Hamilton P.O.V.
"Hey can you pass me that pepper?" I asked Amy, as she passed it to me.
As soon as I had said those words, I noticed Natalie had a grimace on her face.
"What?" I asked.
Natalie hesitated, "It's just.. not very pleasant to put spice in your food when the cook has obviously cooked it well enough so it wouldn't need those spices."
"I just... like spicy food."
"But it's still a bit unflattering towards the chef."
"I..I...I just like spicy stuff!" I sputtered.
Natalie shook it off, but I was left with an appalled look on my face. Knock it off, Reagan's eyes seemed to say. I shook my head and kept quiet.
"Dinner was delectable. Thank you, Nellie." Sinead said.
"Well, the pleasure was all mine. That's the first THYME an Ekat has complimented me, so thank you." Nellie said, smiling from her pun.
Sinead beamed. "Puns are a sign of intelligence. Also, cooking is a lot like chemistry. You just mix the chemicals, and boom. You're done."
"The key is to finding the right ones and the right amount." Ned said.
"Not that simple, Sinead. Not all of us are as advanced as you." Ted replied.
Sinead rolled her eyes. "Maybe someday.. we don't know. Hamilton could be a scientist."
I nearly spit my food out. Didn't have to. Madison did it for me.
"Hamilton?" my other sister (Reagan) asked, "a SCIENTIST? He doesn't even know the chemicals in the human body!"
I sneered. "I know. I use my body every day."
"Alright, who's up for a little challenge? Everyone asks a selected opponent a question. It'll be like Truth or Dare, just not as cringe-worthy." Amy mentioned.
I shrugged. Everyone else agreed.
"Alright, Hamhead, what are the four main elements that are essential to life?" Sinead smirked at me with her green eyes.
I swallowed. I can't think with all this pressure. "Hold on, let me clear my head." I said.
"Well, if you can't answer, you'll have to do a daaaare." Dan taunted me.
"You need oxygen to breathe. Hm, oh! Hydrogen and carbon. And..." I found the perfect words, "Daytrogen." I smirked.
Then we all saw something we hadn't seen in a while. Sinead's laugh. It was a little laugh, but it was marvelous. I, for one, felt relieved and everyone else seemed to join in on the laughter. I'm glad my joke spun into something better.
"Alright, good job Hamilton," was all Sinead said.
I stabbed some of my salad with a fork. "Jonah. What would you be if you weren't a child celebrity?" Everyone seemed to like my question. There could be a pretty interesting answer.
Jonah stalled for a bit by finishing to eat his last bit of ravioli. "A pretentious French mime."
Everyone burst out into laughter before Jonah gave us all a serious look and said, "Seriously, I want to."
We all continued to howl at Jonah, but eventually we settled down.
Third P.O.V.
"I KNOW A GOOD GAME!" Phoenix hollered, then later grew a deep shade of red right after he said it.
"What is it?" Ned asked.
"It's charades! We can act and the team who guesses the most wins!" Phoenix shouted excitedly.
Natalie disagreed, "To be honest, that doesn't sound very exciting. Sorry Phoenix."
"Well, then what do you have in mind?" Dan challenged Natalie, as if she didn't have any ideas already.
"We can play this game I call Couplay. You pronounce it coop-lay. You pair up with someone - anyone you know well enough. You have to pick someone who you don't nearly associate with a lot. So, siblings cannot pair up. Sorry, Starlings." Natalie declared triumphantly.
"Hm.. okay."
"Sounds good."
"Don't we have an even number?" Amy asked.
Natalie counted the people off her fingers in her head. Amy, Sinead, Dan, Ian, Reagan, Madison, Hamilton, Ned, Ted, Jonah, Phoenix, and I. Gah.
"You're right. So there's no one to judge." she concluded, her lower lip jutting outward in a scowl.
"Hey! I know," Dan said, scurrying out of the room. When he came back, he was with Nellie. "Nellie can choose the themes!"
Everyone scurried to find a partner who they knew well. All of them wanted to win and choose their own bunk mate and room.
Amy was struggling to choose between Sinead and Hamilton. Although complete opposites, both were perfect matches for her. Sinead was the beaker to her chemical solution, but Hamilton was the arrow that guided her on the track.
Both were gathered around Amy, expecting her to choose one or the other.
"Uh.. why don't you guys be each other's partner? Don't worry, I'll find one soon."
