I'm sorry to say this will probably be my last update for a while. But this time, I have another reason besides depression! I'm going on vacation. Hopefully that will cheer me up.

Note to all the people who send me PM's: You may notice I don't always respond to your PM's. I'm so grateful and flattered that you all care so much, but sometimes I don't have time and then I forget if I've replied or not. I will eventually reply, I promise. I'm sorry...ech.

Anyway, I don't like the ending on this chapter, but I had to go when I wrote it, and didn't feel like writing much. But hey, at least I got something up. And no one died!

Disclaimer: -claws disclaimer's eyes out-

Shorter chapter, sorry.

"It's strange, isn't it?"

"What is, Kor?" Victor asked, not bothering to swallow his Tomato Beef Chow Mien before speaking.

"How Gar flirts with Rachel."

"You're lucky as hell Gar ain't here right now, Kori," Victor laughed.

"I've got a few minutes before he gets back from the bathroom. But in all honesty, don't you agree?"

"No."

"You don't think he doesn't flirt the least bit?"

"…No…"

"Denial is like karma, Victor. It just comes around and bites you in the butt later."

"Why are you telling me this? I hate this mushy, gushy, girly-feely crap."

"It's not crap, Vic," Kori said bluntly, "it's about being observant. Something your species hasn't yet picked up yet. Unless, of course, it's about who won the Super Bowl or something else like that."

"Man, are you trying to tell me I'm of a different species?"

Kori didn't have to reply, as Gar got back into his seat at that moment. "Picking on Vic again Kor?"

"He had it coming," She shrugged. Under her breath, she mumbled, "And so do you."

---

Gar's eyes widened as Jen poured a box of tapes onto the table.

"Holy sh…"

Jen snorted. "And this is just the first box."

Vic nudged his friend playfully. "Who'd a thunk it, Gar?"

"Apparently not your English teacher," Rachel interjected, rubbing her temples. Phones had been ringing off the hooks for hours, on top of other female problems. Needless to say, a good cup of tea and a Midol would hit the spot. "Did you contact Mr. Grayson yet, Kori?"

"I…uh, yes, I left a message with his manager. He'll do it," she said nervously.

Rachel nodded to Jen. "Put the first tape in."

The television screen shook as a pair of hands steadied the camera and backed away slowly. The background was scenic; a small campsite stood between scattered redwood trees. A dog passed the camera. The girl filming was skinny with long blonde hair and eyes the color of the sky on a warm summer's day. She waved.

"Hi," she said, "I'm Tara. I don't watch much T.V., but my old college roommate told me about this contest, 'cause she knew I was such a fan of your work. Oops," she giggled, "I think I skipped a few lines…"

Unknown to the rest of the group, Rachel's temple was pulsing harder than it had one minute ago. Whether it was at the fact that Gar's smile was as wide as it gets or the fact that she desperately needed sleep remained to be seen.

"…And uh, yeah! So…hopefully, I'll see you guys soon!"

The tape rolled to a finish and Jen pulled out the tape. "Whatcha guys think?"

"Yes," Gar said almost immediately.

"No," Rachel disagreed, crossing her arms. "She's definitely a poser. No one lives in the woods like that!"

Jen rubbed her chin. "Interesting…I say we settle it with a vote!" Jen turned to Victor.

"She seemed cool, and I'll go with what my buddy says, since he's the one who's gotta date her," Victor said coolly. Gar slapped him a high five.

"I agree with Victor," Kori nodded her head. Rachel's eyes narrowed, snorting a bit.

"Well…I thought she was pretty cool, too," Jen admitted sheepishly. At this, Rachel's eyes bulged.

"Jen! I'm the one paying you!"

"Democracy," Jen grinned. "So she's in. Who's ready for the next tape?"

"Not me," Rachel muttered, pushing back her chair.

"Rachel!" Victor called, "You gotta stay! You need to be here for this! Rachel!"

Gar sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Is she always like this?"

"Only around you," Jen said. As she was in the back, no one noticed Kori's eyes squint smugly.

"I'll get her."

"No Jen, stay," Gar instructed, beating Jen to the door. "This is between us."

---

Rachel pulled out a pack of cigarettes, preparing to light one, when a voice spoke from behind,

"You know, I highly disapprove of smoking."

"I've been trying to stop," Rachel sighed, forgetting for the moment who the voice belonged to, "but he's just so damn irritating—"

"Who is?"

As realization hit, Rachel nearly chuckled. "You aren't seriously asking that, are you?"

