The Challenge: Fire & Fate

14

The morning after a win feels like the world's best breakfast after the world's worst hangover.

Kam's humming while she flips pancakes.
Leroy's brewing enough coffee to power a city.
Marcus is already doing stretches like we're about to run a marathon again.
Cory's arguing with Jasmine over who "technically" pulled harder yesterday.

"Bro," Cory says, "my arms are literally proof."

Jasmine fires back, "Your arms are proof that protein powder's a scam."

Kam laughs. "Children. Please."

I sit at the counter, sipping my coffee, grinning at the chaos. "Can we just enjoy a morning without strategy?"

Kam doesn't even look up. "No."

🎥 Confessional — Sienna (Team Earth)
"When Kam says 'no,' it's not a threat. It's just... the law of the land. She's like gravity — unavoidable and occasionally terrifying."

Across the kitchen, Jenna's humming while frying bacon, and Theresa's talking to her reflection in the microwave.

"I think I'm finally starting to like this alliance thing," Theresa says.

Leroy snorts. "You? Team player? Since when?"

"Since we started winning," she replies with a smile.

Jenna nudges me. "You realize we're basically the calmest team in the house now, right?"

"That's not saying much," I reply. "The bar's underground."

Outside, Team Fire's huddled together on the deck — loud, chaotic, and unapologetically Fire.

Devin's giving an early morning "strategy pep talk" no one asked for.
Tori's half-listening while scrolling on her phone.
Bananas is pacing like a dad about to start a BBQ monologue.
Xavier's lounging back, wearing sunglasses that scream "I didn't wake up to lose."

I step outside just in time to hear Devin say, "We're like the Phoenix. We rise from ashes."

Bananas: "We're not dead yet, Shakespeare."

Tori: "You two are definitely the ashes part."

They all laugh.

Xavier looks up, catches my eye, and smirks. "Morning, Teach."

"Morning," I say.

"Or should I say... reigning champ?" he adds, leaning closer.

"Flattery won't make me go easy on you next round."

"Maybe I don't want easy," he says.

Kam's voice cuts through from inside. "She also doesn't want trouble!"

The whole deck bursts into laughter.

🎥 Confessional — Kam (Team Earth)
"I see what's happening, and I am living for it. Xavier's all charm, Jackson's all ego, and Sienna's just trying to survive being adored. Poor girl. She's got options."

The day drifts into a lazy calm — people tanning, joking, pretending not to be thinking about the elimination.

Zoe and Tyler are by the pool playing cards.
Harper's reading next to CT, who's pretending to nap.
Cara Maria's sketching in a notebook while Nany and Sarah braid her hair.
Kyle's teaching Laurel a British drinking game that involves yelling "Oi!" every thirty seconds.
Jordan's arguing with Devin about who's the better strategist ("me, obviously").
And Cory's halfway through convincing Marcus that doing push-ups in the sun counts as "bonding time."