Out Of Focus (Wattys 2023)

17. No, Nopety, Nope.

"You'll be pleasantly surprised to hear that there will be a thousand times less drama today."

It's what Lisa's saying to Shayne as he grabs his headset and clipboard for the day, his body going through the motions of a guy who's having an internal meltdown.

"We'll be focusing on confessionals, getting those personal insights from the final four," she continues, her voice drained (Shayne can't help but think she needs a longer break between shoots).

"We'll cap off the afternoon with a big announcement from Oliver that should make things a bit more interesting."

Shayne arches an eyebrow, "Where's Oliver been anyway? He's been MIA all day."

Lisa sighs, rolling her eyes. "Oh, you know him, being all moody. He's been like that ever since Ava's elimination. I'm sure he's off sulking somewhere, pondering the meaning of life or something equally dramatic."

Shayne chuckles, imagining Oliver dramatically contemplating his existence, but knowing the meaning behind his sulking has nothing to do with an influencer who couldn't tell up from down. "That sounds right on the money to me."

Lisa nods. "Tell me about it. Anyway, your job today is to wrangle the confessionals. We have the final four remaining, and we need those juicy soundbites. Keep it light, keep it entertaining. You're the master of getting the contestants to spill their secrets."

(She has no fucking idea.)

"Consider it done."

With a pat on the back, Lisa moves on to attend to other tasks, leaving Shayne to prepare for the day ahead. He makes his way back to the confessional room, the camera glaring at him knowingly.

"Yeah yeah," he says to it. "I know you've seen some shit."

He shifts the confessional chair so it's dead center with the camera and takes a step back to plop down in a chair behind it. As he's adjusting it, Sophia struts into the room, exuding confidence and determination.

"Hey, Shayne," Sophia says, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Ready for some Kardashian-level revelations?"

Shayne chuckles, knowing that Sophia is always full of surprises. "Absolutely, Sophia. Lay it on me."

Sophia smirks, taking a seat in front of the camera. She leans in, her voice dripping with drama. "Alright, Shayne, here's the scoop. Behind the scenes, I've been secretly training my pet turtle, Turbo, to be a social media influencer. I'm telling you, turtle posts are the next big thing!"

Shayne's eyes widen in mock surprise. "You've cracked the code, Sophia! Turtle influencers will take over the world!"

They both burst into laughter, the tension from the intense competition momentarily forgotten. Shayne leans in, his tone playful. "But seriously, how are you feeling about making it this far? Any doubts creeping in?"

Sophia's confident facade wavers for a moment, and she shrugs. "I'm not gonna lie, Shayne. It's getting intense. I've worked so hard to be where I am, and I don't plan on giving up. But there's always that nagging voice in the back of my head, wondering if I'm good enough if I'll be able to handle the pressure. It's a rollercoaster, but I'm here to ride it to the top!"

Shayne nods. "You've got this, Sophia. The Kardashians would be shaking in their stilettos if they saw your drive."

As Sophia exits the confessional room, Shayne takes a deep breath, ready for the next contestant. Harper strides in with her signature confidence, keeping the theme rolling.

"Shayne, my man," Harper says, giving him a nod. "Let's cut through the bullshit and get to the good stuff, shall we?"

Shayne grins, appreciating Harper's directness. "Absolutely, Harper. No time for small talk. Lay it on me."