Alejandro couldn't help but be frustrated, despite his luxurious accommodations. Sadly for him, he had been unable to sleep due to Sierra attempting to sneak in and visit her beloved Cody. But, as inconvenient as it all was, it gave him a good opportunity to strategize and plan out his next move.
Even though he secretly expected Miranda to try and sneak in as well, that never came to be. He could only hope that she was getting some proper rest for once. He always pitied her the most on her sleepless nights.
Unfortunately, Miranda was wide awake as always, stuck listening to Sierra plan out her undercover missions. She was pacing the floor, trying to map out what point of entry she should take, while Miranda tried to tune her out with her pillows.
"Okay, so if I go through the air ducts...I'd have to go left, right, then right again, then..."
"If that bastard's awake, don't even bother. You're gonna get caught again." Miranda grumbled through the cloth of her pillows.
"But, I miss him so much! I just need to know if he's okay...!"
"As much as I'd love to help you with your seventh attempt, I don't remember the last time I had a full night's sleep, so..."
Once Sierra heard this, she gasped. "What!? Sleep then, ya crazy! Don't worry about me, I got this."
Miranda was taken a bit off guard by how quickly Sierra had conceded. Considering how active and insistent she had just been about this plan, it was unexpectedly considerate of her.
"Oh. Um, thanks. Good luck."
So, Miranda turned around onto her side, finally closing her eyes to sleep. It was the only way she could possibly clear her head after today's shit show of an elimination ceremony. She'd mostly calmed down from her tantrum, but there were definitely still remnants of anger in her system. But that didn't stop that smug smile of his from haunting her dreams. But, instead of suave praise, his voice was filled with venom.
"What the hell were you thinking?"
"You're just so helpless for me, aren't you?"
"Even when you're in shambles, you crave me."
Sierra eventually gave up on her mission, accepting defeat as she drifted off on the bench across the room. This meant Alejandro could also finally get some sleep, no longer having to worry about being on guard duty.
Still, he managed to wake up before Cody the next morning. But once Cody finally did wake up, he seemed completely stunned, like the previous night of peaceful sleep was nothing burn a fantasy.
"My socks are still on? I'm still in the same position I fell asleep in?"
He sniffed his shirt cautiously. "I don't smell like crazy?"
He sighed with pure relief, leaning back in his golden chair. "Sierra left me alone all night!"
Alejandro snickered coyly. "She did try to sneak in, seven times. But, I sleep with one eye open for a reason."
Cody suddenly leaped onto him, hugging him tightly.
"Thank you!"
Alejandro was incredibly shocked and uncomfortable by his sudden outburst. But he played along as best as he could muster, smiling through his discomfort.
"Please, my friend. I-It was nothing."
Alejandro tried to pull Cody off of him, only to have him latch right back on. It was always cute when Miranda did that, but not so much with Cody.
"Can we get up before someone sees us?"
Once Cody eventually did detach himself, Alejandro went to the confessional, yawning softly as he sat down.
"Win African challenge, invite pathetically grateful nerdling to First Class. Win today's challenge, take my dollface to First Class. Done, done, and oh so close, I can taste it!"
Once he came out, he decided to wheel his prize of sweets over to Cody. He was trying not to cringe at all of the disgusting candy. He always despised anything with copious amounts of sugar or artificial flavors. Plus, if he ever wanted something that tasted sweet, he could just go to Miranda anyway.
"While you were sleeping, Chris delivered my prize for winning. Sadly, I do not have much of a sugar tooth."
"Yes?" Cody looked up with hope filling up in his eyes.
"And as my dear Mama always says, I am sweet enough already." Alejandro snickered confidently.
"Yes?!" Cody beamed, his mouth watering with excitement.
"Plus, I would rather not pollute my system with chemicals and dyes."
"Can I have it?!" Cody asked anxiously.
Alejandro finally cut off his act. "Oh? Would you like it?"
Cody nodded vigorously.
"Please, enjoy!"
Like a dog being let go from a stay, he dug right into the basket of candy. Alejandro flinched initially, but the joy in his voice made up for it.
"I owe you one, man!"
Cody never looked happier, just completely over the moon. It was exactly what Alejandro wanted.
In Economy Class, things weren't so cheery. Once the girls woke up, they immediately turned the room into a psychiatrist's office.
Sierra was laying on her bench with a stack of pillows under her head, just venting about the status of her "relationship" with Cody. Miranda sat right beside her, consuming the words she was saying as they went out the other ear. She nodded as if she was listening, but she was more focused on writing a note on her phone.
"The marriage has been maybe, a teensy-weensy bit rocky so far. But, I will do whatever it takes! So, what do you recommend?"
Upon this question, Miranda looked up to meet Sierra's pleading eyes. She sighed, scraping the crevices of her brain for some kind of decent response to give her.
"In this case, since you're so determined to make it work...I'd suggest giving him space. The reason it's been hard is that you're becoming too clingy. No one likes that kind of thing, I learned that firsthand. So, just be supportive of him, even if it's from afar. It's the little things that really leave an impact on people."
Sierra blinked, thoroughly surprised by how profound her words were. She knew Miranda really wasn't in the mood to listen to her, but she still put in impressive input.
"...Wow. Are you secretly a therapist or something?"
Miranda snickered quietly. "I get advice, I give it back. It's nothing."
"Oh, but I don't know if I can manage without having my Cody cuddles! There's nothing like it in the whole world!" Sierra refuted desperately.
Miranda hesitated to reply at first, as it seemed selfish to say what was on the tip of her tongue. But, at a time like this, she was in great need of someone loyal to lean on.
"Well...Maybe it's time to start trusting the girls in your life."
Sierra shot her a confused look. "How will that save my relationship?"
"Oh, you know what they say...! Boyfriends are gonna come and go, but girlfriends are forever. And from one girl to another, I feel as though I need to warn you. Alejandro is trying to split you two up. It's in your best interest to get rid of him before it's too late."
