Three months passed by in a frenzy of paperwork and preparation, and before long I found myself standing before a large iron gate in the middle of nowhere. My finger hovered above the gaudy electric buzzer, out of place against the stone wall which surrounded my destination. My other hand gripped the handle of my suitcase, my knuckles whitening. 

The estate must have been an old fortress of some description, surrounded by a tall parapet which kept the actual house from view. I wouldn't have been surprised to see a moat and drawbridge, or a soldier peering over the barricades with a bayonet locked and loaded. I resisted the urge to check the directions one more time. No, this had to be it; the perfect location for our little game of deception. 

I closed my eyes and, summoning every ounce of courage I had left, let my finger land on the button. As the gates slowly creaked open, I glanced once again at my surroundings. The van that had brought me here from the city had long since disappeared, and gazing upon the lush countryside and verdant forests, I could easily believe that there wasn't a soul for miles. This was truly a beautiful place. But its eeriness caught me off guard.

Shuddering, I turned my mind back to the task at hand. If I played the game right, this would be my home for the next three weeks. So I had better get used to it, and fast. Steeling myself, I slipped through the entryway and left the outside world behind.

The Producers had been very clear, in our correspondence, about the exact steps I should take once I entered the grounds of the Treachery! Estate. To my left was an old brick guard house, which, centuries before, was used for soldiers and, later, for hunting gear. I knocked, three times, upon the wooden door. It was opened by a man (at least, I assume it was a man) wearing an intricately detailed red cloak with gold embellishments and a metallic black mask. I knew that this was to be expected, but I still felt a thrill of shock coursing through my body. The game had well and truly begun.

He greeted me with a nod, and held out his hand. I was under strict instructions that I was not to speak to him, or any of the other workers, for the duration of the show. Their job was to blend seamlessly into the background, to become part of the very fabric of this world. And so far, it was working. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my phone. Sighing longingly, I placed the device into his outstretched palm. I knew why they didn't want contestants to have their phones, but I still felt the loss keenly. Three weeks with no screen time might be the most challenging aspect of this whole experience. I almost chuckled to myself.

Once I had handed over the offending item, it was time, at last, to make my way across the gravel driveway and towards the house. Although, The Producers didn't quite do this place justice. Turning the corner from the guard house, I audibly gasped. This was no house. It wasn't even a mansion. It was a sprawling castle, splendid in its architecture, glimmering in the sun. I felt my heartbeat quicken; I majored in History and English Lit in college, so this place felt like a dream come true.

I hastened across the driveway and barely registered myself climbing the steps and throwing open the magnificently detailed oak door. I entered a grand hall, and was stopped instantly in my tracks... There, standing mere feet away from me, was a face so familiar I could trace its outline in my sleep.

'Oh my god...." I whispered, my suitcase clattering to the floor. "M..Marcus? Is it really you?" I grinned, delight spreading across my features. Marcus looked as shocked as I was - his mouth had morphed into an adorable 'Oh!' of surprise, and his eyebrows were practically touching his hairline. 

He was just as I remembered him; tall and handsome, with messy blonde hair and that ruffled demeanour that always sent me spinning. His glasses still rested in that little spot just in the crook of his nose, and his eyes...still as piercingly blue and perceptive as ever. 

"Ali??" He finally choked out, taking a staggered step towards me, "Wow, you look..." staring down at me, he didn't finish his sentence. "It's so great to see you. It feels like it's been years!". 

He closed the distance between us and pulled me into a bear hug. My feet lifted off the ground, and by the time he set me back down I am sure I looked as flustered as I felt. I giggled, seemingly reverting back to a schoolgirl, as I responded, "Well, that's because it has been. Years, I mean. Last time I saw you must have been Graduation!" Good God, Ali, I reprimanded myself, You sound like an idiot! 

If he noticed the blush creeping up my cheeks, he didn't let it show. He just kept looking at me like he couldn't believe his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak again, but just as he did, the sound of a gong echoed throughout the castle.

I nearly jumped out of my skin, but Marcus seemed unfazed. Grabbing my hand to quiet me, he pulled me to the side and into another hallway. I followed him willingly, before checking myself. I needed to get my head back in the game. Here I was, competing for a life changing amount of money, and I was ready to throw it away on some guy?

Well, not just any guy. This was Marcus Warren. This was the guy who got me through all four years of college. I sighed. I had first met Marcus at Freshman Orientation. He was quiet, studious, and unbelievably gorgeous. I fell head over heels almost immediately. We spoke only once, but from that moment on, my path was set. I spent every day in the library, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. I took out the same books as him, ate the same lunch as him and even enrolled in one of his classes. 

American Lit 101. The place where we finally became friends. And when I finally realised that he wasn't interested in dating. Academics were more important to him than anything, and I learned to respect that. His trajectory was stratospheric, mine was... middle of the road. He started on a prelaw track almost immediately, and I felt like a failure within six weeks. I started partying more, and something strange began happening... I found myself getting noticed by boys. For the first time in my life, I wasn't just the smart, funny friend. I had grown up. I was pretty. Within weeks, I had fallen into the arms, and beds, of guys all over campus. I joined a sorority, and dated the hottest, richest guys, from the hottest, richest frats. And Jake Prendesgast was the hottest, richest boy of all. On his arm, I was a queen. I ruled the world.

But I never gave up on Marcus. During that first semester, we had become real friends, and we stayed that way for four years. He was my tutor and my partner in crime, and he was there for me in ways that Jake never could be. I still loved him, deep down, in that horrible, unrequited way; but getting to see him eased the ache so much that I had forgotten those feelings existed.

That is, until today. Just seeing his face again left me reeling, and a wave of emotion slammed into me like a pile of bricks. Touching him was like coming home. I sound like I'm in some horribly cheesy romcom, but it's true. I was hopeless. 

Letting go of my hand, Jake turned a doorknob at the end of the corridor.

"You coming?" He turned and winked at me. I slumped against the wall. How on earth was I going to survive the next three weeks?