Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Week 1, Day 1

Will Byers is standing at the far left of the group of 4, next to a girl with red hair tied into a low hanging ponytail. The other two people, a guy and girl, are the closest to the host, Julie Chen-Moonves. The girl has bangs and is sporting a ponytail as well, whereas the guy is wearing a baseball cap over a thick forest of curly brown hair.

Whatever thoughts Will had about these people are interrupted when Julie begins speaking again. He puts on a wide smile for the cameras and listens intently to her.

“Hello, Will, Max, Dustin, and Chrissy.” Julie begins. “Welcome to Big Brother . You are about to be challenged mentally, physically, and let’s not forget: socially. One thing is for certain: it is going to be the craziest and most action-packed three months of your lives. And the game starts the second you walk through that front door.

“Inside the house are four stations that contain permission slips to the hottest campground this Summer: the BB Lodge. Upon entering the house, you will find a station and grab a permission slip. Then, you must head immediately to the Backyard.” There’s a pause before her next sentence. “Who’s ready to play Big Brother ?”

Will and the other 3 Houseguests applaud. He can feel their excitement, and Will is ready to enter the competition, putting his game face on.

“Well then, go on in.” Julie says.

Will follows behind the other Houseguests, waving to Julie as he passes by her before entering. The door behind him closes automatically, but he has no time to think about it as the girl in front, Chrissy, if he remembers correctly, opens the door to the house. His excitement explodes, just as the others do, as he finally enters the house, amazed with the new decorations that clad the Big Brother house. 

Will tries to take in everything as best he can: a huge tree flush with the wall, overhead lighting mimicking the sunlight that travels through leaves in the forest, oil lamps hanging to and fro, taxidermy animal heads mounted on the walls. 

He walks aimlessly looking all around him, occasionally bumping into the other contests. A moment passes, and they all finally look at each other, breaking out into hysterics, and moving into a big hug, confirming to each other that they’re actually in the Big Brother house. When they pull away from each other, they all remember their task at hand, and begin looking for the permission slips Julie mentioned at the start.

It doesn’t take them long to find them sitting on the kitchen table. They all run up hurriedly to them, and Will grabs one at random, taking note of a red stamp in the shape of two capital Bs on it. With their permission slips in hand, they all leave the kitchen, heading to the backyard like Julie instructed. The other boy, Dustin, yanks the sliding door open, and they rush through it, beholding the crazy set up displaying the entirety of the backyard.

Will notices how the backyard is divided, four different stations placed apart from one another, with two capital Bs above them, all in different colors. He instantly recognizes what they mean, and recalls his permission slip, thinks of the red Bs stamped on it, and finds the station with the same icon. It seems like the other contestants have figured it out too, and coincidentally, they all make their way to different stations. Chrissy heads to the green Bs, where a giant log is rested, the other girl, Max, heads to the blue Bs, where there is a wavy blue, table-like mechanism in front of her, Dustin heads to the yellow Bs, where he stands next to a red button and a giant diorama aside it, a clear glass box a few feet away from him.

Will focuses on what’s in front of him. There’s a pedestal with a thin piece of wood on top of it. It looks like the wood can tilt from side to side. On the floor next to it is a box of wooden flowers. He has no idea what he might have to do, so the only thing he can do is wait for further instructions.

It takes longer than expected, and Will feels isolated, looking at how far away he is from the other people. As each second passes by, and he’s left with nothing but his thoughts, Will can feel the nerves in him building up, like he’s psyching himself out before he can even play. Will figures that the rest of the contestants are being introduced to the audience. In other seasons, they showed pre-filmed video packages to the audience before the contestants walk onto the stage, and now that he was already in the backyard, he would have to wait for three more groups of four to walk in before he would receive instructions on what his competition would be.

His thoughts help pass the time, and shortly thereafter, more people walk into the backyard. First was a blonde girl, wearing a ton of jewelry. Even from far away, Will could tell she was pretty. She ends up joining Chrissy at her station. After her is a tall guy with a wild mane of black hair, and a blond guy that looked like a stereotypical jock in any teen film. They join Dustin and Max respectively. The final person is a tall girl with a short bob. She looks confident in herself, and when she walks up to the station Will is at, she smirks at him, and Will can only give a flat smile.

They stand next to each other, and Will doesn’t dare look at her, afraid that she might be able to recognize the anxiety that’s building in him. To ease his mind, Will thinks about why he’s doing this. Remember how much he wants the money to help out his mother and older brother. 

Will lets his eyes wander to the girl next to him, and he wonders why she might be there; if she was a Superfan like him, or a Recruit like others might be. His eyes keep wandering, and notices the array of buttons and pins on her shirt. He narrows in on a pin with the Lesbian pride flag on it, and internally sighs knowing that he isn’t the only queer person on this season.

The biggest worry Will had about making it far in the competition was his ability to relate to others. He definitely considered himself more of a wallflower than a social butterfly. And there’s never a large number of queer people in a season, so knowing another person that was like him put Will at ease, and made it his mission to work with her once they finally got to talking.

Another group of people walk in: a girl with long brown hair with a wide smile joins Dustin’s station, a girl with large glasses joins Max’s station, while a blonde guy with buzzed sides and a brunette guy enter afterwards. The blonde guy joins Chrissy’s station, while the other guy walks toward Will and the girl with a bob. As he gets closer, Will notes how similarly he looks like the other boy, and it unnerves him for a second. But he has no time to dwell on his thoughts because the final group of contestants make their way into the backyard.

A guy with flat-topped hair and a fade joins Chrissy’s station. A girl with kinky hair pulled into a low ponytail joins Will and the other two people at his station. A girl with curly hair joins Dustin’s station excitedly. And the final contestant, a guy with raven black hair, joins Max’s station.

Will looks at the people at his own station, and he nicknames them all in his head: bob girl, ponytail girl, and twin guy. They’re all around the same height, aside from bob girl, who is slightly taller than the rest of them. They’re all looking at the contraption in front of them, no doubt wondering what they’ll have to do. Will thinks further and wonders if the competition will be for the Head of Household position, or if it's for safety during the first week. 

Everyone waits patiently for further instructions, and shortly they hear a voice overhead. The voice is of Julie, speaking and watching over them from outside of the Big Brother house. Will and all the contestants stand up straight at her voice.

“Hello, Houseguests.” A chorus of greetings explodes, Will joining in. There’s an extra loud shout from someone at another station, the guy with a wild mane. “Settle down, Houseguests.” There’s a pregnant pause. “It is now time to begin the very first competition of the summer. You have all been divided into one of four stations: The Lincoln Log, The Rapid River, The Falling Flowers, or The Picnic Puzzle. One person from each station will win their respective competition, meaning they move on to the second round, where they will be battling for the most powerful position in the house.” Julie pauses, and Will feels his breath hitch. “Head of Household.” There’s another round of applause.

“Now, we will be starting at The Lincoln Log.” Will turns his attention to the station. “Chrissy, Angela, Jason, and Lucas. I hope you’re all ready. This competition is called The Sinkin’ Log . Right now, a bar is lowering above the log in front of you. In a moment, you will grab on to this bar and step on to the log in front of you, which will then cause the floor beneath you to reveal a shallow pool of water. Your goal for this competition is to stay on this log for as long as you can, outlasting your other competitors, as the log becomes more wet, and spins quickly beneath your legs. Does everyone understand?” The four people at The Lincoln Log respond, and all Will can think about is how lucky he is for not ending up at that competition. “Good, then please grab hold of the bar and take your positions.”

Will can see the apprehension in their faces, but they all oblige, and they stand precariously on the log. “Is everyone ready?” Julie asks one final time, and they all nod their heads. “Great, then stabilize yourself, and let’s let the good times roll.”

In an instant, the log begins to roll, at a pace they all seem to be able to handle. Quickly though, the log begins to glisten with water, and Will knows that soon it’ll be picking up the pace. Will’s eyes are on them all, watching nervously waiting for the first person to fall, but they all looked determined to stay on.

At the one minute mark, Julie announces it and encourages the contestants to keep going, and she does the same at the two minute mark. The log is spinning fast enough that Will can see splashes of water flying off of it, and he can see the contestants’ faces begin to harden as they have to quicken their pace.

The first person to fall off of the log is the girl with a bunch of jewelry, Angela. Will winces as soon as he knows she’s lost, but she falls gracefully enough into the water that she doesn’t seem hurt. She falls off because of the sudden change in direction the log begins to spin in, and based on the faces of the other players, they were just as shocked about the change.

At the five minute mark, another person falls. Chrissy loses her grip and stumbles off of the log despite trying desperately to stay on. Angela helps her out of the shallow pool.

“We are down to the final two, Lucas and Jason.” Julie announces, and they all cheer along for them. “Who will clinch this win and move on to the second round of HoH competition? It’s anybody’s guess.”

Will’s guess is Lucas. He looks like the stronger of the two and compared to Jason, seems more confident as he balances on the log. Angela and Chrissy are off to the side, cheering the boys along. They last a little after the seven minute mark, where Jason takes a sudden fall and completely submerges himself into the pool.

“Congratulations Lucas, you are moving on to round two of tonight’s HoH competition!” Julie announces overhead.

The log comes to a complete stop, and everyone is cheering for him as he gets back on to solid ground. Lucas helps Jason out of the pool, and everyone from that station looks like they're congratulating Lucas on his win.

Will can feel the jitters spreading throughout his body, and at the moment he wishes he could complete his competition to get it over with. He can feel his hands becoming clammy as Julie begins speaking once more.

“So, who will be joining Lucas in the second round of tonight’s HoH? Let’s find out right now.” There’s a pregnant pause. “Let’s head over to The Rapid River.” Will knows he’s not next, and he lets out a shaky breath. “Max, Suzie, Mike, and Chad. Your competition is called The Right Course . For this competition, the large wavy table in front of you must be lifted up by you at the end you’re standing at. You must then set one ball down on this mechanism at a time, and help it travel all the way down the winding river, where the waves become progressively smaller, and where it must fall safely into a net below. You must get ten out of twenty balls into this net. The first one to complete this task will join Lucas in having the opportunity of becoming the first Head of Household. Does everyone understand?” They all say yes and Will can’t wait to see who wins this one. “Great, because this competition starts… now.”

Will has his eyes on Max, since she walked in with him, and she looks hard and determined to win. Based on that, Will assumes she’ll be one of the more competitive players in the game. In no time, she has her first ball halfway across the river, and before he wonders if it might fall off the table, she makes one into her net, Julie confirming it overhead. Max doesn’t falter and sets another ball onto the table and already has it down the river without much movement.

Will looks at the other players, noting how far along they are in comparison to Max. The closest one is the jock-looking guy, as he keeps a close pace behind her. The other girl, Suzie, looks like she’s struggling with the narrow end of the river, where her balls keep falling onto the ground. The other guy, the boy with the raven black hair, isn’t anywhere close to the others though. Will watches intently, noticing how he routinely has a jerky movement when his ball nears the end of the river, and Will wonders if he may be throwing the challenge.

It’s not a bad strategy to throw the first challenge. Being the first HoH means that person sets the tone, and immediately gets blood on their hands because they nominate two people. And by winning a competition, it paints a target on them as a challenge threat. As Will looks over the raven haired boy, Mike, he determines, Will can see him getting along well with other people, and thinks that Mike might try to progress by hiding behind bigger targets.

“Max now has eight balls in her net, and needs two more to advance to round two of the HoH competition.” Julie's voice draws Will back to Max. “Chad is close with seven balls. Suzie has three, and Mike has one.” As she finishes saying that, Max gets her ninth ball in, and the backyard grows silent with anticipation.

Julie announces this development, but Will barely picks up on her voice, everything in him was focused on what Max was doing. He looks at her hands, the strong grip it has on the mechanism in front of her, and then looks at the determination in her face. Before the last ball even makes it to the end, Will knows that she’s got it, there wasn’t going to be anything that stopped her. And in Will’s mind, that solidified the idea that she will be a threat in the future.

“Congratulations, Max!” Julie's voice is almost drowned out by the cheering. “You have just guaranteed yourself in the second part of tonight’s HoH competition!

Max is jumping up and down, yelling in delight at the win. Her competitors surround her, giving her hugs and congratulating her. The smile she wears is wide, and even after everyone settles down, it never fades away.

“Houseguests.” The sudden voice jolts Will and he listens intently. “Who will be joining Lucas and Max in contention for Head of Household? Well, we need to head over to The Falling Flowers to find out.” Will registers what Julie has said, and instantly knows that it means him and the people at his station. “Will, Robin, Jake, and Erica. Your competition is called Flower Frenzy . For this competition, you must stack all of the wooden flowers next to you on the stand in front of you. But be careful, because the stand your flowers will be resting on will act like a seesaw, meaning at any moment your tower of flowers can tip over, and you have to start all over. The first one to get all twenty wooden flowers stabilized will join Lucas and Max for tonight’s second round of the Head of Household competition. Does everyone understand?” Will can feel his hands clamming up, but pushes out a response for Julie. “Good. Because your time starts… now.” 

Without thinking, Will instantly bends down, and grabs two handfuls of the wooden flowers in the box. They range in size and design, and Will knows he has to set the large ones at the bottom. When he stands back up, he sets two one either end of the seesaw to keep it level, and can feel his heart beating furiously as he sets another pair of flowers down.

Will doesn’t bother looking at the other players; doesn’t think that they might be ahead of him or have a better strategy because he knows that if he breaks his focus, he’ll move erratically and sabotage his own tower. In fact, he almost does so when he hears the sound of wooden flowers falling down beside him. It must be the girl with the bob, but he can’t confirm because the cheering and whooping from everyone else forces him to stay on task. In facting, the players’ noise distracts him enough that he can’t decipher what Julie says overhead, and he can’t tell if he’s in the lead or not.

Will has ten flowers on the seesaw stand, and at this point, it’s leaning to the left, but still stands. He knows he can win, he just has to keep stacking at a steady pace. Too much exertion and it can all come tumbling down, and he can’t lose all the progress he’s made now.

When there’s fifteen flowers stacked, it feels like Will can barely breathe. As he stacks the next flower, his hand shakes, but he steadies himself and places it safely, letting out a sigh of relief. But before he can make more progress, he watches the seesaw tip back to the right, but nothing falls, so his resolve isn’t completely thrown away.

Will has two flowers left when he hears, “Congratulations, Jake! You are the first person to stack all twenty flowers, meaning you are one step closer to becoming HoH!”

Will steps away from his tower, and looks it over one more time, seeing just how close he was to winning. He looks at Jake’s tower, then at the other’s, and sees he was actually in third place. The girl with kinky hair was only one flower away.

The girl with the bob is just finishing congratulating Jake, and Will follows suit. “Congrats, dude! You did great.”

