Chapter 4 - Not Quite Famous
With Chris actually letting the campers wake up to their own accord this time, the morning seemed to be a peaceful one. Semi-peaceful.
In the boy's cabin:
Mike was sleeping under the covers, snoring. In mid-snore, he gasped and contorted his face into that of Chester's.
"These young whippersnappers, with all their jammering and tomfoolery!" He wheezed, then gasped back to Mike.
"Aw come on Chester, keep it down?" He gasped again.
"Fine! For now..." In the bunk across from his was Cameron, who was crouched over in his sleeping bag like a caterpillar in a cocoon. He opened his eyes in the dark cave of his bag.
*static*
Cameron: I had a hard time falling asleep the first few nights. He rubbed more lotion on his hands. It was my first time sleeping outside my bubble! But finally, I recreated it with my sleeping bag and I was out like that! He snapped his fingers. What an adventure!
*static*
Meanwhile in the girl's cabin:
Anne Maria dried her hair with a hair drier while brushing it in the wind. Zoey walked up to her and called,
"Hey! How'd you sneak that in?"
"Easy!" She paused in her morning hair care. "I stuck it in my poof." Anne Maria put the items into her top hair and rummaged through it. She took out her hairspray and started to jet it. Zoey covered her mouth and coughed.
"Okay, this is so, way, beyond bad!" Lindsay cried out. "I'm out of fake tanner already!" She looked over her bunk covered in squeezed out bottles. Anne Maria stopped spraying and gasped.
"Oh no baby girl!" She walked over to console Lindsay.
"Now I have to actually like sun-tan. In the sun! Do you realize how shriveled and wrinkly that can make your skin?"
"Say no more honey, I got your back." Anne Maria took out one of her tanners and handed it to Lindsay.
"For real?" Lindsay smiled.
"Course. Gotta look after my tanless sisters right?" Lindsay jumped and hugged her.
"Ooh, thank you, thank you!" Lindsay pulled back from the hug and looked down at her orange stained clothes.
"Whoop."
In the bunks nearby, Emma stuffed her face into her pillow.
"Can you keep it down?" She said, muffled. Kitty swung her head down from the top bunk.
"Why? It's late morning now."
"And I should stop sleeping because?"
"Meh. Good point." Kitty climbed down and slid next to her sister. "Sooo, Heather's got this alliance thing going on with Beth and Lindsay. How about we make our own alliance?"
"Nuh-uh, no way." Emma answered with a stretch.
"Why not?"
"I have enough trouble keeping you in line, with a whole other group to keep track of I wouldn't be able to keep an eye on you as much."
Kitty sighed. "Yep, we reeaally need an alliance." Kitty tapped her chin. "Well then, have you noticed any of the guys looking your way-?"
"No." Emma said a little too quickly.
"Hey! ...Do you hear that?" Kitty held a hand up to her ear.
"Hear what?"
"The Love Detector- it's going off the charts!" Kitty sang.
"Wait, Kitty don't-"
"AEGH. AEGH. AEGH. AEGH. AEGH."
"Kitty stop it, you're being-"
"WHOOOP. WHOOOP. WHOOOP. CUCKOO! CUCKOO! CUCKOO!" Emma held her hands to her ears, got up, and walked away.
"HONK! HONK! HONK!-"
HOONK! The loudspeakers all over the island echoed. Chris's voice sputtered on.
"Alright campers, enough beauty sleep. Time to show us what you're made of!"
Soon enough, all the campers were sitting on two larger bleachers. In front was a round stage with pretty pink curtains. Lights were plugged in and all displayed toward the stage.
"Are we gonna see a musical?" Lindsay asked, sitting between Heather and Noah. Her skin was more orange today. "I love musicals, especially the ones with singing and dancing!" Emma walked by followed by Kitty.
"Yes, because it's still a musical without the singing and dancing." She rolled her eyes. Noah sighed, eyes sparkling, before getting interrupted by Owen. The big man sat down in front, completely blocking his view of absolutely anything. He gave an annoyed jab at Owen's back, but he didn't seem to feel it.
"Hey Gwen! Saved you a seat." Trent waved out and patted the spot next to him.
"Thanks." She grinned. Cody non-discreetly followed up and sat next to them. When Trent leaned back and propped his feet on the seats, Cody copied him. However, his body didn't fit and he fell back into the bleachers.
"Whoa! Uh, hehe." He stilled posed and smiled.
