"Last time on Total Drama Island…
Screaming Gophers dominated the Awake-a-thon, outlasting their rivals through sheer determination and a hint of affection, as longtime friends clung to each other before finally crashing in each other's arms. But in the end, it was Ronnie Anne who snagged victory by the thinnest margin, handing the Killer Bass their second consecutive loss. Ouch.
Heather schemed her way into forming the very first Total Drama Island alliance, roping in both Lindsay and Beth with a sugary smile and veiled threats. Ronnie Anne wasn't far behind, pairing up with her no-nonsense sister figure Leshawna. Meanwhile, Lincoln made a bold move to protect a teammate, retrieving Eva's stolen MP3 from the manipulative Heather—earning the scream-happy Tyler a one-way ticket off the island. Now, with alliances forming and tension rising…
Who will betray their new allies first?
Will Ronnie Anne manage to stay conscious long enough to compete?
And which poor camper is next to walk the humiliating Dock of Shame?
Stay tuned for another explosive episode of… Total. Drama. Island!"
⸻
The wooden lodge buzzed with noise and movement, filled with the clatter of breakfast trays and the groans of half-asleep teenagers. Spirits were high on one side of the room—the Screaming Gophers, still glowing with pride from back-to-back victories. Everyone, that is, except Gwen. Her head was nestled in the crook of her arm on the table, a soft snore escaping her lips.
"Zzzzzzzz…"
Meanwhile, on the Killer Bass side, the mood couldn't have been more different. The campers were slouched in their seats, bleary-eyed and zombie-like. Some cradled their heads in their hands, while others leaned forward like they might fall face-first into their food at any moment. Duncan, however, had already surrendered to sleep, his face buried on the table in front of him.
"Duncan. You look like crap, dude," Geoff said, smirking slightly at his friend's disheveled state.
Before Duncan could even lift his head, the lodge doors swung open and in strolled Chris McLean, all swagger and sadism. His grin widened as he laid eyes on the slumped figure of the delinquent.
"Oh man, this is too good," Chris muttered, stepping in to taunt his favorite victim.
"Stuff it." Duncan's response was muffled, followed by the dull thud of his forehead hitting the table again.
Courtney leaned forward, arms crossed tightly. "Harold snored all night," she said, clearly still irritated.
Chris arched an eyebrow, letting out a low whistle. "Wow. Four nights with no sleep? How much are you hurting, dude?"
Duncan shot up, eyes bloodshot and furious. "Wanna find out?!"
Even Chris blinked and took a step back at the venom in Duncan's voice, though he tried to maintain his smug expression. "No, no, it's cool. It's cool."
Before anything could escalate, the doors creaked open again, and all heads turned. Harold ambled in, oblivious to the attention he immediately received. There was something off about him… and it wasn't just the usual awkward vibe.
"Hehehe…"
"HAHAHAHA!"
Snickers turned to open laughter from both teams as Harold strolled in, completely unaware of the new artwork gracing his face. He blinked and looked around, confused at the sudden spotlight.
"Okay, what?!"
He took his seat at the Killer Bass table, still clueless.
"Someone messed with your face, dude," Geoff informed him, still chuckling.
Harold grabbed a spoon and held it up like a mirror. His eyes widened when he caught sight of the thick, dark mustache scribbled across his upper lip.
"Hey, sweet 'stache,"
Harold mused at the new addition to his face.
At that moment, the lodge doors opened once more, and Lincoln stepped in, half-carrying a barely conscious Ronnie Anne. Her face was pale with exhaustion, her eyes struggling to stay open. One arm draped over his shoulders as he supported her toward the Screaming Gopher's table.
"Hey-hey, everyone, it's Ronnie Anne!"
Cheers erupted from the Gophers as Lincoln gently helped Ronnie Anne into her seat. Her head immediately hit the table with a soft thud.
"I got it from here, q-tip, don't worry," Leshawna said, stepping in to take over. Lincoln nodded and moved to sit with the Bass.
"Yay! Why are we clapping?" Lindsay asked with genuine confusion, clapping along anyway.
Ronnie Anne didn't respond. Her breathing was slow and steady, her cheek resting against the cool surface of the table.
⸻
Leshawna – CONFESSIONAL
"Since the last challenge drained her, Ronnie Anne has been wicked exhausted, so me and snowball are taking turns on caring for her."
⸻
Back at the table, Leshawna nudged the sleeping girl gently.
"Yo purple, you need anything?"
Ronnie Anne didn't stir much but mumbled softly, still lost in dreamland.
"Zzzzz… Carlota… I'll help… you with your… nails… later but… I just want to sleep… right now… Gracias, prima."
Leshawna snorted with laughter and shook her head fondly.
⸻
Courtney – CONFESSIONAL
"We are so sucking right now. At least Eva is getting better control of her temper thanks to Lincoln, but still doesn't change the fact we're 0–2 in challenges."
