《The Holiday Competition ✔️》chapter nine
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I wake up early and find myself smiling.
It is day three.
I sit with Winnie and Saffron as we eat breakfast. When I'm sure that no one can hear us, I lean towards them.
'You won't believe what happened last night,' I whisper to them.
They already know about Bain coming to visit me after his date.
Saff's eyes widen. 'Did Bain come back again?'
I shake my head. 'No, but I couldn't sleep last night, so I got up for some water. When I went to leave the kitchen, I heard someone in the hallway.'
Winnie and Saff lean in closer to me, completely hooked.
'Who was it?' Winnie whispers excitedly.
'Fidel was coming out of Marybeth's room!' I hiss and the girls gasp.
'Shut up!' Saff exclaims.
'I know! I didn't even know they liked each other.'
We cut the gossip short as some of the other girls come over. Just as we're finishing, Spencer comes in.
'Morning, ladies,' he greets us. 'Today, you will be spending the morning with the bachelors. In the afternoon, you will be taken into town, where you can buy the ingredients for the baking competition.'
Whispers of excitement go through the girls. I wonder what the hell I should make.
'I do have some bad news, though,' he adds and we all listen intently. 'Tomorrow, one woman will be sent home. The bachelors will vote for who they want to save and one of you will not be continuing with this process.'
Florie slowly puts her hand up.
'Yes?' Spencer asks her.
'What happens when you're sent home?'
'You will be taken to another lodge to enjoy the remainder of your two week holiday.'
We are all relieved to hear that they will be keeping their promise of a holiday even if you've been sent home.
Spencer tells us to change into warmer clothes because we're going to be outside with the guys. I wrap myself up in a thick coat, scarf and bobble hat.
Once we're all ready, Spencer takes us downstairs. He leads us through the gardens and down a path. We reach part of the garden that slopes down to the side. It is covered in knee deep snow.
The bachelors are waiting for us, behind them, is a row of toboggans.
Lula runs over to Fidel and hugs him. I frown as I watch their exchange.
Should I tell her about seeing him last night?
I only gossiped to Winnie and Saff because they're my best friends. If I tell Lula, it becomes bad gossip and it'll look like I'm talking about Marybeth behind her back.
Maybe I should ask Marybeth about it?
But it's none of my business.
Binah and Florie greet Ahmed with rosy cheeks. Helene throws her arms around Bain's neck for a hug, but his eyes meet mine over her shoulder.
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I stride over to Bain, before Spencer can gather everyone's attention.
'Amity,' he greets me with a smile.
Helene scowls and stands next to him with a hand on her hip.
'Hi, Bain,' I reply. 'Do you think Spencer could stay with us this morning?'
My question takes Bain by surprise. He looks at Fidel, who is standing close by. He shrugs in response to Bain's silent question.
Bain turns back to me. 'I guess, I don't see why not.'
'Thank you!'
I go over to Spencer and tell him that we want him to stay and that the bachelors are fine with it. He seems over the moon that he's allowed to join us.
As everyone starts claiming sleds, Saff comes over and squeezes my gloved hand.
'You're the best,' she whispers in my ear.
What are friends for?
The slope is steep, but not enough that it should be dangerous. With everyone on their own sled, we take it turns going down the slope, waiting for the person in front to get a little ways down, so that there is a gap between us all.
The walk back up the slope is the most boring part, but it keeps me warm by making me exercise. The adrenaline rush of hurtling back down the slope makes the trek back up worthwhile.
We spend over an hour playing like children.
I get to the bottom and turn around, wanting to watch the others come down. A grin forms on my face as I see Spencer and Saffron sliding on on the same sled.
They're big enough that there is room for two, but everyone got one each because there was enough. Obviously, Saffron decided she wanted to share with Spencer.
She looks very happy to be nestled between his legs and arms as he holds onto the front handles from behind her.
Their idea catches the attention of the others. Ahmed comes down the slope with Binah on the back of his sled, next. Lula sits between Fidel's arms.
I've just reached the top with my sled, when my eyes meet Bain's. He smiles and takes a step towards me.
Surprisingly, Kira comes up to him, taking his attention. He seems surprised as they're talking and a moment later, I'm just as surprised.
Kira has obviously asked him to go down the slope with her. He gets on behind her and shoots me an uncomfortable look. I watch the two of them sled down the slope.
Spencer comes up to me and suddenly, I think of something that I've been meaning to ask him.
'Spencer, do you know what pissy-coot-sa means?'
He chuckles at my question.
