20. Episode 13 Paya
“We really have to stop meeting like this.” I tease Celeste, back on Outcast Isle together. “Then again, look at what they’ve done with the place. This is amazing.”
Royal treatment is an understatement. The beach of the remote island has been completely transformed.
I run my fingers over the plush couch draped in deep purple and gold velvet, piled high with a ridiculous amount of soft matching pillows.
Thick ornate rugs cover the sand around it.
Nearby sits a concession stand that could easily feed both teams combined.
Our jaws drop as we walk the length of the table.
There’s more than traditional theatre food.
Under the warm glow of gold lanterns are wagyu sliders, lobster rolls, truffle fries and eight varieties of cheesecake and cookies.
My smile stretches to its furthest point at the soft hum of the sangria slushie machine.
The giant screen sits framed by heavy, tasseled drapes that catch the warm ocean breeze, making the whole setup feel like a private, luxurious oasis hidden away in the dark jungle.
I look up in awe. “Thank you for choosing me to accompany you. A movie under the stars sounds perfect.”
She holds my gaze. “I wouldn’t want to be on Outcast Isle with anyone else.”
My face flushes at the way she looks at me. “This is one thousand times better than before. I still have nightmares about the bug from our first time here.” I chuckle, only partially joking.
After searching every inch of this island during our last stay, I had given up hope of finding an advantage relic.
With the current view, the game feels miles away.
I grab a hot, wet hand towel from the stack and thoroughly wipe my hands clean, then glance at Celeste doing the same.
My stomach flutters as she radiates under the moon’s full light.
We load our trays and the movie starts when we sit on the couch. The three feet of space between us is distracting.
“This feels like a date and our parents are sitting in the back,” I confess, after stealing another glance. My cheeks are warm.
Celeste’s eyes drop to my lips, then back up. “Maybe it should be.”
“Is that right?” I don’t hate the thought of having our first date in the place where we almost had our first kiss. I motion toward the distance between us. “Are we leaving room for Jesus too?” My grin turns mischievous. The last thing on my mind right now is holy.
“In that case—” Celeste inches closer and exaggerates a yawn, stretching her arms until they smoothly land behind me.
I giggle at the gesture, leaning into her side. “You’re going to have to try a whole lot harder than that.”
Not that Celeste needs to try anything. The natural gravity between us is already pulling us closer, our shoulders pressing together as we settle into the cushions. Something catches my eye. I turn to investigate.
“Look what I found.” I hold up a small golden bell by its handle from the end table next to the couch. “Is this for me to serve you?” I huff a laugh, giving it a little jingle. “They really took the whole royal captive thing seriously.”
Celeste’s smile turns devious when I hand her the bell. She sets it right back on the table, her eyes locked on mine. “Might come in handy later.”
Something flutters low in my belly as I turn my attention back to the screen.
For the next hour, we gossip like a married couple, barely paying attention to the movie playing on the canvas screen behind us.
It is a relief to just talk freely without watching our backs or worrying about alliances.
Celeste updates me on her team, painting a vivid picture of the Masc camp.
She explains exactly how Bo got her nickname, and we both laugh over the details.
Then she shakes her head, telling me that Beya has a cr… ush on Arlie that’s beyond human logic.
“And the worst part?” Celeste chuckles as I toss a piece of popcorn into her mouth. “Lex somehow snuck cologne from her luggage. Now the entire shelter stinks like Bo’s bad decisions, hunger pangs, and sandalwood.”
I burst out laughing, the image of a starving Lex smelling like high-end department store cologne in their rickety shelter completely breaking my composure.
Celeste pauses mid-bite and peers around. Her brows pull together. “That’s odd. The camera people are gone. Where did they go?”
I follow her line of sight, doing my best to keep my expression neutral.
Sure enough, the production setup that was hovering at the edge of the cushion area is empty.
The tripod stands are vacant and the drones are gone too.
We’re alone. The only sound is the movie playing in the background. Thank you, Misty.
“Maybe something exciting happened back at camp.” I shove a handful of popcorn into my mouth, trying to seem nonchalant, then another quickly after. My stomach does a nervous flip. Hopefully Celeste will drop the topic.
She tilts her head, studying me for a second before she looks back out at the dark beach. “What could possibly happen back at camp that’s more interesting than us watching a lesbian classic?”