And she left them at that. Before leaving though, she had heard them teasing each other a bit. That'll keep em' happy, Amy thought.
Meanwhile, Ian was having trouble finding a partner. He couldn't pick Natalie because of that stupid rule she made up. Amy was occupied by that Hamilton Holt. That dimwit thinks everything revolves around him. You can't get everything you want in life, he thought.
Someone passed by. He perked up. Was he supposed to be finding a partner? Lately he'd been feeling.. weird feelings. A clingy state, in need of a companion. It seemed that Natalie was always distant, even when they were right next to each other.
"Amy."
"Hm?" She raised her eyebrows and stopped in place. She'd been on her way to ask Jonah, but now that Ian had her attention, she'd decided to see what he needed.
"Would you care to be partners?" The words rolled off his tongue like a tire down a steep hill.
"A-alright. If that's fine with me. I mean, you. Wait," she bit her tongue and instantly reddened, "Sorry, gotta check on Dan," and she dashed away faster than a police cruiser on the freeway spotting a fast-paced car.
No one could see it, but there was a curve tugging at Ian Kabra's lips.
...
Dan was standing behind Madison Holt, unsure whether to ask her or to wait it out.
That was before Amy came bashing in, causing Dan to tackle Madison towards the ground.
"CUT IT OUT, AMY!" Dan yelled, "MADS, YOU ALRIGHT?"
Madison was up before him. "SIR, YES SIR!"
Amy got up, tripped on a loose floorboard, got up again, muttered a timid apology, and then scrambled off.
"Well that was weird." Dan said.
"What were you doing behind me, anyway?" Madison questioned.
"I was about to ask you to be my partner, so..." Dan continued, "Be my partner?"
Madison piped up. "I've already promised to partner up with one of the twins, sorry Dan."
Dan tried not to show his heart and plastered on a fake grin. "That's alright."
While watching Madison jog away to one of the Starling twins, Dan didn't notice somebody coming up behind him.
"Guess who?"
Dan's eyes were covered by some - if I might add - plastic nails. He knew who it was instantly.
"Natalie?"
"Why are you always so gosh darn correct? Anyway, I'm in need of dire assistance. Care to partner up?" Natalie asked, caressing her elegant pink nails.
Dan wanted anything but to do that. Natalie was the ultimate mascot for pink, fluffy unicorns. But his pride didn't let him. He needed a pick-me-up after Madison had trampled on his ego.
"Doesn't seem like I have a choice."
She dragged him across the carpet, revealing the news to all of their family members. Natalie was so extra, Dan thought. Wait, why am I thinking about this prissy kitty?
...
Madison was on her way to Ned before being stopped by Reagan.
"Who are you going to choose?" Reagan asked her before she could go any further.
"Uh.. I don't really know. Maybe Ned or Ted? Doesn't make a difference, haha! You?"
Reagan's green eyes sparkled a little before her mouth opened for a response.
"I'm going to choose Ted. He's pretty smart, and I think I know him well enough for us to be friends."
Madison's mouth lifted, showing a Holt smile.
"You like Ted, huh?"
Reagan's mouth stood agape. "No. He's just very.. interesting."
"Alright then, Reag. I won't choose him. He's all yours."
As Madison left Reagan contemplating her sister's spoken words, she uncrossed her fingers and smiled secretly to herself.
"Of course, Reag, you'd need a push in the right direction. I'm taking Ted. Just for now." Madison spoke discreetly.
...
Phoenix's instant response was Jonah. He turned around, expecting to find him doing the same, but he had lost him.
Jonah, where are you? Phoenix thought. But his thoughts were interrupted by a loud, booming voice.
Bam. Jonah.
Phoenix scurried across the carpet, hiding behind a couch. He didn't like to eavesdrop, but, in this case, he needed to.
It was Jonah who spoke first.
"Yo. Reagan, let's be partners."
Phoenix heard Reagan shuffling around. "Let's not."
OOH. BURN.
"Well, why the gold chains not, Reag?" Jonah asked.
"You don't seem like my type."
BURNED AGAIN.
"It's just a game. And it seems like you'd be a loser if you didn't have a partner." Jonah enticed her.
Phoenix could hear Reagan's bite-sized wheels turning in her mind. A Holt always thinks of winning first.
"Alright. Let's do it, but just for this game."
