Author's Note: This chapter is especially for Citrus-Lime, who wanted to see some interaction from the Jaresa pairing. In the sailing and the sunset scenes, I delivered. Please read and review, and happy reading.
Chapter 4
The sun is really bright early the next morning. But by eight-thirty, Neil is still sleeping in his bed, the sunlight being obscured by the sleeping mask he wears over his eyes. Meanwhile, Herry and Jay are racing each other on the treadmills in the weight room.
The sun is too bright in Phoebe and Cami's eyes for them to sleep any longer, so they force themselves to get up and get dressed. They looked around the room and admire the improvements. Phoebe nods and says, "Oh, yeah, this definitely looks better. More colourful."
They are surprised to see Shauna is still sleeping, so they try and shake her awake. Shauna just groans and turns on her side away from them.
"Leave me alone," she mutters. "It's too early for this."
Meanwhile, in the ghetto room, Blaire is having the same trouble with Nathean and Ileana. Both refuse to wake up, and Ileana sits up a bit and explains, "Give us another hour, okay? We were up until two in the morning painting that white room next door." Blaire looks stunned.
Blaire: I couldn't believe the reason why Ileana and Nate wanted to sleep in. I'd known about the project in Shauna's room, but I can't believe they had to stay up such late hours for it. I mean, two in the morning? Come on! One session couldn't have taken that long, unless they wasted most of it gossiping.
He gives up, and goes to try and wake Kris, Gideon and Dominick. But they mumble for another hour of sleep, too. Blaire sighs and rolls his eyes, looking frustrated. He heads directly for the kitchen, muttering about people being late for the paper. He doesn't bother going back to the room with the newly-renovated walls.
Blaire: Obviously, we have to do something about unnecessary late nights here. I know they were busy yesterday evening, but I think everyone would be more awake and alert by now if that session ended at midnight, and carried over into tonight. We're going to be here for two weeks. There's plenty of time.
In the kitchen, Karin, Theresa and Jennifer are already up. Jennifer looks reluctant as she is making the breakfast shakes that Cami bought. She has found a tall cup used for shaking, and makes a chocolate shake for herself. She's already made two for her roommates.
"I didn't know Jack Halpern drank Slim-Fast shakes," Theresa says. "Maybe if I did, I wouldn't have complained about Shauna yesterday."
"Maybe he uses them for energy," Karin replies. She looks directly at Theresa. "So, tell me more about your mentor, Persephone. I know she's queen of the Underworld, and married to Hades, and all that, but how does she relate to you as your mentor?"
"She's basically taught me how to hone my psychic abilities in order to save to the world from the evils of Cronus," Theresa explains. "One time, around last Halloween, she taught me how to use magic torches to ward off Hecate, the goddess of the dead."
"And who mentors you when she's absent during the fall and winter months?" Karin asks. "I'm assuming it's her mother, Demeter, the goddess of the harvest."
Theresa gives her a strange look, as if she's talking crazy. "Uh, no. She's in New Olympia mentoring me during fall and winter, too. She has this secret passage to the Underworld where she goes to see Hades for about twelve hours a day. I think that's how she spends half her time there and half on Earth."
Theresa: I find it really interesting that Karin would assume that my mentor would go away to the Underworld for six months out of the year, and that Demeter would substitute for her. Especially when I've never even met Demeter. I know it's supposed to be the legendary origin of the seasons, but still.
Suddenly, Blaire comes into the kitchen to see the girls drinking the shake formula Cami bought. "Ah, geez!" he gripes. "I was just about to make breakfast for everyone."
"Thanks, Blaire, but that's okay," Theresa says. "I'm actually enjoying my shake. This is what, chocolate fudge? I'm eager to try the vanilla flavour."
Blaire takes out the first of the eggs and a frying pan. "I don't know about Herry and Jay," he says, "but everyone else is still sleeping after staying up all night doing Phoebe, Cami and Shauna's room. I wish I hadn't passed Shauna up when she asked me to help."
Herry and Jay come in just as Karin says, "I'm still trying to recover from her behaviour at the store yesterday. I wouldn't have wanted to be in the same room with her yesterday. She didn't say jack squat as she ate, she just jumped from the table the minute she was done. Didn't even help with the dishes like she was taught to at home. Her makeover project was more important." She rolls her eyes so far back.
Karin: Shauna's behaviour yesterday could make snail slime look good. Nothing short of despicable. She'd better improve herself in the mansion if she wants to stay here, I mean it.
"Depends on what we're doing today," Herry says. He gets two bowls from the cupboard and the first of the cereal for himself and Jay. Blaire goes to check on the eggs. "If we're going to the amusement park, I'll bet she'll be bitching while standing in those long lines, waiting to ride all the cool rides." Everyone laughs.
At nine-thirty, the show newspaper arrives. Karin retrieves it from the doormat, and is immediately interested in the headline. She calls to everyone in the dining room, "You guys, paper's here."
Everyone else sits down on the living room seating, those who had just awaken from doing Shauna's room are all wearing housecoats under their sleepwear. Karin reads the headline: "Mansion Mates Spend an Afternoon at the Lake."
Then the story: "Pack your swimsuits and towels, because the cast of The World in a Mansion will need them as they embark on their first real field trip today. Precisely at eleven in the morning, the bus van will take them over one hundred fifty miles to beautiful Lake Chicanis, located just 50 miles south of the small city of San Chicanis. Castmates will have a ball sailing, water-skiing, snorkelling, sunbathing and other activities. This is only for the afternoon, as the cast wraps up with a picnic supper and leaves by seven o'clock."
"A day at the lake?" Jay repeats, excited. "Sailing? Wow, Karin, count me in!"
Jay: One of my favourite activities has always been sailing, and I have sailed in California before, but I've never even seen Lake Chicanis, although some of my extended family has. They say it's beautiful, but I think it sucks that we can only stay there so long. Not only would I like to go sailing with Theresa, I'd also like to watch a sunset with her. Oh well.
