Total Heartthrob || Chris McLean

Season 1: Paintball Deer Hunt

"Sorry, girl, just doing the challenge!" I smiled at her. Seeing her was strangely relieving, and I waved off her apologies. It's not like today could get any worse. Actually, let me take that back. It could. I motioned for her to shoot me again and, with a confused glance, she did. "You're weird, Lil," she laughed out before stalking back off into the woods. I went off in the different direction, blue paint dripping down my body.

"Attention human wildlife and hunters!" Chris's voice croaked through the rickety speaker system and I could feel my heart frown. You and me both, little heart, you and me both. Where had he been this entire time? "Please report back to camp. It's time to show your hides and tally up the scores!" I began my slow walk back to the camp, eventually joining the rest of my contestants. Chris was yelling at them about how they were stealing and wasting paint product, then his yells turned to laughter at how awesome it was. My team ended up gaining the wind since nearly all of the Gophers were doused in paint. I looked at my team then at myself. Awkward; I was the only one covered in paint.

I looked back up from my paint covered legs and accidentally made eye contact with Chris. His pretty brown eyes were unreadable from the distance, but I didn't bother getting close enough to figure them out. Removing my deer antlers, I tossed them at his feet, breaking eye contact for a few seconds before returning my gaze to his. We watched each other for a second or two before I turned away, leaving with the rest of my team back to the cabins. Chris had to of sensed how upset I was and yet he didn't do anything to stop me from leaving.

While my team went off to enjoy our reward — a fancy camping trip — I headed off towards the showers. The paint on me was beginning to harden and it felt truly disgusting. I headed to the cabin to collect my shower supplies as well as a clean pair of clothes. Before I left, I noticed the now glued back together gift Geoff had made Bridgette sitting atop her pillow. It was cute in its own way, but who was I to judge?

Inside the bathroom was steamy, all three showers being used by Gophers and one more Gopher waiting their turn. I got in the back of the line next to Gwen and she smiled at me. Her body lacked any paint, somehow. "Hey," I said as I leaned against the wall.

"Hey. Nice paint." I laughed and her smile widened. I really wish I had been put on a team with her. Duncan was cool and Bridgette was nice; there wasn't anything wrong with them. But Gwen was the second person I bonded with (first if Chris is excluded) when I got on this island. She was a lot more chill than most of these people and I just felt like I got along with her better.

"Oh, yeah. Really suits me." We shared another laugh and Beth poked out of the shower, wearing clean clothes and tying her wet hair into a ponytail. Would she ever let her hair down?

Beth had every opportunity to be pretty — and I'm not saying she wasn't now, she simply presented herself in a way most viewed unattractive. That sounds bitchy, but it's how I viewed her. She had large brown eyes she always concealed behind thick-framed pink glasses, and her braces smile really could light up the room. But her and Owen had one common problem: they're loud. Her voice did no justice for her and every time I heard her speak, I couldn't help but grimace. Maybe I am a bitch... maybe I am the problem. I should stop talking about her.

"Go ahead," I said as Gwen looked at me, gesturing me to use the shower. "You we're here first and it'll take a while to scrub this paint off." She nodded and headed off to use the shower Beth just exited.

After a few minutes, Beth exited the bathroom at the same time as LaShawna exited her shower. Thank goodness it was the corner shower; that was unofficially my shower. Our eyes met as I walked up towards it and she smiled. "Sorry about getting paint in you," she apologized and I laughed.