Read About Love

Jake slipped beneath the water, letting the weights drag him under to the stone floor.

He’d tried breath control to submerge himself, but found he didn’t have the patience. But he’d seen videos of athletes using hand weights to do it and borrowed a pair of dumbbells from the little home gym they’d provided him. Holding those, he could simply hold his breath and sink to the bottom of his pool.

Was this stupid? Could he hurt himself doing it? He didn’t know, or particularly care.

The view from the bottom of his pool was magnificent. It was built such that one could enter it either in his suite or through the balcony. He could even swim between the two by going under a little wall. Inside, the pool’s floor was smooth stone, but outside, it was perfectly clear glass that looked straight out over the cliff.

That had been intimidating at first, but now Jake was getting used to it. It was the whole reason he was even running this experiment. He wanted to feel like he was walking in the sky, and it really did.

Jake was hiding. He didn’t want to admit it, but that’s what he was doing.

He’d promised AJ he wouldn’t do this, and had mostly kept his word. But there were limits, and one of them was definitely emergent feelings for his gender-swapped best friend.

No, that one he needed some time to process on his own, now that he’d seen her off. He even had tried to call and text AJ about it, but found her uncharacteristically unresponsive. Probably with Lacy, now that he thought about it, going over the details of the exact same evening he was turning over in his own head.

After a moment admiring the view, Jake’s lungs began to burn. He let the dumbbells drop to the glass bottom, and for a moment saw a nightmare vision of them breaking the glass bottom of the pool to wash him out over the cliffside. When instead they only settled down at the bottom harmlessly, he allowed himself to float to the surface.

As he gasped for breath, Jake’s attention was drawn by a loud ringing from the hotel’s phone. He paddled to the outdoor stairs and climbed out of the pool.

“Hello?” He answered just before it would have gone to voicemail.

Jake found Leah’s voice on the other line.

“Good afternoon, love,” She said in a seductive purr that sent a shiver up his spine. “I was wondering if you’d had a chance to log into your laptop today.”

“Uh, no. I haven’t really paid attention to it at all,” he admitted. “Honestly, getting away from screens for a while is one of the only nice things about being here.”

“You may want to take some time to do that,” She encouraged. “I received a call from my benefactors today. No feedback on our performance, naturally, but they informed me of some changes they’re making to the game.”

It took him a moment to grasp her meaning.

“Benefactors? You mean the producers?” He asked, alarm rising.

“Yes. But there’s no need for concern,” Leah said. “They’re offering you some boons, that’s all. Think of them as perks in a video game. They’ve been a big hit on the other iterations of the show we’re running.”

Jake felt a flash of irritation. What the fuck were they imposing on him now?

“And will I get to choose these perks?” Jake asked.

“Unclear. They either didn’t tell me, or it’s been blocked from my head as some sort of competitive advantage.”

She seemed to take this latter possibility with remarkable grace.

“I’ll make it a point to check it out,” Jake said. “I don’t suppose I could drop by and go over it with you, could I? My guest tonight isn’t coming until late.”

He and Megan had worked that out in advance, having agreed to minimize their time together as much as possible in order to spare themselves from curse-induced awkwardness.

The line went dead for a moment.

“Hello? Leah?” He asked.

When her voice finally responded, it was terse.

“Not a good idea. If there’s a mental block on my knowing your boons, I might not be able to help. And at any rate, I’m far too busy. I’m to announce the next contest tomorrow and I have an all-hands meeting of the contestants to prepare for.”

“Really? Do you know what it is yet?” He asked.

There was shuffling from her end of the line, and her voice had a breathy quality when she finally spoke up.

“I suspect I won’t know until I’m almost ready to present,” She said. “Darling, I really need to run. See you tomorrow!”

The line went dead. Something was going on with her, and he wasn’t sure what.

But he was drawn away from his percolating suspicion by the chime of the elevator. A guest was coming up, and if she’d done so without his explicit permission, there was only one guest it could be.

Megan.

Jake looked down at his erection and swore. He’d been outrageously turned on since his evening with Lacy, and nothing he did could seem to fix it. He needed to get decent, and fast, if Megan was joining him.

He grabbed a towel, hurriedly drying off so he could be dressed in something that wouldn’t show off his little problem by the time his sister arrived in the room.

The elevator doors opened, and Megan gingerly stepped out. At a glance, she looked as good as Jake had ever seen her. She wore a fashionable blue and green crop top with a collar that swooped into a cleavage baring v. Her long legs were shown off by a high waisted plaid skirt and knee socks that, along with the loose, over shoulder braid she’d pulled her auburn hair into, made her look girlish.

Yet as she stepped inside, beelining for his bed, he could see something else, too. Beneath the makeup, there were bags beneath her eyes, which were tired and bloodshot. She looked around, but didn’t appear to see him in his spot on the patio before she flopped onto his bed face first, with an audible moan of relief.

