Unfaithful Friend

Counselor: Hi, Charlie. 

Charlie: Hi.

Counselor:  So, you came here to talk through your...  traumatic experience with some people on The Cliffs, right?

Charlie: Yeah, I guess.

Counselor: So, how do you feel about your friend, Brooke?

Charlie:  Well, We're not really friends anymore; she's really changed. 

Counselor: Really?  Can you elaborate on that a little more?

Charlie:  Ummm, sure. 

Counselor: Great!

Charlie:  Well, before the whole reality show thing, she was really loyal.  She still liked to be the center of attention, but it wasn't all that mattered to her. 

Counselor: And now?

Charlie:  On the show, she really couldn't handle me being the main character.  She always got mad and said that I was stealing the spotlight and she was always mad that the producer of the show ran most of the ideas by me before a lot of decisions were made.

Counselor: do you have any ideas why she might have changed?

Charlie: I think that Marleyna definitely influenced her to change.  Even though Marleyna has always been really mean to Brooke, Brooke has looked up to her.  When Marleyna became Brooke's "new best friend"…

Counselor:  Let me interrupt you for a second.  Why did you put the air quotes around "new best friend"?

Charlie:  It's pretty coincidental that Marleyna suddenly likes Brooke after all these years, right when she appears on a reality show. 

Counselor:  I see.  You can continue now.

Charlie: I was just saying that it's a pretty convenient moment for Marleyna to be Brooke's new friend.  I really think that Marleyna drove a wedge between me, Keiran, and Hallie and Brooke.  There was already a lot of tension, but Marleyna was definitely fueling the fire. 

Counselor: Kind of like Meredith in that re-make of the Parent Trap?

Charlie: Exactly!  She plays innocent to Brooke, but she's horrible to the rest of us.  Then, she turns around and says that it's us being hard on her!

Counselor:  She is definitely someone that doesn't care who she steps on to get to the top, isn't she?

Charlie:  That's a perfect description of her! 

Counselor:  People like that can lead to change in the personalities of people like Brooke.  Do you think that Brooke has a dynamic personality?

Charlie:  What do you mean?  Is she interesting or exciting?

Counselor:  No, I was actually asking if she was really involved in the conflicts that you had on the show.  It could also mean that she is a person that changes a lot. 

Charlie:  Well, yeah.  Like I said before, she really loves being the most looked at person in the room.  Even if that means ditching a party you co-hosted to jump on a yacht with Marleyna.    

Counselor:  Do you think that she ever influenced or changed how anyone else felt or acted?

Charlie:  I think that she really upset people with what she said and made them say things defensively.

Counselor: Do you have any specific examples?

Charlie:  I remember one time, when we were at the fair.  I accidentally said something about how it was unfair that Keiran's parents made her babysit like she was the nanny.  It turned into this big argument and Keiran got really offended.  Somehow there was no sound on the recoded tape, so the show's producer had us film it again.  All of us were hesitant except for Brooke.  Keiran was so upset that she started being mean about all of our personal issues.  Instead of just letting it drop, Brooke was yelling back at her and was just making the whole thing worse. 

Counselor:  Interesting.  What kind of impact do you think Brooke had on the viewers of the show?

Charlie:  I don't really think that the viewers loved Brooke.  She's that girl that you don't particuarly like, but you can't help watching, because her life's so interesting. 

Counselor:  I agree.  Someone like that isn't particularly likeable, but can be really intriguing. 

Charlie:  Well, at least she has her new spin-off show.  She's the star and is absolutely loving it.  She couldn't care less about us or how we feel anymore.

Counselor:  Well, Brooke seems like a very deconstructive person.  I think that you should stay away from her as much as possible.  I know that she used to be your friend, but she's changed.  I think that she's happy now that she can be the center of attention.  There're certain people that need to be in the spotlight to validate that people care about them.

Charlie:  Well that sounds a lot like her.

Counselor:  Sorry, Charlie -- sorry, no pun intended.  That’s all the time we have now, but I'll see you next week, okay? 

Charlie: Yeah, that sounds good.  Bye.