The Challenge

Chapter Two

"Ladies, are you ready?" TJ hollers, motivating all the women to nod.

He blares that damn horn and everyone takes off again like horses at the track. This is the last heat and thankfully the second one was a breeze for her. Nobody wanted to wrestle against her, so everyone left her alone and went straight for the balls. Now, she's not so sure it will pan out the same way, not when there is only one ball and three girls left.

She is in the final heat with Tamara and Tink. There wasn't any time to talk strategy with her roommate, but she hopes the woman understands that this is a game. She refuses to show her cards so early and even though she would like to work as allies with her new friend, she can't allow the house to see her plan so early on.

Emma is the first to the ball, her heart leaping to her throat in anticipation of the wrestling she knows is sure to come. Tamara is there, waiting for her to emerge out of the swamp like she's too good to dip in those dirty waters. Tink is to Tamara's right, hands on her knees, gasping for air while she licks her mouth guard. Emma doesn't even think, she just makes a break for it like she's going to charge between both women but at the last second she dashes to her left and fakes them out. Tamara slips in the mud but Tink easily maneuvers and tackles Emma by ramming in to her side.

"Shit," Emma groans as she collapses into the mud.

She instantly gets the wind knocked out of her but she forces herself to her knees because Tink is yanking the ball from her clutches. Her heart sinks the minute that slippery ball drags through her wet fingertips. Everyone is cheering as Tink takes off with the ball. Luckily, Emma has time to get on her feet and chase her through the mud because Tamara is picking Tink up by her waist, ready to body slam her down.

Emma runs up and she's expecting a huge fight for the ball but Tink halfheartedly tugs the ball while Tamara has her off the ground. It's obvious to Emma by the lack of force but not to the audience that Tink is handing her the ball. So Emma adds a little dramatic flare as she yanks the ball free and charges toward the finish line where TJ blows the horn for her victory.

"Gnarly heat by the Rookie women. Congratulations, Emma, you win for the women! Next up are the Rookie men!"

Emma is stunned, did she actually just win? She can't feel much of anything from the amount of adrenaline pumping through her veins but she knows she should feel proud by TJ's compliment. Every challenger is always seeking approval from The Godfather of the Challenge. She glances down at herself, realizing now that she is caked in mud, head to toe, definitely in her ears but a towel is thrusted into her line of vision as the men start to get ready for their turn.

"Great job, you really killed it out there," Mary Margaret compliments, motivating all the heat in Emma's body to rise to her cheeks.

She never knew how to take a compliment. "Uh-yeah. Thanks. That was rough," she awkwardly giggles as Elsa calls her name. "I think I'm being summoned."

"Interviews to talk about the round. Be witty," the woman kindly offers but that only makes Emma's mind panic all the more.

Witty? Witty? What the hell is she supposed to say that comes off charming or funny that will make the audience fall in love with her as a competitor?

"When I point to you, I want you to explain the difficulties you might have faced today and what it feels like to claim your first win," Elsa sweetly explains, very far away from the cast and crew.

"I did it!" She squeals, this bubbly personality coming out of her that is so not the real her in any way shape or form. "Holy crap, I actually did it," she laughs to herself and shakes her head in bewilderment. "I honestly didn't think I was gonna be able to pull that one off, not when I heard Zelena and Fiona conspiring against me in the beginning but I pulled it off. Karma," she nonchalantly says, shrugging so innocently.