“Boo!” He said loudly, by way of announcing himself

“Gyyaauugh!” Megan cried out, leaping up into a sitting position.

Her glasses sat askew on her face as she looked around frantically, but she relaxed when she found him.

“Jake?!” She said, straightening herself up. “You scared the crap out of me!”

Jake laughed.

“I’m sorry,” He said. “I couldn’t resist.”

Megan sighed.

“Is there some sort of contract that older brothers sign to torment their siblings regardless of age?”

“It’s more a holy oath,” Jake corrected.

She let out a giggle at that, her previous tenseness easing.

“Not that I begrudge your company,” He said. “But I thought we’d agreed that we’d meet up as late as possible.”

“Yeah. That’s why I didn’t think you’d be here,” She said with a frown. “Not that I mind seeing you. I mean, I kinda did because you scared me, but I don’t normally mind…”

Jake held up a hand, grinning.

“Megs. It’s cool,” He said. “No worries.”

She was fidgeting with her skirt. Flushed. Barely sitting still.

“You okay? You seem kinda tense.”

“Hmm?” She asked, then managed to blush a little brighter. “Oh. Yeah, I’m okay. Just…well, it’s been a challenging couple of days. I can’t sleep and things have been a little crazy. Just needed a break away from everyone, y’know?”

Jake thought about how he was hiding out here and nodded.

“Boy do I,” He said, taking a seat on the bed next to her. “You wanna talk about it?”

She worried at the hem of her skirt for a moment, shifted uncomfortably, then shook her head.

“No. No, I don’t think that’s a great idea,” She said. “Besides, you’ve got so much going on already. I don’t want to add to your troubles.”

Jake had to suppress a laugh. Add to his troubles? He’d much rather deal with someone else’s for a bit than his own. But how to tell her that?

“Megan, I’m your brother,” He said gently. “Of course you can talk to me. And we haven’t spent enough time together the last couple years.”

Megan looked him over uncertainly.

“Are you sure?” She asked again. “It’s a little awkward.”

“I’m totally sure,” He said, putting an arm around her.

It was Megan. How weird could it be?

Megan let out a deep breath and then said, as if to mock this last thought, “I think the universe is trying to have sex with me.”

That weird, apparently.

“Uhm…you wanna elaborate on that a little?”

She frowned, fidgeting with her skirt.

“It’s partly my curse. It’s partly…other people’s,” She said. “But I think this island is trying to **** me into getting physical with people.”

He frowned.

“Megs, nobody…did anything to you, right?” He asked. “Nobody **** anything on you or pushed you too far.”

The “because if they did, I’ll fucking shank them” was left merely implied.

But as he asked the question, her eyes went wide and she shook her head vigorously.

“No! No, nothing like that at all,” She said hurriedly. “Everyone’s been extremely nice to me.”

She reddened slightly.

“If anything, I think I might have made someone you care about really uncomfortable.”

Well, nobody could fault Megan for earnestness. As far as Jake was concerned, it was her most admirable quality.

“Okay,” He said. “Why don’t we start at the beginning, then. What’s going on?”

Megan nodded, and relaxed a little. The comment had the effect he’d hoped it would. She was putting the pieces together in her own head. Comfortable because she was analyzing.

“So Exe and I had a fight the other night,” She said. “I guess that’s where it really started.”

*****

Despite how chatty she’d been the rest of the day, Megan’s roommate and burgeoning friend had grown very quiet as they made their way back to their underwater suite. Exe was fidgety; distracted. Observing her, Megan wondered if she’d done something to upset her.

“So, how about Lacy, huh?” She tried, hoping to **** some conversation. “You really did good work, helping with her clothes and makeup and stuff.”

“Hmmm?” Exe said, turning to look at her. “Oh…yeah. That was kind of fun, honestly. Doubt it’ll do me any good, but it was fun at least.”

Megan cocked her head.

“Do you any good? What do you mean?”

“Everyone thinks I sabotaged her or whatever,” Exe grumbled. “I’m sure they’ll keep on thinking it no matter what I do for her. I bet some fucking geniuses watching this show will even talk themselves into a theory that I only helped because I did it.”

Megan wrinkled her nose.

“That doesn’t make any sense,” She said. “Why try to bump her off if you’re just going to turn around and assist her staying later?”

Exe gave a tired smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“You’re new to audiences,” She said. “Every popular show or stream or whatever has a bunch of galaxy-brained assholes who have more fun speculating about every little detail than just watching what happens.”

Exe shrugged.

“You get used to that kinda thing when you present a lot. People used to accuse me of faking everything, even before I was actually doing it,” She said. “You just kind of ignore them and move on as best you can…or, well, you normally do when they don’t decide your fate, anyway.”

