The Love Raffle

Chapter 5

Patricia had two hundred points, Kate had one fifty, Diane had one hundred, but Amber? Her score…was ten.

“Damn, what is up with her?” Elouise whispered to Conner. Amber had gotten them a discount on seats but even with that they could only afford the back row. Most of the seats were on ground level but these were elevated and required stairs to reach them.

Conner was on the edge of his seat. He had his hands clasped between his open legs, looking on as Amber lagged behind the other girls in the second round. The first round had been shot on the left section of the stage, but this round was happening on another, and they no longer had a clear view. For this round, four easels had been set up two steps below a couch and desk. The couch and desk were where Levi and host Jeff Sullivan sat. Behind them was a big screen with a photo of Levi himself. He was who the contestants were painting. “It’s only the scores from the first round. I’m sure she’ll do better this time.” He spoke over the dialogue between Levi and the host. They should be wrapping up now. Not much time was left.

Come on, Amber, Conner thought. It seemed the crowd found her unbelievable. And I don’t mean that in a good way. She had fought to gain those ten points. All the other girls had answered the Hollywood questions with ease while Amber had just stood there. She only got those ten for answering a question spoon-fed to her by the host. She had pressed her buzzer first but had gone blank when it was time to give her answer. And the question was easy too. Who played the Grinch in the live action movie was something even his grandma knew. All I can think is that she’s ridiculously nervous. Which was sad because as an actress, she was meant to be comfortable on stage. He sighed.

Meanwhile, Levi was laughing at a joke Jeff made. His arms were on the back of the couch. “No, he’s right. I’ve been too busy to look for anything real, you know?” He sat forward. “But let’s hope that the outcome of this little show can help with that.” He winked at the screaming audience. They seemed to lose it at whatever he said. For someone who had been out of the spotlight for months, the praise was both comforting and startling.

“Okay, time’s up. Let’s go see these paintings,” Jeff said when a ding sounded. He hopped to his feet and the crowd cheered.

Amber dropped her paintbrush. She had heard some laughter from the front row and cursed herself for being such a bumbling mess. She had paint on her face and her apron too. She lifted her easel when Jeff instructed them to do so and stood next to Patricia in a line that faced the audience. The only thing I’ve been good at is maintaining this plastic smile, she thought angrily. Her introduction had been basic compared to the other girls. So far, people have loved Kate. Amber was the contestant who faded into the background. I don’t want to be that girl. She fought her nerves to think of ways to stand out. She may have been behind, but the show was not over yet.

Patricia waved her painting overhead when Levi and Jeff began to examine it. The crowd adored her work and Amber could see why. It was impressive.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Amber said audibly, forgetting that her mic was on.

Levi and Jeff looked at her and the audience laughed.

Jeff smiled. “Jealous, are we, Amber? Because she did a decent job and you… Oh my.” He pointed at Amber’s painting, and she watched the cameras zooming in.

The crowd laughed, and Amber’s stomach sank.

Patricia shrugged. “Take it easy on her, people. Everyone doesn’t have the opportunity to take art classes for years.”

Amber wanted to shrink into herself but fought it. “Not everyone can afford it, but hey. We can call mine an abstract piece, right, Levi?” She smiled at him.

“Ooo,” said the audience.

Patricia frowned at her, probably confused that she had responded.

Levi blinked at the smiling Amber. She made her painting dance. It was basically a stick man with his hair but… “Yeah, I guess. Abstract. Why not?” He grinned at the crowd.

“Why not?” Jeff opened his arms as the crowd cheered. “He says why not?” Laughter bubbled from the audience.

Amber looked at her painting as Patricia explained her process to Levi and Jeff. Levi rated Patricia a nine out of ten and ninety points were added to her total score. As they came towards Amber, she put on a hopeful smile again.

“Now for the abstract over here,” Jeff Sullivan joked.

Amber heard giggles from Diane and Kate. She held up her painting proudly. “I’m going to go ahead and say that this one is a portrayal of Levi in his element.”

Levi touched his chest, surprised that this girl had gone from mute in the first round to chatty in this one. The rent must be due. He looked into her eyes and saw something that the other girls didn’t have. Kinda like she’s a little sad. He shook it off to listen to the inspiration behind her portrait.

