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Day Six
Kiki and I are on water duty this morning, and for once our conversation turns from the trivialities of our outside lives to our strategies for the game. I'm not entirely sure I trust her, but of all the players on my team, she's the one I not only trust the most, she's the one I like the most.
"What do you think," she hesitantly starts, "about the game so far?"
I put a little bit of thought into it before I answer. "Well, of course, we're all in this because we think we have what it takes to make it to the end. But I don't see some of these people making it all the way."
"Hermione, I think we're probably on the same wavelength on a lot of these guys. Look at Bob, his snoring is going to get him voted out no matter how nice he is. And Geoff's bad attitude isn't making him any friends."
"Yeah, they'll probably go pretty quick, unless one of the rest of us screws something up. But let me ask you," I wrinkle my nose in disgust, "about Pete."
Kiki lets out with a laugh and a snort. "That guy is so lecherous! What does he think he is, God's gift to women?" She fills her water jug pensively. "I almost worry a little about him, he's so forward with his...attentions. Maybe it would be for the better if he were voted off quickly, as well." She looks at me with a crafty smile.
"I guess the only way to ensure these votes would be if we were to arrange our targets beforehand, and try to influence some of the others." I hold out my hand to her. "Do you want to agree to work as a team, at least until the merge?" Kiki grins and shakes my hand.
I make sure her water jug feels a bit lighter on the way back.
* * * * *
Today's immunity challenge involves swimming. Fortunately, I'm a fairly good swimmer. Some of these others, I'm not too sure about. We have to trudge about three miles through the underbrush until we come out at yet another sandy beach. The ocean is very mild here, just as it is at our camp. I can see another reef far out in the distance, or perhaps it's an extension of the same reef that keeps our lagoon placid. Plastic Marcus is already perched like a king on his throne, sitting on a camp chair on a platform a few hundred feet out into the water. Since the platform is also the location of our colored rugs, we slog out into the water.
Geoff mutters sharply under his breath, "take your time to get out there, don't wear yourselves out just getting to the challenge site." Thank you, Captain Obvious. I had no idea my father was here on the island.
For the most part, we're doing the doggy-paddle or a relaxed breaststroke. We've barely started when I can hear the Fetia Rai players behind us. I don't want to turn around while swimming; I'll have to wait until we reach the platform before I can give Malfoy the hairy eyeball.
The lagoon water is a nice, mild temperature; it's almost a shame to get out and onto the platform. I shake my curly hair at Kiki like a dog, and make her laugh. It's a hot day, and I can already feel the drops of water drying on my skin. As the last members of my team are getting out of the water, the first members of Fetia Rai are climbing onto the platform. Malfoy is second out of the water. That means he's either wasted a lot of energy to get out here, or he's in very good shape. I'm pretty sure it's because he's in very good shape, and when I say very, I mean to say Very. I decide that it will be intimidating to look at him like he's a piece of meat, because suddenly I'm enjoying giving him a thorough inspection. I don't think I ever saw him shirtless while in school. Thank goodness, because if I had, I might not have been able to hate him so much. Nice muscular torso, trim legs, baggy swim trunks (which I find much sexier than a Speedo). He already has a rich tan, which makes his blond hair stand out even more. Plus, the whole glistening-skin thing from the water. Malfoy grew up to be quite the bit of eye candy. Such a pity that he's an ass.
He slowly looks over toward me. I'm waiting to see the worry, the concern, the confusion in his eyes. What a surprise to see something entirely different. He slowly looks me up and down with saucy, lustful eyes. Then he looks straight into my eyes and is expression changes. It's the most neutral face I've ever seen on anyone. I can't read anything from his stare, and I can't do anything but stare back. What am I supposed to make of this? Did he come to terms with my presence so totally and completely in the course of a single day? Or is he desperately trying to play my mind-game back at me?
Marcus starts to explain the game, and we both tear our gazes away so we can listen attentively. It's a simple enough contest, a relay in which every player must dive down to the seafloor and retrieve a flag in their team's color. Fetia Rai's flags are off the left side of the platform, and ours are over to the right. Since Fetia Rai has one person too many, they have to sit out a player. A small-framed man, who seems already exhausted from the swim out to this dock, raises his hand and sits on the hard wood next to the Marcus Nash Chair of Comfort. Seven against seven, the challenge begins. I'm the first one into the water, for good reason; I've decided to use magic on this one to keep the tribes even. I swim down into the water and am able to say a spell without being heard. The green flags of Miti Matai suddenly glow brightly, in a way that can be seen by the human eye underwater, but cannot be recorded on film or seen in the sunlight. I grab the first flag, swim up, tag Chet, and climb out as he dives in next to me.
As the players jump in one by one, Miti Matai builds a steady lead. By the time our seventh player enters the water, Fetia Rai is only on their fifth. We win the challenge easily, and Marcus passes us the immunity idol. I push wet hair out of my face and look over to Malfoy. He meets my gaze steadily again, then does something most unexpected.
He winks. Malfoy winks at me. What the hell is up with that?
He then wiggles his eyebrows and glances quickly at the scrawny man who stayed out of the challenge, and I understand. He gave me this one, because Fetia Rai needs to thin the herd.
We dive back into the water after we get the all-clear from the production staff, and swim back to the beach. As the teams head in opposite directions back to camp, I look back over my shoulder, in time to catch Malfoy looking at my ass. He looks up at my eyes quickly, but knows he's been caught. Interesting. At least if I can't intimidate him with my mere presence here, perhaps I can figure out another way to keep him distracted and off balance.
