"Fresh Challenge: Vets vs. Groms"
Story Written by Freedom Fighter
So this week the game changes in an unexpected way. Or maybe not so unexpected, especially if you checked out the previous episode.
Disclaimer: All characters are the property of Fresh TV, Inc.
20 teens, 3 weeks, $300,000 on the line
And only one team to split the prize
[Cast Intros]
Fin and Lo are in the midst of a staring match
Trent is trying to teach Ty how to play guitar
Sierra hugs Cody to the point his face is turning blue
Jen reaches out to help, but Darth shakes his head
Owen and Ripper produce fart clouds together...
And Kelly and Caitlin cover their noses and run away
Jonesy hands Wyatt a book that says 'How to Score Chicks'
Courtney chats with Bridgette, even though she looks...
Over at Geoff, who is giving Julie an autograph
And Reef snatches a crown off of Heather's head and puts it on his
The twenty competitors then appeared on a boat in the Atlantic Ocean, approaching the Florida Keys. Blaineley was shown behind the wheel, driving them to their destination.
[Blaineley]
Two teams
13 challenges
May the best team win!
This is 'Fresh Challenge: Vets vs. Groms!'
-
Fresh Challenge: Vets vs. Groms
Episode Eight - Blowing the Whistle (07.28.11)
-
Back at the house, Kelly was humming to herself happily as she entered the bedroom and glanced over to the bed in which Lo had slept in.
Confessional Cam - Kelly
"Yes! Ridgemount is gone, and I'm still here! That means only Ty and I are left from our show. No matter... the best couple's still standing, and we'll be here all the way to the finale! You can bet on that!"
Courtney and Jen walked in, the former very upset about what had just transpired an hour ago at Castoff Beach.
"This is unbelievable!" Courtney threw her hands up in frustration.
"Why?" Jen queried. "Because we've now lost five people even though we've won five challenges?"
"No! Because the producers said they leaned no about me being a witch! I won't stand for that!"
Jen sighed. "Nice to see where your priorities are, Court."
"Ha ha ha ha!" interrupted Kelly, mock-laughing as she looked over at them. "You Vets are supposed to be the, quote-unquote 'All-Stars,' and yet you two are the only girls left! How does it feel to fall well short of expectations?"
"I wouldn't be going around talking smack if I were you," Courtney fired back. "Your team's record of two and five is dreadful!"
"Besides," added Jen, "Courtney and I are still stronger physically AND mentally than all of the girls on your team COMBINED! I think as long as we're both still here, we're still the favorites."
"What do you think about THAT?"
Kelly tried to think of a comeback, but could not. She settled for grunting in anger, and then walking out. Once she left, Courtney high-fived Jen.
"Way to take Kelly down a peg!"
"She deserves it!"
Confessional Cam - Jen
"I'm confident that both Courtney and I can still make it to the end. Sure, Court has some flaws, unlike myself... you know, a bit bossy, kind of a control freak, lashes out at people for no good reason. But it's nothing that can't be fixed. All will be fine once we start winning on Castoff Beach. And if not, well, I can give her a few pointers. After all, fixing other people's flaws is my specialty!"
Jen walked out into the hallway and saw Cody slouching and Jonesy still in his team shirt, which had sweat stains on it.
"Stand up straight, Cody! And Jonesy... eew, take that off!"
She passed by them and headed downstairs. The two boys looked at each other oddly.
"Sweat stains after being out in the sun are perfectly normal!" Jonesy shouted as Cody scratched his head in confusion.
The next morning, Caitlin stared in amazement, and perhaps in disgust as well, as she sat across with Owen, who was in the midst of downing his third bowl of cereal.
"Owen!" she whined.
Hearing Caitlin, Owen pulled the bowl away from his face.
"What? Oh... ha ha! Sorry. Where are my manners today?"
He placed the half-eaten bowl down on the table and slid it over to Caitlin.
"If you wanted some, all you had to do is ask!"