⸻
Eva – CONFESSIONAL
"Lincoln told me about Heather trying to steal my MP3 last challenge… so I've been working with him to control my anger better, it's just, GRRRRRR, that little witch Heather is getting on my nerves."
⸻
Over at the Gopher table, Heather leaned in close to her new allies. Her voice dropped to a whisper as she addressed Lindsay and Beth with a smug smile.
"So, let's go over the rules one more time. Number one, I am the captain of this alliance, so I get to make the rules. Number two…?"
Lindsay blinked a few times before offering, "Breaking the rules can result in getting kicked out of the alliance?"
Heather nodded, clearly pleased. "Good. Number three, I can borrow any of your stuff without asking, but my stuff is strictly off-limits."
Lindsay and Beth exchanged uneasy glances. That last rule didn't sit right with either of them.
"I don't know about that last rule," Beth said cautiously.
"That's cool. I can change it," Heather said sweetly, then leaned in coldly. "I can also find someone else to take to the final three with me."
Panic flashed across their faces, and they immediately began shaking their heads.
"Good," Heather said, satisfied with their submission. Her eyes then flicked over to the tired-looking Bass team. A wicked grin spread across her face.
"Wanna have some fun?"
Lindsay and Beth nodded quickly, eager to stay in Heather's good graces.
"Hey fish heads! Ready to get your butts kicked for the third time? Why don't you just give up now?"
Courtney narrowed her eyes and quickly scooped a spoonful of the slop they called breakfast. She launched it at Heather—but her aim was off.
SPLAT!
The gruel smacked Ronnie Anne in the face just as the exhausted girl began to stir.
"Missed me!" Heather gloated.
[SMACK!]
Heather's laugh was cut short as Lincoln's bowl of gruel sailed through the air and smashed directly into her mouth, splattering food everywhere.
"AHHH!!"
"Sorry," Lincoln said with a shrug. "I thought that was the trash can from the garbage pouring out of it."
Heather clutched her face and turned on him with a furious snarl. "OHH YOU WHITE HAIRED SON OF A BI—"
[SLAM!!!]
Before she could finish, an entire trash can was hurled straight at her, knocking her flat onto her back.
"Put you where you belong, queenie," Eva growled, cracking her knuckles with satisfaction.
Laughter erupted from both teams as Heather lay there, stunned and covered in garbage. Just then, Chris walked in with his usual dramatic flair.
"Okay campers, listen up! Your next challenge begins in ten minutes! And be prepared to bring it!"
⸻—————————————————————————
The sun beamed down on the campers as they arrived on the beach, where something new and unexpected had been constructed overnight. A large plastic building—modern, brightly colored, and slightly out of place on the rustic island—loomed at one end of the sand. Nestled beside it was a full dodgeball court, complete with bleachers on either side for spectators. The ocean breeze swept through the air, carrying the faint scent of sea salt and competition.
One by one, the Killer Bass filed in, groggy but alert. Duncan, as usual, was the last to arrive. His pace was sluggish, his eyes half-lidded with exhaustion. Without a word, he trudged up the Bass bleachers and collapsed onto the top row like a pile of bricks.
"Wake me up, and it'll be the last thing you do."
His threat hung in the air, cold and sharp. A few Bass teammates looked visibly unsettled, exchanging cautious glances. Others just rolled their eyes, used to Duncan's melodramatic menace by now.
"This is all your fault, you know! You and your snoring face!"
Courtney had turned sharply on Harold, her voice rising fast with frustration.
"It's called a medical condition, gosh!"
The two launched into a miniature screaming match, their voices clashing like thunderclaps. Harold gestured wildly in defense while Courtney pointed accusingly, her tone growing shriller. It looked like the argument was about to go nuclear—until Lincoln stepped in.
With a calm but firm grip, Lincoln placed a hand on each of their shoulders, physically pulling them apart before things could turn physical.
FWEEEEEET!!
A sharp whistle blast cut through the morning air. All eyes turned toward the court, where Chef Hatchet stood like a military drill sergeant, glaring at the campers.
"Today's challenge is the classic game of dodgeball!"
⸻
Eva – CONFESSIONAL
"Oh, I am down for this."
Eva cracked her knuckles with glee, a wicked grin spreading across her face. Her eyes gleamed with anticipation, already envisioning how hard she was going to throw those balls.
⸻
Ronnie Anne – CONFESSIONAL
"I have a friend back home named Dodge who's like, the dodgeball champ. I'm a temporary sub on their team when they need extra players… but I'm still wiped from the Awake-a-thon. I just hope I don't pass out on the court."
⸻
Back on the court, Chris strutted into the center with a ball in hand, flashing his trademark smirk.
