Chapter 13
Fabiola was almost at the kitchen going to the girls tent when an announcement came on.
"Contestants, please make your way to the pool after the Secret Garden. A new challenge awaits.
Unfortunately, Miss Raya will be exiting the show for medical reasons. We wish her well"
"Raya?" Fabiola repeated her name when she heard the news, realizing she wasn't just oversleeping this morning and that she really didn't see her at breakfast.
She started running to see if could see her for at least one last time but the helicopter was already up in the sky with the rest of the contestants staring at it.
"I hope she gets well, I never knew anything was wrong because she wasn't even in the room when we came back to talk with you earlie" Natalia told Fabiola.
"Well, what are we waiting for, let's get ready for the contest!" Garrick clapped his hands in excitement like they didn't just witness a sick Raya being carried.
The time was 1pm. The boys were all ready for the water, standing beside it and waiting for the girls and soon enough, they showed up in bikinis.
Jasmine was wearing a pink, Fabiola and Zabrina were coincidentally wearing a red, making Zabrina glare at her, while Natalia wore an orange.
"Contestants, a male and a female, will pick one ball each from the box in front of you in an alphabetical order. Your team will be decided by the colour"
"Wow, I'm so going to love this game" Garrick almost yelled and the rest of them looked at him like he had gone crazy. He was grinning nevertheless, not minding the stares he got.
It wasn't until they started analysing which name came first alphabetically did she truly understand his happiness. Him and Jasmine's were falling line in line and if they happen to just pick the same colour ball, they would have to play the game together.
Another great horror was with herself. She and Braxton's names actually came first alphabetically! It was mixed with anxiety and happiness. This was only going to work if they just picked the same color ball.
She looked at Braxton who had this unreadable expression. She watched his hand as he drew out a blue colored ball and she realized she had actually drawn out a blue ball too, her eyes widened in happiness, seeing it.
They took them and stood aside to let the next set take theirs. She was shaking with happiness but couldn't look at Braxton. He must be so angry being paired with her right now.
She watched Garrick and Jasmine pick theirs and Jasmine was fortunate not to pick the same color ball with him, so she stood away from Garrick.
Harry and Natalia also didn't pick the same. Neither did Mason and Zabrina.
Fabiola realized how lucky she was.
It was finally Sean's turn but he had nobody to pair with. Just as they stood conflicted, the intercom signaled again.
"Contestants, the only participant with nobody to draw a colour ball with, is up for anyone who doesn't like to go with their partner at the end of the game and for those who didn't choose the same color balls, they are to choose the next participant who has same color with them"
"Jasmine?" Harry quickly beckoned on her, waving his blue colored ball and he pointed at her's. She immediately walked to where he stood, with a smile.
Mason and Natalia linked up with their blue colored balls while Garrick watched how Zabrina walked begrudgingly to him and she said "Am I the only one who thinks this game sucks? It seems childish"
"The game hasn't even started but you can choose not to join you know" Mason said, crossing his arms and Zabrina looked at him in a glare.
"I believe I wasn't speaking to you"
"I believe I don't owe you my freedom of speech," Mason retorted.
"Mason…" Harry called, putting a hand on his shoulder and Fabiola felt a pang of guilt, was he okay?
"The game about to be played is Water card. The couple starts swimming from the starting point with the girl carried, try and get to the other side before time, not falling in the pool and before the other team. When you do, pick among the scattered cards at the end, reading out the dare"
Basically a dare game, that has to be carried out irrespective of who gets to the end first.
Mr Connor was currently grining because of his plan, both Fabiola and Braxton had really choosen the same colour balls they placed first.
"The four couple should get in position in the pool and starts moving when they hear the sound of the bursar"
Fabiola swallowed seeing the rest of contestants already moving in, she looked at Braxton but he seemed a little lost in thoughts. Should she tap him to come back to reality? Or he didn't want to do this with her after all?
"Braxton?" She heard Harry call out his name in the water, he was now carrying jasmine and they were all looking at them.
Braxton snapped, glancing at Fabiola and walking towards the pool, she took it as a cue to follow him. After getting to the edge, he went in and turned his back to her, bending a little for her to hop in.
She swallowed, hesitantly as she entered the pool, placed her hands around his neck and wrapped her legs around him.
