You guys are the best! I received more than 15 reviews for the last chapter! THANK-YOU! I hate it when people put a goal for the number of reviews they get so I won't do it anymore. Seriously, I'm so glad everyone likes the story! I love to hear what you have to say and will make a shout-out for the next chappie.

I'm going to do a disclaimer now. Better late than never.

Disclaimer: I don't own it. Meg Cabot does.

I tried to update fast as a sort of reward but school got in the way =P. However, this chapters the longest I've done so I hope you like it! Thanks for sticking with it.

Day Three

"What the hell Susannah?!" Jesse grabbed my arm, pulling me down so that I sat next to him. Everyone stared at me… except Paul.

"Matt was going to disqualify you! Do you want to go home?"

I couldn't speak straight away. I was still puffed from my marathon dash to make it back in time.

"Why are---you so---worried?" I panted, head between my knees. "I made---it---didn't I?"

"I just don't want you to go home. Not yet." He replied. So much for slowing my heart rate. It was practically doing a hoe-down in my chest. Well if he didn't want me to leave, then I wouldn't. See Father Dom? I do help other people!

"Susannah… what happened to your foot?" I looked down to find that my ankle had swollen to about twice its size.

"Um… you don't want to know."

"Yes, I do. I catch on fast." He placed my foot on his thigh, using soft hands to feel around the growing bump.

"No… you really don't want to know" I winced as he touched a particularly sensitive part.

"Why do you always manage to find trouble Susannah? Just stay here, I'll be right back." He went to leave but stopped short.

"Susannah, you need to let go so that I can get you some help" he looked amused and I grinned sheepishly up at him.

"Sorry" I mumbled as I dropped handfuls of his shirt. He kissed the top of my head and laughed. "I won't be gone for long. Stay out of trouble" He ran off, every step he took away from me caused my heart to wrench. The more time I spent with Jesse the more I sounded like a character from a romance novel.

"Hey Suze, you look burnt-out" Lily came to sit by my side. Why was everybody suddenly concerned for my welfare? I just groaned, rubbing my face hard with my hands. My team crowded around, discussing my swollen ankle and asking whether I was all right. Lily then handed me a red shirt. I pulled it on once I noticed that we had to wear our team colours.

Only Becky came from Team Milan to chat. Paul sat sulkily on the ground, glaring daggers at Jesse who was currently arguing with Matt. Paul's nose was bruised.

"She can't compete with a twisted ankle!" Jesse's accent reached my ears. The host's voice was much more controlled and I had to strain so that I could hear him. "—had chosen. Everybody has to participate. It's in the contract." I could see Jesse grit his teeth as he walked back to the group. He had an icepack in his hand and, upon returning, placed it gently on my ankle.

He then swore colourfully, "I'm sorry Susannah, you'll have to take part in the challenge." I didn't mind participating but I wasn't going to admit it. I quite liked Jesse's protective streak.

He nursed my foot, carefully wrapping bandages around it with the precision of an ambulance driver. Ok, don't ask me how I knew that, I've just been to the hospital a lot.

Yet, it was time like these that I completely forgot that Jesse was a famous singer, sought out by millions of girls. I just thought of him as a friend- and maybe a little more.

When he had finished treating my ankle he looked up into the half-a-dozen faces staring back at him.

"How did you do that?" Brian gaped at Jesse, eyes wide with respect.

"I've always wanted to be a doctor but somehow fame got in the way" he shrugged nonchalantly.

"That. Was. Amazing." Amber snuck up behind Jesse. "I've always loved a man who can look after himself." She started to rub his shoulders and I fought back the bile rising in my throat. Jesse just shrugged her off.

"So do you think you'll be ok now?" he turned his chocolate-brown eyes towards me.

"Thanks. It's great." I smirked at Amber who snorted in disgust and walked back to her team, a frown creasing the corners of her mouth.

&&&&

A camera crew advanced into the clearing led by the ever-charming Mr. King.

"Are you guys ready for your first challenge?" Groans escaped the group. "Too bad. Get up, we're leaving."

We walked for about thirty minutes- well I sort of hobbled, leaning on Jesse for support- until we reached a clearing. In the middle of the sand field, there were two pits, each about 5m by 5m. Filled with mud.

"There is NO WAY I'm going in there" Amber pointed at the pools of sludge, pinching her snub nose.

"Then you don't have to honey." The host replied. People with make-up circled him, brushing, tinting, pinching and fixing his face and hair.

"Really?" Amber smiled gratefully at Matt.

"NO!" He laughed as her lips pouted and her feet scuffed up sand clouds. I almost felt sorry for her… ok, I didn't, not even a little bit.

