Exiled

A figure came zooming toward the final platform on the zip line, and I squinted, trying to see if it was Lauren.

“That’ll be an instructor,” Rod said. “They send one first so they can help if you have trouble landing.”

He was right. It was an instructor, but the next person on the zip line was Lauren. I cheered, even though she probably couldn’t hear me. Five minutes later, she was on the ground, running toward me with a huge smile.

“I did it!” She flew into my arms and I spun her around. “And I only peed a tiny bit.”

I laughed, set her down, and kissed her forehead. “I knew you’d smash it.”

“I figured I’d go first and get it out of the way. Plus, Irina’s doing it, so I had to.”

I hugged her again, relieved that it was over.

All the other women finished the zip line course, and then the production assistants lined up the six remaining male contestants for the obstacle course. Adrenaline coursed through me as I waited for Josh to give the signal to go. Lauren had done her part. I sure as hell was going to do mine.

Josh gave the signal to start and we were off. I focused only on my lane of the obstacle course, jumping, crawling, flipping, and climbing. I could see Rod in my peripheral vision, but no one else was even close to me.

“You’ve got this, Archer!” Lauren yelled. “Finish strong!”

She continued cheering me on as I started the sprint, and I hauled ass, finishing first. Rod came in a close second, and three others finished behind him.

Which was only five. But there were six teams left.

“We have our five top finishers,” Josh announced. “I’m sorry to say that Maks fell on the hurdles and cut his forehead. He’s getting medical attention now and being checked for a concussion. As a team that was unable to complete the challenge, he and Irina have been eliminated from the competition.”

I met Lauren’s gaze and we shared a smile. Maks and Irina had finished behind us, but I hoped she’d still want to compete hard against the remaining teams. The money we were hoping for was well within reach now.

What would she do if she won half a million dollars? Would she go back to her teaching job? My life would stay the same whether we won or lost, but Lauren’s life could be very different after the show.

Did she want it to be different? The more time we spent together on this island, the more unanswered questions I had.

Once the fuss about Maks and Irina had passed, the remaining five teams were loaded up and driven to a new site where everything for the cookout was set up. Spirits were high as we ate, drank, and celebrated together. Lauren sat next to me during the meal, but then sat with the other female contestants on the beach later, all of them sipping piña coladas from coconut shells and chatting like old friends.

“What’s up with you two?” Rod asked me.

I shrugged. “Nothing.”

“Did she reject you?”

I gave him a look. “No.”

“Andrea rejected me. But I get it. Hooking up here doesn’t mean the same as back home. And she and I live in different states. We broke up for a reason…you know the drill.”

I nodded, watching Lauren as she laughed about something. She was so pretty when she laughed; the corners of her eyes scrunched up and got all wrinkly and her smile was nothing short of dazzling.

I did know the drill. Everything Rod had said applied to me and Lauren, too. Our time together would eventually come to an end and we’d return to our separate lives. And that would be easier if we kept things platonic for the rest of our time here.

Easier in the end, but right now, staying away from her was the most difficult challenge I faced.