Miranda was honestly impressed by how firm she sounded when saying that. For once, she felt confident in her words and thoughts...
Until Sierra let out a giggle, rubbing her shoulder kiddingly.
"You're so funny."
She sat up from her pillows and stood up to pace. Miranda looked puzzled, standing up to press her further.
"Funny...? Like, as in...weird? Or, funny, like, I'm right, and you should maybe...vote for Alejandro tonight?"
"As if you want Alejandro to leave! You're so into him, his kidneys are getting crowded."
Sierra smirked as Miranda's cheeks lit up like a firetruck.
"Wh-What...!? N-No, I'm not...! Wh-What makes you think that?"
"Oh, I don't know, let's start with how angry you were that he didn't bring you to First Class, or the way you fawned over him while he was singing in Niagara Falls. Oh! And let's not forget those steamy Instagram photos from Jamaica! That's four hundred and two likes for Aleanda goodness~"
The more Sierra would speak, the more overwhelmingly embarrassed Miranda became. But, she tried to say something, even if it felt suicidal to do so.
"O-Okay, first of all...! We were drunk in Jamaica, so I wasn't in my usual headspace. A-And second...Just because he's a talented singer doesn't mean I like him. We all fawned at his voice, remember? And third, I'm pissed because he led me on and used my trust to have his way. He wouldn't have won if it weren't for me! The least he could do after all that was take me to First Class."
As Miranda was putting up her weak rebuttal, Sierra noticed a fading bruise on the side of her neck. She took a hand a pushed her hair away to see it, making Miranda flinch.
"Where'd you get that?"
"It's just a birthmark. Had it since I was little..." Miranda quickly covered it back up, making Sierra giggle again.
"Oh my gosh...Oooh~ Somebody has got it down bad~!"
"N-No, I'm not. That asshole of an Aries can go—"
"You even know his star sign, oh come on! There's no way you two aren't hooking up!" Sierra scoffed, cutting Miranda off, only to have her do it back.
"Even if we were, it doesn't matter! It never mattered! He never gave a shit about me and he never will!" Miranda snapped suddenly, immediately gritting her teeth with regret.
"No wonder no one gives a shit about you."
"You're such a fucking bitch."
"Why are you making her put up with you?"
"No one deserves that kind of torture."
As soon as she said it, Sierra could instantly tell that Miranda was clearly hurt by all this, and was trying to repress it. Before Miranda could get the chance to take it back and go back to repressing her feelings, Sierra put her hands on Miranda's shoulders.
"I'll say this, I can tell by the way he looks at you. He definitely cares about you at least a little. Is it love? Who knows! But, I wouldn't say that he doesn't care about you at all."
Miranda grimaced, struggling to look Sierra directly in the eye. But she couldn't just ignore the kindness she was trying to bestow on her. Torn beyond belief, she groaned frustratedly.
"I just can't believe him...After all that, and this is what I get...?"
"Duh. It's what you deserve."
"You literally fell for it."
"You knew he would do it, dumbass."
Chris soon came over the intercom, halting the girls' therapy session.
"Attention, passengers. Please prepare for landing."
Everything was calm until Chris and Chef began fighting for the control panel. The wing hit a giant stone head, causing the plane to veer into the water.
Everyone got out of the plane and onto the small island, littered with familiar stone head statues. Statues that felt like they only belonged in a myth, to be revealed to be real all along, like a lucid dream. The entire island seemed to emanate the energy of a fantasy world, lost in a completely different universe.
Miranda couldn't help but feel some disdain for seeing the destroyed statue as she exited the plane. Like a timeless piece of the world was now ruined forever. She couldn't help but feel like she could've prevented it from happening somehow.
But these thoughts were quickly halted by Alejandro walking over to her to see the damage as well.
"Another piece of world heritage, destroyed."
Miranda pouted, rolling her eyes. "That'll make two chiseled rocks getting destroyed today."
Alejandro quickly caught onto her jab, smirking confidently.
"Chiseled, you say?"
Realizing her mistake, she scoffed to attempt to hide the angry blush spreading onto her cheeks.
"I wasn't talking about you, dumbass. God, you're so arrogant."
Alejandro snickered. But before he could tease her further, Cody came running to him, the sugar rush catching up to him quickly.
"Al, you've got to try this taffy!"
"Al-ejandro, and I am not hungry." Alejandro pushed him off, trying his best not to sound too annoyed.
"That's the beauty of candy, no hunger required!" Cody chuckled, digging through his basket.
"Gob smackers, jelly welch's, sour ears?"
"I mean, if he's not taking any, I will." Miranda shrugged, slightly grinning.
"CODY~!"
Sierra squealed excitedly as ran to Cody with a massive hug. Miranda shook her head tiredly. Cody didn't seem to mind it for once though, his candy fully distracting him from Sierra's craziness.
"Let me look at you! Oh, you've changed so much! Way taller!"
Cody hummed. "You think so?"
"I'm going to have to trim your hair and your nails..."
Miranda suddenly chimed in, a sickly sweet tone escaping her.
"Oh, how cute are you two? Here, I can totally get a picture for your Instagram."
Alejandro looked quite confused by her strange change in behavior. But of course, there was never any time to question anything in this show. Not if Chris had anything to say about it.
The final four began walking up a large hill to find said host, who was in an interesting, yet traditional islander costume.
"Iorana." Chris greeted.
"Wow, Chris, you've been working out." Sierra grinned dreamily.
"And welcome to Easter Island, A.K.A, Rapa Nui. Place is old, these dudes were carved so long ago, no one even remembers why anymore. Ten bucks says it started as a dare."
"Twenty bucks say move on," Miranda muttered under her breath, making Alejandro grin. He liked this fiery mood she was rocking today.
"Today, you, our final four, are going on a highly traditional Easter Island egg hunt."
"For chocolate Easter eggs!?" Cody's eyes lit up like shooting stars.
