Lol forget what I said about last chapter, this one is fire. Drama to the max, honestly. Don't mind the cliché that you're about to read at the end of this chapter, it's something that I've always wanted to use and this was the perfect opportunity. Enjoooooy!
The following morning, Ally wakes to something she hadn't seen yet the whole time she had been on the island; Austin had awakened before her. His sleeping bag was lying empty next to hers and so was Drew's. Rebecca and Oliver were still sound asleep. She decides not to think much of it and shrugs it off, knowing it wouldn't be long until the boat would come and pick them up. Getting up, she starts mentally and physically preparing herself. After a quick swim to feel even the slightest bit of refreshing and some preparation exercise, she gets dressed. If there was one thing she would kill for by now, it was a normal shower. She was starting to see the effects of the salt water on her hair and skin. They did give her shampoo and soap, of course, but still.
After taking an hour to fish on her personal rock to calm her rising nerves, she sees Austin coming out of the jungle with Drew, both holding a small bunch of bananas they had found. They hadn't talked about whatever happened last night that was a consequence of the wine and the campfire, and she wasn't planning on bringing it up now, but she was still curious whether he even experienced it like she did.
"Hey," she says as soon as she's close enough to him. No response. "I think today's test will be tiring," Ally continues, blaming his silence and a permanent frown on his face on possible morning grumpiness. He kneels down in front of the supply chest to place the fruit inside as Ally lays a hand on his shoulder. "How are you feeling?"
"Why do you care?" Austin asks in response, a certain amount of frustration noticeably in the raise of his voice as he stands up swiftly, moving his shoulder roughly as a clear sign that Ally's hand isn't wanted anywhere near him.
"Is everything okay?" She gasps and steps back in fear, not recognizing this aggressive form Austin had suddenly changed into.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Letting out a sarcastic chuckle that perfectly matches his hostile form. "Will you be using that information against me again?"
"Wha-what do you mean with that?" She stutters, but when she catches Drew's smug grin, it all falls into place.
"There was someone who felt like it was time that I knew the truth about you," closing the lid of the chest with brutal force, he catches the attention of anyone who hadn't noticed the scene yet. "Always nice to find you you're lied to by someone you trust."
"Austin, I can explain," she desperately tries to calm him down, trying to find an excuse for the mistake she made, but fails.
"Save it, Ally," without hesitation, he effortlessly pushes her to the side. He stops his pace after taking a few steps, bringing the slightest bit of hope back to Ally. "You know, you could've just told me." Ally nods, realizing that had been the best thing to do, except that, the closer she had started to feel to him, the more she had told herself he couldn't, and never would, know. After quickly looking at her from top to bottom, reminding her of how he had scanned her the first day they met, he just shakes his head disappointedly. "How could you just watch my daughter like that and not feel the slightest bit guilty?"
"I wanted to tell you, I really did!" Her eyes start to water as she feels the friendship they had managed to build up, crumble apart in front of them.
He diverts his eyes, not being able to stand her sadness, even after all of this, though had he told himself he was immune to it. "Don't bother counting on my help later," he mumbles, walking away from her.
"Today, you will have to combine your strength with your drive to win," the group was standing in front of a long course, some obstacles with big nets spread out horizontally and, at the very end, five large baskets with all the candidate's names on them. The test seemed fairly clear, only one detail was new to them. The usual sand that had become their home by now was now replaced by long, tough grass. "Hidden in the grass, you will find a large number of coconuts. Your job is to collect four while making your way to the finish line and put them in your basket. There's just one problem. The total number of coconuts is nineteen. That means one of you won't be able to complete the test. That person will receive the black vote."
Now everyone starts to realize what he meant with 'your drive to win'. If they wanted to even have a chance to complete the test, they had to be very fast to collect enough coconuts. Unless...
"I also have to add that there are no rules. If you find yourself with too few coconuts, maybe your rival has some you can kindly borrow," the presenter says suggestively. "Be cautious of your collection. Be creative, there are no limits."
Ally had tried to make contact with Austin, but he had not granted her the acknowledgement of her existence after his confrontation. She had to forget about it for now. If she couldn't make herself fully focus on the game, she wouldn't stand a chance. Especially knowing there were enough candidates who seemed ready to gladly push her over to make her hard work meaningless.