"The first rule of dodgeball is—"
"Do not talk about dodgeball?"
Noah's voice was dry as ever, his delivery dripping with sarcasm.
Chris shot him a glare but continued undeterred. "As I was saying… if you get hit with the ball—"
He hurled the dodgeball at lightning speed, nailing Courtney directly in the stomach with a loud THUMP.
"Oof! Ow!"
"You're out," Chris declared, dusting off his hands.
"You can't do that!"
Courtney angrily tossed the ball back at him, but Chris caught it without breaking eye contact.
"If you catch the ball, the thrower's out, and the catcher gets to bring in another teammate."
He tossed another ball to Geoff. "Okay, now Geoff, try to hit me."
Geoff shrugged and chucked the ball with decent force. Chris, unfazed, held a ball in front of him and used it to block Geoff's shot with ease.
"If you're holding a ball, you can use it to deflect. But if it knocks your ball out of your hands…"
Chris let the ball fall with a thud.
"You're out."
"So what do I do again when the ball comes at me?" Lindsay asked innocently.
"You dodge!" Chris barked and whipped the ball straight at her.
WHACK!
The ball slammed Lindsay square in the face, knocking her backward with a dazed expression.
"OOF!"
A collective gasp came from Cody, Justin, Owen, and Trent as they hurried to help.
Ronnie Anne was the first to reach her, cradling Lindsay's arm as she sat her up.
"Ooh! You were supposed to dodge!"
"Ohhhohhh… right."
Lindsay groaned and rubbed her head. She moved her hand to reveal a bright tomato-sized bruise on her forehead.
"Ohh Lindsay, are you good?" Ronnie Anne asked gently.
Lindsay nodded slowly, clearly dazed.
Chris pointed toward the benches. "You have one minute until game time. Gophers, you'll have to sit two people out each game."
The Gophers quickly huddled together to strategize.
"Okay, we can't get lazy. The Killer Bass are gonna be trying extra hard to catch up," Gwen mumbled, stifling a yawn.
Ronnie Anne stretched her arms out, her body still aching. "So who wants to sit with grande-butt and sleeping weirdo here?"
Heather scowled. Gwen and Ronnie Anne glared back. Noah, seeing the tension, raised a hand casually.
"Oh, all right. I'll volunteer. Now let's see all you keeners get on out there and dodge!"
Noah sounded enthusiastic—but the moment he sat down, he opened a book, clearly not invested in the slightest.
"I'm not sitting this out, Heather."
Ronnie Anne's voice cut through the chatter like a blade. She was still tired, eyes shadowed with bags, but determined.
"Girl, you don't need to push yourself," Leshawna said with concern.
"Leshawna, Lincoln is a master planner. We need to be smart. He'll be taking control of the Bass—I know it."
Across the court, the Bass were indeed deep in discussion.
⸻
"So I say we load Eva up with all the balls and let her run wild." Geoff gave his idea to his teammates.
"Oooh, I like that plan," Eva grinned and cracked her knuckles with anticipation.
Lincoln sighed. "Eva is our strongest, no question.
"There better be no question, bunny boy," she growled at Lincoln, daring him to argue.
"But the Gophers know she's our strongest. If we rely only on her, they'll just target her and take her out first."
The team paused. Lincoln was making too much sense to ignore.
"Look, Lincoln, I say we go with this plan first and see if we can just overpower them and break their spirits," Courtney argued, trying to maintain control.
"It's not going to work, Courtney. The only thing you'll get out of this plan is a dodgeball imprint on your butt."
"Don't be negative!"
The team broke their huddle and took their positions. On the Gopher side: Heather, Owen, Leshawna, Ronnie Anne, and Cody. For the Bass: DJ, Geoff, Eva, Harold, and Courtney.
"Bring it on, fishies. Otherwise, winning three in a row just won't be as satisfying," Heather taunted.
"Big talk from a stick girl who never held anything heavier than a lipstick case," Eva replied with a smirk.
Heather scowled.
"Both teams ready? Best of five games wins! Now! Let's dodge some balls!"
Chef's whistle blew.
The Bass immediately handed Eva a ball. She bounced it in her palm, grinning devilishly. Owen and Cody launched their own shots—but Eva dodged and deflected them with ease.
She raised her ball again, grinning as the Gophers tensed—except one. Ronnie Anne stood firm, staring Eva down. She raised her hand and gave a taunting "bring it on" gesture.
Eva's brows furrowed. She hurled the ball with terrifying force.
WHAM!
It nailed Ronnie Anne right in the gut, hard enough to send her sliding across the court.
"Looks like Lincoln was wrong," Eva laughed, confidently stepping forward.
Chef raised his whistle to blow—until Ronnie Anne stood up, holding the ball tightly in her hands.
"Yeah, guess you won, Eva… not!"
The ball was clutched against her chest. She had caught it.
