Beth

I don't have much of an appetite at lunch. I try to focus on the details of Heidi's vacation and the latest boyfriend she broke up with, but my thoughts keep returning to Isaac.

I am grateful he never responded to Heidi's invitation. I can't imagine how strained that would be to have sit across him, or worse yet, next to him.

When we arrive back at Solere, Sophie links arms with me.

"Lucky! I can't believe you got Isaac. Though I don't think I would be able to keep a coherent thought with him around. Talk about distracting! My mentor is a guy named Cole, whoever that is."

No kidding on the distraction thing. The irony of the role reversal has not escaped my notice. I spent so many years helping Isaac with his studies, and now he has to be the one to help me. If only we weren't losing our home, I wouldn't even have to be in this position.

"Beth, are you even listening to me?" Sophie pouts.

"Sorry, what were you saying, Sophs?"

"I was asking if you got into a fight with Isaac or something?"

"No. Why do you ask?"

Sophie shrugs.

"C'mon Sophie, what happened?"

"I overheard him talking to David. He was pretty mad when he saw your name on his list."

"Oh?" I say, stupidly.

"He actually dragged David into the other room to talk about it. You really have no idea why?"

I shrug as if I have no clue. I probably should tell Sophie about my broken engagement to Isaac, but I really don't feel like talking about it. The thought of Sophie pumping me for details doesn't interest me. Besides, it would certainly get back to David and Heidi, and they would feel hurt we had kept it from them. Best to not bring it up.

"Oh! It looks like my group is gathering over there," Sophie says. "See ya later, Beth."

I quickly find my group. There are four of us total. I introduce myself to them and explain my project to the two guys and girl in my group.

Robert is a tall, lanky guy with sandy colored hair that swoops over his forehead and a great smile. He has invented a ball that recharges batteries. All you have to do to charge the battery is open the ball, snap your batteries in, shut it and throw it with your friends. He lets me try it out. He and the other guy, Pete, toss the ball back and forth during our conversation.

Pete is short, with a full head of dark hair and an intense expression. He is wearing his invention. They are a pair of running shoes that uses the energy of the runner to light them up. That way, he explains, people who like to run early in the morning and late at night can be seen. I have to admit, I'm pretty impressed with his prototype.

The girl's name is Ling. She has long, gorgeous black hair and impeccable style. She has designed a jewelry line that somehow works with the energy of the person wearing them. I don't understand how it works, but I am charmed by her work. I am particularly drawn to a copper silver bracelet in a gorgeous twisted design with an amethyst stone. She is seriously talented.

Overall, I am pleased with my group. They are funny and quirky and a bit on the quiet side. Pete is the most outgoing of the group, but not in an obnoxious way. I can tell I will fit in great with them. The only member of the group I'm still concerned about is Isaac.

I scan the room. All of the mentors are with their groups except for ours. I flush a bit as I remember that I'm the reason why Isaac isn't here. I'm pretty sure I don't want to know what David and Isaac are talking about.

Looking to my right, I see Sophie speaking enthusiastically with a guy. He is an inch or two shorter than Isaac, blond and ruggedly handsome in an outdoorsy way. Clad in a flannel shirt and jeans and rocking a handsome lumberjack look, he looks like he could have stepped out of an Eddie Bauer catalog. She catches my eye and winks. I grin. She doesn't look too torn up over not having Isaac as a mentor.

My smile fades as I think of Isaac. It's finally starting to sink in that he is actually going to be my mentor, that I'm going to have to work with him on a daily basis.

I can do this, I chant inwardly. I can do this.

Then the door opens, and David and Isaac step inside and my heart lurches.

Who am I kidding?

I can't even look at Isaac without having a reaction to him. How am I supposed to concentrate with him around?

David is calling us to gather round now, so I walk over with my group. The crowds have thinned out quite a bit since all those who didn't make the list have taken their inventions and left.

A cameraman and his crew are videotaping David. He plans to stream footage of the competition on Solere's website. I position myself next to Sophie in hopes that the camera won't catch me.

As they set up, I elbow Sophie.

"Hey you," I say.

"What's up?" she asks with a smile.

