In my head, I try to ignore the cheering of the other teams. I try not to think about how Rachel is one of the four teams back on their mats. I work on untying the knots in the bag. Inside is a ring full of old looking keys. The kind they show in movies about jails. I start by just picking one and trying it. I try key after key. I start to panic because I am not finding the key.
“Yellow takes first place.” Chris calls out. “Red is back, Start working on your partner.”
I start working harder and faster. Trying key after key. Failing each time as I try to unlock Ari. She is not saying anything. I don’t know if I should be grateful or not because I part of me wants to hear her cheering me on, but I also don’t want to be distracted by her voice.
“Purple takes second. One more team will win a reward. Who will it be?” Chris calls.
The first thought in my head, is that as least Rachel won a pillow and blanket. At least she won a reward.
“Final team is Blue. Green and Red you do not win a reward.” Chris calls.
We all watch as the remaining two chained players are unlocked by production before filing to the front again and taking our places on the mats.
“Come forward and take your rewards.” Chris says to the three teams. “I will see you all tomorrow for our next elimination challenge. Where we will eliminate one more player and add them to our jury.”
SEVEN
Ari
“Loosing that challenge sucked. I found it hard to look at Ari after that challenge. After all it was me who lost us the challenge.”
Ryder Hold
Day five interview
Day Six
For some reason, after yesterday’s challenge, the atmosphere around camp feels different. I don’t know if it is the loss, or what it is, but something feels different. Ryder hasn’t really spoken to me much unless it’s to ask me if I have boiled the water in his canteen or not. Which I always do. No water enters our canteens unless it’s been boiled. That I know for sure. But something feels different.
When I am working, if I look up from my task, I find Ryder looking at me. When I catch him, he looks away, I swear a few times I have seen a blush on his cheeks, but I can’t be positive it isn’t a sunburn. Then a bit later when I am working again, I found him looking at me again. It feels different. Not friendly, and not bad either. I don’t know what it is. I just know that when he looks at me, when I know he is looking at me, my body feels different. Almost like it craves his eyes on it.
I feel a slight buzz go through my body. Heat spreads ever so slowly throughout my body. That’s usually when I look up and see him looking at me. When our eyes lock, it’s hard to explain, but that slow heat turns to lightning-fast and goes right between my legs.
But I have to admit, I find myself watching him while he works. I find my eyes searching him out as I see him returning back from one of his many trips away from camp. I find myself seeking him out after I have been away from camp for any amount of time. It’s almost natural to seek him out. To look for him, almost to reassure myself that he is still here.
This whole thing is so new to me. Do normal women feel compelled to look for a man they find attractive? Do normal women’s bodies react to a man like this? I have never been in a position like this before.
Don’t get me wrong, I have had only one boyfriend, just one. He was my first everything. My first kiss, my first lover, my first heartbreak. Since him, I have struggled to put myself out there. I have struggled with the fear of failure. It’s because of him, that I have this need not to disappoint anyone. Because he told me I didn’t live up to his expectations. I wasn’t good enough at this, didn’t know that he needed that. I was a disappointment of a girlfriend.
“Ari? Are you alright?” I hear Ryder ask me.
I look up at him, as I shake off the poor thoughts. “I am fine. What’s up?”
He is just returning back from one of his trips away from camp. In his hands are logs, and our team mail. I frown, I forgot we were going to have a challenge today. I almost wish we didn’t. I almost wish that it could just be Ryder and I for a while, alone here, to explore if he is experiencing the same emotions and feelings that I am.
“Looks like we have mail. Should I read it, or do you want to?” He asks me.
I smile up at him. “You.”
The sound of Ryder’s voice does something to me. It calms me when I need to be calm, and other times it sends heat throughout my body. This time, it sends more heat through my body. I don’t know why it does this to me, but just listening to him talk… It does things to me.
“Ropes and knots make todays challenge galore. For three teams losing will be sore. One person will join our Jury, to win today you better hurry.” He reads. “Come on, that doesn’t give me anything to go on.”
I frown as I try to think about the clue. What could be todays challenge? Something to do with ropes and knots? But what could the challenge be. I don’t understand. The clue is all but useless unless we forgot that today is an elimination challenge. One person will draw the white rock and be sent to join Farrah on the jury.
“I don’t know either. Something with rope and knots, but the rest is unclear.” I say. “Are you any good at knots?”
“Yes, I am good at knots. I work in construction. I own a construction business. Knots often mean the difference between life and death.” He tells me.
This is the first time we have talked about something other than the game. I mean, neither of us have said where we are from. Until now, I didn’t know what he did for work. It almost felt like that didn’t matter. It felt like neither of us needed to share anything that personal because it honestly feels like we have known each other for an awfully long time.
“That is good. I am a kindergarten teacher.” I tell him. “Good at solving problems and puzzles.”
The signal comes to leave camp for the challenge, and part of me wonders what would happen if we chose not to go to the challenge. Would we be disqualified? Would we be sent home? Or would they force us to attend and rig the challenge, so we lost and one of us went home? Though I know it isn’t worth it, I just can’t help but thinking about it.
