- Text Size +
Chapter Twelve

I had a gut feeling. Even though he smiled charmingly and was as nice as could be, I felt there was something going on with Nick. When he caught back up with me at the bonfire, he looked jumpy. He was sweating and his eyes were dialated.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

He ran a hand through his hair. He hadn't even bothered to comb it since I had grabbed it in fistfuls.

"I'm fine," he said. "Got some chocolate. We're good."

We walked in tandem to where everyone was gathered around the fire. Richard must have gone back to his swank hotel for the evening. I sat down by Darra. Nick sat down by Lavell.

"How was it?" Darra whispered. I blushed.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Girl, you smell like Carter cock," she whispered. I looked at her in mortification.

"What?"

She laughed. "I'm just fuckin' with you. But the look on your face gave it away."

I couldn't help it; Darra made me laugh. "Shut up."

I stretched my legs out. The fire felt nice.

"So how was your punishment boys?" the judge asked. Wayne scowled at her.

"Just wait. You'll get your day," he warned.

"Well if you didn't have Winnie the Pooh on your team..." Victoria said.

Nick scowled. Lavell slapped his back.

"This boy's our secret weapon," he announced. "This here's a freakin' teen idol."

Darra leaned forward. "What the hell did you see in Paris Hilton?"

The look on Nick's face was priceless.

"I don't want to talk about her."

Darra snorted. "You might as well have bought a skinny ass chicken at the market and humped it," she declared.

Everyone laughed. Nick didn't look amused.

"Nick's got a thing for the skinny ones, dontcha Carter?"

Nick glanced over at Lavell. He didn't look at me.

"Yeah, I like arm candy."

He wiped his hand across his hairy lip. Why was he sweating so much?

And what the hell was this about arm candy?

"I dunno," Darra pushed. "I think Nick's got his eye on a real woman."

I blushed. I picked up a stick and twirled it in my hands.

Wayne laughed. "Richard was totally freaked out when he got to the mess hall. He sent the camera crew out. You two getting it on?"

I knew he was addressing me and Nick. I looked up and shook my head.

"No," I said lightly.

"Gurl," Darra said. "I'd deny it if you slept with the fairy, but Carter? I'd do Carter."

Darra winked at Nick. Lavell nudged him.

"Well? Do we have a Phat Camp hookup?"

Nick still didn't look at me. He rocked forward. He seemed to have pent-up energy that wasn't allowing him to sit still.

"No hookup," Nick said. He rubbed his face. "Shay's not my type."

Like I said, my gut feeling had anticipated it, but it didn't hurt any less.

"Why not?" Darra asked hotly.

Nick looked up. He looked at her; not me. His eyes looked funny.

He was on something. I just knew it.

"If she loses fifty pounds then we can talk."

Tears sprang to my eyes. For a moment I forgot about him being on something. Was he putting on an act? And even if he was...did he have to be so...so...

Cruel?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


My mouth was working independently of my mind. I could see how upset Shay was getting. But I couldn't stop. I felt antsy. I was sweating. My heart was racing. I was feeling invincible. I was feeling cocky.

I wasn't a pathetic guy that needed to take just what I could get. I could get anyone.

"Shay's beautiful," Darra said. She got up. "You're the ugly one, butt-face."

I stood up. "Listen fatass. Why don't you go put on your ugly ass hank of lace and pretend you're going to get some in the next hundred years?"

Darra slid her huge hoop earrings out of her ears. "That's it. It's on fat-boy."

"Darra," Shay said weakly. I saw a tear slip down her cheek. She ran off.

That was the last thing I saw. Darra tackled me and I was pinned down to the ground. I tried to shield my face, but she was ruthless.

"Woah Tiger," Lavell said. "C'mon baby, get off him. He don't mean nuttin' about it."

"No one messes with my girl!" Darra bellowed.

We rolled around by the fire. Every time I thought I got a leg up, she rolled right back over. She was strong. I even tried to crawl away, but she grabbed my leg and pulled me back. Everyone else grouped around and just gawked at us.

"You need to learn some 'spect," Darra yelled. I was flipped over onto my back. I stared up at her hand which was poised above her head for the attack.

The attack never came. Suddenly, security swept in and pulled Darra off me. I scrambled to my feet.

My heart wouldn't stop racing. I suddenly wasn't feeling good. Why the hell was I feeling like this?

"Thanks," I gasped. Two of the security officers walked over and stood in front of me.

"We need to ask you to leave," one of them said quietly.

My eyes widened in surprise. "Leave, why?"

"I think you know why."

"I didn't do anything to her!" I protested.

They grabbed my elbows and hauled me back to the camphouse. They walked me right up to my open bag.

My secret compartment was wide open.

"Fuck," I said.

All I could think about was going to jail. I already had a mugshot; I didn't need another one.

"The producers don't want to get you in any trouble," one of the guys said. "We just need you to leave."

"You got lucky," the other guy said. "I'm sure they'll use the thing with Darra as your reason for leaving."

I knelt down and closed my suitcase. I felt like I was going to pass out. In the back of my mind I think I realized that my heart was racing because of the coke.

I stood back up with my bag. As I walked out of the camphouse, the cameras were waiting for my walk of shame. I didn't say anything; a car was already waiting. I slid inside.

Before the door closed, I saw Shay off to the side. She had her arms crossed over her chest. Her face was a shroud of disappointment.

And just like that, it hit me. The bag raid hadn't been an accident. My words must have hurt her so much that she went to my bunk out of anger. I slammed back into the seat.

So, she had found a way to get rid of me. Good riddance. I was getting away from goddamn Richard Simmons. I was getting away from one big, fat mistake.

I was going to get clean; I was going to get my damn heart checked out.

And I was going to find a smoking hot woman to make me feel good again.

I was going to take the knowledge that I fucked a fat chick to the grave with me.

It was my little secret.