The Playground - 5. Up Close and Personal

“If our previous game challenged your sense of taste, the next one will test your sense of touch.” After the disappointing results of the ice cream challenge, Nicholas Stone was announcing the third round for the day. “It’s a game we like to call ‘Cheek to Cheek’.”

“I hope it’s not the cheek I think it is,” Rico said.

“I hope it is,” Samson replied with a smirk.

“In pairs, you’ll sit next to each other and get blindfolded. Then, we’ll put a mystery item between you. You must guess what it is only by touching it with your faces. You will only have three guesses, so make them count. If you manage to guess in one minute, you win five points. Maybe not what some of you were hoping for,” Nicholas finished his explanation, looking at Samson.

“Nicholas, you’re no fun,” the singer pretended to pout.

“Who do you think came up with the orange idea?” the host replied. “Anyway, let’s get down to business! Since a certain someone seems impatient, we’ll let you go first. Samson and Eric, you’re up!”

The two guys sat down on the chairs and were promptly blindfolded.

“If someone told me I’d be blindfolded and poked in the face, this is not what I’d have in mind,” Samson whispered, causing Eric to chuckle.

“Behave now, we gotta win this.”

As soon as the host did the countdown, the two men felt a small, cold item being brought in between them. Leaning towards each other, they pressed their cheeks together, trying to get a better feel of the object.

“Can you turn it around a little?” Samson asked the person holding the item, and they quickly did so.

“Hmm, seems smooth. Like a tube,” Eric whispered. He could hear faint whispers of people behind him, but he couldn’t make out what they were saying. He doubted anyone would let it slip what the object was anyway.

“Is it a pen?!” the singer blurted out.

“It is not a pen,” Nicholas replied.

“Dude! We were supposed to talk this over. We only got two more shots now,” the quarterback said, smacking the singer lightly on the arm.

“Right, sorry. I got carried away. So it seems to be made of metal or plastic, like a tube. Any ideas?”

“Maybe a mascara or some shit like that?”

“No, it’s too thick for that,” the singer replied. If there was one thing he knew other than singing and dancing, it was his eye makeup. This was way too big, he thought, hoping his own eyeliner would not be ruined by the blindfold. “Maybe some big cigarette lighter?”

“Fuck, that’s it!” Eric sounded excited, suddenly getting an idea. “I think it’s a vape pen.”

“Ooh, good guess, let’s go with that!”

“Is it a vape pen?”

At that moment, the two guys could feel their blindfolds being removed, and a crew member holding a vape pen in front of them.

“Congratulations, you’ve guessed correctly!”

“Hell yeah!” Eric pulled Samson into a side-hug. “Winning team, I told ya!”

“Nice work,” the singer beamed, happy to have succeeded in another game. Perhaps being paired up with Eric wasn’t so bad after all, he considered.

Marcus and Clementine were the next pair to go. After their eyes were covered, a crew member stood behind them, holding a new mystery item. Both contestants cautiously leaned towards each other until the object was between their cheeks.

One thing they could immediately tell was that it was much smaller than the vape pen, and a completely different shape too.

“It seems like some type of… button?” Marcus whispered. “Or maybe like a hard candy or something?”

“I hope not. I hate food on my face,” Clementine frowned in disgust.

“But you’re a chef.”

“Yes, and I don’t mind getting my hands messy, but not my face,” the woman replied. “Hmm, this could be anything. It’s small and hard.”

Someone behind them sniggered, and Marcus couldn’t help but join in.

“We gotta guess something, though. What do you say? I’m thinking it’s a button.”

“Ok, let’s go with that,” she shrugged. “Is it a button?”

“It is not a button,” Nicholas replied.

“Can you please turn it around?” Clementine asked. “Hmm… yeah, it’s definitely not a button, it has a weird shape.”

Marcus hummed in agreement, his brain working overtime. He still wasn’t sure, but he knew they were running out of time. “Maybe it’s an earphone? An AirPod?”

