Last Girl Standing

The only times Tanisha called everyone out to the pool was for challenges and to announce dates, so when she gathered everyone out on the deck, just after dinner, the entire house knew something was up. It wasn’t time for a challenge. It wasn’t time for a date. And it wasn’t time for an elimination. It was time for the producers to throw yet another curve ball at their contestants.

“Hello, everyone,” Tanisha said, looking out at the shaking teens in front of her. “I’m sure everyone is wondering why I gathered you all out here this fine afternoon.” She didn’t wait for an answer before continuing. “Don’t worry, no one is getting sent home, so you all have nothing to worry about. But we do have some special guests here this evening. They are only here for the night, so let’s be sure to make them feel welcome.”

Tanisha looked at the group, smiling at their shocked faces. There was nothing quite like the worry and fear that the producers put into these love struck teens.

“Here at Love Games,” Tanisha continued. “We all have learned to look towards the future, but we all know we are nothing without our pasts. We’re nearing the end of the line, with just six girls left, but we can’t let the last girl leave without spicing things up a bit. "Producers,” Tanisha said, holding out her arms, “bring out my girls.”

The latch to the fence door flipped slowly, before the gate opened with a creak. From behind it, a line of five girls stepped forward, their long hair flowing and looking as gorgeous as ever. Sadie could have sworn they were all models, but when audible, shocked gasps escaped each of the boys’ throats, she knew that was not the case.

“Ladies, I’d like to introduce you to Erin, Colleen, Natalie, Danielle, and Eleanor.” Tanisha paused for a second, letting the names sink in. “The boys’ exes.”

There was an obvious tension amongst them, and it was clear no one knew what to do next. If Tanisha hadn’t made the next move, they probably would have stood out on the lawn for hours before anyone spoke.

“Boys, why don’t you all get with your respective exes and introduce them to the girls? And let’s have everyone get along. I don’t want to have to break up any fights this evening.”

Tanisha’s comment, which usually would have been met with a few chuckles, was followed by the chirping of crickets, and it became even more painfully obvious that, even with all the challenges and eliminations they had, this night was going to be the worst.

Louis was the first to move, heading to the curly haired brunette on the end. She gave him a soft smile, before their friendly embrace, and in just seconds they were chatting like old friends. The rest of the group could only watch as Louis led Eleanor to a less than pleased Haley.

Following his best friend’s lead, Harry gripped onto Sadie’s hand, before leading her to the brunette girl on the right. He gave a sigh, before pointing at the long haired girl in front of them.

“Sadie,” Harry said. “This is Erin. She and I dated about a year ago.”

With her teeth tugging at her bottom lip, Sadie held her hand out to Erin, who quickly shook it. She wasn’t sure if the taller girl wanted to rip her head off, but it was obvious she wasn’t happy to be at the mansion. Sadie wondered if she’d been paid, or if she hadn’t expected Harry to be attached to a girl.

Luckily for Sadie, after Harry had sat both girls on a set of lawn chairs, forcing the three of them to sit in a circle, Erin quickly commented about how awkward the situation was, and after Sadie agreed, it was like the two of them had been friends their entire lives.

Sadie usually got along well with almost anyone, but she didn’t expect Harry’s ex to take a liking to her. She wasn’t sure if they hadn’t been serious, or if they’d parted as friends, but she had a thousand questions to ask Harry after the girls were sent home. She could only hope that the other boys were having as much luck as they were.

When a gasp came from across the pool and Haley stood with her face bright red, it was obvious that was not the case. The girl raced into the mansion, but Sadie didn’t pay attention long enough to see whether or not Louis had followed her.

“Is it always like that?” Erin asked, a chuckle falling from his lips.

Sadie’s eyes went wide. “Always.”

Harry’s hand moved to Sadie’s, his thumb rubbing against her soft skin, as he watched the girl he was currently falling in love with chat with the girl he’d nearly loved so long ago. He loved how easily Sadie got along with everyone, and was thankful that she hadn’t forced Erin into a catfight. He was lucky to have Sadie, and it became more obvious every second he spent with her.

When Tanisha announced that it was time for the exes to leave, Harry and Sadie showed Erin off with large smiles, while a few of the other couples had grimaces on their faces. After everyone had left, Sadie wrapped her hand around Harry’s, pulling him into the mansion and up to the room she called her home at the Love Games house.

As there were so few girls left, they each had their own room, but even so, Harry had never stayed the night in Sadie’s. In fact, he was one of the few boys who hadn’t stayed in a girl’s room, though they’d been together the longest. He’d head there first thing when he woke up and leave just as she was falling asleep, but he’d never slept there himself.

Harry quickly moved himself to Sadie’s bed, plopping down on the left side, with his head resting against his elbow. He tapped the space empty space, and Sadie knew it was her signal to lie next to him. She fell to the bed with her head resting against her pillow and Harry leaning over her.

He smiled down at her, before placing a soft kiss against her forehead, and the warmth of his lips sent a chill through her body. His fingers moved to her hair, toying with the ends of it, while she sighed beneath him.

“Harry,” Sadie said, teeth tugging at her bottom lip. “Why do you never stay?”

He looked down at her, his lip turned up in a half smile. “What do you mean?”

“You always leave right when I’m about to fall asleep and then it takes me an hour to get to sleep without you.”

Harry placed another kiss against her forehead, leaving his lips against her so his words fell to her skin. She could feel his warmth breath flooding over every inch of her body.

“I didn’t know you wanted me to stay.”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

Harry shrugged, as he pulled his lips away from her. “Some girls are just that way. I didn’t wanna stay and have you hate me in the morning.”

“Will you stay tonight?” she asked, her blue eyes meeting his soft ones.

He gave her a quick nod, before pressing his lips gently to hers. He pulled his head back, but before he could sit straight up, her fingers wrapped in his curls, tugging them towards her. His lips found hers again, while his hands moved to her hips. He was overcome with an urge to rip every piece of clothing from Sadie’s body, toss it to the floor, and say screw you to any gentlemanly honor he was trying to hold with her.

Her shirt was riding up her stomach naturally, and just a peek at the sliver of skin that was showing was enough to send his body aching. He’d been waiting for Sadie for so long – for years, it felt like – and he didn’t want to wait any longer, but he knew he had to.

Sadie meant far more to him than the stupid reality show they were on, and he refused to have their first time together be ready to broadcast on national television, even though the producers would cut out the juicy parts.

Knowing he had to control himself, he bit back several moans, as Sadie’s hands snaked all over his body, and with every move she made, he realized keeping his promise was only going to get harder as the night went on.