Chapter 41
Nolan
I had a feeling Jerome was going to be the first one eliminated in this competition because after the first challenge, there was no way anyone would see me as a threat. I couldn't even stay in the box for half the time.
Right now, Jerome and I were in the kitchen for lunch, waiting for the next challenge to be set up. Jerome or I had to win and if it was going to be anything like the last challenge, then there was no hope.
Jerome poured two glasses of orange juice and set them on the counter where I was sitting at before sitting down beside me. "Can you please stop looking so upset?" he asked. "This is just a game."
"Yes, a competitive game," I said. "I feel bad about the last challenge. If I actually tried, then maybe...."
"Nolan, don't," Jerome interrupted. "If you actually tried, then you probably would have been in a worse state. Everything will be fine. There's a chance one of us will win today's challenge and can get one of us off."
"Depending what the challenge is," I said. "And knowing my fail of a self, I'm going to be the first one to lose."
"Don't call yourself a fail," Jerome said. "Every single person has strengths and weaknesses, and there will be challenges you'll do great at that not everyone will. Stop being so hard on yourself."
I sighed. "Sorry. It's just after the first challenge, I don't exactly feel confident. Look, if any of us win today, we'll take you off the voting for elimination. You'll make it further in this whole competition than I will."
"Okay," Jerome said.
It wasn't long before Lucy announced that it was time for the challenge. We all met at the backdoor before she led us outside.
In the backyard were ten logs standing upright. If this challenge was what I thought it was going to be, then I was screwed yet again.
"This challenge is going to take a lot of concentration and balance," Lucy said. "All of you are going to be on one of those logs balancing on one foot. The last person standing wins."
"Can we switch feet if it's getting too exhausting?" Bessie asked.
"Yes, you can," Lucy said. "But only if both feet don't touch the log for even a second. If you think you'll be able to land it, you're going to have to hop off of one foot and land on the other. And remember, whoever wins this challenge can either take Jerome or Nolan off the voting for elimination, be immune to elimination next week, or have some sort of advantage towards the next challenge. Everyone, go stand on a log with both feet. Once I say go, take one foot off and hope for the best."
I sighed as we walked over to one of the logs. I was going to be the first one done yet again, so this was going to be all up to Jerome. We may have been teaming up with other people, but they might not want to take one of us down and I completely understood. For example, if Millie won and took one of us down, Dirk would most likely put Fitz up.
I stood on the log with both of my feet and I was already feeling myself losing balance. Why did I have to be such a klutz?
Lucy said, "Go," and I lifted one of my feet off of the log.
I wasn't even standing on for thirty seconds before I lost my balance and accidentally stepped off.
"And Nolan is down," Lucy said as I headed over to the sitting area. This was really up to Jerome.
I didn't feel too bad about falling off so early because shortly enough, Paula fell off.
One by one, people were falling off until three people were left; Jerome, Dirk, and Fitz. And that was when the distractions started coming in.
"I hope the three of you are hungry," Lucy said as three young ladies carrying trays of food walked out of the house, wearing....some revealing clothes. They each walked over to one of the three people left, offering some food on the tray.
"Ooh, free food," Jerome said, taking a piece of chocolate off of the tray. "Don't mind if I do."
The three girls then stood nearby to watch the competition, which was really distracting Dirk and Fitz. Jerome, on the other hand, was more interested in the chocolate he was eating.
"Wait, was the food supposed to distract us?" Jerome asked.
"No, the food wasn't the distraction," Lucy said.
"Oh," Jerome said. "....What was?"
"The girls were supposed to distract us," Fitz said. "I mean, I'm not distracted at all."
"You were, Fitz, don't deny it," Millie said.
"....I love you, Millie," Fitz said. Millie just rolled her eyes.
"How were they supposed to distract us?" Jerome asked.
"How were you not distracted by them?" Dirk asked.
"Dirk!" Cheryl said.
"What?" Dirk asked. "If only girls were left and some muscular guys came out shirtless, I'm pretty sure you'd be distracted."
Fitz lost his balance just then, falling off of the log. It was now Jerome and Dirk left.
"I still don't get how they were supposed to distract us," Jerome said. "I was more focused on the food."
"Seriously?" Dirk asked. "You wren't distracted by them at all."
"No," Jerome said. "Four words. I'm married and gay." He then sighed. "My leg's getting tired."
"You should switch feet then," Dirk said. "Good luck with that."
Jerome shrugged before hoping off of his foot, then landing perfectly on the log with his other foot. "I hope you didn't forget I'm a dancer," Jerome said. "I can do this all day."
"Anyone can stand on a log all day," Dirk said.
"Then obviously you haven't seen the types of warm-ups I had to do on my dance team," Jerome said.
Jerome didn't even seem like he was going to lose his balance at all. Dirk did a few times, but he was able to regain it again. It seemed like forever before one of them fell off.
Jerome was the last one standing after Dirk finally lost his balance completely and fell off. "And the winner of this challenge is Jerome!" Lucy announced as Jerome hopped off the log.
I ran over to him, wrapping my arms around him. Jerome wasn't going to be the first one eliminated.
"So, Jerome, I'm guessing you're going to take one of you off," Lucy said. "Who will it be?"
"I will be taking Nolan off the voting for elimination," Jerome said.
"What?" I asked. He was the one that had to be off of it, not me.
"Is that your final choice?" Lucy asked.
"Yep," Jerome said.
"Alright, Dirk, I need you to be someone else on," Lucy said. "Who will it be?"
"I'll be putting Lynn on," Dirk said.
Lucy nodded, then reminded all of us that the voting was tomorrow. Dirk wouldn't be voting since there would be an even amount of people voting if he did and that might end up in a tie.
Jerome led me over to where a hammock was between two trees. We sat down on it and the first thing I said was, "I thought you agreed to take yourself down if you won."
"I know," Jerome said. "But I thought about it. People aren't going to see you as a treat because of these two challenges, but that was only because they were your weakness. They'll leave you alone, but if I was still in the game, Dirk and Cheryl, and probably even Bessie and Paula, aren't going to stop until I get eliminated."
"I won't make it far," I said.
"You will," Jerome said. "Nobody is going to put you up for elimination because they won't see you as a threat. They will leave you alone possibly until the very end because they'll think you won't be able to win against them, but you will. You're going to do amazing, okay?"
I nodded. "Okay." At least Jerome believe in me because I definitely didn't.
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Drama drama drama! Lol, I think I've been saying that at the end of every chapter.
I'm about to make Jerlan on Sims 3 just so I can have a shovel. :D I wanted to get this chapter up first.