Eva's jaw dropped. Chef pointed. "Eva, you're out!"
Ronnie Anne wasted no time. She whipped the ball with precision—WHAP!—and took out DJ.
Harold and Geoff scrambled to throw, but Heather and Leshawna nimbly dodged.
Owen and Cody returned fire with recovered balls, hitting Geoff and Harold. Just like that, Courtney was alone.
"What just happened??!!"
Courtney's voice cracked. She turned her back to the Gophers in disbelief.
BONK!
Ronnie Anne's throw caught Courtney square on the butt, sending her sprawling forward.
"That's for the oatmeal."
FWEEEEET!
Chef blew the whistle.
"And the Gophers score the first point!" Chris announced.
The Gophers erupted in cheers. Courtney sat up, groaning and rubbing her backside.
She hobbled over to the bleachers where Lincoln stood, arms folded, waiting.
"So, you wanna sit down and discuss what to do next?"
Courtney winced. "Discuss, yes. Sit down, no."
Lincoln smirked. "Okay, so me and my friends back home developed a strategy called Snake Formation…"
He pulled the team in closer, voices hushed as they listened intently.
⸻
On the Gopher side, the mood was electric.
"Girl, you are wicked awesome," Leshawna said, helping Ronnie Anne up.
"Thanks, Leshawna… but we need to keep the pressure up. The Bass know we're gonna target Eva. We need a backup plan."
"Okay, so we'll—whoa…"
Ronnie Anne swayed.
Trent caught her just in time, easing her onto the bench.
"Easy there. Look, you've done enough already. Just coach us from here and get some rest."
Ronnie Anne held out her fist. "Thanks, guitar boy."
Trent bumped fists with a warm smile.
⸻
Trent – CONFESSIONAL
"I owe Ronnie Anne. She helped Gwen last challenge and saved me from busting my head open when I passed out. She's a pretty cool girl. Not as cool as Gwen… but still pretty cool."
⸻
The second round begins as the Bass team starts their new strategy. DJ stands in the front as Geoff, Lincoln, Katie, and Eva form a tight row behind him.
"What are they doing?" Heather squints from the other side as the Gophers gear up. She decides to play this round, joined by Owen, Beth, Trent, and Lindsay.
Chef blows the whistle.
The Gophers grab the dodgeballs and launch into action. Owen, Lindsay, Trent, and Beth all throw at once—
"OK! Left! Right! Jump! Duck!" Lincoln calls out like a drill sergeant.
The Snake Formation moves as one—DJ shielding the others, shifting side to side, ducking in unison, weaving with unexpected precision. The Gophers' throws miss every target.
The formation breaks apart in fluid motion as they retrieve the dodgeballs. Lincoln hands one to Eva.
"YOU'RE GOING DOWN, HEATHER!!"
Eva's sudden shout surprises everyone, especially the Gophers—expecting Heather to be the target.
Instead, Beth, Lindsay, and Trent are taken out by the other Bass players, catching them off guard. Eva winds up and fakes out Heather by launching her throw at Owen, sending the big guy toppling.
Heather is the last one standing.
She backs up slowly. "Oh Bleep."
She fumbles with a dodgeball, trying to throw—one misses, another gets blocked. She's surrounded.
Lincoln, Eva, Geoff, and Katie stand like a firing squad, each holding a dodgeball. They stare her down with laser focus.
Heather tries to reason. "Umm… mercy?"
Silence.
"Uh, no."
[THWACK! THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!]
The Bass unload all four dodgeballs on Heather, knocking her to the ground. Her face is puffed up from the impact, bruises already forming.
The rest of the Bass erupt into cheers as Chef gives them their first point, making the score even.
"Dude, Lincoln, your plan is epic!!!"
Geoff high-fives Lincoln, who's buzzing from the success.
"No problem, Geoff! WHOO!!"
Lincoln high-fives DJ, Bridgette, and Harold in rapid succession. He holds up his hand for Eva—
[SLAP!!!!]
"AHHHHH!!!!!!"
Eva's enthusiastic high-five echoes like a gunshot. Lincoln stumbles back, cradling his hand in pain.
"Sorry!" Eva looks horrified.
Lincoln's hand is throbbing, already turning red. High-fiving Eva was like catching a steel beam barehanded.
"Crap, Lincoln, are you okay?" Bridgette rushes over.
"… ohhhh… I think… I'll be fine." Lincoln's trying to sound tough, but his voice cracks from the pain.
"We need to take you to the infirmary."
"No! No, I can't play, but I can still coach." Lincoln steadies himself. "This round, I say we do a defense line—DJ and Geoff act as guards with balls in hand. Katie and Bridgette, you stay behind them. When the Gophers throw, you retrieve and counter. Eva, you'll be our distraction—stay nimble and keep their attention."