'Do you mean pisicuță?' He asks, pronouncing the word perfectly, exactly like Bain does.
My cheeks turn pink, despite the chill in the air. 'Uh, yes, that.'
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'Where did you hear that word? It means kitten in Romanian, it's a term of affection.'
I shift uncomfortably under Spencer's narrowed gaze.
'Um, Bain called me it,' I reply awkwardly.
Spencer raises his eyebrows in surprise. 'Interesting,' he murmurs.
'Is he Romanian?' I ask him and Spencer nods.
He turns and walks away before I can question it further. Spencer obviously didn't expect the bachelors or Bain to be using terms of endearment either with me or any of the women.
Ahmed comes back up and Florie catches him. They go down together.
Fidel approaches me and I watch him untrustingly.
'Amity, want to go down with me?' He offers, holding up his black sled.
I eye him warily, but from the corner of my eye, I see Bain coming back up with Helen holding onto his arm.
Fuck it.
'Sure.' I smile.
Bain comes over just as Fidel sits behind me. His arms come around either side of me to grip the handles.
I glance over at Bain and his jaw tenses, his eyes are hard for once.
Fidel pushes us forwards and I break eye contact with Bain. We hurtle down the slope together and the thrill distracts me.
Our sled hits a bump at the bottom and Fidel and I are thrown from it. We land in the snow in a heap.
I look over at him and we burst out laughing.
It takes a moment for me to sit up and Fidel is still chuckling.
Bain and Helene come down to a smooth stop on their sled. I can feel Bain's eyes on me as Fidel offers out his hand to help me up.
Even after I've stood up and brushed myself down, I can feel Bain watching me. I look up and meet his dark eyes.
'Okay! Time for the ladies to head back to the castle,' Spencer announces, breaking our spell.
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We are given half an hour, with access to the internet in a room full of computers. We are told to choose one dessert to bake for a bachelor of our choice.
After, we will be taken into town to shop for the ingredients. The day after tomorrow is the baking competition, we will be given two hours to make our dessert.
We have to hand in a note of who we are baking for, so that Spencer can organise who will go when.
He writes the names on a board in the room and I look over at it.
I hate that I've chosen him, whilst other women have. I hate having to share him. It's only day three and I already have feelings for him.
This sucks.
Amity = Bain
Binah = Ahmed
Florie = Ahmed
Helene = Bain
Kira = Bain
Lula = Fidel
Marybeth = Ahmed
Niki = Fidel
Saffron = Ahmed
Winnie = Fidel
I'm surprised by a couple of the choices.
Why has Marybeth chosen Ahmed? I saw Fidel leaving her room last night and something tells me they weren't playing a game of scrabble in there. He was wiping his mouth like he'd just had a heavy make-out session or something.
And Kira is a random curveball. She hasn't really shown any interest in Bain before and now, she's chosen Bain during tobogganing and has chosen him for the baking competition.
I look over Helene and see her glaring at the board. I don't think she's happy about Kira's choice, either. She's barely looked at me all morning. I wonder if it has something to do with Bain asking her to back off from me on their date.
I know Saffron and Winnie aren't fussed. They're choosing the guys at random. Winnie is here for the holiday and Saffron only wants Spencer.
Once everyone has chosen their dishes and has an ingredient list, we get into the minibus and are driven into town. Spencer comes with us, as always. He's like our tour-guide/ body guard.
The quaint Swiss town is adorable. The girls grumble about not having their phones, there are some serious Insta opportunities.
We are each given a card with the equivalent of £50 on it, to spend on ingredients. The ten of us bustle into the shop, weaving through the aisles with our baskets.
I buy all of the ingredients I need. It took me a while to think of the perfect thing to make for Bain. I want it to be something special, not only because I want to win the competition, but I also want him to know that I've thought of him.
I don't know what the other girls are making, it won't be revealed until the day of the competition. Saffron told me that she's making Arctic roll, it's her speciality, she's memorised the recipe from her Great-grandma.
Winnie is making chocolate chip cookies for Fidel and is hoping he won't eat them all, so there will be some left for her. I overhear Marybeth talking to Kira about making a cheesecake.
I've never made the cake I've chosen before, but from what I've read online, the recipe seems simple enough. I've baked a lot at home, so hopefully, I won't fuck it up.
After we've bought our ingredients, we're taken back to the castle. Everything is put away in separate fridges for us and Spencer gives us the afternoon off.
We're taken down to the spa again and we spend the next few hours in the pool and saunas.
I really hope Bain likes what I'm planning to make.
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