Jay looks at Theresa, and says in a wooing voice, "Theresa, when we get to the lake, would you like to go sailing with me?"
"I'd love to," Theresa replies, giggling a little.
"Great, it's a date." He pulls her closer, and she rests her hand on his shoulder.
Theresa: I've been sailing before, many years ago in my Daddy's boat when I was little, but I haven't done it in ages. And I think it's really sweet that Jay wants to take me sailing all across the lake. This will be the most romantic afternoon of our lives.
"I'm so excited," Theresa says. "A warm, breezy day on the water, in a quaint little sailboat."
"Just you and me," Jay concludes.
Dominick looks disgusted, and whispers to Shauna, "Look at them all lovey-dovey like that. Makes me sick. Now I know why Theresa won't go out with me."
Dominick: I'm sorry, but looking at those two clearly falling in love like that makes me want to throw up. If Jay were any kind of man, he'd hint about wanting to get some nookie from Theresa. That dude is a little boy disguised as a young man. Theresa can do so much better, in my opinion.
"Leave them be," Shauna says. "Perhaps this could be a nice day for us to fall in love." She puts her head lovingly on his chest.
At close to one o'clock, the bus van arrives at the lake, past a row of cabins for people on vacation. It parks away from the lodging, just meters from a large unoccupied spot. Everyone is wearing their swimsuits, but the boys are also wearing T-shirts, and the girls are wearing shorts or short skirts. Herry comes out carrying a cooler full of drinks.
Dominick, Kris and Cami can't wait to start having fun. Everyone rushes onto the beach and strip off all excess clothing. Almost everyone has normal swimsuits and bikinis, but Dominick and Neil are in Speedos. Most get into the water quickly. About a minute later, Cami comes running out.
"It's too cold for me!" she calls. Jennifer and Theresa groan.
Jennifer: Didn't Cami ever take a science class? Of course the water is going to start out cold, but your warm body temperature warms it up for you. Even an "all-brawn, no-brains" type of guy knows that. Geez!
"Go back into the water, Cami!" Jennifer calls. "Get your body under it. You'll be used to it in no time."
Cami turns to see Dominick and Kris splashing around in the water. Shauna strips off her skirt and joins them. Everyone watches as she runs up behind Dominick and jumps on his shoulders. Kris gets out of the way as they fall into the water.
"Kris!" Cami calls. "Stay right there! I want to jump on your shoulders!" She runs back into the water.
While everyone else sets up, Jay and Theresa decide to walk along the beach. They're holding hands as they look out at the lake. Far in the distance, they see a bunch of trees and small houses. They walk past sunbathers, children playing in the sand, and even stop to watch a group of fathers and sons tossing balls around.
"This is such a beautiful sight," Theresa sighs. "Especially that view far away on the lake. I wish I had a camera."
"I wish I had an easel and palette," Jay says, "so I could paint that scene with you in it. "I'd put it up on my wall in my room back in New Olympia, so you're the last thing I see before I go to sleep at night, and the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning."
Theresa gasps happily. "Oh, Jay," she coos. "Thank you for saying that." They lean in and almost kiss, but turn around and see the people. They decide they don't want an audience. Thankfully, none of their housemates are around.
Further along the beach, they see a man in sunglasses and a tank top standing around a big collection of sailboats, canoes, sailboards, motorboats, water skis and life jackets. They run up towards him and Jay says, "Excuse me, sir, I'd like to rent a sailboat for two."
"Thirty-five dollars, please," the rental man says. The cameraman silently agrees to pay for them, and the pair chooses a boat with a green sail. They get two life jackets along with it.
There is a warm breeze today, so the sailboat floats without any difficulty, going in the opposite direction that they walked. No words are exchanged, they just stare at the trees on the other side of the lake, which seem closer to them. Half the time, Jay will look over at Theresa, and give her a silent, loving glance. Theresa doesn't have to use her clairvoyance to know these are romantic feelings.
Theresa: Ever since I first met Jay, my sixth sense has been telling me that he liked me as more than just a friend. Now, on this little sailboat ride, I see that his feelings are coming out. His silent smile, and the fact that we were truly alone, told me for sure. (Squeals) Ooh, I hope we're doing this if and when he asks to marry me!
"Jay, thank you so much for this beautiful moment," she whispers. "I'll treasure this forever."
Suddenly, the breeze changes direction, and Jay and Theresa are sailing towards the swimming area. Along the way, they are passing Dominick and Shauna, Kris and Cami, Neil, Nathean, Ileana, Jennifer, Gideon and Blaire, all swimming and playing water games. The rest, they see, are on the beach sunbathing. Jay and Theresa wave at their housemates, and only those in the water wave back.
Dominick and Shauna look at each other and get a rather wicked idea.
"Dom, what do you say you take me waterskiing?" she says. He agrees to the idea, and they rush onto the sand.
Shauna: I love to water-ski, and on the way here, I learned that Dominick actually has a license to run a motorboat. I want to pull the surprise Jay and Theresa will never forget. Oh, I'm so bad!
They run to find the boat rentals, carelessly stepping on a few sand castles along the way. They don't care about the children crying and yelling after them. When they arrive, Dominick says, "We'd like to rent one motorboat and a pair of water skis."
"Sixty-five dollars," the rental man says.
Meantime, Jay and Theresa have gone so far past the swimming area, so they decide to turn around. He adjusts the sail to make the boat turn. As they get closer, they can hear one of the motorboats in the distance, and in the distance, see it coming at them in the opposite direction. They are almost at the spot where their housemates are, when suddenly, they see Shauna ski in so close to them, she creates a wave that not only splashes them, it causes the sailboat to tip over. Thanks to their life jackets, Jay and Theresa come up quickly to see the motorboat stopped, and Shauna laughing delightfully.
"Having a good swim, you two?" she grins.
"Go to hell, Shauna!" Theresa yells back.