“Yeah, fine, let’s go with that,” the chef agreed. She was clearly out of ideas, so any answer was better than nothing.

As their blindfolds were removed, the pair could see a hand holding a single white AirPod in front of them.

“Yes! I did it!” the dancer did a fist pump, smiling victoriously.

“Well done, Marcus,” Clementine nodded at him, clearly impressed with his good guess. “I admit, I don’t think I would’ve thought of that, at least not in time.”

The third couple to play the game was Troy and Kelly. As he sat down in the chair and had his eyes covered, the actor quickly realized the game was much more difficult when you’re not standing on the side observing. While both the vape pen and the AirPod seemed like such easy guesses to him, now that he was the one doing the guessing, he had no clue what the item was.

“This is so weird,” he grinned as he felt a small object touching his cheek. “I have no idea what it could be. How about you?”

“I’m not sure,” Kelly pursed her lips as she tried to focus. “Jeez, can you stop moving?”

“Sorry,” Troy couldn’t stop himself from chuckling. “This is ridiculous, I thought I’d be able to guess it right away.”

“Maybe it’s a lip balm. It’s small enough and seems round.”

“Yeah, could be. I smell something citrusy.”

“Those are my sweatpants,” Kelly frowned as she touched her knee, still wet from when she smashed into an orange.

“Oh, right,” Troy laughed again. “Sorry!”

“Very funny. I’m going with lip balm.”

“Sorry, but it is not a lip balm,” the host said. “You have thirty seconds left.”

“Uh, maybe it’s like a… like a small candle?” Troy took a wild guess.

“It’s not a candle either. One guess left.”

“Scotch tape?” Kelly blurted out the first thing she could think of.

When their blindfolds were removed, both Troy and Kelly groaned as they saw a small, round pack of dental floss before them.

“Oh, we should’ve gotten that!” the singer was disappointed. “How did we not get this?”

“I’m sure I would’ve gotten it if I was standing there, watching,” Troy said, not looking too broken up by the loss.

“No points for you in this game, but still, it was a nice try. You had some good guesses,” Nicholas said. “Now, for the final pair, Tiffany and Rico, please sit down.”

Tiffany seemed to be a bundle of nerves as she got blindfolded. She reached out, as if to make sure that her partner was still there next to her. She found his arm and squeezed it just as she felt the mystery item touch her cheek.

Rico leaned in, trying to get a better feel, as the soft object scratched against his stubble. It seemed to rustle as the person holding it moved the item around.

“Oh God, what’s that?” the girl scrunched up her face at the sensation on her left cheek. “It’s like some kind of paper… a paper tissue? Oh my God, don’t tell me it’s a used paper tissue!”

“Tiff, they wouldn’t rub a used paper tissue in our faces,” Rico replied calmly. “That’s not our first guess!” he quickly added, hearing people chuckle all around him.

“Then what?”

“Not sure. How about a… a post-it note?” the basketball player guessed.

“Yeah, let’s go with that!”

“It is not a post-it note,” Nicholas replied.

“Damn!” Rico muttered under his breath. “Sounds like wrapping paper or something.”

“Ooh, maybe it’s a… a condom wrapper?” Tiffany suggested, hearing a few people trying hard to suppress laughter. “I mean, I saw some in the bathroom downstairs.”

“Oh, I bet you did,” the girl could hear someone comment, but couldn’t tell who it was.

“Why not,” Rico shrugged. “Is it a condom wrapper?”

“It is not,” Nicholas said.

All too soon, their time was up, and the pair felt their blindfolds being removed. When they opened their eyes, it was indeed not a condom, but a tea bag being held teasingly in front of their faces.

“Oh, come on, who would’ve thought of that?! I don’t even drink tea,” Rico groaned as he grabbed the small object and crushed it with his hand.

“Well, I do every day, and I still didn’t think of it,” Tiffany sighed. “Ugh, I’m so mad at myself! I’m not having tea for a week after this!”