“Thanks man, I appreciate it.” Jake pulls him into a quick hug. “Jake, by the way.”

“Will.” He responds, giving him a smile. Will turns his attention to the girls, introducing himself quickly and shaking their hands.

“I’m Robin.” The girl with the bob says.

“Erica. Nice to meet you.” Her grip is strong as they shake hands. “Good job, also.”

“Thanks.” Their greetings are a little awkward, but Will knows they’ll get a better chance to speak later on.

“The last person to join Lucas, Max, and Jake in tonight’s second round of Head of Household?” Julie’s voice doesn’t startle Will this time. He thinks that all of the nerves have left his body now that he’s already competed. “Well, it’s anybody’s guess. Let’s head over to The Picnic Puzzle.” Will looks at the final group of competitors. “Dustin, Eddie, El, and Chrissy. Your competition is called Picturesque Picnic . Beside you is a large puzzle diorama, depicting a lovely picnic. You must take one piece of a puzzle at a time to the large clear box a few feet away from you. You must configure your puzzle pieces so that they can all fit correctly into this clear box. Once you finish that, you must return to the spot you are standing on, and press your button to signal that you’re done. Does everyone know what we’re doing?” The four players nod their head, and Eddie lets out a triumphant Yes! for Julie to hear. “Good… because your time starts now!”

Will watches as they all take a piece over to the clear box, and three of them begin placing it into it. Dustin differs from them as he runs back to his spot and grabs another piece. Will thinks it’s the best strategy for this competition, as Dustin would have all of his pieces together and wouldn’t mindlessly be placing them into the box.

As Dustin gets more and more puzzle pieces, the other competitors follow his lead, and begin bringing their pieces over as well. But by the time they’ve begun doing that, Dustin already has a sizable lead in placing all of his pieces into the box. He doesn’t look like he’s struggling at all with how to place them; doesn’t have to switch their places or start over even once, and that lets Will know that Dustin is smart, and good at puzzles.

The other competitors seem so far behind, Will doesn’t even bother looking at them. But he does get distracted because of the random shouts coming from the other guy, Eddie. Will understands the excitement he may be feeling, but Will can’t help but feel like all the attention he’s drawing could backfire.

Dustin places his last puzzle piece, and runs back to his spot, slamming down on his button multiple times to confirm he won. “Congratulations, Dustin!” Dustin begins shouting in delight, and the other competitors swarm him to give their congratulations. “You are the final houseguest eligible to become the first Head of Household! I want you all to head back into the Big Brother house and make yourselves comfortable. I’ll be back later to inform you how Lucas, Max, Jake, or Dustin will become the all-powerful HoH.”

Julie's voice cuts out, and he looks to the closest person near him, Robin. She tilts her head to the house, inviting him to come along with her, and as Will watches everyone gather at the entrance to the house, he knows the game has only just begun.

⏿⏿⏿

The Big Brother house is made up of two floors. As soon as they return from the backyard, they enter the kitchen, where there are countless bottles of champagne waiting for them to enjoy. Someone opens them, Will can’t remember who, and he gets a glass for him and Robin.

They begin searching the rest of the house, primarily looking for a bedroom where they can easily choose a bed to sleep next to one another. Even though Will barely met her, he knows that Robin is someone he wants to take as far as possible, and this bonding moment assures him that Robin feels the same.

To the left of the kitchen is a hallway that leads to the bathroom. There’s a lounging spot, as well as three sinks, a shower, and a toilet. But since neither of them need to use the bathroom, they quickly check over it before returning to the rest of the house.

As they leave the hallway, they notice the Memory Wall, the large screen panels with each contestant’s headshot displayed, next to the kitchen, and walk over to take it in. Will’s picture is at the bottom right corner, and Robin’s is one to the left above him. Seeing his picture displayed, the house key they gave him as a symbol of being selected underneath said picture, surrounded by the other players’ headshots and keys reminds him that he’s really in the Big Brother house, and that he has a shot at $750k.

Robin pulls him away from the memory wall to explore more. In front of the kitchen is the living room, furnished with couches big enough for everyone to sit on, and a large table between them. Opposite is a large T.V. screen hanging on the wall. It’s used to display Julie when she speaks to them on eviction nights.

They walk past the living room and into a hallway. It has two rooms, one they open up to see a storage room, and the other is still locked, and Will figures it's the Diary Room, where they can talk about their feelings and strategy as the game progresses.

At the end of the hallway is a bedroom that leads to two more. They explore all three and see that some of the beds have already been claimed. They quickly analyze the situation, and Will quickly puts together that staying in the room that leads to the others is better strategically because they can see who enters and leaves the other two rooms. He doesn’t verbalize his thoughts, just pulls himself and Robin to two open beds, and claims them as their own. Later when their duffel bags of clothing and personal items arrive in the storage room, they would place the bags on the beds, solidifying the sleeping arrangements for the season.

When they finish their champagne, they remember the Head of Household bedroom, and search for it by heading to the second floor. The bedroom is secluded from everyone else, and is the only room that can be locked. It has a private bathroom and a king sized bed, making it the most desirable room in the house. Of course, it’s still locked since no one has been crowned the HoH yet, but Will knows he and Robin aren’t the only ones excited to check it out.

The second floor also contains another lounging spot, the game room, as well as a second Diary room, and all the way at the end of a long hallway, lies the dreaded Have-Not bedroom. Every week until the Jury phase of the game, four players become Have-Nots, meaning they have to sleep in the Have-Not bedroom, take cold showers, and eat nothing but Slop, a mixture of oats, water, and flavorless protein. For as long as he could, Will was determined to never be a Have-Not.

⏿⏿⏿

“So why did you audition for the show?”

Robin asks him while they unpack their luggage. They’re sharing a drawer set with two other people, and since Will only knows Robin for now, he asked her to unpack and sort their things together. She was like a lifeboat in the house, especially since they hadn’t formally introduced themselves yet. It was still early into the evening, and he knew they’d get the chance to do so before the end of the HoH competition.

Will expected the question. It’s one of the first things anyone would ask a fellow houseguest. He responds, “I wanted to win the money to support my mom and older brother. My mom was a single mother, so I feel like I owe her something, you know?”

Robin takes one last gulp of her champagne before she says, “I get you. Kind of why I auditioned. Sort of. I uh… wanted to support my wife.”

Will turns his head quickly in shock. “Wife? You have a wife?”

A soft smile spreads across her face. “Yup. Her name’s Vicky.” She pulls out a photograph and shows it to Will. “We got married a couple months ago.”

Will gently picks up the photo. “No way.” Will suspected Robin was a Lesbian, but the mention of a wife was surprising because she was barely any older than him.

Robin takes the picture back. “Yeah… Miss her already.” Her voice sounds forlorn as she says that.

Will puts away the last of his belongings as he says, “I’m guessing no showmances for you then, huh?”

“Yeah, right.” Robin is done unpacking as well and falls onto her bed in dramatic fashion. Will joins her and they lay side by side as they continue talking. “How about you? Any possibility of a showmance for you?”

Will rolls his eyes. “I highly doubt that. None of these guys give off the vibe that they’re queer.”

Robin’s silent for a moment, and Will realizes that he just told her she was like him for the first time. “I’m glad we found each other so quickly.”

Will knows exactly what she means when she says that, and he smiles. “Me too.”

“But seriously, none of these boys are cute to you?”

Will laughs. “I didn’t say that. I just don’t know them.”

It isn’t long after this conversation that they get called into the living room by various people. It seems to Will like they’re going to do one big introduction to one another like the contestants do every season. He gets up quickly and pulls Robin along, claiming two spots on a couch.

The couches fill up quickly and at the head of the living room is the guy with a wild mane of hair. Will recalls his name is Eddie, and is affirmed when he introduces himself.

Eddie’s voice is loud and clear, confident with everything he says. “Hey, guys, my name is Eddie, and before I say anything else, I want us all to give ourselves a big round of applause for making it here!” Eddie smiles as they all clap and cheer. “Obviously, I thought it would be best if we introduced ourselves, so I’ll go first.” 

Will listens intently, knowing that any information in the game can be used to make it to the end. He wasn’t expecting to start playing hard so quickly, but the environment he’s in facilitates it, and he knows that other people must be feeling the same way. “I’m part of a rock band up in Chicago, where I play lead guitar. I’m a party animal, so if you want to get down, hit me up, because I am up for anything.” Eddie finishes, and he sits down as he’s met with applause. Will takes note of Eddie’s confidence, which can be beneficial in the game, but Will can already tell that his forthrightness is putting a target on him.

They go down the line, and Will takes mental notes about each person, both good and bad. The next person to introduce themselves is the girl Will saw sporting a ton of jewelry around her neck, Angela. “I’m an assistant nail tech at a beauty salon. I’m from California, and I can’t wait to get to know you all better.” Once she’s done speaking, Will notives the drop of her smile, and he thinks that it could mean she’s purely self-interested, as she should be, but it makes him wary of working with her.

“My name is El, and I’m an elementary school teacher in New York. It’s really great meeting you all.” El has a sweet voice and smile to match. She seems to be one of the quieter people in the house, and someone who’s very mindful of her actions. Will thinks she might be trying to fly under the radar for the start of the game. All these combined make him want to approach her soon to get to know her better in hopes of seeing if she is trustworthy.

“I’m Erica, from Michigan, and I’m a collector of all things nerdy and geeky. I travel the country selling and buying anything valuable.” Will is impressed by the confidence in Erica’s voice. It’s different from Eddie’s, which seems put on. As he eyes her, Erica catches her gaze, and holds it for a short minute. Eventually, it makes Will uncomfortable, and he looks away. Will concludes she’ll be stiff competition.

The next person to introduce themselves is the guy that won the competition Will competed in, Jake. “I’m also from California, where I’m a personal surfboard instructor.” Like Erica, his confidence is palpable, and the grin on his face seems to draw people in, even Will. He thinks Jake could go far.

“Nice to meet you all, my name is Suzie, and I own a bookstore out in Utah.” Suzie’s introduction is to the point, and it’s obvious she doesn’t want to take up too much of their time. And as she sits, she sits still, with wide eyes, as if she’s still trying to get used to the new environment.

The next guys are named Jason and Chad, and they look eerily similar to one another. It could be because of their blond hair and athletic build, but it puts Will off so he barely hears a word they say as they introduce themselves. Because of this, he doesn’t register that it’s his turn to greet everyone. After putting on an awkward smile he says, “I’m Will, and I’m a visual artist based in Seattle.” He sits back down quickly, agonizing over how he introduced himself. He knows that it wasn’t the best and that it can be seen as a sign of weakness by the other players. He thinks it best to avoid missing any other social cues, so focuses back into everyone’s introductions.

Luckily, Robin is next, so he’s already invested in what she has to say. She says she’s from Indiana, where she owns a flower shop. It’s not something he expected, and it’s not common, so everyone sounds surprised by her words. Sitting back down, she gives a wide smile to Will, and he returns it easily.

“My name’s Chrissy. I’m a highschool cheerleading coach up in Oregon. It’s really nice meeting you all.” Like Suzie, Chrissy is also shy as she speaks, but Will can tell many of the guys are attracted to her, so her perception is already better than most.

“I’m Stacy, and I’m a content creator here in California.” Stacy looks over the group greetings, like it’s a waste of time. Will could understand; it was getting dark, and he wanted to get to bed to recharge his social battery.

The next guy demands attention thanks to his stature and good looks, and Will can see some of the girls eyeing him already. “I’m Lucas, and I’m a mortgage broker. And I’m from Illinois. Nice to meet you all.” His voice is deep and smooth, and as he sits down, Will makes eye contact with him, and they smile at one another.

Max stands up next, and as Will listens to her speak, he is dazzled by her long red hair. “I’m Max. Nice to meet you all, and I’m from California as well, where I own a skateboard shop.” If there was one word Will would use to describe Max, it would be: cool. She seems like someone most people would want to be friends with, including him. Will wonders if she would want to work with him.

“The name’s Dustin, and similar to Erica, I’m a figure collector who sells items at various conventions.” He’s about to sit down, before getting back on his feet to say, “Oh! And I’m from Maine.” Everyone laughs with him.

The last person to introduce themselves is a tall, thin guy; the one Will thought was throwing the HoH competition. “Hey.” He smirks, and Will can tell that just like with Lucas, some of the girls are already interested in him. “I’m Mike, and I’m a journalist and editor for my local newspaper in Seattle.”

Mike sits down, and once again they all begin a thunderous applause now that the greetings are over and everyone knows each other. They’re all about to call it a night when the T.V. in front of them flickers on, showing a static screen, and making everyone exclaim loudly in excitement. Will holds on tightly to Robin, expecting Julie to show up on screen to talk with all of the Houseguests.

In an instant, Julie does appear on the screen, and everyone shouted with glee once again, excited to see the host, and because they all know the game is about to continue.

“Hello, Houseguests.”

“Hi, Julie!” They all exclaim.

“Very happy to see you all get to know one another. Thank you, Eddie, for starting those introductions.” 

“You’re welcome, Julie!” Eddie says with a big smile.

“I’m glad you all got to introduce yourselves, because now it’s time to get serious.” Julie pauses, building dramatic effect, and it works for Will; he can feel a pit in his stomach about what comes next. “Can I please have Lucas, Max, Jake, and Dustin stand in front of the other Houseguests.” It’s a command rather than a question, and the four of them obey immediately. They stand tall and look just as petrified as Will feels. “We will now begin the second part of tonight’s HoH competition, this competition is called BB Democracy. Now that you’ve all gotten to know one another, the fate of the first Head of Household is in your hands, Houseguests. One by one, I will call you into the Diary Room. Once there I expect an answer to this question: Who do you want to be the first Head of Household, Lucas, Max, Jake, or Dustin?”

There’s a chorus of gasps that fills the room, and Will instinctively looks to Robin, who looks just as shocked as everyone else. He puts out a hand, and Robin takes it, holding tightly as Julie continues speaking.

“You will not get a chance to discuss your vote before nor after you enter the Diary Room. The four nominees will not be voting. Once I receive all twelve votes, I will read out who has won the first Head of Household, receiving ultimate power for the week, their own room, and the responsibility of naming two nominees for eviction.” Will and the other Houseguests cheer at this notion, Eddie especially more than others. “I will receive your votes alphabetically, meaning that Angela, you’re first and you must head to the Diary Room right now.” Will and the others cheer her on, and watch her disappear behind the Diary Room door. “Remember Houseguests, no discussion is allowed, and remember, Big Brother is always watching.”

The T.V. screen turns off, and Julie is gone in a flash. Will is left with Robin’s hand in his, and nothing but his own thoughts. Since the vote is taken alphabetically, that meant he would be the last one to cast his vote, so he had the longest amount of time to think it over, and he was going to use that time to its fullest.