"Deal."
He heard an exchanging of hands before they departed, leaving Phoenix by himself.
It wasn't everyday he got to witness his own cousin almost getting rejected by a girl.
...
The sun was starting to set, leaving a deep orange mixture of pinks and yellows in the background. The dark sky began to set in, and the moon began to arise in the distance.
Nellie took a deep breath before speaking.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BOYS AND GIRLS, WELCOME BACK.. TO THE CAHILL GAMES!"
*single claps from Uncle Fiske*
"I'M YOUR HOST, NELL THE GEL, AND WE'RE HERE TODAY WITH OUR TWELVE CONTESTANTS! LET'S MEET THEM IN THEIR CHOSEN PAIRS!"
"PLEASE WELCOME IAN AND AMY, NATALIE AND DAN, SINEAD AND HAMILTON, NED AND PHOENIX, JONAH AND REAGAN, AND MADISON AND TED!"
Dan shot Amy a curious look while Amy burned under his glare. Natalie and Ian exchanged a pair of glances, each keeping to themself. Sinead rubbed her elbow as Hamilton awkwardly placed his arm around Sinead's shoulder, before Sinead swatted it away. Reagan glared at Madison and Madison kept to herself, smiling her broad smile.
"OKAY EVERYONE! WE'RE GOING TO PLAY... HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW ME? IN YOUR GROUPS, CHOOSE A CONTESTANT NUMBER ONE. THAT CONTESTANT WILL BATTLE THE OTHER CONTESTANTS AND ANSWER THE QUESTION FOR THEIR PARTNER! EVERYONE READY?"
After finding a couple of nods and shouts of 'YEAH,' Nellie continued on.
"OKAY, FIRST UP ON THE BOARD AGAINST EACH OTHER ARE IAN, NATALIE, SINEAD, NED, JONAH, AND MADISON! WE ELIMINATE THE TEAM WHO FAILS TO COMPLETE THE TASK!"
They were all ready. No one would mess up.
"OKAY, CONTESTANT NUMBER TWO'S! WRITE DOWN YOUR FAVORITE COOKIE ON THE BOARD IN FRONT OF YOU! CONTESTANT NUMBER ONE'S, PUT ON YOUR BLINDFOLDS!"
"ALL THE BLINDFOLDS ARE PUT ON, THE ANSWERS ARE WRITTEN. OKAY, IAN! WHAT IS AMY'S FAVORITE COOKIE?"
"What type of question is that?" Ian asked.
"JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION. YOU HAVE LESS THAN 10 SECONDS TO ANSWER OR WE'RE MOVING ON!"
"Ah, alright." he thought about it for a while before answering, "Oatmeal."
Amy breathed a sigh of relief and removed Ian's blindfold for him. They had passed!
"OKAY, NATALIE! WHAT'S YOUR ANSWER?"
"I like biscottis. But, by God, for Dan, it'd probably be an animal cracker."
"Hey, she's not wrong."
"Wait, I actually got it right?"
"OKAY, GOOD JOB NATALIE AND DAN! MOVING ON!"
"SINEAD AND HAMILTON! SINEAD, WHAT'S HAMILTON'S FAVORITE COOKIE?"
They all took a deep breath. Nobody was sure if Sinead would get this right. Not even Sinead. She took a wild guess. When all goes wrong, just observe and calculate, Sinead thought.
"I'd say Hamilton doesn't like cookies. He's more of a cupcake person."
"She's right!"
"SORRY HAM, THAT DOESN'T COUNT. THE QUESTION WAS ABOUT COOKIES!"
"But - that was actually my answer!"
"DO YOU WANT TO FIGHT WITH ME ABOUT CULINARY ARTS?"
"N-no."
"I'M SORRY HAMILTON AND SINEAD ARE DISQUALIFIED. NEXT UP ARE NED AND PHOENIX."
"Ned? You got an answer for Phoenix here, buddy?"
"U-uh. Cookies." Ned answered.
Phoenix facepalmed and his hand morphed into his face.
"I'm sorry Ned, that is not correct. You guys have a seat on the sofa there."
"Now just WAIT A SECOND HERE." Hamilton started, "WHY ARE YOU GIVING THEM SPECIAL TREATMENT?"
"Psst. I think it was about culinary arts and you know that's her specialty." Sinead tugged Ham's arm and dragged him towards the sofa.