“Maybe Bo finally caught a fish.”
A laugh bursts out of her before she can help herself. “Now that would be groundbreaking.”
“I’m just saying.” I toss a larger handful of popcorn in my mouth. “The camera people have priorities.”
She closes the distance between us, the scent of the ocean and sweet concession candy clinging to her. She meets my eyes and pecks my lips. “So do we.”
The kiss is soft, yet hungry, and entirely private without the lenses tracking our every breath. Celeste slowly pulls back and holds my look, her big brown eyes locked on mine.
We sit in the quiet for a few minutes, the audio of the movie filling the space between us. But the peace doesn’t completely erase the heavy thoughts circling my brain. I shift slightly on the cushions. A small sigh escapes me.
Celeste turns toward me, her brow lifting. “What’s wrong?”
I run my fingers through my hair, looking down at my hands. “There’s something at camp that I’ve just been thinking about lately. That’s all.”
Celeste’s fingers trail up and down my side as I continue speaking, her touch a steady, comforting presence against my skin.
“I don’t understand,” I admit, the frustration finally bubbling over. “One day we were all working really well as a team, and then like a switch, Jeida started to just…” I sigh. “I don’t know. Be really nasty toward Blair.”
Celeste listens quietly, her thumb rubbing soothing circles against my waist. “People are hungry and it’s hot. It might just be the environment. We all can’t happen to love each other all the time.”
I shake my head, unconvinced. “I thought that initially, but there’s more.
” I pause, struggling to articulate the words, and try again.
“I feel like there’s something else going on.
I don’t know what happened, but all I do know is that Jeida wasn’t acting this way, and now she’s causing a lot of discord and it’s bringing morale down.
And it seems like everyone is determined to just get rid of her.
” I pause, the vivid image of the recent camp drama flashing in my mind.
“Yesterday she slapped a coconut out of Blair’s hands while she was drinking from it. ”
Celeste doesn’t speak for a moment. One of the things I adore about her is the way you can almost sense the wheels turning upstairs. She carefully thinks before speaking, analyzing the data rather than reacting on pure emotion. I’ve always respected that about her.
“Do you think there’s more to the story?” she asks, her voice level and measured. “That something else happened between these two that isn’t on the surface?”
I exhale, leaning my head back against her shoulder. “I don’t know.”
“Because people don’t just act like that without good reason. Especially not us...” Her tone is soft. She presses a tender kiss to my forehead. “Has anyone asked Jeida her side of the story?”
My lips form a frown. “No. I haven’t.”
A pang of guilt hits me, remembering my part in escalating her demise. Actions that only further pushed the team toward wanting to vote Jeida out to protect my own position.
“I’m just saying,” she says softly, her fingers still tracing gentle patterns on my side. “Maybe there’s more to the story than people realize.”
“Yeah. You’re probably right.” My eyes are suddenly getting heavy under the weight of the day and the deep comfort of her embrace.
And I know what it’s like. I, of all people, know exactly what it’s like to be ridiculed, to feel ostracized, without a single listening ear.
To be painted as the villain by a narrative you didn’t create, desperately wishing for someone who could hear my side fully.
If I had possessed that kind of grace and support during my acting days, perhaps things would be entirely different for me now.
My mind stops wandering, breathing in the calm of the private beach. It’s not nearly as chilly as it was our first night on Outcast Isle. The weather’s perfect tonight, and thankfully, this time we have food, bug-repellent tiki torches, and each other. The royal treatment.
“The stars really are gorgeous out here,” Celeste remarks, her attention fixed on the bright, clear night sky.
Not as beautiful as you, I want to say, but I don’t. Instead, I snuggle deeper into her arms, letting her warmth engulf every fiber of my body. I place a gentle kiss on her arm, taking in this moment of being on a date with Celeste, away from the reality that she’s my boss and that this won’t last.
Using her pointer finger, she gently tips my chin up and presses our lips together. Soft at first, then in a deep, hungry kiss, completely erasing my thoughts of the game, team drama, and the secret role I’m playing.
When she finally pulls back. “I rather enjoy this queen business. Especially if kissing you is included.”
I can’t help my smile. “I am your royal captive, after all. I’m here to please.” I hope she takes my words exactly how I mean.