'TOOOOT'
Bolting up, I hit my head on the bunk above me. I could still hear the sound ringing through my ears, seeming to echo in my head. Rubbing my temple, I let out a groan.
"We don't catch a break, do we?" Bridgette muttered, and I couldn't help but giggle, flopping back onto the mattress. Trying to wake myself up, I hear the annoying voice of our 'lovely' host, Chris.
"Morning campers! Rise and shine! You've got stuff to do! And trust me, it'll be a VERY fun day!" I roll my eyes, placing my hands over my eyes. Perhaps if I pretended to be asleep, they'd leave me alone?
"Same goes for you, [Y/N]! Up and at 'em!" I glare, crawling out of my covers.
"God help me..."
After dressing in my comfy [F/C] hoodie and leggings, I left the cabin, seeing a few campers already awake.
"What's for breakfast?" I heard Owen ask, and I smiled. That guy was definitely a mood.
"Actually, you'll be having breakfast after your next challenge, a twenty-kilometre run. To win, your whole team needs to complete the course, and be back at the main lodge before the other team." Chris stated, and multiple glares were directed towards him. I saw Eva ready to punch him. Honestly, it made me excited, until Geoff and Duncan restrained her.
"You've got to be kidding!" Heather repulsed, gesturing to her footwear. I had to say, I was pretty pissed, too.
"Guess that's why you don't wear heels on a reality show." Gwen smirked, and I laughed.
"You guys should've let Eva get him," I told Duncan and Geoff, who jumped at the fact I'd been here all this time.
"Well, look at that, the princess is awake. How'd you sleep, sweetheart?" I rolled my eyes, however, I felt my heart pick up a little. No way, this was not happening. Ignoring Duncan, I followed Chris, who was leading us to the beginning of the run.
Everyone took off, me maintaining a steady pace. I knew or thing or two about running, especially long-distance track. The key was to not go hard too early because that would just tire me too quickly. I glanced back for a brief moment, taking note of the number of people walking. Heather seemed to be speaking with Owen, while others were walking alone, or already puffed. Focusing my attention forward, I kept my breathing even.
"Well, sweetheart, I'm surprised. Didn't think you'd be able to keep up with the big guys." I gave a quick glance to my left, with Duncan locking eyes with me. The same heart rate came back, however, it would be easy to blame it on the running.
"What's wrong, Duncy? Afraid a girl will beat you?" I smirked. I could tell he was beginning to get frustrated, as with a grunt, he began to push forward in front of me. Two could play at that game. Forcing my legs, I matched his pace once again, sending a wink his way, before bolting past him.
"See you at the finish line!"
I bolted up the stairs of the main lodge, feeling my heart beating up in my throat. Collapsing on the chair, Duncan fell beside me.
"Good... one..." He panted, making me let out a forced laugh, trying to get as much air as possible. Sitting up straight, I noticed a few more people making their way into the lodge. Geoff, DJ, Tyler, Bridgette; all the athletic type people. I rested my head on the table, tracing my finger along the wood. I could feel a pair of eyes watching me, however, I was too distracted to care.
A short while later, everyone was at the lodge.
"Wait, that means we won!" I heard Gwen cheer, her fellow teammates cheering along with her.
"Actually, that wasn't the challenge. That will come after you eat." Chris exclaimed, motioning for Chef to pull open a curtain. Behind it was a display of the most amazing looking food I'd ever seen. Everyone immediately began piling their plates, while I hung back. I'd always been a fussy eater, and a majority of the food didn't exactly look appealing to me. Taking a plate, I found a few things I'd enjoy, nothing compared to what the others had stocked. Taking my seat, I rested my chin on my hand, listening in to the conversation.
"So, what do you think the challenge actually is?" Courtney questioned, shoving another forkful of Turkey into her mouth.
"Who knows? If you haven't noticed, Chris hasn't been exactly nice to us." Harold stated.
"Boo hoo, nothings gonna stop me from winning this," Duncan smirked, a smug look on his face. I rolled my eyes.
I watched as Geoff whispered something into his ear, causing Duncan to turn red. "Shut up." He crossed his arms, still looking a tad bit flustered. It was funny seeing him like this, a lot less mean.
Duncan recalled the conversation. "So Geoff thinks I'm going soft cause of some girl. Sure, the guy can think what he wants, but I can tell you know, there is no way I'm letting [Y/N] get in my way of winning." The cameraman laughed, and Duncan glared. "I'd watch it if I were you!"
Sitting on the log, I looked around, noticing how everyone was stuffed from the food. I, on the other hand, was fine.