"Ready, set, go!" Everyone sprinted away, seeming to have their tactic already thought out. Ally had a different plan, though. You see, if everyone is planning on collecting the coconuts lying near the finish, there would never be enough for everyone. The safe choice, the one Ally chose as she had easily anticipated the problem, was to gather her four coconuts at the start and then casually making her way to the finish. If everything went as planned, the rest would be too busily occupied searching in the grass to notice her slipping through.
As the other four hurry over the nets, slightly rougher than usual, Ally takes her time to find the lightest coconuts. Seeing the others are already at the end, she feels safe enough to throw the coconuts over the obstacles before climbing over them herself. Unable to hold all four, she carries three and kicks one through the grass with her bare feet, which hurts quite a bit. Because she's too busy keeping her eyes on the coconut on the ground, she doesn't notice the stretched out leg in front of her until she trips over it.
She had been right, at least slightly, about the fact that the rest wouldn't pay attention to her. Nobody had seen her, except for one rather tall man. She had to drop the coconuts in order not to let her body crash down on them and she was now lying in the grass, a mean pain in her ankle as he hovers over her.
"Austin?" Her mouth drops open, refusing to believe he would actually sabotage her like that after they had spent weeks pulling each other through whatever test they had faced.
"Come on, princess. Don't be dramatic. It's just a game," he rolls his eyes in amusement before taking one of her coconuts. After a mocking bow, he makes his way to the finish and drops his collection in the basket.
"Austin is the winner!" She hears, but she doesn't care anymore. She doesn't care about anything. Slowly getting up from the grass, she sees the rest finally having collected all the coconuts. Picking up her three, she follows them to the end, slightly limping. "I'm sorry, Ally. You will have the black vote at tomorrow's selection."
"Whatever." The tears that were hidden behind her eyes just a second ago had made place for a look filled with shameless disgust she was now sending Austin's way.
"The privilege today is something you all will be willing to murder for, probably. Austin, you get to spend a night in a small cottage with a nice dinner, a shower and, to top it off, a real bed with a mattress and pillows." They were simple things, but, after not having the luxury for a long time, everyone was practically drooling at the thought. "And you won't have to enjoy it alone. You can choose one other candidate to join you."
The chance that he would pick Drew was practically solid, Ally figures as she breaks her angry stare to roll her eyes. Crossing her arms and letting out an impatient sigh, wondering with how many bug bites and sore muscles she would wake up tomorrow, she misses how Austin smirks at her. The presenter nods, gesturing him to make a choice.
"Ally, care to join me?"
She didn't know if she had had the option to refuse, but, even if she did, she was too stunned to object. So, that's how she found herself entering the cottage on a white beach surrounded by torches. Two queen-sized beds with soft bedding were so white it hurt her eyes are placed next to each other. One door leads to an equally white bedroom and the other leads outside, to a small table, where dinner was already served.
They hadn't exchanged a single word since they got onto the boat. Ally decides he's not up to much conversation, besides still being too angry with him, and immediately enters the bathroom to take a deserved, long, hot shower, even though she's dying to figure out why he chose her to share the privilege with. After taking her time extensively washing her hair, she puts on her clean pyjamas and finds Austin already sitting at the dinner table. Sure, why would he wait for her?
Keeping silent, she takes place on the opposite of him and plainly stares at him as he avoids her eyes. After a few seconds, she starts her dinner as well, though she can't keep her mouth shut.
"You know, what you did was plain cruel." This makes him look up, for just a second until he keeps ignoring her. "The game might've allowed it, but it wasn't fair. Not to me."
"Then I guess we're even." He sounds and looks tired as he stands up, leaving half of his food uneaten. He was clearly referring to the fact she had taken his daughter from him without hesitation, which some might describe as unethical, but was just a normal day at work for her. It was like he had taken her here to lash out at her, but wasn't able to find the energy for it. Following him as she refuses to be shut up by his smart defence, she leans against the wall as she watches him open the suitcase he has laying on one of the beds.