His natural inclination is to vote for Jake. They played in the same competition, and any connection, no matter how small, could be helpful in keeping him off the block. But if he had that inclination, then it would be possible that everyone had the same idea, and then it would end with all the nominees receiving the same amount of votes. 

Will kept thinking as more and more people went in and out of the Diary Room. They all kept their heads down, avoiding eye contact even with the Houseguests that weren’t eligible to win. It’s a stressful act having to vote for someone, especially on the first night when they still know nothing about one another other than their names. It was anyone's guess who might win.

Will did think that a guy would be most likely to win, and not just because there was 75% chance of it happening. He knew that people were naturally drawn to men in power, and aren’t as intimidated like they are with a woman as the HoH. It was a common occurrence throughout all of the seasons he watched. That notion made him want to vote for Max for the sake of it, especially because he would feel more comfortable with it over a man in power.

But then if people weren’t going to vote for Max, Will thought he should actually vote where the numbers are. When Robin stands and lets go of his hand, he watches her leave, and wonders which way she will be voting, and realizes there are only a few more people left before he gets to vote.

Robin was probably voting for Jake. Will figures that she had the same inclination that he had. The two of them haven’t left each other’s side, nor did they have a lot of time to talk with other people, meaning her interactions with others were few and far between. 

When it’s finally his turn to vote, he quickly looks over the nominees, and he just wants either Jake or Max to win. When he walks through the door, he’s greeted with a short hallway that leads to the actual Diary Room. Inside is a monitor hooked up to a microphone and camera, with a blue cushioned chair in front of it. He can’t see Julie in any way, meaning he would have to talk at no one, and stare directly at the camera.

He’s just comfortable in his seat, when a voice overhead comes on. “Hello, Will.”

Will smiles at the voice. “Hi, Julie! You look good!” He can’t see her now, but he’s thought about the compliment even before he was in the house.

“Thank you very much.” There’s a pause, and Will knows it’s supposed to build dread in him. “It is now time to cast your vote for who you want to become the first Head of Household.”

Will lets out a breath to soothe himself and without any more hesitation he says, “I vote for Jake to be HoH.”

“Thank you, Will. You can join the other Houseguests in the living room.”

“Thanks, Julie.” He says it as he stands up, and quickly makes his way out of the Diary Room, out of the hallway, and back into the living room, where he makes eye contact with Robin, he gives him reassurance through a smile. He takes his seat beside her, and they all wait with bated breath for Julie to return.

When the silence of the living room is broken by the static of the T.V., they instinctively look up, and find Julie on the screen again. Robin puts out her hand, and Will takes it, and he feels calmer because of it.

“Hello, Houseguests. I have the results. First, I will reveal who received the lowest amount of votes.” Will looks at the nominees, unlike before, they seem confident now. He thinks it could be because they now have a definitive answer. “The first person out of the running, receiving only one vote is… Dustin.” The answer surprises Will, he was sure that Max would receive the lowest amount. He watches Dustin hug the other nominees before taking a seat next to Eddie, who puts an arm around him. “The second person out of the running for Head of Household, receiving two votes is… Max.” Max smiles at the answer, looks like it doesn’t affect her at all, and Will wonders if she was hoping for the outcome. “We are down to the final two, Jake and Lucas. Which one of them received six votes, and earned the ultimate position as Head of Household?” Like she always does, Julie leaves a pregnant pause. Her face is serious and it feels like she is staring right through Will. He looks to the last two nominees, and for a quick second, wonders if he made the right choice.

“Congratulations, Jake, you are the first Head of Household of the summer!” 

Jake falls to his knees, hides his face in his hands, and stays in that position as he gets swarmed by everyone. Lucas is loudly congratulating him while everyone else claps loudly. Will looks to Robin, and she gestures quickly, asking if he voted for him. Will gestures yes, and Robin reveals that she did so too.

Jake gets back on his feet as Julie continues speaking. “Later tonight you will receive the key to your Head of Household room, where you will be lavished with gifts, and items from home.”

Jake lets out a scream of accomplishment, which Will and a few others laugh at. “Thanks, Julie!” He goes around thanking everyone one by one. With his new position, Will knows that Jake’s mind is ablaze, thinking about what comes next in his game. Will hopes that Jake’s next steps don’t include him.

“Now, now, I have just a couple of things left to announce, Houseguests, so please, take a seat once again.” They all obey, and sit back down, making enough room for all sixteen of them. “Now that we have our Head of Household, we also need to find out who our Have-Nots for the week are. Do I have any volunteers?” Everyone looks around expectantly, and Will determines that no matter what, he won’t volunteer this quickly. He thinks it will make him stand out, and anything like that was not part of his game plan. Eventually, the silence is able to wriggle a few volunteers. “So, Mike, Lucas, Dustin, and El, you all volunteer to be Have-Nots for the week?” They all confirm, and Will is glad it was determined easily enough.

“With the Have-Nots out of the way, there’s only one thing left for me to say.” A momentary silence passes, and it feels like Julie is about to drop a bombshell. “Now remember, this season, the house has been decorated in summer camp and forest decor, and the competitions are just the same. Our motto is: expect the unexpected, so I leave you with this.” Another pregnant pause. “It wouldn’t be summer camp if some of you came without your sibling.”

In an instant, Julie is off of the screen, and the Houseguests are left to ponder what she has said. The room quickly becomes rowdy, and the consensus is that at least two people in the game are siblings. It makes Will pause, and he looks at Robin, wondering if she has a sibling in the game. He looks over everyone else's faces, comparing and contrasting. He thinks back to how he thought he and Jake look similar, and realizes it was done on purpose. Production was throwing in red herrings, casting suspicion upon everyone. Doubt was beginning to grow within the house, and Will was immune to it. He carries it around with him for the rest of the day.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 1, Day 2

Will is one of the first people to wake up. He attributes that to the anxiety he felt all through the night, which kept him from sleeping soundly. He couldn’t stop thinking about the bombshell Julie dropped, and since it was on his mind, he knew that it was on everyone else’s, especially Jake’s. Being the first HoH was hard because there aren’t any targets on anyone, nor has anyone had any negative confrontations with each other. They would have only been in the house one day when Jake makes his nominations, and it would have been anyone’s guess who he landed on, but with the Sibling Twist revelation, Will knows that Jake will be gunning for people that could be related, since they would have the ultimate bond.

He thinks about all this as he makes himself a breakfast burrito, trying to link people together. And when he sits down to eat, he looks at the Memory Wall, scanning everybody’s picture. His first thought is that Mike and Eddie look alike, and they had similar heights, which could run in the family. He also thinks that Max and Chrissy could be related, purely because of their red hair. It’s shaky reasoning, but since it’s only the second day, he has little to go off of.

Will looks at his own picture, and wonders who he’s being associated with. He already thinks he looks like Jake. That notion could be a blessing in disguise. Since Jake is HoH, people may be less willing to gossip about him out of fear of being nominated. But being associated with the HoH without having any power also puts a target on Will, and he hates that some people might be doubting him without him having done anything. 

By the time Will’s finished with his food, some other houseguests have begun moving about, making their own food and getting ready for the day. As he washes his dish, he feels a person move next to him, and when he turns, he puts on a smile so he doesn’t seem shifty.

“Hi, El.”

“Good morning, Will. How are you today?” El asks plainly.

“Uh, I’m good, but how are you, you know, sleeping in the Have-Not room?” He’s finished  washing his dish and turns to her.

“It was not all bad thankfully, I slept well.”

“That’s nice to hear.”

Will watches as her demeanor changes in an instant, and unlike before, she begins talking in a low voice, and moves slightly closer to him. “I know we haven’t really gotten a chance to speak, but I just wanted to warn you about something.”

Will blinks. He mimics her, and begins speaking low.. “Okay.”

“People have been saying that we were brother and sister, and that the Sibling Twist was about us.”

Will was stunned. No one had told him about this, and he hadn’t seen people whispering around him, so the revelation was a blow he wasn’t expecting. “Are you serious? Where did you hear this?”

El puts up a hand, as if to calm him. “I was talking with Mike, up in the Have-Not room. He asked me outright, and said he had been speculating with Jason about it. I don’t know if Jason has talked about it with anyone else, though.”

“Shit.”

“I know. I just wanted to let you know, so you don’t get paranoid if you feel like someone’s talking about you.”

Will doesn’t know what else to say. “Thank, El, I appreciate it.” 

“No problem.”

El leaves without another word. Will quickly leaves the kitchen, passing by Chrissy and Eddie, who quickly greets. He enters the bedroom he shares with Robin, and with Stacy and Chad, and finds her making her bed. She’s the only one there, but Will still begins to speak in a low voice.

“Robin, I have to talk to you.”

Robin speaks at a normal level when she says, “Oh, hey, what’s up?”

“I was just talking to El in the kitchen, and she told me something important.”

Thanks to his hushed voice, Robin mimics him and asks, “What happened?”

They both sit on her bed, sitting face to face as they continue talking. “She said people think she and I are siblings, namely Jason.”

“Are you serious?”

“I mean I have no way of disproving it, but I believe her because I don’t know why she would lie about it.”

Robin is quiet as she forms her thoughts. “Well, what if she brought it up to make you paranoid?”

“Paranoid?”

“Yeah. What if she said it to make you spiral and make you put a target on yourself?”

Will hadn’t thought about that possibility. He didn’t want to think he could be easily tricked, but his anxiety could have him thinking incorrectly, especially since they were in a very volatile part of the game.

“Do you trust El?” Robin asks.

Will thinks it over. “I want to.” He looks her in her eyes as he adds, “Honestly the only person I trust right now is you.”

“Ditto.” She soothes Will by rubbing his arm. “But, if you want to trust El then I’ll make sure to listen carefully to what people say about you.”

“And I’ll do the same for you, obviously.”

Robin grins. “Thanks.”

“Okay, we should break this up before people start linking us together.”

“I agree.”

⏿⏿⏿

The backyard gets renovated everytime there’s a competition, and since the Head of Household was already determined, it had been reverted back to its natural state overnight. A large portion is taken up by a pool that the houseguests can use, as well as various places for them to lounge and chat, one of these places being a hammock. Another feature of the backyard is the pool table.

Will was resting in the hammock. Currently, there were various people in the pool: Stacy, Angela, and Chad. At the pool table playing a game was El and Mike. Will thought it made sense that El and Mike were hanging out, since they’re in the same room for a week, and because she had already told him that they had been talking. The trio in the pool were talking loudly, obviously having a good time, and every so often, Will catches one of them looking at both him and over at El and Mike. It’s obvious that they’re discussing each houseguest.

The door into the house slides open, and Will watches Lucas make his way up to him, and he sits up in attention.

“Mind if I join you?” Lucas asks.

“No, not at all.” Will says with a smile. Aside from El, Lucas was one of the few other people actively coming up to him. All his other interactions were initiated by him, and the conversation never lasted as long as his talks with Robin. “Good job in your competition yesterday, by the way. Never really got to say it.”

“Thanks, man. Wish I could’ve clutched those votes though.”

“I know what you mean.” Will decides not to reveal his vote to him. “But second place is pretty good! Plus, you don’t have the pressure of being first HoH.”

“I know what you mean. Can’t imagine putting up two people we’ve just met.”

They’re both laying back, talking while looking up at the sky. “How’s being a Have-Not?”

“Fine for now. Avoiding eating slop until I’m actually hungry.”

Will laughs at that. “I hear you. Can’t believe you actually volunteered to be on it though.”

“Eh, it’s the full Big Brother experience.”

“I guess that makes sense.”

Lucas looks at him as he asks, “How are you, though?”

Will takes a second to respond. The limited interactions with Lucas have been pleasant, but it did not mean he trusted him, not like how he trusts Robin. But, it was the beginning of the game, and it was all about numbers at this stage, and Will knew he had to start building them in order to actually last.

“I have something on my mind, actually.”

“Pray tell.”

“It’s about the Sibling Twist.” Lucas doesn’t respond, and Will takes it that he should keep talking. “Some people have been thinking I’m a part of it.”

“Are you?”

“No, I know we haven’t had a chance to talk, but I can promise you that.”

Lucas seems to mull it over, then says. “I believe you.”

“But, El told me Jason thinks she and I are related.”

“Oh, yeah, she was talking to me about that.”

“Really?” Lucas just nods as a response. “Do you think a lot of other people are thinking the same?”

They hadn’t been speaking low before, so Will knows Lucas is serious when he begins speaking in a whisper. “Well, from what I’ve heard, there are three pairs people keep bringing up: you and El, you and Jake-”

“What?”

“And Mike and Eddie.”

“People seriously think I’m related to Jake?”

“Yeah, Mike was telling me up in the Have-Not room.”

“Fuck.”

“I’m glad you brought the topic up.” Lucas begins speaking normally once again. “We were all talking about it up in the Have-Not room.”

“Being linked with Jake is a bust. Do you think he’s heard that rumor yet?”

“I don’t know, but here’s what I think you should do.”

Will leans in. “I’m listening.”

Before Lucas can begin explaining, there’s a loud slam as the backyard door is yanked open, and they sit up in alarm, only to see Eddie, running across the backyard, completely nude. Will looks at Lucas with a shocked face, Eddie screaming about being in the Big Brother house, and it makes Will even more confused. As Eddie runs by the pool, Angela and Stacy scream in terror, obviously afraid of being so close to a nude Eddie, and he hurriedly runs back inside, where he continues yelling with joy.

“What was that about?” Lucas asks, and Will knows it’s rhetorical.

“I have no idea, but I can tell you he’s not doing himself any favors by pulling stunts like that.”

“I agree.” They lay back down in the hammock to continue their conversation. “What was I talking about?”

“You were going to tell me what you think I should do about this whole Sibling Twist.”

“Right.” Lucas is silent for a moment, looking Will up and down, and it makes him worried about what he might say. “I like you, Will, and I’d like you to last a while in this game.”

“I like you too.” Will quickly inserts, because he does, and because he’s trying to earn favor with him. 

“You need to be proactive, and talk to Jake early so that you can nip this rumor in the bud and earn his trust, you following?”

“Yup.”

“He has to make nominations today, so he’s definitely going to be having one-on-ones with people, and you need to be one of the first people talking to him.”

Will looks at Lucas, studying him and his facial features. “Thanks, Lucas.” Will looks down as he says, “It means a lot.”

“Don’t sweat it, Will.”

They both look up again at the open sky, and Will says, “And you know, I wouldn’t mind working with you.”

Lucas playfully nudges him. “I was thinking the same thing.”

⏿⏿⏿

Will knocks on the door, making sure it doesn’t sound timid in any way, and when Jake tells him to come in, he makes sure to stand up tall and straight so he doesn’t display any sign of weakness.

