Celebrity Bride

Chapter 1|| Bad Reputation

“How was your sleepover with Molly?” I glance up at her as I cook the beef in the fry pan. She grins at me. A grin that never gets old.

“It was awesome! She has a new puppy and it’s so cute! And we went to the shops with her mum and her mum let us get a lolly each and it was just really cool.” She continues on like this, giving me a blow by blow recount of her sleepover with Molly. After what seems like forever of hearing about what games they played and what food they ate, Ruby walks into our small living room and turns on the tv, scrolling through channels until she finds an update on the news of her favourite singer: Matt Peterson. Ugh Matt Peterson is a self-absorbed teenage boy whose daddy learnt how to use auto tune. He is also an incredibly terrible role model for kids.

“What time is mum getting home?” Ruby says as she finds a comfy space on the floor and lies down on her stomach, swinging her legs in the air.

“Ummm, she’ll be back in time for dinner.” I hear Ruby huff as I answer her. She hates it when I never give her a straight answer. She says I sound like a politician, which makes me laugh. While I cook, I listen to the latest news on Matt Peterson, talking about his search for good publicity as he takes part in the 4th series of the reality tv show Celebrity Bride this year. I roll my eyes as his manager talks to the media, saying that Matt is a good kid and he’s “improving” his behaviour. Improving his behaviour my ass.

“Don’t you just love Matt?” Ruby stares at the tv in awe.

“Not really…” I murmur and she continues to watch the television screen at a ridiculously close proximity.

“Dinner is almost ready; do you wanna help me clear up Ruby?” I begin to get out the table cloth as Ruby gets off the floor, trudges into the dining room and clears the table. Mum walks through the door, dropping bags on the ground in the hallway and wiping her forehead dramatically.

“Phew! What a long day! Wow, why does it smell so good in here?” She walks into the dining room, greeted by a hug from Ruby.

“How was your day mum?” I say as we eat our stir fry. I’m glad everyone seems pleased with the meal, because I’m not the best cook in the kitchen.

“It was great, but tomorrow I have to go in for Sally’s shift because she’s on sick leave, so I’ll be working late.” I sigh and rest my head on my hand. Mum always works late. Ruby doesn’t seem to mind as much, as long as she sees mum at some point during the day she’s happy.

“Guess what mum! Matt Peterson, you know him?” Ruby leans over the table towards mum enthusiastically.

“I believe you may have mentioned him a couple of times…” Mum smirks and glances over at me. She knows exactly how much I despise Peterson and all other teen pop singers.

“Yeah, well he is going to be on Celebrity Bride this year! Isn’t that exciting?”  Ruby jumps in her chair and I roll my eyes. Mum looks at Ruby and giggles.

“Isn’t that the tv show old celebrities use to find someone to marry?” Ruby stops jumping and looks at mum like she’s just said that cows grow on trees.

“Usually, but this year it’s different because Matt is on there. He’s gonna choose one girl by the end of the show to take to The Grandmas with him.” She scrunches up her nose as she says “The Grandmas”.

“It’s The Grammys you doof.” We all start laughing and clear the table, still laughing as we clean the dishes. Ruby turns the tv back on and we watch some more of the news when we’ve finished clearing up, the news anchor talking about Celebrity Bride.

“This year, fifty girls between the ages of 16 and 20 will be chosen to compete against each other in the 4th year of Celebrity Bride. To apply, you must be living in America and in between the said age limits.” Ruby sits up in her seat and looks at me expectantly.

“You could go on Celebrity Bride and meet Matt!” She squeals and mum laughs and tells her to quieten down before she irritates the neighbours.

“Each contestant’s family will be given $100 000 for their participation in Celebrity Bride, no matter when they are eliminated from the competition.” I stare at the tv with my mouth wide open.  The other news anchor laughs.

“Well that sounds like a competition to enter for the heck of it.” Ruby looks at me and makes an odd sound like a pleading sob.

“Pleeeeease Tessa! You have to apply for the show!” I laugh at her insistence.

“I can’t Rubs, I have a boyfriend already. And besides, even if I did apply, I might not actually get in.” But even as I say this, I think about the money that I could get for my family. We’re definitely not rich; in fact I would say we are really poor, so the money would do us well. The doorbell rings and I stand to get it.

“Speak of the devil; that must be Tyler.” I wiggle my eyebrows at Ruby. She rolls her eyes at me and I giggle. She thinks it’s gross that I have a boyfriend, even though she is insisting on me falling in love with some celebrity singer on a tv show. I go to the door, straightening up my hair and checking my teeth in the hallway mirror before opening the door.

“Hey Tessie.” I see Tyler standing at the door, a smirk on his face as he pecks me on the lips and takes my hand.

“You ready to go out?” I nod in reply and go to close the door.

“Mum! I’ll be back in a few hours, don’t wait up!” I yell as I walk down the steps of our house with Tyler. As we walk down the street, I start humming Norwegian Wood again.

“What ya humming?” Tyler glances at me. I start singing the song out a loud and Tyler joins in, his voice off pitch, but I just smile and continue singing.

“So I looked around and I noticed there wasn’t a chair.

I sat on her rug, biting my time, drinking her wine,

We talked until two, and then she said

It’s time for bed.” I start laughing at Tyler’s awful singing and he smiles back. I look at him for a while, staring at his gorgeous lips, his perfect dusty brown hair and his startling brown, almost black eyes. He catches me staring and he smirks. I never get tired of that smirk… We walk down to the wharf and I tell him about Ruby begging me to apply for Celebrity Bride, laughing in between sentences. Tyler listens, or appears to listen, but I see him checking out other girls on the wharf but I ignore it. After I’ve finished, he looks at me seriously and searches my eyes.

“The way you’ve said it, it makes it sound like you actually might be thinking about applying, just for the money?” He sounds on edge, as if he can’t believe I would be stupid enough to consider it.

 “I am.” Is all I say, and is the last thing that either of us says until I get home. We mutter goodbyes and I go inside. I watch him kick a stone in frustration when I’m inside and I go up to my bedroom and play on my piano for some therapy.