"I would, but I don't know where that is," Shauna sneers as Dominick revs up the boat again. When they take off, "See you suckers later!" Jay is furious as he and Theresa try to get their boat upright again.
Jay: What started out as a lovely, romantic moment quickly got ruined by the antics of Ms. "I'm-Not-Happy-Unless-Everyone-Else-Is-Miserable." Once again, Shauna has shown what an inconsiderate bitch she is. I wonder how she sleeps in that room of hers at night.
Shauna: It was a classic moment, and the looks on Jay and Theresa's faces were priceless. That Dominick sure has some classy motorboating skills. The trick was perfect, and Dom's part in it actually drew me closer to him that day. After all, he looks damn good driving a motorboat shirtless.
Jay and Theresa are back in their now water-filled sailboat, trying to recapture the romantic mood they had before. They are actually relieved to see Shauna skiing fifty feet away from them. She waves at them, but Jay stays focused on Theresa.
"You okay?" he asks. "I'm terribly sorry about what happened."
"Hey, you know whose fault it is," Theresa replies, then glares at Shauna in the distance.
By the time they get back on the beach, and dump the water out the boat, they see Shauna turn around to water-ski another lap. They take their boat back to rentals, point at Shauna, and explain to the man, "That girl over there purposely water-skied close to us so the sailboat would tip over. Is that allowed?"
"Absolutely not," the man answers. "I'll talk to her about it when she gets back." Jay and Theresa nod and go back to their housemates.
Theresa: So Jay and I just learned that Shauna broke the rules with her little trick. This might not get her kicked off the show, but I'm wondering if her boat-renting privileges will be forever revoked at Chicanis. I'm hoping they are.
Jay and Theresa rush back and involuntarily interrupt a volleyball game that Herry, Karin, Phoebe and Gideon are playing. Herry goes to them and asks, "Are you okay, you guys? We just saw you get wiped out by that motorboat." Gideon and Karin let them dry off with their towels.
Meanwhile, the boat rental man waits for Shauna and Dominick to return. When they do, he leads her to private place for a discussion.
"It was just a joke," Shauna laments. "I like to pull jokes on people when I'm in the mood. Is that a crime?"
Back at the housemates' spot, Neil invites Jay and Theresa into the water with the others.
"Maybe later," Theresa says. "Jay and I want to relax for a bit." They set up their own beach towels and just sit in the sun, Theresa pulling out a romance novel. Neil looks understanding, and looks out for Shauna and Dominick. He decides to be mad at Shauna more.
Neil: I'm sure Dominick has mad boating skills, but everyone else and I saw Shauna deliberately send Jay and Theresa over on their sailboat. You do not do that when you're water-skiing. What would possess her to do that, really, other than being her bitchy self?
When Neil sees Shauna and Dominick, he confronts her immediately. "Hey!" he calls. "Shauna, I saw what you did with Jay and Theresa over there. We all did. I just want you to know–"
"Back the hell off, Neil!" she retorts. "Just back the hell off! I already had the same shit lecture from the boat rental guy. He told me the next time can get all my privileges revoked."
"You'd learn something from it," Herry interjects, then turns to Dominick, "And what about you? What did that boat rental dude say to you?"
"Nothing," Dominick replies. "I just had to stand there and listen… and feel bad for Shauna. As far as he knows, I was driving the motorboat away from other people and things."
Herry: I'm surprised that Dominick didn't get into trouble for his part in ruining the sailing, but as far as I'm concerned, he's just as guilty as Shauna is, for driving the boat that caused it to happen.
Herry is about to say something else, when Dominick asks Neil, "How would you like to go water-skiing, too?"
"I'd love to," Neil accepts.
"In fact, I told the guy I'd be back with two people just before I left," Dominick says. "Who else would like to volunteer?" Karin, Gideon and Phoebe all hake their heads.
"Maybe next time we go to the beach," Karin says.
"Maybe later," Gideon says. "I want to get into some swimming first. But maybe Kris or Cami would like to go."
He runs into the lake over to where Cami and Kris are playing. He tells about Dominick's offer to take them water-skiing, and Cami smiles.
"I'd love to," Cami says. "Water-skiing. "That sounds like such cool fun."
"I'll go, too," Kris says, "but if Neil and Cami are so desperate to go, then I'll wait on the shore for them. I don't think they'll let all three of us ski at once." They leave to join Neil and Dominick, and Gideon calls Herry, Karin and Phoebe into the water.
At the boat rentals, Dominick returns and points at Neil, Cami and Kris. "Can I have water skis for all three of my friends?" he requests.
"You may," the rental man says, "but only two may ski at a time. Your other friend must wait on the beach for his turn."
Dominick smiles at Neil and Cami, and replies, "I'll take these two first."
"That's all right," Kris says, and the other three leave.
Kris: It is possible to have more than two people water ski at a time, but having been on many beaches on many a vacation, I know there are people who won't let you do that. Two is the normal limit, and some rental places at beaches only let one person ski at a time. I'm just hoping Dominick won't be so long with Neil and Cami.
Neil and Cami have their skis strapped on, and both are clinging to the large handle at the back of the motorboat. Dominick revs it up a second time, and soon the two are skiing thirty feet away from the swimming area.
Neil is already having fun, picturing himself being photographed in his swimsuit with the breeze in his hair. "Oh yeah, baby!" he calls. He manages to hold on with one hand and pump his fist in the air with the other.
Neil: The water-skiing was the most thrilling experience of my life. I can't tell you how fabulous and gorgeous and sexy I felt with the wind blowing in my hair. It makes me glad that Archie didn't get selected for this season; his silly fear of water would bring all this down.
When Dominick turns around, and Neil and Cami ski in the opposite direction, Neil decides to try and talk to her. He says over the loud motor, "You know, I'm so glad Archie isn't here for this thing?"
Cami looks confused. "Who's Archie?" she asks.
"Our friend that Jay, Theresa, Herry and I left behind in New Olympia," Neil answers. "I'm so glad he isn't here for this."
"Why's that?"
