Page 6 of Surviving Love
“Yes.” Harold’s eyes were intent, and drops of water clung to his beard. “He’s probably trying to get more air time. Don’t give him the satisfaction.”
I frowned. Was that what this was all about? “You think he’s trying to get a rise out of me so he could be on camera more?”
“That’s my guess.”
It was true the show loved to have a villain and an underdog. If I continued to let Jack bait me, was I setting myself up as the underdog on the show? I didn’t like the idea of that one bit. I sucked in a deep breath, trying to calm down. I wiped water from my face, giving Jack a dirty look, but I stopped trying to move toward him.
Harold patted my back. “That’s better.”
“I’m still plenty mad,” I mumbled.
“I know. I know. But you’re doing the right thing.” Harold let go of my arm, watching me warily. “Just act like he’s not even here.”
“Easier said than done, especially if he’s going to keep picking at me.”
“If you don’t react to him, he’ll get bored and move on to someone else.”
“Maybe.” I sucked in a deep breath, willing my pulse to slow. I turned my back on Jack, doubly aggravated that he barely seemed to remember I existed. If I was so inconsequential, why was he messing with me at all?
“Come on, let’s go join the others. It looks like Shep is almost here.” Harold tugged my arm.
Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to follow Harold. Jack was busy preening as the other players congratulated him for being the first one to reach shore. He avoided looking in my direction, and I kept my distance.
The other person who’d reached the beach quickly was a guy named Thomas. I didn’t know anything about Thomas, but I assumed I’d end up on his team. Odds were Jack wasn’t going to pick me for his. My main concern was ending up on whichever team Harold got on. So far, he was the only person I felt comfortable with.
The sound of a motorboat arriving on the beach distracted me. Shep jumped off the craft with two cameramen in tow, and he came trotting unsteadily up the sandy beach. He was wearing a sun hat, and he carried a basket with green and orange headbands.
“Okay, everybody, gather around.” He dropped the basket on the sand and stood panting with his hands on his hips. “Congrats, Jack, you’re a captain, and Thomas, you’re the other captain.”
Thomas beamed, looking very pleased with himself. “Awesome, Shep. What color is my team?”
“We’ll toss a coin to figure that out.” Shep pulled a brass coin from his pocket. “Since you got to the beach first, Jack, heads or tails?”
Jack shrugged. “Heads, I guess?”
“You’ve got it.” Shep nodded, fingering the shiny coin. He tossed it in the air, and when it landed in his palm, he looked up. “It’s heads.”
Jack raked a hand through his damp hair. “I’m already on a winning streak.”
Shep laughed. “What color bandana do you want?”
“I’ll pick green.” Jack grinned. “The color of money.”
Shep laughed again. “Good choice.”
I had to work really hard not to roll my eyes. The sun was hot on my bare shoulders as I slipped on my wet top. It was difficult to control the urge to glare at Jack, so instead, I focused on buttoning my shirt. Splitting up into teams would be a good thing. I already needed a break from Jack, and once we each went to our own camps, I’d only have to see him at the challenges until the tribes merged. If I was really lucky, maybe he’d have been voted off by then, and I wouldn’t ever have to see his stupid face again until the reunion show.
The production crew laid out two big rugs emblazoned with the show’s logo, one green and one orange to match the headbands. Shep instructed Jack and Thomas to stand on the rugs that corresponded with their tribe’s colors. The rest of us gathered near Shep, and I had unpleasant flashbacks of grade school and waiting to be picked for playground games.
Anxiety made my gut churn as I waited to be called. One by one, Thomas and Jack chose players to join them. Naturally, the more athletic men and women were picked first. At this stage in the game, it was all about winning challenges so you could sometimes win food rewards. You had a better chance of winning those rewards if you had the strongest players.
When it was down to only four people, Harold was picked to go to Jack’s team. My stomach sank because Harold was my only real ally in the game so far, and he’d just been drafted into the enemy camp. That meant when I ended up on Thomas’s team, which I no doubt would, I’d have to make a new buddy fast.
I watched Harold walk toward Jack’s mat, trying not to feel demoralized. After all, the game had just started. Yes, it was bad luck to lose my ally so soon in the game, but I’d figure something out. There was still plenty of time to befriend someone besides Harold.
Sweat streaked down the side of my face as I waited for Thomas to make his next choice. It was down to me, Larry, or Rosa, a fit-looking middle-aged woman. When Thomas went for Rosa instead of Larry or me, Larry gave me a weak smile.
“This isn’t humiliating at all,” Larry whispered.