While Heather stared at this, she looked up at Lindsay who blew a kiss to Tyler with a waggle of her fingers. Tyler caught it and winked back at her. She grinned a lot, until she saw Heather glare at her. She straightened up and smiled innocently. Heather hmphed and whipped her long ponytail at Lindsay's mouth, making her cough and spit, pulling a single long black hair from her tongue.
Chris walked on the stage. "Welcome to our brand new, deluxe, state-of-the-art, outdoor amphitheater! Okay, this week's challenge is a summer's camp's favorite: A Talent Contest!"
"Yes! Awesome!" Owen got up.
"Each team has eight hours to pick their three most talented campers. These three will represent them in the show tonight. Sing, dance, juggle- anything goes! As long as it's legal." He eyed Duncan. Duncan snapped his fingers.
"You'll be judged by our resident talent scout, former DJ VJ and rap legend; Grannnd Master Chef! Who will show his approval via, the Chef-o-meter!" He pointed upwards and a large spoon appeared with Chef's face on it. There were ten flashing green bars as points.
"The team that loses might send one camper home tonight!" He walked off the stage. "Good luck!"
Heather blew into a whistle and held her clipboard. "Okay, I'm the team captain so here's how it's going to work."
"Hold on. Who said you were team captain?" Emma questioned.
"She did! Just now." Lindsay answered.
"Lindsay, Beth and I took a vote, and I won." Heather grinned.
"You know, forcing them to vote for you isn't exactly democratic." Emma crossed her arms.
"Oh- and you think you could do a better job?"
"Actually, yes. But look, we don't even need a team captain. Let's just all go around and take turns to see which is the most popular act, okay?" Heather scowled.
"Hey highway prissy, lay off and let the more sane option rule." Noah rolled his eyes as Owen covered his mouth from laughing.
"Yes, thank you." Emma smiled.
"Whatever." Heather scorned. "But Lindsay, Beth and I are the judges." Emma slapped her face.
"Ugh, missing the point. *sigh* Fine! Let's just hurry up and get on with this."
...
In the Killer Bass, Trent walked up with a guitar slung across his back and a pastry in his hand.
"Hey, snagged you an extra muffin." He whispered. Gwen grinned. "Thanks."
"Okay, who wants to go first?" Courtney asked. Tyler waved his hand.
"Me! Let me go get something from the cabin first." He ran off.
"Are you gonna audition?" Trent asked.
"Doubtful. You should be in this though." Gwen said. "I heard you the other night by the dock? You were really good." He beamed.
In front of the Screaming Gophers, Owen chugged a jug of soda.
"What's he going to do?" Zoey asked to Mike.
"I have no idea."
"Heey! Mike, you're good at acting. It's funny- sometimes- maybe you should audition?" Zoey smiled.
"Wha-? Oh! Nonono, I don't know." Mike nervously looked away.
"But, didn't you wanted to be an actor?" Zoey asked.
"Well, yes but uh-... Oh! Look, Owen's about to do it!" Mike pointed.
After finishing, Owen tossed the carton aside and took in a quick breath. He belched,
"ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYANDZZZZ!" He bowed. All the guys stood up and applauded.
"Nice one big guy." Noah smirked.
"Yes!" Owen punched the air.
"Egh! Well you're not going to do that in this contest, that's disgusting!" Heather ridiculed.
"I can also toot Beethoven's Fifth!" Owen bent over to demonstrate. The judges cried,
"No, nonono!" But before they could protest any more, Owen let a single note or two slip out. It instantly evaded the whole cabin area and enveloped the team in a deathly fog.
"Noo!" Everyone coughed while Noah (somehow unfazed) got up.
"I'm gonna hang in the bathroom where it smells better." He turned to leave, then bumped into Emma who was plugging her nose too, having the same idea. They smiled.
"Where are you going?" Heather asked in between short breaths.
"Someplace with oxygen!" Noah called back. Emma chuckled. Kitty perked at this and ran after her.
"Wait, not you too-! Ergh." Heather crossed her arms. Owen walked up to her.
"Umm, Heather? Excuse me?"
"What."
"Can I um, go too? Ehehehe." Owen shrugged, holding his legs a bit apart.
"Eww, Owen! Yes, leave. Please." Owen ran off to the bathrooms.
...
A spinning pink yo-yo spun on the ground as Tyler demonstrated some tricks. He shot it out in a straight line, but when it boinged back it whizzed past him and wrapped around him like a mummy in string. The yo-yo bounced against his forehead.
