《The Holiday Competition ✔️》chapter ten

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☽Ⓛ❈Ⓒ☾

Day four starts rather slowly.

After having breakfast together, Spencer tells us that we won't be seeing the bachelors until after lunch. This gives us the whole morning free.

We get the offer to go skiing again, or remain at the castle to go to the spa or gym.

Some of the girls actually choose to go to the gym. Crazy.

Saffron, Winnie and I decide to go skiing for the morning. It's expensive to go, usually, and it's a once in a lifetime opportunity to get to do it for free.

My best friends stay on the black slopes with me and I appreciate them for it. Just before lunch, they convince me to try one of the easier diamond slopes.

They stay close to me the whole time and we take it at a really slow pace. We stop half-way down the slope but I make it to the bottom. Adrenaline is pumping through my veins by the time we reach flat ground.

I'm not doing that again. It was terrifying.

We return to the castle for lunch and I take a shower. This afternoon, we are meeting the guys to do 'trust exercises'.

The girls and I wrap up in warm clothing and Spencer takes us outside, into one of the gardens. The bachelors are waiting for us. Behind them, is what looks like a maze, made of rope and poles.

'Today's focus is trust,' Spencer commands our attention. 'You will be completing three exercises that will help build trust between yourselves and our bachelors.'

'The first is a team-building exercise. You will split into groups of seven, I will join in to even out the numbers.'

My group consists of Winnie, Kira, Helene, Florie, Bain and Ahmed.

Saffron, Marybeth, Lula, Niki, Binah, Fidel and Spencer are in the other group.

Spencer explains how to make a human knot. We form a circle and we hold our right hands with someone opposite us in the circle. Then, we have to hold right hands with someone.

The task is to unravel the knot without breaking contact. We all grip each others hands, determined not to let go.

Bain is opposite me and he holds on tightly to my right hand. Helene shot herself in the foot by standing next to him because now, they're not holding hands with each other.

That makes me a little happy. I'm so petty.

The exercise is designed to help communication skills.

I remain relatively quiet. Bain, Ahmed, Helene and Kira take the lead. Winnie, Florie and I stay mostly silent, listen to the others discuss what is the best way.

There isn't much order or strategy to begin with. Everyone tugs on each other's hands, lifting up arms and trying to duck under limbs. It's chaos.

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After ten minutes, Florie speaks up. She asks everyone to stop talking and listen, I watch her with pride.

She starts suggesting more useful strategies. Only two people should try moving first. We all watch, working out who is linked where and therefore, who can move under whose arms.

It's a struggle, but after many attempts, we manage to form a circle. A couple of us are facing out of the circle but it doesn't matter, we managed to unravel ourselves and we did it before the other team.

We congratulate each other and celebrate our small win. Spencer moves us on to the next exercise.

We have to get in a circle, all fourteen of us. He explains that we'll be doing a trust fall. Bain positioned himself next to me and he shoots me a smile when Spencer explains what to do.

One by one, we go around the circle. You have to put your arms out, high on either side of you and then let yourself fall backwards, into the waiting person's arms.

It comes to me and I swallow hard. Bain gives me a nod that tells me he is ready. I turn my back to him and stretch my arms out.

I take a deep breath and push myself backwards, allowing my body to fall. Bain's huge hands wrap around my waist and my back bumps against his chest as he catches me. He supports my weight and lifts me back onto my feet.

'I'll always catch you,' he whispers in my ear.

The line is corny but it makes my heart skip a beat.

It's his turn next and he falls into Helene. She stumbles back a bit with his weight and I enjoy watching her struggle.

Does that make me a horrible person?

After everyone has fallen, we move onto the final exercise. This time, instead of the women choosing, the bachelors have to choose which woman they want to pair up with.

The women are going to be blindfolded and a bachelor will guide them through the maze using only their voice.

Fidel chooses Lula first. She grins from ear to ear, happy that she was his first choice. He blindfolds her and takes her hand. He guides her over to the start and Spencer starts the timer.

We all watch as he leads her around the maze, giving quiet instructions that she hesitantly follows. They manage to make it round in four minutes.

Ahmed goes next and I'm curious to see who he will choose out of Binah and Florie, he's been getting close with both of them.

He chooses Florie. They were flirting a little during the first exercise. He guides her around the maze and they do it in a few seconds over five minutes.

