7 Episode 1.7: Tied Together

Fern informed us first thing in the morning that filming changed to the afternoon due to schedule clashes.

I woke up feeling super moody, maybe PMS going on. Maybe it was also that it was getting closer to the first episode premiere. My secret addiction was checking people's comments. Oh, that cursed live chat function.

There was a comment that kept me from sleeping well last night.

Perhaps they were just trolling, but it was messing with my mind.

"I know Michael from high school. He dumps girls like trash. Marie-ugly as f***! Let's see how long this will last."

It was tearing me apart, not only from the nastiness. I was indeed offended by this person's rude expression of opinion on my appearance. But I was more curious to know more about Michael's background before we met. We only met during university years, and he just seemed like an attractive nerdy guy, nothing that really caught my eye until we lived together closely. Could it be true that Michael had a streak of leaving girls' hearts broken?

Was I living with a heartless player in disguise as a considerate and sexy man?

But all my doubts were thrown out of the window when Michael greeted me with a sunny smile.

He put his hands on his jean pockets as he looked at me and asked me a question.

"So for today," Michael started.

"We don't have to do it, if you're uncomfortable by the way," Michael cajoled.

I returned his smile and I said, "No, it's part of the show and contract anyways to do the challenges. As long as it's all legal we're good."

Michael seemed a bit unhappy with my response, but I didn't dwell on it since I was focused on my thoughts about his reputation.

"Hey Michael?" I asked, as I went to get the cereal and he fed Fluffs.

"Yeah, what's up Marie?" He asked, zoned in on Fluffs eating.

"Did you date a lot in high school and university?" I asked casually. I was still inquisitive though I had no reason to doubt him. And even if he used to be, the past was the past.

"A lot? Ha, I wouldn't say so." He responded. I watched him tick off his fingers, only two.

I felt my chest loosen, when he told me he didn't really date and was honest enough to even show me how many exactly.

"What about you?" He asked. Fluffs finished eating and purred as Michael stroked his fur.

"One in university. The ones in high school I never ended up dating." I said.

Now I sounded like a player instead of him. Blushing beet red, I looked down when he asked me the inevitable question.

"Why do you ask?"

"Oh, one of my friends saw the promo. She's interested." I made up something, and I was surprised at my ability to lie so quickly.

"What's her name?" Michael asked, putting his hands behind his head, peering at me.

I stuttered, "Name?"

"Aren't you going to introduce us?"

"No." I said.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to." Now here when I should have been able to lie I clearly could not.

Michael didn't freeze like I thought he might.

Instead he twisted his head to make eye contact.

"That's good, because I like you, and not your friend."

That shut me up completely.

Eh, brain computing. Resetting, unable to comprehend and absorb information. This was the second time Michael confirmed his feelings to me, but we hadn't had a good moment to talk about it. Maybe now was the time.

At that moment, Fern called me.

I looked away from Michael, feeling frustrated we couldn't talk more. I picked up the call.

"Hi, Fern!" I said.

"Hello, Marie! I wanted to call since I've been texting a lot and my fingers hurt ha! Filming starts at three pm. I will be there today to assist, along with one cameraman. Please relay to Michael that we'll start at three!"

We ended the call with pleasantries and I told Michael the information Fern gave me.

"Are you ready to be tied up?" Michael teased, winking at me.

I just died and went to hell from the vulgar thoughts popping up everywhere like a virus. I had to purge myself from all these thoughts in order to come back to earth. Take a very long shower.

—

Having Fern there in person was great. It wasn't just her texting but her loud voice announcing everything and making jokes that had me in stitches.

"Alright, here is the truth or dare card pack," she pulled a condom pack out of her pocket and I laughed.

"Oh how did that get there. Uh, Andre has the cards," Fern said.

Andre the cameraman gave Fern the cards.

"The rules are, every half an hour we will switch which part of the body is tied together. First we do left hands. I will read all the truth or dare options. Since it's only two of you, whoever's younger starts first."

Fern held both my and Michael's hands and squeezed, commenting, "Squish squish. Oh Michael, your hands are big huh?"

She helped us wrap the binding cloth around our left hands and tied the loose ends tightly.

I got to choose first, and I knew people probably guessed what I would say. So I went the other way.

"Dare!"

"Write a fifty word story, with your hand that is not the dominant. You and your partner must write on one piece of paper with one pen, twenty five words each (If you usually use left, then use right.)"

That left hand situation got us sitting really close. I was practically on his lap since we were both right handed and both needed to write using one pen. I realized through this game challenge week that Michael was really competitive, just a bit more than I was. I could smell Michael's cologne, and his warm arms encircling me when I wrote the first words.

"Once upon a time, there was a jellyfish called Dean. He liked eating carrots and peas. He was very nice but his eyes were weak."

Done!

Michael took over, putting his right hand through our bonded left hands to reach the paper.

"Dean was secretly a mercenary. He killed all his friends. Gaming was very fun. He did not win the games. That made him sadly salty."

I couldn't stop laughing as Michael said the words out loud, looking so concentrated. When he finished, he looked at me like a proud kid.

Then it was Michael's turn to choose truth or dare. He chose the dare option too.

It was a dance challenge dare. That which I totally won, because Michael couldn't dance very well. His best move was the chicken dance, and he couldn't even do that with one hand.

We did a few truths.

"Give us a random definition for the word salacious."

"It means you have no salary." I deadpanned.

"Tell us about someone you liked Michael, and what that was like."

"She's not very good at taking care of pets. Sleeps like she'll never wake up. Cooks really well. Has a good heart to teach kids. Funny, kind, and beautiful."

Both Michael and I were staring at each other then, and a tension rose into the air between us.

Fern cleared her throat as tomato colors started appearing on my cheeks, "Alright then, Marie? Truth or dare?"

We had to switch the binding cloth to our legs after half an hour.

Fern said, "This one's an outdoor dare. You have to go buy these five things at the drugstore."

We went with the camera following us but by the time we left our flat, it was raining. Not just pitter patter but a full storm was coming suddenly.

If it started thundering and raining really badly, production crew policy was to take a break from filming if weather conditions were very bad outdoors.

"Filming is over for today!" Fern announced. They had to go back to the studio to work on some other deadlines. They dashed off to catch a bus soon after.

The strange tension remained between us, and all the world fell away to just me and Michael in the pouring rain, under the green bus shelter near our home.

"What do you want, Michael? Are we just playing here? Is this just for show?" I asked, biting my lip in thought.

"I want you." He said.

Unsatisfied with the short answer, I tried to walk off, but forgot we were still tied together by the leg so I half dragged him with me by accident. He cupped my hands with his, kneeling down to untie us.

"Marie. I want you, not just your body. You are gorgeous. But I want to know you as a person better, I want to know what makes you smile and what makes you cry. I want to wipe your tears away and I want to be the one to see you smile first thing every day." He breathed in and I leaned against him as he pulled me into his chest.

I mumbled against him, "Are you a closeted poet?"

I was impressed by his sincerity and how brave and bold he was to keep confirming and confessing his feelings to me. I didn't want to deny my feelings for him anymore either. For a while, I tried to keep love interests out because I was blocking my feelings and trying not to get hurt again.

"Will you go out with me on a date tomorrow?" He asked.

The binding cloth fell off and blew away from its frayed edges on our trousers.

I nodded and said, "Yes, I'll go out with you."