Caitlin looked down and saw soggy flakes sticking to the insides of the bowl, as well as a few strands of hair and part of a fingernail. She nearly gagged, but managed to hold it in as she pushed the bowl back to Owen.
"S'okay... I'm suddenly not hungry anymore."
Owen shrugged, then picked up the bowl and dumped what was left in it into his mouth all at once.
"Gross! Owen, how can you eat so much?"
"What can I say? I'm a growing boy!"
"But... you're sixteen!"
"What? Boys can still grow at sixteen!"
Geoff walked into the dining room, got himself an apple, and started heading out.
"Geoff!" Caitlin called out to him. "Wanna sit with us?"
"Sorry, dudette, but in the midst of something with Darth! Take a rain check?"
"Of course!"
Geoff walked off, leaving Caitlin and Owen to what they were doing. He made his way upstairs to the master bedroom, and closed the door behind him. Already waiting inside were Darth, Ty, and Julie, who were all sitting on the bed.
"So we're doing this?" Geoff asked.
"There is no other logical course," replied Darth. "Owen the next to go, he must be!"
"I'm okay with it," Ty nodded in agreement, looking at both guys. "Otherwise, it has to be one of the three of us."
"Still, my friends... we need one more vote to make it a majority. Plus we still have to win the challenge so we can choose to put Owen in. Otherwise, we risk losing Geoff or Ty."
"I could run the idea by Bridge," Geoff suggested, "but she's not really into sneaky, behind-the-back deals."
"Maybe you won't have to," Ty piped in. "I'm sure Kelly would be on board."
"Of course SHE would," commented Julie.
Ty raised an eyebrow, befuddled. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"The why does not matter!" Darth told them. "Just the number does! Ask them both, we will! There is strength in many!"
"Alright then," Geoff smirked. "We're winning to get rid of Owen! Let's do this!"
Later that afternoon, Bridgette sat down by the house phone, intending to make a call. But to whom?
"I'd like to lodge a complaint against Blaineley," stated Bridgette. "I have reason to believe she's trying to sabotage my team... and, in particular, me."
The voice coming out of the other end of the line was the show's executive producer, Jacob Milligan.
"What is the basis of your complaint? Do you have proof?"
Bridgette began telling him everything she thought worth telling in order to make her case. After a few minutes on the phone...
"We will look into it," Mr. Milligan told Bridgette, "and we'll let you know when we finish our inquiry."
"Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!"
Bridgette said goodbye, and then hang up. She wandered to the living room, where she found Geoff and Caitlin sitting, watching some TV.
"So, what's the word, babe?" Geoff asked his girlfriend.
"He said they'd investigate, and they'll let me know if they come up with anything."
She plopped down on the couch in between the two of them, then leaned over and rested her head on Geoff's shoulder.
"You really think she's out to get you?" Caitlin asked.
"I don't think, Caitlin... I know she is!"
"Chillax, Bridge!" Geoff clasped his hands over hers. "It's not like we're dealing with Chris or his cronies. I'm pretty sure Blaineley's getting busted for this. Just you watch!"
"Awww... I love you for having my back, Geoff!"
Bridgette just laid there, leaning on her boyfriend and letting her mind wander, as she felt at ease for the first time in days.
[End Act One]
The next morning, Bridgette was seen leaving the house all by herself. She walked down to the curb, where a van was waiting for her.
Confessional Cam - Bridgette
"So after talking to him on the phone yesterday, I'm on my way to meet with the head producer, Jacob, in person, in regards to the whole 'Blaineley' thing. I swear... she has it out for me!"
She was taken to a nearby inn, where almost the entire production crew was staying for the show. Jacob Milligan, the executive producer, a black man in his early 40s, met her in the lobby. The two found a place to sit off to the side.
"You're well aware there's history between us, right?" Bridgette reminded Mr. Milligan. "Blaineley's attempted to kill me twice. Now she's trying to make my life miserable by sabotaging the game! I mean... just at the previous challenge, you could plainly see that older, rusted locks were used for our team, compared to the newer ones the other team had! I'm also convinced she has some sort of secret alliance with somebody in the game, trying to get me eliminated!"
