It takes all of five seconds before she runs after Amber.
‘Amber, honey. Babe. I’m here for you. Let’s do the Hut together.’
I stare after them.
Porscha will make extra sure that I won’t be seeing Cam while I am in the villa. My heart droops at the thought. He is the only thing about being here that sparks joy. Everyone in here, with their flip-flopping allegiances, seems to have a hidden agenda and would gladly throw me under a bus to win the one-hundred-thousand-dollar prize money.
When Amber and Mimi return from currying favour with the public, we go to the dressing room to take our make-up off and discuss the shock of tonight’s events.
‘I think we’ll see them again. And even if we don’t, then I’m sure they’ll have a great time on the outside,’ mulls Mimi. ‘I bet they come back in as Casa girls. Maybe the boys will come back in too, but to be honest they didn’t exactly rock my world. I can’t even remember their names.’
I shake my head in despair.
‘Giovanni told me that he heard Carlton telling Henri that he was going to say that he’s open to having conversations with all three of us. He doesn’t want to tie himself to one girl as it is still early days,’ Amber says as she wipes off her heavy foundation and bright pink lip gloss. She looks innocently over to Mimi. ‘I think it’s only fair that I talk to him if he pulls me for a chat.’
‘Girl, why would you say that to me? You know I have my eyes on Giovanni and Carlton.’
‘Hold on, girl. You can’t claim all the guys and expect us not to give them a chance. Carlton is clearly not into you. He made a strategic decision.’
I’m immediately suspicious. It would be just like Porscha to force us girls into a war over the boys.
‘For your information, Carlton told me that he wants us to be coupled up because he is sick of Libby leading him on and then dumping him at the last minute. I wouldn’t call that strategic, would you?’
‘That is literally the very definition of strategic. Isn’t it, Libby?’ says Amber.
‘Divide and conquer, they call it,’ I say.
They eye me dubiously.
‘What is?’ Amber says, looking a bit guilty.
‘What we’re doing. They have us bickering like schoolchildren when really what we need to do is learn to trust each other and unite against them.’
Amber stops vigorously moisturising and Mimi puts down her face wipes, as the penny drops.
‘What’s the plan?’ Amber asks, coming in close.
‘I say we sleep in separate beds tonight. Make a point. If those boys think they can play us for fools, they have another think coming.’
I hold my breath and wait to see how this idea lands. I will do anything not to share a bed with Henri.
‘Agreed,’ says Amber.
‘Totally,’ says Mimi. ‘Although I might start off in bed with Carlton, touch his wiener and then when he gets excited, I will sneak off to the spare bed. I might even give him a full hand job just to make sure he picks me to couple up with.’
What is she not getting?
‘No. That’s not what we’re trying to do. In fact, it’s the opposite of what we are trying to do, Mimi,’ I say sternly. ‘Do not give Carlton or anyone else a hand job. We are trying to play it cool so that they know we are not to be manipulated.’
Mimi looks disappointed. ‘Okay, then.’ She stands up to reveal that she is wearing a highly provocative, skimpy black lace negligée with cut-out bits and a balcony bra that is all but throwing her breasts in our faces. She twirls round so that we can see there is nothing at the back. Whatever string is between her butt cheeks is firmly hidden or invisible.
‘What are you wearing?’ gasps Amber, her eyes popping out of her head. ‘I thought we were doing the opposite of whatever you are doing?’
‘I’m showing the boys what they are missing. Isn’t that the plan?’
‘Well, if you’re doing that, then I will too,’ says Amber, rooting through her case and pulling out slips of lace and thongs. ‘Got it.’ She holds up a tiny leopard-print see-through mesh onesie the size of a baby’s sock and stretches it out.
‘You do you,’ I say wearily. With no Cam to impress, I couldn’t care less. ‘I’m going to wear the least attractive nightwear I can find.’