Chapter Text
When the glass door finally slipped open and Elara was able to go through, all she could think about was what on earth she was getting herself into. She was left waiting just behind the door that leads to the set house for a few minutes, just enough time for her to realize her life was about to change for good.
Being a part of a reality show was never part of her plans, especially one like the House of Mirrors. Every year, they select 15 people to be isolated in a house for three months while being watched by cameras at all times while they try to captivate the public eye to win the final prize: $800,000. Honestly, it sounds like living hell to Elara, but right now, she really needs the money.
When she walked inside, right into the living room, she realized how much bigger the house was compared to what she was used to seeing on TV. Speaking of TV, there was a big one in the middle of the room, which is funny, since they’re not really allowed to have any contact with the outside world and entertainment, including news and tv shows of any kind.
The TV was showing the names of the people she’d share the house with. Hers was third.
Elara Vesper, 22
Neutral
Straight to the point, she guessed. Not that one’s Classification was supposed to be a secret, quite the opposite, actually. When you turn 18, you go to a classification center to be tested and classified as either Caregiver, Neutral or Little. It has always been like this, even so, some classification is viewed as superior than the other. For a long time, Littles weren’t allowed to work in a position of power, and Caregivers were judged if they decided not to be a stay-at-home caregiver.
HOM was one of the first reality shows to accept littles in back in the day, and they were proud to announce that they were a classification-inclusive show; that’s why participants’ classification were such a big deal to them.
Reading the names on the TV, Elara noticed that this year there were six Caregivers, five Neutrals, and four Littles in total, a contrast to last year's nine Neutrals, four Caregivers and two Littles. HOM claimed to be inclusive, but they had never had fewer Neutrals than any other classification before. It was good to see that change.
Exploring the house, she counted three bedrooms with two single beds and two twin beds each, five bathrooms, a kitchen with a big dinner table and a backyard with a pool and a multi-purpose court. She left her bag in the first bedroom near the living room, which seemed to be the biggest one, and went back to wait for the others. When she returned, she was surprised to see another person reading the names of the participants the same way Elara had before.
The woman seemed to notice her presence as she turned around to see Elara just awkwardly standing there. She was slightly taller than Elara, and her curly brown hair was tied up in a bun. She was pretty.
“Hi! Thought I was the first in,” the woman said, keeping eye contact while Elara walked closer. “Nice to meet you. I’m Marienne!”
It suits her, her name. She remembers seeing it on the TV.
Marienne Holt, 23
Caregiver
“Hey, nice to meet you, too,” She said back, resting her hand on the top of the sofa. God, she was so awkward. She would not last long here if it depended on her social skills. “Elara.”
“Has anyone else arrived, or is it just the two of us?”
“Just us,” Elara said. “I can show you around if you want.”
“Sure!”
They walked side by side as Elara showed her around. Marienne left her bag on the twin bed next to Elara’s single one when they entered the first room. When they stopped by the kitchen, the later arrival was amazed with the different utensils there.
“They’re not kidding,” Marienne claimed when she spotted a stand mixer at the kitchen counter. “They couldn’t afford one of these at the restaurant I used to work.”
“You’re a cook?” Elara asked, sitting on the nearest stool.
“Yeah. I just finished school.” She sat down by Elara’s side. “I did an internship at LaBella for a while, but now I work as a kitchen assistant for a personal chef.”
“Sounds nice!” She knew LaBella. It’s a fancy-ish restaurant downtown. Not as fancy as she thought if they couldn’t afford a decent stand mixer. “You live here then? In the city?”
“Born and raised,” She answered. “And you? What do you do for a living?” She leaned her face on her hand.
“I work as a pet groomer in a pet shop near LaBella, actually.”
“Oh, Tails & Trails!?” She sounded almost excited.
“Petique. But I know Tails & Trails as well.”
“No way!” Marienne said, gesturing. “I know Petique, yeah. How come we’ve never crossed paths before?”
“Maybe we did.”
“I would have remembered.”
Elara chuckled. This woman was charming.
It was easy to talk to Marienne. She led the conversation and Elara kept smiling at her stories without really realizing it. She has a cat named Vanessa, that’s why she knew two pet stores near where she used to work. Elara also noticed that Marienne was born with money. She had traveled a lot with her parents when she was younger and, from what Elara gathered in the conversation, they had also paid for her education.
She was so into it that when three others made themselves known, she couldn’t help but to jump slightly at the sudden noise.
Erika, Olivia, and Manoel also settle into the first room, now complete. Manoel took the single bed and the girls the twin one. They all seemed nice. Erika and Olivia, both Caregivers, seemed as excited as Marienne to be here, and Elara could see the three of them clicked almost immediately.
Elara didn’t know why all caregivers are usually so extroverted. She didn’t mind holding the conversation with new people, but for someone with zero friends, four people seemed like a lot. For now, she focused on observing, letting the others lead the discussion.
Manoel was the only Little in the room. He seemed timid, like Elara herself, and while he spoke less than the others, he was still part of the conversation. Elara watched quietly, taking it all in.
“I still live with my parents; they like having me around. I was really surprised they let me come here,” Manoel said, playing with the sleeve of his sweatshirt.
