AN: Onward with the story! Thanks to all reviewers!

                                                                                                                                                           

Blink

            I headed to my room, eager to unpack. I shared my room with four other guys- the ones called Race, Itey, Mush, and Specs. They seemed like pretty nice guys- it was Spot and Cowboy that worried me. They seemed a bit too…cocky. It just irked me on some level.

            But then, a lot of people just irk me on some level. After all, I am an actor.

            We unpacked mostly in silence, except for Itey and Specs, who were having a quiet conversation on their side of the room. Then, after a few minutes, Race revealed a deck of cards and a tray of chips.

            "Poker, anyone?"

            Everyone in the room agreed to a quick game of poker before we had to go to the competition, and Race began dealing out hands like a pro.

            "So what's everybody's reasons for coming into this little corner of paradise?" Race asked.

            I shrugged. "Hey…any chance to be on TV, you know?"

            We all looked at Itey. "I just thought it might be fun."

            "I came in on a dare." Specs said, studying his cards carefully. "My friends bet I wouldn't last past week five. I've got people betting on that back home."

            Race laughed. "Good for them. Glad to know people in your city have got their cards straight."

            Mush looked up, realizing it was his turn. "My family wanted me to come. I figured it couldn't hurt to just try it, since we really do need the money back home."

            "What about you, Race?"

            Race threw some chips on the stack. "I'm just here to win, boys. Just here to win."

            "Aren't we all?" I asked, at least getting everyone else to laugh.

            A few hands later, and much losing later, Specs pointed out that it was almost three thirty. We headed for the backyard, finding everybody else already there. I sat down in a lounge chair, waiting for that extremely annoying voice to come on and tell us what to do.

            I did notice one thing- there were small, circular platforms set up in a pathway across the swimming pool, and another row across the yard. Two rows were set up all the way across the water, and that worried me.

            "Hello, house guests."

            We all said hello to 'Sarah', and she giggled.

            "It's time for your first challenge. This challenge will determine the head of household for the week- in other words, the person who will choose the two nominees for eviction. Also, this is your first food competition. If you win, groceries will be delivered to the house for the week. If you lose, you will be eating nothing but peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the whole next week."

            That certainly received a reaction. I mean, I wasn't a big fan of PB+J, but there were probably some people here who absolutely hated it.

            "Here's the challenge." Sarah started, and the platforms in the pool suddenly lit up, revealing a row of 'false' and a row of 'true'. "Each of you will answer questions about a certain housemate by stepping on 'true' or 'false' with each answer. If you're right, you're asked the next question. If you're wrong…"

            Suddenly one of the platforms dropped down into the pool. If someone had been standing on it, they would be swimming for their lives right now.

            "There will be six questions for each of you. In order to win the food half, at least five people must make it all the way across. For head of household, the people who do make it across will have a separate challenge. Does everyone understand?"

            We all nodded.

            "Good. We will go in alphabetical order by nicknames. Which means that Blink goes first."

            I stepped up to the edge of the pool, my back to the others as I wondered just how cold that water was. Only six questions. You can do this. Only six questions.

            "Blink, your questions will be about Mush. Remember, you are not allowed to speak, nor are the others. Are you ready?"

            I nodded. Mush was the kid from Kansas that studied plants. And I was an actor from L.A.. Oh, shit.

            "Your first question. True or false: Mush comes from a town with a population of less than 300."

            I didn't doubt it. I mean, the kid liked plants! I stepped carefully onto the true, hearing a sharp intake of breath behind me. But nothing happened.

            "Question 2. True or false: Mush has a strange obsession with Shakespearean literature."

            Definitely not. I mean, towns of less than 300 probably didn't even have a library. I stepped onto the false, and nothing happened once again.

            "Question 3. True or false: Mush has never been kissed."

            No brainer there. I knew he was blushing even though I couldn't turn around and look. I stepped confidently onto the true platform, and it didn't move.

            "Question 4. True or false: Mush has eight siblings."

            Now how was I supposed to figure that one out?! I did a quick toss up in my head, and stepped on the next true, expecting it to drop out from under my feet. But, it didn't.

            Eight siblings?! Poor kid…

            "Almost there! Question 5. True or false: Mush is adopted."

            I stepped on the false. Nothing.

            "One more! True or false: Mush has an aviator's license, and his own Cessna."

            Oh, God. This one was off the wall. Maybe that's why I decided it had to be true. I hesitated, and then confidently stepped on the true platform. And it didn't move. I jumped onto dry land on the other side, pumping my fist in the air in a silent 'victory gesture' as I sat down in one of the lawn chairs on the other side.

            "Congratulations, Blink. That's one point toward normal food. Bumlets, please approach the pool. You will be answering questions about Spot."

            Bumlets stepped up to the pool, looking a bit apprehensive. I mean, if he answered wrong, not only would he disappoint his housemates, but Spot would murder him.

            "Question 1. True or false: At one time, Spot had a Mohawk."

            Bumlets chose true, and he was correct. I rolled my eyes, trying to imagine Spot with a Mohawk.

            "Question 2. True or false: Spot's father is in the Marines."

            Bumlets stepped to false, and nothing happened.

            "Question 3. True or false: Spot has two younger sisters."

            Bumlets took longer on this one, but eventually chose true. And he was right.

            "Question four. True or false: Spot is an A B honor roll student."

            Bumlets stepped on false, and quite suddenly, the platform dropped out from under him and he fell into the water. Spot burst out laughing, but the rest of us weren't quite so amused. And personally, I thought anyone would've picked false on that one.

