I Do... Not Want Your Body (Editing)

Chapter 8

Another pie was set in front me just as Clay had finished his sixth. Great, now he was onto his seventh, but it pleased me to know that he was just as unsettled about this as I was. I smiled to myself and was relieved to get an apple pie. Much better.

I started digging in right away, trying to dim the voices of the roaring crowd in front me. I'm sure we've already awoken the neighbors, but us Ardens and Englends don't really seem to care.

"You have about ten minutes left contestants!" Holt called out and then I heard his deep voice start to over-take the microphone. "Elspeth Arden has just started on her seventh pie and is matching the pace of her contestant Barclay Batson who is also on his seventh pie." 

I just shook my head and kept shovelling it in. I knew this was going to be my last one because of the time limit and because of how much room was currently left in my stomach.

Come on Elle you can do it! You... can... do... it!

I just chanted myself over and over not caring if I looked like I was giving myself an internal pep talk to the outside world. I was in dire need of one, I was about done with eating these pies and Clay was hot on my heels, I would have to make haste if I wanted to beat him.

"'Bout done over there?" I heard Clay call out to me a couple of seats away.

I scowled, "Leave me alone, you pest."

Clay only laughed and then went back to his blueberry pie, but I just scowled and went back to what I was doing, ignoring him as much as I could.

"Come on Clay, you can do it, you aren't going to get beat by a little girl." Osi cheered him on but I just rolled my eyes at his obvious tactics to throw me off, because well it wasn't going to work...at all.

I knew that Clay was also loosing space in those beautiful abdominals of his, but I wasn't complaining. I wanted him to back out and we were coming down to the wire. I just kept shoveling and shoveling and before I knew it, I was half-way done with the pie which was a surprise even to me.

"Your ahead of him and if you keep going at this pace then you'll beat him." A familiar voice told me. And I looked up to see Axel standing there with a smirk on his face. "Your doing great keep going."

"T-thanks." I stuttered, I could feel my cheeks flaming under his scrutinizing gaze, so I turned away and kept eating my pie as much as I could.

It wasn't long before both of us had finished our seventh pie. I was trying to work up the courage to take another one, but we only had about two minutes left.

"There's no point in going any further. Why don't we just call it a tie?" Clay asked.

I shook my head and tried to reach for another pie, but I felt like I'd burst if I did. "Oh! The torture, someone, anyone! Prepare the bucket!" I shouted out into the crowd as my stomach threatened to split from any sudden movement.

"Is that you...b-backing out Arden?" Clay asked as he tried to get in a comfortable position in his chair. It looked like we were just waiting for the other to throw up, but I would not blow a chunk. Well I would try hard not to, but if it were to happen I want to be prepared.

"Nothing like being prepared right?"

"In the words of the a girl scout." Clay chuckled.

I rolled my eyes at him and sunk in my chair and felt relieved when the whistle finally blew and the competition was completely over. I felt as if I could let out the breath that I had been holding for an eternity.

"Now that the competition is over, it's time to announce the winner." Holt smiled as he headed over to Clay. "Let's see you've eaten seven pies Clay, great job," Clay just gave him a thumbs up and then looked over at me lazily. I just shrugged as Holt then headed over to me. "Let's see if my little Elspeth has beaten you."