“Nice try, but I’m afraid it’s zero points for you in this game,” the host declared. “So far, Marcus and Clementine, and Samson and Eric are in the lead, with twelve points each. Troy and Kelly have seven, while Tiffany and Rico, you have five points so far.”

The two leading couples looked at each other and smiled, while the other two simply stood waiting for Nicholas to announce the next game.

“There’s one more game to go, so we could still see the rankings being shaken up. It’s a classic game we call ‘The Third Leg’. You guessed it, it’s the good old-fashioned three-legged race. You’ll be racing over there, from the start line all the way to the finish line,” the host explained as he pointed at the marked area. “The first couple to finish gets five points, but we’re feeling generous today, so the second-place pair gets four points, the third place gets three, and the fourth place gets two. Like I said, there’s still a chance to turn things around.”

Several crew members came over and helped the pairs tie their legs together, after which all eight contestants moved over to the start line, waiting to start the race. While Tiffany was visibly nervous, Rico seemed calm, although much quieter than usually. After the great start he had in the first game, the last thing he expected that day was that he would be fighting to stay in the competition.

Next to them, Kelly stood quietly, eyeing the track with a look of annoyance and determination. She was near the bottom of the rankings, which she found unacceptable, but what irritated her even more was how nonchalant Troy was being about it. Perhaps he didn’t care about winning, but she couldn’t help being competitive. Maybe it was a mistake pairing up with him after all, she thought, regretting that she hadn’t realized that sooner.

Eric and Samson stood in the leftmost lane, neither of them looking particularly concerned.

“This is a piece of cake,” the NFL player spoke in a hushed tone. “Just move your left leg when I move my right, and the other way around, and we should be good. Block out everything else, ok?”

“Got it,” the singer nodded, focused on the ground in front of him.

“We all seem to be ready, so the three-legged race can start in three… two… one. Go!” Nicholas shouted as a loud whistle pierced the air, signifying the start of the race.

Just as they planned, Eric and Samson started out strongly, moving together as if they had practiced it beforehand. Marcus and Clementine kept up with them, almost bumping into the other pair as they walked side by side, but Eric used his size to plow through and take the lead along with Samson.

“How are they so fast?!” Kelly yelled as she and Troy struggled ahead.

“I don’t know, they’re like a machine!”

Tiffany and Rico were just behind them, with the TV starlet unable to match her partner’s movements.

“Oh! Ouch! Rico, slow down!”

“This is a race!” the basketball player shouted, not stopping. “Come on!”

“I can’t!” the girl tripped and started to fall, waving her hands and grabbing onto Troy’s t-shirt in the process, pulling him back. “Shit! Sorry!”

“Hey, they’re cheating!” Kelly yelled as they got slowed down, while Tiffany and Rico somehow managed to pull up a few steps ahead.

“Come on, we’re good,” the actor found his balance and rushed forward along with the singer.

Just then, victory cheers could already be heard up ahead, as Eric, Samson, Clementine and Marcus finished the race neck and neck.

“Just a little more,” Kelly panted, but it was too late, as Tiffany and Rico raced over the finish line just seconds before.

With one final step, Troy and Kelly finished the race too, falling down to the ground as another whistle sounded.

“Wow, what a close race we’ve just had! Especially the first and the second place. We’re going to have to check the footage and see…” Nicholas announced as the crew helped the contestants untie themselves. “There we have it, Eric and Samson, you won the three-legged race, earning five points! Clementine and Marcus, you came in a very close second, earning four points. Rico and Tiffany, you get three points, and Kelly and Troy, you came in last, but you still fought well all the way to the end. You get two points. Congratulations to the couples on finishing all the games today!”

With high-fives and cheers, the contestants congratulated each other, although some of them were clearly less enthusiastic than others, knowing it was time to face the music.

“And now, the time has come to see the final rankings. After breezing through most of their challenges today, Eric and Samson are in first place with seventeen points! A close second are Marcus and Clementine with sixteen. Troy and Kelly, you put up a good fight and earned yourselves nine points total. Rico and Tiffany, you did a great job as well, but unfortunately, you came in last with eight points. That means the two of you are up for elimination. Our audience is now going to vote to save one of you. We’ll come back in a few hours to reveal the next contestant to leave the show.”

