LZ Day 7 - Life is good

You wake up feeling amazing.

The chilly, but peaceful quiet in the dark only lasts until Tiff marches into the cabin, full of energy, literally banging two pots together. She keeps banging them even after everyone is awake and covering their ears.

She finally stops.

"Get dressed and get to the dining hall," she says. "Eat light, then go to yoga room 5 for warmup."

"What kind of drills today?" you ask. It can't be anything difficult because you have that practice game this afternoon.

"No drills," Tiff says, and the girls all murmur to each other in confusion. No drills?

"I'm not allowed to tell you. You'll see. You're on TV now, remember? You knew it was going to be crazy. They warned you. Quit acting surprised. Remember what I said. Eat light."

"Do we know who we play later?" Lara asks, raising her hand.

Tiff grimaces.

"Blue Team," says.

That's Adella's team.

You feel sudden apprehension. And then you feel relief. Playing against Blue Team today means you will NOT play against them in Friday's much more important game.

You all get dressed and eat a small breakfast, where the Blue Team watches you, and you watch them. There is very little interaction between the teams at the dining hall, and even less as you all go to different yoga rooms at the gym.

Tiff doesn't do yoga. She leads you through quick stretches, and then you have to change into your... uniforms? The uniform is not a soccer uniform. It's more like what olympic runners wear: like skimpy bicycle shorts and an extremely tight crop top. Confused, you and the others all put them on. It's not very modest for the girls like you, but everyone is too nervous about the day to be distracted by some bulges. You wish you weren't too scared to enjoy the view...

You wave at some of the cameras as all the girls in the camp walk out to the path into the woods, where half the teams split off and take another path. You wonder where they are going.

Your team arrives at the beginning of an elaborate obstacle course. It's long, with a LOT of obstacles. You can tell by looking at the map that it will be totally exhausting. So you will all be tired and sore for this afternoon's match.

"Cheer up, it'll be fun," you tell some of the girls who are complaining. Other captains are doing the same thing with their teams.

It's as long and difficult as you fear, but you are good at this. You are an athlete, even if some of the obstacles require a lot of upper body strength, which is not your strong suit. You still do well! You are fast and have good balance...

...until you get to the final obstacle. You are at the lake, and you have to cross a lot of spinning logs to get to the other side, but there's like this fog out there...

Someone hands you a staff with pads on the ends.

"What's this for?" you ask.

"For balance," she replies.

Oh no... You carefully go out, balancing... until you see that there is someone else in the fog up ahead, coming toward you.

So THAT is what this is about. That is why they split up the teams... part of this course is getting past this other player.

You see that it is... Olga, one of Zarya's players. You aren't afraid of Olga! You boldly approach her and knock her into the water. Moments later, you are finishing the course. The rest of your team is right behind you.

That was cool! It always feels good to get some really good exercise. You're all wet and sweaty, but in a great mood. Tiff is waiting for you and the team.

"Good work," she says. "Take a rest, everyone. I have to go pick something up. That was good out there, Riley." Tiff pats your shoulder. "Why don't you take my massage appointment in my place?"

"Right now?" you ask.

"Only if you want to."

"OK."

Some of the other girls pat you on the back for how you took out Olga like that. Things are going well.

You walk out of the woods and across the camp, waving at the cameras. You can't wait to get out of this skimpy outfit. They are definitely going to make you wear this for all your drills and training... it's good T&A for TV.

"I'm here instead of Tiff," you say when you get to the spa.

"Great. You can come in my room, or go to B," Amy says.

Get a massage from Amy? Or go in the other room?