Truth or Dare (16 page)

I
t felt good to be on the other side of the microphone. As much as I liked interviewing, I loved being interviewed just as much. I plastered on a smile as I waited for
The Insider
's host, Kevin, to introduce me.

“Good evening and welcome to
The Insider
. I'm your host, Kevin Smithers, and can I just tell you, I am so excited about today's show.”

Kevin just didn't know, I was excited, too. When I'd offered Miguel an airline ticket and another five grand, he'd been all too happy to hop a plane and come right over. He'd arrived early this morning. And then, I'd found out yes, this was going to be taped, but it was still airing tomorrow, which meant
The Insider
interview would air two days before my
Rumor Central
blockbuster story. Things couldn't turn out better if I'd planned it myself.

“We have a rarity on today,” Kevin said. “Any of you that have been following entertainment news know there's a battle brewing between two of the hottest teen starlets in the country.”

The camera panned out to me, standing to the right of Kevin, then to Evian, who was on Kevin's left.

“Maya Morgan, host of
Rumor Central
, and Evian Javid, from the reality show
All American Princess
, are with me today. Now, in this day and age, we know there's more than enough room for entertainment news and reality TV, but we wanted to make sure you were aware of a little background on both of these women.”

He took a few minutes and played a clip of my show and then of Evian's wack show. The red light came back on signaling that Kevin was back on the air.

“Now, Maya Morgan has been around for a little bit longer than Evian.”

“A lot,” I said, not losing my smile.

Kevin chuckled but kept talking. “But Evian has burst onto the scene.”

Evian tossed her hair over her shoulder and grinned as well.

“But the question is, which one of these ladies will come out on top in the ratings game?” Kevin said. “And we've garnered an exclusive with the two of them to talk about why they think they have the hottest shows and how they plan to capture the title of Teen Queen Supreme. We'll do that right after the break.”

Both of us kept our smiles plastered on as the show went to commercial. We tried everything to make sure we kept it cordial even though I wanted to punch her in the eye. But no need to do that, I told myself. She would get hers in due time.

“So we're straight?” Kevin said, looking back and forth between the two of us like he was worried something might jump off. “We don't want a repeat of the
Hype
Teen Choice Awards.”

“Oh, we're good,” Evian replied.

“Yeah, I just had a manicure. I'm not interested in getting my fingernails dirty by touching her,” I replied.

“All right, all right. Well, let the claws come out.” Kevin laughed. “I'm sure both of you know claws make for good TV.”

We laughed, but there wouldn't be any claws, at least not on my end.
She
may be ready to attack though before the end of our interview.

“I want to ask both of you, what's the secret to your success?” Kevin asked once the camera came back on.

We spent the next five minutes talking about what made our shows unique and why viewers should tune in. Kevin also asked about our own relationships and how it felt going from members of
Miami Divas
to arch enemies.

“Well, in order to have an enemy you have to feel threatened and Evian's a sweetie pie. Not threatening at all.” I could tell she didn't like that comment because she glared at me even though she kept her smile.

“And Maya understands that it's only so much selling out of your celebrity friends you can do before people stop confiding in you,” Evian said. “I try to keep it classy.”

“Ouch,” Kevin said. Before I could respond, though, he turned to me. “We are almost out of time. But Maya, I understand that you have a little surprise you'd like to present to Evian.”

“I do. A little something I stumbled upon.” I had to struggle to contain my enthusiasm. “I know her reality show is about her new lease on life since escaping her abduction. She hopes to serve as an inspiration for all those who have overcame, so I want to take a moment to introduce you to a young man who's overcome quite a bit.”

Evian looked at me and then back at Kevin. I know she was trying to figure out who I was talking about; that's why it was my pleasure to give the signal for Miguel to come walking forward. (He'd made it very clear that although he told me his real name, he wanted me to refer to him as Carson in the interview.) I'd had to tell
The Insider
producers what I had planned, but once they got the story, they were all too happy to let me do this.

“I met this young man in Cancun. I thought that he was a little cutie,” I said as he walked onto the set.

“Uh, I
am
a cutie,” Miguel replied.

“That you are,” I said, giving him his props. I wanted to add that he was a thirsty drunk, too, but I let that slide.

Miguel stood next to me as I continued. “Well, I brought him on so that he could tell you the little scam he and his cousin were a part of in Cancun.”