"As I told you on the phone," he responded, "we intend on running a fair game, and we strive to maintain that promise. These our some serious allegations you're pitching here."
"Trust me. She's out to get me."
"Very well. We're already looking into it, and we'll let you know our findings once we're done. Okay?"
The two got up from their seats and Bridgette reached out to shake hands with the executive.
"Thanks for hearing me out."
She then headed for the exit, to be taken back to the house so she could prepare with her team for the next challenge.
Confessional Cam - Bridgette
"If they find out Blaineley HAS been sabotaging the game - specifically, me - they better fire her! Or else!"
Once back at the house, Bridgette found Courtney, intending to get some legal advice. But before their conversation could even begin, Kelly and Julie marched into the room.
"We just got word we're leaving for the challenge in 20 minutes," Julie said. "We need to have a strategy meeting!"
"Okay," Bridgette nodded. "I just need one or two minutes with Courtney."
"Why are you consorting with the enemy?" questioned Kelly. "She's on the other team!"
"What I was going to ask her about has NOTHING to do with the game!"
"Besides," Courtney stood up for Bridgette, "outside of the challenges, Bridge and I are friends! Besides, any pea-brained strategy you come up with can't compare to one of superior intellect, like myself, can concoct!"
"Bridgette!" seethed Kelly. "You just gonna LET her talk to your teammate like that?"
Bridgette was silent, unwilling to give Kelly an answer.
"Fine then! See what happens when at the next girls' elimination, I make sure that the two of you end up facing each other for the right to stay in the game!"
"Are you THREATENING me?" Courtney blasted back.
Kelly smirked, then turned to walk out of the room. She grabbed Julie and pulled her out with her.
Confessional Cam - Courtney
"She thinks SHE'S the one in control? We'll see who's in charge when we win this challenge today! Sorry, Ty... you seem like a nice guy, but you're going to have to pay for your bitch of a girlfriend!"
Upon arriving at the challenge, they saw that a smaller version of a soccer field had been marked off with chalk and cones on the beach, and standing in the middle was Blaineley, who had her right hand resting against an air-filled cage ball that was almost as tall as her.
"Look at Blaineley!" chuckled Geoff. "She's fondling a giant ball! HA!"
But it turned out that the hostess did not hear Geoff's inappropriate joke, as she was talking on her cell phone.
"Fine... I'll be there shortly."
She hung up, then turned to the 13 remaining competitors. She had a sour look on her face, especially when she glanced over at Bridgette.
"Apparently, someone thinks me, the hostess, who is supposed to be impartial, is trying to sabotage this game! And don't think for a minute that I don't know who blew the whistle on me!"
Blaineley was ready to call out Bridgette, but she was stopped by Chef Hatchet, who walked up next to her, dressed in a referee's uniform.
"You're wanted... now!"
"But..." argued Blaineley, "I didn't even get to tell them about the challenge!"
"The boss said, and I quote... GET YOUR SORRY BUTT TO THE PRODUCER'S TRAILER RIGHT NOW, OR YOU'RE FIRED!"
"But I need this job! It's the only place the work-release program would authorize!"
"Then I'd start running if I were you," Chef said with a smirk.
Blaineley took off, leaving the explanation of the challenge in Chef's capable hands.
"Okay, you weenies! You got a challenge today, and it's Crab Soccer!"
Jonesy took one glance at the serious look on Chef's face, and he broke out in laughter.
"Ha ha! No way... is this guy for real?"
But he quickly shut up when Chef marched over and got in his face.
"For someone whose team is down three men, I DON'T SEE WHAT'S SO FUNNY, SOLDIER!"
Jen leaned over to whisper to Cody.
"So this is the famous Chef Hatchet? Kinda reminds me of Coach Halder... only meaner."
"Test me again," Chef warned Jonesy, "and you're out of the game!"
"You mean sit out the challenge? Whatever, that's cool..."