"Uh, no. I'm talking the old-school kind of eggs, that come from birds, you know? Those flying things with feathers and talons and vicious 'kill you in a second' beaks? Speaking of which..."
Chris tossed the four remaining contestants some feather headpieces.
"Traditional feathered Rapa Nui headdresses. Wear 'em with pride, chickens."
Everyone reluctantly put them on as they walked with Chris to an area with different kinds of statues.
"Hidden in these head things are a bunch of colored eggs that match the color of your...head thing."
"I'm floored by your research." Miranda scoffed sarcastically.
"Your challenge, to find three eggs in your color. Then, make a break for the massive underground cavern system and book it all the way to the highest point on the island. Reach the top with all three eggs to begin the second part of today's challenge."
"What happens if we drop one?" Miranda asked.
"You'll have to come all the way back here for a replacement."
Alejandro quickly raised his hand.
"And no, you cannot take a backup egg."
Displeased, Alejandro lowered his hand.
"First one to the top gets a big advantage in part two. Now, scramble!"
Everyone began running around and taking a good look at the heads, realizing that these heads were quite different than the traditional ones they were initially greeted with.
"These look disturbingly familiar," Alejandro observed.
Sierra noticed this as well. "It's everyone who's been voted out."
Indeed, all of the heads were the previously eliminated from the competition. Alejandro began climbing Lindsay's head. Sierra found a blue egg, but when she realized it was Alejandro's, she dropped it on the ground.
"Oops! I guess that's what happens when you're a home-wrecking husband stealer and destroyer of dreams!" Sierra growled.
"I will keep that in mind when I locate one of your eggs." Alejandro spat back.
Miranda was scaling Courtney's head and found a red egg of hers hidden within her hair.
"Wow, Courtney being useful? Who'd have guessed?"
"I wish I could say the same of Lindsay...oh, wait, is that...? Nope. Nothing but air." Alejandro sighed.
Miranda began climbing LeShawna's head next. She found one of her eggs, but she accidentally dropped it.
"Damn it."
Sierra came over to her with confidence laced in her voice. She was wearing her eggs in a grass pouch she'd made.
"I know what you need."
"Oh, what? You think I need to kiss Alejandro? How clever." she scoffed.
"No, duh! You need one of these. I'll make you one. Girlfriends stick together, right?"
Miranda grinned, her eyes lighting up. "Yes, that they do. Thank you."
Miranda took a confessional about this newfound comradeship she'd just created. It made her feel quite smart at that moment. But something within her brutally unkind brain was sending red flags. Perhaps it was her pride. Heaven forbid she had any of that.
"I can't believe I'm actually getting through to Sierra, of all people. That's insane. Maybe I can do this. Maybe that piece of shit Aries will finally be gone...why do I feel so uneasy when I say that...?"
Sierra made Miranda a basket pouch of reeds that she put over her chest. It was almost like a baby carrier, and shockingly helpful.
Meanwhile, Alejandro had found all three of his eggs and was juggling them, since he had nowhere else to put them. But he knew that would soon change as Cody came over with his eggs loaded into his candy basket.
"Let me guess, your second cousin twice removed is a clown?"
Alejandro smiled proudly. "No, I was in Cirque Du Monde's all-child show, 'Infantile'. Ah, that is quite the handy basket."
"You like it? There's still some more spearmint toes if you...oh, wait."
"Yes?" Alejandro purred.
"You...did win the basket for me."
"Yes?" he repeated eagerly.
"And I do have some extra room. Did you want to...?"
"You are a true gentleman." Alejandro carefully tossed his eggs into the basket.
Sierra soon came over to them. "Cody! Here, I brought you your third—"
She instantly stopped when she saw Alejandro's eggs in the basket, gasping in complete horror.
"No! Cody, put that basket down right now!"
"What?" he whined.
"I'm calling a family meeting!"
Sierra pulled him away to talk. Alejandro, not wanting to pull him back in too quickly, took a moment to admire his pretty dollface, who was climbing up DJ's head. He grinned peacefully the second he laid eyes on her.
"Beautiful."
After a few moments of haze, he snapped himself out of it to call Cody back over.
"Come on, Cody. Oh, look, there's a hidden compartment filled with peanut butter cups!"
Cody lit up upon hearing that, instantly running back over to him.
"Cody! No! Think of the children!"
Sierra panicked as the boys started their ascent up the tunnel. Miranda came over to her, with her third egg finally in tow.
"Hey, hey, relax. Give it some more time. Sooner or later, he'll come back to his senses. Let's get going, okay?"
Sierra nodded, a relieved smile spreading across her face.
"Has anyone told you how comforting your voice is?"
Miranda could feel her contagious grin rubbing off onto her.
"...No, can't say I have but thank you."
With that, the girls also made their way up into the tunnel. Had it not been for the tiny speck of light at the far end of it, the tunnel would've felt like it went on for eternity. Narrow, dark, cold... it was all the things Miranda hated.
"Suck it up. It's just a tunnel."
"COWARD."
"PATHETIC."
"WORTHLESS."
Miranda whimpered, stopping in her tracks for a moment. Sierra turned around once she realized she wasn't with her.
"Miranda?"
The girl was hugging her arms, trying to repress her shaking.
"Sorry, I just...ugh, why now...?"
"No, no, no, don't you dare apologize! Trust me, I know all about the anxiety you have. It's okay. What do you need me to do?"
Miranda couldn't comprehend Sierra's behavior, her voice shaking.
"But...why...? I'm just slowing you down..."
"You helped me, duh! So, now I gotta help you! So what do you need?" Sierra scoffed.
Miranda let out a hitched breath, whimpering again as she suddenly grabbed onto Sierra's arm.
"...Thanks, Sierra."
"Of course! Now come on, I've got your hand too."
Sierra squeezed Miranda's hand as they continued their trek up the tunnel.
Up ahead, the boys quickly started to become tired, as the incline only got steeper.
"I think those mudslides are giving me mudslides." Cody groaned through a sore tummy.
