Chapter 27
Chapter Twenty Seven
Landon
The next few days we all lie low. Mainly because the day after the pool party, every single person had a hangover from hell.
It took Courtney over forty-eight hours of ice water, warm showers and a fan on her face until she stopped puking.
It was a rough road, but I’ve finally gotten her well enough to at least come outside and get some fresh air.
Though I’m not sure how much fresh air she’s soaking up at the moment.
She’s wearing a sweatshirt of mine that engulfs her, a pair of sunglasses that cover half her face and she’s currently face down on my chest as we lie by the pool.
I know she’s still not feeling a hundred percent, but I’d be lying if I said I minded.
“I don’t ever want to look at alcohol again,” Cora groans as she turns over on the daybed beside us.
Andrew comes walking over and offers her some kind of smoothie.
She takes it with a grateful smile as he leans down to place a kiss on her cheek.
He takes a seat at her feet, and I can tell by the look on his face that even he’s still not feeling great.
Goddamn, I don’t think I’ve ever gotten so fucked up so fast. Let alone stayed sick as hell.
Whatever brands they were pouring, they weren’t for the weak.
“Probably for the best that none of us do. I doubt Angel can breathe out of her nose yet,” Courtney murmurs against my chest.
“Or Connor for that matter,” I add.
Not only did the booze fuck us all up, it was like all of our inhibitions were lowered instantly. Hence the fucking chaos that ensued.
“Hey, lovers! Did you miss me?” Alex shouts from the other side of the pool.
“Christ,” I grumble under my breath as Courtney whines against me.
“Nooo. What’s it going to take to never see this guy again?”
“Getting sent home?” Andrew offers.
Courtney shoots him a narrow-eyed look, and he shrugs in response.
“Come on, everyone over to the main patio,” one of the women says, gesturing for everyone to hurry up.
We all get up, not quickly by any means as we make our way to where production wants us.
It’s one of the first times I’ve seen Angel since that night, and goddamn, Bella kicked the shit out of her.
Her nose is black and blue, as is one of her eyes, and there are scratch marks down both her cheeks.
Bella escaped more or less unscathed, but Connor’s nose is still swollen.
When he tries to take a step closer to Bella, she takes a step away.
Again and again until he finally gives up.
They line up to begin filming, then someone makes a hand gesture and several people pop out of the goddamn bushes, I swear, rushing to touch up Angel’s makeup and cover up Connor’s bruises. After a minute or two, they shake their heads, and the woman sighs.
“Fuck it, we’ll handle it in retouch. Let’s go.”
“It’s good to see you all,” Alex says, smiling. “Some of you definitely look a little worse for wear. Angel, how are you feeling?”
She tries to smile but winces when it grows too big. “I’m doing well, Alex.”
Alex nods like he doesn’t believe her. “And you, Mason? I know that was a hard night for you and Bella.”
Mason nods stiffly. “I’m fine.”
Alex and the camera focus in on Mason for just a little longer, waiting to see if he’ll break or something. He doesn’t, though. He stands there like a statue, and eventually they move on to Bella and Connor.
“Connor, that nose looks a little rough. Mind explaining from your side what happened?”
He shakes his head before giving a quick shrug. “I got fucked up and made a mistake.”
“So Angel was a mistake?” Alex pries.
“Absolutely,” Connor says without hesitation.
“Bella, how do you feel hearing that?” Alex says, turning to face her.
She shrugs like she couldn’t care less. “I think the only mistake here is that Mason and I picked the wrong fucking people. If we had the option, I think we’d definitely choose different.”
Mason nods in agreement, and Alex looks surprised as he glances between the two couples.
“So are you saying you’d switch partners if given the opportunity? Maybe with each other?”
Bella considers Mason before shrugging. “Why the hell not? He’s pretty to look at, and I know he can knock a bitch out,” she says, aiming a disgusted snarl at Connor.
Connor doesn’t react beyond lowering his head. Holy shit. The drama is too much. The viewers are probably eating this shit up, though.
“Well, you never know what this competition will bring. You just may get your wish,” Alex says. “For today’s challenge, we all know the quickest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, right, ladies?”
The girls all nod—whether they believe it or not, it’s what’s expected of them.
“Then let’s head over to this week’s challenge area and see what we’ve cooked up for you all.”