"I mean OUT OF THE COMPETITION! AND YOU DON'T GET NO RAFT... YOU SWIM BACK TO CANADA!"
Jonesy gulped in fear. Chef glared into Jonesy's eyes for a few seconds, as if peering into his soul, and then he walked away.
"Now, where was I? Oh, yes... Crab Soccer! Just like regular soccer, only you all move on all fours, like a crab... AND YOU PLAY WITH THAT BIG ASS BALL!"
He pointed to the ball Blaineley was next to when they had arrived.
"You score by kicking the ball in between the cones at your far end of the field. First team to do so wins the challenge!"
"I have a question!" Caitlin raised her hand. "What do you mean by we have to move like a crab?"
"WHAT KIND OF STUPID QUESTION IS THAT?" yelled Chef, as he turned to glare at her.
Despite Chef's anger at Caitlin s question, he demonstrated anyway as he bended backwards and placed his hands down on the sand. With the front of his body pointing to the sky and his head tilted forward, he began to move back and forth, like a crab.
"That looks wrong!" commented Caitlin. "And embarrassing!"
"Is it just me," Geoff asked Bridgette, "or after two weeks here, Caitlin STILL doesn't grasp what you can be subjected to on a reality show?"
"YOU'LL DO IT AND LIKE IT!" Chef shouted at Caitlin.
He then turned to her teammates.
"Since Team Groms are up three men, pick three soldiers to sit today's task out, like the sissies they are! And you can't pick anyone who sat out the last one! Now... CHOOSE!"
"No problems, Chef," Geoff stepped forward. "We already know who's sitting out. Darth, Julie, and Kelly."
Darth and Julie lowered their heads in dismay, while Kelly celebrated having to get the chance to relax.
"The sit-outers have been decided!" Chef announced. "Let's get this challenge... uh, rolling!"
[Challenge 8: Crab Soccer]
After a coin toss to determine who would start with the ball, the teams took the field. Chef rolled the ball to the center of the field, and Geoff crab-walked to it. Off to his left were both Caitlin and Bridgette, while Ty was to his right.
Confessional Cam - Ty
"So our plan is basically everyone rush in except for Owen, who stays back to block the goal. It leaves us vulnerable defensively, but it won't matter if we can score quickly."
For the Vets, Trent was near Geoff, Jonesy was opposite of Ty, and Jen was covering both of the girls. Sitting back near the goal were Cody and Courtney.
Confessional Cam - Cody
"I'm confused. Why's Courtney staying back with me? Does she not trust me to defend the goal or something?"
Chef blew the whistle, and the game began. Geoff tapped the ball over to Ty, and he kicked it forward, and over Jonesy, who was playing a little too close. The ball landed behind him, and bounced its way towards Courtney. She tried to kick it over to Trent, but she hit the ball too low and it popped up in the air. There was a mad scramble as all of the guys rushed to get under it. Several feet kicked up at that ball as it came down.
"MINE!" Jonesy, Ty, Trent, and Geoff all called out in unison.
Jonesy got a foot on it first, but he kicked it right into Ty's, who blasted it to Trent, who wasn't ready for it. As a result, the ball landed on him instead. With it still on him, Geoff kicked it off. The ball bounced on the sand and was intercepted by Jen. She got control and started pushing the ball downfield. The ball was so large, though, that she did not see Bridgette come in from the other side and kick the ball away.
The ball rolled to an empty spot on the field. Cody and Courtney both moved forward to try and clear it as members of both teams charged in on the other side.
"I got it!" Cody called.
"No!" objected Courtney. "I do! You'll screw it up!"
Courtney got alongside Cody and pushed him out of his crab stance, knocking him down to the sand. Thanks to that, she did get to the ball first, and went to whack it... when Geoff slid in and sidekicked it right into her face, and then over it! It then rolled past Cody, who went after it as it headed towards the goal area.
"Gotta save it, gotta save it..." he said out loud.
It came to a stop about four feet short of the goal line. Cody reached it, but still had to crab-walk to the other side to kick it away. But with Ty having gotten the jump on Jonesy, Cody had to move fast, or this game was over!
