STRANDED (THE WILDS KIRIN O'CONNOR)

DAY 34. FINALLY RESCUED FROM RAFT

KIRIN'S POV:

"I'm coming with you." I blurt I feel Emma's eyes burning the side of my head "No fucking chance!" She shouts and I wince slightly at her tone but quickly cover it up.

I tone out Ivan as I'm deep in thought, I knew I should have told Emma first or warn her but I knew if I did that just looking at her would make me change my mind. "Maybe y'all need a third. Like...like someone to keep the peace." Bo suggests as I tune back into the conversation.

"Or maybe, Kirin should not go...at all." Emma interjects and I can feel the irritation radiating off of her, Bo then throws Raf under the bus "You don't have to, Raf. If you don't feel like playing babysitter to this little fuck." I point to Seth.

"I'm in." I turn my head to Raf as he nods "I'm in. I'll do it." Everyone is silent for a while as we realize what this means, what we were about to do.

We all clean off the raft and make it useable, after that it's time to say goodbye. I turn and see Ivan walk up to me "So..." I trail off "So..." Ivan says awkwardly, since being here we have put the past aside and have some respect for one another but we are not besties.

I decide to settle for our usual banter "As always...fuck you." "Fuck you too, Kirin." Ivan replies back. I say goodbye to Bo and Henry and make my way to Scotty, "It's on you, Fun Size."

"What the hell does that mean?" Scotty asks "You got a witch boy, a couple of fucking marshmallows, a blowhard theater kid, and my girl on your hands. Look after them, alright?" I ask Scotty.

"You got it, your girl we'll be ok." Scotty nods I nod and we do our handshake. I go to say bye to Emma but see Josh heading to me, he smiles sadly and opens his arms as I hug him back.

I don't bro hug Josh like I did the others, I give Josh a real hug. He has been a good friend here and I want him to know that.

We pull apart and I see Emma and make my way to her each step I grow sadder, when I get in front of her she doesn't say anything worrying me. "I have to go Emmy, I told you I would get you off this island. That's what I'm doing." I try to explain to her the reason I volunteered to go Emma only nods at my words.

"Em, please say something. Anything!" I beg her, Emma looks in my eyes and I can see tears welling up in her eyes causing my heart to crack. "I don't want you to go out there, send someone else in your place. Anyone!" She pleads as the tears slowly fall down her cheeks.

I sigh sadly so badly wanting to stay with her, "I can't, I have to do this. Not just for me but for you, I'm going to get us out of here."

"What if something happens? Gas runs out? A shark attacks the raft? A storm?" She rambles about anything that could go wrong and she has a point, these things could happen and if they do we are all fucked. But I can't tell her that.

"We have oars, well row the raft. A shark won't attack the raft unless provoked, and if it storms we touch it out and pray a boat comes." I try and soothe her fears by thinking of solutions, "I don't want you to leave me." She speaks softly her voice cracking and lip quivering as she starts to cry.

I immediately pull her into a hug and hold her tightly "I'm not leaving you, I'm never going to leave you. Ever. You got that?" I ask making sure she heard every damn word I said, I feel her nod her head.

I pull away so I can look in her eyes, "Baby, it's going to be ok. I'm going to get help and get you off this island and everything will be ok. We will be safe." I tell her honestly I watch as Emma nods sadly and it hits me hard that I have to leave soon.

I sniff as tears well up in my eyes "I love you." Emma cries and that's what sends me over and the tears fall. "I love you Emma James, don't worry. We'll be ok." I cry "I love you too, Kirin O'Connor." I smile at Emma's words and pull her in for another hug.