Courtney slapped her face.
"Man, that is weak." Chris walked in.
"Um, no." Courtney said primly. "Hey.. where did goth girl go?" Trent pointed in the direction of the woods.
"She said she had to go somewhere."
"Oh really?" Cody said. "Um, sorry guys but, the Code-ster, will be right back." He jogged away to where Trent pointed.
...
Tip-toeing quickly, Heather danced to classical music in a pink suit and tutu. She leaped high into the air and landed gently in a pose. The Gophers clapped politely.
"Thank you." She breathed, grinning. Looking over at Lindsay and Beth, she coughed "Ahem."
"Oh! I vote for Heather to be in the contest!" Lindsay said.
Beth nodded. "I second that."
"Guys, that's so sweet." Heather looked to her right. She froze and spied Gwen walking down a path, holding a book tightly in her arms. Heather smirked.
"Okay, so I guess I'm in. Why doesn't everyone take five?" The group dispersed, grateful to finally be allowed some air. Heather ran and clasped Lindsay around the arm before she could leave.
"I need you to do something. Can you keep a secret?"
"Oh my gosh, definitely. My sister got diarrhea once on a date, and I had to bring her toilet paper because the restaurant was all out and she was stuck in the bathroom- and I've never told a soul." Lindsay slowly looked to the cameras, duped.
"O-oops... sorry Paula." Lindsay apologized with a wince. Heather handed her a walkie-talkie.
"Gwen is up to something serious, I want you to follow her and report back to me." Heather pushed Lindsay off and simpered.
Through a pair of binoculars, Lindsay spied on Gwen who was sitting on a flat stump, writing in her diary.
"Serious, yeah- seriously boring." Lindsay huffed and looked another direction with the eyeglass. She spotted Tyler walking slowly back to the cabins, tied up in the yo-yo string. She zoomed in on his butt.
"Ooh, that's not boring!"
Owen walked out of his cabin and passed by Kitty who was waiting for her sister Emma and Noah. Curious, he went over.
"Hey Kitty." Owen gave a friendly wave. "How's it going?"
"That." Kitty pointed to the two waiting outside of the bathrooms. "Just look." Owen looked over. They were chatting while they waited for the person inside to be finished. Or maybe there wasn't anybody in there - if anybody knew it sure wasn't them.
"Kitty's so unfocused." Emma talked. "Maybe I should get a Kitty harness to keep her from wandering off."
"Right?" Noah grinned. "And Owen? He.."
"Ugh! They're both so snarky and full of themselves!" Kitty stewed as the conversation kept rolling.
"How are they not a couple yet?" Owen asked with mirth.
"It's Emma." Kitty sighed. "She's still hurt from her last breakup."
"Oohh, still fresh?"
"It was three years ago."
"Oh."
"Yep. Getting these two together is gonna take some work." Kitty and Owen both instantly looked at each other and fist-bumped with a set face.
"Yeahahaha!" Owen approved.
...
In a tight white suit and cap, D.J. held up a hand with a trailing pink ribbon behind it. It twirled and enchanted the group, snapping. D.J. swirled it around some more before jumping into a splits on the ground. The Bass clapped.
Courtney crossed her arms. "Fine, sign him up. Next."
"Oh, me!" Scott jumped out. "I can whittle the face of anybody on wood. Check it." Scott flipped out his sharp tooth and began to carve into a block of wood.
"Okay, cute. But I just don't think it's quite what we're looking for. Next!" Courtney said.
Harold walked forward and stood in front of them. He held up a finger and took in a deep breath before-
"Next!"
"Aawww." Harold let go of his breath.
...
"Lindsay, come in." Heather's stern voice cackled through the walkie-talkie in the communal bathrooms. "What did you find out? Over."
On the sinks, Tyler and Lindsay were making out. The walkie-talkie sitting on the far edge.
"Lindsay where are you!?" Lindsay reached over but fell on Tyler, she was tangled in the yo-yo string with him. Tyler took it and gave it to her.
"Oh- o-on my way back! Under!" Lindsay responded.
...
Izzy turned on the radio to some smooth, Egyptian music. Izzy danced a sort of belly-dance, and slithered like a snake. "I call this. The dance. Of. The rattlesnake!" Izzy cupped her hands into fangs.
"Wisshhoo, wisshhoo!" Izzy wooshed. "Look into my eyes- what do you see? Danana, adubidanananananana!" She jabbered. Izzy's mumbo jumbo failed to impress Courtney.
