Chapter Six-Angel's POV

When I think of a competition dating show, I think of things like… blindfolding the contestants and making them go on dates together. I think of a camera following a couple down a beach as they spill their secrets to each other, slowly falling in love. 

I did not think of what I was seeing in front of me currently. 

Me and the other cast members were currently standing in front of a mile long obstacle course. It had slopes to climb with ropes hanging down them, steep inclines with grooves for your feet to allow climbing, pools of pink colored slime with bars to swing across above them. 

“This is gonna be fun.” I looked up skeptically at Victor, who was next to me, a grin on his face as he took in the course. “What?” He asks, holding his hands out at the sides when he catches the look I was giving him.

“You call this fun?” I raise a brow. 

“You don't?” I roll my eyes at the impish grin he gives me, looking back to where Laura is approaching our group again. She had been talking to the camera crew, nagging at them more accurately. 

But it looked like it was time to do this thing.

“Alright guys! Who’s ready to roll!” Laura stops in front of us, that grin on her face as she claps her hands together. “Before we start filming, let’s go over a couple of things, yeah? Okay first of all, no one is being eliminated today.” 

There’s a collective sigh let out from the group, and I’m no different. If me staying in this thing boiled down to my physical prowess, I might be in trouble. 

“There will be a reward for the winner, however. And a teensy punishment for last place.” She continues, holding up a finger. “The next “activity” will be a partner situation so whoever wins, gets to pick their next partner. Fun, yeah? Last place will have to work alone, unfortunately.” She shrugs, making a weird pouty face. “ Okay, so some things about the course!” She moves to start walking along it and we take the cue and trail after her.

“Everything is padded, so we don’t have an ugly bruises.” She pointedly looks at Emily and Violet, who nod along gratefully. I notice she doesn’t look at me, but I try not to think about it too hard. “Please try not to throw any elbows, this isn't’t that kind of show, kids.” She smiles at us, but there was a warning in her eyes. 

Don’t screw with her show. 

“Oh and about this last bit.” She stops at the wide pool of pink slime and I gulp looking at it. It was like… ten feet long. Were we supposed to jump over it, swim through it? There were no handles above to swing on, no ropes or bars for balancing. “This bit is a new thing we’re trying. There’s a little tiny secret to it but no hints, sorry! Alright. Let’s do this!” She claps her hands and starts herding us back to the beginning. 

I glance at Victor who’s eyes linger on the pool of slime. It was a feat even for someone like him. It wasn’t just about being strong or whatever. I wonder what his plan for getting through it was. It was the last thing before the finish line so it could be make or break for a winner.

“Alright, everyone in a row, we’re rolling in ten.” Laura says, fluffing her hair as she stood in front of us, a giant camera pointed at her. 

I swallow nervously as I take a spot in the middle, my fists clenched at my sides.

To my left is Violet, to my right is Quinton. Their eyes were glued to the course, clearly ready to crush this thing. 

I glanced up to see Laura talking and smiling at the camera, gesturing to us, then moving to walk along the course and tell the camera about it. All I could hear was blood rushing in my ears though. God I’m so nervous. I didn’t think I was going to win today, that just wasn’t realistic for me. 

I just didn’t want to be last. I didn’t want to have to work alone in whatever torture Laura had thought up next for us.

“Alright guys! In three!” My eyes snap back to where Laura is beginning to countdown. There are cameras all along the course and more than one focused on the line of us right now. I avoid looking at any of them, trying to forget if I fail today, thousands of people will see it. 

I can’t let that happen.

“GO!” My mind is on autopilot as I feel my feet pushing off the ground at the sound of that one word being yelled. Adrenaline pumps through me as I bump into the shoulders of the people next to me as we all clamber to be the first up the first obstacle; a slanted wall with three ropes hanging down. 

The wind is knocked out of me as I’m pushed to the side right as I’m about to grab ahold of one of the ropes, and my teeth knock together as I fall to the ground. Padded as it may have been, it still didn’t feel great. 

I cough, sitting up to see Violet scaling the slope quickly, using the rope I had been going for. 

Guess that’s how this was. 

I shake my head, pull myself up, and keep going. My fall had slowed me down; I was now last. Everyone else was already over and onto the next thing. 

I cleared the slope and stopped at the top. There was a rope to the ground with a ziplining hook ready for me to grab onto and slide down. I waste no time to grab a hold, and push off. 

My heart is in my throat as I slide quickly down and fall with an “oomph” on the ground yet again. I bet the other’s totally stuck that landing. 

I stood up to look at what was next. Monkey bars over a bed of spikes, made of squishy material, but still. The message was clear: climb over using the monkey bars.

I grit my teeth as I saw the other’s widening the gap between us more and more. I wasn’t cut out for this. I was going to fail. 

I slapped myself on the cheeks a little, shook my head, and jumped up and grabbed the first monkey bar. 

I had to try.