“…and I think that my little take on Levi Marks as a stickman speaks volumes to his good looks because even as a stick figurine…” Amber made eye contact with some smiling faces in the crowd. “He still looks good.”

That got them laughing again. Even Jeff cracked up. Levi himself smiled at her and shook his head. Amber felt rather accomplished, so she did a twirl and gave a “woo,” summoning applause.

Levi snapped his fingers and pointed at Amber’s work. “I’m going to say right off that the painting itself is not all that impressive but…” He stroked his chin playfully. “Your words have moved me.” He held his chest. “Eight out of ten.”

Amber’s mouth dropped open at the same time Patricia’s did. “Yes!” She raised her trembling hand to high-five the movie star. Am I crazy right now or what? This had to be adrenaline. She wasn’t usually like this.

Levi laughed and like a good sport slapped her hand. “Awesome work,” he said through the audience’s applause. “Now let’s keep going.”

Amber’s eyes followed him and Jeff. She posed with her picture for the crowd and giggled. I think I’m going to pass out.

Her score went from ten to ninety. It wasn’t much and it paled in comparison to the scores of her competitors, but it helped boost her morale.

For the next round, Jeff called them up to the couch and told Levi to sit at his desk. He stood with a card in hand as the crowd went quiet.

“Alrighty then,” said Jeff. “Welcome back to The Love Raffle and thank you for staying tuned.” He spoke to a camera. “Right now, we’re onto our final round which has been crafted by our clever producers to provide maximum entertainment.”

Amber’s hands shook on her lap as she kept up her smile. She sat between Diane and Kate with Patricia at the end. They were all grinning and sometimes looking at each other. The whole thing was awkward, but they had to maintain this to get through . Once this round was over, she could either leave this stage and get back to working two jobs and landing bottom-feeder roles or her performance here would shake things up forever. I don’t know how much this will help but I can’t let this be the last time people see my face. She gulped.

“So, without further ado. We shall begin…” Jeff stretched his arm to the table and couch. “The interview round!”

Amber’s mouth fell open as the claps rolled in. Huh? Interview round? She’d been in her head while Jeff spoke. What did that mean? How would they score points?

Levi pulled some cards out of the desk and stacked them on the table. “Alrighty. Let’s do this.” They were almost done with the show. He guessed this had been fun overall. And then I have to take the winner out. He cringed internally at Patricia, who was in the lead. Of course, she waved with her fingers and winked at him. That Kate girl kept giggling while Diane seemed to want this to end given she was second to last. You and me both. He planted his eyes on Amber and noticed her confusion. She’d seemed reflective while Jeff gave instructions. What was on her mind anyway?

“So, I’m going to ask you guys questions about yourselves and based on my preference towards your answers, I will rate your responses out of ten.” Levi said this for Amber’s sake.

Amber met his eyes and blushed.

“I kind of think that this round is a bit unfair, but I get it. He will be dating us after all.” Diane crossed her legs on the black sofa.

Levi smiled. “Yeah, I agree, but what can we do, right? This is what the producers and the people want.” He tilted his head at the excited crowd. “Okay, let’s start with Patricia.” He looked at the first question on his card. “What’s your favorite food?”

Amber laughed internally at the nature of this one. “Easy, right?” she said to Patricia.

Patricia smiled tightly before responding. “I like waffles with chocolate chips.” She held her chin up, her hands on her bare knees. While Amber wore a simple top and jeans, Patricia was wearing a lovely red dress that stopped at her thighs with some heels.

Levi’s brows went up and he nodded. “Wow. So do I. That’s a ten out of ten answer for me. A hundred points.”

Kate gasped. “Hey, wait. If we—” She sat back and tapped her lips in frustration. Everyone was cheering.

Amber wondered what she had wanted to say. If they what? She observed Patricia’s smart smirk. Wait a minute. All these girls knew Levi better than she did. So that means they know what he likes. Amber’s shoulders fell. Whatever. If I make an impression this round, that’s all that matters.

As the questions went on, it seemed that Kate and Patricia had all the right answers.

