Playing For Keeps (Romancing The Games Book 1)

by Brittani Rose

  “Just like that we are down to two.” Chris says. “Shall we try to incentivize you to drop out of this challenge.”

  I pray he doesn’t. I pray that Ryder holds out, because then it’s one more thing that we could use against Sandra and her men. Yes, I know she probably is seeing someone outside of this game, but the way she is playing these men, I am calling them her men. If Ryder can win, we can find a way to make Sandra’s failure to even get going as a way for her to test them. Or something. I am not really good at being mean. I need to learn though.

  “How about a nice hot burger and fries?” Chris asks.

  A collective groan comes from everyone, me included. That burger smells amazing. My mouth waters just at the sight of it. But I watch Brad, and he doesn’t move. Doesn’t take his eyes off of his ball. Neither does Ryder. They both are in this to win this.

  “Going once.” Chris says. “Going twice… Brad drops his ball.” I watch as Ryder continues to go. “Ryder wins reward, Brad wins this big juicy burger.”

  Ryder drops his ring and ball. He jumps down off his platform and stands there. His eyes locked on mine. I am too far away to read what his eyes are saying but the smile on his face tells me, that it’s something nice. I smile back and watch as Brad scarfs down his burger and fries. Almost like he didn’t eat a burger last night at the merge feast.

  Chris moves back to the podium, I am moved back to join the team, and watch as Ryder is called forward to stand next to Chris.

  “Since you won the reward, you now have a choice to make. You can choose your comfort item, the one you brought from home, or you can choose a change of clothes and a hot shower.” Chris says.

  “Are either of those sharable?” Ryder asks.

  My heart picks up a beat. Is he going to share that reward with me? Is he going to pick me?

  “No, they are not shareable.” Chris says.

  Ryder’s face falls. I can see that he had hoped to share one of them. But it doesn’t matter. I smile at him. He won. That’s amazing.

  “I choose the shower.” Ryder says. “Though, can I give my reward to someone else?”

  “Like forfeit your reward for someone else?” Chris asks him.

  Clearly not sure of what is happening. Ryder just nods. Chris looks perplexed. I just hope Ryder realizes that by doing this, there is now a target on his back as well.

  Chris holds up a finger to Ryder and a few people from production come forward. One of them is on a cell phone, I didn’t know they worked out here. Wherever we are. They talk for what feels like forever before Chris finally turns back toward Ryder.

  “After consulting with the production staff, I have found out that you are able to transfer your reward, but it must be to someone who actually competed in the challenge. If you do not wish to have that reward.” Chris says. “Now, I know you were hoping to give your reward to Ari, but production says that wouldn’t be fair as she didn’t compete.”

  Ryder nods, “I choose the shower. No transferring.”

  “So be it, someone from production will be around after a while to pick you up for your nice hot shower.” Chris says as Ryder makes his way back to the line. “I will see you all tomorrow for our elimination challenge.”

  As we file out of the challenge area, Ryder leans down and whispers into my ear, “I tried. I am so sorry.”

  “Don’t be. You won. You deserve it.” I say.

  EIGHTEEN

  Ari

  “I don’t care that I put a target on my back. I just really wanted Ari to have that shower. She deserves it.”

  Ryder Holt

  Have you ever sat somewhere and just know that you are the topic of the conversations all around you? Well that’s me. I have been sitting at the fire at camp, and everyone, I mean everyone, has been talking about me. Rachel has been talking about me. Caleb has bene talking about me. Ryder was talking about me until he left for his reward.

  Let me tell you, being the topic of discussion is unnerving. I don’t like the feeling. I just know that these people want me out. Not only do I not contribute to the camp, because of my injury, but I also am connected to two strong players, Caleb, and Ryder. I don’t know how all eyes turned to me, but they did. I fear that I am the one that is going to be eliminated at tomorrows elimination challenge. Since I can’t compete for the immunity, I will be easy pickings. That is if they can get Rachel, Caleb, or Ryder to flip on me.

