Bonnie holds her mug of tea like some kind of security blanket. All the girls have been gathered together in one of the lounge rooms. Both the field producers, Darcy and Mel, are instructing crew. They’ve already filmed the part where Hayley rushed in, calling out to all the other girls that she’d ‘found’ a date card. They were told to scream with excitement, so much so that they had to do it three times ‘to get it just right’.

Now they’re just sitting and waiting. Bonnie looks around the large group. She’s still a bit unsure on a couple of their names. Some of them look like they’ve just hung up their high school uniforms; they’re so fresh and bouncy.

‘Next time there’s a date card, I’ll read the clue out,’ Imogen tells the group, stating it as a fact rather than a question.

Every time Imogen opens her mouth, Bonnie feels irritated by her. It’s barely been thirty-six hours since they’ve been in the mansion and she’s already hoping Imogen will be kicked off at the next key ceremony.

‘That’s not a problem is it, Bonnie?’ Imogen is staring at her.

Bonnie realises she must have been glaring and shakes her head. ‘Whatever you want to do.’

‘Okay,’ Darcy says, calling their attention. ‘Hayley is going to read us the date clue first and then, Hayley, I want you to ask the group what they think the date could be.’

Hayley tosses her hair, eager for the spotlight. Bonnie exchanges a smile with Cassie, one of the girls she’s actually had a decent conversation with. Cassie has a five-year-old son, who she’s yet to tell Ty about. She’s desperate for some one-on-one time so she can tell him without being interrupted.

‘Then you can read whose name is on the card. Just make sure to take your time.’

‘In other words, drag it out!’ Kristy quips.

There’s laughter among the group—they’re already getting familiar with how everything works.

Darcy seems pleased they get the basic mechanics of the show. ‘Exactly!’ She looks around the group. ‘Any questions?’

Bonnie wants to ask where Darcy got her blue top from, but figures that’s not the type of question she’s after right now.

‘All right.’ She glances to the crew, some with cameras, others with boom microphones, another holding a light reflector. ‘Three … two … one … action.’

Hayley pushes out her chest, clearly confident with all eyes on her. ‘Okay, girls, I’ll read the clue first.’ Her voice is pitched unbearably high and Bonnie is half expecting her to burst out into cheer. Last night after a few drinks Hayley had happily done one of her cheer routines and then tried to teach some of the other girls the cheerleading moves. Bonnie had not been one of them.