"He has this irrational fear of water. He can't swim and doesn't want to learn. Bringing him to do this and making him enjoy it would be like pulling teeth!"
Cami thinks it over.
Cami: Part of me wanted to say that Neil's comments about his friend were rude and uncalled for. But after picturing a guy who's afraid of water trying to water-ski, and he would be crying like a baby – that would not be fun.
"I'll take your word for it, Neil," she finally says, then both face forward and take one hand off the handle to run their fingers through their hair.
Meanwhile, Kris is waiting patiently on the beach, when he hears an older woman screaming in the distance, screaming that can probably be heard all over the beach. He turns to see the screaming woman throwing sand at Shauna, and Shauna fleeing from her. He turns and seconds later, sees an offended older man in swim trunks giving her a lecture, telling her, "Leave me alone!" A minute later, he hears some more older men laughing and he turns. He is shocked to see Shauna poking a group of older men in their abdomens, going straight for the navel, as he sees from one man standing in front of him. Shauna is wearing a one-piece swimsuit, so they don't do it back to her. They are twenty feet away from Kris.
"Oh my lord," he mutters as he pulls up his swim trunks, so Shauna doesn't get him.
Kris: I can't believe what I'm seeing as I get distracted from all the noise. Shauna is acting naughtier than yesterday, as she's poking good-looking older men and potential sugar daddies in their belly buttons? She is how old? My God, my seven and six-year-old nieces don't even do that! What is with this girl?
"Shauna!" he calls, and she obediently goes to him.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he demands.
"Oh, relax!" she replies. "I got a good look at all the nice bodies here, and I got a little, um, frisky. What's the problem?"
"Don't you think it's a little immature and childish?"
"Oh, come on," Shauna says. "All the women do it these days." Kris folds his arms and glares at her, as if he doesn't believe her.
Shauna: Give me a break, will you? Lots of women poke good-looking men in their belly buttons when they're in the mood and eager. Paris Hilton pokes guys in their belly buttons, and Anna Nicole Smith, too. It's the cutest part of a man's body.
She puts her hands up in the air and walks away from Kris. As he watches, he sees her poking some of the same men in their navels, and some different men, too. He puts his hand over his eyes and shakes his head. "Bloody skank," he mutters.
Kris: I swear, if I went up to various women and did the belly button thing to them, I'd get slapped across my face. (Waves his hand across his face, imitating a slap)
He looks out for Dominick, Neil and Cami, and he sees the motorboat speeding back to the shore. Neil and Cami are laughing and grinning as they remove their skis. As Kris puts his on, he says to them, "You guys, you will not believe what Shauna is doing this time."
"What?" Cami asks.
"She's poking various dudes in their belly buttons," Kris says, "and acting as if it's cute and innocent and sexy."
Dominick looks down at his own bare navel. "I wouldn't mind if she did that to me," he says. Kris rolls his eyes as he takes the water-skiing handle.
Neil looks disturbed immediately, and pulls his swimsuit up to cover his abdomen. "I sure don't want her to get me," he says. He and Cami leave, and Dominick revs up the boat again for Kris' turn.
Neil and Cami jog back to the housemates spot when they see Shauna noticing a man, around mid-forties, taking his shirt off. Immediately, she goes to poke him in his navel, then giggles all innocently. The man and any of his children who've witnessed look horrified. He glowers at Shauna and asks, "Do I know you?"
Cami walks over and takes Shauna's arm. "It's okay, she's with us," she says, then the girls leave with Neil.
Cami: So Kris was telling the truth, not that I didn't believe him to begin with. I remember doing that to shirtless men when I was a girl, too, even my dad and uncles when they were shirtless on a hot summer day. But Mom made me stop when I was twelve because it might make me sexually active. I wonder how long Shauna's been doing it, and if she's even a virgin or not?
"Uh, Shauna," Cami says, "maybe you should stop that belly button thing now. I was taught that you should only do that to your boyfriend or husband."
"Whatever," Shauna replies. She gets free from Cami and walks ahead.
"I don't think the other housemates need to know about this," Neil tells Cami.
"Agreed," she replies.
When they return, they see Shauna suddenly lying down on her towel, attempting to tan. She looks motionless, innocent and harmless. Gideon is sitting on his towel, too, He looks like he's just started reading a book. Meantime, Jay tells them, "Theresa and I are just going into the water, Neil, Cami."
"You want to join us?" Theresa adds.
Neil and Cami are still staring at Shauna. "Just give us a minute," Neil says.
Neil: Shauna is going to be a tough one to figure out. She's like a chameleon almost. She starts off nice and sweet one minute, the next she can get on your nerves, then suddenly she's just standing there again not hurting a fly. (Pause) She is a very strange girl, indeed.
"Maybe we've been in the water too much," he whispers to Cami. "Is this really Shauna? How can she go–"
"Maybe the only time she's good is when she's lying there like that," Cami whispers, then hopes Shauna doesn't overhear. She looks back at her. Shauna is still lying on her towel, looking like a log.
"Maybe I need some sun, too," Neil says, and gets down on his towel.
Moments later, Kris and Dominick return from water-skiing. Upon seeing Shauna, Dominick lies down with her and grins. She sees him and caresses his bald head.
"You sure are one hell of a motorboat driver," she says.
"And I love your feistiness and deviousness," he replies.
Moments later, they are sharing her towel, in each other's arms, making out. Kris looks disgusted, as do Neil and Gideon when they notice.
"Um, hello!" Gideon says. "You're doing that in a public area with no umbrella? There are children on this beach! Get a room!" But the lovers ignore him.
Gideon: It is one thing to be making out while sitting on the living room couch, but to be sprawled all over a surface like that, trying to get your freak on is just nasty. And doing it in a place where there's no privacy? Please, is "shame" a foreign word to these two?
"You know," Neil says to the couple, "I'm an attractive guy who can get any girl I want, but when it comes to affection, I like to keep my displays private!" Dominick and Shauna reply with muffling and soft moaning.