The Head of Household bedroom is furnished with a king sized bed, two couches put together around a table for people to sit at, a large T.V. screen hanging above the entryway that allows the HoH to view anyone making their way to the room, and private bathroom situated in the back. Currently there were gift baskets full of Jake’s personal belongings from home, including pictures, snacks, and family letters, something all of the houseguests got to see firsthand when Jake had first received the key to the bedroom.

Will was expecting all of that when planning this conversation, but what he didn’t plan for was Angela sitting beside Jake on his bed. He makes sure his real emotions don’t show, but deep down, he is shaken by the fact that he can’t speak to Jake one-on-one.

“Hey, Will. What’s up?” Jake asks, even though Will is sure he knows why he’s there.

Will walks over to a couch, and sits down. Jake and Angela both look at him expectantly, and Will knows he has to be the one to breach the topic, otherwise, the duo will keep all their cards close to their chest.

Will lightens the air by saying, “Well, first, I wanted to congratulate you on winning HoH!”

Jake puts a fist out, and Will bumps it. “Thanks, Will, I really appreciate it.”

Will wants to show Jake that he is a potential ally, and that they can work together. So, he says, “I’m glad other people voted for you too, I was really worried about the votes getting dispersed equally.”

“You voted for me?”

“Of course! I mean, sure, I don’t know you that well, but we did compete together, so I thought I’d show you support.”

“Thanks, Will, you know, I was really gunning for it, and I really have people like you to thank for it.” Jake sounds genuine, and Will is glad that their conversation is starting off positively. If he can work his way through the rest of it confidently and correctly, he could manage to get the target off his back and stay safe for the first week.

Will’s about to speak again when he’s interrupted by Angela, who asks, “So, what did you want to talk about?”

It’s a leading question. Will knows that Jake was thinking of asking the same thing, but the way Angela asks makes her prickly to Will, and it causes a sense of unease within him. Regardless, he tries his best to hide it and says, “Well, obviously, I wanted to talk about nominations.” 

Will knows that to negotiate, he has to do so from a position of strength, but he doesn’t have that now, not in the same way that Jake does. His strength is through the information people are willing to share with him because he’s not HoH. If he can be slick enough to paint a target on someone, he’ll be glad to have had this conversation with Jake.

“I wanted to get a feel for what you were thinking.” Will says. He sits up straight, wanting to seem confident so that Jake and Angela feel more comfortable with him. Jake is quiet for a second, which Will expected. If Jake gave up information quickly, Will would have felt more inclined to think it false, but because Jake is considering what to say, even looking to Angela as if to communicate silently, Will knows that there is a level of trust that they can build upon.

Will doesn’t rush Jake, and eventually he speaks again. “Honestly, I would ask you the same question. If you had won, who would you put up?”

Will wasn’t expecting a question, but it was always a possibility that Jake would want him to give up information for even a hint to what Jake was thinking. Will is determined to make this conversation work out for him, so he knows to give in. “If I was HoH, I’m not entirely sure who I would put up for the first week, but because we know about the Siblings Twist, I would nominate people I thought could be related.” It’s a risk to bring up the twist, because he knows that he and Jake are being talked about and targets, but Jake and Angela are listening intently, and Will knows that they’re liking his line of reasoning, so he continues. “Two siblings are always going to pick each other over someone else, so taking one of them out would be my priority.”

“I see what you mean.” Jake says.

In an instant, Angela asks, “So who would you put up?”

Will was hoping to leave the conversation without throwing anyone’s name out. He was worried that what he says could travel throughout the house, but with Angela pushing him to reveal more, he can’t leave the situation looking like he doesn’t trust them, especially with Jake in power. Will swallows, and says, “You know, a lot of people have been theorizing, and I think the one that sounds the most convincing is that Mike and Eddie are brothers.”

“I see that, actually.” Jake says, and Angela nods in agreement. “They were even hanging out a lot last night after the final part of the HoH competition.

Jake’s information gives Will pause. If they were part of the twist, he would figure that they would stay away from each other as much as possible to avoid suspicion. At least, that’s what Will would do if he was in the game with a family member. Because of the new information, Will wonders if everyone’s correct in assuming they’re related. If they’re not, then this target he’s putting on them could backfire, and would definitely leave the actual relatives in the game.

Will’s thinking about this all in his head, trying to see what the best maneuver is for him. He feels bad that he painted a target on them now that he has even the slightest bit more of information, but there’s no turning back now, especially with Jake and Angela agreeing to the theory, so he plays along.

“Really? Because I saw them in the backyard earlier.” It’s not necessarily a lie, since Will did in fact see them there, he’s just omitting the fact that they weren’t together. He hopes that the vague way he speaks isn’t noticed by either of them. “They stick out to me, because they look so similar.”

Jake is quiet again, and it’s obvious he’s thinking about what to say next. “Look, Will, thank you for trusting me with that information, like, that was actually really helpful.”

“Yeah?” Will tries not to sound hopeful.

“Yeah. But, look, that doesn’t necessarily mean I’m putting them up.”

“And I don’t expect you to, it’s your HoH, you should do whatever’s best for your game.”

Jake smiles and gives him a fist bump. “Thanks, Will, I really appreciate it.”

“Thanks to you, too. I’m just glad you’re willing to speak with me.”

“Well, you’re one of the first ones to actually come up here to talk, and I need all the information I can get right now since Nominations are tonight.”

“Right, you must be feeling a lot of pressure.”

“I am, but I think our talk was actually helpful.” Jake begins standing up, and Will does the same. Jake leans in and gives him a quick hug. “I’ll see you later at the Nomination Ceremony, okay?”

“For sure, you got this.” Will’s being kicked out, but he doesn’t feel full of dread like he had earlier. Jake is walking him back to the door, and before Will leaves, he says, “Bye, Angela.”

“Bye, Will.”

Jake opens the door for him, and Will is back with the majority once again. The door to the Head of Household room closes, and he can hear a lock turning, and he knows that the two of them were going to talk. Will feels good after the conversation, but the fact that Angela was there, and the fact that Jake didn’t offer an alliance to him made Will sure of the fact that he can’t fully trust what those two say.

Because of that, when he returns to the first floor, finding Robin in their room, alone, he decides to go up to her and share the new information he’s learned.

Will speaks low, “Robin, I have to tell you something.”

They sit at the edge of her bed like they’ve done before. “What’s up?”

“I was just in the HoH room talking to Jake, and guess who was up there with him.”

Robin’s eyebrows furrow. “Who?”

“Angela.”

Robin is quiet, then says, “You think they’re working together?”

“Absolutely.”

“And what should we do about that?”

“Nothing for now, but we need to keep that in mind. As the first HoH, Jake may be trying to build a majority alliance through the one-on-ones. Have you talked to him yet?”

“No. And I’m not going to, I don’t want to be on his radar just yet.”

“Is that a good strategy?”

“I’m not sure yet, but you play the game the way you want to, and I’ll play it the way I want to, okay?”

“Fine.”

Will isn’t sure how, but Robin speaks even lower. “So, who do you think will be going up tonight?”

“I have no idea. They didn’t name drop anyone while I was up there.”

“Not surprised. Can’t have people getting paranoid just yet.”

“Right.”

They sit together, moving apart so it doesn’t seem like they were just whispering about something. Overhead, there’s a deep voice beginning to speak, and they listen intently as it says, “Will, please report to the Diary Room.”

The voice belongs to Big Brother, a producer, Will assumes, who calls them all periodically to the Diary Room in order to get confessionals about events going on in the house. He went in there late last night to give enthusiastic reactions to the house and how he was feeling, but no doubt this time he would actually be talking about the game.

Will stands up and looks at Robin. “I’ll see you later, okay?”

Robin gets up too, and begins walking away, “For sure.”

Will is left alone again, making his way to the Diary Room, wondering what questions the producers might ask him while he’s in there, and hoping that he’s done enough today to keep him safe from getting nominated.

⏿⏿⏿

By the time Will is able to leave the Diary Room, the day is coming to an end, meaning that the Nomination Ceremony will begin soon. He was hungry beyond belief because he stayed in the Diary Room longer than he anticipated. He heads to the kitchen where Chad and Stacy are occupying two seats, both eating a bowl of cereal. They are speaking loudly and without care, so as he finds something to snack on, he tries to make it seem like he’s not eavesdropping on the two of them.

“That Erica girl was totally cornering me in the storage room though. Like it was so weird.” Stacy says in between bites of her cereal. The mention of Erica is interesting to Will primarily because he hasn’t had a chance to bond with her. He knew nothing more than what she said during her introduction.

“What did she say?” Chad asked.

“It was like she was interrogating me. It was so aggressive and she was asking me if I was nervous about being nominated. As if I owe her any of my thoughts.”

“She ticked me off earlier too. She started yelling at me for dragging water from the pool into our room. Erica’s a bitch.”

“Seriously. I swear, when I win HoH, she’s going up and I’m making sure she leaves.”

“Same here.”

“Can you believe her? Asking me about being nominated as if Jake would do that to me.”

“She needs to learn how to read the room.”

Will couldn’t have left the kitchen any sooner. He felt horrible hearing the two of them trash talk Erica for what sounded like no reason. But in all honesty, Will wasn’t surprised that a herd mentality about someone formed early. It seems like every season it happens during the first week because no one wants to be the first one evicted from the house.

But even though he had hardly talked to Erica, Will felt within him the need to warn her about what Chad and Stacy said. So with the pathetic granola bar he found in hand, he searches for her. When he finds her, Erica is washing her hands in the bathroom. They’re the only ones in there, and Will is glad, because unlike Chad and Stacy, he doesn’t want just anyone listening in on his conversations with other people.

Erica makes eye contact with him through the mirror, and Will puts on a smile. “Hey, Erica, can I talk to you?”

“Oh… Will, right?” Will nods as she begins to dry her hands. “What’s up?”

“Um, I don’t really know how to say this but, I wanted to warn you about something?”

“I’m sorry?” She crosses her arms in defense.

Will thinks quickly and says, “Here, sit down with me.” The seats parallel to the bathroom can hold many people, and they feel comfortable beneath Will. He lifts up his legs, trying to seem more approachable to Erica. She joins him, and now that they’re closer, Will speaks quietly. “Some people are gunning for you.”

“You mean they want me out?”

“Yeah.”

“What, do you mean Jake is putting me up?”

“No, I don’t know anything about that. I’m talking about Stacy and Chad. I was in the kitchen and overheard them talking smack about you.”

Erica leans closer. “What did they say?”

“They called you a bitch, and Stacy said she would put you up if she had the chance.”

Erica looks taken aback, and she looks to the floor, avoiding eye contact. Will doesn’t disturb her; lets her think about what to say next. “How do I know you’re not lying to me?”

Will gulps because he has no way of proving he’s truthful. “You don’t. All you have is my word.”

Erica looks at him again, capturing his gaze and holding it there for a moment, until finally, she gets up and leaves, saying, “Thanks.”

Will couldn’t believe how eventful the second day of the game could be, even before the day was over. It made him wonder what the game would be like once he was actually in the thick of it all. He takes a bite of his granola bar, and braces himself for what the Nomination Ceremony will bring.

⏿⏿⏿

Will sits at the large wooden roundtable, with Robin to his left, and Chad to his right. In the center of the table and on the lazy susan sits the Nomination Wheel, holding all of the keys of the houseguests that are eligible for eviction except two. He eyes the wheel, like he can burn a hole through it because of all the anticipation building up in him. He doesn’t want to jinx himself, so he doesn’t think about being safe during this process. He tells himself that whatever happens, happens.

At the front of the roundtable is Jake, who carried the Nomination Wheel into the kitchen. He stands tall, with his hands behind his back and his house key hanging around his neck, looking distinguished and ready to enact his duties as the Head of Household.

After a brief but stifling moment of silence, Jake begins speaking. “This is the Nomination Ceremony.” His voice is bellowing and assertive, and everyone looks at him as he continues. “One of my duties as Head of Household is to nominate two houseguests for eviction.” Underneath the table, Will can feel Robin reaching for his hand, and he grabs ahold of it, comforting one another. “I will pull the first key, and that person is safe. That person will pull the next key. So on, and so forth.”

Will feels his hand getting squeezed as Jake leans forward, grabs the first key, turns it, and pulls it out. “Angela, you are safe.”

Jake turns the lazy susan for Angela, and she thanks him. Will expected her to be safe, so this came as no surprise to him. Angela then leans forward, and pulls out the next key. “Jason, you are safe.”

Jason wastes no time grabbing the next key, and says, “Max, you are safe.”

There’s no reaction from Max in any way, and Will wonders what she could be thinking. Three names have been called, meaning only ten were left. It feels like Will can’t breathe as the process continues. “Chrissy, you are safe.”

Chrissy thanks Jake, then says, “Suzie, you are safe.” 

At this point, all Will can hope for is that he, Lucas, and Robin are safe. Anybody else that isn’t safe will have to be collateral damage, and he’ll move forward from there. “Chad, you are safe.”

When Chad’s name is called, Will expects to hear Stacy’s soon after, which ends up occurring. “Stacy, you are safe.”

Stacy thanks Jake, then says, “Lucas, you are safe.”

Will’s heart feels strengthened hearing Lucas’ name, and the hope he feels causes him to relax. Lucas leans forward, grabs the next key, and pulls it out. “Will, you are safe.”

Robin instantly lets go of his hand, and Will feels euphoric hearing his own name, especially coming from Lucas. The lazy susan turns towards him, and he grabs his key and places it around his neck. He looks at Jake. “Thank you, Jake.” He leans forward and pulls out the next key, looking at the name etched into it. “Dustin, you are safe.”

Ten names have been called, and only three more were left. Robin still hasn’t been called, and Will is chanting in his head, hoping that he can manifest her name being called. Dustin reads the key, and says, “Mike, you are safe.”

Mike thanks Jake too, and Will wonders if the two of them had a talk about nominations. Mike then says, “El, you are safe.”

Will feels a pit in his stomach. Eddie, Erica, and Robin remained. Robin had a thirty-three percent chance of being called, and for Will, those odds were too low for his liking. He hopes that Robin’s strategy of not talking to Jake hasn’t come back to haunt her.

Once El places her key around her neck, she reaches for the last one in the Nomination Wheel, and pulls it out so achingly slow Will wishes he could do it himself. Eventually, El says, “Robin, you are safe.”

A weight falls off Will’s shoulders, and he’s sure that Robin feels even better as she grabs her key and sits back down. But with everyone that was safe getting their key, that meant that Eddie and Erica were hit with the realization that their games could be cut short.

At the head of the table, Jake steps forward, ready to explain his reasoning to the two houseguests. He puts his hands together in front of him, and looks at Eddie and Erica, the two of them solemn in the face every time Will looks over at them.

