So, new week! This is probably one of the themes I've been most looking forward to writing; I feel like I have some great ideas and twists, especially for the music video! But, we need to start somewhere, so lets get to it! Here we go.

Penny wakes up to darkness. She groans, eyes adjusting to the light. From her position, she can see silhouettes of people sleeping around her. As her vision comes into focus, she sits up, rubbing her eyes and looking at the clock on her ipod.

4:58

She glances around the room, her gaze falling on an empty bed, then going to the ajar door. She swings her legs over the bed as quietly as possible, slipping her feet into her fuzzy slippers. When she stands, she calmly makes her bed, occasionally glancing back, hoping not to wake anyone else. She grabs her dressing gown and slides it on, wrapping the tie around her waist and pulling it tightly. The girl then tiptoes out of the room, feeling an odd sense of deja vu. The memories of the recent events come flooding back and Penny stumbles at the stairs, eyes welling up at the mere thought of her friend.

He's gone.

That fact sinks into her system and the girl feels numb, sliding down the wall, defeated. For a moment, Penny holds her head in her hands, thinking that if she wished hard enough, Max would come be downstairs, drinking a foul cup of tea or playing his out of tune guitar too loud.

But that's not how it works, is it? Nothing lasts forever, no matter how hard you hope for it to.

Feeling groggy, Penny clambers to her feet and pads down the stands, most of her wait being supported by the bannister. Quietly, she pushes the door in front of her open, peering inside. There Chesney sits, tears falling freely down her face, hands clasped around her knees. The blonde looks at the door, blinking rapidly.

"Penny?" She says, her voice barely a whisper. Penny slips in through the door, settling on her knees and putting her hands over Chesney's cold ones.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry," Penny removes one of her hands, brushing some strands out of her face.

"What for?" The ginger girl asks, perplexed. Chesney stands up, followed shortly by Penny.

"For you losing Max, I feel really bad. Just kind of... numb, like it's not really real life. Do you understand what I'm saying?" The girl explains, her voice regaining normality.

"I understand everything. Come on, let's go back upstairs, yeah?" Penny takes Chesney's hand and leads her up the stair case, the door creaking open when they reach it. Both girls clamber into bed and share a smile in the dark before falling into a peaceful sleep until the sunlight streams through the window and everyone wakes up, oblivious to the early morning events.

"Orange juice?" Ace asks West and Cindy who perch on the breakfast bar. After being in the bottom, no one can deny that the two remaining contenders are like new people, with a new found confidence and drive.

"Nah," Cindy replies, scrunching up her nose. West chuckles quietly at her, watching her intently.

"I'm good, thanks though man," Ace smiles modestly, pouring himself a glass and making his way over to the couch.

"Hey guys!" Jaia exclaimed, eyes bright. Immediately, Pierce spins round in his seat, grinning at her.

"Morning," he acknowledges, cocking his head fliratiously.

"I swear you just flirt with anything that moves," Jenna scoffs, rolling her eyes. Pierce shrugs, still smiling broadly.

"Oh yeah? That's rich coming from the person who tried to sed-"

"LALALALALA WE DON'T NEED TO HEAR THAT STORY AGAIN!" Cindy shouts, fingers plugged firmly in her ears,bouncing in her seat. A collective laugh echoes around the room and Jenna frowns, crossing her arms while glaring at Pierce.

"Oh god everyone, sheild your eyes, it's Monday morning Medusa!" I screeches, hiding his face behind a striped pillow, unaware that Jaia stands behind him. She takes his pillow, hitting him on the head with it.

"Wow, what a gentleman!" Cindy jokes, flicking through her book on the counter, sniggering with West.

"Prick," Jaia quipped, hitting Pierce on the head again.

"Slut!" He shoots back between girlish giggles, trying to block the heavy attack on his head.

"Dick head!"

"Skank!"

"Crap hole"

"B*tch"

"Ungrateful little sh*t"

"Whore"

"Mother fu-"

"OKAY, I think we've had enough of that!" Emily squeaks, snatching the pillow from Jaia and throwing it in Jack's direction.

"Yeah, that's my job!" Jack wailed, plucking the loose threads from the cushion, engrossed. From behind, the door opens, revealing Robert in a checked shirt and faded denim jeans, smiling with a welcome look, his brown eyes warm.

"Robert's here!" Cindy shouts, and there is an immediate bombardment of noisy movement as the remaining contenders rush in, Ollie coming in last.

"I'm always last," he mutters bitterly, stropping down on the couch.

"Hey guys, so... you've made it through your first eviction, how do you feel?"

"Kind of numb," Penny admits, looking at her hands.

"Empty,"

"Guilty"

"Upset, but I kind of want it more now, like it's suddenly become real." Ace finishes, and Robert nods, understandingly.

"Well, it's lovely to see how comfortable you are with each other. This will prove to be useful for this weeks theme, you'll need to rely on each other for support a lot in this coming time period. Your theme is something you must learn for any job you go to do, but especially in a profession like this. Your theme is..."

"Adaptability." Robert announces, and everyone reacts in different ways. Most are excited, but some try to mask their nerves, failing.

"So, your homework assignment is a really great song. It is... Choices, by the Hoosiers!" Apart from a few, everyone nods uncertainly, pretending to know the song.

Robert takes this opportunity to scan the group.

I think this will be tough for these guys, but they'll pull through. I know they will.

He can't help but think, passing out the lyrics sheets and leaving, closing the door behind them.