He leaned against the side of the building next to her, speaking only after a good twenty seconds, "You really don't like me, do you?"

I don't know, actually. "Not really."

"Can we at least be civilized to each other?"

"I am being civilized. It's not my fault you like blonde, poser-bimbos."

"You're right."

"Thank you."

"It's not your fault you're jealous."

"I am not jealous!"

"Oh?"

"I-I…I just think she'll be annoying to work with!"

"S-ure," Gar laughed, "And I'm not really a man."

"Admitting your problem is the first step, you know. There's nothing wrong with drag."

"You don't like letting people in, do you?"

"Of course I do. I just don't like letting idiots like you in."

"Mind me asking why?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Rachel took a long puff on the cigarette. Man, this guy was exasperating. "Why what?"

"Why don't you like letting idiots like me in?"

"You're often too good looking for your own good," Rachel said without thinking. Her face flushed and she quickly caught herself, "You're ego gets too big, and you just end up hurting the person, AKA, me."

"You think I'm good looking then?"

"I never said that."

"No, I think you did. You specifically said that you don't like idiots like me in because we're too good looking."

"Shut up."

"Aha! You admit it!"

"You're imagining things. Get off the hallucinogens, Gar."

"Never," he smiled widely, "give me that." Without waiting for Rachel's reply, Gar grabbed the cigarette and threw it on the ground, promptly destroying it with his shoe.

"Hey!"

"Hey is for horses!" Rachel's eyes rolled for how many times that day? "Second-hand smoke kills!"

Rachel's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh no, I wouldn't want you to die of lung poisoning!"

She paused, watching his smug response. Hmm, he really was that dense. "I'd be nicer if it were something much more pleasant, like choking or drowning!"

"You're not very nice, you know."

"Hence the reason I have no friends?"

"You've got friends."

"Name four."

"Well that's not quite far, since I don't know you that well. But…Jen…Kori, Victor—"

"That's three. And—"

"And," he smiled, winking before returning to the building, "me."

For the first time in days, Rachel was left speechless.

---

"And we're on in 5, 4, 3, 2…" The cameraman's mouth snapped close, finishing counting off with his fingers. He mouthed the word 'one' and pointed at a taller man with spiky black hair and icy blue eyes.

"Hello! I'm Richard Grayson, and welcome to the show that you will talk about with your friends, saying how cliché and overused it is, and yet still watch it for the updates every Sunday!

"Meet Garfield Logan; he's young, single, and looking for a girl to complete his life. So we've picked twelve girls for Gar to meet. Welcome to the first elimination round; today's elimination will eliminate half of the dozen girls.

"How does it feel to be here, Gar?"

Gar looked straight into the camera, sipping is wine. He raised his glass, smiling with an almost drunk vibe. "It feels hella boring, Rich. In fact, I think I'll get drunk to make it more interesting."

"Cut!" Rachel screamed louder than necessary. "Gar, quit it!"

"What? I'm just trying to make it more exciting!"

"Getting drunk doesn't make it more exciting, you idiot!"

"Does for me," he grinned.

Had anyone been paying close attention, they would've seen Rachel's eye noticeably twitching. "Gar, do not start with me! From the top!"

"Hello! I'm Richard Grayson, and welcome to the show that you will talk about with your friends, saying how cliché and overused it is, and yet still watch it for the updates—"

"Richard! That isn't in your script!"

"That's what I said earlier and you didn't have a problem with it! And yes, it is!"

"I wasn't listening to you earlier! I had to make sure Gar didn't screw up."

"So…you were ogling Gar?"

Gar smirked. "No!"

"Look, it says right here: Hello! I'm Richard Grayson, and welcome to the show that you will talk about with your friends, saying how cliché and overused it is, and yet still watch it for the updates every Sunday!" Richard pointed to the white stapled pile of papers, which indeed, said just that.

What Richard hadn't pointed out was that someone had crossed out a previous paragraph and had written that in. "…Gar…" Rachel growled.

"…Eh, heh…I thought it would make it more interesting?"

"Gar!"

Whoo, I didn't feel like writing a Kori-Richard interaction or a Gar-contestant interaction. I'm so lazy. Bleh.

Okay. I didn't, as I said above, like this ending, but um, yes. Lots of dialogue, but that's to be expected of me. A lot of my chapters are dialogue.

Next chapter will probably just go straight to France, and then I'll finally get some Kori-Richard insight. How much, I dunno. Toodles for a few days, guys!

(I'll try to check my email and if there's a computer I'll try to go on FF and review s'more!)

Review?