  I won’t lie, I don’t want to go home. Two weeks ago, I would have said I want to go home. But right now, I don’t want to go home. But I have something these people don’t know about. The only person who knows is Ryder. I have the idol. Not that I want to play it right now, but I still have the idol.

  But sitting here, watching them all walk off to have their conversations, sitting here knowing that they are talking about me, it makes me feel so small. Almost like I am the outcast that I was back in high school.

  Everyone seems to love Caleb, just like they did back then. All this is doing is making me feel alone. Is being tied to both Ryder and Caleb hindering my game play? Is being connected with them, going to keep a target on my back?

  Movement catches my eye, and I see Sandra slowly walking toward the bags. She grabs Zach and William’s bags. She starts to go through them. For what, I don’t know. But I frown as I watch her. Not only is that an invasion of privacy, but what if they had the idol like I do? Is that what she is looking for? The idol? To figure out if one of them has it?

  I need to tell them about her going through their bags. I mean, I wouldn’t want someone I align myself with to go through my things, even if I didn’t have the idol. It’s an invasion of privacy.

  But part of me doesn’t want to tell them, because after all this is a game and they did choose to align themselves with her. But another part of me wants to confront her for them. I want to call her out on it and put her on the spot. I want to make her feel like she has made me feel since the merge happened.

  But that isn’t me. I don’t like to cause drama. I don’t like to be the center of attention either, but that seems to be what I am, right now. I don’t want this game to change me. But I also don’t want to go home. I don’t want to be vindictive or mean, but I don’t want to sit here, and watch Sandra run this game.

  Voices coming from the path leading out of camp, causes her to stop. She puts the bags down and walks over to her canteen and shakes it. She grabs the water pot, brought over form one of the other camps, and heads off into the trees. I watch the path, waiting to see whose voice it was that we heard. I smile when I see it was both William and Zach. I quickly motion them over to me.

  They have a right to know what she did. They deserve to have someone who is honest tell them what is happening when they have their back turned.

  “You need something?” William asks me.

  I shake my head. “No, I am fine. But I don’t think she saw me, but I just watched Sandra go through your bags.”

  “What?” Zach asks with a frown.

  “She was digging through them. She just left with the water pot. I don’t know what she was looking for, but she was digging through both of them.” I say. “I felt like you deserved to know what she was doing.”

  “Thanks. I will look and see if she took anything.” Zach says.

  Both men leave, and I somehow feel worse than I did before I told them. Maybe I shouldn’t have told them because they are so close to Sandra. But I couldn’t help myself. I don’t like when people do things like that.

  I don’t like when people think that they can go through people’s belongings. I lived through that in high school, I am not living through that on a game show.

  Caleb and Brad come back into camp and Caleb frowns at me. Rachel comes back with Sandra. They are both smiling. Part of my heart sinks. What was Rachel telling Sandra? What was Sandra telling Rachel? Is she going to go through my bag next? Just the thought of that upsets me. If my bag gets touched, I will be angry. Not only because they touched my things but be
cause whoever goes through my bag will find the idol and most likely tell everyone that I have it. That is not a risk I want to take.

  I could have Ryder store the idol, but what if he doesn’t give it back? What if he thinks that I am giving it to him? I can’t risk that either.

  “You alright there, sis?” Caleb asks as he sits next to me.

  “Just thinking.” I say.

  It’s the truth, not the whole truth, but it’s still the truth.

  “More like worrying. What has you so worried?” Caleb asks.

  “I saw Sandra going through Zach and William’s bags. Makes me wonder if she has gone through ours.” I say. “Because I found something while out looking.”

  “The idol?” Caleb whispers. I nod. “Good. I was worried you hadn’t found it.”

  “I found it alright, then I got hurt on my way back to camp.” I tell him. “But I think I know who needs to go first.”

  “Who?”

  “Sandra. If she is willing to go through the bags of those in her alliance, she could easily go through ours, and I do not want that to happen.”

