise I don't see you like that."

Jade smiled, a real, unguarded smile she hadn't felt in ages. She found herself looking at the wall as if, somehow, Tori might be able to see it.

They fell silent, each lost in thought, neither wanting to end the conversation. And as they continued talking, the once-imposing walls between them seemed to shrink away, leaving just the two of them—two strangers with guarded hearts, feeling, for the first time, that they might actually be seen.

Producer Alex sat glued to her monitor, fingers hovering over her keyboard as she watched the live feed of the pod interactions. Jade and Tori's screen had her full attention, her heart practically doing somersaults as she watched their exchange unfold in real time.

"Oh my god… this is perfect," Alex whispered to herself, leaning closer to the monitor as if proximity could somehow immerse her deeper into their conversation. She watched Tori smile, hugging a pillow to her chest as she gently teased Jade, and then watched Jade's guarded grin soften into something vulnerable. She didn't even need to hear every word to feel the intensity between them. Alex's heart pounded, as if she was watching the climax of a romance movie she'd waited years to see.

Then, Jade's words floated through the speakers, low and nearly inaudible but clear enough: *"I've been feeling kind of... unlovable lately."*

Alex gasped, her hand flying up to cover her mouth. "No way… no way. That's it, that's the moment!" she whispered with excitement, scribbling notes frantically on a nearby notepad. "She's opening up! And Tori... oh, Tori's going to respond to this beautifully, I just know it."

As Tori gently reassured Jade, Alex felt her heart swelling with pride for this setup. This wasn't just reality TV; this was real, organic human connection. She could see the sincerity in Tori's face, and the way Jade's stiff posture melted away ever so slightly with each kind word. Alex clasped her hands together, fangirling over every single detail.

"This is better than any rom-com," she muttered, leaning back but unable to pull her gaze from the screen. "They're already doing it! They're *connecting* they're building trust, and this—" she tapped the screen, grinning from ear to ear—"is exactly what we wanted."

The other producers noticed her glee and threw amused glances her way. One of them rolled their eyes with a smile. "Alex, don't get too attached; they've only just started," another one warned, smirking.

But Alex wasn't hearing it. She was already ten steps ahead, picturing Jade and Tori walking hand-in-hand off the set, head over heels in love.

"Oh, I know we're only on day one," she replied with a dreamy sigh, her eyes twinkling. "But just look at them! You can't *fake* that kind of spark. I bet you anything—anything—they're going to be the breakout couple of the show. And I am here for every second."

Jade lounged back on the sleek, black leather couch in her dimly lit pod, staring at the touch-screen tablet in her lap. She scrolled slowly through the list of names from today's speed dates, weighing each person in her mind. A couple of them had been interesting, worth a second chat, maybe even some laughs. But then there were others she already knew weren't for her—the ones who'd clearly balked when she'd casually brought up her love of horror, or who'd tried too hard to impress her with shallow compliments.

Her mind drifted to Shelby, the girl who'd thrown her off her game without even trying. There was something about the warmth in Shelby's voice, the gentle teasing, the soft strength in her words. It had felt strangely familiar, like a song Jade hadn't heard in years but somehow knew by heart. Shelby was different, and that fact sat like a weight in her chest she couldn't shake. But could she risk feeling something deeper here? She'd told herself she was here to mess around, maybe meet someone cool, but nothing serious. She still wasn't even sure why she'd come on the show in the first place.

Her gaze fell to the message on the screen: *"Contestants, time to pick your matches. Select up to three people you will continue to contact."*

"Well, here goes nothing," she muttered to herself, tapping on the first name that came to mind: *Lana.*

Lana had this edge to her, a bit of wicked humor mixed with dark interests she found surprisingly close to her own. Lana was the type of person Jade could see herself bantering with for hours, challenging each other's morbid fascinations without feeling any of those unsettling pangs in her chest. She could have fun with her. Besides, they both had an unapologetic love for the dark and twisted—it was hard to find people who got that.

She clicked Lana's name and smirked.

