I was finally sitting down on the beautiful porch of some fancy restaurant  overlooking the Pacific Ocean. We arrived just in time to see the sun set into the horizon. And it looked like it was an especially pretty one.

We would have been here to see the whole thing but Kelsey had pitched the temper tantrum of all tantrums when she heard she wasn’t going on the date. Her migraine had magically gone away and she didn’t understand why she didn’t get to go when her team had won the challenge.

Hmm, maybe because you didn’t do anything? Weird how that works out.

Instead of listening to her scream, Aspen and I just told the producer to let her go. I threw in the idea that when the others found out, it would be great TV drama. That caused him to immediately agree.

So we were sitting here an hour later…Aspen, Kelsey, Nick and I.

“Can I get a scotch on the rocks? Actually, just bring two,” Aspen told the waiter as he took our drink order.

“Should you be drinking that much?” Kelsey snapped at Aspen, who snapped right back.

“Yes mom, I’m tired. From actually doing something today. If you want to go little girl, push me some more.”

That shut Kelsey up. Nick and I just kind of looked at one another awkwardly.

“So…Nick what’s your most awkward date moment?” I asked. I was curious if his answer was going to be, this show.

Nick chuckled a bit while the waiter set down our drinks.

He then answered, “It’s really weird and kind of complicated, so you have to promise you won’t laugh.”

Aspen started laughing, “Oh this better be good blondie.”

“I went out with a group of friends. One of the guys in the group was suppose to be set up, but his date didn’t show. I guess his friends forgot to tell him. He spent the whole night talking and hanging around me. I figured out at the end of the night that he was gay and thought I was the guy he was suppose to be set up with. Well, I figured it out when he basically attacked me and tried making out with me.”

We were all hysterically laughing, along with Kelsey cooing, “You’re so cute Nicky.”

“Are you sure that wasn’t my brother? He would kill to be in that guy’s shoes.” I joked.

“I would hope I’m more observant now to not let that mix up happen again. I just thought the guy was cool!”

“That’s why I choose not to discriminate lovers based on what sex they are. You never know who’s going to rattle your bones.” Aspen said to Nick before winking.

I started choking slightly on my water. This woman never stopped shocking me.

“Seriously Aspen? That’s just gross. God made Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve,” Kelsey said.

I shoved some salad in my mouth, mostly so I didn’t say something I’d regret. I’ll let Aspen handle this one.

“Welcome to the 21st century and you better get used to it. As Bob Dylan said, ‘Times they are a changing’.”

I’m pretty sure that was actually a quote from Anchorman and Bob Dylan never said that. I wasn’t going to argue about it or anything. I looked over at Nick who was extremely interested in his salad.

“I’m sorry but gay people are trying to ruin marriage. They’ll make it gross and unnatural. It’s disgusting.”

Okay, I couldn’t keep my mouth shut anymore.

“So you’re telling me, that my brother is so disgusting that he should never be allowed to get married to someone? You have a lot of nerve to say things like that when I just said my brother is gay and she said she was bisexual,” I motioned toward Aspen.

Kelsey just looked at me as I continued, “Do you even realize that if my brother’s partner legally adopts a child, and then if that partner dies. The child goes into social services? My brother has zero rights to a child he raised? And my brother would also have no rights to visit his partner in the ICU or have any say in treatment.”

Kelsey opened her mouth to say something but I just held up my hand.

“The sooner people like you realize that they are not God and shouldn’t decide the rights of others, the sooner this will be a better country.”

Aspen started clapping, “Keep your dumb opinions to yourself little girl” She then motioned for more drinks from the bartender.

Kelsey just sulked in her chair, while the three of us happily chatted away throughout the rest of dinner.

When dessert came, Nick took Aspen for some one-on-one time. I was actually glad not to be separated from my crème burlee. But of course, I wasn’t going to get to enjoy my dessert in peace. The second they walked away, Kelsey started in one me.

“You know, I don’t appreciate you making me look stupid in front of Nick.”

“I didn’t put those words in your mouth.” This girl was getting on my last nerve.

‘Why couldn’t you just keep your mouth shut?” She glared at me.

“Because you were insulting my own brother. He is ranked a little bit higher in my book than Nick.” I hoped my sarcasm wasn’t lost on her but I had to be realistic on that one.

“Whatever, just watch out.” With that, she crossed her arms and sat back. We sat in silence for a good five minutes before Aspen and Nick joined us again.

He then disappeared again with Kelsey this time. The wait was much more relaxing with Aspen. I had actually had a fun day with her. As much as I wanted to ask about their one-on-one time, my manners held me back. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know if they had a connection or was just curious what they had actually talked about.

“We just talked about guitars and music,” she said. It was like she could read my mind.

“Oh, I mean, that’s between ya’ll two. You don’t have to tell me.” I was suddenly uncomfortable around her, now that I remembered she knew about Nick and I’s midnight chat.

“I’m telling you, because I like you.”

My eyes bulged out of my head.

“No, not like that. You’re not my type at all. Too vanilla, even though I’m sure you’re crazy in the sack with all that passion you unleashed on Kelsey.” She finished off one of the drinks that had mysteriously appeared right as she returned.

I could feel my face turn bright red. I didn’t know what to say to that, thank you?

She kept talking, “I just mean that I’m not really not sure how I feel about this whole thing. And if you and Nick actually have a real connection, then I’m not going to be the one to ruin that. Plus, the second these crazy ass bitches find out, you’re going to need some back up.”

So does this mean we were in an alliance? I watched enough Survivor to know about them, but I didn’t see how they helped on a dating show. I didn’t have time to about that when Kelsey and Nick walked back up.

“And with that the date is done…” He said and started to walk off.

