Inside Straight

“They suck,” he replied. “But I didn’t exactly do great in the challenge, so I don’t want to be unfair to them.”

“Are you worried that as the newcomer to the team, you’re vulnerable?”

DB shrugged. “You never know how these things are going to work out.”

I had to admire his coolness. It was obvious that his head was on the chopping block. He’d been beyond stupid in the challenge, and he wasn’t a real Diamond.

Digger dealt out the cards. Once again, Tiff pulled her choice out immediately and laid it facedown in front of her. Drummer Boy also made his selection quickly. I pulled DB’s card out and put it face down.

Jetman was the only one who hadn’t pulled a card yet. I saw him looking at the three of us and I was baffled by why this was difficult for him—unless he was breaking the Diamonds alliance. I hated to think that. He slowly pulled a card out and slid it across to Digger.

Digger collected the rest of the cards and shuffled them. He cradled the small deck in his hand. “Time to see who stays and who goes,” he said.

He flipped the first card over and placed it on the table. The Amazing Bubbles. My pudgy face smiled up at me. Figures, I thought. No doubt, Drummer Boy would like me out.

The next card was flipped. Drummer Boy. He frowned, but what did he expect? “One-to-one so far,” Digger said.

He turned the third card. It was Tiffani. I looked at Jetman. He gave me a calm, steady look. Had he really voted for Tiffani? Or had Drummer Boy voted for her? Had he voted for me? All I knew was that Tiff and I were voting for DB. Then Digger flipped the last card.

The Amazing Bubbles.

“And the pair takes the lady out,” Digger said.

My hands began to shake, and I slipped them into my lap. I knew I must look shocked, and I was.

“Tough luck, Bubbles,” Digger said. “So, will you be going back to your modeling career now?”

I pushed away from the table and stood up. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. I could almost feel the cameras zooming in on my face. They would want to see the pain.

Jetman came around the table and hugged me. He whispered in my ear. “I voted for Tiffani, Bubbles. She made an alliance with DB. They wanted me with them, but I wouldn’t play ball. Screw the metagame. I won’t play like that.” He squeezed me tighter. “And I knew you wouldn’t believe she was stabbing you in the back.” He let me go then. I stood there like a deer in the headlights.

Tiffani had betrayed me.

Drummer Boy was shaking my hand. “No hard feelings, Bubbles. It’s just a game.”

Tiff was standing behind him, but I couldn’t look at her. I didn’t want to talk to her, or hear her excuses. I just turned and went to my room.

~ ~ ~

I was shoving the last of my clothes into my bag when I heard a knock on the door. “Michelle, it’s me.”

It was Tiff. A wave of nausea swept over me.

“I’m not in the mood,” I said.

“Look, I’m not going to apologize for voting you off,” she said through the door.

I jammed my last piece of clothing into my bag and yanked the zipper closed. “Well, thank goodness for that,” I replied. I felt as though I might throw up.

“It’s just… I mean… I just got your presents.”

I’d forgotten the presents. I’d taken the money the show had given me and spent it on Tiff for the things she’d wanted but hadn’t bought for herself. I’d had Bergdorf’s send the packages with the perfume and cashmere shawl around to the house. I felt like an extra-special idiot.

“You know, I never asked you to spend your money on me,” Tiff said. “And I never promised you anything.”

I went to the door and yanked it open. “I know you didn’t promise me anything. I gave you those things because I thought you would like them. Because you spent the money you could have spent on yourself on your family instead.” I took a big breath. My entire body was shaking now. “Don’t think that makes me less pissed at you. You did something rotten and underhanded.” I wanted to slap her.

“I know I let you down,” she said, giving me a pleading look. “I just didn’t have any other choice.”

I grabbed my bags off the bed. Then, as I brushed by her, I said tightly, “There are always choices, Tiff.”

She called after me, but I ignored her.

~ ~ ~

The Discard Pile was stunning. At least, if I was going to hang with the losers, it would be in top-notch style.

The living room was large—it had to be. Eleven of the discarded AH players were already living there. Twelve now, with me. And two more were on their way.

I discovered that every time there were new Discards, the house members threw a party.

A very loud, drunken party. It was just what I was in the mood for.

After several glasses of champagne, I asked the Maharajah to show me to my room. I unpacked, then went back down. The party was in full swing. Joker Plague’s new album was cranked to eleven, and everyone was dancing like it was the end of the world. I grabbed a bottle of champagne and got out in the middle of it all.

~ ~ ~