Levi caught on to the fact that they had simply done more research than Diane and Amber. I guess I should give them props for that, but do I really want to date someone who already knows everything about me? Since he has to go through with this date, he should at least have it with someone who didn’t already know all his Wikipedia and interview facts. He hummed while staring at the last few cards.

“Okay. Now this is the very last stretch of this round,” Jeff said beside Levi’s desk. They had returned from a commercial break. “So, we’re switching it up a bit. The girls who answer these questions to Levi’s liking will be granted a thousand points.”

Amber’s eyes widened. No one had a thousand points yet. Patricia’s in the lead so I guess she and Kate will get the points and she’ll win since she’s already ahead. Amber kind of regretted not preparing more but she had at least made a mark. She snuck in jokes while answering Levi’s questions and was glad when the crowd smiled. She even kind of enjoyed getting a smile from Levi at times. That was all that mattered, right?

Murmurs rippled through the audience at these new conditions. The lighting on the stage changed from pale pink to red.

Amber felt a tingle of excitement as she made the connection. “It’s like something straight out of Harry Potter, isn’t it?” she exclaimed. She turned to face Diane, feeling a surge of determination. “No matter how well anyone else has been doing, if someone gets this, it’s an automatic win,” she declared.

Kate laughed. “Yeah, but if your answers don’t match with Levi’s then it’s still hopeless.” She scooted closer to the edge of the couch and giggled.

Jeff laughed into his mic at their comments. “Yes, we can say we’re doing a bit of a Quidditch when one catches the Snitch.” He opened one arm at the studio audience. “But it’s how this game works so let’s go!”

Levi started with Kate. “Kate…” He glanced at the card in front of him, then shook his head. “Let’s make this interesting.” He shoved all the cards in the desk drawer.

“Ooo,” the crowd responded.

“Oh-ho-ho, now it’s getting real. Levi has abandoned his cue cards. What will he say next?” Jeff continued to crank up the suspense.

Kate clapped quickly, practically sitting on nothing with how close she’d moved to Levi Marks’ table.

Backstage, Rachel and Oscar were watching along with some producers. They were on the side wing.

“Can he do that?” Rachel asked. She was quite satisfied with Levi’s onstage persona. He’d been so down in the dumps in his dressing room, but she should have known he would come through. Levi was a professional.

The producer stretched his neck forward to gauge the crowd’s reaction. “As long as they like it, he can do whatever he wants.” He crossed his arms. “Let’s go, Marks!”

Back on stage, Amber and the other girls waited patiently.

Patricia wasn’t too keen on this. The flash cards had been predictable but now that he had abandoned them, she had no idea what would come. She was repulsed by Kate’s enthusiasm. Couldn’t she see the potential risks here? Idiot. And this game was idiotic too. Why did Marks want to flip the whole thing on its head when a thousand points were on the line? This was stupid! I’m guessing he’s not up for dating someone with an encyclopedic knowledge of him. He thought he was so clever, but she saw through him.

Levi clasped his hands on the desk. “What do you think is most important in this world?” After the words left his mouth, his hands shook. Was he being weird? He hadn’t been called here to ask introspective questions. This was supposed to be fun. He didn’t want to drive anyone away but asking this was what led him to date his first serious girlfriend, Jenny. The director’s daughter. Her answer had left him with goosebumps. He wondered if anyone else could have that effect on him. A game show probably isn’t the place to experiment though.

Amber was taken aback. She looked at Kate.

Kate seemed perplexed, as did the audience. But they were pretty engaged. “Uh…what’s most important to me is…” She studied her high heels. “Being alive and having fun while I’m here.” She shrugged cheerily.

The crowd cheered, clearly loving her answer.

“Like what you heard, hotshot?” Jeff asked Levi, summoning laughter. “How do you rate it?”

Levi flashed a winning smile. “I’m going to switch it up. I’ll ask all of them the same question and at the end, I’ll reveal which answer I liked the most. We’ll find out who scored a thousand points when I’m done.”

Oscar’s mouth hung open backstage. He heard shouts of approval from spectators, but the crew members back here were scrambling to keep up with the changes. “So, he can do whatever he wants?”

A startling clap made Oscar jump. It was the same producer between him and a grinning Rachel. “Now that is good TV,” the producer said.

