“I’m just dumb like that,” I said.
“Alanna, will you accept this tiara?” asked Bellamy.
“I suppose,” she said, looking beautifully devastated over the display of affection that he and I had just shared. She joined Jessica and me, but she stood a couple of inches off her X and wouldn’t look my way.
Vanessa was next, then Tamika and Klassie. Then there were just three girls remaining: Shar, Deb, and Amy. Shar was wearing a pink sequined dress with matching shoes and a purple feather boa. Her face was covered in splotches and fresh tears were running down her face. She looked like a big old mess.
“Bellamy, can I have a word with you? Please? Please?” she begged.
“Yes Shar, but I’ve made up my mind already,” he said.
Instead of going away for a moment with him, she just started blathering: “Maybe if I could just talk to you. Maybe then! Maybe I could change your mind. Bellamy, I have never left the country. Never! Everybody has been some place but me.”
“I haven’t either,” Deb interrupted.
Shar ignored her and continued, “I‘ve only been to five states. Only five! I want to see the world! You could do that for me. And I really like you! Don’t you think I’m more fun that these other girls? Don’t you think I’m hotter than them?”
“Shar, stop please,” he said.
“You’re going to… send me home, aren’t you? Don’t! Please don’t.”
“Shar, please…”
“But I’m so… hot. …I have a… hot body… and I’m… fun,” she said, choking out the words as she swatted at the stream of snot running from her nose.
“Deb,” said Bellamy, holding up the last tiara, “will you accept this Deluxe ruby and Swarovski crystal tiara?”
“Yes,” she said, helping him set it on her head. She joined the rest of us.
“Amy, Shar,” said Catalina Cartwright, “your time here on Bellamy’s Redemption is over. Please say goodbye.”
“I have nothing to say to you,” said Shar, brushing past Bellamy.
“Fair enough,” he said. “Amy, may I walk you out?”
“Sure,” she said, waving goodbye to the rest of us. She didn’t look too upset.
“That was so embarrassing,” said Alanna. She shook her head and sighed a delicately sweet little sigh. “I feel so sorry for her,” she continued. “Meltdowns like that make me cringe inside. Poor thing! She needs professional help.”
“I know! How sad,” said Deb.
“Oh. Well, anyway, that was horrible to watch. Horrible! I really hope she is going to be okay,” said Alanna.
I thought it was fascinating how Alanna had completely insulted Shar, yet managed to do so in a way that made herself look kind and concerned. As if to reinforce this, Deb said, “You’re such a good person, Alanna.”
“Oh, stop,” said Alanna.
“Shar’s pretty tough. I think she’ll survive this,” I said.
“Oh, you think so? In that case, I guess there is nothing to worry about,” said Alanna. She gave me a tight, plastic smile and turned away. Clearly, she was still mad about the kiss.
“That was not easy! Not easy at all,” said Bellamy, rejoining us. “I’m still sweating from that one! I made the right choices, though. I’m very glad you’re my final seven. To all of you, my final seven,” he said again, raising his glass. “I have some news for you: You may think I didn’t send any of you packing, but actually, I am sending you all packing!”
“What do you mean?” asked Deb.
“We’re leaving tonight for Venice! You all have one hour to pack your bags and meet me back here.”
We all jumped up and down, screaming. Alanna even lost her composure for a moment. We knew we were finally something special when we saw that a limo, not a bus, was waiting outside to shuttle us back to our house.