Bike building. Races. Okay. Thanks for reviewing, lordgemini and Gucci Mane LaFlare.

So when it got to breakfast time at the mess hall the next day, I was probably really twitchy. I hadn't been able to concentrate on my yoga and the stretches were a mess. Heather didn't say anything ,but she didn't need to. That smug little smirk she sent in my direction said it all.

Lindsay took another route. When I accidentally lost my balance and ended up flat on my face, she jumped up with a cry of "Omigosh, are you okay?"

"Fine," I managed to mumble through a mouthful of…um, wood…even though I don't swing that way. "Thanks for asking."

I stumbled through the usual shower and makeup routine, not really looking at anyone, freaking out inside the whole time.

Then, finally, I got up my courage, got my tray, had Chef put something on my plate, and went to sit next to Leshawna. She already had Gwen on one side, but her other side was empty. Bridgette, who was on the other bench, winked at me and gestured.

I smiled a thanks at her and plonked myself down, trying my best to seem relaxed. I don't think I succeeded.

Leshawna turned to smile at me, but she looked a little concerned as she saw the way I looked. "You okay, girl?" she asked. "What's up?" I must have looked worse than I felt. I was all shaky, almost nauseous.

I just have to get this out, I thought to myself. "Um…" I stammered. "Well…there was something I wanted to say to you, but I'm kind of nervous about what you'll think when I say it."

Leshawna's eyes lit up. Her expression didn't change, but I could tell just then that she had some idea of where I was going.

I couldn't even look at her as I mumbled what I had to say "Um…you know those notes you got? I…um…they're from me. All the ones that weren't from Harold. I wrote them. I didn't know how you'd react, but I had to let you know what I was thinking, so I started writing them. What I'm saying is, well, I meant everything I said in them. That's what I wanted to say."

Leshawna spoke gently. "Hey, you can look at me," she said in a quieter voice than usual. "I'm not judging like some people do."

I slowly lifted my head and made tentative eye contact with her. She was grinning. "I knew it was you. At least, I was almost sure it was, especially after that last note. First of all, I knew you had the guts to say it sometime. I just figured you wouldn't be ready to hear from me until you did say it, so I didn't say anything. Second, I wouldn't have even considered asking you out if you hadn't been able to come and say it straight out – and you said it with everyone here. That takes real grit, especially when you didn't know how I'd react." She paused, and added "And I don't rule people out because gender similarities, gay dating is unusual, whatever – we're all humans, right?"

"So what happens now?" I asked in little more than a whisper.

Leshawna gave me a warm smile. "Did you want the same as Harold?"

I managed a giggle. "Gwen told me you decided you moved too fast with him. If you're going to go back on it afterwards, no, I don't want you to kiss me."

Leshawna smiled again. "You gave me, like, the whole of last week to decide. I've known for a while, and if I have to be totally honest, I always thought you were kind of cute. I've always been into those types – you've got your own sense of style, you're smart and of course, your notes show that you adore me. That's not easy to resist. If you want some sugar now, we can follow it up later."

I smiled shakily. "I guess, now everyone knows already…" By this point, everyone in the mess hall was watching, including Chris and Chef, "I might as well have the entire viewing world seeing my first kiss, too."

Let me tell you, a first kiss is not like in the movies. You don't know what a lips kiss is going to feel like, and it's nerve-wracking, not knowing if you're doing it right. But it wasn't as worrying as I thought. I just copied what she was doing, applying some light pressure and just letting our lips press until it felt like time to stop.

When the kiss was over, Bridgette and Gwen grinned at both of us, DJ mouthed "Congratulations" at me, Owen actually applauded, and then Geoff joined in. "We could double date sometime!" he suggested.

Leshawna answered for both of us. "Yeah, maybe. But when we get the chance to have our first date, I kinda want to have this baby girl all to myself!" she said, putting an arm around my shoulders, half casual, half possessive.

I said nothing, but I could feel my lips stretching into a smile that I couldn't stop, even if I tried. My brain was basically candyfloss at this point, on a sugar high that made my emotions shoot up, too. I'd stopped worrying. The idea that I'd actually gotten exactly what I wanted as soon as I went for it was so amazing, I barely believed it myself.