            I stepped forward and helped Bumlets out of the pool, realizing that the water was freezing cold. I would've been really pissed off if I'd missed one.

            "Cowboy, you're next. Please approach the pool. You will be answering questions about Itey."

            I found a towel by the poolside and wrapped it around Bumlets as Cowboy prepared to make his way across. Cowboy proceeded to actually get all of them right, and Davey was up next. He looked pretty confident when Sarah told him that he'd be answering questions about Skittery.

            "Question 1. True or false: Skittery is adopted."

            Davey didn't even take time to think about it. He stuck out his chest and stepped onto 'false'- and was promptly dumped in the pool.

            Dutchy and Itey both continued the failing tradition, and then Mush broke the losing streak by answering all the questions about Cowboy correctly. That resulted in a sigh of relief. 3 down, 2 to go. And with 5 people left to cross.

            Race fell in on the second question about Dutchy, and Skittery stepped up to take his turn. He was going to be the one answering questions about me.

            "Question 1. True or false: Blink lives with just his father."

            True. Pick true, Skittery. He hesitated a moment, then it was as if my psychic message had gotten through- he stepped onto true.

            "Question 2. True or false: Blink is openly gay."

            Hell, no! If he stepped on true, he could say goodbye to his next birthday…but, luckily, he didn't. He immediately stepped onto false. 

            "Question 3. True or false: Blink spends his summers in Australia with other relatives."

            True. And once again, he got it. This guy was either a genius or psychic.

            "Question 4. True or false: Blink plays the trumpet in the school marching band."

            Um…no. Let's just say that the peripheral vision required for marching is nonexistent with a patch over one eye. And luckily, Skittery figured that out. I guess band kids know their own kind when they see them.

            "Question 5. True or false: Blink has a fetish for Broadway musicals."

            Yeah…I admit, it's true. And when he got it right, I wasn't sure whether I should take that as a compliment or an insult.

            "Last question…true or false: Blink once appeared in a movie with Jackie Chan as a stunt double for another leading actor."

            I grinned broadly, glad that Skittery couldn't see me from where he was. That grin would've given it away. He stood there for at least a minute, and then stepped forward onto true. I shook hands with him as he came off on the other side, proud that somebody could manage to get that far with stuff they couldn't possibly know. Well, except for the whole 'gay' thing. I mean, that had to be obvious…right?

            But Snitch and Specs both ended up in the pool. And that left our food situation in the hands of Spot, answering questions about Davey. If he didn't make it, then we would be eating PB+J for the next week.

            Oh, God. May as well start saying goodbye to veggies right now.

            "Question 1. True or false: Davey is the number one runner on his track team."

            I thought it would be false, but to everyone's surprise, Spot stepped on true and ended up being right.

            "Question 2. True or false: Davey is a vegetarian."

            Once again, Spot surprised us by getting it right. It was false.

            "Question 3. Your host, Sarah, is Davey's sister."

            Skittery and I looked at each other with the same startled expression. Who would wanna be that bitch's brother?

            Spot shrugged and stepped on true, and he didn't hit the water. We all looked at Davey with wide-eyed glances, and he just rolled his eyes.

            "Question 4. True or false: Davey is openly bi."

            Spot didn't even hesitate. He practically took a flying leap onto the 'true' platform. And nothing happened. I shuddered in disgust, hoping no one else noticed. We all certainly noticed Davey blushing as deep as a tomato.

            "Question 5. True or false: Davey has a cousin who works in the White House."          

            False. Again, Spot was correct. There was a chance we could actually win!

            "Last question, for the win. True or false: Davey has already been in the diary room and admitted that he already has a crush on a fellow housemate."

            Shee-ite. [1] If that were true, I'd be climbing out the window and running very, very far away tonight.

            Spot made his choice. He picked true.

            Looked like I'd be climbing out that window.

            Spot stepped onto dry land, puffing his chest out and beaming as if he'd just won the Olympics. We all congratulated him, and then those who were not in competition for head of household were told to step aside. It was me, Cowboy, Mush, Skittery, and Spot in contention for head of household.

            "For head of household, you will all be answering questions in general about your fellow housemates. When you get a question wrong, you are out of contention. Please pick up the 'true and false' signs on the table."

            We each picked up a double-sided sign and stepped up to the yard platforms as they lit up, and dividers slid up between the platforms so we couldn't see each other.

            "Question 1. True or false: At least three housemates admitted to keeping a diary at home diligently."

            No way. I held up false.

            "Blink and Skittery, I'm sorry, you're wrong. The answer was true. Please step down."

            I stepped down to where the others were and turned to watch. It didn't really mean that much to me, so I wasn't really disappointed or anything.

            "Question 2. True or false: Over five of the housemates hold down school and a full time job."

            Mush, probably just from being plain naïve, got it wrong. Now it was down to Spot and Cowboy.

            "Question 3. True or false: There is one housemate among you who has an extensive criminal record."

            Spot was the only housemate I could think of that may have a criminal record- and he was up there, so they wouldn't have asked. It had to be false. Spot agreed with me, holding up false, while Cowboy went out on a limb and said it was true.

            And he was right.

            "Congratulations, Cowboy. You are the new head of household. Tomorrow evening at seven, you will announce the nominees for eviction, and at eight, we will have another competition to see who will hold the power of veto. Thank you and goodnight."

                                                                                                                                                           

[1] Shee-ite…my parents don't approve of cussing, so this is a substitute my friends and I use for 'shit'. Couldn't resist…it just sounded good there.

AN:  Just review!