I stood off by myself, hugging my torso as I watched some people freak out. Others were calmer. Trent comes up to me and I raise a brow. "You alright?" He doesn't face me, we're both watching everybody else. I purse my lips thinking. "We're about to jump off a cliff. How should I be?" I glance up at him and he snickers, nodding. "True, but you're away from the group." He points out, "Very observant.'' I start to go closer to our team. "Your first task is to jump off this 1,000 foot-high cliff into the lake." He simply explains. "Piece of cake." Bridgette smirks. "If you look down you will see two target areas, the wider one represents the part of the lake that we have stocked with psychotic man-eating sharks. Inside that area is the safe zone." I tense up, what the fuck goes on in this man's mind. And who gave the okay for any of this to happen? "That's your target area, which we're pretty sure is shark free." Super comforting to know they're "pretty sure it's shark free."
Something that also doesn't slip past by Leshawna. "Excuse me?" He of course ignores her. "For each member of your team that jumps and actually survives, there will be a crate of supplies waiting below." We look downward by the shore to see stacked boxes. "Inside each crate are supplies that you'll need for the second part of the challenge... Building a hot tub. The team with the best one gets to have a wicked hot-tub party tonight." He points to the camera and I yawn, not out of boredom but impatience.
"The losers will be sending someone home." I scan around everyone, taking guesses on who that first person could be. "Let's see, Killer bass, you're up first." Bridgette was already by the cliff.
"Oh wow. So who wants to go first?" Silence and crickets on the other end. Honestly I'd just get it over with. I'm surprised Eva's not going.
"Hey don't sweat it guys. I heard that these shows always make interns do the stunt first to make sure it's survivable." Owen encourages and assures us. "So, who's up?" Eva shouts to her team. "Ladies first." Duncan inquires. "Shouldn't he be going then." I mutter and Gwen shakes her head, snickering. "Fine, I'll go." Bridgette takes the stand. "It's no big deal, just an insane cliff dive into a circle of angry sharks." And she jumps, making the circle.
"She did it! Yeah! I'm next!" Tyler declares, he runs back and then off of the cliff. "Cowabunga!!" Not the same soft landing, hitting the metal booy between the safe and shark zones.
Geoff, Eva, Duncan all jump next but DJ refuses. "Nuh-uh, no way man. I'm not jumping." He steps back. "Scared of heights?" Chris asks, not honestly caring though. "Yeah, ever since I was a kid." DJ admits. "That's okay, big guy. Unfortunately, that also makes you a chicken. So you'll have to wear this for the rest of the day." He places down a chicken hat onto the kids head. "Aw man, for real?"
"Bawk, bawk, bawk!" Chris mocks him.
"That means the chicken path is that-a-way." He points, DJ sadly takes the escalator down the hill.
"Next!" Ezekiel jumps, hitting a part of the cliff going down but he makes the circle, his teammates cheer. Harold goes after, doing the splits in the air, hitting the water like that too and all the guys can physically feel his pain. "Oh, hate to see that happen."
"Excuse me, Chris. I have a medical condition." Courtney crosses her arms. "What condition?"
"A condition that prevents me from jumping off cliffs." She tells him in a smart tone. "You can chicken out if you want, but it might end up costing your team the win. And then they'll hate you." He remarks.
"It's a calculated risk. I've seen the other team and I don't think nine of them will jump." She postulates, seemingly confident in her thinking. "All Right! Here is your chicken hat." He places the hat.
"So, let's tally up the results. Hold on, that's eight jumpers and two chickens, we're missing one." He looks around and Sadie's holding Katie. "I'm not jumping without Katie." She informs him. "We have to be on the same team, Chris." Katie adds. "Please!" They cry in unison, running up to him. "Please! Can we? Can we Chris?" They plead, it's kind of creepy how together and in sync they are. "They can't go to the gophers, they already outnumber us." Courtney huffs but Izzy speaks up. "I'll switch places with her."
"All right! Fine, you're both on the killer bass now. Izzy you're on the screaming gophers." Chris was annoyed, it was a wonderful sight to behold. "Yes!" They two girls cheer. "That means you're up girls." He calls and they link hands running off the cliff.
"We're coming, killer bass!" Making it into the circle. I take a deep breath, putting on a fake smile, I turn to my team. "You guys will do great, don't think too much and jump!" I reassure them, a few of them smile back at me.