Kris looks out at the others, playing in the water. Everyone is up to their chests in water, all in a circle, tossing a ball high into the air for another to catch it, not letting the ball fall into the water. They don't seem to notice what's happening on the beach. Kris says to Neil and Gideon, "You guys, what say we go join them in the water, and leave these two to burn into the sun." They agree and rush back into the water, snickering. The others welcome them as Nathean and Ileana shift to make room, the circle expanded. Jay tosses the ball to Gideon, who tosses it to Phoebe. They all keep playing in the water for an hour.
Dominick and Shauna stay on the beach, getting attractive tans when a mysterious stranger gives them a bottle with a piece of paper inside. They try smacking the bottom to get the note out, even getting their fingers inside to retrieve it. But Dominick has a better idea. He goes up to a tree and smashes the bottle against it, then takes the note back to Shauna.
After reading it, she says, "Oh, finally, yes! I'm starving." She calls for the rest of the housemates. "You guys! I think supper might be served!"
Nobody is paying attention to her, so she takes the note into the water, going up to her abdomen. "You guys!" she calls louder, and they all turn to her. "I've just got a note here!"
She reads aloud to them. "All the swimming, water sports and sun tanning you've done can really work up an appetite. While you mansion dwellers have been having fun at your little beach party, the Lake Chicanis Barbeque House has closed its doors all afternoon to cook an exclusive feast just for you. Steaks, burgers, and hot dogs with available choices of fries or baked potatoes, along with a heaping serving of mixed vegetables. But you'll have more exercise, as you must walk from the beach all the way to the restaurant. There you will find a large dais-like picnic table with everything laid out for you."
Everyone else groans, Ileana being the loudest. "We have to WALK all the way to this steak house?" she cries.
Ileana: They've got to be kidding me. Ain't no way I'm walking ten to fifteen miles to no restaurant just so I can get some food into me! It's hot enough out there without actually have to fry eggs on the concrete. By the time we get to eat, I'm going to famished AND tired!
"Do we have to!" she cries.
"Chill, girl, it's only ten miles down the road, no big deal," Nathean assures. "What do you want to do, take our bus van? Everyone will think we're all lazy."
Nathean: I'm more than willing to take a ten-mile hike down the road to get my dinner, though I don't know what it'll do to my running shoes. Not saying that everybody needs it, but a good brisk walk before we eat will be so beneficial on all of us.
Herry rubs Ileana's shoulder to encourage her. "You sure you're up for it?" he asks. "It'll be great."
She looks at him and says, "Oh, okay, fine. Hope I don't wear out my sandals or get blisters on my feet, or something else like that."
Jay gets observant. "You know," he says, "I think I see a map on the back of the note."
Shauna turns the note around and rotates it to its vertical side. "Yeah, it's pretty straight forward," she says. "All we have to do is go past all these cabins then take the first road after them, then trek ten miles north on the first road after them. Should take us no more than half an hour. So, unless you're wearing sandals that put open-wound blisters in your feet, or wear out easily, you all should be perfectly capable of this."
Everyone just stares at her, thinking of that part she said about their sandals causing blisters.
Karin: I was just building up my appetite, preparing myself for dinner, until Shauna decided to throw in that disgusting comment about our sandals causing open-wound blisters. It was sick, inappropriate and uncalled for, especially since most of us are wearing running shoes. If she keeps this up, I may have to limit myself to one helping and no dessert.
"Look," Shauna says, "I've worn sandals all summer every summer, and I've had both happen to me. I'm sure you've gone through both as well, if not one of the two. Now, come on. Let's dry off, put our clothes back on and get something to eat." The note clutched in her hand, she walks quickly out of the water, and gives the note to Dominick so she can get dressed. Pretty soon, everyone else is out of the water, drying off, preparing to leave the beach.
After walking for around forty minutes, the housemates seek a wooden shack fifteen miles ahead. They begin to run, and they come closer to a large table covered in a blue plastic cloth. There are paper plates and plastic cutlery set out, and all the food in the middle – the large plates of steaks, hamburger patties and hot dogs, buns for both burgers and hot dogs, and a large bowl of scalloped potatoes and mixed vegetables, as well as toppings for the burgers and hot dogs, ketchup, mustard, tomatoes, raw onions.
"Oh my God," Jennifer says. "This is so awesome." She takes the first paper plate she sees and selects a steak, potatoes and vegetables. Blaire, Cami, Nathean and Dominick have steak only as well.
Jay, Neil, Theresa, Phoebe and Kris make up one hamburger each, along with the potatoes and vegetables. The rest have both, including Herry, who makes up two burgers, as well as two hot dogs. All of them notice this, and Theresa, Phoebe, Gideon, Jennifer, Shauna and Kris also make up hot dogs.
"Jeez, this sure is a lot of food, a lot of meat," Jennifer says. "Are you sure nobody here is a vegetarian?"
"I would only consider going vegetarian if I needed to go on a diet," Cami says. "And it looks like I'm going to have to after this meal."
"I would never even consider vegetarianism," Shauna says. "One of my friends became a vegetarian for a while, and she weighed about one hundred twenty five pounds when she did. Within six months, she lost so much weight, she became anorexic."
Phoebe winces at her, as if she is talking nonsense again.
Phoebe: Is Shauna kidding me? Yes, a vegetarian diet can help you maintain a skinny, trim figure, but nobody has ever become anorexic as a result. I know some people who are vegetarians, and they're all at a healthy weight. Give me a break!
Dominick sits across from Herry, and is surprised by the amount of food he has. "Are you sure you can handle all that?" he asks.
Herry's plate now has potatoes and vegetables piled on the meat. "Dom, I can handle all this and much more," he brags. Dominick looks stunned.
Dominick: Okay, I knew Herry was big and brawny when I first met him, but I never knew he was such a glutton. As a brawn myself, it makes me sick that he's just backing up this stereotype.