"Are you going to explain why you took me here, while you still seem to be incredibly pissed at me?" She asks him impatiently, but he keeps quiet. "So you're just ignoring me?" After waiting for him to react for a whole minute, she's had it and concludes this is the time to tell him everything she's been wanting him to know ever since he didn't show up at the trial. "You know, it's your fault you lost custody."
"Excuse me?" This catches his attention, besides fuelling the anger in him as he turns around with fire in his eyes. "Because of you, I can only see my daughter once per week."
"You are a drug addict," Ally spits at him, shutting him up instantly. "Aren't you? There was enough convincing evidence for the judge that your ex-wife provided me with."
"Is there anything Amy didn't tell you about me?" Neither confirming nor denying the statement, he has to pull every strength not to yell at her. This only amuses Ally as she chuckles, seeing Austin think the conversation is over as he turns away again.
"I'm surprised this show even let you participate," she speaks, more to herself than to Austin, which still doesn't impress him much. He keeps casually digging through his suitcase as Ally decides to step it up a notch. "And I never had the chance to ask; was finding a way to get a line of coke in your nose more important than Ariella?"
"Enough!" Austin turns around again, this time stepping towards her to roughly put his flat hand to the wall above her head in order to scare her. And it works, for a second, at least. After she manages to narrow her widened eyes again, Ally looks him in the eyes unimpressed, feeling his heavy breath on her. "You don't know anything about me." He brings his face closer to hers to make an impact.
"I know enough," she tells him cockily. "I had forgiven you for your mistakes and, yes, I have contributed to the fact that your daughter could stay with her mother, but you are responsible for your own misery." Uncrossing her arms, she pricks his shoulder. "I'm not the one you should blame, you should blame yourself."
"Shut up." He tightens his jaw, finding himself leaning closer and swallowing as his gaze falls on her lips. The tension is unbearable as they just catch their breaths from the passed heated argument.
"Make me," Ally hears herself say, courage washing over her. It was obvious to anyone, including her and most likely Austin, too, that those were the two probably most suggestive words in the English dictionary and she found herself using them without hesitation, knowing what event they usually led to. She shortly bites her bottom lip before bravely looking into his eyes. "Prick."
She sucks in a breath before Austin crashes his lips on hers, having no mercy as he moves them fast and rough, sucking before letting his hands roam over her hips until he grabs the back of her thighs. Immediately wrapping her arms around his neck as her legs wrap themselves around his waist, her tongue enters his mouth. After a minute of battling, he pulls back slightly to whisper against her lips.
"You think you're so smart, don't you?" He mumbles in which Ally sucks on his bottom lip as a reply. "Little lawyer know-it-all, while you're actually so incredibly oblivious."
"Bite me." She finds herself leaning in more, missing his lips on hers. Smirking, he refuses to grant her desire.
"Gladly." Pushing her back against the wall, Austin leans down to cover the sensitive spot in her neck with his mouth, teeth gently scraping over the flesh before biting down mildly. Her head falls back as she sighs, pushing their hips together with her ankles, earning an uncontrollably loud grunt from Austin. Without wasting any more time, he turns them around and throws Ally on the free bed, hovering over her immediately. Both their hands are busy removing the other's clothing as their lips reattach. Luckily, the indoor cameras had stopped recording once they noticed the fight included personal details.
Finished the last chapter yesterday. You guys want a sequel? Idkidk who knows what'll happen. See you next week!
Guest chapter 6
Alright this is a great story what us your update schedule. Or is it just random - Hi! Thanks so much! I update weekly, every sunday around 10pm UTC+1.00 so make sure you keep an eye on your mail inbox or check the story around that time :)
ocean chapter 6
OMG THE FEELS!
This chapter may just be my favorite so far!
IT WAS SOOO AMAZING AND PERFECT AND BEAUTIFUL!
Now I really want Austin and his daughter to reunite and everything.
What's Austin's daughter's name? And what is his ex wife's name?
Thank you for this amazing chapter and I can't wait for next week! - THANK YOU! If you paid attention, you'll have noticed the names in this chapter!
ViaNearth11 chapter 5
My name's Via, but I hoped that you could use my BFF's name, Ariella. I think the name might fit well because Austin's a swimmer. - Thank you for giving me the amazing suggestion and letting me use your best friend's name. It fit perfectly!