Disclaimer: If I owned Total Drama, why would I be writing Fanfiction right now?

"I-I-I saw Duncan and Gwen kiss!" Tyler stuttered. I vaguely remember hearing Courtney screaming. All I could think was, "Duncan? DUNCAN?"

He comes running up to me, looking battered and beaten already. He made some comment about me, but I don't even know what it was. I wasn't paying enough attention. I was later told that I punched him in the face, which makes sense since all of a sudden, my fist hurt and Duncan was sprawled on the ground.

Chris yelled "go!" which reminded me that I was, in fact, in the middle of a challenge. Sierra and Courtney told me not to go, but I didn't listen. A challenge is a challenge, right? The longer I can help to keep my team intact, the better. That's how you win the game.

The next minute I was up in the air, fighting. Fighting because I thought, if I don't get this, I'll surely be the next one eliminated. I didn't realize that it wouldn't be my butt thrown off the plane. It would be Gwen's. Gwen, the sole object of my affection, who had captured my heart from the very first day on the island.

I whimpered, replaying that thought over and over again. Gwen.

Now imagine her perfect blue lips pressed up against that... that punk. Delinquent. Hooligan. Was she smiling as she kissed him? Did she smile now as she also thought of that moment?

I glanced over at her, sitting in a chair, staring out the window. It was the middle of the night, but I guess she couldn't sleep either. I wanted more than anything to run over and comfort her, to wipe that frown off her face, but I knew I couldn't. I could never look at her the same way again. I should at least wait until she apologizes first. But what reason would she have to apologize to me? Oh, right, she ripped my heart out.

I looked at my other teammates. Courtney was gone, most likely plotting revenge in the bathroom. Heather was fast asleep, faintly snoring with her mouth open. Sierra was asleep next to me with her arms wrapped protectively around my torso. I slowly wiggled out of her grip, because if I woke up, she would no doubt start shrieking. I stood on my feet, and I felt Gwen staring at me. I didn't look back at her as I crept out of first class.

In the hallway, I heard Courtney's wails coming from the confessional. I tried to convince myself that she was having a harder time than I was, but I chased the thought away. Now was not the time to get joy or comfort from other people's pain. I slowly made my way to the one place I could be alone- the cargo hold.

I pushed open the door, and a small light on the back wall clicked on. I walked around a bit, through all of the boxes and crap lying around. I took a seat on a lone box and buried my face in my hands. I could feel my fingers getting wet, and I sniffed. "Hey, who's in here, eh?"

Of course. Ezekiel. I looked around, then spotted him crouching on top of a stack of boxes in the corner.

"Hey Zeke."

"Eh, Cody? Is that you?"

"Yeah."

"What're ya doin' back here, eh?"

"Listen, Zeke, could you go somewhere else for a while? I kinda want to be alone right now." My voice cracked on the word 'alone.'

He thought about this for a second. "Why can't you leave, eh? I was here first!"

I didn't have a logical answer for him, so I said, "Because."

"Fine, I'll go, eh." I didn't expect him to be such a pushover, especially since he works so hard to get back on the show. He jumped off of the boxes and muttered, "Wouldn't be the first time somebody's kicked me outta here." The door shut behind him and the light clicked back off. The darkness seemed to make my sobs even louder. I didn't hear someone else come in.

A bright light shined on my face. "There you are!"

I used my arms to shield my eyes. "Who's there?"

"It's just me. Heather."

Heather came looking for me? She must be up to something. "Can you please stop shining that light in my face?"

"Oh, sorry." She set the flashlight down so that it only shined on half of my body, then sat down on the floor across from me. I felt awkward sitting up higher than she was, so I scooted onto the floor and pulled my knees up to my chest. I could see the right side of her face perfectly in the glaring light. The light glinted off her right eye, and she was staring at me. Self-conscious, I looked down, hoping that the tear streaks on my cheeks weren't as evident as they felt. After a few painfully awkward seconds, I asked, "Why'd you come looking for me?"

"I woke up and nearly everyone was gone. As team leader, I need to keep track of my team. Courtney's in the confessional, I'm pretty sure Gwen went to loser class to snog her new boy toy, and you're here."

"Sierra's in first class alone? I bet she loves that," I half-heartedly joked.

Heather laughed once. "Let's hope she doesn't wake up before you get back."

I smiled, momentarily distracted.

"But what about you?" she asked.

"What?"

"What are you doing back here?" she pressed.

My heart throbbed and I closed my eyes. I opened my mouth to answer, but I couldn't say it out loud.

"Please don't tell me you're caught up in this whole 'love triangle' thing too."

Without opening my eyes, I nodded.

"Wait, you're still not over Gwen?" I didn't answer. "Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you and Noah had a thing." This time, I stared at her, my eyebrows pulling together. "No? Okay." I sighed. "You know, this would be a lot easier if you actually talked to me!"

"Sorry. What do you want to talk about?" I deadpanned.

"I don't suppose you want to talk strategy with me, right?"

"Not really, no."

"Okay, well... Have you seen any good movies lately?" She looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to crack a smile. I raised my eyebrows, as if to say "is that the best you can do?"

"Fine, then. I won't try to cheer you up!" She cheesily pouted. I smiled.

"Ha! I did it!"

I burst out laughing. I don't know, something about that face she made seemed so comical at around three in the morning.

"Man, you're easy! I use that same strategy to cheer up some of the kids I baby-sit, but it usually doesn't work."

"Wait, back up. You baby-sit?" I wondered.

"Better than working at the local Starbucks," she answered. "Don't you have a job?"

"I was about to get one, then I got on this show. My parents threatened that if I didn't win, I'd have to get a job. I'll probably end up as the tech support guy at the computer store down the street."

"You're assuming that you're not going to win," she commented.

"I don't stand a chance against you. I'm lucky that I made it this far."

"You're right, I am the best," she teased. "But you can at least try to stop me!"

I shrugged.

"My team is falling apart," she grumbled, more to herself than to me. "Courtney's throwing challenges. Gwen better not guilt trip like she did last season. And now I have this quitter and his psycho girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend!" I protested.

"Can't you at least try to help? Our team is really going to need it, with Courtney bringing us down."

"Why bother?"

"At least until the merge! If we slip up, and Gwen gets eliminated, then we're probably going to go next!"

"Are you trying to form an alliance with me?" I questioned.

"Not really an alliance. More of a... a deal."

"And what will I get in return?"

She thought this through. "Ten thousand if I win?"

"You drive a hard bargain..."

"Twenty thousand! That way you won't have to get your geeky techy job!"

Wow, she must be desperate. "Deal."

After shaking on it, we headed back to first class. She settled down in a chair, like she was before, and I took my place next to Sierra again. She immediately wrapped her arms around me again, but I didn't even care. Thanks to Heather...

I was now more determined than ever to win.

That's not really how I had imagined it ending in my head, but this is okay too, I guess. Read and review!