𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐑 ━ beckham jr.

11. Step Your Game Up

LUNA

Monday morning felt serene and quiet as I step foot in these long halls. Everyone was seemingly still asleep, as it was quite early.

The sunrise was still visible in the horizon as I got outside, choosing to sit by the garden area. One of my favorite things in the entire world was watching the sunrise, or set. Little times where I got round to do it, but it felt like a true blessing.

All too fast, two girls had gone home last night, and I stayed. For some reason he had chose not to send me home. The competition factor was something that I never gave much importance to, for me this was an experience to see who the man we talked to connected to the most, not a prize we could win over. 

But I couldn't lie feelings while locked inside the mansion did feel deeper and it'd been a while since someone had made me smile at the thought of him.

☾

After a good forty minutes laying in the warm Miami sun, I stood up to get my morning routine started. Upon greeting the housemates I encountered in my path, I reached my room and prepared for a shower.

I let the warm water hit my skin, enjoying every minute of it. It was good to get a moment fully to myself and let my thoughts fly free, even if it was in the bath.

Twenty minuted passed and I stepped a foot outside, wrapping a towel around my hair while pondering on what to wear — it was then, that a few knocks in the bathroom door interrupted the process.

"Luna? Come downstairs when you can, we received a letter." It was Kristin, she had seemingly exited the room once I confirmed to having received the information well.

A letter? That was a curious way of communication, nowadays. I stepped down the stairs, towel still wrapped around my hair, as I saw the group of girls gather around the living room, with a particular one standing up in the center of the room, holding the said envelope — Trish.

"So now that we're all here, I can start. Today we received a letter that I was told was sent by Chris himself, and it states: Good morning ladies, congratulations on surviving your first Bachelor elimination. The challenge is certainly just getting started and it won't be getting any easier from now on. Having two less contenders to our desirable bachelor, the rules are 'bound to change expelled." Trish paused dramatically, making eye contact with some females around the room to try and read our expression.

"Not all of you will have the chance to go on dates from now forward, since these same dates are being cut down in number, there will only be three each week. With this, I suggest you intend on leaving your mark and leave a good impression. But not all is bad! To light up the mood from yesterday's endeavors, we are bringing a little animation to the mansion, making Wednesday our official party day!" the last four words came in a higher-tone, which soon was mimicked by all the girls, who cheered together and jumped around me. I smiled at the sight, waiting for Trish to finish her speech.

"So brace yourselves, because this Wednesday will bring you a great theme: the 90's." 

The hugging, cheering and hopping increased whilst Kristin, Joyce and I locked eyes and giggled at the news, opting to leave the jumping aside.

A celebration at this point in time sounded awfully suspicious for me — I could not look at it in any other way than a strategy to make girls more catty in this 'competition'. It would be the personification of an arena filled with gladiators battling it out. We'd be put there for a reason, which was to mainly get Odell's attention, not fully to enjoy ourselves; and the fact that dates were being cut short also meant girls were going to go out of their way to make sure their spot in the house was safe.

Everyone around me looked pretty pleased with the news and possibility to celebrate and let loose, which I could share, to a certain extent. It'd be a good time to forget about the overthinking and enjoy some good music.

☾

After lunch, the rumoring around the house focused on Wednesday's party and not much besides that. Meanwhile Kristin, Joyce and I who already had established ourselves as a little clique (not by choice), sat together in our room.

"I miss my family" Joyce sighed, holding onto a frame of her and her mother.

"I miss my friends!" Kristin added, as we turned to face her with similar expressions in our faces. "What? I miss going out and popping bottles, dancing recklessly... Those nights where you weren't worried about who was watching and made the table tops your dance floor — a memorable story was always ensued."  

"What about you, Luna? I'd certainly like to know one of your reckless stories."  

As on queue, my mind drifted off somewhere else other than the topic of conversation.

*FLASHBACK*

A groan exited my mouth as I grabbed the pillow that was thrown at me just a few seconds ago. It was Saturday night and my newly-washed silk bed sheets felt like the perfect company for the night, which didn't seem to be the opinion of my lovely best friend, who thought I would be better off them.

"Lulu, you need to come out! It's Saturday night in Miami, it's almost a crime not to. There literally isn't a single soul that's not planning on it." Chantelle grabbed my hand dramatically, attempting at dragging me out.

"Chantie, I'm fine... There's a Heat game on tonight, the perfect plan for the mood I'm in after a long day of work, is it too much to ask?"

"It's the tenth time you promise to go out with me and bail out last minute."

"You have Peter, you're fine." I argued, referring to the third member of the group who, unlike me, wouldn't dare to turn a party down. "It's not like FOMO will come for me, please go and have fun."

"Like you'd know what fun is." She mumbled under her breath as her hope was fading before my eyes, taking step after step, towards my bedroom's doorframe. "I am going. I'm going out, I'll dance my ass off and perhaps even meet some interesting people. Of course that'd feel much better with my best frien-"

"Just go, will you?" I laughed at the sight "let me stay at home, for this one night."

*FLASHBACK END*

"I don't really-"

"Let's forget about it, ladies. Because I feel like this new concept of the Wednesday parties is bringing a lighter mood to the house. It'll be our time to have fun and actually let loose, even if it's for only single one night during the week, boy did we need more than that." Kristin spoke, with her hand in the air in a preach-manner and eyes shut.

"Tell 'em, Kris."

"Am I the only one who sees this as a strategy?" I mumbled after the laughter had settled. "C'mon, you ladies didn't once think about it? The way that letter was expressed made it feel like we had to start putting in more effort into being in this house. The fact that the number of contestants is decreasing, will be turning us more catty and the party is the perfect pretext for us to battle for our goal, claws out."

"If they stay in their lane, I'll be good. If not...."  

"Luna does have a point, though. The game is settling in and it'll only be less of us from now on. It doesn't feel as much, but two girls make the difference and the fact that the dates were taken away from us just makes us have to think harder and more carefully about our next move. It's a cold war about to start, ladies." 

It's a cold war indeed.