"Next." She rolled her eyes. Izzy gave a hiss before retreating back with a pout. Trent waved and walked up by with his guitar.
...
Twirling sticks with fire on both ends, Beth spun two of them on her hands, glowing rings of flames. One of them got very close to Heather.
"Are you sure this is safe?" She and the girls sitting next to her on the bench reeled back.
"It's okay! I've been practicing!" Beth balanced with one leg up. She propelled the two up into the air, a little unsure when tossing them up. It came down like meteor.
"Run!" Owen lifted the bench as a fort and so the the others. Beth stumbled and hopped out of the way before it blasted into the ground, leaving simmer marks.
She peeked from the bench. "I kinda missed the catching class." Everyone walked over and stared at the mini crater.
"Maybe I can just spin it?" Beth offered.
"Well, since our group is so pathetically talentless, I guess it's... me, Anne Maria, and Beth."
"Wait, Anne Maria? What could she do?" Mike asked.
"She said she could inhale hairspray for five minutes straight and not faint. It's all we've got. And frankly, I don't care if she does passes out."
"Well, I believe in her." Zoey looked to Mike.
Cody found Gwen and strutted up to her with a bounce in his steps. She tapped the pen on her chin before scribbling something down.
"Watcha got there? A journal?" Cody asked.
"Beat it." Cody sat down instead.
"Ooh, I get it. It's like private huh? I'm down with that, yeah 'it's cool brah.'" He looked away, resting his arms. Soon as Gwen looked away, Cody leaned over and peeked.
"What part of 'beat it' don't you understand?" Gwen glowered at him. She turned back again.
Cody bent his head and sniffed Gwen hair. She slapped her notebook shut.
"What're you, some kind of freak?" She stood up away from him.
"Y-you just smell, really pretty." Cody rubbed his arm.
"It's just. Soap." Gwen said slowly.
...
Trent was practicing the guitar. He got in. The Killer Bass had three acts ready to go: D.J, Trent, and Courtney's solo violin act.
Gwen returned and glanced at the crater caused by the second stick, still sizzling nearby. "I won't even ask." She stepped over it. Cody followed her and hopped over the pit, acting blind to Gwen's obvious attempts at getting away from him.
...
At the girl's cabin again, Lindsay tapped Heather on the shoulder and gestured to Gwen and Cody, walking up the stairs.
"Look!" Heather said as Cody rushed to open the door for Gwen. "The first hook-up of the season!" Gwen clenched her hands and turned.
"Oh yeah." She smiled falsely. "We are going at it big time. I need to swim just to cool off." She grabbed the handle and shut the door loudly. Cody scrambled to peek through the screen, but the door slammed at his face again as Gwen walked out in her swimsuit in rapid change.
"Ohw!" Cody laid flat against the wall.
"Gwen wait up!" Trent called. "I'll come with you."
"Sure." Gwen lit up. Then she saw Heather staring at her. "I mean- whatever." She walked off and so did Trent. Lindsay was about to leave again, but Heather held up her hand.
"You. Stay here. We've got a diary to find."
*static*
Heather: Okay, compared to the Killer Bass, our three acts suck. So, if we're going to go down, we might as well go down with a bang. She smirked. Maybe even throw one of them off their game a little bit.
*static*
On the stage was the Killer Bass practicing. Courtney hummed to her violin playing, Duncan and D.J. played cards. Harold asked Scott, who was whittling another statue.
"Besides whittling, what other skills do you have?" Harold breathed over his shoulder. Scott waved him off.
"Psh, a lot of things. I can eat a pound of dirt no problem."
"No way, you would puke."
"Hah! Wanna bet?"
Duncan and D.J. got up from their card game. "Yeah- that's like virtually impossible."
"There's no way he could stomach all that." The boys started to pile on some spare change, dollars, a chocolate bar.
Scott hopped down over and held up an armful of dirt. "Okay, one pound of dirt going down the hatch!" Scott then dug into the pile like a feral animal. The boys all laughed and shouted. Courtney stopped playing for a while, but resumed with a grossed-out look on her face.
"Guys." She rolled her eyes.
...
Heather peeked from the cabin door. "You stand guard." She told Lindsay. "And remember, if you see Gwen coming, warn me." Heather ran inside to start the search.
"Okay." Lindsay saluted.
Out at the dock, Trent and Gwen both sat over the edge, swinging their feet idly by.