That's exactly what I said when I visited the confessional for the first time in ages. "That worked out better than I could hope for. I mean, I almost feel like I made this up myself. The girl of my dreams just happens to show up on this reality show that only accepted twenty-two of us and then, when I tell her just how much I like her, she lets me ask her out. And I don't know what most people's first kiss is like, but I'm happy to experience it again."

We didn't start acting like a couple immediately, of course, not in front of everyone else. Lindsay and Heather went off sunbathing together while the rest of us played Frisbee. Neither of them said a word to either of us, but I wasn't really afraid of what they'd say anymore. There were nine of us, and if Heather started in on me, I had six allies, and there was no way Lindsay would be enough back-up compared to mine.

It was getting late into the morning when Chris called us to the "Arts and Craft" centre. "It used to be an outhouse," he admitted, "But now it's where Chef parks his roadhog." All of the guys absolutely loved the motorcycle inside (actually, I thought it was pretty cool myself). Basically, our challenge – well, the first part – was to build our own bicycle. We even got a manual, despite the mould growing on it.

"Where does this go?" Leshawna said, staring at one of the pieces we'd been given to construct our bikes.

"That's the pedal," Gwen told her. "Haven't you ever ridden a bike before?"

"Of course I've ridden a bike before! I've just never built one from scratch, that's all. There's too many pieces."

The guys still had their alliance, even though the leader and founder was gone, and Gwen reminded Leshawna of it. "And it looks like Heather and Lindsay are still sharing a brain, which means it's us against them."

I giggled at this point, but I was sympathetic to Leshawna. "Hey, I could help you build one if you like. I think I know where I'm going with this."

Leshawna smiled at me. "Thanks, hon, but you go ahead and build yours. This is still a competition, and I'm in this for myself, just like everyone else."

I built my bike fairly fast. It was pretty patchwork, but at least it looked like a bike, and it rode like any other one. That's all I'd really wanted out of my look. Leshawna had started on…something…by the time I got back. It didn't look much like it would go anywhere, but at least it was something to show.

Everyone else managed something like mine. Chris judged all of them. "Excellent aerodynamics, Heather," was his first comment. It was a thin but sturdy looking thing with 'serious cyclist' vibes.

"It only weighs two ounces," Heather said proudly.

Gwen and I spoke in sync. "Like her brain." We exchanged looks and grins.

Gwen's bike had wings. She'd given it a gothic look. "Spooky, yet practical," Chris commented. "Well done."

Next was mine. "I'd prefer something a little more flashy," Chris admitted, "But I suppose it's functional."

Lindsay had made a purple bike with a horse head. She'd been planning to make her dream bike, and she demonstrated her bell. It was just a normal one, but she explained that the bike she'd wanted neighed instead of ringing normally. Not sure how ringing the normal bell was supposed to do anything, but it was Lindsay, after all.

Owen had made his with a low centre, but it looked fun to ride. Chris seemed reasonably impressed,

DJ had spent more time on a knight's helmet and pads for protection. Chris was not impressed with the effort he'd made on the actual bike. "Dude, seriously? This is lame."

Geoff had stuck a sketch of Bridgette at the front of his skinny bike. Bridgette looked half pleased, half embarrassed. Her own bike looked more like mine, but blue and it fit together better.

As for Leshawna's…well, Chris looked at it and said "Yeah…maybe we should just take you out of the bike race entirely. You're lucky this part of the challenge wasn't an immediate elimination." I felt so bad for her, but it made me even more determined to win the race.

Until Chris told us we had to switch bikes. At least I got Lindsay's, which looked pretty functional.

The eight of us lined up, me on Lindsay's bike, Lindsay on Heather's, Heather on DJ's, DJ on Geoff's, Geoff on Gwen's, Gwen on Owen's, Owen on Bridgette's, and Bridgette on mine. Any bike that got to the finish line allowed the creator to ride for invincibility later on.

So what happened? Well, Lindsay's bike was surprisingly safe and easy to ride. Heather soon discovered she couldn't get DJ's bike to move, poor DJ himself found Geoff's bike coming apart partway, and then Geoff crashed into him, followed by Heather, who'd resorted to pushing DJ's bike.

I did not crash, I need to say that. Lindsay's bike wouldn't have let me. I just got into a panic when Lindsay, on Heather's bike, accidentally veered in front of me. I braked hard to avoid hitting her, and ended up falling to the side. I wasn't hurt since it was a sand speedway, and I got up in time for no other bikes to hit me, but it was enough to be disqualified, Lindsay's bike with it.

