Faking it with Beck Ryder

First impression

Beck’s pov

The first thing I noticed were the cameras. I noticed the cameras before I noticed the people around. There were too many cameras in the hall.

I almost laughed. This was all too ridiculous.

“It’s an opportunity, Beck,” I had heard that a thousand times already this week.

I stepped inside anyway. A few people looked up. Some looked away quickly, like they didn’t want to get caught looking.

I didn’t react. That was the trick. Not reacting meant they had nothing to work with or spread.

“Ryder.”

I heard a familiar voice call out to me. I turned.

Coach Daniels approached me with a look I knew all too well. He was judging me for the time I had arrived.

“You're late.”

Here comes the nagging Coach Daniels.

“I’m on time.”

“You’re close enough to late that it doesn’t matter.”

I didn’t bother arguing. I didn’t care enough.

He moved closer. “You don’t need to like this,” he said. “But you need to try. You need this, boy.”

I raised an eyebrow. “What exactly do I need this for?”

“Your reputation is at stake. Your career is on the verge of collapsing. Do I need to spell it out to you?”

“Got it,” I said.

“Listen carefully,” he added. “You keep this clean, this passes. People forget.”

“Understood.”

My entire team had convinced me to participate in some show to, in quote: ‘repair my image.’ I didn't understand why this was necessary to begin with.

I wasn’t the most social person. This would totally flop, but I’ll give them what they want so they can stay off my back.

I moved away before the conversation could turn into something longer. I met Vanessa Cole a few days back. My team and I had a meeting with her.

She had explained the entire thing prior.

I almost checked out halfway through.

“Pairings will be announced shortly,” Vanessa announced.

That was the only reason I had shown up. I knew all about the show beforehand, so there was really no need for me to be there.

Names started being called. People were being paired up.

I remained in my position until my name was called.

I had heard the whispering and murmuring which filled the hall the moment I was announced as this girl’s partner.

I walked up to the front.

I had been paired with some nerdy-looking girl.

She stood just a few feet away from me. There was a way she looked at me in a weird way. She didn’t have that judgy look everyone has when they stare at me. Hers was different. She looked at me like I was some specimen.

Weirdo. She was probably some fan who didn’t know how to react. I’d dealt with her type countless times.

Our eyes met properly. She didn’t look away like others did. She held my gaze.

I gave a single nod. Just enough to acknowledge the situation.

“Ryder.” I heard my name. I didn’t turn this time around.

Kai appeared beside me, like he always did.

“That was rough,” he said with a smug grin on his face.

I didn’t understand what he meant by that. What was I supposed to do? Hug a complete stranger.

“That was enough.”

He laughed under his breath. “Yeah. You've always been great with people.

I didn’t respond.

“They really went all out,” he said. “They have a whole production system set up.”

“Yeah.”

“Did you sleep at all?” he asked.

“No.”

“Same. I tried. Didn’t last long.”

I glanced at him briefly. He looked relaxed. Too relaxed. Like he wasn’t standing in the middle of a situation that could ruin both of us if it shifted the wrong way.

“You don ‘t look like it,” I said.

He shrugged. “I’ve got a reputation to maintain.”

“For what?”

“Being the more likable one,” he responded, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

“Yeah, right.”

“They talked to you again?” he asked in a much quieter tone.

“Yeah.”

He nodded.

“Same here.”

There was an announcement. Something about schedules, expectations. I wasn’t really paying attention.

I looked at him. “They’ll be watching everything from now on.”

“Yeah,” he said. “That’s kind of the point.”

“No. Not like this.”

“Then don’t give them anything.”

Of course, I wasn’t, but it all seemed somewhat like a trap.

“Could be worse,” he said.

“How?”

“At least it’s not mid-season.”

I always wondered how he’d seem to miss the point almost every time. I knew he was doing it on purpose. To lighten up the mood, but there was nothing cheerful about any of this.

“Anyway, try not to scare your partner off in the first five minutes.”

“I’m not here to keep anyone comfortable or make friends.”

“Yeah,” he said, squeezing my shoulders tightly. “Quite obvious, but you don’t have much of a choice, bro.”

I smiled. The first smile I had since the day had begun. Kai had his way of annoying me, but he was still my best bud.

“Just came in to check how you’re doing. Glad to see that you haven’t murdered anyone with your cold look. Gotta bolt.”

With that, he was gone. I looked around for Coach Daniels. He was too far for me to signal him. If I had left, he’d have made such a fuss about it.

I just wanted to leave. It was bad enough that I was being forced to do something I didn't want to. Why did I have to torture myself by standing in a room filled with people I’d rather chew glass than speak to?

As I stood there, it dawned on me that this had already been decided. I didn’t have much of a say in it. It was either I was in or cooked.

Now, it involved someone whose sole duty was to ask questions, and when that happened, I’d have to decide how long I would keep answering without saying anything at all.