Gwen sighed. "Sometimes I just need to get away from everyone here, you know? I mean it's like they're all driving me crazy." She looked over to Trent, giving a sympathetic smile. "Well, almost everyone." She smiled, averting her gaze to hide her blush. The dock began to shake up and down. Large footsteps rumbled in. They both looked back in terror.
It was Owen and Cody.
"CANNONBAAALL!" They both jumped, in their bathing suits. Gwen cringed as the big splash hit her. Dripping, she got up seething.
"Ugh! I hate this place!" She stomped off.
"Nice going guys." Trent berated the two boys swimming, before following after her.
Owen turned to Cody. "Yeah, nice going."
...
Heather ransacked the entire cabin, looking through Gwen's bunk. She smoothed out her clothes.
"*sigh* Okay, if I were a secret diary, where would I be stashed?"
Lindsay toyed with her hair as Gwen walked up. "Hey Gwen." She stopped with eyes wide and jumped up.
"Gwen! It's you! HI!" Lindsay's voice went through the cabin walls no problem and Heather burst out of the pile of suitcases.
"What are you doing here outside the cabin, Gwen?"
"Trying to get into the cabin?"
"Oohh, you're trying to get into the cabin! That's very interesting!" Heather quickly foraged in the drawers. Outside, Lindsay stopped Gwen from walking.
"Wait! Stay here- we can.. get a tan together! And you could totally use one." Heather held up a notebook and flipped through it. Her evil grin widened.
"Yes! She is so dead!"
"Are you gonna move? Or do I have to throw you out of my way?" Heather shut the drawer and kicked the mess away.
"You can try- but I have martial arts training!" Lindsay stanced. Gwen gave her a furious look and grit her teeth.
Lindsay blanked. "Okay you can go in." She ducked. Gwen opened the door.
"Look! Gwen's back!" Lindsay said to Heather.
"Hey Gwen, did you have a good swim?"
"What, is going on in here?" Gwen looked at the place.
"*yawn*, nothing. Just resting before the big show. Are you always so paranoid?"
"Yeah, really." Lindsay commented. Then she waved and ran after Heather. Gwen glowered.
Backstage, everybody was preparing for the big show. Scott snuck by the members and waited for them to look away. With his shark tooth, Scott ran over to the two instruments laying down. Scott made his way to the guitar but he saw Trent coming. He acted casual as Trent walked up and grabbed his guitar. Now the violin was left. Scott looked over to Courtney, who was listening to Izzy ramble on about something. Without many options left, he looked back at the violin, hesitating to break it.
He frowned.
*static*
Scott: Sorry Courtney, but we've got to lose. He crossed his arms.
*static*
The tooth slashed at the violin strings, completely wiring it to tangles. Scott ran off as Courtney walked in.
"Okay, Izzy, no one cares if you once had a- *GASP*!" Scott walked away with his hands in pockets.
"MY VIOLIIINNN!" Courtney got down on her knees, lamenting. Trent ran over.
"Whoa, what happened?"
"I-I don't know! I turn away for one second and-and.. BAAAHAAAAHAA!" She cried. "Somebody- killed it!" Duncan scrunched his nose up when he saw Scott look... a little guilty? He shook his head, waving it off.
"Now what? We only got two acts now!" D.J. freaked.
Trent walked back to his guitar. "Don't worry guys, we'll figure out somethi-" He gasped too. The guitar was also beaten up, though considerably more than the violin.
"No!" Trent picked it up. One of the strings broke. He scowled, chill demeanor gone. "Okay. WHO did this." Duncan glanced over to Scott, who looked... slightly guilty?
"Looks like the dirt's acting up now, huh?" Scott just dismissed him.
"Now only one act!" D.J. gulped.
Heather listened in on the chaos and soaked it in.
"Ahhh. Who needs an instrument? This is music." She dusted her tutu off and walked in.
"Hey guys what's up? You ready for the big show tonight?" They looked up at her, cradling the broken string instruments.
"S-someone, broke them!" Courtney sniffed.
"Whaat?" Heather was half shocked. "Who could it be?"
*static*
Heather: So there's someone else on this island as devious as I? Oohoho, and on their team? This. Is. Rich. Heather giggled. I guess I didn't need Gwen's diary after all... She snickered. Sike! As if I'd pass up an opportunity like this.
*static*
"So sorry for the loss guys. I guess you're going to get your fifteen seconds of fame after all huh?"
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Trent asked.
"Oh, nothing. No one would sabotage their own teammates. Unless they maybe felt threatened."