"I saw you getting all cozy over there," I say with a knowing smile.

"Stop it," she says, playfully shoving me.

"So what do you think of your group? Mine's awesome," I say. Sophie makes a face.

"Lucky you," she says. "Cole seems pretty cool, but I just can't seem to connect with anyone else."

"Let me guess. Cole is the Paul Bunyan lookalike," I say. Sophie blushes and laughs.

"Yep. He's my mentor."

"Even better," I say.

"See the guy next to him with the greasy hair? That's Walter. He's says he's 20, but he looks like he's 15. He has the social skills of an acorn. You will not believe his invention. It's a chest charger he calls the Boobinator."

"What???"

"No kidding! You're supposed to plug your into your bra and as you run, it traps the kinetic energy to charge up your iPod. He said he's even willing to let me take it for spin. Imagine that?"

I groan.

"I can just see the packaging now. C+ bra sizes only. Smaller sizes need not apply due to lack of bounce," I joke. "If there is any invention that will tick off the entire feminist population, this is it."

"But it's likely to be a huge hit with a lot of dudes. Trust me, there are plenty of girls desperate for attention," Sophie says. "They are out there walking in their skimpy workout clothes and just as they round the corner and see a cute guy, all of a sudden they pretend to be athletes. I can just see them now. 'Don't mind me. I'm just checking how well my Boobinator is working. Like, what do you know?! 25% charged. Amazeballs!' They'd make a killing using Hooters waitresses to promote it."

Sophie has me in stitches. I am laughing so hard my side hurts.

The camera guy is finally set up and David is ready to begin.

"Hello, everyone! It's my pleasure to welcome you to Solere Enterprises and our Next Big Thing contest. As you all know, we opened this contest to anyone with a big idea. We have been very impressed with what we've seen so far, and can't wait to work with you to take your ideas to the next level. Before we begin, we have one minor change. We have had to shuffle a few of you around, so be sure to check when we're finished if you've been moved to a new group."

David continues with his speech, but I'm too distracted to hear what he says. It's not likely a coincidence that right after David and Isaac meet, changes are made to the groups. Does that mean it will affect me?

As soon as David finishes, Sophie drags me over to check the boards. Sure enough, we've been switched. I feel like I've been hit by a freight train. Did Isaac really not want me in his group so badly that he asked David to switch me? I can't admit to Sophie how deeply the rejection stings. I turn and seek out Isaac's eyes. He is looking straight at me, but looks away quickly when my eyes catch his. I can't read his expression. Sheepish? Relieved? Is the thought of having me in his group really so awful?

"Wow," Sophie says. "I knew Isaac wasn't happy about having you in his group, but I really wasn't expecting that. Do you think he asked for the change? It's kind of a bummer to be switched just as I was getting to know Cole the hottie, but at least I don't have to deal with Boob Boy checking me out all the time. And it doesn't hurt Isaac and the other guys in your group aren't too bad on the eyes. C'mon, Snickerdoodle. Let's check out our new group!"

I continue to stare at Isaac, starting to feel angry now. I don't deserve this. Sure, he may still be hurt by what happened all those years ago, but I thought he was professional enough to not let it get in the way of working together. Apparently not. Isaac reaches out to shake Sophie's hand as she beams up at him.

Another thought occurs to me. Maybe it has less to do with me and more to do with Sophie. Does Isaac want her in his group because he likes her? He did dance with her three times at David's party, after all.

Now Sophie is handing him Snickerdoodle, who curls into Isaac's arms contentedly. I didn't think Isaac was much of a dog person. Sophie can be very persuasive, though.

Whatever. If he'd rather work with Sophie, that's just fine with me. It's probably better for me not to be around him anyway. I can pretend to be indifferent.

I pull myself from my thoughts. I need to join my new group.

I introduce myself to Cole, who looks over at Sophie with a perplexed look on his face. Walter is staring at her as well with a love-sick expression. Talk about instacrush! The boys in this group are definitely put out by the change. Fabulous. I feel like a kid again, always the last one to be picked for the softball team.

Since the guys are so distracted with Sophie, I decide to introduce myself to the two girls.

