KARINA

I WAS SITTING IN THE cubicle in the women’s bathroom when they came in. I was waiting for my hands to stop shaking. Karina’s hands would shake. Melissa’s wouldn’t. She was more confident than me. I needed to get into her mindset, be the character, become the character. There wasn’t much point playing the game if I just sat trembling all night.

I was just standing up when I tuned into their conversation. “Who was that with Cole anyway?” one woman was saying. I froze at the sound of his name.

“A nobody. I asked around and no one recognised her.”

“She must be somebody. Someone like him wouldn’t be seen dead with a nobody.”

I was upset at first but then I realised. It was part of the game. All of this was because of how I’d filled in the survey back at Game Inc. They’d worked out how shy I was and set things up so I could learn to be bolder. Well, I’d be bolder. They were only acting. They didn’t really think I was nobody, they were just saying the lines as they were written in the script.

What if Cole was doing that too?

I ignored that question, easily done as I swept out of the toilet cubicle and faced the two women stood in front of the mirrors. “Hi,” I said, smiling broadly at them both. “Nice to meet you, I’m nobody.”

I strode past before they could react, giggling to myself as I returned to the table. He’d been right. This was fun. Cole smiled at me as I sat down. “You look happy,” he said, sliding a glass of champagne across to me.

“I am,” I replied, taking it from him and swigging half in one gulp. I almost choked, ruining the effect somewhat.

As I set the glass down, the lights dimmed and Cole turned to face the stage, as did everyone else. There was a moment of complete silence and then the music started, so loud it made me jump.

A woman stepped out from the curtains in time to the music. She was stunningly beautiful, dressed in a steampunk version of a Victorian dress. Her routine only lasted five minutes but I was enthralled throughout. To call it a burlesque act would be like calling Van Gogh’s sunflowers a painting. It was so much more. She was so confident, holding the entire audience in the palm of her hand as she danced around the stage, gradually removing layers of clothing. I’d never seen anything like it and that was just the start of the show.

By the time Cole leaned over and told me it was time to go, I was in a daze. I’d seen so many things, so many unique performances, and I couldn’t believe they’d all been put on entirely for my benefit. I shuddered to think of how much this was costing Game Inc. The curtains had been down less than a minute before Cole stood up, motioning for me to follow him.

“Where are we going?” I asked as he swept through the held open door to the outside.

“My house,” he replied, spying his limo and walking towards it. “Are you coming?”

I nodded eagerly. Karina might have been more nervous, more reticent about climbing into the car of a strange man, an actor too, someone at home with lies. But for this evening, I wasn’t Karina. I was Melissa. Melissa was bold, confident, assured. She would probably pounce on him as soon as the limo door closed.

I didn’t quite do that but I did go with him. I sat beside him as the limo rolled into the night, bubbles of champagne still popping deliciously inside my head as I tried to think about everything I’d seen. It was a blur of excitement. There’d been burlesque acts, dances, singing, trapeze, all simple words yet none of them adequately described the performances. They were so much more than I ever imagined. Was this what the life of a billionaire was like? Seeing things that were out of this world?

“How are you enjoying your evening?” Cole asked, turning to look at me.

“It’s all right,” I shrugged, not wanting to sound too excited and then immediately blowing it by blurting out, “It’s the most wonderful night I’ve ever had in my life.”

“Good,” he replied. “It’s supposed to be. I paid a lot for your company.”

I thought about the bill for the game. Was that what he was talking about? I sank back into my seat and closed my eyes, feeling dizzy all of a sudden.

When I opened them again, the car had stopped. “Where are we?” I asked.

“My house,” Cole replied, stepping out onto the street.

“Already?”

“You fell asleep.”

“I didn’t, did I?”

“A little. Did you know you suck your thumb in your sleep?”

“I don’t.”

“You do,” he grinned, holding out a hand to help me out of the car.

“Oh God,” I muttered.

“Don’t worry,” he replied. “I thought it was cute.”

“Hmm,” I grumbled as I looked up at where we were.

It was a hell of a house. We’d driven in along a drive, the city blocked out of sight by immense thick hedges. The house itself was huge, lit by spotlights that exposed the huge stone blocks and towering windows that made up a place bigger than anywhere I’d ever seen outside of a period drama. I glanced around me, marvelling at the sight. “I didn’t know anyone had a garden this big round here,” I said, looking at the lawn which vanished into the darkness.

“You should see the back,” Cole said, walking over to the front door which opened as he approached.

“Good evening, Sir,” a man in a butler’s uniform said from the doorway. His eyes flicked to me, registering the merest hint of surprise before he added, “Good evening, Madam.”

“Are you coming in then?” Cole asked before stepping inside and leaving me staring at the butler who seemed unsure whether or not to close the door on me. I thought about turning, for the briefest of moments. Then I took the steps two at a time and went inside to see where this game was going.