“It means they trust you,” Olivia answered. “They both Caregivers?”
“Only my dad. My mom's a Neutral. But sometimes it feels like it's the other way around,” he chuckled, showing his dimples.
“Don’t worry mama bear, we’ll take good care of him,” Olivia said to the large wall mirror, which everyone knew hid a camera, making the group smile in agreement.
“What about you, Elara?” Marienne asked, making everyone stare at her. It’s cute she was trying to include her, but Elara was not amused to be the center of attention right now. She felt a small pang of nervousness as all eyes turned to her.
“Huh?” Elara said, unsure of what Marienne was asking.
“You live with your parents?” Marienne clarified.
“No, it’s just me,” Elara explained. “My parents live in the countryside. I moved here to study, but it didn’t work out.”
“What did you plan to study?” It was Erika's turn to ask.
“Social studies, but as you can see, it’s not really my area of expertise.”
Elara can’t lie; she was really proud of herself for making everyone laugh. Marienne seemed amused, and she couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed by the look Marienne was giving her.
They could hear a little fuss in the living room, meaning the others had arrived. Elara was glad the producers always let them in separately, and even more glad that she was chosen to be one of the first to arrive. That way, when they left their room, she wouldn't have to introduce herself, it would be the other way around.
Winston was the last one to arrive. He was also a Neutral, but unlike Elara, he immediately made himself known. He was in his late forties and all muscle; Elara was sure he could lift her with only his pinky.
All the participants were gathered on the clear sofa or nearby. Elara was on the far right of it, Marienne was sitting on the arm of the sofa, leaning toward Elara while keeping a conversation with the others . Ericka and Olivia were beside each other but in the middle of the sofa, exchanging quiet smiles, clearly enjoying themselves. Manoel was on the floor with another Little he befriended with, Tomas, both leaning casually against the sofa.
The room felt warm, filled with soft chatter and occasionally laughter. Elara had never had a big family, and making friends had never been her strong suit. These new feelings of belonging were making her feel lighter than she had in years, and the occasional touches from Marienne were most welcome, too.
Suddenly, Colin Spiegel, the new host of House of Mirrors, appeared on the TV. Colin was the son of Albert and Gisele Spiegel, the creators of the reality show. The Spiegel family, all Neutrals, had completely revolutionized the history of television.
It was Colin’s first year as the host and one of the show’s producers, and as Elara looked at her new housemates, it was clear he was doing something right. He was just like his mother: tall, blue eyed and good-looking. He also seemed charismatic as well, though that trait he takes after another member of his family.
“Welcome, everyone, to the 2025 House of Mirrors!” Colin paused, letting the applause washed through the room. “I’m very happy to announce that I’ll be your host this year, and I’m so excited to meet each one of you.”
“As you may know, House of Mirrors is a reality show about relationships, finding friends, making new bonds. We want people at home to feel your struggle, embrace your quirks, and, of course, cheer for you!” He continued. “This is a special year: House of Mirrors is completing twenty-five years, older than many of you. And to celebrate, get ready for a completely new edition, with me as, hopefully, your new favorite host.”
He winked and Elara couldn’t help but chuckle. Marienne seemed to be the only one to notice and gave a wink of her own, just for her. Elara liked her already; she hoped they could be friends. She leaned a little closer, and Marienne let her arm fall casually over the back of the sofa.
Colin went over the house rules that everyone was already familiar with since they’d signed the contract. The host did this every year so the audience at home could follow the show’s dynamic.
It was quite simple: they had to wake up by 7, buy groceries each week, making sure there was enough food for everyone, never take off their microphones unless they were in the pool or showering, and establish a routine for cooking and cleaning if they wanted to keep the house in harmony. And of course, every mirror was a hidden camera, they needed to be careful when changing clothes if they didn’t want to appear naked on national television. All romantic or sexual activities had to be consensual, and no one was allowed to hurt themselves or others under any circumstances, whether during fights, challenges, or anything else. Simple.
“You guys are free to spend the day getting to know each other. There’s food in the kitchen for today and tomorrow's breakfast. Little supplies can be found in the storage room near the kitchen, as well the rest of your bags,” Colin said.
“I must say, I’m really excited for the next couple of months. Fare well, folks!” The TV turned black.
“A little over the top this guy,” Winston said, getting up from the armchair he was sitting on.
“I think he’s funny,” Tomas, Manoel’s new friend, concluded.
They all went different ways. Romina, a Caregiver, went with Orlando, Tomas and Manoel, all Littles, to the court in the backyard. A few others went to the storage room to pick up their bags to settle in and the rest… Elara wasn't really sure what they were doing. She considered going to the storage room herself to grab her things, but just as she started heading there, Marienne took her hand.
“Want to go to the kitchen with us?” She asked.
By “us”, she meant herself, Erika, Olivia and Camille, a Little with baby blue eyes.
“Sure,” Elara answered.
Marienne let go of her hand and walked beside her, the others a few steps ahead.
Maybe being here wasn't going to be a living hell after all, Elara thought, sharing a quick glance with Marienne, who smiled sweetly at her and took her hand again.