From Broken Branches to New Roots

Chapter One: Eliminated

"Fiore." Kristal revealed.

Fiore wasn't surprised, her eyes widened for a second. But returned immediately as everyone looked at her when her name was mentioned.

She crossed her arms. Of course, she wouldn't let this get to her. She lost the game, but that didn't mean she'd cry like she thought some might expect her to.

Ashley and Jake grinned in glee. Satisfaction from their last game two years ago, the longing need to teach this demon child a lesson. But Fiore wasn't going to give them the satisfaction.

"How do ya like them apples huh?" Ashley let out a small laugh, eyeing Fiore.

Fiore rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, have your little victory party." She rose up from her seat. Beginning to walk to the bus stop. Turning back one last time. "Hope you and cow tongue for brains actually realize I'm the least of your worries. I didn't even do anything to you the entire time I've been here."

It was silence left there after that.

The realization didn't hit either of them at thar moment. But fiore was right. The only thing she did was throw insults and get sarcastic every time she could. She hadn't had the time to scheme.

Fiore had gotten on the bus with Connor. Who lost the challenge the night before with Yellow team.

She leaned against the glass of the window, in the back of the bus. She didn't want to talk to anyone or see anyone. Connor spoke with Marcus in the front of the bus. The muttering from the puppet could be heard.

All she wanted was quietness. But no, she was stuck with a boomer, a crazy man and his annoying puppet.

She cursed in silence. Fortunately, no cameras were in her direction. The bus barely had any, with the exception of the camera holders displayed in various parts of the bus.

The bus arrived to the loser motel. Fiore had never gotten the chance to really be here at like all. She was immediately removed at the end of season one previously when she lost the prize.

She climbed out of the bus where Marcus gave her a key to her room.

"You'll be in room 7, since you're the seventh one to be eliminated--" he was cut off before he could continue.

"Ha, how cute. Can I go to my room now, gramps?" She glared at him.

"Why of course, but before you do." Marcus pulled a familiar backpack from the carrier part of the bus. "Don't forget your luggage."

The backpack she left on the plane for the first episode. She forgot about that. But grabbed her bag and went to her room. She walked through the halls, eventually finding Connor next to her room as he was already ahead of her.

Fiore wasn't pleased, but it couldn't be helped.

She went to her room. There she could have the solitude and silence she absolutely needed.

Now she could look into what went wrong during her time this season.

The challenges were all strength based, she thought about how she could've played differently. She couldn't just pretend to be nice and innocent like before, that was obvious and the season two players most likely have seen her previous performances. Perhaps actually apologizing to Jake and Ashley sincerely could've worked? Considering how gleeful both Ashley and Jake seemed, it wouldn't have worked out anyways. They would've waited until they couldn't use fiore anymore.

She replayed the first day, it seemed like if she had worked with James and Ally she could've had something? But adding Hunter to the equation didn't help matters. He was useful when he helped delay her elimination but she worked that up to Jake and Ashley not wanting someone with a higher chances of physical challenges, and capabilities and of course alliances with other players like Tess and who knows else.

Fiore just sat at the desk of her room, writing in her notebook finally after a long time.

If disventure camp had another show or reunion or something, it was best to get ahead of that and when she got home she could rewatch what she missed or didn't understand. Maybe next time she'd win.

If she won....if she survived another challenge...maybe she  could have more than just annoying boarding schools, parents who didn't bother to call her, and maybe then she could finally breathe.

Those thoughts needed to leave. She got up and changed into her pajamas. She was done thinking for the night.

It had been a few days since her elimination. She stayed mostly in her room. She avoided talking with other former contestants.

She took notice of first seeing Miriam who chuckled at seeing the child here. Fiore didn't care to hear what the old lady had to say about her.

When everyone was getting their chance to call back home. Fiore sat at one of the tables watching as everyone walked to a phone booth area in the lobby. She watched as the girl wearing the red wig spoke in Spanish a couple of times but returned to English as quickly. She didn't have a clue what she was so happy about. James spoke to his sister it sounded like, as he kept asking about her new car.

Fiore made a note to remind herself that Jake still had money and worst comes to worst she could maybe be friendly with him?  Then again, he probably knew of her antics so why bother.

Hunter however was a different story. He actually approached Fiore at this time.

"Do you know if...Ally's okay?" He seemed unsure of how to start the conversation.

Fiore seemed unfazed.

"What do i look like? Her twin?" She raised an eyebrow.

Hunter held himself back from saying something he'd regret. But asked again.

"I saw the last episode...and about her song." He started.

Fiore held her face in her hand.

"Look Romeo. Hate to break it to you, but she seems pretty mad. But who wouldn't? When you're dating a idiot, I'm not surprised."

Hunter couldn't hold himself back from this one.

"Hey! I'm not an idiot. I...was pretty stupid in how I behaved but I wasn't like this."

"No, you were just born to drive her crazy." She smirked.

Hunter's face was painted with annoyance, concern and a hint of disappointment. Instead, he got up and left without another word.

'That problem solved itself.' Fiore thought to herself watching the raven haired boy leave.

Before she had time to react, another figure sat down in front of her. It was Connor.

"Hey kiddo, I noticed you weren't calling anyone. Is everything okay?" Connor's eyes held a sad aura to them.

Nobody ever asked that to her before. This caught her off guard. She didn't know how to answer this.

Her silence pulled attention from a few people in the room.

The eyes staring at her, the question, the shoving all thoughts about the game and her family life mixed together in one sitting.

This wasn't good.