As if it were a warning, a loud booming erupted through the tunnel.
"Tell me that was your stomach," Alejandro asked nervously, only to be proven wrong as Cody gasped.
"Look out!"
A giant boulder came rocketing down towards them. They quickly hid on the side walls of the cave, letting the boulder pass by.
Soon, the girls encountered the boulder, screaming. They squished themselves into the wall as it passed. They peeked back at it in pure shock.
"Holy Cody! Where'd that come from?"
Miranda squeezed Sierra's hand again. "Come on, we gotta get out of here before that happens again...!"
"Okay, okay, yeah. We can't panic, let's keep going...!"
So, picking up the pace, the girls continued. Thankfully boulders didn't constantly come rolling in, just every once in a while. But that meant Miranda's anxiety would spike every time one did approach them. She'd be alright in between, but every time she spiked, it'd be harder to recover. Sierra was honestly a lifesaver for her though. She would coach Miranda through every hiccup, lifting her spirits each time. She'd probably just be huddled up in the corner without her.
In between boulder attacks, Miranda decided to further insist on her plan for Sierra, in hopes of solidifying her vote.
"Cody's making a big mistake trusting Alejandro. Your boyfriend needs to work on reading social cues before he becomes a loser."
"Husband. And if falling for Alejandro makes someone a loser..." Sierra smirked.
"Oh, please. I told you I haven't fallen for him." Miranda couldn't hold back a chuckle.
Sierra giggled too. "Relax! We're the sisterhood of the traveling eggs! Look, if we both vote for Alejandro today, worst case, you and I take our chances with a tie. Best case, homewrecker goes home."
Miranda's eyes widened as Sierra spoke. It was now that she'd confirmed to herself that Sierra was as ditzy and crazy as what met the eye.
"...Wow, that was so sane. I'm so proud of you." Miranda snickered.
Sierra couldn't help but notice the sadness in her smile.
"You okay?"
Miranda looked confused. "...Yeah, for now, I am. Why? Should I not be...?"
"No, no! It's just...I don't know, you just seem off. You're cool with voting together, right?"
"Yeah, of course." Miranda nodded, but the glint in her eye said otherwise.
Sierra gasped. "I knew it! You don't want him to go."
"W-What? I said I did..." Miranda refuted sheepishly.
"You're totally lying, I can tell. Why don't you want him to leave, Miranda? Hm~?" Sierra smirked, pressing her further.
"I-I don't know what you're talking about. He's been a pain in the ass for me. It'll be a relief to have him gone."
"Still, you two spend an awful lot of time together. You'll be lonely, won't you?"
Her expression softened. "Maybe...okay, okay. I'm not saying I want him to stay, but...it's hard to say I want him gone either if that makes any sense. He bugs the shit out of me every single day. But...I almost always appreciated his company...Sure, part of me would miss him. But, after this, I just...can't do it anymore."
"It's okay, you were right this morning. He's the strongest out of everyone, he needs to go sooner rather than later. I can't imagine how you feel about losing him, but in the end, what is more important to you? Him or a million bucks?" Sierra answered.
Miranda sighed. "...You're right. I know what I came for."
Did she? Did she really know why she was here? Hell, why had she made it so far into the game? Was it her lack of enemies? Her quiet, nonconfrontational demeanor? Or did Alejandro have everything to do with it? And if that were the case...what would happen after he was eliminated?
Back up ahead, the boy was halted by another boulder rolling towards them.
"Ah! Look out!"
Cody ran, dropping all but two eggs. Alejandro caught them as the boulder hit him. When Cody came out of hiding, he gasped at the destroyed eggs.
"Oh no! We have to go back! Hurry!"
Alejandro was covered in eggshells, standing up and running.
The girls avoided the boulder by hiding in a hole in the ground. Miranda nearly dropped one of Sierra's eggs, but she caught it. The boys quickly passed by them.
"Aw, Cody-kins came back 'cause he missed me!" Kk Sierra cooed.
Miranda giggled at Alejandro's appearance.
"Aw, baby broke his little eggs. Don't worry, we'll wait for you at the top~"
"Cody! I will wait for you, Coco!"
The egg in Miranda's hand suddenly moved and cracked.
She gasped. "Oh my God, it moved! What do I do?! Help me!"
"Cody, the next generation begins."
The egg hatched into a tiny little bird that funnily had Cody's hairstyle. Miranda began to laugh hysterically the second she saw it.
"How the fuck does it have his hair..?! Haha~ Oh my God, I'm done!"
"It's Cody the second! Aw, little one, do you know how long mama and papa have been waiting for you?"
Miranda handed her the bird after calming down from her laughing fit. "Okay, let's go before the boys catch up again."
The bird squeaked and suddenly perched itself on Miranda's head.
"No, no, I'm not a nest. Go to your mom."
She tried to pull it out, but it wouldn't budge, locking its talons in her hair.
"Ow, my hair!" she started running and Sierra followed.
"You come back here Cody two-two! You come back to mama right now!"
The boys were running around frantically looking for new eggs. They weren't having too much luck finding their last ones.
"The place has been cleared of eggs!" Alejandro was nearly panicking.
"I know! And there's nothing-ah!"
Cody ducked as bats from Izzy's head swarmed him.
Alejandro began checking Owen's head.
"Toast? Sausage? A coconut!? Owen! He still tortures me with uselessness!"
The head made a massive noise and a blue egg fell into his hand.
"Bueno! Where else? DJ's head!"
Cody popped out with a purple egg.
"We are back in the game, my friend!" Alejandro smiled as he ran over.
A giant bird began soaring above them.
"What is that?" Cody asked.
"A giant condor. That explains the size of these eggs!" Alejandro bit his lip anxiously.
"So, those belong to...that?!" Cody panicked.
The condor shrieked angrily and began to nosedive towards the ground, making the boys start booking it back into the cavern.
Luckily for them, the girls were being slowed down by the bird not listening to Sierra. Miranda was getting sick of it landing on her head every few minutes.