****
The challenge area is set up with six long obstacle courses. Each is different, none of them look the same, as we pass by them. I see rope wrapped around different parts of the course. I don’t get to look closer because we finally are past it and on the way to our mat. I stand beside Ryder and keep my eye on the purple mat. Waiting to see Caleb and make sure he is doing okay. After all, coming here was his idea. But my attention is drawn away from the purple mat, when I feel a hand grab a hold of mine. I frown and look up at Ryder.
The expression on his face is one I can’t decipher. I can’t tell what the fire is in his eyes means. I find myself trapped in his gaze. His hand holding mine, and his eyes locked with mine. I can’t look away, even when I see cameras coming closer and closer. When I see movement all around us, telling me it’s almost time for Chris to come and tell us about our challenge, I can’t look away. Something won’t let me look away. When he leans down toward me, I can’t help but think he is about to kiss me. But his lips don’t touch mine, his lips touch my cheek then move to my ear.
“I will not kiss you when every camera and pair of eyes are watching us.” He tells me in a low whisper.
When he lifts his head, he doesn’t look me in the eye again, he turns his attention toward the front, where Chris is watching us. When I look up, I can see that Chris has a small smirk on his face. Why? I don’t know. I look over toward Caleb and he too has a small smile on his face. His partner, Rachel, Ryder’s twin sister, has a small smile on her face as well. What it is with the small smiles on everyone’s faces? It’s starting to get to me.
“Welcome to today’s elimination challenge. Before we begin, let’s talk to a few of our teams.” Chris calls out. “Green, I can almost guess how things are going at camp. But tell me anyways.”
Ryder squeezes my hand
before saying. “Great. We work well together. Our fire never goes out, we always have boiled water, and our shelter is holding up fine. Our partnership is going well. Neither of us feels like the other isn’t doing enough.”
“Interesting. What did you whisper in her ear?” Chris asks with a wink.
“Just that I hope we win todays challenge. That I hope that we are safe from elimination. I am not ready for our friendship to come to an end.”
I frown at that. Friendship? He thinks we are friends. Did I miss something? Did I read him wrong? What could I have done? I mean, I thought… I don’t know what I thought. But just knowing that he sees me as a friend, that kind of hurts.
Almost like I am disappointed. But that doesn’t make sense. Why would I be disappointed in just being his friend? It’s not like we are more or that we know much about the other. I should be happy with just being friends.
“So, for today’s challenge, you and your partner will be connected to a rope. Together you must work your way along the rope and the obstacle course to get the key at the end of the line. Once you have the key, unlock yourselves and race forward to your mats. The first three teams through the course and on their mats, are safe from elimination.” Chris says. “I will give you a moment to strategize.”
We move toward our course. There we are handed belts with a ring. The rings are connected to the rope. My stomach starts to feel queasy, but I ignore it. I do not want to be up for elimination tonight. I don’t want to have my fate in this game up to chance. I want to get through this challenge in one of the top three spots. I have to get through this, for Caleb, so that we can be together later in the game.
At least that is the hope, because I am still not sure how this game works.
“On my mark, you will race forward and figure out how to get through the course working the rope along with you.” Chris says. “Ready. Set… Go! The challenge is on.”
Ryder charges forward, dragging me behind him. I stumble a few steps before I catch my feet and I copy Ryders every movement. He doesn’t slow down. He doesn’t pay attention to what he is doing, I get hit with his elbow a few times before we are even halfway through the challenge.
“Ari just took a hard hit from Ryder’s elbow.” Chris calls out.
Of course, Chris would notice. How could he not? Our course is right next to where he is standing. But I don’t let him distract me. I continue to work my way behind Ryder. Staying a few feet behind him and copying his every move. But suddenly he stops. He doesn’t move forward or make a move at all. He just stops. I frown.
“What is it? Why did you stop?” I ask him.
“Don’t follow me until I am past this section. There are so many… Just watch then follow. I promise you it will be fine.” He tells me.
I don’t say anything because he is off at a run. Over the log in front of us, under it. Over it again, under it. Around it, over, under. I watch as he tries to work faster and faster. I try to keep an eye on how he is doing it, hoping that I don’t mess this up for us. But finally, he is free of the section and it is my turn. I don’t take a moment to collect my thoughts, I just follow the rope. Up and over, down and under. Over under, around, over under. Again, and again until once again I am beside Ryder. I watch as he continues along the rope.
Finally, we reach the end. He unhooks the key and starts trying to unlock his lock. He is free and then he works on my lock. Once we are free, we race forward and onto our mat.
“Second team safe tonight is, Green. One more team to go.” Chris calls out.
I frown, I hadn’t realized that there was one team already finished. They must have been moving fast. I look around us and realize that it’s the Orange team. Brad. The only single player in this challenge.
“All teams are working on the last sections of their courses. Who is it going to be?’ Chris calls out. “Red is working on their locks, Purple is close behind them. Who will be on their mat first?”
I turn around and watch Caleb and Rachel work on their locks. Suddenly Caleb runs forward, and Rachel falls down. I close my eyes and hide behind my hands.