"Okay, so that's nine jumpers and two chickens. Screaming Gophers, if you can beat that we'll throw in a pull cart to put your crates on." Chris reveals, "Nice!" Trent grins. "Okay, guys who's up first?" He turns and I already start moving my feet. I'm not waiting on who wants to go first. I want this over with. Walking past Courtney I bend my arms like a bird, flapping them. "Bawk, bawk." I wink, then jump off the cliff, flipping into a dive posture and landing in the safe zone.
I earn the cheers from my team and a few from the Killer Bass. "She's on the other team you nimwitts!" Courtney scolds them. "And you chickened out, I don't want to hear it Princess." Duncan says.
I get onto the boat, missing all the conversations going on up on the cliff. Jumping off the boat into the shore Duncan comes up to me. "Nice dive." "I know." I stared up at my team who seemed to be in an argument. "Why so avoidant, mouse?" The same nickname he used earlier.
"Opposite teams, remember?" I mimic Courtney causing us both to laugh right as Heather gets thrown off the cliff. "Leshawna you are so dead."
"Hey I threw you into the safe zone didn't I?" She yells back then jumps herself. Lindsay, Gwen, Izzy, Justin all jump next and when Justin was in the water two sharks go swimming his way but quickly come to a halt when he looks at them. I watch in shock. The sharks carry him to shore. I take a breath, rolling my eyes. I look up to see Beth hesitating, she yells a sorry down and both Leshawna and Cody cackle like chickens at her. "That is, like so lame, right?" Lindsay asks Heather and I furrow my brows. "Fully lame." She agrees, I scoff. "Okay, miss perfect." I whisper under my breath. Trent jumps and makes it. "Okay, campers. There's only one person left. You guys need this jump for the win since you guys do have a slight advantage." Chris announces down at us.
"No pressure, dude." Chris tells Owen. "Okay, there's pressure!" All of our team cheers him on, he puts floaties on.
"I'm looking at this guy and I'm thinking. There's no way he's gonna make it." Geoff says.
"I actually thought, if he jumps this, he's gonna die." Gwen admits.
"He better make this was all I was thinking." [Name] crossing her arms.
Owen walks back like Tyler did, as we're watching I feel something grab my hand. I look over and it's Cody acting like he's not doing anything. "Get off." I shove him away.
"Come on big guy!" Leshawna encourages but he can't hear this. He starts running and jumps off. "Oh crap!" He screams, and like a tidal wave explosion we all get hit with the water. Knocking us down I might add. I fell onto Gwen somehow accidentally. "Sorry." I push myself up.
"Yes! Yeah! Oh yeah! Who's the man?" He cheers himself on. Beth adds in too. "The winners! The screaming Gophers!" Chris yells into the mega phone. "That was awesome dude!" Trent compliments then his demeanor becomes worryful as Owen's searching for something in the water. "What's wrong?"
"I think I lost my bathing suit." Everyone then ews him, telling him he's gross. "Oh, now I don't want to see that." Lindsay whines.
Now we're all clothed using the carts to carry our crates, I walk with Gwen. The others sing about the bottles of pop on the wall. "Nice jump by the way." Gwen suddenly says, snapping me from my thoughts. I was zoned out from all the singing. "Oh, thanks, you too." I compliment back. I notice her cheeks flush but I think it's from the sun glaring down at us. "I just wanted to also say, I hope we can become friends." She nervously admits, it was a little cute. "Hm? Is that so?" To which she stammers, I chuckle. We can definitely be friends, Gwenny." I poke her side before glancing behind me to see the Killer Bass struggling
"I'll be right back." I told her not realizing she was about to speak up herself.
I walk up to the other team and Tyler drops his crate. "I gotta take a wizz." He walks to the forest. "Hurry up, we're already behind." Eva grunts.
"Ooh, I have to go too." Katie says. "You do? Oh, my gosh, me, too." Sadie gasps, I make a face as they leave, silently thanking Chris for switching them to this team and not mine.
I then see Courtney smack her eye, "Oh, I think something just bit me." She points to her face. I laugh, "Let me know if it swells, I got cream for that." I smile sweetly but she just scoffs. "Like I'd ever take something from you." I shrug. "Suit yourself, pumpkin." I then went back to my group as the other team wasn't as interesting as I thought they were going to be.
"Pumpkin? Who does she think she is? Ugh, whatever." Courtney rolls her eyes... eye.