Levi went down the line. “Patricia. Your answer?”

Patricia tried to read his eyes. Did he approve of Kate’s response? “In this world, I deem the lives of others as important.” She heard people whistling and hooting but couldn’t tell what Levi thought.

Amber liked that one. After Jeff made a comment about the quality of both Kate and Patricia’s answers, Diane opened her mouth to give her take. What do I think is most important in this world? She had to agree with the other girls. Why would Levi Marks ask this on a silly game show?

“Yeah, so health, happiness, and love,” Diane concluded.

Levi clapped softly then locked eyes with Amber.

Amber straightened her back as the pressure sank in. His eyes were suddenly intense.

“Amber?” Levi said.

Amber cleared her throat. “Well…for me…” She giggled to ease the tension. “Everyone basically said the standard answer but…” In her mind, she saw her childhood home. She heard her own laughter as her father pushed her on the swing in their backyard. She remembered baking with her mom before things grew dark and she sat alone in her room while her parents argued outside. She watched shows online and re-enacted the scenes. Memories of the day she left flittered through her mind. Rolling her suitcase down the stairs of her front door, her mother screaming at her, saying she would never make it and that this was an excuse to run away like her dad had.

“Amber?”

Amber was brought out of her stupor. The lights, the powder on her face, the people. Was this where she belonged?

She smiled as brightly as she could. “For me, I think that dreams are most important.” She saw herself acting in her room again. “Not only my dreams but other people’s dreams as well.” She considered the actors she had embodied in her childhood. “Because when people follow their dreams despite all odds, they always add something beautiful to the world, you know?” She wasn’t even thinking of the game show right now.

“How?” Levi frowned at her words. She seemed far away.

Amber looked at him. “You should know. Your movies are amazing. They may seem insignificant to some people but to your fans, watching Captain Evolution gives them a sense of hope. Something to look forward to when life gets rough. People look it up online and rewatch it. It’s comforting to those who don’t have much or who are in difficult situations. So, the dream that you followed brought beauty into people’s lives. And, of course, it inspired several to do what you do and make more amazing things.”

When she was through, the studio was as silent as a library.

Amber blinked then realized the oddity. Oh no. “I took it a bit too deep there, didn’t I—”

A beat of silence ensued before resounding applause and cheers filled the space. Even her fellow contestants were clapping.

“That was so profound,” Diane laughed.

Levi had been lost in her words. “Wow, okay.” For a second, he couldn’t recall his ex, Jenny’s answer. Amber’s answer was all he could think of.

Amber appreciated the encouragement but couldn’t shake her embarrassment for taking things to heart on a little game show. “Alright, we can move along.”

“Yes, we shall.” Jeff stepped up to Levi’s desk. “So, who’s going to be the winner of those thousand points?”

Levi found himself caught in Amber’s enchanting presence. Her words had deeply resonated with him, igniting a sense of admiration and connection that he couldn’t ignore. His mind was filled with thoughts of Amber, her infectious energy and the genuine way she had expressed herself. For a moment, he was lost in the magic of their interaction.

Amber, on the other hand, couldn’t help but blush at the attention she was receiving. It felt surreal to have her words carry weight and impact, especially in a place where she had expected it to be all fun and games. She tried to downplay the moment, eager to move on and finish the show.

Jeff, sensing the anticipation in the air, stepped up to Levi’s desk, ready to announce the winner of the coveted thousand points. The atmosphere grew tense as suspenseful music filled the room, and all cameras focused on Levi, their lenses capturing every nuance of his expression.

Levi straightened his jacket, his heart pounding with a mix of nervousness and excitement. He knew what he had to do, a decision that was both spontaneous and driven by a genuine connection. With a slight grin, he opened his mouth, and his voice projected through the room, commanding everyone’s attention.

“Amber, of course,” Levi declared, winking at her. He let his gaze linger on her, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. The crowd erupted into a frenzy of cheers and applause, their excitement reverberating throughout the studio.

