Roxanne felt like it was a good idea to instantly talk to Gabo once the challengers all made it to the house. She wasn't going to blow up at him or anything like she saw Ashley do to Hughie during the challenge, but she felt it would be good to get to know him, at least a little bit better, before this first elimination. She had a feeling that there would be some sort of All-Vet alliance, and although she was a vet, he was a rookie, so—she wasn't really sure.
"So, how are you physically?" she raised an eyebrow, leaning back in her seat. "I mean, it's a tough physical game. Are you—"
"You know, I'm working out and taking ten every day, but.. I didn't do competitions like this before." Gabo nodded.
"Right, yeah. So you're used to just, like, hanging out and partying and drinking?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Pretty much."
"Okay. So are you, like, are you here to win?"
"Yeah, like, I got you as a partner, I pretty much feel that we have a good chance."
"We'll, thank you." Roxanne chuckled. "I've done five of these and I haven't won yet, so—"
"There is a first time for everything."
"I agree. So, why did you pick me as a partner?" Roxanne chuckled, not sure what she expected as a response, but, certainly, it wasn't—
"Because you're hot."
Roxanne laughed, albeit a little awkwardly. The response took her by surprise, for sure. "Oh!"
"So I was like, she is hot, and she is good, she's gonna be my girl."
"Okay. Well, I'm n—" Roxanne chuckled, even more awkward than before. "I'll be your partner."
"I was like, this simple."
"Okay, well, you know where to find me if you have any ideas for anything, yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Great. Nice to meet you again, Gabo."
"You too, Pop-Rox."
Roxanne got up and promptly left the room, making rounds around the house before finding CT, standing behind a counter, talking to Berna. She leaned in the doorway for a second until CT noticed her, waving her over. She smiled and stood next to him, wrapping an arm around his waist. "How's it goin'?"
"We're doin' good. Yeah." CT nodded. Roxanne smiled, turning her attention from him to his partner.
"So where are you from, Berna?"
"I am from Germany, I did.. three season of Survivor in Turkey." Berna smiled.
"Three? Goddamn. I did one here." Roxanne chuckled. "I got med-evac'd."
"Me too!"
"Aye!" Roxanne grinned, fist-bumping the other one. "My Survivor sister. Yeah, it was bad. But I like this show better, y'know? It's a lot more competitive. And there's virtually no way for me to get heat stroke again."
"Yeah." Berna chuckled. "How many have you done?"
"This is my sixth."
"Yeah, last season was a wreck for her." CT interrupted, laughing as Roxanne smacked him upside the head.
"Two Double Agents jokes in a day. Wow, Chris. Wow." Roxanne rolled her eyes, yet couldn't help but giggle as CT, through laughs, pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "No, it's fine. I joke about it all the time."
"It happens." Berna chuckled. "How long are you two together for?"
"Uh, two years?" Roxanne looked at CT. "Worlds 2 so, yeah, two years. But we've been friends for longer."
"You met during a Challenge?" Berna smiled. "So cute. I can leave you guys to it. I'll see you later?"
"Yeah, for sure." CT smiled, turning to face Roxanne once she was out of sight. "So, where's your head at?"
"I'm not sure, I mean, I'm sure there's gonna be a vet alliance, right?"
"Yeah, I think there's already been talks." CT nodded. "What do you think about your partner? Gabo, right?"
Roxanne chuckled. "I... I don't know if he knows... exactly what he's doing? I don't really know yet. He's a partier. I don't know if his head's... quite in it yet. I mean, if that last challenge said anything—"
"Yeah, what happened there?"
"I gave him only three of the numbers to remember, I thought I knew it myself but they slipped my mind and he couldn't remember them. He then proceeded to run back to the blocks that we had smashed to oblivion without telling me. I mean..." Roxanne sighed. "He'll get there. I don't think it's hit him yet."
"It never does with most of these rookies. Most of 'em."
"You can say that again." Roxanne laughed. "And we never know what TJ has planned, so— I just wanna make it to the end on this one, for what it's worth."
"Yeah." CT chuckled, pushing some of her hair out of her face. "You will. We will."
"I'll try my damn hardest." Roxanne smiled, placing a kiss on his lips. "I love you."
"I love you, too."
There was never a dull moment in the Challenge house, and that did, sometimes, have to include just getting together and having a bunch of fun. Maybe it was Devin Walker, in a leopard-print Speedo bringing a Birthday cake for Michele and Logan before jumping into the pool.
After five seasons, Roxanne never really knew what it was, because she always found herself talking game sooner than later. This time, it was with Emy—another rookie—who, she found, she really seemed to get along with.
"Can you do me a solid?" Roxanne raised her eyebrows, awaiting a response before saying anything else. Emy nodded, flipping her hair over her shoulder.
"All ears."
"So you're closer to the rookies, right?"
"Yeah."
"Okay." Roxanne nodded. "If I asked you to play double agent for me, would you do it? Like go and—"
A mischievous grin seemed to spread across Emy's face. "Hell yeah, bro."
"Cool. Awesome. Can we shake on it?" Roxanne raised her eyebrows, and the two shook hands. "Awesome. Great. You're the best."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Just fuckin' tell me what you think I should know. Tell me, tell CT, tell any of the vets you think you can trust, okay?"
"Alright."
"Thanks, Emy. You're my favorite rookie." Roxanne chuckled, before walking away.
Maybe she could enjoy herself now.
Just a little bit.
— — — — — — —
Roxanne's laugh in her confessional seemed to represent that of a comic villain. "I know I can get most of these rookies with me if I want to. I mean, Michaela and myself did the same Survivor season, but she hasn't approached me at all. I think that, for now, it's best to stick with the vets, but— what's a little chaos gonna do?"
— — — — — — —
...But she didn't expect her plan to work so quickly.
She was outside, having a drink with Aneesa, when suddenly, Emy came up to them in a fray. Roxanne raised her eyebrows as she took the seat next to her, pulling the hood of her pink sweatshirt up. "I have something, Pop-Rox."
"What? Already?" Roxanne raised her eyebrows, making eye contact with a confused Aneesa, who called Tori over—which was good in Roxanne's case—and once she joined them, Emy immediately got to explaining. "So, I went upstairs, it was Renan, Michele, Tommy, and Michaela, and they had a list with people they trust, people they don't trust, and people to put into elimination. Michaela had the list."
"Oh shit," Roxanne breathed, and Emy turned to Aneesa.
"The first name on the list was you."
"And I was where?" Tori asked as Aneesa shook her head. "I was where?"
"People not to trust. And Pop-Rox was for elimination."
"Oh, fuck me." Roxanne sighed. Tori raised her eyebrows.
"You swear on everything that you saw this? This is no lie?"
Emy seemed to make a sign of the cross. "On my music career."
"Oh, I love you. I believe you. I fucking believe you."
Aneesa shrugged, looking at Roxanne and Tori. "We know exactly what to do tomorrow."
Roxanne nodded in agreement, patting Emy on the shoulder as a thank-you before nodding again at Tori and Aneesa. "Should I tell the others?"
"Yeah." Tori nodded. "Our group."
"Okay."
Now, there was one thing left on her mind—
Who the fuck was behind this list?