𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄. : 𝐓𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐋 𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐌𝐀

- ❝ 𝐊𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐀 , 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓? ❞

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊˚ ⋅

A few hours into the first challenge, I was down by the water, trying to get my head in the game. The chaos of the day had already started, and I knew it was only going to get worse. That's when I heard a voice, smooth and familiar, right next to me.

"Hello. Kalita, right?"

I looked up, and there he was—Alejandro. He was standing closer than I expected, that same smile on his face, but somehow softer than before. I narrowed my eyes. I'd seen this act already.

"Yeah," I said, my voice flat as I turned back to the challenge in front of me. No way was I giving him more than that.

"I couldn't help but notice," he started off, his tone dropping just a bit, like he was letting me in on some kind of secret, "you're different from the others. Stronger."

I almost rolled my eyes. Here we go. Still, instead of shrugging him off, I turned to face him fully, crossing my arms again. This time, i let out a soft scoff.

"And I couldn't help but notice," I replied, my voice dripping with sarcasm, "you've been feeding the same line to every girl here."

To my surprise, Alejandro let out a soft laugh, clearly amused. "Ah, but with you, amor, I mean it," he responds, his voice still smooth, but this time there was something almost sincere in it.

I raised an eyebrow. Nice try, I thought, but I wasn't letting my guard down. Not yet.

"We'll see about that," I said, my voice carrying a challenge.

Alejandro's smile didn't waver, but for the first time, I saw a flicker of something else in his eyes. Maybe I wasn't going to be as easy to figure out as the others. And that was exactly how I wanted it.

I held his gaze for a moment longer, then turned on my heel and walked away. I wasn't going to stand there, giving him more time to work his charm on me. Let him try. I wasn't like the others, and he was going to figure that out real quick.

As I made my way back toward the camp area, I could still feel his eyes on me. I didn't have to look back to know he was watching. It was kind of his thing—capturing attention, making sure everyone knew he was there.

But I wasn't about to let him think he had me intrigued, not like the other girls he's been around with.

My heels clicked against the dirt, and even though the terrain wasn't exactly easy to navigate, I walked confidently. I could already hear whispers from some of the other contestants, the girls who had been practically drooling over Alejandro earlier. They were probably wondering why he'd singled me out. Let them wonder, I thought, a small smirk playing on my lips.

As I reached the edge of the woods, Lashawna caught up to me, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Girl, what was that all about? I saw him talking to you."

I shrugged, not letting on how much his attention had caught me off guard. "Oh, you know. Same old lines. But I'm not falling for it."

Lashawna raised an eyebrow, giving me a knowing look. "Mhm, well, I'd watch out if I were you. That boy's got more game than anyone I've ever seen. He's dangerous."

"Pfft. I can handle that." I rolled my eyes, letting out a quiet scoff.

Lashawna gave me a skeptical look, but then shrugging. "Whatever."

"Anyways, you see anything?" Lashawna asked glancing back at me.

"Not yet," I replied, catching up to her. I couldn't help but admire how determined she was. Lashawna was one of the few people here who wasn't about the drama. She was real, and I respected that. "You think we're close?"

She shrugged. "All I know is, if we don't find this thing soon, we're gonna be out here all night. And these mosquitoes? They're already comin' for me."

I swatted at the air. "Tell me about it. If I get one more bite, I swear I'm filing a complaint with Chris."

Lashawna laughed, shaking her head. "Oh, I'd pay to see that."

As we moved deeper into the woods, I kept my eyes peeled, scanning the ground and trees for anything that looked like the object we were supposed to find. But between the uneven terrain and trying not to ruin my shoes, my patience was running thin. And then, just when I thought we were getting nowhere, I spotted something shiny under a pile of leaves. Wait a second.

"Lashawna!" I whispered loudly, pointing. She rushed over, and together, we pulled back the leaves to reveal the object.

"Girl, you found it!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement. I grinned, feeling a surge of pride.