The team nods. But Bridgette watches Lincoln with worry.
⸻
Bridgette – CONFESSIONAL
"Lincoln's definitely one of the nicest dudes here. He treats everyone with respect, and he's crazy smart… but I don't get why he hasn't told Ronnie Anne how he feels."
She crosses her arms, conflicted.
"He said something about a 'she' and 'dying alone' last challenge—it sounded serious. I've been wanting to ask, but… I don't know how."
——-
The Gophers were dejected after their loss, with most of them nursing bruises and groaning.
Heather winced, her face puffed up from the onslaught, the queen bee groaning in discomfort.
"Ugh… Haah… Aaah…"
"Well, we lost the round, but I think we came out ahead," Gwen said, amused by Heather's bruises. Leshawna and Ronnie Anne snickered along with her.
"Stuff it, sleepyhead," Heather snapped. "Grande-butt, what did your boyfriend do during that round?"
"Not my boyfriend," Ronnie Anne shot back. "But from the looks of it, that was Lincoln's 'snake formation' strategy. It's where the tallest or biggest player stands in front to protect the others. Since the opposing team could only target one player, the rest would be safe from a team wipeout."
Heather's eyes narrowed, furious. "Then that's what we're doing!"
Heather made the decision for the team, but Ronnie Anne wasn't going to stay quiet.
"Look, we need to be smart about this. If we just copy them, we'll end up losing. Maybe a fast, unpredictable approach could work."
Heather rolled her eyes. "I say we do this stupid 'snake formation' your loser boyfriend used. It worked for them."
Ronnie Anne glared. "You want more bruises?"
Both girls tensed, ready to snap. Leshawna stepped between them.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Let's save it for the court," Leshawna said, calming them both down.
Heather huffed and walked off, leaving Ronnie Anne to sit on the bleachers. Leshawna sat next to her.
"Don't let Heather get to you, girl."
Ronnie Anne took a deep breath, trying to shake off the tension.
⸻
Third Round - The Match Begins
The teams hit the court. The Gophers lined up in the snake formation, with Owen standing at the front, followed by Justin, Izzy, Beth, and Cody. The Bass responded with a new strategy—DJ standing in front of Katie, with Geoff protecting Bridgette.
Heather raised an eyebrow. "Huh. That's new."
The whistle blew, signaling the start of the match. DJ and Geoff held their balls defensively, disrupting the Gophers' formation. Panicked, Owen threw the balls they had, but DJ and Geoff easily blocked them. Katie and Bridgette quickly grabbed the Gophers' stray balls and nailed Owen and Justin, knocking them out.
Beth and Cody broke formation in a panic, scrambling to retrieve the balls and toss them at the defenders. Eva taunted from the sideline.
"Hey, nerds! How's it feel to be uncool, unattractive, and wicked boring to be around?"
Beth and Cody glared, hurling their dodgeballs at her, but missed horribly. DJ and Geoff used their balls to knock out Beth and Cody, while Eva easily eliminated Izzy.
Chef blew his whistle, signaling the Bass' second point. The Gophers were now on the brink of their first loss.
The Bass cheered, while the Gophers were visibly shaken. Heather's glare sharpened at Lincoln, blaming him for their predicament.
⸻
Heather - CONFESSIONAL
"The albino's becoming a real issue. He won't even step on the court with that hand injury, but I need him gone if I want to win this."
⸻
Heather stormed up to Ronnie Anne, holding a discarded dodgeball.
"THIS IS ALL YOUR BOYFRIEND'S FAULT!!!"
Ronnie Anne's patience snapped. "¡¡¡OH DON'T START, YOU PERRA DELGADA!!! I'VE BEEN TRYING TO HELP, BUT YOU KEEP IGNORING ME!!!"
Heather threw the ball with all her might, but it sailed past Ronnie Anne and landed right in Lincoln's path. Lincoln, trying to dodge, but he accidentally landed on his injured hand.
"OHHHHH *BLEEP*!!!" Lincoln screamed in agony, drawing attention from both the host and the Gophers.
"What's happening? Did Duncan finally kill someone?" Chris asked dryly.
"Ahh-hha… not today," Duncan said, looking over at Chris, the delinquent was now awake and yawning. "What happened?"
"why are you up?" Courtney asked figuring the boy would still be asleep.
Duncan stood up, confused. "The scream woke me up. Dude, are you alright?"
Lincoln's hand was bright red and pulsing with pain. "Yeah… I'm good," he muttered, voice strained, but no one bought it.
"Alright, dude, head to the infirmary," Chris ordered, his voice flat.
"I'll take him," Bridgette offered, but Chris waved it off.
"Fine. Let's take a fifteen-minute break. Get ready for the next round."
As Chris walked off, the Bass regrouped, while Bridgette helped Lincoln toward the infirmary.