"Get it off me~! Ugh, just when I thought my hair couldn't look worse today," she whined.
"I am! I've given him time outs, I've taken away privileges."
The bird once again flew back into her hair, making a bigger mess of it.
"Are you doing this on purpose?" Sierra asked with a pout.
"No, of course not. Honestly, if he's happy, we may as well just let him be. We need to move."
The boys ran passed them, screaming.
"Great, there goes our lead."
"Why didn't Cody stop to say hello?"
Sierra's question was answered by the giant condor flying towards them. They screamed and ran after them. All four of them made it out of the tunnel, panicking.
"Man, you guys are really competing!"
Everyone was yelling to close the tunnel. Chef knocked over a stone head, blocking out the condor.
"Oh, man! So close! Way to ruin the fun. We may as well move on to the next challenge. Since Alejandro was the first one out."
He tossed him an umpire's mask.
"I have to play baseball?"
"Thankfully, no. You must climb this rock pillar all the way up to..."
"A giant condor nest?" Alejandro had horror in his voice.
"You already know they can get pretty crabby. But did you know female condors are even bigger than the dude birds?"
Another condor flew above them, terrifying everyone with its size.
"She's ginormous!" Cody exclaimed.
"Yep, twelve-foot wingspan."
"That's like...two Alejandro's wide."
"Jesus, like one wasn't enough." Miranda rolled her eyes, making Alejandro wink at her.
"See, she's kind of peeved 'cause you guys stole her eggs."
"No! It was him!" Cody yelled.
"So, now you have to try to shimmy up to the nest and give them back, in the order in which arrived here. Of course, Mama's got a whole lot more eggs up there, so she's bound to be a tad protective."
The condor shrieked, making Miranda unintentionally grip Alejandro's arm. He put on the mask, his smile oozing with confidence.
"Gracias. The giant condor has been known to peck the eyeballs of predators."
"But I like my eyes!" Miranda whined.
"As do I. Especially when they're looking my way."
Miranda looked up at the Spaniard with a grumpy look on her face, making him grin seductively.
"Oh yes, like that."
She realized she was holding onto his arm, pulling away quickly.
"Deposit all three eggs, and you win. And if nobody makes it, we'll try it again! It's gonna be that much fun!"
Cody was about to hand Alejandro the basket but Chris stopped him.
"Sure you want to give up the basket completely? No return-sies."
Upon hearing that, Cody hesitated.
"Uh, I still have some licorice in here."
Alejandro shrugged, juggling his eggs once more. But, he was stopped again.
"Oh, and one more thing."
"Increíble...What else could you—"
Chris answered his complaint by ringing a tiny, yet hugely annoying bell.
"It's for your own protection, keeps the birds calm. I'm lying, or I'm not! You choose!"
The music began to play and Alejandro began climbing.
I'm tall
I'm tan
I'm young
I'm handsome
I'm coming to bring back your wee ones
So, hush my sweet, condor
Let me win this one, please.
So, try, attack me.
But I won protection
I don't feel that pecking so
Save your objections
Hush now condor
Let me in the final three
The condor sent Alejandro plummeting off of her perch with a hard thud.
"Aw, no!" Alejandro's eggs broke and splattered all over his face.
"Next!" Chris smiled as Cody started his turn.
I, oh, I
I've got problems with condors
Problems with condors
Why, oh, why
Am I not at home?
I ponder
Trust me, oh trust me
I'm your best friend
And I'll never eat eggs again!
The bird ended up knocking him off as well.
"My licorice!"
But thankfully, his basket protected his eggs.
"Good news! You can have another chance later! But first..."
Sierra, with the reluctant baby bird in tow, started climbing.
I'm a mom now
So don't be giving me flak
'Cause my first chick just hatched
Out of his yolk sack
So hush, my sweet
Let into the final three!
The baby bird's good behavior seemed to be short-lived as it suddenly got distracted by Miranda once again, fluttering out of Sierra's grasp.
"Cody Jr.! No! Not Aunt Miranda!" Sierra cried.
"Miranda?" Chris called out.
Sierra fell off as Miranda began singing.
I, how I
How I really hate these birdies
And these talons leaving my head hurting
I am not a nest
Get outta my hair
And Cody Two
You belong there
For the last time
Get a life!
The mother condor swooped overhead, snatching her baby and leaving the nest. Miranda took off her pouch and cheered.
Thanks my sweet condor
Now I'm in the final three!
"Miranda takes the win!" Chris cheered.
The little condor left its mother for a moment to nuzzle Miranda's cheek.
She smiled warmly. "Bye, ya little rascal."
Miranda climbed down from the perch to meet up with Sierra.
"I'll always love you, Cody Two."
The mother condor fed the baby, regurgitating her meal into the baby's mouth, grossing everyone out.
"Ew, maybe I'm not ready for kids." Sierra chuckled
sheepishly.
Back on the plane, Miranda cherished immunity. The fact that she qualified for the finale boggled her mind.
But, as soon as it came time to vote, she began to struggle. Cody wouldn't vote for Alejandro, no matter which way she looked at it and a tie between them would only end badly for her. So, in hindsight, Alejandro wasn't going anywhere, not today at least.
As much as it completely killed her to do it, she decided to vote for Sierra. She was desperate to explain her reasoning, to feel less like a terrible person, but she held off until the eliminations were finished.
All four of them sat down on the bleachers as Chris held the votes in hand, grinning.
"The first person to be nominated for the Drop of Shame is, Alejandro."
He rose an eyebrow, seemingly confused.
"Next vote, Sierra, next vote, Sierra."
Cody and Sierra both gasped.
"And the fourth and final vote goes says this week's loser is...Sierra!"
Cody cheered, chuckling.
This was where Miranda decided to explain her vote with a confessional.