Someone approached the host and placed a small microphone on the collar of his shirt. When he addressed us next his voice was double the volume.

"Ok everyone we're on in five. When I explain the challenge to you, just stand there and try not to notice the cameras, understand?" We all exchanged looks as if to say; Not notice the cameras? How? They're right in our faces!!

Team Milan went over to stand by the blue flag. The leader of the group -Patrick- brought his team into a huddle. The hushed tones of their voices reminded us that it was a competition and someone was going home.

"Group huddle" Jesse called out, pulling us into a tight circle. "Pretend that we're talking" Jesse whispered, his breath tickling my cheek.

"No" Lily laughed, "Let me do it." She looked at each of our faces in turn. "We are going into battle today. One by one, our opponents will fall until we come through victorious. Our foe's blood will seep through…"

Lily trailed off when she noticed the shocked looks on our faces.

"Dramatic" I laughed. "I wasn't planning on killing anyone exactly… were you?" Lily grinned sheepishly.

"I tried. You want to go?"

I sigh reserved for old people- or mothers- rattled my bones. I realised how tired I was. "Ok guys. Somebody on this island is going home today and it is not going to be anybody wearing red. Who's with me?" The group chorused in agreement.

"Team Khana" I whispered, everybody joined in and the chant grew louder until we were shouting.

"Good luck querida" I wrapped my arms around Jesse, savouring his warm and familiar scent.

"Hey, Jesse" I asked when we separated "what does querida mean?"

He was about to reply when Matt shouted over the cheering. "We're on in five." We hurriedly arranged ourselves, finger combing our hair and straightening our clothes.

"Hello and welcome back to Island X. Today our two teams will battle it out in the mud pits." We followed Matt to the pools.

"One person from each team will be picked at random. Once a name is drawn from the hat, the contestants will have twenty seconds to find a coconut in the mud and bring it back to their team. Oh… and did I mention that there are a number of other occupants in our pits?"

Everybody leaned over to look at the sludge. Matt was right. Cockroaches, worms, centipedes and beetles emerged and disappeared from the mud.

"Just as well I like bugs" I mumbled trying to keep my breakfast down. Jesse squeezed my hand reassuringly.

"Twenty seconds goes fast contestants." He walked over to me. "Susannah you can pick first."

I put my hand in a hat, fishing around in the pieces of paper. Pulling one out, I unfolded it and read it aloud.

"Jesse De Silva" I mouthed sorry to him as he stepped up to the pit. Then Matt went to Team Milan and told Scott to pick from the hat. "Scott Dale… Oh shit." The cocky MTV presenter moaned as, he too, stepped forward.

"Once you have found a coconut you must run back to you team and place it in the basket near your flag. Ready?" The guys nodded reluctantly. A horn sounded nearby, causing us to jump.

Stepping into the pit, Jesse sunk until the mud reached his chest. It would probably come up to my neck. Scott plunged right into the muck, searching with his hands for a coconut.

Jesse found his first, striding towards us as if this was just a daily stroll in the park. Except he was covered with mud.

"Ten seconds left!" Matt shouted, I could just imagine a little timer at the corner of the t.v screen, counting down the seconds as Scott frantically searched for his fruit. (a/n does anyone know what a coconut is categorized as?) The celebrity found a coconut in the last five seconds.

"I have never seen that boy move so fast" Lily laughed.

The next two competing were Briana and Patrick. The cricketer found his coconut as soon as he stepped in the pit.

"Show off." Briana huffed, still searching.

"Ten seconds!" Matt warned her, I felt like punching him.

"Time!" Briana pulled herself from the muck. "Sorry guys" she pouted, shedding cockroaches.

Lily pulled my name from the hat. "Go get them Suze!" She encouraged me as I stepped forward.

They're just bugs. They're just bugs. I recited in my head, trying not to look at the things moving in the mud.

"Amber Dunn" Someone called out. Said girl glared daggers at me as she made her way to the 'arena'.

"This outta' be good" I muttered.

The horn blared without warning. I jumped into the pit, the sludge came up to my neck, just as I had predicted. The mud felt cool on my warm skin as I searched for the allusive coconut. I glanced at Amber as she stepped in.

"This is SO gross!" she shrieked.

My hand clasped around an object.

"Got it!" I yanked my hand out of the muck to find that my prize was not a coconut. I automatically let go and watched the skull sink back into the murky depths. Boy was I starting to hate Matt.

"Ten seconds!"

I could hardly hear the host's call, the pounding in my ears drowned out every other sound. Bugs crawled in my T-shirt, something tickled my foot. I bit my tongue and kept looking, no way was Amber going to beat me!