The atmosphere in the Mansion that afternoon was subdued, even more so than the first two days. Even after a round of fun - and quite exhausting - games, the upcoming elimination seemed to weigh heavily on everyone’s mind.

“I cannot believe Rico or Tiffany will be going home today,” Samson said dejectedly. He was standing by the kitchen island next to Clementine and Troy, helping make cocktails for everyone. “Like, I can’t imagine this place without the two of them.”

“I know, it’s gonna be weird whoever leaves,” Troy nodded in understanding. “Here, try this,” he brought a glass filled with an orange-pink liquid to Samson’s mouth. “What do you say?”

“Mmm this hits the spot!” the singer moaned as he took a sip. “What’s in it?”

“Sorry, I gotta keep some secrets,” the actor shrugged as he shot him a teasing smile.

“It is funny how we’ve all gotten attached to each other so quickly, isn’t it?” Clementine said, carefully making a drink. “It’s as if we’ve known each other for years, but we’ve only been here three days.”

“You feel it too?” Samson asked, surprised at the chef’s rare display of emotion.

“Of course. I had my doubts when I first agreed to be on the show, but it’s been a lot of fun so far. And a lot of that has to do with the people. Everyone’s made this a lovely experience.”

“Even Eric?”

“Well, he’s a showman, I’ll give him that. It’s clear he likes to play it up for the cameras.”

“And he’s been pretty good at the games,” Troy noted. “He and Sammy crushed it today.”

The singer turned away from him, trying to hide his blushing face.

“That’s true,” the chef admitted.

“Hey, but you and Marcus were great too. You almost beat us,” Samson replied. “Everyone did well.”

“And that’s why we all deserve to have fun tonight! Come on, I don’t want any moping in this house,” Troy ordered as they put all the drinks on trays and carried them to the lounge where the rest of the gang was waiting. “It’s party time!”

“Come on, guys, let’s have a good time,” the singer said as he placed a tray with several cocktails on a coffee table.

“Now, that I can get behind,” Rico said as he came down the stairs and walked into the lounge, Tiffany coming right behind him. The rest of the contestants gave them knowing looks as if it was perfectly obvious what the pair did in their short absence, but no one asked anything.

The basketball player eagerly picked up a drink, glad to have something to get his mind off of the impending elimination. If he was going home, he wanted to spend his last night at the Mansion having fun and getting drunk.

“How you doing, bro?” Eric sat down next to him, patting him on the back.

“I’m good, man, thanks. Don’t wanna think about the game right now, you know? Just wanna relax and see what happens.”

“That’s the spirit, man!”

Even Tiffany, who was on edge ever since the games ended, seemed to be warming up. Kelly, Marcus and Samson all gathered around her, making her laugh as they all drank their cocktails.

“We have to do this again, guys,” the girl said as she leaned back in her beanbag, trying not to spill her drink. “I mean after the show’s over. You can all come over to my place and we’ll have a party, ok?”

“Count me in,” Marcus readily agreed. “You have my number, so all you gotta do is call.”

“Same here,” Samson and Kelly both nodded, a rare moment of agreement between the two.

It seemed way too soon when Nicholas walked into the room a few hours later, causing the party to come to a grinding halt. Everyone knew what was coming.

“As much as I hate to break up your happy little gathering, you all know what we have to do now,” the host announced as he stood in the center of the room, facing the contestants. “Our audience has voted on who they want to keep on the show, and the time has come to reveal the results. Tiffany, the audience has decided… to save you. Rico, I’m sorry, but this means you’re eliminated.”

It was as if time had stopped for a moment, as everyone seemed frozen in shock. It was Tiffany’s sobs that broke the silence as she got up from her beanbag and rushed over to Rico, throwing her arms around him.

“I’m so sorry, Rico,” the youngest contestant sobbed, her face buried in the man’s neck. “It’s not fair…”

“Hey, it’s not your fault. Someone had to go,” the NBA star squeezed her tightly, trying to console her, even though he was the one going home.