"Great, we lost our strategist," Harold groaned, sharing the team's frustration.
Duncan smirked. "I don't know about you guys, but I've got something in mind."
He whispered his plan to the Bass, who exchanged dark smiles.
———-
In the infirmary tent Lincoln sat on a cot, an ice pack resting on his hand while Bridgette rummaged through the medicine cabinet.
"Chef's gotta have some kind of cream or ointment in here…"
Lincoln glanced at her, wincing. "Bridgette, maybe we should get back. The bass are gonna need us—"
"Courtney and the others can handle it," she interrupted, still searching. "You need to rest right now."
"Courtney first plan causes her to have a dodgeball-shaped bruise on her butt. You really think they've got it covered?"
Bridgette hesitated, then smirked. "Okay, fair. But they've learned a few tricks from you, and Duncan's awake now. He might have some ideas."
She returned with a small tube in hand. "This is gonna sting a little, but it'll bring the swelling down."
Lincoln winced as she gently applied the cream, the cool touch already easing the throbbing. Bridgette wrapped his hand snugly.
"So," she said, smiling, "you wanna just hang out while your hand heals?"
Lincoln nodded. "Sure. Might be good to just hang out for now."
"You think the bass will be okay?"
Lincoln sighed. "If Ronnie Anne's not still benched, they'll be at a serious disadvantage."
Bridgette smirked. "You really think highly of her."
He blushed. "She's one of my best friends… And you saw how she caught that throw from Eva. No way I could've done that."
"No kidding. I'm amazed she was still standing—Eva launches those things like cannons."
"Yeah," Lincoln said, eyes softening, "but I knew she could handle it. She's… awesome like that."
Bridgette noticed the light blush on his face, then remembered something. "Hey… do you remember what you and Ronnie Anne talked about at the end of the Awake-a-thon?"
Lincoln blinked, confused. "Not really. I was so out of it I barely remember anything. Wait—what did I say?"
Bridgette frowned. "You said stuff like 'you weren't good enough' and 'you didn't believe in yourself.' And Ronnie Anne said something like 'she was wrong about you.' It sounded like she was talking about another girl. What happened?"
Lincoln's face paled, his eyes widening. He looked away, heart pounding.
Bridgette's concern deepened. "Lincoln…?"
"I—I'm fine," he blurted, standing. "Let's just get back to the challenge!"
Before he could leave, Bridgette stepped in his path. "Hey. I'm sorry if I hit a nerve. I'm just… worried."
Lincoln paused, seeing nothing but genuine concern in her eyes. No lies. No judgment. Just… someone who cared.
"…It's not your fault," he muttered, slowly sitting back down. "It happened a few years ago. I'm still not really over it. It's… heavy."
Bridgette sat across from him, hands folded. "I'm listening."
Lincoln exhaled. "When I was eleven, I had a huge crush on this rich girl named Christina. One day this stupid video of me was posted, where I said I loved her and kissed a photo of her. It went viral at school."
Bridgette's eyes widened as a chuckle slipped out.
"Yeah. Everyone laughed. Christina was… disturbed. She changed classes, wouldn't even look at me. Then, two years later, when I was thirteen… she asked me out."
Bridgette blinked. "Wait—really?"
"We dated for a while," Lincoln said, face falling. "But something felt wrong. I barely saw my friends anymore. Christina had me follow here around all the time and she didn't want me talking to other girls—especially Ronnie Anne. So she tried to make me ignore her that was when I started noticing the control, but I kept telling myself I was just 'lucky' to have her."
Bridgette's frown deepened.
"My friends—along with my sister Lucy— they worked together and caught Christina on video talking to her friends and was planning a prank. A live-streamed one. She was gonna humiliate me… kinda like Carrie."
Bridgette recoiled. "She dumped blood on you?!"
"No. It was fake," Lincoln said. "But we stopped it in time. Ronnie Anne and my sisters Luan and Lisa built this manure-spraying device. I gave it to Christina as a fake present, ran out of the house, and the thing coated her shoddy McMansion in crap."
Bridgette clapped a hand over her mouth, struggling not to burst out laughing.
"The neighbors called the cops due to the commotion. When her parents came home they were furious. They thought the whole thing was her idea and she got sent to boarding school."
Lincoln's voice quieted.
"But before she left, she found me and said… 'You're a talentless, pathetic loser. You'll never find love. You'll die alone.'"
Bridgette's expression shifted to pure heartbreak.
——
Bridgette- CONFESSIONAL
"Ok I just wanna say this to Christina where ever you are, YOU'RE a pathetic loser and you don't deserve to have a boyfriend as sweet as Lincoln."
——-
"I thought she cared," Lincoln whispered. "But it was all fake. I apologized like crazy to my friends. They didn't even hold it against me. They blamed her, not me. Ronnie Anne especially… she came back into my life. After all that We talked more often. Hung out way more. And eventually… I realized how much she means to me."
