Same Bitches - Post Malone

36

They rush around the city, activity after activity, fucked up clue after fucked up clue. Sometimes they land way ahead of everyone else, sometimes Louis laughs and flicks them off as he speeds past them with Jessica, and sometimes Demi giggles and blows kisses while Shawn reminds them that everyone is a winner as they complete a task before Austin and Lux. There are tons of activities, some that require strength, some brain skill, some sheer luck, and some that find them needing to work closely together. By the time they get a clue that leads them out of the city to the mountain to the left of the city, Lux knows they are nearly done, it's a thirty-minute trip and now that Lux has a second to breathe fear wanders into her chest. Not once today have Austin and her fought, not even a snappy bitchy comment. Austin had not gotten frustrated at her during the complicated puzzles, choosing to rather take a moment and explain his next move to Lux. When she got frustrated it did not cause him to get frustrated too and lash out at her - he chose to rub her back or capture her lips in his, calming her. She too had chosen to trust him and not push his buttons when the hundreds of chances given to do so were right in front of her.

Rather, their day had been spent laughing. Fucking laughing! They had laughed, kissed, and found two more dark corners where she let him push into her - in short, their day had been brilliant and their fingers had been laced together for most of it just like they are now as the cab winds up the mountain road.

It scares Lux.

It scares her how easily they have found themselves tangled up in each other again. She feels as desperate to keep him close now as she had been to never see him again only a few days ago. She had been lying to herself for the last ten years, she knows that her hate for Austin had not been fueled by simple hate but by pain. The painful loss of him. She had been angry that he had never fought for her. Never came after her - he never for one second questioned how she found the time to cheat on him. How could he ever actually believe she would do that? There is a small flame of anger that suddenly ignites in her chest - he believed her words without question, so easily. Had he thought so little of her?

She does not have time to think too much about it as the cab comes to a halt and they slide out with another ten cabs arriving too. The resort staff in the parking lot calls everyone to them and Lux slips her hands into her pockets when she sees Austin's hand reach blindly for hers. She acts as if she had not seen his hand when she walks past, ignoring Austin's confused frown.

"You will need to race up the steps to the large Buddha statue at the very top. Once you get there you will be asked a riddle - get it right you and will be allowed to search for your flag that is hidden around the Buddha. Once you have found your flag you will be directed to the other side of the Mountain where you will find entrances to ten trails - some trails lead to a dead end, some down to the beach where you will have to run to the finish line, some trails lead to four-wheelers - a much better way to get to the finish line. The finish line is where you started this morning. Choose wisely. Ok! Go!" the resort member shouts.

They all dash up the stairs. There are a fuck ton of them and they are very steep. People start dropping off at the quarter-way mark, but Lux pushes through. By the halfway mark only Harry and Hailey, Dre and Petra, Demi and Shawn, Louis and Jessica, Danny and black hair cousin, as well as five groups of aunts and uncles are left along with Aistin and Lux. Lux's chest is burning and her muscles are screaming. By the time they get to the halfway mark, she starts slowing down and contemplating dropping out as two aunts and Dre bows out.

She stops and watches Petra coo at Dre as he lies half dead on the stairs but then she is suddenly lifted and Austin is running with her in his arms the rest of the way. It's impressive. She is not impressed. The big oaf. He places her down at the top of the stairs while Louis shakes his head at them in disappointment, "If I was not so sure I would win this I would say that's cheating," he says. "We are all winners," Demi reminds him and he turns his disappointed look on her. "As a certified shrink I can say from a professional standpoint - don't teach your kids that shit," he says.