I jog back up to Gwen, "Hey, where'd you go?" She questions but I wave it off. "Hey look, there is the campground!" Beth points. "That was pretty easy." Owen says. "I'm pleasantly surprised." Cody places his hands on his hips. Now everyone is using their teeth to open the crates, pulling on rope but I decide to stay back.
"I am not ruining my teeth for some show." [Name] sasses, crossing her legs.
Izzy was the first one to open hers. "Ow. Ow. Rope burns on my tongue." She sticks her tongue out to show it is really irritating. I go over to check on Noah and Trent, by now everyone has gotten the crates open. "You guys did great." I tell them. I thought Noah would've been a smartass but instead he goofily smiled up at me. "You too." Trent tried to act cool but failed a bit.
"Oh [Name]? Yeah she's going down. Everyone might like her but I don't. I truly don't." Heather squints her eyes in anger.
"She said that?" [Name] tries hiding her smile from forming. "Funny."
The camera cuts to Heather watching [Name] from afar in admiration.
"Hey, check it out, I got wood." Owen picks up two wooden planks. "I've got some tools here, and what looks like a pool liner." Trent holds his things from the crate. I was now by Leshawna leaning on her box as Heather and Lindsay came over. "I just wanted to say, I didn't mean bad about you being a ghetto rap-star wannabe, and I love your earrings." My eyes widen, is that what was said on the cliff? "They're so pretty."
Leshawna holds one of her earrings. "Straight up? Well I'm sorry about pushing you over the cliff and all." She sincerely apologizes, which is more than Heather can say. "No worries, I needed a push. Truce?" Heather sticks out her hand but Leshawna holds out a fist instead. Heather looked confused at first but then smiles and fist bumps the other girl before walking away as I scrunch my nose in confusion. "You know that was total bull, right?" I caught up to Leshawna who started to walk in the other direction. "Of course, I can see right through that skinny girl." I laugh, high fiving her. Harold, Courtney and Ezekial threw down their crates. "Finally." Harold huffs. "Hey, what's up guys?" Trent asks, then Leshawna pops up from the crate. "Hey aren't you missing a couple of white girls?" The three glance around. "They're getting a drink." I immediately notice Courtney's eye and I shake my head. I go into my cabin.
Grabbing my anti-itch cream I head back outside, "Ooh, what happened to your eye, girl?" Courtney covers it. "Nothing, just an allergy." She lies. "Think it's getting' worse." Ezekiel comments.
"Shut it." She gets in his face to whisper. I hide the cream in my pocket. "We don't want them to know that." I go up behind her, taking her hand to drag her up on her team's cabin porch. "Hey, let go of me." She snaps and I pull out the little tube. "Here! My skin is sensitive to bug bites. Use it around the eye if you want to." I walk away leaving her alone, she blinks to herself a few times at a camera holding the cream.
We all worked on our hot tubs until Bridgette came up to me. "Have you seen Sadie or Katie?" She was obviously in a hurry to find the two, so I stand up wiping my hands on my shorts. "I haven't but I can help you look." I smile, perfect. Another chance to befriend another person on their team. I'm not exactly worried about my team as they all seem pretty friendly enough with me. But if I have their friendship that means I can maybe soften them up to help my team win.
"Oh, you don't have to-" I place a hand on her shoulder. "I don't mind. I finished my part here anyways." She then shyly smiles at herself, "Alright, then." We make our way out to get the two girls.
"Is that them?" I point to two girls sitting in the lake with their shorts at their knees. Bridgette face palms. We sprint over to them. "Hey the challenge is almost over, you two should join your team." I inform them, they look at one another then back at me giggling. "What?" I raise a brow, asking the blonde who shrugs.
We help the two girls up, looking away so they can put their shorts up. "What happened?" I chuckle. "They sat-" "Nothing! We're fine, right Sadie?" Katie nudges her best friend who seemingly catches on to whatever she's trying to hide. "Oh- Yeah! Nothing, totally." They run off in front of us.
"They squatted over poison ivy." Bridgette whispers, I cover my mouth to stop myself from laughing. "Poor things." I try to calm myself, we end up walking back chatting about a few things. She rants a little bit about her team.
We go our separate ways, going back to our teams. Heather glares at me. "What's got your panties in a twist?" I ask, she scoffs in response. "Helping the other team? You seriously don't see something wrong with that?" She folds her arms, stepping up to me. "I wasn't helping with the challenge, we're going to be on this Island for eight weeks, might as well be friendly to people." I shrug, "You should try it sometime." I go over to Gwen who grins.
