Let the Games Begin // Dodge Mason

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ Chapter Twenty ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

     Dodge and I were sitting in Motor Lodge with all the other player as Diggins announced the scores, which two of us will be going to Joust.

     "Friends, players, former contestants, the results of the individual challenges have been tallied. All the points have been scored." Diggins started.

      "Shawna quit, so she's out of the game."

     "Dodge is in first place and will be heading to Joust." 

     What about me? Dodge and I were tied before so I can't be too far behind now.

     "The player competing against him has yet to be determined." I scrunched my eyebrows at Diggins words, how could I not be the one going against him- given my individual I say I did good. 

     "What? Why?" Ray shouted, clearly annoyed.

     "I mean I stayed long enough in that shithole cooler, didn't I?"

     "Not long enough to beat Dodge's time," Summer chimed in. 

     "The individual challenges aren't done yet, Ray." Diggins added.

     What? Who else left was there? Everyone still in the game completed their individuals?

     "By order of the judges, Lilia Sloan is disqualified for reasons of false representation and failure to complete to complete the required challenges. As punishment the players points have been retroactively invalidated." Diggins read off his phone.

     "In English?" Drew asked.

     "Judges wiped Lilia's score because she cheated." Diggins summed it up. Causing Ray to laugh across the room.

     "She was never in Spurlock's house," Diggins explained.

     "She shouldn't have made it to Graybill, let alone final four." 

     "Then why didn't you eliminate me then, hm?" I stood up.

     "Lilia-" Diggins started.

     "You just wanted me to get into individuals? You just wanted me to relive all the trauma I went through with my dad for fun? Knowing I wasn't going to get any points from it? I mean how do you even know that's true?" 

     "Natalie," Heather started.

     "Her video from the bridge, they asked her about you and Dodge- she ratted on you about Spurlock's farm but she's also the reason both you and Dodge's individuals were tied together." She explained.

     "So, you guys have known since the bridge? You knew I was going to get disqualified, yet you still made me do that- for nothing. You know, I thought you were better than that Summer." I shed a few tears as I made eye contact with her. 

     "Just fuck you guys." I shook my head and stormed out of the room.

     The cool breeze hit my face as I opened the door.

     "Lilia," Dodge ran out after me.

     "No, no." I shook my head.

     "You get back in there, you still have a chance at winning." 

     "You mean we still have a chance at winning, partner."

      "Can I have the keys? I'm going to wait in the car." 

     He handed over the keys and kissed me quickly before walking back into the lodge.

    I sat in the car and listened to the radio, the meeting was done shortly, and all the contestants walked out.

     "Lilia," Natalie called for me- I just ignored her, I'm not in the mood to talk to her right now.

      "Lilia," she called again.

     "Nat, it's not the time." I heard Dodge say before he came up to the car.

     He got in and we drove off without another word.

      Dodge stormed into the house; I followed behind him.

     "What's wrong with you?" Dayna asked.

     "Natalie ratted us out to the judges."

     "What?" Panic grew in Dayna's voice.

     "Wait, you know about Panic?" I chimed in.

     "No- not us. She ratted Lilia and I out to the judges." 

      "I thought you guys knew?" She sounded surprised.

     "What?" Dodge asked.

     "Yeah, she was talking about it the other day when I was helping her rehearse lines." Dayna explained.

     "She told me to meet her at the stock room in the Pharmacy, that's where she keeps everything she doesn't want her dad to find." 

     "I remember thinking how crowded it was with all her Panic stuff," 

      "What Panic stuff?" I asked.

     "I saw a Panic scrapbook when she knocked over one of the boxes." Dayna shrugged.

     "A scrapbook full of notes and all her photos and maps and things. It was super detailed- what little I saw of it." 

      "Oh, but please don't tell her I told you. She seemed really embarrassed. I mean, I guess she doesn't want anyone to knowing how hard she's been studying for Panic." 

     "She hasn't been studying for Panic. She's been planning." Dodge interrupted.

     "Natalie's one of the judges." I couldn't even believe the words that just came out of my mouth, but it was true. 

     "I need to talk to you," Dodge shut his bedroom door behind me.

     "About Natalie being one of the judges or something else?" 

      "Um, something else- a lot of something else."

     "Okay," I sat down on his bed.

     "I'm sorry?" Was all I could get out as Dodge finished explaining everything to me.

     "So, you're telling me, your full name is Andrew Dodge Mason, you reenrolled in high school to compete for Panic, Sheriff Cortez is not only helping you win Panic but also betting on it. And Luke Hall might've caused Dayna's accident?" I summed it up.

    "...Yeah." 

    "Are you upset with me for not telling you?" He asked.

    "Upset, yes." I sighed.

    "But not mad."

     "You're not?" He sounded confused.

     "No, I told you that you didn't have to tell me anything about your past if you didn't want to." I shrugged.

     "So, your mom knows about Panic?" I asked.

     "Yeah," He nodded.

     "That's what surprises me the most- my mom would absolutely kill me if she found out I was playing in Panic," I laughed.

     "You're so unserious," He shook his head.

     "Just come lay with me, Andrew." I joked. 

     A/N: Omg we hit 500 reads! I'm so grateful for all of you who are reading and enjoying my story! Any who Lilia knows the truth about Dodge now (about time honestly). I'm so sad I don't want this story to end ugh.