Tori leaned back against the plush, velvet couch in her pod, tapping thoughtfully on the screen in her lap. As she scrolled through the list of names from today's speed dates, her finger hovered over one in particular, and a soft smile crept onto her lips.

Gigi.*

Tori couldn't quite explain it, but something about Gigi's voice had hooked her instantly. She was sharp, straightforward, and unapologetically herself—a stark contrast to anyone Tori had ever dated. The whole conversation had felt like verbal sparring in the best possible way, with Gigi refusing to tiptoe around her thoughts. It made Tori's heart race just thinking about it.

"She's strong and opinionated… Guess I have a type after all," Tori murmured to herself, shaking her head in amused disbelief.

With a smile, she tapped Gigi's name, placing her firmly at the top of her list.

In the dimly lit producer's booth, Alex's eyes were glued to the screens as she monitored each contestant's choices. She'd been tracking their interactions all day, especially Jade and Shelby's—Gigi and Shelby's—banter. The connection was electric, undeniable. She had practically been rooting for them from behind the screens, feeling like she was watching a love story unfolding in real time. And yet... Jade hadn't picked Shelby as her top choice.

"What do you mean, Jade?" Alex shrieked, leaning forward, almost pressing her face against the monitor. Her heart raced as she watched Jade tap *Lana* as her top match.

"No, no, no. *Lana*?" Alex's hands flew to her head as she practically buried herself in her own frustration. "You already like Shelby, Jade! This is *so* wrong!"

She glanced over to the feed showing Shelby—who hadn't been selected by anyone as a top choice yet. It felt tragic. Watching Shelby look so hopeful, having put herself out there… only to risk not being matched at all? Alex's fangirling turned into a sort of vigil as she anxiously watched the screen, waiting for a last-minute twist that might turn this around.

"C'mon, Jade," she muttered desperately to herself. "Don't you know a good thing when you hear it?"

In Tori's apartment, she sat on the edge of her bed, looking over her options with a thoughtful frown. The list felt more like a formality than anything meaningful; she'd already made her mind up.

With a dismissive swipe, she moved *Lana* and *Haley* into the "rejected" column without a second thought. Sure, they'd been nice enough, but she knew they weren't her match. They hadn't even come close to the spark she'd felt with Gigi.

She sighed, fingers hovering over the list. "Three picks... okay." She added *Kelly* and *Inez* simply to fulfill the requirement, though she was only halfway invested. Deep down, she only wanted one connection to come through.

Settling back on the couch, she murmured to herself with a small, hopeful smile, "Here's to Gigi."

Jade sat back, letting out a low breath as she scrolled through her remaining options. She'd already locked in *Lana* at the top, knowing that dark humor and shared tastes could make for interesting, fun conversations. Next, *Inez* had seemed chill and down-to-earth—a solid friend she could kick back and talk about anything with.

But *Shelby*…something about her voice tugged at Jade. The hint of warmth, the way she'd laughed, even the way she'd called her out without flinching. Jade wasn't one to be sentimental, but damn, Shelby's voice sounded uncannily familiar, like someone she'd once been close to.

"She sounds just like her..." Jade muttered, staring at Shelby's name. She tapped her finger against it, feeling a rush of memories from years past, moments she'd long thought buried.

But maybe it was safer to pick someone else, to avoid any messiness or mixed feelings. Maybe Haley could just fill in for now. She hovered over the option to drop Shelby, hesitating.

Alex was glued to her monitor, watching Jade's screen with bated breath. "Come on, Jade… just pick her! It's obvious, you two are perfect for each other!" she hissed, leaning so close to the screen that her face was almost pressed to it.

She watched as Jade's finger hovered over Shelby's name, hesitation thick in the air. Alex practically shouted at the monitor, half-laughing, half-panicked. "Don't even think about picking Haley! You *know* that's not what you want!"

The seconds stretched as Jade's finger moved back and forth, agonizingly indecisive. Alex's hand gripped the edge of her desk, white-knuckled, her heart thundering as she willed Jade to make the right choice. Finally, Jade's finger steadied, and Alex watched as she made her selection.