I turned to face Evian and saw the look of horror on her face. I could tell she was contemplating whether she should run or stay and try to talk her way out of it.

“Welcome to the show, Miguel. Please, do tell.”

Miguel looked at Evian and smirked. “Told you you shouldn't have crossed me,” he told her before turning to Kevin. “So, Kevin, it's like this. My cousin and I are always looking for a come-up from the tourists to Cancun. So, when one of them came to us wanting to help make it look like she'd been kidnapped, we were all for it.”

Kevin's eyes perked up. Evian was frozen in place.

“A fake kidnapping,” Kevin said, finally looking back at Evian.

“This is crazy,” she said, finally speaking up. “I thought this interview was supposed to be about me and Maya and our shows.”

“Oh, it is,” I interrupted. “Because you see, I was the one that discovered her when she was kidnapped,” I told Kevin. “My whole spring break was ruined because we were running around the island, panicking, trying to find her. Then, her friend Shay Turner miraculously got a lead on where she was. I was gung ho to go in there and save her. I thought I was putting my life in danger, but I was willing to do that”—I smiled at Evian—“for a friend. So we went in to save her. And we did. Or at least we thought we did.”

“So, wait a minute,” Kevin said. “You mean to tell me that Evian wasn't really kidnapped?”

Evian started removing her mic, which was clipped to her shirt. “This is ridiculous,” she said, standing up. “I refuse to stay here and listen to these lies.” She threw the mic on the floor and took off running out of the studio.

Kevin glanced at her, but turned his attention back to me.

“So, is that what you're saying?” he repeated.

“That's exactly what we're saying,” I answered.

“So there really was no kidnapping ring in Cancun?” Kevin asked.

“Not that I know of,” Miguel replied.

“Why are you coming forward?” Kevin asked.

“Let's just say, the whole plan requires commitment on both ends. And the end that was supposed to take care of me and my cousin, didn't. So, I'm singing like Tyrese. Besides, I like Maya. I was kinda a creep to her when we first met.”

I smiled, surprised at his admission.

“Wow, this is stunning to say the least. So all the hoopla, all the media coverage for Evian's kidnapping, was based on a hoax?”

“Seems that way,” I replied. There were so many things I wanted to say about Evian and her sheisty need for attention, but this was one of those times when I felt like silence was truly golden. The less I said, the better. I'd exposed her for the fraud that she was. I'd let karma do the rest.

Kevin turned back to the camera. “Well, you heard the exclusive here first, only on
The Insider
.” He put his finger to his ear like he was listening to someone tell him something. “And just for the record,” he continued, “my producers just told me that they've done some fact-checking and Miguel's story seems right on the money. Of course, we're going to stay all over this story, as I'm sure everyone else will.” He turned to me. “Including you. Right?” he said, jokingly.

“You know it,” I said. “In fact, for those that doubt what I'm saying, tune in to
Rumor Central
tomorrow. I'll have something they won't want to miss.”

Kevin's mouth dropped open. “Are you sure we can't get that now?”

“Sorry, Kevin. If they want the real scoop, they'll have to tune in to
Rumor Central
from here on out.”

I smiled at the camera as Kevin wrapped up the show. The first part of my plan was complete. Tomorrow, I'd top it all off with the tape. I couldn't help but smile. Evian should've never told me to bring it, because she should have known that I definitely would.

P
eople were going to learn that when it came to going up against Maya Morgan, you really shouldn't.

There was a reason I was on top of my game. Because I was straight, no faker, and that's exactly the way Evian had hoped to ride all the way to the top. Faking it.

I couldn't believe that I actually felt a little bad about that
Insider
interview. I'd heard that Evian had burst out of the studio in tears. She hadn't been at school today and was probably in hiding. Everyone at school was talking about the
Insider
interview. And it was a trending topic on social media. Yet, blasting Evian out so publicly hadn't given me the joy that I'd thought it would.

I shook off any sad thoughts I had and turned my attention back to the camera. I was right where I should be—hosting my show. I was number one in the game, and Evian was where she should be—at home sulking, or wherever she was. I really didn't care.

“So, are you ready?” Tamara said, approaching me. I had expected her to be furious with me. And she had been, for a minute. But then, when I'd told her about the tape, her thirst for ratings had overridden any anger.

“Aren't I always ready?” I replied.

Tamara gave a half smile. “That you are.” She paused, like she was waiting on me to say something. “Go ahead,” she finally said.