“But it should’ve been me. I sucked at all the games!”

“No, you didn’t. We sucked together,” Rico pulled back, smiling at her, though his own eyes seemed wet. He was never one to cry, especially not over something as silly as this, but at that moment, he couldn’t help it. He didn’t want to go home yet, but that didn’t matter. His time had come.

He then realized the rest of the group had crowded around them, waiting to pull them both into a group hug. He found himself getting squished from all sides, as everyone wanted to say their goodbyes.

“We’re going to miss you,” Clementine said as she patted him on the shoulder.

“It’s gonna be boring without you, man,” Eric pulled him into a hug, squeezing him as hard as he could.

“Hey, at least you did what you came here to do – you beat me,” Rico joked.

“Damn right!” the quarterback laughed. “Told ya I would!”

As the sun went down, all the contestants stood in front of the Mansion, along with Nicholas Stone, having just said goodbye to Rico. With their arms around each other, they looked wistfully as the basketball player walked out the gate and entered the black limo. As he sat down, he gave them one last wave before closing the door and disappearing in the distance.

“And then there were seven,” Tiffany said, as the rest of the group turned to look at her. “What? Someone has to carry on the tradition!”

***

“Got your head in the clouds, but I’ll bring you back to earth…” Samson hummed one of his songs as he took off his eyeliner, ready to wash his face before bed. He’d been using it for so long that it became a major part of his image. At first, he put it on for fun when he was shooting his first ever music video, but he ended up liking it so much that he decided to keep wearing it. Now, it was more than just a fashion statement – it was something that gave him confidence and comfort.

Just as he finished washing his face, he heard a faint knock on the door. When he opened it, it was the last person he expected, but just the one he was hoping for.

“Troy? Uh, hi,” he smiled nervously, so unlike his usual self.

“Hey,” the actor grinned. “Can I come in?”

“Sure,” Samson quickly moved aside and let him enter, closing the door behind him.

“Wow, you look… different without the makeup,” Troy was taken aback as he saw the singer without the eyeliner for the first time. “In a good way! I mean, you look great either way.”

“Thanks,” Samson replied with a smile, willing himself not to blush.

“Anyway, we didn’t really get a chance to talk today, I mean just the two of us. You did really great in the games, you crushed it.”

“Thanks. You did great too. As much as you could - you know, being stuck with Kelly and all.”

“Yeah, it wasn’t the best. She took me by surprise, you know. I was actually planning on pairing up with you.”

“I wanted that, too. It’s a shame we couldn’t,” Samson said, sitting on the bed. He watched as Troy came over and sat beside him, their legs touching. He could feel his heart pumping wildly, blood rushing to his face. This was a scene right out of his dreams, only it was reality. Troy Wolfe was actually in his room, on his bed.

“Yeah, Kelly’s been trying to flirt with me, bless her,” the actor chuckled. “But I had to let her down. I kinda got my eye on someone else, and I’m pretty sure I’ve been picking up some signals, too. Or am I wrong?”

“You’re not wrong,” the singer replied, feeling Troy’s hand on his thigh.

Samson held his breath, a million thoughts running through his head, but all of them vanished when the blond man leaned in and closed his eyes. Samson mirrored his movements until their lips met in a long-anticipated, heated kiss. It felt incredible, better than any kiss he’d ever had, or at least it seemed that way. Maybe it was the heightened emotions from being on the show, or the excitement of sneaking around, doing this while everyone was in the rooms next to them, completely unaware. Or maybe it was just because of Troy.

Soon, Samson could feel himself being pushed down on his back, and he simply let it happen. One by one, clothes were discarded and fell to the floor, and the singer watched as the actor got on top of him, gazing into his eyes with a look full of desire.

As their warm, naked bodies entangled together, the two men became as one, losing themselves in their passion, forgetting about the competition and everyone else.

At that moment, nothing mattered other than their own pleasure.