Day Six
Kiki and I are on water duty this morning, and for once our conversation turns from the trivialities of our outside lives to our strategies for the game. I'm not entirely sure I trust her, but of all the players on my team, she's the one I not only trust the most, she's the one I like the most.
"What do you think," she hesitantly starts, "about the game so far?"
I put a little bit of thought into it before I answer. "Well, of course, we're all in this because we think we have what it takes to make it to the end. But I don't see some of these people making it all the way."
"Hermione, I think we're probably on the same wavelength on a lot of these guys. Look at Bob, his snoring is going to get him voted out no matter how nice he is. And Geoff's bad attitude isn't making him any friends."
"Yeah, they'll probably go pretty quick, unless one of the rest of us screws something up. But let me ask you," I wrinkle my nose in disgust, "about Pete."
Kiki lets out with a laugh and a snort. "That guy is so lecherous! What does he think he is, God's gift to women?" She fills her water jug pensively. "I almost worry a little about him, he's so forward with his...attentions. Maybe it would be for the better if he were voted off quickly, as well." She looks at me with a crafty smile.
"I guess the only way to ensure these votes would be if we were to arrange our targets beforehand, and try to influence some of the others." I hold out my hand to her. "Do you want to agree to work as a team, at least until the merge?" Kiki grins and shakes my hand.
I make sure her water jug feels a bit lighter on the way back.
* * * * *
Today's immunity challenge involves swimming. Fortunately, I'm a fairly good swimmer. Some of these others, I'm not too sure about. We have to trudge about three miles through the underbrush until we come out at yet another sandy beach. The ocean is very mild here, just as it is at our camp. I can see another reef far out in the distance, or perhaps it's an extension of the same reef that keeps our lagoon placid. Plastic Marcus is already perched like a king on his throne, sitting on a camp chair on a platform a few hundred feet out into the water. Since the platform is also the location of our colored rugs, we slog out into the water.
Geoff mutters sharply under his breath, "take your time to get out there, don't wear yourselves out just getting to the challenge site." Thank you, Captain Obvious. I had no idea my father was here on the island.
For the most part, we're doing the doggy-paddle or a relaxed breaststroke. We've barely started when I can hear the Fetia Rai players behind us. I don't want to turn around while swimming; I'll have to wait until we reach the platform before I can give Malfoy the hairy eyeball.
The lagoon water is a nice, mild temperature; it's almost a shame to get out and onto the platform. I shake my curly hair at Kiki like a dog, and make her laugh. It's a hot day, and I can already feel the drops of water drying on my skin. As the last members of my team are getting out of the water, the first members of Fetia Rai are climbing onto the platform. Malfoy is second out of the water. That means he's either wasted a lot of energy to get out here, or he's in very good shape. I'm pretty sure it's because he's in very good shape, and when I say very, I mean to say Very. I decide that it will be intimidating to look at him like he's a piece of meat, because suddenly I'm enjoying giving him a thorough inspection. I don't think I ever saw him shirtless while in school. Thank goodness, because if I had, I might not have been able to hate him so much. Nice muscular torso, trim legs, baggy swim trunks (which I find much sexier than a Speedo). He already has a rich tan, which makes his blond hair stand out even more. Plus, the whole glistening-skin thing from the water. Malfoy grew up to be quite the bit of eye candy. Such a pity that he's an ass.
He slowly looks over toward me. I'm waiting to see the worry, the concern, the confusion in his eyes. What a surprise to see something entirely different. He slowly looks me up and down with saucy, lustful eyes. Then he looks straight into my eyes and is expression changes. It's the most neutral face I've ever seen on anyone. I can't read anything from his stare, and I can't do anything but stare back. What am I supposed to make of this? Did he come to terms with my presence so totally and completely in the course of a single day? Or is he desperately trying to play my mind-game back at me?
Marcus starts to explain the game, and we both tear our gazes away so we can listen attentively. It's a simple enough contest, a relay in which every player must dive down to the seafloor and retrieve a flag in their team's color. Fetia Rai's flags are off the left side of the platform, and ours are over to the right. Since Fetia Rai has one person too many, they have to sit out a player. A small-framed man, who seems already exhausted from the swim out to this dock, raises his hand and sits on the hard wood next to the Marcus Nash Chair of Comfort. Seven against seven, the challenge begins. I'm the first one into the water, for good reason; I've decided to use magic on this one to keep the tribes even. I swim down into the water and am able to say a spell without being heard. The green flags of Miti Matai suddenly glow brightly, in a way that can be seen by the human eye underwater, but cannot be recorded on film or seen in the sunlight. I grab the first flag, swim up, tag Chet, and climb out as he dives in next to me.
As the players jump in one by one, Miti Matai builds a steady lead. By the time our seventh player enters the water, Fetia Rai is only on their fifth. We win the challenge easily, and Marcus passes us the immunity idol. I push wet hair out of my face and look over to Malfoy. He meets my gaze steadily again, then does something most unexpected.
He winks. Malfoy winks at me. What the hell is up with that?
He then wiggles his eyebrows and glances quickly at the scrawny man who stayed out of the challenge, and I understand. He gave me this one, because Fetia Rai needs to thin the herd.
We dive back into the water after we get the all-clear from the production staff, and swim back to the beach. As the teams head in opposite directions back to camp, I look back over my shoulder, in time to catch Malfoy looking at my ass. He looks up at my eyes quickly, but knows he's been caught. Interesting. At least if I can't intimidate him with my mere presence here, perhaps I can figure out another way to keep him distracted and off balance.