Janet is short, just over 5 feet and cropped purple hair with a bluish tinge. What she lacks in height, she makes up for in personality.

The other girl, Selena, is the opposite of Janet—tall and athletic with tan skin and hair so blonde it's almost white.

I'm still not exactly sure what Janet's product is. She's been going on about it for the last five minutes and I'm even more confused than when we started. I have no clue what Selena is working on either because she hasn't even had a moment to speak.

Finally Janet stops talking and Cole introduces himself. I smile warmly and shake his hand, but he barely makes eye contact. He seems upset.

"Don't you think Beth should tell us about her product?" Janet says, then blows a large gum bubble and snaps it.

"Right, right," Cole says, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. "Go ahead, uh..."

"Beth," Janet reminds him.

"Right, er, Beth. What do you have."

Flustered by his reaction to me joining the group, I struggle to pull my thoughts together.

"Well, um—"

"Do we have to go over this again? That is what I've been trying to tell you all not to do. No ums when you're presenting. Have your story nailed down so you know exactly how to pitch it when someone asks. Practice it in front of the mirror if you have to. You need to exude confidence. Ums will undermine you. You all remember how Sophie introduced her product line. That's how I want you to do it."

My body stiffens at Cole's caustic voice. I feel like I've just been dressed down by a stern kindergarten teacher. Don't get me wrong, I love Sophie, but I'm getting sick of the way everyone is acting like she walks on water.

"Right," I say, drawing courage. "My product helps dyslexic children work with their brains to achieve academic confidence."

Cole looks at me with skeptical eyes.

"That doesn't tell me anything. You haven't even told me what the product is or does." What's his problem? He cut me off before I could. Besides, how was I supposed to know how Sophie presented since I wasn't even part of the group then. Cole's irritation is really starting to rub me the wrong way.

"It's a packet of color coded and textured charts, stickers and worksheets—"

"Stop. Tech is the future, B, B—" he stalls, clearly having forgot my name again.

"Beth," Janet pipes up helpfully.

"Right, Beth. Schools are moving away from paper textbooks. Everything's moving digital. Paper is too messy and expensive. Do you really think teachers will be excited to have 30+ students with lots of little pieces that will get lost and need replaced? Schools are investing in tablets and want to pay for a cheap app with a class license. Problem solved."

"I don't think an app would appeal to all the senses in the way my product—"

"It doesn't matter how good your product is if no one buys it. Trust me. Schools want apps. Now let's move to our workspace and gets started. You all have your work cut out for you if you want Solere to even consider your ideas worthy of consideration."

An app? I don't know how to make an app! I barely use a computer. I'm not even positive I could make an app work with my methods. Why won't Cole even let me explain the product before shooting me down? Clearly he doesn't know the role I played in helping form Solere. I don't want to tell him because I don't want him to treat me any different than the others, but there's a part of me that wants to wipe that sneer off his face.

Did I really ever think Cole was cute? The guy needs to go back the woods and get lost. Permanently.

I'm all thought and no talk, though, so I gather up my project and move it to our new workspace, fighting back the tears and trying not to feel sorry for myself. How could the tables have turned so quickly? I had so been looking forward to working with Robert, Pete and Ling. Now I am stuck with Boob boy, Ms. Mouth and Silent Selena, who still hasn't said one word to me. Oh yeah, and Cole, the abrasive hottie who hates my product and probably wishes Sophie were still in his group.

I have a sinking feeling that my chances at winning this competition are going downhill fast.

_____________

If you enjoyed this, please hit the star and vote.

Did y'all die when you read the bra charger part? Well, believe or not, it's based on a real product! A company named TreeHugger and Instructables have made a "chest charger" that transforms support bras into energy-generating devices. Most of the other inventions in this book are also based on real products or prototypes, including the light up shoes. There's a lot of cool innovations out there!

And for all those curious to see what Cole looks like, here ya go! (Zac Efron could totally play this part)

Dedication for this chapter goes out to a fabulous Wattpadre and friend Linna1029. She has a great fantasy story called "Shadow's Edge" that I highly recommend. It's part of a series. And if you're more into werewolf stories, she writes them under her handle Brink1314. Just click on her dedi links to check them out!