“Hey! What about me?” I stood up and all thoughts of an alliance were gone.

“Ehh, I’m good.” He turned around and stood there all cute-like. I’m sure he learned that in boy band school.

I walked up to him and linked arms with him. Where did all this confidence come from? Must be the alliance I now had.

“Come on or I’ll track down that guy you went on the date with,” I said as we started walking down the side of the large patio. Even with my wedges, I still came up barely past his shoulder. How weird would it be if I was wearing flats? I wondered what it’s like to be tall. You can probably see everything.

“Earth to Emily, are you there?” He said waving his other hand in front of my face.

“Sorry, my mind was else where.”

He just laughed and replied, “You were probably thinking about how sexy I am.”

I could see him smirk in the soft glow of the lanterns that lined the ledge. I just rolled my eyes. It was one of the few times I wasn’t thinking that.

“You and that ego…”

We had now stopped and stood next to each other against the ledge. You could still see the waves crash against the shore in the dim light. It was way better than my noise machine at home.

“I have to say that it was pretty cool that you stood up for your brother like that.” He shifted his feet and scooted closer so that our arms were touching as they were propped up on the ledge.

I just kind of shrugged, “She has a right to her own opinion, but it just made me mad that she made that dig knowing about Aspen and my brother.”

“You just always seem cool as a cucumber, I didn’t expect it.”

“Where did you pick up that phrase? My grandma used to say that. Trying to learn my southern dialect?”

“Brian says it a lot, I probably picked it up from him. But honestly, you just seem so nice and polite.”

“I’m nice, but that doesn’t mean I’m a pushover. I told you the other night, gosh, that was just last night wasn’t it? I’m an onion full of layers.” It now seemed I had been up for five days.

“I’m definitely starting to believe you on that one, especially after that song today. You sure have a way of keeping me on my toes.”

“That’s how I work my magic. I keep you guessing, then I can swoop in and have my way with you.” I winked at him. Did I just really wink? I knew there was one of them that winked all the time. I hoped it wasn’t him. He probably thought I was mocking him.

We stood there for a moment in comfortable silence before he spoke again.

“Can I ask you a question without you getting mad?” He asked tentatively.

“Go ahead.” I wondered if his question was going to be sexual. I couldn’t be trusted with an appropriate answer if so.

“This is going to sound horrible, but you just seem so normal and well-grounded. Why are you on this show?”

I sighed and actually felt relief that I had the chance to be honest with him. I felt like I had been walking on eggshells trying to pretend I was a fan or that I wasn’t forced to be here.

“Honestly, my brother and my best friend signed me up. I didn’t even know until a week before the final casting out here. It’s not that I don’t want to be here. I just…,” I paused searching for the right words before further explaining. “I just think everything happens for a reason, so I’m open to find out whatever that is.” I was scared of his response. Who would have thought I would be scared to get sent home?

“That makes me feel so much better, you have no idea, “ He responded.

“I don’t know why. You get to skip off to your house, while I get to sleep with the crazies.”

He reached out his hand for mine as we started walking back to the others. I felt so comfortable with him. Comfortable, but still giddy. I felt like a freshman in high school and the cool senior decided to talk me.

“I’ll use my super secret pop star powers to keep them at bay.” Well, he ruined that analogy for me.

“You’re such a dork,” I told him.

“That’s how my magic works. I make you think I’m harmless then I swoop in and take advantage.”

“Woah, you’re not allowed to use my lines on me!” I shoved him away and kept walking. He stood there for a second then jogged back and threw his arm around my shoulders.

“Now that I know you’re not crazy, I won’t be going easy on you,” he joked.

“Bring it on,” I replied as we joined the others.

Kelsey’s mascara was smeared. She looked up at Nick’s arm around me. I could see mini laser guns in her eyes shoot at me, while Aspen was just smirking. She had four empty shot glasses in front of her. We had only been gone thirty minutes. I guessed the tension was too much for her. I hoped I didn’t miss a fight. Oh wait, I was busy flirting and receiving compliments from this gorgeous man. I’ll watch whatever happened when it aired on TV.

We all piled in van and I could swear Nick’s hand spent a little longer on my lower back. I looked back at him and he just smirked.

“Emily, get in the car! I’m tired!” Kelsey wined.

I hummed Taylor Swift’s ‘Enchanted’ the whole way home. It described my feelings perfectly. Leave it up to an 18 year-old to write songs about my life.

We pulled up to the mansion twenty minutes later to a surprisingly silent house. Kelsey stalked off toward the room that we did our IDI’s in, probably to talk bout how mean we were to her. Aspen and I went to the bathroom and found Candy sitting on the counter. She looked like she had the hangover from hell.

“How was it! You have to tell me everything! But keep it low, I have a horrible headache.”

Aspen and I just exchanged glances.

“It was certainly interesting.”

“Kelsey is going to get her ass beat,” Aspen spoke at the same time as me.

We gave Candy the scoop and Aspen thankfully kept mum on anything involving Nick and I.

We washed off our make up and headed to bed after Candy was satisfied with our gossip. I checked the itinerary to see what was in store for tomorrow. Thankfully, it was just elimination. I looked past to realized that the day after was the fourth challenge. That meant, only one more before I won my bet.

Did I really care about new shoes anymore? I started to get to know Nick and he was normal and funny and cute and goofy and…gosh, I could go on forever. After telling him how I really ended up on this show, I felt like a weight was lifted from my shoulders. He probably had people try and take advantage of him all the time.

Was I any different? Yeah it was just a dumb bet, but still. I was going to have to decide whether I was in it for the bet or in it for the possibility of something with Nick.

“Ughh!” I sighed as I pulled my eye mask over my eyes and forced myself to go to sleep. I could figure out that tomorrow.