"Dominick, Herry can outeat anyone at this table, just you wait," Jay says. "And assuming dessert will follow, let me tell you he can eat his weight in cakes and pies and chocolate." Dominick groans silently.
Karin is sitting next to the teen heroes. Theresa asks her, "So, Karin, how did you get to be so interested in Greek mythology?"
"I first studied Greek myths in eighth grade Social Studies class," Karin replies. "That whole year, we focused mainly on ancient times. And it's not just ancient Greece, but also Rome and Egypt. I was fascinated with it all. The Greek myths were my favourite most of all. It is so amazing to read how things originated – the weather, the lakes and rivers, even the origins of crafts like pottery and smithing.
"My favourite myth is the origin of the seasons, how Persephone was kidnapped and brought to Hades, and Demeter was distressing over her daughter. And when Demeter learned that Persephone ate six orange seeds when she was told to eat nothing, she agreed to let Persephone spend six months in the Underworld, representing the fall and winter months, when the weather turns cold and dreary, symbolizing Demeter's sadness because Persephone has to leave her. And when the weather becomes warmer and the land becomes greener for spring, that means Demeter's happy because Persephone has returned to Earth. And that's why I wondered if Demeter has ever tutored you, Theresa."
Karin: I still find it a bit odd that the goddess Persephone does not leave New Olympia for six months at a time to be with Hades more, unless it's during the night, which would be interesting. If that myth is really true, then Demeter would, in fact, be filling in for her as Theresa's tutor. Surely the goddess Demeter knows something about handy tricks to save the world.
Theresa finishes a bite of hamburger and eats some more potatoes. "Karin," she says, "surely you understand that Demeter is the goddess of the harvest and gardening. I doubt she'd teach me how to roll pumpkins as bowling balls to defeat Cronus' giants, and I don't think gardening tips is going to help me protect the world from takeover." Karin sits motionless, then eats more bites of steak as she thinks about what Theresa has said.
Karin: Now that I think about it, the thought of Theresa rolling pumpkins as bowling balls, and even hurling fruit at Cronus, does seem a little silly. I swear I could hear my brain laughing its stupid head off.
She shakes her head. "Damn, I should've known that Demeter wouldn't know anything about heroics to tutor you in anything," she said. "Sorry for my wrong assumptions, Theresa."
Karin: Ugh, that's what happens when you have such a fascination in Greek myths.
"Personally, I've always thought of the goddess Demeter as a nice, sweet, caring older woman, like Oprah Winfrey," Kris says. He finishes his potatoes and eats some more vegetables.
"Okay, my turn," Phoebe laughs, then quickly turns serious. "About a week before I left Binghamton to come here, my boyfriend that I had since high school dumped me."
Everyone looks at her with a concerned interest, Theresa, Karin and Jennifer looking more concerned than everyone else. "What happened?" Jennifer asks.
"Oh, he was so sweet to me when we were in high school together," Phoebe says. "We went everywhere together, nice movies, school dances. We even showed concern for our academic performances, always pushing each other to get the best marks in school. I was mostly an A and B student. Then he did a total one-eighty come college. Matt was in his sophomore year when I started college. It was there that he met up with some fraternity boys and developed an interest in pornography. I heard about it through some of the sorority girls and few of my classmates."
"Ooh, that's nasty," Neil winces.
"I didn't want to believe it was true," Phoebe tells them. "You all remember how offended I was when Shauna was cussing that first day. That's because I'm still a virgin."
Shauna chokes on her steak but manages to swallow. "You're still a virgin?" she repeats. "And how old are you?"
"Twenty," Phoebe says, "I'll be twenty-one in September." She returns to her story. "Anyway, I was shocked when I found Matt in his room, naked, with a vibrator, and was even more shocked to see two chicks on the TV screen doing things I don't dare repeat to even strangers."
Then, Shauna interrupts with, "Why the hell would any girl want to be a virgin at the age of twenty? It's the most retarded thing I've ever heard."
Phoebe glares at her. "Maybe some people have morals," she tells her. "Maybe some people want the wedding night to be something special."
"Phoebe, take a hint from Jessica Simpson, and understand that staying a virgin until marriage is hazardous to your brain cells," Shauna advises. "I was a virgin when I was your age, too, and I was itching for it. Every night, I would dream about getting hammered by some fortysomething dude with huge pipes and pecs. Then, on my twenty-first birthday, it happened. A male stripping group consisting of four members all performed at my party my friends and family threw for me, and I lost my virginity to one of the older ones, he was at least a decade older than me. They say the first time is always the best time, and that was true for me."
Phoebe buries her face in her hands, and looks like she wants to cry. Jennifer, who is sitting next to her, rubs her back and glares at Shauna.
Jennifer: I really wanted to slap Shauna on behalf of Phoebe. Phoebe was trying to tell a serious story, and not only does Shauna interrupt, which was very rude of her, but she also wants to bring up this debate on pre-marital sex, when not everyone would agree with her opinions.
Phoebe: I don't know what possessed Shauna to interrupt like that and say what she said. It was very uncalled for. Saying you're not a virgin is one thing, but boasting about your experiences is something else entirely. I really don't care who she sleeps with, but she has to understand that there are people who don't want to hear about things like that.
Phoebe decides to conclude her story. "Anyway, Matt kept at it for about a year, I was ready to call it quits when he chose his porn, and when he told me he didn't want to see me anymore, I saw him with some big-breasted, long-legged blonde bimbo. I almost decided not to come here for this show, but at the last minute, I realized that I had to do this for myself."
"Phoebe, it's really good that you're here," Jay says. "All this participation and activity will help you get over your loss. You need it so badly."
"Thanks, Jay," Phoebe replies. "You're very wise. I can tell why you're the leader of your heroic group." He smiles at the compliment. But Jay and his hero friends are all very angry at Phoebe's story.
Jay: Phoebe's boyfriend sounds like an absolute jerk. I think she's very smart and very pretty, and is fully capable of finding true love. And I respect her decision to wait until she's married to have sex, totally unlike Shauna. I'm not a practicing Christian, or anything like that, but I think it helps a couple's wedding night seem special and sacred.