Bridgette leaned forward. "So… what's stopping you?"
"I'm not good enough for her."
Bridgette stood and grabbed his shoulders.
"Lincoln. You are good enough. You're kind. You're thoughtful. You've got a big heart. Ronnie Anne knows that."
He stared at the floor. "You're just saying that. I'm just… the guy in the background. All my sisters have talents they were born with. I'm just—"
"No, you're not!" Bridgette snapped, making him flinch. "Nobody's born talented. You're born with passion. Talent comes with time. When I started surfing, I wiped out constantly. But I kept at it. That's what makes someone good."
Lincoln stayed quiet.
"What about your drawings?"
He looked up, confused.
Bridgette smirked. "That notebook you hide under your pillow".
"Wait how do you… dammit Geoff."
"What do you draw?"
"Uhhh… nothing."
"Oh really?" she teased. "So you won't mind if I go check it out?!"
Bridgette bolted from the tent mid-sentence.
"WAIT!" Lincoln scrambled after her.
———————————————————————
Back at the court, the Gophers were scrambling to figure out their next move.
"We need a strategy—if the Bass score just one more point, we're done for."
"Anyone got any ideas?"
Heather and Lindsay spoke for the team, but no one had anything. Most eyes turned to the resident brainiac, Noah.
"Go, team, go!"
Noah rolled his eyes, still unsure of what was even happening, until—
"Ow!"
A dodgeball hit him square in the face, thrown by Ronnie Anne.
"Well, didn't help much, but that felt good."
The Gophers laughed at the scene before the match started.
⸻
Back at the Bass cabin, Bridgette arrived first, heading straight to the boys' side. She found Lincoln's bunk and, just as Geoff had mentioned, Lincoln had left his sketchbook under his pillow. Bridgette picked it up, flipping through the pages, admiring the detailed drawings.
"DONT… Hah… LOOK!"
Lincoln appeared, out of breath, too late to stop her.
"Wow, Link, these are incredible!"
Bridgette turned the pages, stopping at one of a man Lincoln didn't recognize.
"Who's this?"
Lincoln, still catching his breath, held his chest.
"That's my friend… Clyde."
"He looks nice… and is this Ronnie Anne?" Bridgette asked, holding up a sketch of Ronnie Anne sitting on a guardrail, bathed in moonlight.
"Yeah, we were hanging out at her apartment before we came here. Our families threw this big party, and we hung out on the patio. She just… looked so majestic under the full moon. I couldn't stop thinking about it."
Bridgette studied the sketch, impressed. "Dude, if you can do this with just a pencil, imagine what you'd do with paint."
Lincoln looked at the drawing again.
"Really think so?"
Bridgette was enthusiastic. "Totally! If you worked at it, you could be huge!"
Lincoln looked unsure, but Bridgette was all in.
"I've always thought about making my own comic series, but…"
"Dude, you could be the next Stan Lee."
Lincoln raised an eyebrow. "How do you know about Stan Lee?"
"I've watched the Marvel movies! Chris Hemsworth is—"
"Say no more. That guy is shredded."
Bridgette grinned.
"Hahaha!" Lincoln laughed, and Bridgette joined in.
They continued to laugh, enjoying each other's company.
"Hey, you wanna head back to the court? The Bass could use some help."
"Sure, but give our team some credit, Link."
As they left the cabin, walking back to the challenge, Lincoln raised an eyebrow.
"You really think Ronnie Anne—"
"Oh, I know so. Girls are intuitive about this stuff."
"Probably not all girls, but I won't argue."
"Hey, Link, can you teach me to draw? I've always wanted to, but never could."
"Only if you give me surfing lessons."
"Deal."
They exchanged a fist bump before heading back.
⸻
Duncan's strategy of "rush the new guy" was working. The court was down to only two members: Owen for the Gophers and Harold for the Bass. The Gophers, excluding Noah, were getting confident.
"Sorry, dude. You've got to go down."
Owen tossed the ball up and down threateningly. The Ginger nerd, Harold, looked uneasy.
The Bass, however, didn't seem concerned. Duncan, though, rubbed his forehead in defeat.
"Goodnight, Harold."
Owen tossed the ball—but Harold pulled off an impressive set of moves, dodging every throw.
"Whoa…"
The Gophers watched in stunned silence, while Noah dropped his book in shock.
"Timeout! Timeout!"
Courtney called as the whistle blew. Harold jogged over to the bleachers.
"Man, where'd you learn to do that?"
"Figure skating," Harold said, spitting out water.
Geoff slapped him on the back. "That was awesome, Harold! But dodging isn't enough."
Courtney and Duncan approached Harold.
"He's right. To win, you've either got to throw him out…"
"Which we all know you can't do."
