Episode 24; “Top Dog”

(Duncan’s POV)
I walked into the guy’s cabin, sighing. Owen greeted me. He asked where I was, and I replied; “Chill, dude. I spent the night in Yurie’s trailer.”
“Ohhh...” he said. “What’d ya do there?” He nudged me.
“Not what you’re thinking,” I replied quickly. “We just spent time together, because... well...” I sighed and flopped down on my bunk.
A horn sounded in my ears.
“Wake up!” Chris called. “Time for this week’s challenge!”
I groaned.
In the tent, I saw Yurie there, looking into her scrambled eggs with regret in her eyes.
“Hey, babe,” I greeted her. As tired as I was...
“Hey,” she said, still staring in her scrambled eggs.
“What’s wr...”
Her head snapped up, her blue eyes gazing into mine. “I missed you,” she whispered. “Hold me... please.”
Uh, okay... “Sure, cool.” I laughed as she sat down on my lap, and I put my arms around her.

(Yurie’s POV)
Stupid, stupid, STUPID Chris. Why did he always have to interrupt everything...?
Today’s challenge was an animal movie, and I was like, ha!
Chris led us outside, and we were each supposed to choose an animal.
Duncan chose the chameleon, Beth chose the raccoon, Owen chose the bear, and I got the shark. It was so cute!
So, I went to work, training him to be like me.
“Hello, Sharkie,” I whispered. “You seem pretty nice!”
The shark chosed his eyes and seemed to smile...
“So let’s get started,” I murmured. “We can start easy.”
I took my iPod and played “Twinkle, twinkle, little star”. “Splash it back to me,” I said.
He did. Twinkle, twinkle...
“Good!” I squealed. Easy...!
Then my shark did a series of songs, such as Poker Face, Halo, and Telephone.
“Now comes the hard part,” I warned. “Watch me.”
I did a flip. I saw Duncan gazing at me yearningly and my heart fluttered. I landed a bit roughly, because of Duncan’s uh... distraction, and my shark tried.
He ended up splattering water everywhere, and I got soaked.
“Sharkie,” I said. “Try to go a bit higher, and tuck your feet... I mean fins in when you land...” I smiled. “Again.”
He did it this time, perfectly. “Brilliant!” I giggled as he looked up at me, and I reached up and kissed him on the nose.
***
The came Judging Time... so, I was last. Beth’s raccoon got a nine, Duncan got an eight, and Owen got a six. And me? A TEN!!
“Yes!” I squealed. “Omigod!”
“I don’t see what’s so omigod,” Duncan muttered, glancing at me plainly.
My heart lurched. “Shut up!” I screamed. “Like you’re any good.”
I started to stalk away, but Chris said, “Hold up, Ki.”
Ki?! Ki. He just called me “Ki”. I mean, I’d been called Ki-chan or Kiyurie before... but not Ki!
What the heck. We were supposed to go in the woods and blah blah blah?
I got thrown in a river. “HEY!” I yelled.
“Sorry, I had to,” Chris said. He winked. “Request of the Juvy!”
The juvy? He didn’t mean...!
“You mean...” Duncan?
He just left. I guess I was pretty dumb, since I slipped off a waterfall. I knew I was gonna die anyway, so I just muttered, “Oh CRUD.”
***

(Duncan’s POV)
Oh, no. No. She wasn’t dead. I had no the hell idea how to do CPR, but I had to, when I found Yurie on the bank unconscious.
I tried my best, but she stayed unconscious. I had seen some people slap unconscious people... but this was Yurie, with her soft, sensitive skin...
But, oh well. If I had to, then...
She opened her eyes. “D-duncan?”
I nodded. “It’s me... are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“I hope so,” I noted. I kissed her. Her lips were flavorless and dry, though they still had some of Yurie on them.
***
“You’re all right,” I declared.
“Yeah,” Kiyurie said. Beth had won, and so we wanted to spend as much time as possible.
I cuddled her. “What if you...”
“Wait,” she suddenly snapped. “Was it you who... really? Oh, never mind,” she said, closing her eyes and cuddling up against me.
What could she be talking about?
***

(Yurie’s POV)
I glanced at Duncan, and we agreed that we would vote for Owen.
I saw him vote and I smiled.
I waited nervously as Chris called the names at the GCC.
“Beth,” he said. “and Duncan.” He grinned. “Rebecca, you’ve been eliminated!”
I couldn’t believe myself. “What?! But...!”
“Nuh-uh!” Chris said teasingly. “Beth voted for you, and so did Duncan.”
I wished it wasn’t true. I hoped it was all a dream... Duncan, my life, everything.
“Duncan...?” I whispered, turning to him with tears in my eyes.
“No... Yurie, I didn’t mean to.”
“You did,” I said, my anger and voice rising. “It was you, and you wanted to get rid of me. And I knew Chris was right, all along. He said it, and I didn’t believe him at first, but now I know it’s true. I can’t believe I fell for you!”
“Kiyurie, you know I...”
“Shut up,” I snapped. “You were just using me all along. All this time, I thought we really had something. But I was wrong, and so was everyone else that thought we were really were in love! And I loved you, I really did. But you were lying.”
I was snarling by now.
“Please, Yurie. I didn’t vote you off! It was an accident.”
“Right, as if I’ll believe you, after everything. We are so over. OVER. Goodbye, Duncan!” I choked, then tears were freely flowing down my eyes now, but I didn’t care. I was too upset as I trudged to the Lame-o-sine.
“No! REBECCA!” He sounded more desperate now... and he actually said my real name, and I felt a flitter of love and regret for him, and that almost was enough to turn me around, to get me to hug and apologize to him... maybe that would’ve fixed this... but I was too torn to care.
I was already in the Lame-o-sine... so...oh well...
Owen joined me, who knows why, and my heart was stony as we Chef drove us off.

(Duncan’s POV)
My heart felt like it was stabbed. My girlfriend... the love of my life...
She just broke up with me. No...
I really didn’t mean to, but she wouldn’t listen.
I wasn’t really happy that I was in the final two, and I didn’t care about the money, either.
I would do anything to get my Kiyurie back.
My feet were heavy as I went back to the cabin with tears in my eyes. I couldn’t cry... not here and not now... but I couldn’t help myself.
I propped myself on my bunk and stared at the ceiling, and thought about how much I would miss my Yurie...
Silent tears slid down my cheek as I turned.
“Rebecca... Kiyurie, whatever I should call you, WHY?!” I cried.
Then I fell into a restless sleep.
But all I could think about was ways I could get my Yurie to forgive me...
***
For all those who have been reading my series... the finale is almost here! :D
~Yurie-chan