Herry: I don't know whom I'd like to beat more, Phoebe's ex for being a perverted creep, or Shauna for using Phoebe's story as an opportunity to stand back on her soapbox. Maybe I'll give Shauna a hard shove off, the pain from her landing will be enough for her to grow up, guaranteed.
Kris finishes his helping, and goes for a medium-sized piece of steak and some more potatoes. "If you think that's a bad break-up, allow me to top that," he says. "Three months ago, I broke up with my girlfriend over the issue of children."
"You mean, you don't want any children?" Gideon asks.
"Not at this time, I don't," Kris says. "Maybe in a few years, when I'm ready, and I'd like to be married as well. But my girlfriend, she became an aunt at the age of ten, and had been helping her sister take care of her kid, so she wanted one right away. We'd had sex, but I never felt comfortable with it. I told her, 'Leah, we need to finish college first. I want to be established in my career, so I can provide for a child. And I want to be married, too. We're not ready to be married yet.' Of course, she gets this idea that she wants to get married right away. This goes on for months, as she's constantly demanding an engagement ring. Excuse me, but I have to pay my rent, bills and food."
"So then what happened?" Blaire asks.
"One Saturday, just this April, I hear my doorbell ring at my apartment," Kris says. "In my peephole are these three distraught women. They tell me they're romantically involved with three members of the Edmonton Fire Department. Turns out there was a firefighter calendar competition the night before, their men were all competing for spots, and Leah had taken them all on the stage, and more competitors. I confronted her and she didn't deny it. Three weeks later, she calls me up and tells me she's pregnant, so I tell her it's over right there. My relationship ruined because she wanted a fucking baby!"
Phoebe looks the most devastated of the whole group.
Phoebe: Having heard Kris' story of heartbreak and betrayal, I can safely say he tied with me for worst break-up. Having a girlfriend who cheats on you just to reach a selfish goal is just as devastating as losing your boyfriend because you don't understand his sudden changes.
"Kris," Phoebe says, "whatever happened to these women you'd met, and the firefighter boyfriends that Leah slept with?"
"Who the hell remembers?" Kris gripes. "I never kept in touch with these ladies. Though, I do work with the brother of one of them, he produces my evening show. He says his brother got back together with his girlfriend, and wants nothing to do with Leah or her baby. The fireman dude even told her he's not the father. Serves her damn right. I just hope she doesn't come after me for child support either. I'll just tell her she's on her own! The reality of parenting will hit her!"
Twenty minutes later, dinner is officially over. As the kitchen staff takes what's left of the food away, a waitress comes out and announces, "Who would like dessert? We have gelatine, as well as chocolate, pumpkin and banana cream pie."
"None for me, please," Neil says. "I've eaten so much, I think I increased my waistline. I'm going to be on the exercise equipment all night to work this off.
"I've had two hamburgers and hot dogs, as well as two big servings of your excellent scalloped potatoes and vegetables," Kris says. "That was a wonderful meal. I don't think I have any more room for dessert, thank you."
Jay, Herry and Gideon order a piece of chocolate pie. Blaire, Theresa and Karin choose pumpkin pie. Jennifer and Cami choose banana cream. Everyone else orders gelatine. When their desserts arrive, they are so consumed in them, they don't speak to one another. They all take as long as five minutes, as many of them are getting so full. When Gideon is finished his pie, he announces, "Anybody have to use the bathroom before we leave?"
All the girls except Ileana and Shauna glare at him for potential rudeness. Ileana says, "He has a point," and gets up to go with Gideon. Shauna gets up as well, and persuades Phoebe to come with her.
"It's going to be a long trip back, and I really don't want to mess up my pants," she says. Wordlessly, Phoebe gets up with her. This persuades Dominick, Herry and Jay to get up, too. There, some of the housemates get a surprise.
The cameraman films from outside the washrooms, and captures Herry screaming from inside the men's room, "Oh, shit! Only two johns and two fucking urinals! Excuse me, but most of us have to do a number two here!"
"I'll fight you for one!" Dominick declares.
"I'll go first in this one," Gideon says. "How long do you think you boys can hold it in?"
Meanwhile, in the women's room, Ileana is overheard saying, "Sweet! Only four johns and seven of us girls!"
"We'll be out and ready on the bus van before the boys!" Phoebe says, then all the girls squeal.
Later, when the housemates get back to the mansion, many of them start exercising, working off their big dinner. Herry, Neil, Dominick, Cami and Nathean all head to the weight room. Gideon, Kris, Blaire and Ileana all change into new swimsuits and go swimming. They see Jay and Theresa carrying patio chairs and Ileana asks, "Jay, Theresa, why don't y'all get your swimsuits and join us in the pool?"
Jay looks beyond the trees, at the space that supposedly led to a big field. "Actually, Theresa and I are just going behind those trees to the large field that Dominick and Shauna found with this backyard," he says. "I think the sun's just set, and the colors are so beautiful." He and Theresa disappear through the space between the trees and the walls.
It's a large green field, about a thousand acres of land, with a view of Santa Rosanna beyond it. There is a mixture of red, pink, purple, blue, orange and yellow in the sky from the setting sun. Jay and Theresa put their chairs side by side, sit and just look up, holding hands.
"It's so beautiful this evening," she says, then looks at him. "Thank you so much for suggesting this, Jay. You were so wonderful to think of this."
"My mother always loved watching the sunset," he says. "It's something that I wanted to share with you, Theresa. I wish we could've stayed at Chicanis for this. The lake and the trees would've made this a complete picture."
"Or maybe the view from a hilltop," she says.
Jay looks up at the sky for a few more moments, then to Theresa for a few more. "Oh, Theresa," he says, "your beauty would blend really well if you were to be lifted up into the sky amidst all these colours. You could be the goddess of the sunset, and all the painters in the world would paint this picture to hang in all the famous museums."