"Or catch the ball. Can you do it?"
Harold thought for a moment.
"Yeah… I can catch that ball."
"Awesome! Now go out there and do it!"
Harold stepped back onto the court. The Gophers were still strategizing.
"Owen, aim for his legs. Trip him up, and we're set for the next round."
Ronnie Anne whispered to Owen, trying to get him to focus.
"Forget her, Owen. Just knock the wind out of the nerd and end it," Heather said, glaring at Ronnie Anne.
"Stick-bug, that 'nerd' dodged everything Owen threw at him. We need to hit him where it hurts if we want to tie this game."
Owen made his way to the court before Heather grabbed him and whispered In his ear. "Knock the wind out of him or your candy stash is gone." Owen eyes shoot open in fear of the girls words, Owen walked on to the court looking at Harold.
Chef blew the whistle to signal the game was starting again.
Owen made a beeline for the dodgeballs, shouting, "Cowabunga!!!"
[THUD!]
Owen slammed the ball into Harold's stomach, knocking him against the glass wall. The sound of the impact echoed. The Gophers cheered—until Harold held up the ball. He had caught it.
"The Killer Bass win!"
Chris's voice boomed over the loudspeaker.
The Bass erupted in cheers as the Gophers sank into despair.
"It's impossible! Why?!" Owen fell to his knees in anguish, hands raised to the sky.
"Nice dodge, skater nerd," Duncan said, giving Harold a nod of respect.
Lincoln and Bridgette returned just in time to see the Bass celebrating.
"What did we miss?"
"Harold won the game, dude!!" Geoff pulled Lincoln into a side hug as they cheered for Harold.
"Thanks, but we couldn't have done it without you, Lincoln."
Harold smiled.
"Yeah, man, your strategies got us here."
"Wicked true, dude!"
The Bass all voiced their support for Lincoln, making him smile in return.
Back on the Gophers' side, morale was at an all-time low.
"Gophers, what happened?"
"Weak effort," Noah said, crossing his arms.
The team shot him angry looks.
"Oh, shut it, Noah."
"Finally, something we agree on."
Gwen said, walking out with Heather.
"Touchy," Noah muttered, but no one laughed.
"I'll tell you this—the team spirit here is lacking."
Noah returned to his book, but Ronnie Anne snatched it and tore it in half.
"I was almost at the end, guess I'll never—"
[WHACK!]
Noah was smacked with the ripped book.
"¡¡¡Cállate la boca, pendejo arrogante!!! You didn't even try to help us, so just shut up!!!"
Noah was visibly shaken by her outburst, though a part of him seemed… intrigued.
⸻
Noah - CONFESSIONAL
"Okay, no lie… but I totally found Ronnie Anne hot when she screamed at me. I guess I like bossy girls."
⸻
The campfire ceremony began as night fell. The Gophers sat anxiously around the fire pit.
"Campers, you've already placed your votes. One of you will be going home. And you can't come back. Ever."
Everyone looked nervous, except Noah, who sat back, confident he was safe.
"When I call your name, come grab a marshmallow."
"Owen."
Owen rushed to grab his marshmallow.
"Gwen, Cody, Trent."
The three stepped forward as Trent shot a smirk to Gwen.
"Heather, Beth, Justin, Ronnie Anne, Leshawna, Izzy."
Izzy holds Lindsay's hands in celebration for her being called up.
Lindsay nervously clasped her hands together as her heart raced.
Noah didn't even break a sweat, still smirking like he's already won."
"The final marshmallow goes to… Lindsay."
Lindsay ran to the front, happily accepting her marshmallow.
"Woohoo! Yeah!"
Noah was stunned.
"What?! Are you kidding me?!"
As Lindsay celebrated, Noah let out a final rant.
"All right, see if I care! You've just voted out the only one with any brains on this team!"
A marshmallow hit him square in the face.
"Ow!"
The Gophers laughed as Noah made his way to the dock, grumbling the whole way.
"Alright, so it wasn't the most dramatic campfire ceremony ever, but I still get paid. Ha! Bonus!"
After the elimination, the Gophers headed back to their cabin. The last three to arrive were Ronnie Anne, Heather, and Lindsay. Out of the corner of Heather's eye, she noticed Lincoln and Bridgette sitting on the Bass cabin steps, talking and laughing. A devious smirk spread across Heather's face.
"Hey Lindsay, is it just me or do those two look like they're flirting?"
Lindsay glanced over and nodded.
"They kinda do. Think they'll get together?"
Heather's smirk deepened.
"Probably. They do look happy together, don't they?"
Lindsay walked into the cabin, leaving Ronnie Anne outside, watching the two of them. Lincoln waved, and Bridgette gave a friendly wave too. Ronnie Anne hesitated but eventually waved back, her smile a little forced.