“I have nominated you, Eddie, and you, Erica, for eviction. Eddie, you have been rubbing people the wrong way, and I feel like you are a really strong player. Erica, the same applies to you, but on top of that, I generally don’t trust you, and that means I can’t work with you.” Eddie and Erica nod like they understand, but Will knows that inside they have to be seething. “This Nomination Ceremony is adjourned.”

Jake leans forward, picking up the Nomination Wheel and taking it to the storage room, avoiding eye contact, even with the people he deemed safe. Everyone gets up all at once, and Will looks at Robin for a split second before making his way toward the nominees. He doesn’t have a connection to either of them, not like he does with Robin, Lucas, or even El, but he knows that they can’t be feeling well, and his instinct is to comfort them.

Will walks up to Eddie, and he gives him a quick hug. They don’t say a word to one another, but Will knows that a hug is all he needs to give at the moment. When he hugs Erica, he whispers in her ear, saying, “I’m sorry, Erica.”

Erica’s tone is flat but Will can hear the hurt in her voice. “It’s fine, really. But you better believe that it’s on now.”

Her response makes him smile, and when they pull apart, he can see the fire in her eyes. “You gotta bring it.”

Erica nods with determination, and Will leaves her, watching as Robin hugs both of the nominees just the same. When she’s done, they hug each other, glad that both of them have made it through the first Nomination Ceremony. Will knows that they’re not necessarily safe for the rest of the week, but the relief he feels is important to recognize.

And as the duo walk away, Robin leans in closely and asks Will. “Who do you think the target is?”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 1, Day 3

Will sat in the hammock in the backyard, swinging absentmindedly, as he kept stock of the people around him. Again, in the pool was a small trio of Angela, Stacy and Chad. At the pool table was Chrissy and Eddie. It was the first time Will saw Eddie and Chrissy talking for longer than a couple of minutes, but seeing the trio in the pool again made him uneasy. It made him think that they were working together, and since Angela was definitely working with Jake, it made it easy for Will to think that they were in an alliance, he just needed to talk it out with someone else.

A majority alliance forming during the first week of the game wasn’t uncommon. When Will studied the show, the first HoH always tried to create a big alliance while they had the power and everyone wanted to work with them, so that as they went further along in the game, they would try their best to get everyone else out that wasn’t part of the alliance. Will knew for a fact that Jake was doing that, if not by himself, then pushed in that direction thanks to Angela. With that in mind, Will knew he had to move soon so that he could solidify his own group that would keep him safe against Jake and his allies.

When Lucas enters the backyard, Will thinks he’s the perfect one to talk about his thoughts with. Although he would like to talk to Robin about it later, Will knows he can’t rely just on her, and with Lucas actually receiving some votes in the HoH competition, he figured Lucas might have some reach with the other houseguests. As Lucas sits down next to Will on the hammock, he wastes no time strategizing quietly with him.

“Lucas, I have a question.”

“Shoot.”

“Do you think there’s a majority alliance forming?”

Lucas is quiet before asking, “Do you?”

“Absolutely.”

“Do you think Jake is a part of it?”

Will smiles, because Lucas’ question means that they’re on the same wavelength. “Yup. He has to be doing that while he’s in power.”

“Who do you think is a part of it?”

“I know for a fact Angela is. She was in the HoH room when I went up there.”

“And you think Stacy and Chad are a part of it because they’ve been hanging out.”

“Exactly. And honestly it makes me a little nervous.” Will stops to think about what to say next, and decides to lie to Lucas. “You’re the only person I trust right now, and that’s why I’m telling you this.”

“I trust you too. The only thing we can do right now is look out for each other and see who we might want to work with.”

Will thinks about bringing up Robin, but even though he trusts Lucas, any inkling of his alliance with Robin can pin a target on them, so he doesn’t mention her. “Who do you think we can work with?”

As Lucas begins answering, the backyard door slides open, and through it walks Erica, and they both notice her making her way to them. “I’ll tell you after.” Lucas says, and before long, Erica is standing in front of them. Will is surprised to see her coming up to the both of them, unsure of her connection to Lucas. “What’s up?” Lucas asks.

Erica looks worried, obviously stressed out from being a nominee, and Will feels for her, but she still looks composed, and he finds it admirable. She looks around, then leans forward, speaking quietly as she says, “I wanted to talk to you guys about the Veto.” Will eyes Lucas, and Erica keeps talking. “If either one of you guys win it, will you use it to save me?”

Lucas is quiet for a moment, and Will thinks it best to be honest in this situation. “I haven’t really thought about it.” Will responds.

“You haven’t?” Erica asks, annoyed. “Veto selections are soon, and the Veto competition not long after.”

“I know, but I just haven’t thought about it. I’m sorry.”

Erica turns her attention to Lucas. “And what about you?”

Lucas replies instantly. “I wouldn’t use it on you.”

They two of them begin a staring contest Will is glad he isn’t a part of. They eye each other down like there’s a familiarity between them, and Will wonders how closely they've been able to bond.

Eventually, Erica lets out a huff of annoyance. “Fine. Then let me ask. If you guys do get picked to compete, would you throw it to me?”

Will looks at Lucas again and speaks without much thought. “I could do that.”

“And you?”

“Same here.” Lucas responds.

It looks like Erica wants to say more, but just like Will’s interaction with her before, she leaves with a single word. “Thanks.”

The two of them watch her walk away. She enters the house once again, but before they can continue their conversation, another figure steps into the backyard. Jake yells out for everyone to hurry inside, saying that it’s time for the Power of Veto selections. 

Chrissy and Eddie are the first inside, and Will thinks it’s because Eddie knows he has to participate in the selection process. He and Lucas are the next inside, and they make their way into the living room, where many of the other Houseguests have already claimed a seat. Will sits down nonchalantly next to Mike, giving a small smile. He’s not sure where he stands with Mike, since they don’t go out of their way to speak to one another, but Will is also nervous because he brought up Mike’s name the day before. If Mike knows that, he acts like he doesn’t, which Will is glad for. He wants to avoid all confrontation, especially this early in the game.

The Houseguests wait patiently for Angela, Chad, and Stacy to change into regular clothes, drying off from their time in the pool. As Will waits, he thinks about his discussion with Lucas, and with almost everyone in the living room, he has the chance to scope out any potential members for an alliance.

The first one he thinks of is El. Lucas had mentioned talking to her, and they’re both in the Have-Not room. El was also the one to divulge information to Will about the Sibling Twist, so Will thinks that their connections lead to her working with them. Will continues his line of thinking, and imagines that El would want to bring in Mike as a number. Will has seen them spending a lot of time together, in the pool, on the hammock, working out. Plus, he’s also a Have-Not, meaning he has a connection with Lucas too.

Will doesn’t get to think further because once the pool trio join the rest of the houseguests, he knows it’s time for Veto selections.

At the front of the living room stands Jake, a podium in front of him, and a cue card in his hands. On the opposite side of the living room, sitting on two chairs designated for the nominees, are Eddie and Eric, determination in both their eyes. The podium in front of Jake has a box that holds chips with every houseguests name on it, barring the Head of Household and two nominees. It also holds a chip that reads: Houseguest’s Choice. Will knows how this all plays out, but Jake has to read the cue card for everyone to hear.

Jake begins speaking, serious and dry as he reads. “Only six people will compete in the Veto Competition, the Head of Household, the two nominees, and three other players selected by random draw. Will the nominees please join me up here.” It’s more of a demand than a question, and in an instant Eddie and Erica are on their feet and by his side. “As HoH, I will pick first.” Jake puts his cue card in one hand, and with the other, he digs deep into the Veto box, pulling out a chip. He reads it and says, “Mike.” There are claps for Mike, and Will looks at him as he gets up, making his way beside Jake.

After Mike stands beside them, Eddie begins to dig for a chip. He quickly picks one and reads it aloud. “Houseguest’s Choice.” This meant that Eddie could pick anyone to play in the Veto Competition. “I choose Chrissy.” Will claps alongside everyone else. The decision is not shocking to Will, in fact, he had expected it.

Erica wastes no time in picking her chip. “Jason.” Jason receives claps as well. And when they are all lined up, Will has a bad feeling that none of the players up there will be playing to keep Erica safe. 

Jake begins again. “Big Brother is to inform us when the Veto Competition is to begin… Good luck!”

They all clap, excited for what the next competition will be. They get off of the couches, and Will goes up to Erica, giving her one last hug for luck, because it looks to him like she is the only one who could save herself from staying a nominee.

⏿⏿⏿

Will sits at the top of an incline next to Max and Dustin. The incline is covered in a tarp, and spread all along it is some slippery substance that Will can’t pinpoint. The tarp is divided into six lanes, with each of the players playing in Veto Competition claiming a lane. Beside them sits a large bucket of water with a small and large cup floating on the water, and at the other end, two clear containers sit on two podiums, one larger than the other, with a ping pong ball inside each one. 

Angela stands off to the side, all of the houseguests looking at her. Jake had chosen her to be the announcer of the competition, so it was her job to explain the rules to all of the competitors. She, like the other players in the competition, wears athletic clothes, giving them the best mobility for this competition.

She has a cue card in her hand and begins explaining the competition. “Oh no!” Her voice is put on and charismatic. “The BB Lodge is all out of drinking water! We can’t keep living here if we don’t have enough drinking water for all 16 of us! That’s where you guys come in.” Will can already imagine what the players have to do, and he’s so glad he’s not a part of it. “On go, you will use the small cup provided to you to collect water from this large bucket.” She motions to the bucket. “Then head down your lane to pour it into one of the containers. The first player to fill the container with water so they can remove the floating ball inside will win the Golden Power of Veto. But, you have a choice to make. You could fill the small container and retrieve that orb, which will allow you to make eight trips using the larger cup floating in this bucket to fill your large container.” Angela is quiet for a moment before saying, “Are you guys ready to play The Watering Hole ?” There’s a huge round of applause from everyone. “Good, because your competition starts… now!”

At Angela’s mark, Will turns and watches as the players begin shuffling down their lanes, leaving tracks behind in the slick as they make it to the containers. Mike has an early lead, sliding down faster than the others, but Will notices the water splashing all around him, meaning he won’t be filling up the container as fast as other people.

Will looks to Erica, who is moving slowly but steady, and Will thinks she has the right idea. The competition is all about endurance, speed, and balance, all hindered by the slippery floor beneath them. When Erica makes it to her containers, she pours her water into the smaller one, obviously going for the opportunity of using the larger cup. Every time someone makes it successfully down the lane, Will and the others cheer them on, and when they make they way back up, they motivate them to keep going.

Erica waddles her way back up as Will encourages her. He can hear Max beside him rooting for Erica as well, and it makes him glad that Erica has other people on her side. Will looks at the other containers, noticing how Mike, Jake, and Eddie are the only ones filling up the larger container. He wonders if that will be beneficial in the end. Erica or someone else could end up using the larger cup, then fall and lose all their water, making that time spent useless. Will shakes away the thought, not wanting to manifest that for Erica.

Will is pulled away from the containers when he hears a big splat against the tarp, and he finds Mike on all fours, trying to get back on his feet. Will winces in pain, and then does so again when he sees Erica fall. She gets back up and makes it to her bucket once again, but Will can see her grimace in pain. But, she shakes it off quickly and is gathering water once again.

From Will’s perspective Jake seems to be in the lead, his large container a quarter of the way full after 25 minutes. Erica’s small container looks three quarters full, with Jason’s close behind. She hasn’t put any water into her large container, so it’s hard to tell if she might be in the lead. Mike seems to be in last place. Everytime he gets to the bottom, water falls out of his cup, and when he climbs back up, he always falls down. Will thinks back to how Mike did in the HoH competition, and how he thought Mike was throwing it. Based on Mike’s actions now, Will thinks Mike is throwing it once again, because despite the fact that everyone else has also fallen or spilled water, they had a lot more water collected in their containers.

Chrissy looks like she’s struggling. Her falls and spillage look more authentic than Mike’s, and Will can see Eddie encouraging her whenever they are parallel with one another. Will can tell that they’re working together, that either one of them would take Eddie down and off the block. Will thinks it’s nice that Eddie has someone on his side, but it would only matter in this competition if she could keep up with everyone else.

When Erica is able to get the ball out of her small container, everyone cheers her on, and her competitors look in her direction in disbelief. Will thinks that if she keeps it up, she can easily get in the lead. She may have fallen down multiple times and gotten the slippery substance all over, but she seems to have better balance than anyone else, and that can easily lead her to victory.

Erica makes it to the top again, and she’s able to use the larger cup now, and Will cheers her on as she picks it up. She begins making her way down slowly and carefully, and Will prays that she doesn’t fall, and when she makes it to her container, he cheers as she fills it up. Will looks to the other players, and he can tell Jake is determined now more than ever. He starts picking up speed and hardly takes any breaks.

Eddie keeps looking back at Erica, and Will thinks it’s because he knows that his chances of staying safe are slipping away. Eddie also picks up the pace, but unlike Jake, he starts slipping and falling more. Chrissy looks distressed while Jason’s facial expressions haven’t changed at all. Mike looks like he’s taking it easy, like he’s having fun rather than aiming for victory.

With four scoops of water using the large cup, Erica easily surpasses Jake. By her eight and final scoop, she’s just a little under three fourths. Chrissy and Jason finally receive their balls to use the larger cup, but by this point, Will thinks it a lost cause. Erica is far ahead, and with her consistency, she can easily keep her lead.

Another ten minutes go by, and Erica is almost finished, and Will feels like they should call it already. She dumps water into her container, and she reaches inside to get the ball out. She struggles for a second, and Will thinks she should just go back for more water. Erica pulls her hand out, and with immense power, walks back up the incline faster than Will had seen anyone do before. She fills up her cup, races back down, and dumps it haphazardly into the container once more. Erica reaches inside, and in an instant, pulls out the ball inside, holding above her head to prove her victory.

Everybody explodes in cheerful applause, and the Veto players all run to her in a dogpile. Angela stands up from her seat and exclaims, “Congratulations, Erica! You have won the Golden Power of Veto!”

The rest of the houseguests hurry over to her side, ready to congratulate her on her win. Will hurries, ready to do the same, but in the back of his mind, the thought of someone new being put up for eviction rears its ugly head.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 1, Day 4

Will leaves the Diary Room with a sense of dread filling him. He talked about how Erica is going to take herself off the block and that means Will is up for consideration once again. He thinks that his previous conversation with Jake went over well. One of the names Will mentioned was on the block, Eddie. Will may not have had anything to do with that, but he was successful in self-preservation this first round.

Will knew he had to continue playing actively. So, even though he was tired, and he was hungry from skipping breakfast, Will made his way to the second floor of the house, passing by various groups of people, including: Mike, El, and Lucas in the kitchen, Stacy and Jason in the living room, and Erica walking around mindlessly, no doubt feeling vindicated and powerful after winning the Power of Veto.

