IR Day 12 - Gossip and rumors

The girls are all clamming up. They know who it is.

“OK, I don’t know why that’s a big deal. I’m dating a girl on another team,” you say, placing your hand on your chest. “I’m not worried about it, and you guys shouldn’t be either. Is there something we should know? Or should we focus?”

Max raises her hand. You smile.

“Yes, Max.”

“The rumor is that they’re changing how captains work. The week’s best player is MVP and they become the captain of their team,” she says with a shrug.

You look uncertainly at Lara, who nods.

“It may only be a rumor, but it makes sense,” she says.

“Why? Why change it now?” Sam asks.

“Because it creates drama. Now it’s not just teams against teams, it’s players on teams jockeying against each other,” Lara says, swirling her finger around. “Remember what they told us? It’s cameras on from dusk till dawn this week. They want shots of us quarreling.”

“Perfect,” Sheva says with a sigh. “But it was so relaxing before,” she adds mildly. A few of the others laugh.

You look around at the beach, then up at the blue sky. Blue Team is off doing something similar right now. You wonder if Ingrid has heard this rumor.

“OK, so who actually wants to be captain. Show of hands,” you say.

Lara raises hers. So does Elena. So does Lili.

You blink, surprised. “That’s it?”

“That’s it? You mean you aren’t cross?” Lara asks, smiling wryly at you.

“That my second in command wants to stab me in the back?”

“How come she gets to be second in command?” Sam asks. “I’d be your second in the command, Riley,” she says, making a pouting face. You laugh.

“No, I’m not mad. But it’s just three of you? Not you?” you ask Sheva.

Sheva rolls her eyes. “Not what I’m here for.”

“OK. Well, I for one, don’t want to be captain,” you say, and several of them look surprised. “It’s a lot of pressure, I don’t get paid more than you guys, and I’m not trying to get famous. If I wasn’t captain, I wouldn’t have to worry so much about someone taking a picture of me kissing my girlfriend during the week. So…” you trail off, gesturing to indicate the three girls who raised their hands. “You three can compete if you want, but you all play different positions. So you aren’t competing against each other. This shouldn’t hurt us.”

“You won’t steal my glory?” Lara’s still not being completely serious.

“I want to win,” you say firmly. “I want to go to the Lodge. And I want to have good stats here. Winning games is what matters. Being MVP? You can have it. So can we stick together and be a team? We don’t have to love each other, but if we can just… not sink into being a catty bloodbath, that will give us such an advantage. Don’t you think?” you ask, appealing to them.

“You’re not a terrible captain,” Rebecca says.

“Thanks, Rebecca.”

“Even though we lost,” Sam adds.

You roll your eyes.