"What was that about?" She glances over to Heather who has an angry expression on her face as Lindsay was going on about something. "She just needs some anger management, I don't know." I roll my eyes, lining up behind out beautifully made hot tub as I then notice Killer Basses hot tub does not look so amazing... Chris checks out ours first. "This is an awesome hot tub!" We all cheer, Owen pops out of the water. "Nice!" Then the host progresses over to the Killer bass, I wince at the sight. He taps a side of it, water spraying out at him. Then it collapses.
"Well, I think we have a winner here... The Screaming Gophers!" We all cheer again as the other team mopes. Gwen and I side embraced as we 'whooped' for our team. "Gophers, you're safe from elimination and you get to rock this awesome hot tub for the rest of the summer. Bonus!" He points at the camera.
"Killer bass, what can I say? Sucks to be you right now. I'll see your sorry butts at the bonfire tonight." He tells them and I wonder who they're going to send home tonight.
"We won!" Lindsay celebrates, "We all get to stay here for another three days!" Heather and Beth hug her, joining the celebration. Owen shouts naked in front of us. "Hahaha, yes! We get to stay, we get to stay-yay. We are so awesome." He dances then picks up Heather and Lindsay. "We won the contest!"
Yeesh, glad I'm not them right now.
Later on we go to dinner, of course having to eat whatever this is called that Chef made. I'm in between Leshawna and Gwen this time. "Girl, where'd you get that bathing suit you wore earlier, I've been meaning to ask." Leshawna turns to me and I shrug. "I want to say a flea market in my hometown. I've had it for a while." I try my best to remember. "Well, we're gonna have to go to that flea market after this mess." We both laugh, and I nod. "For sure."
I found out what Heather said after speaking with Leshawna when we were building the hot tubs, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. And everybody is my enemy.
I over hear the other team talking about who's being eliminated and Courtney says "What about him?" That makes Lindsay shoot up, screaming "Nooo!"
We all stare up at her and she stammers, clearing her throat. "I mean... there's no salt on the table, bummer." She sits back down. I look behind me and realize it's about Tyler. Hm...
"Well, I just don't get why we lost, eh? They're the ones with seven girls." My eyes widen, I excuse myself from the table and cross my arms as Bridgette and Eva stand on either side of him angrily. "What's that supposed to mean?" The blonde asks. "Yeah, home school, enlighten us." Eva slams her first on the table in front of him. "Well guys are much stronger and better at sports than girls are." He simply says, Cody and I look at each other in shock. We then look at Sadie and Katie who stopped eating and smiling.
"Oh snap, you did not just say that." Geoff laughs in disbelief.
"My dad told me to look out for the girls here, eh? And help them in case they can't keep up." Why didn't he just shut up? Eva lifts him up by his neck. "Still think we need your help keeping up?" She squeezes. "Uh, not really." He grunts. Geoff gets in the middle of them. "Okay, guys let's give him a break. I mean, at least he doesn't think that guys are smarter than girls." He tries to help out the kid but of course homeschool makes it ten times worse. I get ready for the showdown. "But they are." I shake my head, closing my eyes as Bridgette punches him.
After dinner we walk back to the cabins but Killer Bass heads to the bonfire for elimination, I already know who they're picking. "I hope you know I think girls are better than guys in every way." Cody comes up to me, proudly stating his thoughts. I suck in a deep breath then smirk. "Oh really?" I speak in a flirtatious tone. "Yup!" He closes his eyes, grinning from ear to ear once we come to a complete stop to us walking. "That's very admirable of you, cutie." I kiss his cheek, walking away, not even seconds later I hear a thump. Glancing back there he is on the ground, fainted. Trent and Owen help him up, I snicker to myself.
"Hey I might as well have a little fun with the constant flirting. I'm bored here." [Name] laughs, shrugging her shoulders.
"Yup, this camp pretty much still sucks. But now that I'm here I guess I might as well try to win. Plus having [Name] around is a plus." Gwen smiles to herself thinking of the girl.
Trent, Lindsay, Cody, Heather and Justin sit in the hot tub. I stand next to Gwen, both of us holding juice boxes. Cody stands up to make a toast. "To the Screaming Gophers!" We all repeat after him, throwing our hands in the air.
"Go Gophers! Go Gophers! Go Gophers!" Leshawna chants, Noah and Owen join.
Gwen and I clink our juice boxes together and I lean my head on her shoulder.