[End Act Two]
"Kick that ball!" Chef shouted at Cody. "Kick it as if your life in this game depends on it!"
Cody hustled behind the ball and kicked it... in Ty's direction. Ty had the perfect opportunity, but he had to stop to kick the ball back towards the goal, which gave Jonesy just enough time to crawl in and use a bicycle-like kick to launch the ball over their heads and back towards center. They both turned around to go retrieve it, and Jonesy got to it first.
"Go long!" he shouted.
He kicked the ball as hard as he could, and it rolled along the sand all the way to and past the center line. Geoff had let Trent get away from him, and as a result, Trent got to the ball first. He kicked it forward, rolling it a few feet, before scrambling to give it another boot. Off to his right, Jen was ahead of him, though she had Caitlin crawling right with her. Trent got to the ball and shoved it with his foot even closer to the goal. Geoff was closing in behind Trent, while Owen prepared to move to block any upcoming shot.
"The goal area's wide," Trent thought aloud, "if I can just..."
Trent started pushing the ball to his left, or Owen's right, and sure enough, he got the big guy to follow him.
"He's stretching the field!" Darth observed from the sideline. "If Trent can get the ball over to Jen..."
"...we'll lose the challenge!" finished Julie. "Again!"
Indeed, that was the plan, to get Owen out of position and leave Jen with an open shot.
"Gotta hit it just right..."
Trent kicked the ball on its left side so it would fly to the right. Jen raced for where she believed she could meet the ball in stride, breaking away from Caitlin and getting out into the open. Instead of chasing Jen, Caitlin angled towards the goal in an attempt to get there in time for a block near the line. But the shot try went awry when Jen got there too late to get a foot on the ball, which then proceeded to roll past Caitlin, to where she had come from.
"Ball, ball, ball!" shouted Kelly, trying to get Caitlin to go back for it.
Caitlin crawled back and kicked the ball with her right leg as hard as possible. But it only traveled a foot or so before stopping. She tried to kick it again, but by that time Jen was there, and she got a good foot on it and shot it for the goal line. It bounced to and over the goal line, but in the process, it rolled directly over the cone which marked the goal boundary on that side of the field. Chef blew his whistle to stop play and make a ruling.
"Ball hit the cone, no goal! Goal kick!"
"Shoot!" grumbled Jen. "I thought I had it won!"
"Don't worry," Jonesy said as he came over. "We've got this!"
But Jonesy was getting ahead of himself, as both teams started adapting to the game and learning how to kick the ball in order to get it to go the way they wanted. But that also meant people could get more aggressive, shown mostly by them kicking their opponents instead of the ball.
"Heads up!" shouted Ty, crab-running towards the ball in an open area of the field.
He was looking downfield towards Bridgette, who had about 10 yards of clear space on all sides. But as he thrust his right foot forward, Jonesy entered from the side to kick with his left. Ty got the ball away, while all Jonesy got a piece of was Ty's leg.
"Ow! Come on, man! Not cool!"
But Jonesy did not care, as he rushed to get on defense. The ball ended up rolling all the way to Bridgette, who used a slight tap towards the Vets' goal line to get it moving in the right direction. She knew Cody was coming at her from the other side, so Bridgette had to decide what to do with the ball fast.
"Go! Go!" Darth, Julie, and Kelly all cheered from the sidelines.
Bridgette reared her left leg back and used it to kick the ball to and past the goal line. But her kick was not quite strong enough, and it ended up stopping five yards short.
"Clear it!" Cody yelled at Courtney, even as he had one eye on Bridgette and the rest of her attacking team.
Courtney was the closest to the ball, and she scrambled towards it. Geoff was the nearest opponent, but he stayed where he currently was instead of making a break for the ball. Trent was next to him.
"All yours!" Courtney announced as she got to the ball and kicked it in Trent's direction.
The ball rolled his way, but someone else was coming up on Trent and Geoff... all 300-plus pounds of him.
"LOOK OUT!" shouted Jen.
