Annecy insisted I go to dinner that evening since it would be too suspicious if I didn't. I wasn't sure how I was going to keep my game face on and be "normal" during dinner.

When was I ever "normal"?

I dragged myself not toward the dining room, but to the ballroom, where they had the main dance floor set up for after-dinner dancing. Terrific. Yes, let's have more of that.

I strode over to the contestants' table, though I would have preferred to sit literally anywhere ...