The water was so cold but she could feel her temperature running and she could swear Braxton could hear her heart beating rapidly against his back, her eyes surveyed his back, it seems like a rich shiny walk of art and his hair, she want to run a hand on his shiny black hair.
She could feel a stare on her so she turned to see Jasmine grinning at her. What the hell was she thinking?
She tried not to breath at his neck but it was impossible. Just this morning she was in his face but now, she didn't know to do.
The bursar finally sounded and the race began. She felt him holding her tighter than before and with strides towards the end. She saw mason and Natalia fall in the water.
Suddenly, Fabiola who was holding unto him felt a splash of water and hand on her face. She was shocked started coughing out and trying to steady her eyes. She heard them yelling and she felt herself being dropped.
"Fabiola?! Fabiola, are you okay?" She heard Braxton's voice as she managed to blink her eyes open, breathing heretically.
The first thing she noticed was his green eyes staring at her in worry. It made her remember his sense of familiarity. His hair now completely wet, was curly like she used to like it and his lips were dang inviting but wait…. That's not what she should be thinking right now.
Her eyes darted to her left and she saw the rest worried participants, only that. They was Zabrina glaring at her. Was it her?
"You're okay Fabiola?" Jasmine repeated and she nodded and Braxton nodded too as he faced Zabrina "Mind telling me why you did that?"
"What?" Zabrina asked, surprised.
"Don't play dumb with me, I saw you after you did that"
"Don't just base your claims because you saw me, what prove do you have? Besides, I wasn't the one moving beside you guys in the first place, it could be Jasmine" she dropped and Jasmine's eyes widened.
"I didn't do anything"
"What if something had happened to her?!" Braxton's voiced thundered as he asked Zabrina.
"Contestants, please continue the round except Garrick and Zabrina and Sean come in to substitute Mason"
Braxton was frustrated, they still wanted this game to go on? He watched as Zabrina had no choice but to leave the water, followed by Garrick and Mason.
"Can you continue?" He asked Fabiola and she almost laughed at the situation, he was actually the one doing something - carrying her.
"Yes"
The next thing he did wa spread his hands wild and she looked at him in confusion.
"What…"
"The rule said to carry the other person, it didn't really specify how"
"Oh" she hadn't really being paying attention, she walked slowly towards him and suddenly didn't know where to put her hands. "Should …I?" She raised her hands towards his shoulders and he nodded "anywhere"
She managed to slide her hands back and hug him, she felt him put her legs beside him for stability as he turned with ease to continue as the bursar started again simultaneously.
She caught Zabrina glaring at her from afar and she glared too, she was so going to deal with her when she got out of the pool. How dare she try to blind her precious eyes?
She found herself relaxing in his arms, she missed this warmth. As he moved, an unfamiliar pressure made her breathe hitch. Her brain reached for the safest explanation she knew. His pockets?
No there was no pockets, just sun-kissed skin and the boys confidently lounging in nothing but boxers. Heat rushed to her face as she subtly pushed herself upward to escape the teasing sensation.
If only he knew how she was feeling right now, will he throw her out in the water.
Braxton's arm unconsciously tightened around her waist and somehow… that only made it worse.
Fabiola swallowed hard and lifted her gaze toward the sky instead with cheeks burning,
The bursar sound was heard again. She looked back to see Braxton had successfully reached the end before anyone else.
"You pick one" he tells her. She looked at him, hands still holding him before she let go, removing her body from him, turning to the cards, it seems Braxton was so close to her neck because she could feel his breathe.
"Emm" she quickly picked the card lying near them as she saw Jasmine and Sean couple reach the end and picking theirs.
Fabiola opened it with her eyes widening.
"What does it say?" Braxton asked, curious, where they going to do another game?
She hurriedly gave him the card and he opened it to see "Congratulations on reaching the end, you have earn a ticket to luxurious paradise and also free will to give your partner a passionate kiss!"
Fabiola didn't know whether to laugh or cry, what was happening today? It seems the producers definitely planned this but why? It wasn't the original plan for her to be in a ship and what even gave them the impression that Braxton would want to kiss her.
She looked up at him from the water she had been staring at and oh goodness, was he actually staring at her lips?!