Owen crabbed in out of the blue, got past Trent, and intercepted the ball using both feet. The ball barreled back to where it had come from. It was carrying so much speed that despite Courtney being in the perfect position to block it...
"AAAHHHHHHH!"
The ball just simply rolled right up and over her, barely slowing down at all as it reached and crossed the goal line. Chef blew his whistle upon seeing this.
"That's a goal!" he declared. "Groms win!"
[Team Vets $125,000 - Team Groms $75,000]
Owen let his body drop to the sand, and the rest of his team celebrated a victory by jumping up to their feet and dancing. Meanwhile, a frustrated Courtney sat up, with sand falling from her hair, and she slammed the ground in disbelief.
"No way! I should've stopped that! Darn you, Owen!"
But Owen had not heard her, as in his mind he was already imagining himself staying a few more days, believing he was safe.
But a little while later...
"Everyone who votes for Owen to go to Castoff Beach," Darth said, "raise your hand."
Owen was flabbergasted when everyone on the team except for himself and Caitlin put one of their hands up.
"What?" he asked. "Why? I just won us the challenge!"
"It's nothing personal," Darth walked over to Owen to explain it to him close up, "but we all agreed that we need to look to the future. As much as we appreciate our efforts, we also need to do what we have to in order to ensure with the most optimal team for completing the final challenge."
"It's okay," Bridgette assured Owen, despite her voting to put Owen in as well. "All you have to do is win Castoff Beach, and you get to stay!"
"But you guys are sending me up against..."
[Castoff Beach]
"Jonesy," Julie told Chef aloud. "We pick Jonesy!"
"Why Jonesy?" Chef asked.
"There's at least half a dozen good reasons... but basically, he's the strongest guy left on their team!"
"Wise choice. Who do the Groms pick to face-off against him?"
"We pick... Owen!"
Julie pointed to him, and he stepped forward.
"But didn't the big guy just win you the challenge?"
"There's also at least a half dozen good reasons we're putting him in."
"Whatever," shrugged an uncaring Chef. "Jonesy and Owen, step forward!"
They both got out of line and made their way over to Chef and the wheel. Chef pointed to Owen, then the wheel.
"You... spin that thing for all its worth!"
Owen stepped up and spun the wheel as hard as he could. They all watched as it went around multiple times...
Confessional Cam - Trent
"Never has a spin been so important! Whatever the wheel lands on could IMMEDIATELY decide who's going home."
But luck was on Jonesy's side as the wheel finally came to rest on the spot marked 'Ascent to Glory.'
"Ah," Chef grinned, "the classic rope climb! This should be good!"
[Ascent to Glory]
The final safety straps were being attached, and Jonesy looked confident as he stood opposite of Owen.
"I can't look," Caitlin said as she covered her eyes with her hands.
"There's no way he can win this!" stated Darth. "Owen's leaving us today."
"Come on!" objected Bridgette. "Let's not give up on him yet. Owen could still win if Jonesy slips up. Let's cheer for him... O-wen! O-wen! O-wen!"
Caitlin quickly joined Bridgette's cheering group, but no one else on their team was near as enthusiastic... or willing.
"Easy win!" Courtney predicted. "Just don't screw it up, Jonesy!"
Jonesy smiled. "I'm happy you can't bear seeing me leave you, babe!"
"As if! Despite... well, YOU, we can't afford to lose another person right now!"
"It's up to you, Jonesy!" Trent called out. "Don't let us down, dude!"
"You might as well declare me winner right now," an arrogant Jonesy told Chef. "We all know what's going to happen."
"WHAT WAS THAT, SOLDIER?" yelled Chef, as he got in Jonesy's face. "YOU WANT ME TO SEND YOU ADRIFT NOW?"
Jonesy gulped, then retracted his previous statement.
"I'll climb, I'll climb!"
Chef walked away, heading to a neutral vantage point as he clenched his whistle in preparation to start the challenge.
"First one to ring their bell at the top wins!"