"Well, campers, are we ready for the challenge of today?" With groans here and there, Chris chuckled.
"I call this challenge the Awake-A-Thon. The last person awake at the end of this wins. And trust me, I expect you all to be out within the next couple of hours. Good luck! You'll definitely need it this time." Crossing my legs, I watched the other competitors. Courtney began jogging on the spot, which made me raise a brow.
"Won't that tire you out quicker? The best thing to do would be to conserve your energy-"
"Zip it, [Y/N]! I know what I'm doing!" I shrug, before grabbing a rock. I began carving small things into the stump, questioning as to what was to come.
12 HOURS LATER
I'd moved to sit on the ground, resting against one of the stumps. Fatigue hadn't hit me yet, but I could tell the others were beginning to feel it. Hearing a 'thump', I glanced over, seeing Owen had been the first one to hit the ground. It meant we were one person closer to winning. I turned my attention to Gwen and Trent, gazing up at the stars. I smiled to myself. It may have only been a couple of days, but I could tell those two were already head over heels for each other. Hugging my knees to my chest, I rested my chin on my knees, trying to keep my mind active. As I thought of my home, I saw a figure moving towards me.
"How long until everyone else is out?" Duncan asked, moving over next to me. I shrugged, glancing around.
"From the looks of it, people will start dropping like flies. Won't be surprised if you're one of them." I laughed, him cracking a smile.
"Don't need to worry about me, gorgeous, I know how to keep awake. You, however, will probably want your 'beauty sleep' soon." I scoffed, which made him smirk.
"Trust me, Juvie, it'll hit you sooner or later." To pass the time, Duncan and I got talking about our experiences, our homes, and our lives.
100 HOUR MARK
It was down to six of us. Duncan, Eva, Trent, Gwen, Heather, and me. At this point, I could practically feel my under-eye bags seeping into my skull. Yawning for the 400th time, I rubbed my eyes, blinking.
"Come on, you gotta stay awake with me," Duncan stated, although I could hear the fatigue in his voice.
"You got this. If you lose this for us, I'll vote you off, and that's a promise." He mimicked a salute.
"Ay-Ay, captain!" I rolled my eyes, smirking. Resting my head on his shoulder, I closed my eyes. I felt his arm go over my shoulders, and for once, I didn't mind his company.
An hour or so later, Chris sent me off to go freshen up. I was proud of my effort. After letting the water soak my skin, I decided to do a bit of roaming around the campsite. I hadn't explored much, and wanted to see if all we had were trees and bushes. Throwing some white rocks along my way, I heard a loud bang. Jumping, I turned to see what I hit. It was a trailer. Raising my brow, I slowly inched towards it. It looked quite fancy. Opening the door slowly, I peeked on in. It was like a mini-mansion. A double bed, a deluxe shower, a huge TV, and more. Stepping on in, I decided to snoop around. Next to the bed was a picture frame. It showed a man and a young girl, probably two or three. She had bright, bold eyes, and was wearing a white floral dress. The man was well-groomed, with a broad grin. The two were standing in a park, the girl having her hair in two braids. They both looked similar, however, I couldn't exactly pinpoint it. Hearing a noise from outside the trailer, I grasped the photograph tightly, running straight back to the camp.
I came back to the cabins to see Eva on a rampage.
"Eva! Calm down!" Courtney yelled, dodging a flying bag.
"Woah!" I cry, ducking from a flying blow dryer.
"What's gotten into her?" I ask, making my way next to Courtney. She sighed.
"Someone took her MP3. She's going full ballistic!" I raised my brow. Now, who would be the one to take her MP3?
"Eva! Look! I found your MP3!" I sighed, of course, it would be Heather. Eva sheepishly looked at Courtney and I, then the rest of the girls.
"Ahaha, guess it wasn't stolen..." I glared at Heather, her just smirking in reply. This was gonna be one hell of a ride.
"Eva! To the dock of shame you go!" Chris exclaimed, pointing in the direction of the docks. It wasn't exactly a shocker, as she did basically ruin the entire cabin. As I watched her leave, I yawned softly. After the challenge, my body felt completely shut down. At this point, I could barely walk.
"You been dragged through hell too, huh?" Duncan laughed, turning on the stump he was placed on to face me. It was either he was over-exhausted, or the fatigue just hadn't hit him yet.
"What's it look like, captain obvious?" I rolled my eyes, a smile on my face.
"Admit it, you love me." He smirked, making me go red once again. Turning away, I stood up.
"I-In your dreams, Juvie." I heard him chuckled, which made me walk away. "I was joking!" He called, but I continued to make my way to the cabin. I never acted like that! What was wrong with me?