Megan nodded, absorbing the info. Yet again, she was grateful she’d adopted AJ’s approach of being herself. It seemed much easier than trying to outhink an audience that was busy outthinking itself.

Still, she recognized a good time for conciliatory words when she saw one.

“Hey,” Megan said, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze anyway. “I know you didn’t do it.”

Exe seemed to relax a bit at that.

“Thanks,” She said, her voice less terse than it had been. “And you’ve been awesome.”

They were at the base of the sloping hall that led to their suite now, and Exe released Megan’s hand to rummage through all the makeup and accessories in her purse for the keycard.

“But, like…whatever, that’s not why I’m in a mood anyway,” She said.

Megan reached into her own purse, a compact, neatly organized leather handbag about a quarter the size of Exe’s, and unlocked the door.

“Then what’s the matter?” Megan asked, opening the door for her.

Exe gave out an exaggerated groan, tossing her purse aside.

“I dunno. I’m exhausted,” She said. “And like, weirdly turned on for no reason. I think I just need some space.”

She wasn’t the only one. All day, a steady flush of heat had been growing in Megan. She didn’t know what was causing it, but it had been getting harder and harder to ignore.

“Do you need the shower?” Megan asked, thinking that over. “Because if not, I think I’m going to take one.”

A good, cold shower should solve her problem. It usually did, anyway.

“No. It’s all yours,” Exe said, seeming to cheer up a little.

She clapped her hands together.

“This is great! You take a shower. I’ll head off to the bedroom. Private time for everyone!”

Megan nodded. She wasn’t sure what Exe was so excited about, but the more she thought about how uncomfortable she was, the more she was fixated on getting to that cold water.

It didn’t help.

Megan always took her time with showers. If they were a place most people turned their brains off, or at least allowed them to wander freely, they were an opportunity to refocus for her. By turning her body to autopilot, she could turn her brain to whatever was bothering her and worry over the problem.

The problem now was herself. Why was she feeling like this? Megan could usually get by with about two “special research sessions” a semester, but today, her desires were all-consuming. She didn’t even know what (or, she supposed, who) it was she was even desiring, only that the desire was both very intense, and getting stronger. Oddly, it was Emily of all people she kept daydreaming of, her mind drifting back to her own brother’s girlfriend with her cute freckles, luxurious hair and perfect figure, bared for anyone and everyone to see.

Had she ever even thought of another woman’s figure as perfect? With a little grunt of frustration, she scrubbed her back more vigorously, as though doing so could wipe thoughts she shouldn’t be thinking (or at least people she shouldn’t be thinking them about) out of her head.

By the time she gave up and stepped out, she’d only managed to go from tired and frustrated to tired and frustrated with wet hair. She dried off hastily and wrapped herself in one of the hotel’s comfortable, though obnoxiously revealing bathrobes and stepped back into the suite’s living room.

And had to stifle a scream when she found she was being watched.

A large blue eye was staring in at her, easily the size of her head. It was attached to a huge, slender body, from which a handful of tentacles had planted themselves on the glass walls of the fishbowl they lived in.

She was face to face with a real life giant squid.

She moved toward its large eye, terrified despite knowing it couldn’t reach her in here. As she reached out a finger to it, it detached itself from the living room. A bioluminescent ripple danced along its body, then it propelled itself toward their bedroom tunnel and out of her sight.

Suddenly more excited than mindful, she burst through the door and into her bedroom, looking all around for the creature she’d been watching.

Instead, she was met by a piercing shriek.

The squid was nowhere to be found when she turned towards it, only Exe. Her roommate was naked from the waist down and withdrawing from a spread eagle position. An expensive massage wand was hastily dropped on the bed as she retreated beneath her covers.

“What the FUCK, Megan?” She cried.

Megan’s initial confusion was replaced by mounting horror at what she’d just done. She shielded her eyes.

“I’m sorry!” She squeaked. “Ohmygod, I’m so sorry!”

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Exe yelled.

She seemed to notice then that she’d left her wand above the covers and quickly snatched it, pulling it under with her.

“What fucking part of private time did you not understand?”

“I didn’t know!” Megan pleaded. “I was just following the squid!”

“Squi-? What are you talking about?”

“The…you know…” Megan motioned to the ocean surrounding their transparent walls. “The squid that just swam by.”

“I didn’t see any fucking squid!” Exe snapped. “Are you high or something?”

Megan stood there, mouth agape, fumbling for an explanation.

“I saw this giant…”

Giant squid. Which live a heck of a lot deeper underwater than this. And wouldn’t be in a climate this warm anyway. She’d been so mystified by the sight that she hadn’t stopped to think about the impossibility of it.

That’s when she understood.

“It was my curse!” She said. “I bet that’s what’s going on here.”

“Megan, you’ve completely stopped making sense,” Exe said, exasperated.

Deep breaths, Megan.