"I know! I know, this is so scummy and I said girlfriends are forever...! I know, but...Sierra and I are very different people. The only thing that we actually have in common is that we're both girls with struggling...'relationships' and even that's a reach. But...I feel like complete shit to betray Sierra when she's been so good to me all day. It's no wonder I don't have friends. I cut them all off. But hey, no one should have to put up with me, so."
Sierra hugged Cody tightly, making him sigh.
"I'm sorry."
"I'll wait for you! Win it for us!" Sierra assured him.
"Adorable. But you can shut off the waterworks because you're all still in the final four! It was just a reward challenge! Miranda, because you won, your prize awaits you in First Class. And, as usual, you can bring the loser of your choice."
Miranda's eyes widened, as her face started to burn with embarrassment.
"Oh, I forgot..."
She glanced around at her three choices.
"You're such a scumbag."
"Don't make any of them suffer anymore."
"Stop being so fucking selfish."
All three of them would be awkward. She'd just voted for Sierra, she'd never been that close with Cody, and she was still furious at Alejandro. But, she'd much rather feel something other than awkwardness at this point. So, she swallowed her pride and made a final decision in her loud, chaotic brain.
"...Sierra, I'm really sorry for voting for you. It hurt me so much to do that to you, and I'm glad you're still here. If we could still be friends after this, that's all I could ask for. To make it up to you, I'll be taking Alejandro to First Class so you can have some time with your...husband."
Sierra's face beamed. "Really?! Oh, Cody-kins!"
"Why Miranda? Why!?" Cody cried.
Alejandro smirked, clearly amused, but not at all surprised by Miranda's decision.
"Interesting choice. I'll pray for you, amigo!"
"So, to be clear, you're in Economy, and I'm in First Class." Miranda reiterated.
"As I gather, so am I." Alejandro purred.
"Don't get it twisted. This is just me doing someone a favor." she pouted.
"So you always insist."
Everyone went their separate ways and as soon as the Aries and Libra were in First Class, the Aries latched himself onto the Libra. He wrapped his arms around her from behind, letting out a content sigh as he nuzzled into her neck.
"Finally, you're all mine, dollface." he cooed in her ear.
Miranda was not having any of it though, struggling to free herself from his grasp.
"I'm not doing this with you right now, okay?"
Alejandro snickered, letting go of her. "Oh? Why not?"
"Why not? Are you kidding me right now?" Miranda scoffed.
Alejandro couldn't tell if she was just being stubborn or if she was actually pissed off, so he continued to tease her.
"Don't act like you haven't been waiting for this day to come, dollface."
He put a hand on her cheek, which she pushed away.
"Don't you dare play dumb with me, asshole. You think everything's fine because we're here now? It took so much patience and tolerance of your bullshit to get here, and I'm not okay with it."
The bitterness in her voice made it clear to him how she was feeling.
"Alright, enlighten me, then." he rose an eyebrow, still smirking.
"Oh, yeah, I have to explain it to you. Because you don't think you did anything wrong because you're 'perfect'. But if you were truly a perfect human being, you would've taken the person that helped you win to First Class, instead of the guy who literally did you no favors."
Alejandro chuckled, much to Miranda's dismay. He found her to be absolutely precious when she had this much of an attitude. A normally shy, adorable little girl snapping at him was quite the show to see.
"Is that what this is all about? You really do crave my attention, don't you, dollface?"
It was now that Miranda started fuming, releasing the anger she stored away in the bottle, and that in turn meant raising her voice at him.
"You're so fucking full of yourself, it's disgusting. I don't crave attention. I want fairness and you know that. You wouldn't have won in Africa if it weren't for me!"
"That's quite a bold claim." Alejandro scoffed.
"I could've taken the shot myself, but you know what? I didn't, because I had hope that I'd somehow benefit from it. I gave you the benefit of the doubt, just like everyone else. Guess I'm the asshole then. Yeah, guess I'm the problem! It's me! Hi! I'm the problem, it's me! Sorry, I just thought it was an unspoken rule to bring allies to First Class, but, nope! I guess not. All I got out of this shit show was being Sierra's therapist and a pounding headache. I know that this is your strategy, this is how you play, I get it. But I don't think you truly understand how fucked up it is to use, manipulate and take advantage of people's trust as if it means absolutely nothing!"
Miranda's face was red and she was seething. She felt tears threatening to fill in her eyes. She'd never felt anger quite like this. Yeah, she was more than petty at times, but she always felt the urge to repress it and not let everything explode like this. She always wanted to spare others from her unnecessary wrath. Even now, she knew this situation was incredibly minor. But her frustration had been building up for ages now. Holding it back any longer would be detrimental.
Alejandro did feel bad for not inviting her, but he was also incredibly amused at the same time. Those cute daggers in her eyes were somehow endearing to him. He'd never seen her this fired up. Snarky, sure, all the time, but never actually angry. He wasn't at all threatened by her, hell, he was barely fazed by her words. It was kind of difficult to take her seriously like this. It was just so adorable to him that he just couldn't. But he tried to play along and at least attempt to calm her down.
"Dollface, I understand you're frustrated. Just sit down, take a deep breath—"
"Don't. Don't fucking call me dollface. I don't need to be reminded of how much of a worthless doll I am to you." Miranda hissed, though she did sit down on the couch.
It was just one word in that entire statement that made Alejandro do a complete one-eighty and
start taking this whole situation incredibly seriously.
"Miranda, you are not worthless. Not to me, not to anyone. I told you that..."
He got down on his knees to look at her.
"Really? 'Cause I sure as hell feel like I am! With all that you've done, I doubt you ever gave a shit about me, so stop fucking pretending like you do! I can't fucking take it anymore!"
Miranda's voice began to break when she said that. The tears started falling down her cheeks, but she harshly wiped them away.
Alejandro's eyes widened as soon as the tears came, afraid any move he made would make things worse. He couldn't fathom how to feel at that moment. To see her cry out of pure anger rather than fear or sadness wasn't something he was used to in the slightest. For once in his life, he felt guilty. Usually, he always did things without even considering how they would affect others. He lived selfishly, and he'd always been okay with that. But now, seeing someone who always lived selflessly collapse before his very eyes...it was humbling. He didn't think that initially, but once time passed, he knew he eventually would feel that way.