After knocking on the door of the HoH bedroom, Will hears Jake tell him to come in, and Will steps in, closing the door behind him, and finding Jake sitting on his bed. Angela is not around, and Will wonders where she might be, and how this conversation might be different now that she is absent.

Jake gives a smile that looks restrained, and just by that, Will knows that something is up. He walks over, sitting on the couch like he did before the original nominations.

“What’s up, Will?” Jake asks, crossing his arms in front of him.

Will feels like he should leave and let Jake do whatever he wants, but he would never forgive himself if he didn’t try. “I wanted to talk about the Veto Meeting.” Will swallows any trepidation. “Who were you thinking of putting up?”

Will looks at Jake’s facial expressions, noticing how Jake looks away before saying, “I’m not really sure, honestly. I haven’t thought about it much.”

Will knows Jake is lying. Even if he was alone now, Jake must have talked to Angela at some point about who to nominate. It wouldn’t be wise to just pick someone on a whim.

Will decides to keep prodding by asking questions. “Anyone you think is coming after you? Or someone else you think could be a threat to make it far?”

Jake is silent, as if to give off the idea that he’s thinking. But his response is curt and it makes Will uneasy. “I don’t know. I just think that it’s hard to narrow it down. I need time to think.”

Jake is ambiguous in his answers and Will hates it. “Okay.” There’s an awkward silence between them. “I’ll let you think then.”

“Thanks.”

Jake doesn’t bother getting up to walk Will out, so he leaves without another word, almost one hundred percent sure that Jake is considering putting him up for nomination. Will wonders if he would stay against Eddie in that scenario. He counts El, Lucas, and Robin as a vote to save him, but that is nowhere near as much as he needs to stay. Without other connections, Will feels like his game could be over in week one, and he wants to hit his head against a wall in frustration.

⏿⏿⏿

The rest of the day saw Will sulking, unable to talk meaningfully to anyone that approached him. The Veto Meeting wasn’t until the next day, so all he could do now was wait and think, trying to convince himself that he wasn’t going on the block. It didn’t work. Will wouldn’t feel safe until after the meeting. At least by then he’ll have a definitive answer to base his actions on.

It felt to Will that he was the only one worried. Robin’s strategy of not talking to Jake was still in effect, but she had no anxiety about going on the block, even after she was the last name called out during the original nominations. El was still hanging out with Mike, and occasionally, Will would see him wrap an arm around her to bring her closer. With that connection, El seemed comfortable and unconcerned with the Veto Meeting. Even Lucas was cool under this new pressure. In fact, he seemed in a better mood after Erica won the Power of Veto. It makes Will think about their bond, especially since he rarely sees them in the same room.

After most of the day is over, and the next day just a few hours away, Will is approached by Lucas. He’s eating a quick dinner after realizing he hadn’t eaten anything the entire day because of his overthinking when Lucas leans in closely and whispers, telling him to meet him in the Have-Not room in ten minutes. The command almost makes Will choke on his food, but he nods nonchalantly, trying not to draw suspicion from anyone that may be around them.

Once he’s done with his food, Will does what he was told. He makes his way up to the second floor, making sure no one notices him going up the stairs or passing by the HoH bedroom. He’s only been in the Have-Not room once, but the journey to it feels familiar and comforting, most likely because Lucas is the one that summoned him.

Will instinctively knocks on the door, but when he remembers there’s no lock to it, he opens it quickly and steps in. Inside sit five people: Lucas, El, Mike, Dustin, and Max. Will instantly looks at Lucas for clarification about why they’re all here.

“Will, come in, come in!” Lucas says, motioning for Will to sit next to him. Will does so, giving an awkward smile to almost everyone in the room aside from El. “I’m glad you’re here. You remember how we were talking on the hammock about an alliance? Well, I present to you the alliance of the season, the one that’s going to run this game, and stay strong all the way to the end.”

Lucas speaks with conviction and a fervor that makes Will feel reassured. Lucas continues as Will assesses every person Lucas has chosen. 

Will feels great about Lucas and El being a part of it, since he already has a relationship with them. Dustin is someone Will feels indifferent towards, mostly because they haven’t had any significant interaction between each other. But nothing negative between them has occurred, so he’s sure that they can build up a positive relationship. The two people he’s wary about are Mike and Max.

The uneasiness with Mike is because Will had thrown him under the bus to Jake a couple of days ago. He hasn’t confirmed if Jake spilled the beans about that conversation, so if Will doesn’t bring it up soon, he could be walking on eggshells anytime he decides to interact with Mike.

When it came to Max, Will was unsure how to feel about her. Aside from them sitting next to each other during the Power of Veto competition, Will has had no real interaction with her. On top of that, Max’s face was unreadable. She wasn’t one to showcase too many of her feelings on her face, and that made Will feel like she’s always thinking about the game. In the long run, it could mean that she isn’t trustworthy.

“Well, what do you think?” Lucas asks after he’s done explaining why they should work together. “We have to join forces to make it far into the game.”

Will was only half paying attention. But Lucas is enthusiastic, and at this point of the game, Will knows he shouldn’t turn down an alliance. And with Lucas spearheading it, the alliance was something Will could get behind.

“I’m in!” Will says, looking at everyone with a wide smile.

“Me too!” El says quickly after. “I think this is the alliance to be in, honestly.”

After that, everyone else agreed to the alliance with relative ease. Will’s sure that they have the same line of reasoning. There’s safety in numbers, and that’s something every player should know.

“Wait, we gotta make it real.” Dustin says suddenly. “What’s our name?”

“A name?” Max asks.

“For the alliance.” Will responds. “All the best alliances have a name.”

“I have one!” Mike says, filled with more excitement than Will has seen before. “We should be The Party.”

“The Party?” Max questions again.

“You mean like in DnD?” Will asks.

“Yeah!” Mike speaks enthusiastically, with large arm movements. “It’s a group of people banding together to complete a campaign. Just like us!”

The room is contemplative for a moment, when Lucas says, “I like it.”

“I do too!” Dustin says. “I think it’s a fun name.”

Will liked the name too. He had always wondered if he could come up with a name for alliance, but with Mike taking the charge, it showed that he was invested just as much as Will was.

Will was glad to be in the alliance, but even this early in the game, he has to think about his positioning in it. Thinking quickly, he imagines Lucas at the center of The Party, since he was the one actively picking out the members and getting them together. On the flipside, Will thinks that Max was probably at the bottom, since she’s hardly spoken up during this meeting, nor has Will seen her hanging out with any of them. If he thought of himself in the alliance, Will thinks he’s at the lower end. The four in the Have-Not room definitely had a stronger relationship than he and Max had with them. It made him wonder what his best course of action is to rise in the ranks, and he wondered if that meant he should pair up with Max to keep each other safe.

Will’s thoughts are interrupted by Lucas speaking. “Okay, look, we can't stay here much longer without being suspicious. But, before we break, I think we should meet up tomorrow after the Veto Meeting. That way we can talk about how we’re voting. Is that cool with everyone?”

“Works for me.” Max says, and everyone else agrees.

The mention of the Nomination Ceremony makes Will shiver. He isn’t certain that Jake will nominate him tomorrow, so he doesn’t think he should bring up that possibility until tomorrow, when they can have a plan of action based in fact rather than speculation.

Although he won’t be bringing the renominations up, Will is sure that he should talk to Mike about what he’s said. So, when they go in for a group hug, reaffirming their decision to work together, and Mike decides to leave the Have-Not room, Will follows quickly behind him, waving goodbye to the rest of The Party.

Mike is by the game room when Will calls out for him. Mike turns around, a smile on his face that Will likes seeing. “Hey, I wanted to talk to you about something. If that’s okay?”

“Yeah. Yeah, that’s fine with me. Here, do you want to talk here?” Mike gestures to the cushions in the game room, Max and El walking by and heading downstairs as the two boys take a seat. “What’s up?” Mike asks casually.

Will decides to pull off the band-aid. “I wanted to talk to you about something. I said something that I’m regretting now, really.”

Mike’s face becomes concerned. “What did you say?”

“I was talking to Jake before the Nomination Ceremony, and you know, I was trying to be self-preserving, and I threw out a name about who Jake should put on the block.” Will realizes that he’s speaking too quickly, and he slows down his speech. “And, I threw out your name, as someone he should consider.” Mike is nodding along as Will speaks. “This is obviously before I found out that I’m working with you, but seeing you in the Have-Not room made me realize that I should tell you, if only to be honest with you.”

Mike is quiet, thinking silently, but when his face morphs into a slight smile, Will knows he can breathe easy. “Look, Will. I totally understand. You really don’t have anything to worry about. I mean, it’s not like I’m on the block, you know? So, in my head, no harm, no foul.”

Will sighs. “Yeah. Yeah, I guess you’re right.” The two of them laugh softly, at the situation and at the awkwardness between them. “Thanks for… for taking it well, really.”

“Of course. We’re allies, right?” Mike’s words make Will feel comfortable, and he determines that Lucas made a great decision with choosing him to be part of The Party. “Although, if we’re being honest, I already knew that you said my name to Jake.”

“Wait, what?” Will isn’t sure he heard Mike correctly.

“Yeah, before the Nomination Ceremony, Jake totally threw you under the bus and told me that you said my name.”

The revelation causes Will’s heart to skip a beat. Will wanted to leave Mike and walk right up to Jake, and curse him out. He betrayed his trust, and in Will’s mind, there was no way he would be able to work with Jake, because if he threw him under the bus now, then he wouldn’t hesitate to do the same later.

“Um…” Will stammers trying to find the right words. “Thanks, Mike, for telling me. I… really appreciate it.”

“Are you okay?” Mike says, moving closer.

“Yeah.” Will responds quickly. “I think I’m just tired.”

“It is getting late, huh?”

Will gets to his feet. “I think I should get to bed.”

As Will unceremoniously walks away, Mike says, “I’m here if you want to talk.”

Will doesn’t look back, and quickly hurries down the stairs, almost missing the last step as he reaches the first floor. He feels overstimulated, and he wants to sit on the new information he has, both the advancement with The Party, and the hindrance because of Jake. 

When Will enters his room, the lights are out, but he can see Robin through the darkness, laying down in her bed and looking at her. They’re the only ones there, so he quickly slides in next to her.

“What’s up?” Robin asks, sounding a little startled.

Will thinks before he speaks, determining how much he should divulge to Robin. He wants her to be his number one ally, and having someone he can work outside of The Party would be beneficial in the long run, but Will feels conflicted all the same. He wants to be truthful and honest with her; he wants to tell her about The Party to show his loyalty, but if it ever came out that he was the one spilling the beans on it, he’s not sure he could maneuver his way out of that storm. But still, lying to Robin was going to hurt.

“I was talking to Mike.”

“What about?”

“Just game stuff, honestly.”

“Okay, what happened?”

“He told me that Jake threw me under the bus to him. Jake told him something I said in confidence, so I really don’t think we can trust Jake.”

“Are you serious?” Robin looks away, like she’s thinking to herself. “The game is getting ugly already.”

“You can say that again.”

“So, what now. Are you gunning for him?”

“I don’t know.” Will realizes then that he can’t share the information about The Party, but he can share something with Robin that he didn’t with his alliance. “But, I think he’s gunning for me now. I wouldn’t be surprised if I end up on the block tomorrow.”

“You really think so? Did he hint at that or something?”

“It’s just a gut feeling, honestly.”

“Okay well, no matter what, by the end of the week, you’re staying, okay? We have to make sure of it.”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 1, Day 5

The Veto Meeting takes place early in the day, right around lunchtime. Will and the rest of the houseguests are seated outside in the backyard, waiting for Erica to call them in and begin the Veto Meeting. Will is picking at his fingers, anxiety running throughout his entire body. He didn’t get much sleep, and he hasn’t eaten anything. The only thing on his mind is what could be on Jake’s mind. Will keeps telling himself that he’s being paranoid about everything, but with the motto of the show being expect the unexpected, he knows his doubts aren’t unjustified.

Eventually, Erica pulls the backyard door open, calling everyone into the house for a meeting. They all file in one by one, taking a seat on one of the couches in the living room. A box for the Golden Power of Veto sits on the table in the center, open. Erica and Eddie take their places at the nomination seats. Erica stands tall and sure of herself, the Golden Power of Veto hanging around her neck, with all eyes on her.

“This is the Veto Meeting.” Erica states. Erica gestures to Eddie as she says, “Eddie and myself have been nominated for eviction. But… I have the power to veto one of those nominations.” Erica is quiet for a moment. “I have decided to use the Power of Veto… on myself.” Everyone expected it. Erica looks to Jake, and says, “Jake, you must now name a new houseguest as a replacement nominee.”

Jake stands up from his seat next to Angela, walks up to the front of the living room, and stands firm with his hands in front of him in a distinguished clasp. “You know, it’s hard being the first HoH. Putting up people without much information is tough, but what I do know is that I want to show people that I am not part of the Sibling Twist.” Jake pauses, and it’s like all the air has been taken out of the room. “With that said… Will, I have chosen you as my replacement nominee.”

Jake looks at Will as he finishes speaking, and Will puts on a flat smile, standing up from his seat on the couch, and makes his way to the nomination chair next to Eddie. Jake returns to his seat. Erica walks back up to the front of the room. She says, “This Power of Veto Meeting is adjourned.” and closes the box on the table, carrying it with her into the storage room.

Will lets out a sigh, and almost all at once, everybody gets to their feet. Will watches as Jake and Angela leave immediately, followed by Stacy and Chad. Will turns his attention to Eddie, and they give one another a hug, comforting each other even though they were now going up against one another because of Jake’s decisions.

Slowly but surely, other people begin hugging them. Robin is the first to hug Will, and it feels warm and tight, like they have work to do. Erica is next, and she whispers how sorry she is, saying she knows how he’s feeling. Then one by one, the members of The Party all give him a hug, offering different words of assurance to him about being put up. Once all the other houseguests greet him, Will heads to the backyard, trying to blow off some steam and get some time to himself by laying in the hammock.

⏿⏿⏿

After a moment to himself, Will gets off of the hammock, remembering that to make it through this week, he has to be proactive and start campaigning. Eddie has already had time to do so since he was an initial nominee, so Will needs to put it into overdrive if he wants to get the votes to stay.

Will walks back into the house, trying to look calm and collected, despite the fact that he just had small tears in his eyes about the whole ordeal. He instantly sees Erica in the kitchen, and he thinks she’s the perfect person to start campaigning to. They already had a connection from being nominated, so talking to her seemed the least intimidating.

Erica is pouring herself a glass of orange juice when Will walks up to her. He makes sure no one else is around, and in a hushed tone says, “Erica, can I talk to you?”