“Go ahead and what?” I casually asked.

“Say I told you so,” Tamara said. “I know you want to say it. I know it's just eating you up.” She grinned at me.

All American Princess
was no more. As soon as I'd gotten to the station today, I'd heard that the show had been pulled, effective immediately. Evian's star had not only fallen, it had straight nose-dived. It hadn't even been forty-eight hours since that interview, and the network had pulled the plug on her show. It probably didn't help that every media outlet under the sun was running a story about the fake kidnapping.

I smiled back. “I don't have to say it.” Then I winked at her. “ 'Cause you already know it.”

“Hey, in this ratings game, it's all about winning. That's all I was trying to do with Evian.” She shrugged.

“But you already have a winner with me,” I said, holding my hands out and doing a quick pose.

“That I do. Sorry about how everything went down.”

“It's cool,” I said. “I understand that it wasn't personal, it was business.” I could say that now since I'd come out on top, but Tamara didn't have too many more times to be underestimating me. I was on top for a reason.

“And stand by.” Manny gave me the cue as Tamara ducked out of the way.

“What's up, everybody? It's your girl, Maya Morgan. I'm here with the scoop, and today we're digging up dirt on my former friend, the
All American Princess
herself.” I paused. Something just didn't feel right. I had revamped this intro and I had planned to tear all into Evian, but for some reason I just couldn't. I saw Manny looking at me confused and I quickly composed myself.

“Well, I'm sure many of you have seen the story in the media or heard how Evian's kidnapping was revealed to be a hoax.” I paused again. This was where I planned to play the tape, let them hear where it all went down. I had worked it out with the audio department and they knew exactly when to roll the recording. But for some reason, I couldn't give them the cue. “Ah, we know the kidnapping was fake,” I repeated, before pausing again. Finally, I said, “But I've since learned that it wasn't a complete lie.”

Tamara stopped and I could see her looking at me strangely from behind the camera. I don't know what came over me but I continued.

“Although Evian wasn't kidnapped and held against her will as she led the world to believe, she came dangerously close. Evian saw someone trying to slip the date rape drug into her drink. Luckily, she caught him and the danger of the date rape drug is something we definitely need to explore in a future episode. So, although there was no kidnapping, her story could've been tragic. Now, if Evian is guilty of anything, it was capitalizing on an opportunity. In this world of Internet sensations, she used that moment to catapult her fame. I can't even be mad at her,” I found myself saying, “because in this day of YouTube, Vine, and Instagram, this is the way to garner instant fame. No one cared about the years of hard work that she'd put into trying to break into the entertainment industry. No one cares that she's been modeling and trying to get gigs since she was three years old. Forget the acting classes, the networking. These days, all it takes is a video camera to make an instant star. And Evian, like so many others, got caught up in the hype. I know her, we go way back. She's cool people so you guys cut her some slack. I know I did.”

I tossed the rest of the papers detailing my plans to go in depth and expose Evian's story.

“But in the meantime I've got some
real
dirt to tell you about.” In the midst of everything I had going on, I'd gotten a call yesterday from Savannah Vanderpool, a former Miss Teen Miami who had gotten caught up in a drug ring. She was out, clean and sober, and ready to talk to none other than
Rumor Central.
So, I would just tease that story. “So don't touch the remote,” I continued. “You'll get the scoop right after this.”

The music came up as they went to commercial. Tamara came racing over. This time, Dexter was with her.

“What are you doing?” Tamara asked.

“I don't know,” I said. “I just don't want to call the girl out like this. I just couldn't go through with it.”

Dexter's mouth fell open. “What? I heard the tape. You're not going to play that?”

“Nah. It's irrelevant.”

Tamara stared at me in shock, too. “Oh my God, Maya. So are you getting a conscience?”

“I guess,” I replied. “I just know that she feels bad enough as it is. Her show is gone. She can't show her face. No need to beat her down anymore.”

“So, does that mean you won't mind having her as a correspondent on your show?” Dexter asked.

“Uh, no, I didn't say all that. She needs to stay as far away from the TV as possible, but maybe from time to time we can let the former
Miami Divas
make an appearance on my show. As long as everybody doesn't get it twisted and forget who the
real
star is.”

“Not that you would let any of us forget it,” Tamara said.

“Believe that.” I winked as I went to finish my show.