Carefully, he came up with a response as Miranda began to cry softly.
"...Miranda, that is the farthest thing from the truth. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry... I never wanted you to feel like this. You're right, I should have given you what I promised. I prioritized strategy over my propositions, and I take full responsibility for that mistake. I care about your well-being so much, Miranda, I haven't been pretending. It is impossible for me to fake the soft spot I have in my heart for you. I know you don't believe me when I tell you that, but I truly want nothing but joy for you...because you deserve it, more than anyone. Tell me. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"
The more Miranda heard from him, the more her tears would to slide down her cheeks. Alejandro couldn't help but wipe them away with his thumbs, holding her face in his hands. As soon as he laid a finger on her, Miranda whimpered weakly, her fury getting quickly replaced by her pain and sadness. The words he spoke after that felt so natural, it was effortless for him.
"You're beautiful, you know that? Even like this, you're the most gorgeous woman I've laid eyes on. And I mean that."
Her face flushed and she sniffled.
"...Stop, you're full of shit. You're lying..."
"I'm not. You really are. I'd give anything to kiss your pretty face again."
She whimpered, feeling herself collapsing under his sweet words. But, she refused to let him off the hook. Not after this.
She took a deep breath, holding back more tears.
"...Prove you actually care, and you might be able to."
"Of course. Say the word, whatever you wish, it's yours. I won't even count it toward your favors. I am completely at your service."
He looked over and noticed that Miranda's reward for winning had been delivered on a handcart. And once he saw its contents, he knew exactly how to make it up to her.
"In fact...wait here. I have just the thing for you."
So, he stood up and began to prepare a proper apology.
First Class didn't just its main chamber, though it was the only place actually shown on camera. It also had a bathroom that was quite pristine and nice compared to the communal showers. Luckily for both of them, Miranda's reward happened to be an assortment of relaxing and calming items, like bath bombs, candles, face masks, and essential oils.
Alejandro took the basket before she could see it and set up a peaceful bath in a separate part of the bathroom, a porcelain bathtub being its centerpiece. He lit a few candles as the hot water started running. He put the bath bombs on the nearby sink counter for her to use if she wished.
The room smelled like lavender due to the candles, it even made him a bit sleepy. Once the tub was full of bubble-filled water, he turned off the faucet and closed the door on his way out.
He found Miranda laying on the couch on her phone, trying to calm herself down. She was still crying a bit, but she was taking deep breaths and trying to stop, which was a good sign. Alejandro gently put a hand on her shoulder to alert her of his presence.
"Alright, I'm ready. Come with me, chica."
Miranda huffed, reluctantly getting up off the couch and following him. She was curious as to why he was leading her to the bathroom. But once she entered, the explanation was simple.
The smell of lavender filled her nose, instantly calming her. Her eyes widened as she saw the scene before her. The room was solely lit up by lavender candles, making the bubbles in the bathtub twinkle like little stars. There was a basket full of bath bombs, salts, and other bath accessories. The floor beneath her was littered with pink rose petals, the kind to put in the bath, granted, but it was still a pretty touch. And of course, some peaceful music was playing in the background, namely her favorite, Taylor Swift.
It took Miranda a second to come up with something to say.
"...Well, I can't say I expected something like this."
Alejandro grinned. "I figured that you've been awfully stressed lately, so this would help you unwind."
She couldn't help but be a bit impressed, she never would've thought of running a bath to apologize. Part of her thought it was beyond cheesy, but she'd always been a sucker for cheesy stuff. Still, she was hesitant to show any gratitude. She turned to him.
"So, this is how you're making it up to me?"
He shrugged. "If this isn't sufficient, I'm sure there are other things I can do for you. As long as I can prove how valuable you are to me."
She turned back to the tub, tempted to lay down immediately, but restraining herself.
"You don't deserve this."
"You're not worth it."
"It's not like you're ever gonna be able to relax."
"He's just roping you back in."
"And look at you, you're gonna fall for it again."
"USELESS."
"No, I mean...this looks amazing...except..."
"Except what?" he rose an eyebrow curiously.
"...Didn't this take a lot of work?"
He was puzzled as to why she asked such a question.
"Not necessarily, what with your reward being a basket of candles and bath bombs, it was not challenging to set up."
She nodded, trying not to cave in. But, the gesture was honestly very sweet. It was hard to truly appreciate it with the voices in her head saying she wasn't worth it. It felt like he did too much for her. Interrupting her doubtful thoughts, Alejandro handed her a purple bath bomb, making her snicker.
"Didn't you tell me once that watching bath bombs was therapeutic to you?"
She had indeed told him that in Jamaica during a tipsy conversation. The fact that he actually remembered almost flattered her.
"Yeah, I...We were so drunk when I said that... How did you remember something like that?"
"Miranda, when it comes to you, it's impossible for me to forget." He smiled, holding onto her shoulders.
Miranda pouted, knowing she couldn't fight off the genuine appreciation she felt for much longer.
"Okay, okay...you kind of care, you don't have to rub it in."
"Kind of care? You're doing such an injustice to me, gorgeous."
"Oh, please." Miranda rolled her eyes.
Alejandro chuckled, leaving a soft kiss on her temple.
"I will give you some privacy. If you need anything, just call me."
She nodded. "...I appreciate this. Thank you."
"You're very welcome. Enjoy yourself."
So, Alejandro left the bathroom, sliding the door closed. Miranda huffed, taking no time to take off her clothes and indulge in the bubbly water.
She stepped into the water, immediately feeling relaxed. The steam gently floated on the surface of the water, making her want to fall asleep.
Miranda dropped the bath bomb in, grinning as the water began to bubble and change color.
"These are like high quality, wow. Chris is spoiling me."