  “Don’t you worry. Ryder and I have a plan. Just keep that idol safe unless we tell you that we need you to use it.”

  I nod and watch as he walks away. I frown. What did Caleb mean that he has a plan with Ryder? That I need to keep my idol safe until one of them tells me to use it? Shouldn’t I be the judge of that? I trust Caleb. I would trust him with my life, but out here where I am the only one being talked about, its unnerving knowing that my brother has a secret plan with my partner, yes I still consider Ryder my partner, and that bothers me.

  This whole situation is making me paranoid. The secret talks, the whispers, the not so secret talks where I can clearly hear my name. Everything. Its unnerving and scary. I don’t like being in this situation. I don’t like knowing that I might be eliminated or forced to use my idol before I am ready to use it.

  I need to take a walk. I can’t sit here and watch the talks continue to happen. I walk toward the trees. I will just walk to the water well and sit there and think. It’s about all I can do right now.

  As I walk, I can’t help but think about everything that is happening. Am I cut out to be a part of this game? Probably not. I am paranoid that my brother and partner are conspiring against me. I am paranoid that someone is going to go through my bag and find the idol. I am paranoid that I will be eliminated tomorrow, and I don’t want that to happen.

  I reach the well and sit on a fallen log, just past it. It’s out of sight of anyone who will come this way, so I won’t be seen, but I can still somewhat see the well. I sit here and close my eyes. I try to calm myself down. I don’t need to be paranoid. Caleb told me he had a plan and I need to believe him. I need to trust Caleb.

  Voices coming from the path leading to the well, pull me out of my thoughts. They seem to be moving closer, and I can make out what they are saying.

  “I didn’t look through your bag. I swear.” I hear Sandra say.

  I frown, of course she is going to lie. Why not? She thinks her shit doesn’t stink. But what she doesn’t know is that if they believe her, I will make it known that I saw her.

  I honestly don’t think that there is any way she didn’t see me. She had to have seen me. I was sitting at the fire, all by myself. She had to have seen me.

  “Well stuff is moved around. You know how I like my bag organized. Why would things be moved around?” William says.

  “Why are you pointing your fingers at me?” Sandra demands.

  “Because you once told us that you would go through the bags of people you don’t trust. I know Brad didn’t do it, he was off with Caleb, so that also marks Caleb out. Rachel was taking a walk. I know because I saw that with my own eyes. Zach was with me. Ryder is off showering for his reward, and Ari, she can’t use her hands. So that leaves only one person that could have done it… You.” William spells out.

  “Mine was gone through too. A cross necklace that I was wearing when I arrived, was taken.” Zach says.

  He was wearing a necklace, this shocks me. I wasn’t allowed to wear any jewelry. So, I try to think back to what he was wearing when this whole thing started, but I can’t remember. Did she really take something from him?

  “I think we should go through your bag. See if we can find his necklace, and anything else you may have stolen.” Zach says.

  Soon, I hear them walking off. I don’t know if I should be happy or surprised that they didn’t believe her. I like knowing that she was called out on her shit, and that this just sealed her fate with those two. But I am still surprised because I didn’t think they would actually believe her.

  I wait a few minutes before walking back to camp. I take the walk slow, so that Sandra and the guys don’t know that I was listening to their conversation. Which was an accident. I didn’t do it on purpose. I couldn’t have left my spot without walking past them. They would have known I was there and that would have taken the spotlight off of Sandra.

  When I walk into camp, I spot Ryder talking with Caleb off to one side of camp. His hair looks brighter and he looks a whole heck of a lot cleaner. I don’t know why I smile when I see him, but I do.

  Almost like he can tell I am looking at him, he turns and looks right at me. He starts my way, with a smile on his face. He pulls me into his arms and lowers his head and kisses me. He doesn’t let up for a few moments. His kiss demanding. His lips telling me he missed me, even though he was gone no more than an hour.