Please, Rachel get up and move. Please, be safe.
“Last team safe is Red. That means Yellow, Blue and Purple are up for elimination.” Chris says. “Safe teams come join me over here.”
We walk slowly across the clearing toward him. Once on the mat beside Chris, we turn to face the three teams up for elimination. He calls for the jury, just Farrah, for now, and she comes in. Dressed in a pale blue dress and flat sandals.
My attention is drawn from Farrah as the three remaining teams take their spots. My heart sinks. Caleb could be going home. I really hope he doesn’t get eliminated. I want to play with him. I don’t want to watch him join the Jury. I can’t imagine that he is going to be eliminated. Please don’t let him be eliminated.
“Just like last time, you will draw rocks. The one who draws the white rock will join Farrah on the jury. Their partner, will join Brad on the Orange team making the team count down to five.” Chris says as he hands out the rocks.
I don’t take my eyes off of Caleb. I reach out and cling onto Ryder’s hand. I hold onto it tightly. As I wait for the reveal.
“Show your rocks.” Chris calls.
I hold my breath and watch as slowly one by one the rocks are revealed. Caleb’s rock is black. He is not eliminated. I want to heave a sigh of relief, but I don’t. I look to his partner and smile when I see her rock is black too.
“The second person of our jury is Quintin. Please say your goodbyes and leave the challenge area.” Chris says.
We all watch as Quintin kisses his partner on the lips, while wiping tears from her face. It makes me wonder, were they together from before the show, or is it new from the team. Once he leaves the area, Farrah follows behind him. Once they are gone Chris turns his attention to us.
“I will see you back day after tomorrow for the next reward challenge. Rest up, you never know what’s around the corner.”
EIGHT
Ari
“What is it about Ari?”
Ryder Holt
Day seven interview
Day Seven
Seeing Caleb up for elimination, with his fate in the game up to rocks, shocked me. I couldn’t believe that he was almost eliminated. I was scared and nervous. What if he did get eliminated? His dream of playing this game has come true, but it would have been for exceedingly long.
It broke my heart to see him up there holding that rock. I prayed that he didn’t get sent home. Which thankfully happened. I was grateful and excited, until I got back to camp. The weight of what happened hit me hard as soon as Ryder and I were alone.
I came here to play with Caleb and am now playing against him. Even though I didn’t want to come here in the first place, now that I am here, I don’t want either of us to leave. I have every hope that one of the two of us could win this game.
Last night was rough. I hated that I couldn’t go to Caleb. I hated that I couldn’t comfort him or have him comfort me. I needed to feel him hugging me. It would have made my nerves settle. It sucked to walk away from him. I hated it.
But the only thing that made last night better, was when we got back to camp. Ryder added wood to the fire and together we sat in silence around the fire. Having him sit beside me, while my mind raced was amazing. I enjoyed it. But knowing that Ryder also went through what I did with his sister, that somehow made it all better.
At some point last night, we made our way into the shelter and fell asleep. Somehow, we ended up spooning and that’s how I wake this morning. Ryder has one of his arms under my head and the other over my waist. He is pressed up against me. I can feel his hard… you know, against me.
Something comes over me and I start to grind my butt against him. I don’t know what it is but for some reason I can’t help myself. I have never done this before, so it’s shocking to me that I am even doing it.
I am suddenly pulled from my thoughts when, I feel him jerk a
wake. I quickly close my eyes, to pretend I am asleep. I don’t want him to know that I was doing it on purpose. I don’t want him to get upset with me. Since I know he thinks of me as a friend. A friend he wants to kiss. But instead of checking if I am awake, he leaves the shelter. Effectively confusing me.
Why would he leave?
After a few moments of laying in silence in the shelter, I finally decide to leave the shelter, but I find that he is gone. I frown and look around. The pot for water is still here as is the machete. So, he isn’t out gathering wood or water. So where could he be? Taking a walk maybe?
I grab the pot and decide that I need to get water while I try to figure out where he went off to.
As I am walking toward our water well, which is just a barrel buried in the ground, I am keeping an eye out for Ryder. I know he couldn’t have gone too far. So, walking through the trees, down the path. But as I get closer to the water well, I don’t see anything.
Maybe he isn’t in this area. Maybe he went for a walk in a different direction. Maybe he needed to do his morning confessional. But that doesn’t make any sense, because I haven’t seen a single cameraman or assistant all morning.
But just as I reach the well, I hear a growl off to my side. I frown and whip my head in that direction. I set the pot down just in case it’s an animal and I need to run. But I don’t see any animals.
In fact, I haven’t seen any animals the entire time we have been here. Perhaps we scared them off.
But before I can think about the animals, I hear the sound again. Followed by my name. Is it Ryder? Without thinking I race off into the trees in search of him. I follow the low grunts and growls until I see him.
Ryder is leaning against a tree with one hand. Growling and grunting and jerking. I frown, is he hurt? Why did he call my name? I walk closer, without saying anything. I am behind him as he continues to jerk. His head drops back, and he moans softly.
Playing For Keeps (Romancing The Games Book 1) Page 5