I touched another round object. Hoping that this time the thing wasn't dead, I lifted my hand.

Someone screamed for joy close to my ear until I realised that it was me.

"Five seconds!" Racing back to the red flag, I placed the coconut in the basket. My ankle throbbed from the sprint. I watched everyone crowd around as if not quite connected to my body.

Amber finally found her coconut but didn't have time to make it back to her team.

"The score is two-all" Matt stated.

Becky and Lily were up next. They both found their coconuts with less than five seconds to spare.

"Last up is Paul Slater and Brian McDonald" The host announced.

Both teams watched the last contestants with anticipation. At ten seconds left to go, both students were struggling to find anything. Going last would be harder since only one coconut was left in each pit.

Butterflies erupted from my stomach. "We can't lose" I whispered, hugging myself as the sweat and mud cooled on my body.

Brain's lanky build was no match for Paul's own muscular frame. Paul waded through the muck as if it were water. Diving into the mud, he came out with his prize and wasted no time in bringing it back to his team.

"Time!" Brian hadn't found his coconut and the score stood at four-three.

Realising that I still held my breath I exhaled as did everyone in red. Team Milan whooped with joy, their excited voices adding to our sullen moods.

"I think we have a winner!" Matt approached the blue team.

"The winners tonight will be rewarded" Cue the cheers. "Whereas the losing team will vote off on--" the host stopped suddenly.

"Hey what's this?" he leaned to peer into the blue teams basket. He reached in and pulled out one of the coconuts. Except it wasn't a coconut.

I had never been so happy to see a skull before in my life.

"I'm afraid this changes things" he shook his head sadly at Paul.

"Team Khana are the new winners" Someone swept me up in a bear hug that squeezed all the breath from my lungs.

"Team Khana's prize will be a night spent in our 'party tent'. The losing and winning team, however, will have to meet at the campfire where one member of Milan will be voted off." Matt signaled to the camera.

"And cut, good work everyone" the host clapped his hands. "I especially liked the skull/coconut mishap, ratings are going to go through the roof! Team Milan go back to camp. Team Khana, come with me."

We happily followed him to a big tent that could easily fit at least fifty people.

"It's all yours, just don't forget to meet at the fire by six. Oh… and congratulations." He walked away, leaving us gaping at huge Marquee before us.

I don't know how, but it all suddenly became a race. I was leading the parade until I tripped over someone and tumbled to the ground.

It was Savannah.

"I have a bone to pick with you." My usual anger when dealing with the paranormal didn't contaminate my voice. I was just too damn happy.

"You need to tell him Susannah." Then she disappeared. Again.

I would have stood up if several bodies hadn't fallen over mine.

"Geph off meh" I mumbled, the four laughing bodies constricting my speech.

Weight lifted off me until only Jesse was left, propped up on sturdy elbows above me. I had to say, at that moment, our faces were only a few inches apart.

Eager to bridge the gap, I leant forward, his warm breath sending chills down my spine.

And then it all went away.

I sat up quickly. "What's wrong?" I asked Jesse who was sitting on the ground with his head between his knees.

"I…." He trailed off with a sigh. "I can't Susannah."

"Why?!" I was shocked at the whine that came from my mouth. He sighed again.

"Relationships with me always end badly." He sifted a handful of sand through his fingers. "Do you remember Amy-Lee?" I had to think for a second.

"The girl you dated for like… two years?"

"Yeah that one." He replied "She became so dependant on the media and paparazzi that she went crazy when I told her she wasn't right for me."

I was starting to wonder where this was going.

"And do you remember Georgia Jarvey?" I nodded. I knew almost every girl Jesse had dated. CeeCee kept a record.

"I went out with her for two days before the reporters drove her mental." He brushed a strand of hair from my face. "I don't want it to happen to you too."

"I'm strong, I can handle it." I snuggled closer to him until he was forced to wrap an arm around my shoulders.

"Don't take this the wrong way, I really do like you. Hell I might even--" he inhaled sharply, running as hand through his hair. "I just don't want you to get hurt. Anyone but you."

"Too late for that" I pointed at my bandaged ankle. You couldn't even see the tape anymore, it was covered with mud. "Maybe we should just be friends." I choked out before I could beg him to reconsider. Damn, why the hell did I say that!?

The muscles in Jesse's jaw clenched. "Yeah that would be best." We both sighed at the same time. Realising the coincidence, we started to laugh.

Everything was back to normal. Great.

Voila! Long wasn't it? It took me, like, all day to type up. I missed my favourite program! Thanks again to my faithful reviewers. R/R.

Reba

xxxx