There’s a long table with six chairs all on one side and six pairs of headphones, as well as several domed plates per seat.
“Fellas, please take a seat. Ladies, line up in front of your guys.”
We all do as Alex says, and I can already tell you, whatever’s under these domes is going to be foul.
“Before each of you are three mystery dishes. Guys, you’ll all be blindfolded and wearing noise-cancelling headphones to really allow yourself to be immersed in the flavors.
Your partner will feed you, and if you can’t accurately guess what the dish is, you have to keep tasting more and more bites until you get it right.
The first couple to guess all three correctly will win; the bottom two, as you know, will be up for elimination. ”
I glance at Courtney, who looks at the lineup nervously.
I understand where her head is at. Before, we had to be in the top six.
Then the top five. Now we have to be in the top four.
Every time, the stakes are raised and the chances of us getting sent home grow.
Not on my watch, though. I just hope to God I can figure out whatever they’ve put in front of us.
A production assistant walks behind each of us and slips on the headphones and the blindfold, submerging us into total darkness.
Almost immediately, I smell the salt from the ocean breeze that much more, and the light scent of Courtney’s perfume.
It brings me almost a sense of peace, and I lean into it despite my rapidly beating heart.
I think the fact that this challenge is more mental than physical is what has me on edge.
Can’t I throw some heavy shit or run fast? Something easy?
They said they would touch our shoulders when it’s time to start, and the instant I feel a tap, my jaw is as wide as I can open it.
Courtney spoons the first thing into my mouth, and I instantly heave.
Oh fuck. I remember this taste all too well.
When I was eight, the foster dad ate a can of these every night and made us eat them too.
I chew as best as I can before forcing them down.
“Anchovies,” I say, heaving.
I open my mouth and hope to God I got it right so we can move on to a new flavor.
When something that isn’t fishy at all touches my tongue, I could fucking jump for joy. That is until the flavor settles and quickly sours my stomach. What the fuck is that? Gamey but kind of grisly.
“Rabbit?” I ask, then open my mouth and wait for the next dish.
Another bite of the same meaty thing is placed in my mouth, and I chew it a little slower this time, despite my taste buds rioting. I taste something that’s almost sour this time, and I don’t know if that’s the dish or the way it was prepared.
“It fucking tastes like some wild animal or some shit,” I say before another bite is shoved into my mouth enthusiastically.
Okay, I take it that’s Courtney’s way of saying I’m on the right track. Which is foul. I chew on the thing for what seems like forever. Fuck. I have no goddamn clue.
“A hint,” Alex’s voice says through my headphones. “It’s a common nuisance found in large cities.”
I sit back in my chair as my stomach rolls. “Please don’t tell me it’s a fucking rat.”
Carefully, I open my mouth and am shocked to taste a new flavor.
Christ, that’s fucking disgusting, somehow even worse than rat.
Whatever it is, it’s fucking moving in my mouth.
Squirming and wiggling around. I chomp on it quickly, and little bodies explode into my mouth.
I gag. The taste is like death mixed with nuts.
What the fuck? I keep chewing, attempting to kill every last fucker before choking them down.
“Fucking maggots?” I guess as one begins crawling back up my throat.
I have no choice, I do my best to lean to the side and puke everywhere, heaving and retching until my entire stomach empties itself. A hand comes to my back, rubbing it gently as my headphones and blindfold are taken off.
“It’s okay. You did so good,” Courtney says, then she gags too.
When I open my eyes, I look down at the pile of puke, and just like that, I want to lose it all over again. Maggots, rats and anchovies. What the actual hell?
I look around to see almost everyone is done apart from Connor, who looks to still be chewing on the rat.
“God, I know this flavor. It reminds me of a meal my mom used to cook.”
Several people laugh at that as he keeps chewing on it with way too much interest. Shit. That means we’re in the bottom two. I look up at Courtney, worried she’s going to be pissed with me, but she whispers into my ear.
“Andrew couldn’t finish. He felt the maggots on his tongue and threw up everywhere. Said he quit.”
I turn away from her and see Andrew sitting there with his head in his hands as Cora folds her arms across her chest. It probably makes me a dick, but thank God. I did not want to be the reason we were up for elimination.
“Who finished first?” I ask.
I thought I got through them pretty quick, considering.
“Mason. Like he knew what each was instantly.