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Seconds after “Weird World” ended Nick was next to her.

“C’mon.” he said grabbing her hand.

When they got to a long corridor he began running and Michelle had no choice but to run with him.

They finally came to a room labeled ‘GAMES’ and he ushered her inside.

They came to a complete stop in front of an ice bucket.

Michelle looked over at Nick who had a devilishly cute smile on his face and immediately got his meaning.

“Oh no,” she started backing up waving her hands in front of her. “Oh no. There is no way I’m going through that again.”

“Ah come on. What are you—scared that you’ll lose?”

“I’m not sticking my head in that thing. I’m not gonna do it again.”

“Ah, c’mon.”

“No, I’m not gonna do it. No way.”

“Not gonna do what?” An all too familiar voice asked from the doorway.

Nick and Michelle both spun around and saw Aj standing just inside the doorway.

“He wants me to stick my head in that.” She pointed at the infamous ice bucket. “And I’m not gonna do it.” She stated matter-of-factly.

“Come on Michelle. You have to give me a chance to regain the title.”

‘What title?” Aj asked.

“Ice bucket champion. I beat his record from Nick’s Corner by keeping my head under for twenty seconds and he’s mad because he got beat by a girl.”

“Who got beat by a girl?” yet another voice asked from the doorway.

The three of them turned to see Howie standing in the doorway.

“Carter.” Aj supplied laughing.

Howie busted up, and Aj fell to the floor holding his sides.

Nick stood there glaring at Aj.

“How?” Howie asked.


“Michelle here,” Aj began putting his arm around her shoulders. “Kept her head in an ice bucket for twenty seconds. She beat Nick. And now he wants to have a rematch.”

“I’m not dong it.” Michelle said yet again as she pushed Aj’s arm off her shoulders.

“Why won’t you?” Howie asked.

“Because once is enough. I won’t do it.”

A few minutes later Brian entered the game room. When he saw everyone in front of the ice bucket he said, “Nick not the ice bucket again.”

“She,” Nick said pointing at Michelle. “won’t stick her head into the ice bucket.”

Michelle was now angry. She said she wasn’t going to do it and she meant it. She hated it when people tried to coerce her into doing things she didn’t want to do. She’d been that way since high school.

“FOR THE LAST DAMN TIME, I’M NOT STICKING MY HEAD INTO THE DAMN ICE BUCKET!” She screamed at the top of her lungs.

Everyone stood staring at her until another voice said, “What’s all the yelling about?”

Michelle spun to face the voice and when she saw that it was Kevin she said, “Not another one.”

Kevin saw what was going on and said, “Nicky not the ice bucket again.”

Michelle was now surrounded by five very tall people. Whenever she was around at least two tall people she began feeling claustrophobic because she was so short.

Nick noticed when she began to back up. He also noted that she looked a little bit sick.

When she saw him coming toward her she ran into the hallway. There, it was a little easier to breathe.

“What’s wrong?” He asked stepping out of the room.

Taking a deep breath she said, “I can’t stand being surrounded by too many tall people. I start to feel claustrophobic, like the walls are closing in on me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s genetic. My height I mean. My father and brothers are all tall but I’m short like my mother. I got it from her side of the family. I hate it.”

“Come back into the room, you’ll be okay, I promise.”

She really had no reason not to trust him so she let him lead her back into the room.

When the guys finally turned around and saw them Kevin asked, “What’s he trying to get you to do?”

“Stick my head in the ice bucket. He’s mad that I beat his record.”

“You did? How long?”

“Twenty seconds.”

“Damn girl, you beat me too.”

“I want a rematch.” Nick said.

“We’ve never competed against one another Nick.”

“So we can do it now Elle. I can beat you and go back to being the ice bucket champ and everyone will be happy.”

“No.”


“No what? You won’t do it or I wont’ be champ?”

“No you won’t be champ.” She answered pulling her long, artificially curly black/brown hair up into a ponytail. “Let’s get this over with so I can finally shut you up about it.”

Kevin said, “Who’s gonna keep time?”

“My phone.” Elle (Michelle) said. “It has a stop watch. I’ll set it and hand it to one of you guys.”

She took her phone out of her bag and set the stop watch. Before handing it over to Brian she showed him which button to press to stop the counter.

Elle and Nick stepped into place side by side in front of the ice bucket. “Three, Two, One.” Brian counted down. Elle and Nick placed their faces into the ice bucket.

She didn’t know how long it had been but she heard yelling after a while.

What seemed like forever later she pulled her head up.

The guys—minus Nick—began cheering.

“What did I win?”

“You beat him by ten seconds. You also beat yourself by ten seconds.” Brian replied.

Turning to Nick she said, “Are you gonna take it like a man and admit you got beat by a girl?”

“Fine. You win. You’re the champ. But I will beat you one of these days.” He said seconds before kissing her in front of everyone.