"No way! We're a team." D.J. said.
"Well, I guess you'll go down as a team too." She flipped her hair and walked out.
The team stood in a silent pause.
"D.J." Courtney said.
"Yeah?"
"You better get a ten." He gulped.
...
"It's the TDI challenge extravaganza!" Chris's voice announced. "Welcome to the very first camp Wawanakwa talent contest!" Chris stood center of the stage. "Where six campers will showcase their mad skills and desperately try not to humiliate themselves. First up for the screaming Gophers, is Anne Maria!"
"Hold your breath." Noah whispered to Emma. They both plugged their noses with a shared smirk.
The spotlight rolled around before jerking onto Anne Maria.
"Other than being hot, today I will hairspray myself-" A glass box went over her. "-inside this box and breath for a full five minutes without fainting!"
"Do not attempt at home." Chris added.
"Is that even scientifically possible?" Cameron gulped.
She shook the can. "Here goes baby!" And she filled the glass box with fumes until you couldn't even look through it anymore.
"Annd timer start!" The clock began, and started to countdown. At first, the campers weren't too worried. But as the clock ticked onto the third minute, a few were starting to get concerned.
By the fourth minute, the glass box did not stir and the crowd was worried. Chris looked at his watch impatiently.
"Okay- she better be alive or else this'd be the most boring show ever." He gruffed.
"Is she alive?" Gwen asked. Trent shrugged.
5.. 4.. 3.. 2.. 1.. Ding!
The glass box raised up and the concentrated block of gas rolled onto the audience, everybody started to gag and cough. Chris covered his arm and said in a nasally voice,
"Did she make it? Or do we need to clear her a trip to the E.R.?" A drumroll presented itself and the purple fog began to clear up.
Anne Maria popped out of the shadow and posed. "Hah! Made it." Anne Maria sprayed her hair again.
"Wow." Chris waved his hand away. "I'm surprised you're still alive. Seriously, that was crazy. And a little messed up." He pointed up.
"Let's see if Grand Master Chef found that entertaining at all." The spoon ranked up to five points.
"What? Only five?" Anne Maria shouted. "How-" Chris pushed her off the stage.
"Alright, quit hogging the light." Anne Maria fell off "Wah!" and was dumped onto Tyler's lap. Lindsay ran up in a light fury.
"Hey- sit on your OWN boyfriend!"
"Your own what Lindsay?" Heather asked.
"I didn't say boyfriend!" She smiled quickly.
"Alright everyone, go breathe a bit. We need to clear the stage out a bit. In the meantime we'll take a short break to host the joint down."
*static*
Anne Maria: Hmph! Only five points.. Why don't you try breathing in only hair spray for five minutes straight.
*static*
Chris: Please don't.
*static*
Anne Maria: ..and is Chef blind or somethin'? I was posing and everything too! What, did they not see me?
*static*
"Welcome back to the TDI talent extravaganza! And we're back and breathing! First up for the Killer Bass- make some noise for the big guy: D.J.!"
D.J. graciously entered the stage and pranced around with his ribbon. He made a tornado with the swirl and frolicked through it. His feet however, got caught in the ribbons and he fell to the ground. The team cringed.
He waddled a bit until he snapped the ribbon out and it fell over his sheepish face.
"Dainty and yet masculine." Chris walked back on. "Let's see what Grand Master Chef thinks!" Two points dinged.
"Not much." Chris answered. D.J. sulked out.
"So with two down and four acts to go, it's the Screaming Gophers screaming ahead! Next on deck, Beth! Take it away!"
Beth walked in with the two stick burning lightly. She began to twirl one, then the other. Then they both synchronized and became two glowing balls of heat. The Gophers cheered. Beth hopped on one foot to the next, then threw up the two sticks.
The team gasped, some covering their eyes. One fell backstage towards a brooding Courtney and Trent.
"Now what? D.J. only scored two measly points! How are we going to do this?" She covered her face. The flaming meteor plunged into an empty crate there, and they both screamed.
"Where did that come from?" Trent shrieked. Out of nowhere, and almost on cue, Justin unfurled one of the curtains behind and jumped out with a fire extinguisher. The fire on his sunglasses, the foam lathered onto the crate until all the fire was gone. He threw aside the can and then flicked off the sunglasses. Then he dramatically flipped his hair, blowing in the nonexistent wind.
Everyone stood still for a moment, before Courtney walked up. "Okay- we got our second act. Any objections?" Everyone shook their head. "Good. Justin, you're up." Justin flashed his teeth at the camera.
