Wild Card

Chapter 7 | Josh

After my announcement, all the girls started cheering gleefully, but Claire didn't look as enthusiastic. I get her. More or less. She's going through the first phase. The worst hasn't come yet. Speaking of the devil, here comes his son: my Dad.

"Since my son is incapable of explaining anything of importance..."
"Dad."
"I will be explaining the rules. Every one of the HPs are going to do the obstacle course on their own. They will be timed."
"What about me?," Claire piped up.

Man, I like her, I want to defend her, but she just put herself in a hell of a mess. You interrupt Robert Keever, you just signed your death sentence. My dad shoots her a deadly glare. What did I say? She looks back and engages in a silent fight. She will always be so feisty.

"You, Wild Card, will do it with Josh," he replies while still staring her down.
"And why should I not be doing that on my own? These," she gestures to her cuffs, "prove otherwise."
"The Wild Card should be able to prove that she can be in synch with the man she is fighting for."
"Then let's do a race."

Oh boy, contradicting and changing my father's ideas. He is going to make her life hell.

"Out of the question. You will do it with my son, or you will be eliminated."

They are still glaring at each other. She's strong. I never even lasted half that long.

"I'll do it. But know that it is for honor."
"Very well. We are going to be starting with Nicky. The rest of you, follow me."

We walk behind him until we reach the obstacle course. Without any hesitation, Nicky runs 10 meters, jumps gracefully over the hurdles, jumps one leg at a time in the car wheels, flattens herself on her stomach and crawls like a snake under the net strung less than 30 centimetres over her. Then, she presses a button on a post at the finish line. 1:28. Not bad. Every other girl does it and poor Maria, who looks like Julia Roberts, completes it in 2:47. She fell like 10 times in the tires. She's getting eliminated for sure. I've never talked to any of them before, but she looked actually okay. Suddenly, a voice breaks me out of my thoughts.

"Josh?"
"Yeah?"
"We're up."

I take her hand and link my fingers with hers.

"Don't push it, buddy."

You'll see when you'll be mine. We will get out of this island and travel the world together, like you always wanted. We will taste all the existing food and-

"Josh!"
"Yes, my lo-"
"In three, two, one, GO!!!"

We race, behind at the same speed, jump over the hurdles, make one of them fall over, jump unsteadily in and out of the car wheels. Claire trips but I managed to steady her, knowing that she's very, very clumsy. When we flatten our bodies down, I can barely catch my breath. I knew I should've done more cardio. Since she's great at stuff like this and I royally suck at it, she pretty much has to pull me across the 20 meters of the crawling. She gets up, even though I am still down, and pulls me to the pole. I can't help but stare at her. She's so beautiful, with little hairs stuck on her lightly sweaty forehead and her muscles flexing totally. Yes, it isn't her best look, but she is so determined that it makes her look like a warrior. I get up and she pulls me sharply, but stumbles and hits her head on the pole. The little screen over the button stopped and indicates our time: 1:16. She actually hit it while falling down!

"Josh, why are you so happy?," Claire says while putting a hand on her forehead. "If you're laughing at me, I will kill you."
"No, none of that. We won."
"WE WON???," she yells in disbelief.
"Yes, darling, we did."
"Stop calling me that," she moans.

She sits up rapidly.

"Nope, I'm gonna faint," she mutters.

And lies back down.

"Josh, could you go get the the nurse, please?"
"Sure thing."

I kiss her right on the bump. Her eyes are throwing knifes at me. I better go get that nurse before she comes to beat me up, which would be funny, because I can control her cuffs. But knowing her, she would still find a way to hurt me. She would most likely kick me in the nuts. I go get the nurse, who spreads a pommade on Claire's forehead and applies a bandage so it can heal faster. She then leaves me to take care of her. I take her in my arms like a princess and start a conversation with her.

"So, how does it feel to win?"
"Well, just winning is great, but the consequences going along with it, not so much."
"Which girl should leave?"
"Do I have a say in this?"
"No, but my dad doesn't have to know."
"Um, well, even though I don't really like Nicky, you can't eliminate her, because she was in second. It would be obvious that I told you to kick her out. I don't recommend Maria, because she's a really nice girl, just like Willa."
"So?"
"So I suggest Jordan, who arrived before-to-last. She doesn't really have much of a personality, as I've seen in my time in the lobby. But this is your choice. I can't just force you into doing whatever I want."
"No, no, but who's Jordan?"
"The one looking like Katy Perry."
"Thanks."
"By the way, does your father have an obsession with famous people look-alikes?"
"No, I don't think so, why do you ask?"

She lets out a snort. I know it's not the best sound on Earth, but just that proves that she's being herself. The violent and feisty dork. I open the door to her bungalow, that she left open, and walk over to her room. I designed this, so I know where everything goes. I put her in her bed and tuck her in.

"Y'know, Josh, even though you kidnapped me, you're not half bad," she says before falling asleep.

This was the nicest thing anyone said to me. I kiss her on the forehead and leave.