Erica takes a sip of her drink. “Yeah, what’s up? Is it about the vote?”

Will knows she’s perceptive, and he’s glad that Erica brought up the topic naturally. “Yeah, I wanted to talk to you because I want you to vote for me to stay.”

“Will, you don’t have to worry about that.”

“You mean you’re going to vote for me?”

“Well, yeah.” Erica looks away and says, “You’re like, one of the only people I trust right now. Especially since you warned me about Jake beforehand.”

“Really?”

Erica nods. “Did you know? That he was going to put you up?”

Will sighs, feeling like he might tear up again. “Yeah, I had a bad feeling about it based on how he was acting towards me.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean. A couple of people have been dodgy around me.”

Will knows that knowledge is power, so he presses Erica to reveal more. “What do you mean?”

“Like… Stacy and Chad. They’re always together, and it feels like they leave the room whenever I enter.” She looks around, making sure people aren’t around. “And they’re friends with Angela, who’s friends with Jake. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know what’s happening.”

“So, you’re saying they have an alliance going on.”

“Not just them, I know everyone else is playing hard too.”

Erica gives him a discerning look, and Will avoids the possible scrutiny by saying, “Do you think it’s just the four of them working together?”

“They probably have another person in it, but I’m not sure who. I don’t see many people working with them. I know I wouldn’t.” The conversation comes to a natural lull, but Erica continues. “Anyway, I’ll let you keep campaigning. I think if you keep working at it, you’ll be able to stay.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it.” Will says, soothed by her words.

“No problem.” Erica begins walking away with her glass of juice. “I’ll see you later.”

⏿⏿⏿

It’s late into the night, when almost everyone is sound asleep, that Will ventures back up to the Have-Not room. They had talked before about meeting up again, but since they’re such a large group, Lucas said they had to be careful about being seen together.

Will is sure he’s the last one to arrive, sneaking past the Head of Household bedroom so as not to notify Jake of his presence. The walk up to see The Party is emotional for Will, knowing that for the better half of the day, he’s spent it alone so as not to tear up in front of anyone because of the nominations, trying to show everyone that he’s strong and determined. Getting to meet up with the people he’s chosen to align himself with feels like a sigh of relief.

When he opens the door and walks in, Lucas immediately walks up to him and gives him a tight hug. Will reciprocates, giving a small smile to everyone else in the room. They all eventually give him a hug too, saying words of encouragement with each embrace.

They all pull apart, and Lucas is the first one to begin speaking, like he always is. “Okay, guys, there’s no way Will is leaving come Eviction Night. He’s just not.”

“Yeah, I mean, with The Party, that’s already five votes for you to stay.” El says. “You just need two more to stay.”

“I think I have Erica, actually.” Will responds.

“Really?” Lucas questions.

“Yeah, we talked earlier, and she said she was voting to save me. And I trust her, I don’t think she was lying.”

“That’s great then. You just need one more vote and you should be good.” Mike exclaims. As he speaks, Will notices how close Mike and El sit next to one another, and then notes how it’s the same for Max and Lucas.

Will shakes the thought of duos forming in the alliance and realizes that he already has the extra vote Mike was talking about in Robin. He decides not to reveal that fact yet, wanting to hide his relationship with her, at least a little bit.

“I think it’s gonna be easy to get it too.” Dustin says. “I don’t think a lot of people like Eddie all that much.”

“You think so?” Will asks.

“I mean, I haven’t really talked to anyone about the vote, but it feels like the only person on his side right now is Chrissy. Regardless, you should try to pick up a bit more votes either way, ‘cause a seven to six vote would be cutting it close.”

“I’ve been campaigning, so I get you. I think I can do it.” Will assures Dustin.

“That’s good. ‘Cause right now, we have the element of surprise since no one knows we’re working together. If you keep up the campaigning without us really having to get involved, then people won’t be suspicious of us.” Lucas says, looking at Will intently.

Will nods, taking in all of their advice. Shortly after they finish talking strategy, they all begin to leave the Have-Not room one by one, but as they do so, Will can’t help but notice how quiet Max was throughout the majority of it, not offering much in terms of strategy. Will can see the gears turning in her head, and he wonders what she could be thinking about. She’s back in her room before he can ask about the meeting, so Will lets it go for the day.

Will reassures himself that Lucas trusts Max. And since he trusts Lucas, he should be able to trust Max. But then he thinks about how close the two of them are, and it makes him think of Mike and El and the prospect of duos in The Party. The thinking hurts his head, and before long, he heads to bed to give him a reprieve from the strategy and the eventful day he had, telling himself to just work on getting the votes before thinking long term about the game. But, even as he sleeps, Will can feel himself tossing and turning, and knows that he’s going to have to put even more effort into the game to get him back to feeling in a secure position.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 1, Day 6

Will stands in front of the Memory Wall, looking at his picture, and the pictures of the rest of his fellow houseguests, trying to see the game board in its entirety. He thinks about the conversation he had with The Party last night, how he has seven votes already, barring any sudden changes of heart or backstabbing from any of them.

With that in mind, Will tries to see who he might be able to sway to his side. He crosses off Angela, Stacy, and Chad immediately. If they’re in an alliance with Jake like Will thinks they are, they’re most likely voting however Jake asks them too, so if he were to tackle that side of the house, he’d need to go to the root of the alliance, Jake. Will still felt upset about being put up, and he knows he wouldn't think the best if he talked to Jake yet, so he throws away that idea.

Then, Will crosses out being able to convince Chrissy. Based on how Eddie chose her to play in the Veto Competition, Will thinks that they’re aligned very closely, and that his efforts may be in vain if he tries talking to her.

This left Suzie and Jason as possible votes for him. He hasn’t had that many conversations with either of them, hardly ever in the same room as them. But, Will thinks about Dustin, and how he’s noticed him hanging out with Suzie on occasion. He wonders how close they are, and with that as his compass, Will decides to talk to Dustin directly about her.

Will searches for him, and quickly finds him in the bathroom, washing his hands. Will gestures to Dustin, motioning to ask if anyone else is in the bathroom, and when he shakes his head, Will feels comfortable speaking.

“Dustin, I had a question for you.”

“Okay, shoot.”

They both move to sit on seats in the bathroom, sitting closely to keep their voices low. “You’re close with Suzie, right?”

“Yeah, sure, but nothing crazy or anything.” Dustin says, ready to defend himself.

“I didn’t think so.”

“Why do you ask?”

Will speaks directly without hiding. “I wanted to know if you’d be able to convince her to vote to save me.”

Dustin nods, then says, “You know, I actually talked to her a little bit about the vote earlier this morning.”

“Really? What happened?”

“Well, I didn’t bring you up or anything, we were just talking in general, but she could not stop talking about how much she dislikes Eddie.”

“She does?”

“Yeah, she thinks he’s annoying or whatever. I don’t mind him, but I can see why she thinks that way. But the interesting thing is that she brought up Chrissy. Suzie says that she came up to her campaigning for Eddie to stay.”

“Really? Eddie didn’t do that himself?”

“Apparently not. Which doesn’t shock me really, he hasn’t talked to me about it either. It’s like he’s acting like he’s not on the block, which I guess could be a strategy, but I don’t know how that’ll fare against you actually campaigning.”

Will nods, digesting the information Dustin just told him. He holds back the tears of joy that are forming. “I can stay, can’t I?”

Dustin smiles and nods. “Yeah, I think you can. I mean, keep campaigning and everything, but I really think you have a shot at staying.”

“Oh, thank God.” Will leans in and gives him a hug, thanking him for talking.

They pull apart, and Dustin asks, “Is there anything else you want to talk about?”

The question is sudden, but Will’s brain has been working overtime, so he has a topic ready. “Yeah, actually. It’s something I noticed last night actually. Do you think there are duos forming in The Party?”

“Who and who?” Dustin asks.

“Mike and El, and Lucas and Max. I mean, it’s not to say they have alliances with one another or anything, but they do seem really close, don’t you think?”

Dustin is quiet for a minute, thinking it over in his head. “I guess you’re right, but I don’t know what we could do about that right now, you know what I mean? It’s so early in the game, we have no idea how things might shake out in the coming days.”

Dustin’s words are reasonable, and it’s something Will hadn’t thought about yet. “I see what you’re saying. I think I’m just a little on edge from being on the block.”

“That makes sense. Honestly, it’s better than whatever Eddie’s doing. I mean to audition for this show, and not even try is crazy to me.”

“Totally.” Will thinks about his brother then, Jonathan, and decides he trusts Dustin enough to share what’s on his mind. “My brother, Jonathan, told me, before coming here, to give it my all. That, my ability to make friends with people would get me far.” Will can feel himself tearing up again. “I don’t want to imagine how disappointed he’d be in me if I just conceded. Especially in the first week.”

A soft smile spreads across Dustin’s face, and he nods along to Will’s words. “Well, I think you don’t have anything to worry about. You’re not going home, I’m sure of it.”

Will smiles. “Thanks, Dustin. I appreciate you listening to what I have to say. It means a lot.”

“Anytime, Will.” 

Dustin leans in and gives him a hug, one Will was not expecting, but definitely one he needed. It makes him feel a part of the house, and like he has a lot of the game left to play.

⏿⏿⏿

Even though Will was sure the best way to ensure that Stacy would vote to save him was by convincing Jake and Angela, he figured it wouldn’t hurt to try talking to her to find out where her mind was at. When he talks to Angela and Jake again, he might be able to compare how they’re all thinking, possibly finding a weakness in their group. At least, that’s what Will thinks can happen by talking to Stacy.

He thinks about all this in the quick second that he realizes she entered the storeroom after him. He had come in looking for some ingredients he needed for the small dinner he was making for himself. Will’s breath catches when he recognizes that it’s her. She and Chad had spent most of their time outside, using the pool, while Jake and Angela were up in the HoH room, staying there for the majority of the day. Will hadn’t crossed paths with any of them since he was nominated, so he knew he had to take the opportunity to speak with Stacy while he had a chance.

“Hey, Stacy.” Will says, trying to be nonchalant as he collects ingredients.

“Oh, hi, Will.” She doesn’t look at him as she says this.

Will remembers the comments she and Chad made about Erica, and he knows he has to proceed with caution. “Can I talk to you about something?” Will faces her now as she looks for her own food. She doesn’t answer, and Will wonders if she didn’t hear him. Will repeats himself. “Can I talk to you about something?”

Stacy turns around quickly, an annoyed look on her face. “Is this about the eviction?”

Will’s surprised by how straightforward she is. “Uh, yeah, actually. I was wondering if-”

“Look.” She has her hands in front of Will to stop him from speaking. “I have no idea what you may be feeling right now, but I’m sure you’re nervous as hell. Either way, I don’t really care.”

“Oh.”

“I’m voting how I want to vote, and nothing you say can really detract me from that, okay.”

Will is almost speechless. “I get that, but-”

“Seriously, Will.” She walks over to him now. “Don’t dig yourself into a bigger hole. Whoever goes home, is who goes home.”

Will doesn’t get another word in as Stacy walks out of the storage room. He’s taken aback about the interaction, the complete opposite of the one he had earlier in the day with Dustin. Will bites his lip, doubt and nerves growing in him as he wills himself to walk out of the storage room and back into the house.

He makes his way to the kitchen, spotting Stacy talking with Chad. They’re talking low, and he knows that they’re talking about him because when they spot him, they walk further away, into the backyard, where the door blocks their conversation.

Will lets out a sigh when he gets to the kitchen, a sigh that sounds like defeat. He knows he still has a good chance of staying, but with interactions like that, he never feels like he can move about the house comfortably. 

He goes over the votes in his head. Will knows he has Mike, El, Dustin, Lucas, and Max, since they’re part of The Party. Max is the only one he’s iffy about in that group, since they’ve had little bonding time despite being in the same alliance. He shakes the thought from his head, rationalizing that she wouldn’t get rid of a number so early in the game.

Will also knows that he has Robin and Erica, meaning that he has the votes to stay with them already. They may not be in the alliance with him, but he likes the rapport he’s built, and really trusts them to save him. He also possibly has Suzie, if what Dustin says is true. And after their conversation, Will thinks Dustin wasn’t lying to save face. That’s an eight to five vote, which isn’t the most soothing to Will, since he knows anyone can flip at any given moment, but he tries to trust in his allies.

Will begins cooking, slicing garlic cloves for the broccoli cheddar he wants to make. It’s a soup that his mom, Joyce, would make anytime Will felt stressed out, especially when it came to school. He thinks that she would make this for him if she could, and the thought of her calms him a bit, so he puts his best effort into the soup to honor her.

As he continues cooking, various people walk around the house, and Will realizes how good of a vantage point the kitchen is. No one is suspicious of him since he’s making food, and it acts as a good excuse to people watch.

While cooking, he maps out the house, noting all of the duos that seem to be forming based on the past week. Mike and El, Angela and Jake, Chad and Stacy, and Chrissy and Eddie. They’re the ones Will is most certain of, but he also adds Lucas and Max, and Dustin and Suzie into the group. In fact, he has to add himself and Robin into the mix. Even though he’s on the block, Will can’t help himself in thinking what he would do if he wins Head of Household. 

Will thinks that if he were to stay and win, then he would nominate Stacy and Chad. He doesn’t get a good vibe from Stacy, and with them as a duo, it makes sense to split them up. Of course, Will knows he has a blindspot because he’s on the block that isn’t allowing him to see the entire game board, but he thinks those nominations would be beneficial to him.

His thoughts are interrupted when he notices a presence coming up to him. Will looks up from the soup that’s simmering in the pot to find Max coming up to him. Will knows he looks visibly confused, so he puts on a smile so that Max feels welcomed in his presence.

“Hey, Max.” Will responds, stirring his soup.

“What are you making?” Max asks, and Will is surprised by the question.

“I’m making broccoli cheddar soup. Would you like some?”

“I’m good, but thanks.” Max is silent for a moment, then says. “I wanted to let you know that I think you’re staying.”

Will turns off the stovetop, wanting to listen to what she knows. “You mean Eddie’s getting evicted.”

“Definitely. I was talking with some people, like Stacy and-’

“I tried talking to Stacy and she, like, totally shut me down.”

Max crosses her arms. “That sounds like her, but I didn’t let her do that with me. I think she’s a little afraid of me.”

“That makes sense.”

“What do you mean?” Max asks quickly.

Will realizes he spoke without thinking, and tries to fix what he said. “I mean, you’re a little intimidating.” Will looks away. “This is like the first time you’ve spoken to me, really.”

Max is silent, obviously thinking in her head. She gathers her words and says, “You’re not the first one to say that. Sorry… for how I act. I think I’m just a little stressed.”

Will laughs. “I know what you mean.”

“You actually have a reason to be stressed, though.”