Meanwhile, at the same time, the second flying stick whizzed by Chris's head and pummeled into the center of the ground between the bleachers. It fizzled out. Chris poked his head up, a strand of hair on fire. Annoyed, he put it out.
"Thank you Beth for almost killing me." Chris looked at her. She chuckled timidly. "Well, let's see what the Chef-o-meter has to say about this."
The spoon dinged up to an eight.
"What?!" Chris and Beth both said. The Screaming Gophers whooped. "Is it because it almost hit me?" Chris angrily called out. Chef could be heard cackling in the distance.
"I CAN HEAR YOU. Hmph. Fine, the Screaming Gophers win eight points." They all clap again.
"Next is the Killer Bass! Can they catch up to the Gophers? Let's find out!"
Justin walked out just in the nick of time and the Killer Bass applauded. His back turned, the spotlight shone on him. A rope fell behind him. Catchy music played as he turned and began to go from pose to pose, modeling. Camera flashes took his picture as he blew a kiss. On a stool now, he arched back and pulled on the rope, dropping water all over him. He flipped forward and his wet hair fell over his face in a model messy fashion. His teeth shone.
*static*
Owen: There are two syllables for hot. Jus and Tin. Man that guy is just so hot I could kiss him! He stopped. I mean- d'oh why'd I say that?!
*static*
Justin stood smiling, standing on the puddle of water. Chris walked up clapping,
"Okay, I don't know what that was but daaang you've got some moves dude!" The Chef-o-meter dinged a seven. The Killer Bass clapped.
"The Killer Bass gained seven points, for a total of nine points. But it's not enough to pull ahead of the Screaming Gophers who have thirteen. So, without further delay, for the last round for the Gophers is Heather!"
Heather walked up snobbishly with hands behind her back. She sat on a stool.
"Originally, I was going to dance for you. But instead, I want to celebrate our two team's comradeship with a collaboration." She pulled out the diary. Gwen squinted and jumped.
"She wouldn't." She reeled back as Heather cleared her voice.
"So, with words by Gwen. Performance by me. Enjoy. Ahem. 'Okay, so I'm trying to ignore him but he's just so cute! If they had custom ordered a guy to be a distraction for me here, it would've been McHottie." Lindsay gasped, fearful. Cody laid back with a grinning nod, pointing at him.
"We just totally connect, he's pretty much the only person I can relate to here and I know it's a cliche, but I love guys who play guitar!"
"Wait, I don't play guitar." Cody said. He looked over to Trent sitting next to him, who was fixing up his guitar. They looked at each other.
Gwen slid off the bleacher to the side with a squeak, and ran away, humiliated.
Heather smirked. "Thank you!" She shut the book.
"That was so mean." Zoey said to Kitty, who just nodded.
"Seriously."
The Chef-o-meter went to a dinging four.
"Well then, it's down to the final act of the night. Can the Killer Bass, who have decided to keep the next contestant a secret, turn it around and beat the Gopher's seventeen points? I seriously doubt it. Let's find out!"
Behind stage, Courtney freaked out again. "Now what? We have to send someone out there, or we're going to lose!" Courtney shook Duncan by the shoulders.
"Trent's guitar is smashed! And we all already know Tyler sucks."
"Calm down princess, that leaves Scott, Izzy, Cody and Harold." Duncan listed off. "Scott just literally eats dirt, what about the rest?"
"Izzy's snake dance? No way! And Cody just spits out cheesy pick-up lines! What can you do?"
"Carve a picture of my skull into a tree?" Duncan offered.
"Aagh!" Courtney screamed. "What are we going to do?!" They both peeked out from the curtains and looked at Harold, who was picked at his underwear.
They looked at each other apprehensively.
Soon, Harold was on stage with a microphone stand. He looked to the two at the sides.
"Just- go for it Harold." Courtney said.
"Yeah man, you've got nothing to lose." Duncan called.
Harold took in a breath.
"PBROO." He sounded into the mic. "PBROO. PBROO- KKHKKH CHI! PBROO." He was beatboxing. Accumulating the complexity of the beat, by the end was mixing about ten different notes all clashing together into a upbeat noise. Scott was in the back, growling.
*static*
Scott: Really? Are you kidding me? -No, I did not destroy Courtney's violin for nothing! ... and Trent's guitar. We are losing, and we are losing tonight!
