Right. Rest day. Let's talk. Thanks for reviewing, blee7742 and iwashere01.

The next day was another break, so I spent it with my friends as usual. I was feeling a little annoyed, because my moisturizer had gone missing. I'd kept it in my soap bag, and I knew I hadn't misplaced it, but no one else seemed to have it.

"My skin just feels so dry without it," I complained. "It makes me feel like spots are about to break out all over my face."

Bowie actually took a long, piercing look at my face, then waved a hand. "You can let that worry go," he reassured me. "Your skin's good. You don't even need moisturizer, but I get it. You're used to it."

"It'll probably turn up soon." Emz said, also reassuringly. "I'll check I didn't pick it up accidentally."

That made me wonder. Had someone taken it? I told my friends of my suspicions. "I mean, Julia was in a real mood this morning. I wouldn't put it past her to take my stuff just to spite me. Maybe some kind of warning about not telling anyone what she's really like."

"No, I know what she's mad about," Emz said immediately. "Someone posted a video of her online from yesterday, and she's losing followers. She was looking at it last night."

That made sense. But that didn't make her innocent. It was definitely something she'd use. I decided to forget about it for the moment, and although my skin still felt dry to my fingers, we fell to talking about other things.

"So," Emz said mischievously, "Remember I offered to set you up with someone on here, Tansy? Any idea who you want me to put you with? How about Wayne? He's a cool guy, and I know he's straight. Or I wondered if Millie would go for it, but I'd have to find out if she's into girls."

I shrugged. "They're both cool. Pretty neutral on dating them. I don't know Millie that well yet, but that's cause I've only talked to her once. I'm not so into Wayne, but maybe If I got to know him when he's not with Raj, he might turn out to be my type. I don't think so, though."

"So, what is your type?" Emz asked.

"Funny and smart, I guess," I said, thinking. "Someone I can have fun with, as well as someone I can talk to. Someone who doesn't mind that I'm awkward and actually sees the real me. I don't want anyone who wants to argue all the time, but someone who I can be friends with when he or she isn't being romantic with me."

"Some people like awkwardness," Bowie spoke up. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I actually think it's cute, because if someone who likes me is awkward, it just means they're desperate for me to like them. Anyway, you aren't awkward all the time, you're just shy at first and that makes you less confident. You aren't awkward with us, especially now. You're not hard to get along with."

I smiled. "Thanks." Of course, he'd seen my shy side before we made friends.

Julia stayed in an angry mood all day. She was mostly curled up in her bunk, watching her phone. Apparently she was looking at her falling followers count. No one knew who had posted the video so far. I mean, I hadn't known that anyone else was around. All you could tell from the video, as I found when I daringly peeked over her shoulder, was that it was taken from above, so obviously the person had some knowledge on climbing trees.

In the evening, I managed to get a quick chance to talk to Priya. She was still training, doing push-ups so quickly I felt tired just watching her, but she talked at the same time. Millie wasn't around. "She's writing stuff down in her notebook," Priya explained to me. "I figured I'd get some more training in while she was busy." She paused, adding "I'm glad I've been getting to know her, actually. She was pretty quiet before we made friends, but now she's opened up. I don't know her that well yet, but she makes me laugh, so that's got to be good."

I smiled. "Yeah, she seems cool. Um…I hope you don't mind me asking, but, with you training all the time, do you ever get a chance to relax?"

Priya couldn't shrug while her body was in motion, but her tone implied she had. "Sometimes. My parents were insistent I learn to sleep in all kinds of conditions for the show so that I'm always well-rested, so I always get eight hours of rest, give or take. My parents used to monitor how much I trained when I was little, but," and at this point she sprang to her feet and grinned mischievously, "They trust me to do it under my own steam now. So sometimes I give myself an extra break or two. You know, just to read, or chat online. A few of the old contestants have accounts for Total Drama fans, so I've actually been able to talk to some of them. Have you seen Sierra from the old cast?"

The name rang a bell. "The superfan, right? The one with a massive crush on that one boy?"

Priya nodded. "That's her. She has fan sites up, and she still replies to comments. She told me that her mom wanted to do the same thing as my parents when she was young, but because Total Drama only started when she was fifteen, she didn't have much time and instead devoted all her time to learning about the other contestants."

"That makes sense," I said thoughtfully. "But just so you know, that's not why I'm talking to you. I'm talking to you because the merge can't be far away and I like talking to you."
Priya grinned. "Okay. Just checking," We both giggled, even though we both knew she hadn't meant to imply that. Then Priya added, "By the way, I should tell you this, girl to girl. I've seen you and Damien talking a lot. The other day, Millie was asking him about whether you two are just friends or if there's anything else, and he actually blushed a bit. I think he might like you more than you like him. Just don't tell anyone I told you."

I think I must have blushed, too. I really just intended to be friends with Damien. No other motives at all. But was something else just there, without anyone trying to make it happen? It wasn't as if I couldn't see myself with someone like him. Someone cool, chill, smart, funny, who had told me straight out that he liked me for the person I was. Maybe I wouldn't be a candidate for Emz's matchmaking livestream after all.

Then again, it might have been coincidence.

I have NOT planned for Tansy to fall for anyone. Tansy herself, however, may have other plans. She'll have to get back to me on that. Also, Primien fans, don't kill a fellow fan. I was rooting for them before Prileb came along. Maybe with Priya letting Tansy know her love life's chances this season, Tansy might have to return the favour…