He then blew his whistle, and the challenge began. Jonesy just stood there and did nothing as he watched Owen attempt to begin his ascent.
"Ugh," Owen grunted as he tried to pull himself up, "maybe... maybe I CAN do this! Just gotta keep going..."
Owen kept pulling and pulling as Jonesy finally grabbed his rope and began casually climbing upwards.
"I wish every challenge was like this!" Jonesy exclaimed. "Easy!"
"Stop fooling around!" Jen shouted. "Watch your hands... you can still get disqualified if you fall off!"
Jonesy listened to his stepsister and tightened his grip on the rope. Meanwhile, Chef went over to check on Owen.
"This... is... incredible, heh!" smiled Owen, sweat already pouring down his head. "I'm doin' it! I'M DOIN' IT!"
But his happiness turned into sadness when Chef came up to him and he could stare straight into his eyes.
"The challenge is to climb 25 FEET!" scolded Chef. "NOT 25 INCHES!"
Sure enough, Owen had only climbed a couple of feet in two minutes. Such progress was paltry enough that both Bridgette and Caitlin stopped cheering, seeing the writing on the wall. Meanwhile, Jonesy had cruised to the top, and was waving down at his team in jubilation, even though he had not rung his bell yet.
"Thank you, thank you!" he shouted downward. "I know I'm the best!"
"RING THE BELL, YOU SHOW-OFF!" yelled Courtney.
Jonesy did so, officially ending the challenge.
"It's over!" declared Chef. "Jonesy wins, Owen is out!"
Upon hearing that, Owen let go of his rope and fell backwards onto the sand.
"Aw, man! And I was doing so good, too!"
Once Owen had been helped out of his harnesses, Bridgette and Caitlin both ran over to give him a farewell hug.
"We're gonna miss you, Owen," Bridgette told him.
"Yeah," nodded Caitlin. "I wish you could stay! You don't deserve to go!"
"It's all Geoff's fault! He's the one who spearheaded this move!"
"No way!" Owen said in disbelief. "Geoff's a nice dude!"
He glanced over and saw Geoff waving goodbye... with a happy smile on his face.
"He obviously still has a little 'do what's best for ratings bad host' guy in him. Sorry I couldn't talk him out of it."
"It's okay. Probably should've seen this coming anyway."
The girls released Owen, and he began the long walk to the raft, passing by the Vets as he did.
"Bye, Owen!" Courtney and Jonesy both said, with smug smirks on their faces.
"HURRY UP!" Chef yelled at the interns.
They were busy trying to double the width of the raft so that it could support all of Owen's weight. They finished just as Owen arrived. He sighed, then sat on it without delay.
"Quick question!" Owen turned to Chef. "Is it okay to eat fish raw while adrift at sea?"
"Why you asking me? Where you're going, you won't need to!"
"What's that supposed to me-"
"CAST HIM OFF!"
All of the interns, about six of them, pushed the raft into the water. But it did not go far before it stopped dead. One of the interns tossed Owen a paddle. He caught it, then the hint, and start paddling out himself.
"So," Jonesy said as he turned to Courtney, with arms wide open, "is a certain someone glad to see me still here that she wants to give me a hug?"
Courtney frowned, then turned and walked away, and Jen left with her.
"She'll come around," Jonesy told Trent and Cody. "Just watch."
Suddenly, Blaineley ran past them and over to Chef.
"Did I miss it?" she asked him.
But before he could answer, she saw that Owen had not yet disappeared over the horizon.
"Yes! Okay, somebody get me my cue cards!"
A couple interns rushed to comply with her request.
"C'mon, c'mon!" she shouted. "I don't get paid if I don't complete the outro before time runs ou-"
End Episode Eight
Author's Notes:
And again, Owen gets a tragically sad departure. Apparently, Team Groms believed he had become more of a liability than an asset.
Meanwhile, do you believe Bridgette's allegations about Blaineley trying to sabotage her are true? The answer will come soon, but until then... what do you think?
Next up: Episode 9 - Next Thursday, August 4th, 7 pm EST!