The other four bikes survived. It looked like Bridgette, Heather, Owen and I were all going to get to ride.

"Sorry, Linds," I said guiltily.

Lindsay looked disappointed, but she managed a smile. "Hey," she said, "You didn't break it. I get to keep it, don't I?'

We hadn't known beforehand what was going to happen. It was actually better if you didn't get to ride for invincibility. As Chris explained, we had to cross landmines, an oil slick and a piranha pool, and the last one to cross the finish line won. If you didn't finish the race because of a wipeout (which he explained was likely), that didn't count as crossing the line at all. So basically, the rule was to either win, or not be the last to cross.

So how did I do? Well, I finished the race. And I came second. Heather won, again. But Owen had hit a landmine and Bridgette had slipped in the oil, so I was still last to cross the line. That was it for me.

"Oh well," Heather said mockingly. "Too bad, huh? Not that a tacky little pixie like you could have ever won this game anyway. Tacky trash, that is. No wonder that's also what you have a taste for."

Okay, that was over the line. Calling me tacky was one thing. Calling me trash was another. Calling my girlfriend tacky and trashy? Confrontation was still a fear, but I couldn't stand for that.

I drew myself up as high as I could (still a bit shorter), and hissed "You say one more thing about my girl, and Lindsay knows everything you've said about her. And I'll tell her what your favourite name for her means, too." (Her favourite name for Lindsay, by the way, was "Lindsiot", a clear insult to her intelligence).

Okay, I admit it. I told Lindsay anyway, even though Heather didn't actually say anything more. She just scoffed and walked away. The blonde didn't seem to buy it, saying that BFFs were there to call names and borrow clothes off of.

"At least open your eyes," I pleaded. "You can stay friends with Heather if you want, but listen to her, and if she says anything mean or does anything mean, you'll know she's not a real friend. I know she'll dump you as soon as she thinks she doesn't need you."

As it was, I had to board the Boat of Losers at sunset, packed. I said goodbye to Bridgette and Gwen first. "Thanks for supporting me, you guys. I don't think I would have made it through even a week without you."

Both of them gave me a hug.

"Keep in touch," Gwen told me.

"Friends forever," Bridgette added. "See you at the finale."

I gave DJ a more heartfelt goodbye. "You were my first friend on this island. I don't know if I could have lasted my first day if I hadn't known you'd be there for me. I really hope you're in the finale."

DJ smiled. "Girl, stop, you're making me blush," he joked. He almost lifted me off my feet with a hug.

I didn't say as heartfelt a goodbye to Owen and Geoff, but I smiled and thanked them, as I liked both. "And Lindsay," I added to the blonde, "Remember what I said." Then I turned to face Heather. "Karma's coming for you," I said in a perky tone. "I think you'll hate her."

"Whatever, dyke," Heather muttered, glaring at me. I'd known it was coming, but as the girls had said, I felt like she wasn't saying it because she really thought lesbians were wrong, just that it was an insult.

"Yeah, if you want to insult me, you have better slurs than that," I joked. "I know you don't really care who I like, so don't even bother with the names." Heather scowled, but said nothing. She looked slightly uncomfortable, though, so I guessed what I'd said was right – she didn't have anything against all lesbians, just me.

Finally, it was time to say goodbye to Leshawna. "I know I told DJ I hoped he was in the finale," I whispered to her, "But I hope you win. And take me out to the best restaurant in Canada – I like Chinese."

Leshawna laughed. "I'll miss you, baby girl. But I'm totally going to get through and win this thing. See you." And she pulled me into a long hug, followed by another kiss. And now I knew a bit more, I enjoyed it more, too.

Everyone waved as I left Total Drama Island behind.

But it's not the end! I don't know – did it seem like Peyton was going home? She did confess to Leshawna at the start, but I was wondering about giving them more time together. I had half a mind to push the confession back to last chapter, but whatever. She's out now. I feel like this was the best place to take her – let her outlast one enemy by a tiny bit, but keep her well into the merge. I think this was around the start of Week 6, so that's around two thirds of the competition. And hey, she can say she was in the top 9 without having to return. That's something.