“At the end of Round 1, I got a curse that puts me in sexualized situations,” Megan explained. “I suppose they claimed it was a reward, but it certainly doesn’t feel like one.”

“Oh, Jesus Christ,” Exe said, shoving her face into her palm. “Yeah, okay…that tracks. Ugh, fucking hell with this place.”

“I’m really sorry,” Megan repeated again.

She was sure there were points in her life at which she’d been more embarrassed, but she was having a hard time thinking of any right now.

“I know!” Exe interrupted, raising a hand. “Look, you can stop apologizing. It’s fine. I know you didn’t mean to.”

“I’m sorr-”

“Motherfucker!”

This time Megan just pursed her lips and nodded. Exe let out a heavy sigh, pushing her tangled brown hair back.

“Well, I didn’t even come close to finishing, so either get under here and help or get the hell out of here,” She said.

Megan was all too eager to take her up on that latter invitation, and turned to the door to make her retreat.

“Wait!” Exe cried after her, stopping her in her tracks.

Megan looked back at her warily.

“Megan…are you a virgin?”

“I’d have thought that much was obvious,” Megan muttered. “Why do you ask?”

“It explains a lot,” Exe said, and must have seen her wince, as she swiftly added, “Not that that’s like, a bad thing. I just kinda get it now.”

Exe seemed to relax a bit at the admission, however.

“Fuck…” She murmured. “Megan, I’m…sorry about the blowup. It was embarrassing, is all.”

“It’s okay,” Megan said. “I should have known better.”

“Look, I’ve been really frustrated all day.” Exe said with a sigh. “I didn’t mean to take it out on you. I’d have been more chill if I’d known your…history, or whatever.”

Megan nodded, but thought it over. They were both really horny. Neither of them knew why. They were on a show that actively seemed to want them all having sex.

“I wonder if the showrunners are encouraging our arousal somehow,” She mused aloud. “**** or pheromones or something.”

“Fair-a-what?” Exe asked.

“Animal hormones. They serve a variety of functions, but one of them is definitely arousing libido,” Megan said. “The thought occurred to me because…well, I’ve been feeling the same way.”

Exe shrugged.

“Well, I dunno about any of that, but I need you to go away,” Exe said, turning back over. “I still need privacy and I called the bedroom first.”

Megan frowned.

“But I’m really…y’know…horny too.”

“Then go deal with it,” Exe said. “But do it somewhere else.”

Megan shifted uncomfortably.

“Deal with it, how?”

“Fuck someone. Or yourself,” Exe said, “Y’know, like humans do?”

Megan did know. She’d have to go to the library, and something like Dracula wouldn’t do. It was time to bring out the big guns. It was time for Madam Bovary.

*****

“Ah, so you walked in on your roommate masturbating,” Jake chuckled. “I’m honestly a little surprised it was your first time. You lived in the dorms, right?”

“By myself,” She said. “I never had a roommate.”

“Guess that explains that,” He said. “Let me ask something; you really think they’re pumping us with horny gas or whatever?”

Megan shrugged.

“It was just a theory,” She said. “But it stands to reason. We know for a fact that they utilize some sort of mood stabilizing system to prevent us from going crazy.”

Jake considered that, then shrugged. AJ was right; they’d do to them what they wanted. There was no sense in agonizing over the theoretical. Still, he was going through the exact same thing the girls were.

“Well, I wouldn’t sweat it,” Jake said. “Mom’s walked in on me. I’ve walked in on roommates. It’s the circle of horny. Embarrassing, but it happens..”

Megan only winced.

“I guess, I just wish that had been the end of it.”

Welp, in for a penny, Jake thought.

“Is there anything else you wanna talk about?” Jake asked.

Megan stiffened.

“No. Not really.” She said, a little too quickly.

“Megan…” Jake prodded. “Come on.”

“Yeah. But it doesn’t have to be you,” She said.

God, she looked almost frightened. He needed to walk this back.

“Okay,” He said, slipping away from her a bit. “I’m your brother, I get it. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

“You didn’t!” She insisted quickly. “I mean, you did, but not because you’re...y’know, not because of that.”

Now he was even more confused.

“Well if it’s not that, then what’s the matter?”

“It’s not you. You’re great,” Megan repeated, refusing to meet his eye. “It’s more, well…who stuff happened with.”

Jake sat up a little straighter.

“Oh really? Now I kind of do want to know,” He said.

She’d assured him earlier that everyone had been really sweet, but if he learned now that she’d been covering for someone? That someone really had taken advantage of her? It would mark the end of her time on the show by one means or another.

“No, Jake…” Megan said, sensing where his head was at.

She reached out a hand over his to calm him down, but then squeezed it as her entire posture grew tense. She took a long deep breath, and then finally said.

“It was Emily, okay?” She admitted. “Some…stuff happened between me and Emily.”