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Bain is next. My heart is beating wildly. He locks eyes with me and smiles a mischievous smile that promises trouble.

'Amity.' He says my name like it's something precious.

I daren't look at Helene. I can only imagine her face is like thunder.

Bain's fingers brush over my cheeks as he wraps the blindfold around my eyes. He gently ties the knot and I feel his breath on my skin.

'Is that okay?' He murmurs in my ear.

'Yes,' I whisper.

He takes my small hand in his rough one and pulls me over to the start. When Spencer calls out, Bain starts instructing me.

'Five steps forward. Great. Turn 90 degrees right. Three steps forward.'

His instructions are simple and precise. I follow them without question, completely trusting of his lead.

His hand grips mine tightly, reminding me that he's got me. I love it.

We finish the maze and I take my blindfold off. Spencer stops the stopwatch and grins.

'Three minutes, forty-two seconds!' He calls out.

Bain laughs and quickly kisses my cheek.

'Nice work, partner,' he says.

I smile back at him. 'That was all thanks to you. Well done.'

Fidel goes next, with Niki. They get the longest time so far. Ahmed chooses Binah and they manage to beat his and Florie's time, but not mine and Bain's.

Bain chooses Saffron before Helene and that makes me happy. Fidel chooses Winnie and Ahmed chooses Marybeth. Bain chooses Helene, leaving only Kira to go.

Helene and Bain's time is slightly longer than mine with his. She kept turning towards him, making her walk at an angle instead of straight ahead, which cost them time. If her body wasn't so obsessed with him, they might have had a chance at beating me.

Bain chooses Kira and we watch the final race. I'm grinning when Spencer announces that the winners are Bain and I.

After a fun afternoon, we are sent back to the castle. We are given two hours to have dinner and get ready.

The girls and I are escorted to the large room after dinner, the one from the first night. We are all dressed up again, wearing our formal wear.

None of us say very much whilst we wait for the bachelors. One of us is going home tonight and none of us can predict who it is.

The bachelors are next door, voting for who they are keeping. They each get three votes, leaving one woman without a vote.

I feel bad that one of us has had to get dressed and glammed up, only to be sent home.

A hush falls on us as Spencer and the bachelors enter the room. We all stand a little straighter. We smooth our dresses and fix our hair. It's pathetic, really, that we're so bothered about making an impression for these three men.

'Ladies, you all look lovely this evening,' Spencer greets us. His eyes linger a little longer on Saffron. 'As you know, one of you will be sent home tonight.'

I glance at Winnie and she gives me a sad smile.

'The bachelors have submitted their votes. I will announce them now, and then you can say your goodbyes to the woman who will not be staying on.'

It's so silent that you could hear a pin drop. We all wait with baited breath to hear who it is going to be.

'Lula, Niki and Saffron; Fidel has chosen you,' Spencer informs us.

I breathe a sigh of relief that one of my friends is staying.

'Binah, Florie and Winnie; Ahmed has chosen you.'

My two best friends are staying!

Winnie reaches over and squeezes my hand.

Logically, I know that Bain will probably choose me. But I don't want to be cocky. He might change his mind.

'Helene, Kira and Amity; Bain has chosen you.'

I let out the breath I didn't know I'd been holding as soon as I hear my name being called.

'That means, Marybeth, your time in the castle is over. Have a few minutes to say goodbye to everyone, then I will escort you upstairs. Once you've packed up your things, I will take you over to the lodge you will be staying in for the remainder of the holiday.'

We each hug Marybeth, asking her to keep in touch. We'll find each other on social media after this.

I glance at Fidel, to see if he is upset about her leaving. His face is blank and impassive, until he catches Lula's eye and smiles. He doesn't seem fazed that Marybeth is leaving. It makes me even more curious as to what happened in her bedroom the other night.

It's quiet for a few moments once Marybeth leaves. We've only been together four days, but already the atmosphere seems different.

Kira recovers first. She steps forward and pulls Bain for a chat. No doubt she wants to thank him for saving her.

I take a sip of my wine and try to surreptitiously watch them on the rim of the glass. I study Bain's face, trying to work out what he's thinking.

I know he likes me. But I think he likes Helene, too. I can't decipher his feelings for Kira.

Bain suddenly looks in my direction and catches my eye. He obviously felt my gaze and has caught me looking.

The corners of his mouth turn up in a smile and I grip my glass a little tighter.

Stupid feelings.

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