Hamilton felt a fire still burning within him. He could fight a little longer, but somehow Sinead's grip on him was stronger than his own ego. He let her drag him away to Sofaville.
"Jonah?"
"Reagan's favorite cookie is an Oreo."
"CORRECT!"
"Did you know that Oreo spelled backwards is also Oreo?" Jonah told them.
All was silent for a second until someone screamed GET OUT!
That someone was Hamilton.
"I'm sorry, Reagan. For your loss."
"Thank you, Nellie." Reagan replied.
Jonah was confused. "What loss?"
"ANNNYWAY, MADISON AND TED! MADISON, WHAT IS TED'S FAVORITE COOKIE?"
Madison was thinking. Hard. But she kept thinking of Ned's favorite cookie.
"A fortune cookie."
"That is incorrect, I'm sorry. You guys are disqualified."
"BUT THAT CONCLUDES THE END OF ROUND ONE! OH BOY OH BOY WE GOT THREE GREAT TEAMS LEFT! IAN AND AMY, THE UNEXPECTED LOVERS! NATALIE AND DAN, THE DOG AND ITS OWNER! AND JONAH AND REAGAN, THE RAPPER AND THE ATHLETE!"
"Did you really just call me a dog?" Dan asked.
"Well, if the Crocs fit." Amy replies.
"You just stole my line!" Dan narrowed his eyes.
"Game on, Dan-o." Amy said.
"WHOA THINGS JUST GOT HEATED! IAN AND NATALIE, HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY TO EACH OTHER?"
Ian spoke up. "Hi, dearest mother. I hope you die in Hecc."
"There's no camera, Ian." Natalie replies.
"I know, Natalie. It's called acting."
Natalie rolled her eyes.
"ALRIGHT LET'S GET BACK ON TRACK! SWITCHING PARTNERS NOW, SO AMY, DAN, AND REAGAN ARE ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS!"
"NOW, AMY! WHAT IS IAN'S GO-TO STEAK OPTION?"
"Huh?"
"ALSO KNOWN AS - HOW DOES HE LIKE HIS STEAK?"
"Hm. Medium rare?" Amy was genuinely confused by the setup of this question, but she got it correct.
Ian pulled the blindfold off of Amy and reached in for a handshake, but time seemed to stretch it into a weird handshake-handholding thing.
"THIS IS PG!" Dan shouted.
"DAN, WHAT'S NATALIE'S FAVORITE STEAK OPTION?"
"UH SHE HATES STEAK BUT SHE LIKES ROSEMARY CHICKEN."
"That is true, but I'm guessing we'll be disqualified for some unfair reason."
"THAT'S RIGHT! YOU'RE DISQUALIFIED! WILL IAN AND AMY TAKE THE WIN TODAY?"
"Not if I have anything to say about it." Jonah said, "I WANT THAT ROOM!"
"OKAY, REAGAN! WHAT IS JONAH'S WAY OF STEAK?"
"WELL-COOKED."
"THAT IS INCORRECT!"
"What? How?"
"I LIKE MY STEAK BARBECUED! GEEZ REAGAN!" Jonah shouted.
"THE WINNERS ARE IAN AND AMY! YOU GUYS GET TO CHOOSE YOUR ROOMS!"
They rushed towards each other and high-fived. After that, they did that handshake-hand-holding thing again.
"Well, I'm beat. How many people in a room again?" Amy asked.
"Three at most. We don't want anyone being disturbed." Fiske said.
Amy pondered her options. "Alright.. I'll pick Sinead and Natalie."
Ian didn't know who to pick. They were all having a hate relationship with Ian. But he didn't want to rock the boat.
"I'll have Dan and Hamilton escort me." He concluded.
"Alright then," Nellie said, "So I suppose Reagan and Madison would want to partner up. And Ned, Ted, Jonah, and Phoenix would double up."
"Yup." They all agreed.
"Well we have two extra rooms, so that'd be okay. Everyone alright with that?"
"Yeet."
"What did you just say, Jonah?" asked Natalie.
"I said YEET!"
"Come closer, and I'll clobber you with my Gucci heel."
"OKAY OKAY NO FIGHTING PLEASE. HEAD TO YOUR ROOM AND SLEEP! WE'LL DEVISE A PLAN IN THE MORNING."
Everyone headed up the stairs and to their rooms to go to sleep.