Theresa gasps in delight. "Oh, Jay," she whispers, "thank you for saying that!" She pulls him closer to her and kisses him.
Theresa: Me, goddess of the sunset, posing among all the colours with my hair blowing in the wind, in a beautiful white gown. That mental picture Jay put into me, and the wonderful words he said, will be forever etched into my memory. My only wish is that we were back at Chicanis, sailing on that lake.
"You are the most wonderful guy I've ever had the pleasure of meeting," she sighs at him, then puts her head upon his breast, their arms around each other.
In the pool, the swimmers are wondering what Jay and Theresa are doing. Blaire swims to the deep end stepladder and climbs out. He says, "I just want to see what Jay and Theresa are up to back there."
Blaire: Are Jay and Theresa really watching the sunset, or are they too busy making out to care about the pretty colours? Inquiring minds want to know.
"No, Blaire, come back into the pool," Ileana says. "Something like this would be a private, intimate moment with them. Don't go and spoil it, okay?" He reluctantly jumps back into the pool.
In the weight room, Herry and Dominick are working on crunches. Shauna walks in, approaches Herry and reminds him, "Don't forget, Herry, you're drawing stars into between those scenes we drew in my room last night."
He glares at her and spitefully replies, "Let's see, in between you knocking Jay and Theresa's sailboat over, and those rude things you said to Phoebe at dinner, I'm just going to reply with a simple 'fuck you!' As far as I'm concerned, you can just do it your damn self!" Shauna replies back with a wordless haughty gasp and stomps out.
Dominick looks concerned at Herry. "That was harsh, dude," he replies.
"You're still sticking up for her, Dom?" Nathean asks as he's pumping on the home gym. "I didn't like what she did to Jay and Theresa out on the water, but to criticize Phoebe for still being a virgin? That was taking it too far."
"What the hell do you see in her?" Herry asks Dominick. "She has absolutely no respect for anyone. She's impolite, immature and bad-tempered. She's not happy unless she dominates something that a group is doing. If anything, I'd say she was Cronus' love child."
"At least she's honest about certain things," Dominick says.
Dominick: I don't really care if a girl is a virgin or not, just so long as she doesn't lie about it or hypocrite herself. It's kind of like if you danced around like a strumpet in some sexy costume, sashaying around like a slut in heat, then telling me that you're a virgin just to look good to little kids. I didn't buy that from Britney Spears, and I sure as hell won't buy that from anyone else who does that kind of thing. At least Shauna came out and informed us that she is sexually active while being the "bad girl" of the house.
"You guys just need to get to know her better," he says.
"We have gotten to know her well," Neil says as he runs on the treadmill. "She needs an attitude makeover."
Dominick doesn't reply, just gets up and leaves.
"He just doesn't get it," Herry says to the rest of the exercisers.
In the living room, Phoebe is arguing with Karin and Jennifer about Shauna.
"I want that bitch out of my room tonight!" Phoebe laments. "I hate her! I really do hate her! I don't care if she fixed it up, I never want her rooming with Cami and me for the rest of our stay here."
Phoebe: Those comments that Shauna made at dinner today about my virginity, that was the deal-breaker. I can't trust her to be nice towards me anymore. Sometimes, I wonder why she even got selected. This is supposed to be fun, and Shauna is ruining it all.
"You can kick her out of your room if you want to, Phoebe," Karin says, "but I don't want her in the underwater palace room with Jen and me. I don't like her any more than you do."
"She will have to sleep in the living room, and that kind of goes against regulations for this thing," Jennifer adds.
"That's not fair!" Phoebe cries. "Can't we make a trade? You take Shauna, and Cami and I can have Theresa. At least Theresa is nice and cool, hip and carefree."
"Then Shauna will make our lives miserable!" Karin said. "Look, she did a real good job at pissing Jen and me off at the supermarket yesterday. If we have her sleeping in our room, we'll be at each other throats in an instant. We just may even try to choke each other."
"If there's one thing we know about you, Pheebs," Jennifer says, "it's that you have good graces. You and Cami, despite her ditziness. You can tolerate her much better than we can. We'd much rather keep Theresa with us."
Phoebe looks hesitant, but finally says, "All right. But I hope Shauna does a complete 180. I can't take this anymore."
Inside the newly-decorated Hollywood scene room, Shauna is furiously drawing and colouring stars in between the scenes with the markers she bought. She's muttering inaudibly about how not being a virgin doesn't make her a slut. She soon hears a knock and sees Dominick standing in the doorway.
She lowers her head as she stares at him. "You think I'm a slut because I slept with a male stripper four years ago, don't you?" she asks.
He shakes his head. "No, I appreciate your honesty." He walks towards and kisses her, then they sit on her bed.
"I just don't get this whole big deal about being a virgin on your wedding night, really," she tells him. "Thirty years ago, it may have been wholesome and respectable, and something people did. But now, it's not seen as a good idea. What if you don't want to get married? If you don't have your first time when you're young, when are you going to have it?"
"Exactly," he agrees. He grins at her. "You feeling frisky tonight?"
She lightly taps his shoulder. "I'm so not in the mood tonight. But maybe you help me fill in some of this white with colourful stars around the scenes." She stands on her bed and draws small five-pointed stars around her Wild West scene. Dominick takes another black marker for stars on the wall with windows.
"Forget the rest of them, we can complete this ourselves," he says.
An hour later, they have more stars on the walls than in the sky on most nights, in colours like yellow, purple, pink and turquoise. "This'll keep Cami happy," Shauna says.
At this time, she sees Phoebe and Cami come into the room, and Blaire, Nathean and Ileana walking past the room. It's a clue that it's time for bed, she sees. Phoebe and Cami look around at the stars, but they don't comment. They just change into their sleepwear and get into bed without talking.
"Fine," she mutters. "Don't say anything about my nice, pretty stars." She changes into her nightgown and turns out the light. She sighs heavily as she gets under her bed covers.