Amber’s eyes widened in surprise, her heart leaping with a mixture of joy and disbelief. The magnitude of the moment hit her like a wave as she realized that this wasn’t a game anymore. The validation she felt in that moment was indescribable, knowing that her authenticity had struck a chord with him. She felt like she was floating as she stood from her seat and moved to meet Levi in the middle of the stage. He slowly leaned in to hug her and as she reached her arms up to return it, he whispered in her ear.

“I knew we’d meet again.”

As the crowd’s cheers subsided, Amber met Levi’s gaze, her smile widening as confetti dropped all around them. She laughed and Levi motioned with his head for them to start heading backstage.

“Congrats on the win! You were amazing up there,” Diane said to Amber as she, Kate, and Patricia walked off stage. Kate gave her a small smile before leaving, but Patricia rolled her eyes.

“Thanks,” she replied, her voice shaky with disbelief and excitement.

“I’m glad you won,” Levi said, and her eyes landed on him again.

“Did you mean for me to win?”

Levi frowned. “What? No, I wouldn’t rig the show like that.”

“Hmm. Okay.” Amber squinted at him.

“Are you going to the after party?” Levi asked.

Amber’s eyes widened. “I honestly forgot about that. Are you going?”

“I will if you are.”

Amber grinned and Levi smiled at that. It was her real smile.

* * *

The production team was insistent on fitting everyone into stretch limos.

Amber barely managed to squeeze into the last one before it left, landing in the only open spot—right next to Levi. Her shoulder brushed his, and he turned his head to smile down at her.

“Hi,” he said, his voice softer this time.

“Hey again. Long time no see,” she replied, the corner of her lips curling upward in amusement.

Levi laughed, a deep, sudden sound that drew a few curious glances. Realizing it, he quickly cleared his throat and shifted his gaze to the window.

He couldn’t stop noticing how close she was, how her warmth seeped through the thin fabric of his shirt. His hands twitched in his lap, and he felt absurdly conscious of every movement. Around them, voices mingled in a chaotic buzz, but he could barely register any of it.

Amber turned slightly to face him, her knee brushing his. “You okay?” she asked, her voice cutting through the hum of conversation.

Levi blinked. “Yeah. Just…a lot going on.”

“I get that.” She tilted her head, studying him for a moment. “Are you always this quiet?”

He hesitated, then let out a breathy chuckle. “Guess I’m out of practice. You’ve been busy stealing the spotlight.”

Amber rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the grin that followed. “Hardly. You were right there in it too. Pretty sure you had just as many people cheering for you.”

“Maybe,” he said, looking back at her, “but you’ve got this way of drawing people in.”

Amber raised an eyebrow, her grin turning playful. “Careful, Levi. That almost sounded like a compliment.”

He smirked, his confidence returning. “Maybe it was.”

Before she could respond, the limo jerked to a stop, sending her even closer to him. Her laugh was soft, almost bashful, and it caught Levi off guard. He didn’t realize he was staring until her eyes met his, holding the moment just long enough to make his pulse quicken.

“So,” she said, her tone lighter now, “are you going to hang out with me all night, or is this where you mysteriously disappear?”

He grinned, leaning back as the limo doors opened. “I guess you’ll just have to wait and see.”

Amber laughed, shaking her head as she watched the others climb out. For the first time that night, Levi felt at ease, a subtle anticipation lingering between them. He didn’t notice that Amber had stopped laughing. He looked outside and realized they had arrived at the club where Amber worked.

“We don’t have to go in, you know,” Levi said and she sighed.

“I think I do at least. Beca would kill me if I didn’t. I need to make an appearance, and I’m supposed to be using my socials more.” She frowned at the words that came out of her mouth. They were Beca’s.

“Are you sure?” Amber thought of the reactions from her coworkers.

“No, I’d like to go home, if that’s alright.”

“Of course. I’ll drop you home.”

The ride was quiet and feeling short cause before Levi knew it, Amber said, “You can just drop me off right here.” They had stopped at an intersection.

“Are you sure?” He didn’t recognize this neighborhood at all.

“Yes, thank you.” Amber didn’t need him knowing that she lived in a rough area.

“So, uh, I guess I’ll see you on our actual date.”

“Yeah, I’ll see you there, Levi.” She climbed out of the limo and turned around to say bye.

“Good night, Amber.”

“Night!”