So, for a few minutes, she closed her eyes and quietly hummed to the music playing, not focusing on anything else. It was like all her doubts and stress were melting off of her mind and body.
But something was restricting her from fully unwinding. It was strange since she wasn't one to normally feel this way. She usually thrived off alone time and letting her social battery recharge. But knowing that she wasn't the one to prepare this bath made her feel unfair.
She truly realized that she'd gotten a little too angry about this entire situation. If anything, she had plenty of other things to be pissed at Alejandro for. But not inviting her to First Class? That was petty.
So, she sat up a bit, making sure she was still mostly covered by bubbles.
"Alejandro? Can you come here?"
Alejandro's ears perked when he heard his name being called. He stood up and immediately went back into the bathroom.
"Yes? What is it, gorgeous?"
She pouted, but it was a pout that was nowhere near genuine.
"I think...I'm lonely."
Alejandro's eyes widened for a moment, only for him to snicker quietly and play along.
"Oh dear, we can't have that now, can we?"
Miranda couldn't help but smile sheepishly and his tone.
"It's weird...I don't usually get lonely, but... I feel bad."
"Why do you feel bad? You have no reason to feel bad, chica." Alejandro chuckled.
"No, I do. You set all this up and you don't even get to enjoy it."
"Because I did it for you, gorgeous. Just seeing you enjoy it is enough for me."
Miranda shrugged. "I think I'd enjoy it more with some company."
"Am...I hearing you correctly? Are you saying you want me to join you?" he snickered uncertainly.
"I mean, you may as well if you did all of this." She shrugged.
He smirked, closing the door behind him to take off his clothes. Miranda moved towards the front of the tub, Alejandro stepped in and sit himself down behind her, humming contently as the warmth of the water enveloped his skin.
Much to his surprise, Alejandro suddenly felt someone take a piece of his hair and push it out of his face. He opened his eyes to see Miranda's flushed face as her fingers gently brushed against his cheek. He grinned softly.
"What are you doing?"
She just shrugged, humming out an unsure response. Alejandro chuckled at her. He then decided to slide over a bit, signaling to her to lay back with him, which she did. He carefully wrapped his arm around her as she eventually rested her head on his shoulder.
They'd have simple conversations with lighthearted jokes thrown in, making them giggle softly. Alejandro massaged some shampoo into Miranda's hair, making her swoon and bury her head in his chest. It was quite an intimate setting they were in, yet both of them knew better than to let it escalate to a spicier place. The atmosphere was far too relaxing for that. They just wanted to enjoy the feeling of the water and relish in each other's company. Both of them had worked hard in their own respects, so this time was much needed.
During one particular moment of silence, Miranda was laying in Alejandro's embrace, nearly falling asleep. Alejandro had his phone on the nearby stool, silently putting on a song that got Miranda's attention.
I'm so glad you made time to see me
How's life? Tell me, how's your family?
I haven't seen them in a while
You've been good, busier than ever
We small talk, work, and the weather
Your guard is up and I know why
She couldn't help but sit up and face him. It was the slower version of this song, something she didn't expect him to know about. She watched the light in his eyes flicker with emotion, feeling herself blush as he smiled at her.
"Miranda?"
"Hm?"
"I'm truly sorry, about this First Class incident. I never wanted to hurt you like that. I knew it would, but I underestimated the severity of it. I wish I could take it all back now, that's why I feel so obligated to make it up to you."
Miranda, for once, saw sadness glistening in his eyes. Being the empath that she was, she put a hand on his cheek gently.
"...It's okay. I hate to be the pessimist, but I'm honestly used to being hurt. Sure, you fucked up, but...everyone does. I overreacted."
"No, you didn't. You have every right to express your feelings. Being used to being hurt...you shouldn't feel that way. You have such a pure heart, it doesn't deserve to be broken."
He removed her hand from his cheek to hold it. It made her smile sadly.
So this is me swallowin' my pride
Standin' in front of you
Sayin' I'm sorry for that night
And I go back to December all the time
It turns out freedom ain't nothin' but missin' you
Wishin' I'd realized what I had
When you were mine
I'd go back to December, turn around
And make it alright
I go back to December all the time
"...Thank you. Not just for saying that, but for all of this. It was all...really kind of you to do this for me."
"Of course. You truly mean so much to me." he grinned softly.
That smile of his practically melted her heart. She felt the heat rush to her cheeks. He put a hand on her cheek, pulling her face towards his.
"May I?" He cooed.
After a pause, she stopped restricting herself, nodding with a grin and he pulled her up to kiss her lips softly.
I miss your tan skin, your sweet smile
So good to me, so right
And how you held me in your arms
That September night
The first time you ever saw me cry
Maybe this is wishful thinkin'
Probably mindless dreamin'
But if we loved again, I swear I'd love you right
Miranda eventually made her way onto his lap with his hands gently placed on her forearms. It was a heated position to be in, but even still, neither of them was antsy in any way. They were both completely at peace.
They broke after a minute, chuckling at each other.
"I suppose I've made it up to you?" he asked cheekily.
Miranda chuckled, nodding her head.
"Fine~ I guess you're forgiven. But don't do it again."
Miranda couldn't deny that she enjoyed this whole experience. If he acted as genuine as he was here constantly, she could actually validate the soft spot she had for him. As annoying as he was sometimes, he definitely knew how to redeem herself, just for the day, at least.
As for the Aries, Alejandro cherished every moment he got with her. With every grin, word, or eye-roll he got out of her, he fell more and more in love with her.
A/N: (written in 2019): Bye-bye Easter Island! Holy wholesome ending. That last scene with the song was honestly a last-minute addition because I needed this to be more sweet and cute. (I still love this scene it's so cute ahh) I needed the feels, okay? So, yeah I hope you liked this! If you're a fan of this fluffy content, leave a vote and a comment. <3 I love you guys so much. Thank you for your support, it means everything. Stay tuned, pretties! ~Miranda
(ps: happy 2023! <3 sorry this was late I'm on a beach rn ok bye)