  I cling to him and return the kiss, just as demanding as he is. I enjoy the feeling of his lips on mine, I enjoy the feeling of his arms holding me.

  He pulls back and smiles, “So, what did I miss?”

  “A whole lot of stuff. But I will fill you in later.” I say with a wink.

  NINETEEN

  Ryder

  “Words cannot describe how sexy he looked with wet hair and clean. He smelled amazing and looked super sexy.”

  Ari Harper

  Day fifteen interview

  Day Fifteen

  Taking that reward yesterday, that was not what I wanted to do. I wanted to share it with Ari or give it to Ari, but Chris had to throw that, because it wasn’t a sharable reward, and I couldn’t give it to someone who hadn’t played for the reward. I could have been nice and given it to Rachel, but I didn’t want to do that. I didn’t want to make it seem like I was more invested in my sister than I am Ari. Which that just sounds weird saying it. But its true. I feel way more invested in keeping Ari here than Rachel.

  Maybe it’s because Ari is just so different from any girl I have ever dated. Maybe it’s because I can see myself in the future married to this woman. Maybe it’s because I have grown attached to her. I don’t know what it is, but I will do everything in my power to keep Ari here. Even eliminating Rachel if needed.

  I wake this morning feeling Ari shivering. Then I hear a weird pattering sound. It takes me a few minutes to realize what is happening. I wrap an arm around Ari to hold her to me for warmth in case she was just cold. I feel the wetness of her clothing and I frown. Why is she wet? That’s when I open my eyes and realize that she is wet because she is sleeping at one of the openings of our shelter, and for the first time in fifteen days it’s raining. Raining with a breeze enough, to soak Ari. So, I pull her further inside the shelter to get her away from the rain, she just cuddles into me, when I place her in my lap.

  “So… Cold.” She says, through her chattering teeth.

  “I know, I am sorry. I didn’t realize it was raining.’ I tell her.

  It’s the truth, I didn’t know it was raining. I was asleep, her shivering woke me up. But the thing is, I don’t know how to get her warm. Her clothes are wet, she doesn’t have dry ones, and my once dry, clean clothes are now damp, and I am wearing them. I wish I knew how to get her warm. Her shivering is worrying me.

  Then out of nowhere, I see Caleb coming to the shelter. He reaches around me and pulls a blanket out of nowhere and hands it t
o me. I smile as I wrap her in it.

  “She is so cold.” I tell him.

  “Keep her wrapped up, until we have to leave for the challenge. Who are the four of us voting for? If in fact we get to vote?” Caleb asks me.

  Ari turns her head toward Caleb. “Sandra. She goes through everyone’s bags. Steals from them and then pretends like they are crazy. She stole Zach’s necklace.”

  “Sandra it is then.” I tell Caleb.

  He smiles and leaves. I hadn’t known about Sandra going through bags or stealing from Zach. That had to have happened while I was gone. Ari must have forgotten to tell me when I arrived. Though, I can remember asking what I missed.

  It hits me that she couldn’t have told me what I missed, and what she saw, because Sandra and her group were sitting at the fire watching us make out.

  How creepy is that? Who just sits there and watches? Why not turn away or go somewhere else? Not that I mind, but I remember Ari being embarrassed about it and retreating to the shelter shortly after she realized what happened. Oh, how I wish I could go back in time and not kiss her.

  “When did all that happen?” I ask her.

  “While you were gone. I watched her go through Zach and William’s bags. Then when I went for a stroll, I heard them confronting her. I told them about it. They must have been right behind me when I decided I didn’t want to get caught.” She tells me. “I wanted to tell you.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” I tell her.

  I almost say the dreaded three words. The ones that people in serious relationships tell each other. But I stop myself. I stop because I don’t want to assume anything is serious between us, but I also don’t want to force her into saying it. More than that, I don’t want to say it on camera, while our competition is all around us. I want to make sure the time is right, that I am not leading her on, and that our relationship is in the right place for those words.