Page 106 of Unscripted

I didn’t wait for him to reply. I turned and hurried into the garden. I needed to find Callum.

I had made it halfway across the lawn when I realized something was wrong. None of the cast was in the garden. Instead, crew members were flooding in, fanning out across the villa’s backyard. Some were setting up lights; some were carrying in building equipment.

Had I actually been struck by lightning like I hoped for earlier?

I stumbled into the villa, hoping to find someone who could tell me what was going on.

Ella was in the hallway, about to walk into the glam room. She spotted me and yelled out, “Poppy! Where have you been?”

“Outside. I mean, the smoking area. What the hell is going on? Where is everyone?” I was trying not to panic, but I could feel Callum slipping away from me the longer it took to find him. He already felt out of reach. Like the loss was already setting in.

“We’re leaving.”

“Leaving?”

“Yeah. To a hotel for the night? Did Harry not brief you?”

“No, what are you . . . Wait, why are we going to a hotel? What is going on?”

My chest felt shallow, like I couldn’t get a proper breath of air down, and a dull ringing started to build in my ears.

“The show is over, Pop.”

“Over?”

As if on cue, as though the producers had been watching and waiting for the perfectly timed moment, the speakers overhead crackled and a voice called out to the villa, confirming what Ella had said to be true.

“Bellas, that is a wrap on Season Seven of Bella Amore!”

47

So that was it. The show was done.

There wouldn’t be a final sunset or swim in the pool or chat by the fire pit. Not one more cocktail party or game of truth or dare. Just like that, it was over.

Ella grabbed my arm, pulling me into the glam room with her.

"It's fucked they didn't tell us sooner," she said. "Anyway, we're all going to that hotel we were held in before filming because they need to flip the villa for the live finale tomorrow."

I was struggling to keep up with her, both physically and mentally. The glam room was a madhouse. Molly and Chiara were packing up their things, tossing away old bottles of makeup and self-tanner. Crew members were coming in and out as well, striking lights and hidden cameras. It was all happening around me, a hurricane of activity, and yet all I could do was stand there and stare out into space.

I still hadn't said anything, still didn't know what to say. Ella must have seen the distress written across my face because she stopped and turned to me.

"Pop, it's all okay. Just pack up your makeup and toiletries. The producers will get anything else we need."

"I need to talk to Callum."

"Can't," she said as she shoved things into her Louis Vuitton makeup cases. "They already left for the hotel. Boys and girls are to be separated until the start of the show tomorrow night."

My heart dropped, and I thought I was going to be sick then and there, all over the vanities.

"Honestly, where were you the last half hour?” Ella continued, looking at me like I had gone insane.

Maybe I had.

All I could do was blink at her. My mind was shutting down. I could feel it happening, the cold grip of disassociation washing over me.

Chiara chimed in from across the room where she was wrapping up her curling irons. “It’s so sad, I’m going to miss this place so much.”