Total Heartthrob || Chris McLean

Season 1: Not So Happy Campers: Part 2

"Last time on Total Drama Island: 23 campers have signed up to spend 8 weeks right here at this crummy old summer camp, then have to face the judgement of their fellow campers. Split into two teams, the Screaming Gophers and the Killer Bass, they'll now have to compete each week for a chance to win. Their first task they will be faced with jumping a cliff with a one thousand foot drop! Who will be man enough to jump, and who will chicken out? Tune in this week on Total Drama Island!"

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"Okay! Today's challenge is three-fold. Your first task is to jump this one thousand foot cliff into the lake below!" Chris sounded so desperately eager for this challenge, as if it inspired him to pick this location. It wouldn't surprise me if so; there wasn't a subtle bone in his body, and he was borderline a maniac. But even this was insanity.

One thousand feet? I was only a couple inches over five feet tall -- a thousand feet! That was insane. Nearly suicide. And, yet, a part of me was interested in jumping; no sane person would love Chris McLean, though, in my defense.

"Piece of cake," Bridgette nearly wheezed out beside me, clear she was attempting to conceal her fear. I turned to look at her, seeing what I could only believe was the same expression on my own face: fear and excitement. She did seem the type to be interested in jumping, with her casual gaze and sporty aesthetic adoring her.

I raised my brows, nodding back at her. "Totally. So totally a piece of cake." If only Cake could see me now; he'd be petrified. Sort of. Well, actually, come to think of it... no he wouldn't. He's a cat who loathed me 90% of the time. If anything, he'd nudge me over.

"Cute swim suit," Duncan teased, his loud voice carrying from the other side of my team as I walked toward the edge of the cliff. I turned back, shooting him a playful look. He was sleazy — so sleazy — and way too not-Chris-McLean for my taste. But, I enjoyed his presence. I could definitely make a friend out of him. He smiled back, and I took the compliment easily. My periwinkle two-piece swimsuit was pretty cute.

Chris explained the target areas below, and I stepped closer to peer down over the edge. The thick clouds parted as the challenge ensued, as if knowing they needed to leave. Floating in the water was a half circle and full circle, with the larger area definitely containing sharks while the smaller maybe-possibly-more-than-likely did not contain sharks. I glared at Chris when he said that, that cocky grin on his face when he saw me looking at him. I didn't realize how close he was until then. Wow, his teeth were so straight. "The second part of the challenge is building a hot tub! Winners get a wicked hot tub party tonight, while the losers get to walk the dock of shame. Bass, you're up first!"

Bridgette sauntered up beside me, her wet suit hugging her body. "Wow." She swallowed, taking all of her confidence and flushing it away. She leaned away from the cliff to face our team. "So, who wants to go first?"

Not a single breath came from my teammates. Everyone waited for someone to volunteer, but no one would. I don't blame them. Personally, if I was sane, I wouldn't have either. But that small crazy bit of me was itching to jump — so I did. "I will." My team seemed more surprised than I was expecting; was it that big of a shock? Stepping back to be closer to Chris, I removed my glasses and handed them to him. "Hold these, please." Blurrily, he tucked them into the chest pocket of his shirt. Our eyes met again, and my cheeks turned red. Even through my fuzzy vision did he look impeccable.

Okay, Lilia, calm down. I needed to focus. Inhaling, I turned away and stepped back a few feet. In my chest, my heart erratically pounded, the thumping carrying up to my ears in a melodic bass-line. The wind was thin as I drew in another inhale, and then I was off. Ground crunched beneath my feet as they pummeled towards the edge until no ground stood beneath me.