The Cheat pt. 3
In the lobby, the cameraman from the show was waiting for us. He stood when we entered, eyeing us in our slippered, pajamed state “Please follow me,” he said, his voice cold. Abbi looked at me confusion on her face, I tried to mirror her expression as we followed him into a sperate room. I walked in and stopped short. The brick masters, as well as the host, were there. They all wore grim expressions. My heart pounded and my hands were cold and shaky. The cameraman offered us seats and we sat down.
“Hello Kris, Abbi.” Brickmaster Jamie said. “Hi,” we replied. Jamie leaned forward in his seat. “I’m sure you are very excited about your win today,” he said Abbi nodded enthusiastically. I nodded along with her. I knew where this was going and I was not looking forward to it. “However,” he continued, looking at Abbi, “I’m afraid it was not a genuine victory.” Abbi looked at him confused. “What do you mean?” she asked glancing at me. “Kris, do you know what he’s talking about?” I struggled to find my voice. “No,” I said, “I have no idea. We won fair and square.” “Yeah,” Abbi said sitting back in her chair, relieved. “We didn’t cheat, we wouldn’t do that.” “I’m afraid you’re mistaken,” Brickmaster Amy said, “You may not have known, but your sister did continue to build after the timer was up.” “What?” Abbi gasps “How could you say that? Kris wouldn’t do that. Would you?” I kept my eyes down but I shook my head. “Besides, I was with her the whole time, I would’ve seen.” “We have footage,” the cameraman interrupted, “She snuck away from the group to complete a piece of your build.” “No!” Abbi yelled. “Neither of us cheated! How could you accuse us like this? My sister is an honest person. She would never cheat or lie. Come on Kris, let’s go.” She starts to stand up but Brickmaster Jamie stops her. “Wouldn’t you like to see the footage?” “Fine,” she says, sitting back down. “It can’t be Kris though. It’s probably somebody else.” The cameraman set a computer on the table and clicks the play button. At first, it’s just an empty hallway, but then I come around the corner and start fiddling with the bricks, putting them together quickly. I glance over at Abbi. The look on her face breaks my heart. She looks betrayed. Like I was on her side and I turned on her. Doing the thing she most hated and most feared. The camera angle switched and I could be seen putting the pieces onto the structure. Then it switched off. The cameraman closed the computer and tucked it back into its bag. Abbi looked at me, heartbreak in her eyes. “How could you do that?” she whispered. I shook my head. “It wasn’t done. I wanted to win.” The hurt turns to anger and she looks away from me, standing up. “Thank you,” she says to the Brickmasters, “for letting me know, I am so sorry.” “That’s ok.” Brickmaster Jamie replied. "I know you didn’t have any part in this but I am afraid we will have to ask you to leave the show.” She nods. “I understand. Thank you for this wonderful experience.” She turns and walks out of the room. I fight back tears as I walk toward the door. I pause before I go out. “I’m sorry,” I whisper turning back to face everyone. “I’m so so sorry.” “Thank you,” Brickmaster Amy says, and I leave.
“Hello Kris, Abbi.” Brickmaster Jamie said. “Hi,” we replied. Jamie leaned forward in his seat. “I’m sure you are very excited about your win today,” he said Abbi nodded enthusiastically. I nodded along with her. I knew where this was going and I was not looking forward to it. “However,” he continued, looking at Abbi, “I’m afraid it was not a genuine victory.” Abbi looked at him confused. “What do you mean?” she asked glancing at me. “Kris, do you know what he’s talking about?” I struggled to find my voice. “No,” I said, “I have no idea. We won fair and square.” “Yeah,” Abbi said sitting back in her chair, relieved. “We didn’t cheat, we wouldn’t do that.” “I’m afraid you’re mistaken,” Brickmaster Amy said, “You may not have known, but your sister did continue to build after the timer was up.” “What?” Abbi gasps “How could you say that? Kris wouldn’t do that. Would you?” I kept my eyes down but I shook my head. “Besides, I was with her the whole time, I would’ve seen.” “We have footage,” the cameraman interrupted, “She snuck away from the group to complete a piece of your build.” “No!” Abbi yelled. “Neither of us cheated! How could you accuse us like this? My sister is an honest person. She would never cheat or lie. Come on Kris, let’s go.” She starts to stand up but Brickmaster Jamie stops her. “Wouldn’t you like to see the footage?” “Fine,” she says, sitting back down. “It can’t be Kris though. It’s probably somebody else.” The cameraman set a computer on the table and clicks the play button. At first, it’s just an empty hallway, but then I come around the corner and start fiddling with the bricks, putting them together quickly. I glance over at Abbi. The look on her face breaks my heart. She looks betrayed. Like I was on her side and I turned on her. Doing the thing she most hated and most feared. The camera angle switched and I could be seen putting the pieces onto the structure. Then it switched off. The cameraman closed the computer and tucked it back into its bag. Abbi looked at me, heartbreak in her eyes. “How could you do that?” she whispered. I shook my head. “It wasn’t done. I wanted to win.” The hurt turns to anger and she looks away from me, standing up. “Thank you,” she says to the Brickmasters, “for letting me know, I am so sorry.” “That’s ok.” Brickmaster Jamie replied. "I know you didn’t have any part in this but I am afraid we will have to ask you to leave the show.” She nods. “I understand. Thank you for this wonderful experience.” She turns and walks out of the room. I fight back tears as I walk toward the door. I pause before I go out. “I’m sorry,” I whisper turning back to face everyone. “I’m so so sorry.” “Thank you,” Brickmaster Amy says, and I leave.
Comments
Post a Comment