*static*
Scott snuck up to the cord where the mic was, and with a good chop he cut it neatly. Sparks fizzed out and a rogue current traveled the line all the way to Harold's mic. It shocked Harold in mid-beat and shook him for a good five seconds before running out. Greyed out and his hair fried, he coughed once and fell over. "Boo-yah." He slammed to the ground.
"No!" Courtney shook.
Chris walked up to Harold. "Uhh, you good dude?" Harold coughed out a puff of smoke. "Well, guess that wraps things up!"
"That's not fair! It was a technical difficulty!" Courtney cried out.
"Well, guess you should've prepared more huh?"
"Auugh!"
"So, the beat was pretty wicked Harold, but the ending was a little shocking. Hehe." He laughed at his own pun. "Let's see what the Chef-o-meter has to say." The spoon ringed up to a six.
"Good, but not good enough. By two points- the Screaming Gophers win! They all cheer as the Killer Bass groan.
"Killer Bass, pick your favorite loser and I'll be seeing you at the bonfire tonight."
*static*
Heather: People thought I was mean to Gwen. Whatever. If it weren't for me, we would've lost. As for the person behind the curtains, because I'm not daft, I've narrowed it down to either Izzy or Scott. Whoever it is, keep. It. Up. Heather grinned.
*static*
Courtney sulked down the stairs. Scott ran up to her.
"Hey Courtney! Remember when I saved you from getting eliminated?"
"Yeah. So what?" She sighed.
"Well, I want that favor repaid now."
"Hm?"
"I want you to vote for Justin."
"Justin? But why?"
"Becaauuse... he was the one who broke your violin!"
"What?!" Courtney exclaimed. "But why?"
"Didn't you notice? He wanted to take the spotlight and the stage real bad. He sabotaged your violin, Trent's guitar, AND Harold's cord." Scott crossed his arms.
"But then, why did he do all of that when he just had to do away with one?"
"Uhm, guess he's greedy." Scott shrugged. Duncan looked behind the two as they walked and talked, squinting.
*static*
Duncan: Harold's accident was through a broken cord? How'd he know that? He pointed to the camera. I've got my eye on you man. I would talk to Justin and the dudes about it but, meh. Not my style.
*static*
Scott: Since Courtney owes me one, I convinced her to vote off Justin. I promised Cody I'd get him with Gwen if he did too. The guy's hopeless! He jeered.
*static*
Cody was making his way to the bonfire, but then spotted Gwen walking into the cabins. He waved with a dorky smile, but she just turned away and shut the door.
"Ooh, bad time huh." Cody saw Scott came up behind him over his shoulder.
"I'll try to get you with Gwen." He offered.
"Wha- really?" Cody turned, jumping.
"IF you do me one favor." Scott smirked.
*static*
Scott: -it was a lot easier than I thought. And Izzy was just crazy enough to agree.
*static*
Izzy: -and then Harold went all BTTZZ and it was so funny! Heehee- and then Chris said that it was shocking. Hahahaha - Izzy suddenly turned serious and angry. - I WANTED TO SAY THAT. She breathed in and out angrily. Nah! It's all cool! Heeheehaha!
*static*
The waters shimmered from the moonlit night, the stream leading up to the bonfire. Chris stood in front of the teens, who had already received their marshmallows.
"Kudos to you all for an incredible night of entertainment! Music, drama- man did sparks fly." Chris snickered.
"There is only one marshmallow left on this plate." The last two campers were Justin and D.J.
"Justin, you reminded us all that looks matter a lot. And D.J., you tried." D.J. looked down.
"I got nervous man!"
"Justin I personally think this is very wrong. But tonight, hotness just wasn't enough. The last marshmallow goes to... D.J." He jumped up and grabbed it, sighing. Justin slouched.
"Time to catch the Boat of Losers brah." He walked off to the dock.
"Hehehe, smell ya later 'brah'." Scott snickered.
The group finished their marshmallow and headed back to the cabins. The two angriest were Courtney and Gwen. Courtney, because this was "pathetic". And Gwen because... well...
*static*
Gwen: If that, evil little cow thinks she's getting away with this, she has another thing coming.
*static*
Gwen knocked on boy's door and Harold opened it. "Did you say your brought a red-ant farm with you?"
"Yes." He said.
"AUUUGGHHH!" Heather barged out the door screaming her lungs out, swatting away at the red ants all over her hair, face and body. She tripped.
"Sweet dreams everyone." Gwen curled up and smiled in her bunk, listening to Heather's screams, into the night.