“I guess so. But it’s the game. Nothing I can do about it but roll with the punches.”

Will watches as Max grabs a spoon from a drawer, and she dips it into the soup to get a taste. “That’s pretty good.” She drops the spoon into the sink and says, “And if it means anything, I think you’re rolling well with the punches.” Max walks away, and Will feels secure with her at that moment.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 1, Day 7

The producers finally let Will out of the Diary Room, where he’s spent a long time talking about his feelings over being put on the block, and all the campaigning he’s done to ensure that he’ll be safe when it comes to eviction night. 

Will feels drained of his energy, and he wants to relax before the live eviction. He heads to his room, where he grabs his bathing suit and a towel. Despite the fact that the swimming pool and the hot tub had been open the entire time that they’ve been in the house, Will hadn’t had the time to step into them and enjoy the water.

As Will walks to the backyard, he walks by Jason and Chad talking in the living room, as well as Chrissy, Eddie, and Robin making dinner in the kitchen. And when he enters the backyard, he sees Lucas, Mike, and Dustin playing pool, and in the hot tub sit both Angela and Jake.

It’s the first time he’s seen them outside of the HoH room since the Veto Meeting, and he figures now is as good a time as any, and marches right up to them. Their conversation dies out as he approaches, and they watch as he sits down right next to him.

There’s an awkward silence between them, but neither of them leave or move. Will figures that if he holds out long enough, a conversation will get going. But, he’s surprised to hear Angela start the conversation.

“How are you feeling, Will?”

It’s a simple question, but he knows that she is sizing him up. “I’m doing fine. Honestly.” He’s waving his arms in the water, trying to look docile. 

“That’s good, you know.” Jake says. “I was hoping the nomination wouldn’t affect you too much. I think,” Jake seems careful with his words, and Will thinks it’s because Jake knows he doesn’t have much time left as the Head of Household, “You’re taking it well.”

Will has to hide a sarcastic smirk. “Thanks.” They’re quiet again for a moment, but Will knows he has to be assertive with them. “Is it true what you said, about why you put me on the block?”

The duo looked stunned, and Will knew they weren’t expecting the turn in conversation. Jake catches himself though, and says, “Yeah, I meant what I said. It’s hard putting people up this early, since the game board is, you know, hasn’t really taken shape yet. “ Jake’s words sound earnest to Will. “And honestly, knowing that you hid information from me meant that I couldn’t trust you.”

“I get that, I really do. But, I just wish it didn’t automatically mean that I had to go on the block.” Will says, looking at the both of them.

Angel begins, “We understand, and yes, that was one of the reasons why Jake put you up.” She looks to Jake then back at Will again. “But it wasn’t the only reason.”

Will gulps. “What was the other reason?”

“I thought you’d make a good pawn, honestly.” Jake says. “I talked it over with Angela, and we thought people would want to save you. I mean, a crazy loud-mouthed punk like Eddie, or someone who is more conservative, like you. Who would they be more likely to vote out?”

“But pawns go home easily.” Will says, annoyed with their reasoning.

“I know. But again, it goes back to you lying to me. If you do go home, then we got rid of someone who was willing to lie to us. If not, then we got someone out we didn’t like.”

Will is about to speak, when Angela says, “We really don’t think you’re going, though. I think everyone, including us, would rather have you than someone as unpredictable as Eddie.”

“I understand your guys’ reasoning, but I don’t really accept it.”

“We know.” Angela says. “But, the move was made, and there’s nothing to do but move forward.”

Will eye’s her down, questioning why Angela is suddenly taking the reins. Will begins to pull himself out of the hot tub. “Yeah, the game is really getting going now. But, I have to tell you guys something.” He puts his hands on his hips, trying to look intimidating. “You guys may not see me as the biggest threat right now, but know this, I do my best when I’m underestimated.”

Angela nods. “Understood.”

Will nods to both of them, and with eviction day approaching, he decides to get the rest he needs.

Chapter Text

Week 2, Day 8

Will sits in the nomination chair next to Eddie, as the entire room is engaged in lively conversations, waiting for Julie Chen-Moonves to begin the live eviction. To his left is Robin, who has decided to hold his hand throughout the live show. On the couch next to her are Lucas, Max, Stacy, El, Mike, Chase, and Erica. Everyone else is seated on Eddie’s side, with Jake and Angela seated the closest to the living room television.

Will tries his best to distract himself from the voting by talking to Robin, but he knows that any moment, Julie Chen-Moonves will be checking in with them, and his fate will come ever closer. There’s a pit in his stomach, telling him that he’s leaving, but all he can do now is leave the power in the hands of his allies.

“Hello, Houseguests.” Julie’s voice is commanding, and everyone quickly sits up in their seat, putting on a big smile as they greet her back. “Well, everyone, it is time for the first live vote of the season.” Her words send chills down Will’s back, and he grips onto Robin harder than before. “Eddie. Will. In just a few moments, your housemates will cast their vote to evict. Live.” Will breathes in deep. “But, before they do, you each have a final chance to sway their votes with one brief statement. Eddie. You’re up first.”

Will watches as Eddie stands up next to him, and all eyes in the room fall on him. He feels his hands getting clammy, and wants to let go of Robin’s hand, but keeps it there anyway.

“Hey, guys.” Eddie’s voice is booming like always. “You know I just want to say, neither one of us wanted to be on the block this early, nor do either one of us want to be the first one going home. I’ve had a great time this past week with all of you, and if you can keep me, we can keep this party going!” They all laugh at his declaration. “Regardless, I respect your guys’ decisions, and I hope you make the right one.”

The houseguests clap at the end of Eddie’s speech, and Will does too. Julie says, “Thank you, Eddie. Will, it’s your turn.”

Will gets to his feet, wiping the sweat off his hands as he prepares to speak. “First, I want to thank you all for this lovely time here, it’s been one of the best experiences of my life, and I’m so grateful to have met you all. Second, I may be on this block, but I have not played this past week like I’m going home. I have a lot more game left in me, and I implore you to keep me here so that this game can get shaken up.” The houseguests clap again, and Robin reassuringly pats him.

“All right.” Everyone turns their attention back to Julie. “It is now time for the live voting to begin. Jake. As the current Head of Household, you are not allowed to vote.” Jake nods. “Neither are the two nominees. One at a time, the rest of you will enter the diary room, and cast your vote to evict. And remember, it takes seven votes tonight to be evicted. Angela. You’re up first.”

Will watches with bated breath as she walks into the Diary Room. He’s not sure if he can trust her since she’s working so closely with Jake. The only votes he’s counting on are his allies’. He’s not sure what he’d do if they backstab him, so he pushes the thought from his mind.

Angela returns, and Chad enters to vote. Then Chrissy, Dustin, El, Erica, Jason, Lucas, Max, Mike, Robin, Stacy, and Suzie. As each person enters and exits the Diary Room, Will can feel his heartbeat picking up, senses its thumping in various parts of the body, nervousness taking a hold of him. He can barely breathe, and has to remind himself to do so. His eyes are to the floor, incapable of looking anyone in the eye as they return from the Diary Room. The short moment Robin is gone feels like agony, like Will is all alone on an island with no help.

Julie’s voice startles him, and he sits back up. “Houseguests, the votes are in. When I reveal the vote, the evicted Houseguest will have just a few moments to say goodbye, gather his belongings, and walk out the front door.” Julie pauses for a long moment, and Will wishes she would rip off the bandage. “By a vote… of 10 to 3… Eddie, you are evicted from the Big Brother house.”

Will is almost too shocked to stand up, but he forces himself to. Eddie turns to him, embracing him and congratulating him on staying. Will tries to catch his breath at the realization, he feels like he’s come back from the dead and experiencing life for the first time. Eddie begins hugging the other Houseguests, and as he does this, Will makes his way to the front door, where his and Eddie’s duffle bags of belongings sit. He grabs Eddie’s bag, and waits for his housemates to begin walking over to the front door. Eddie begins giving his last hugs, and Will can’t make out any of the words he’s exchanging, the world all a blur in that moment. He hands Eddie his duffle bag, and opens the door for him to return to the real world. Will’s housemates cheer for him as he leaves, and Will feels bad that he didn’t properly say goodbye to Eddie.

⏿⏿⏿

Will doesn’t get much time to revel in the fact that the house chose him to stay. Once Eddie was out of the house, Will’s housemates surrounded him, giving him hugs and congratulating him just like Eddie did. Their conversations are shallow though, since they have a Head of Household competition they need to prepare for.

They all stand in a long series of booths, each with their names above them. Jake sits outside of the booths, with the HoH key hanging around his neck, watching the rest of the housemates. In front of Will is a small wheel, one half blue, the other red, that he can turn easily. Also by the wheel is a small chalkboard with a broken piece of chalk. Will assumes it’s the same for the other people.

“Houseguests.” Again, Will straightens at Julie Chen’s voice. “The power is up for grabs. Jake, as outgoing Head of Household, you are not able to compete.” Jake nods from his seat. 

“Now, in the Big Brother house, the HoH rules. But, in tonight’s competition, the Majority Rules . Each of you is standing in your own private booths. I’ll be asking your opinions on the different Houseguests, and life in the house. However, when you answer, don’t give us your own personal opinion, but instead, what you think the majority of the group’s opinion will be. The Houseguests that answer with the majority will advance. Those who respond with the less popular answer will be eliminated from the game. The last player remaining will be the new Head of Household.

“Remember, your answers are based on what you think the majority might say. You will answer red or blue , using the wheel in front of you. But, do not reveal your answers until I say, ‘Answers, please.’ Does everyone understand the rules?” Everyone yells in response, and so does Will. “Alright, let’s begin then.

“First question. Who does the majority think is more likely to send flowers after a first date: Mike or Jake? Please answer red for Mike or blue for Jake.” Will turns the wheel to red. “Answers, please.” Will reveals his answer. “The clear majority thinks that Mike is more likely to send flowers after a first date. Chad, you’re the only one who got it wrong. Please step down and join Jake. Everyone else please reset to yellow.”

Will is relieved to still be in the game. He wants to win HoH to secure safety, especially after a rocky first week. 

“Next question. Who does the majority think is more intelligent: Dustin or Will? Please answer red for Dustin or blue for Will.” Will thinks quickly, and feeling presumptuous, chooses himself. “Answers, please. The majority thinks that Will is more intelligent.” Will smiles at that fact. “Suzie and Chrissy, please step down. Everyone please reset.”

Three down with twelve people left, Will felt good about his chances thus far. And it also meant that everyone in The Party was still in the running.

“In the first Head of Household competitions, what does the majority think is the harder competition: Picturesque Picnic or Flower Frenzy? Please answer red for Picturesque Picnic or blue for Flower Frenzy.” Will thinks back to the two competitions, and although his competition was challenging, the 3D puzzle and running seemed harder. “Answers, please. Everyone thought that Picturesque Picnic was harder.” Will sighs in relief. “Everyone got it right, everyone stays in the game.”

“Next question. Who does the majority think is more likely to dress their pets in clothes: El or Angela? Please answer red for El or blue for Angela.” Will doesn’t have to think for this one, and chooses Angela. “Answers, please. Once again, everyone got it right, everyone chose Angela. Please reset.”

“Next question. Who does the majority think is more likely to secretly read a boyfriend’s text messages: Stacy or Chrissy? Answer red for Stacy or blue for Chrissy.” Will goes off of his interactions with Stacy and picks her. “Answers, please. The majority thinks that Stacy is more likely to secretly read a boyfriend’s text messages. Sorry, Angela and Stacy, you got it wrong, please step down.” The words are like music to Will’s ears, because those two are the ones he felt the most uneasy about.

“What does the majority think is more annoying: Houseguests who don’t wash their dishes or Houseguests who don’t wash their clothes? Please answer red for dishes or blue for clothes.” Another simple question, Will answers dishes. “The majority think that Houseguests who don’t wash their dishes are more annoying. Everybody got it right, please reset.”

Will thinks they must be nearing the end of the questions, and with nine people still playing, it could all come down to a tiebreaker if they run out of questions.

“Who would the majority rather be stuck in an elevator with: Max or Erica? Please answer red for Max or blue for Erica.” Will chooses Max primarily because she’s in his alliance. “The majority would rather be stuck with Max.” Will breathes a sigh of relief. “I’m sorry, Lucas, Mike, El, and Max. Please step down, everyone else can reset.”

Will thinks quickly about who’s left: Dustin, Erica, Jason, Robin, and himself. He feels good with everyone left other than Jake, and in his head, hopes that anyone else can pull out the win.

“Next question. Who would the majority rather visit their hometown: Lucas or Robin? Answer red for Lucas or blue for Robin.” Will picks Lucas for the same reason he picked Max. “Answers, please. The majority would rather visit Lucas’ hometown. I’m sorry, Robin, you got it wrong. Please step down, and join everyone else.”

Will watches Robin take her seat, and as she sits, she gives him a nod, like she’s encouraging him to keep going. He has a twenty-five percent chance to win, and a seventy-five percent chance of being happy with the winner.

“Everyone, please reset, but we are moving on to our tie-breaker, the final question. I’m going to ask you to write down your answers on the boards provided.” Will prepares his board. “The person who comes closest to the correct number without going over will be the new Head of Household. If everyone goes over, the person who is closest to the correct number will win HoH” Will takes a deep breath to prepare himself. “Here we go. How many total balls were correctly sunk into a safety net during the competition The Right Course ?” Will tries to think back to a week ago when Max and others played the competition. Will had watched so carefully, but now, he couldn’t imagine how many balls made it. He knows at least ten did, since that was the winning number, and he figures another person got close to ten, so without a second thought, Will writes down twenty on his board. “I need everyone’s answer now. Hold up your answers, please.” Will raises his board high, and waits for Julie to confirm who won. His hands are shaking, scared of the fact that he might have gotten close to winning but just missed out on the title. “The correct number is twenty-three. Congratulations, Jason, you are the new Head of Household.” Will’s stomach drops. “Jake, please hand over the HoH key to Jason. Congratulations again, nice job, everyone.”

All Will can do is clap alongside everyone, making his way up to Jake and Jason, where the new HoH is grabbing his key. And as everyone takes turns congratulating him, Will can’t help but feel nervous about what Jason has in store for the week.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 2, Day 9

“How are you feeling?” Lucas asks.

After the Majority Rules HoH competition, it was announced that the four last placing Houseguests were now the new Have-Nots, meaning the Have-Not room was replacing Lucas, Dustin, Mike, and El with Chad, Suzie, Chrissy, and Stacy. Lucas chose to move into the same room as Will and Robin, and Will couldn’t be more happy to have him around.

Waking up in the morning, after Jason unlocked his HoH bedroom, and after everyone shifted places, with his two allies in the same room as him, reaffirmed to Will that he was still in the game and still had a path forward.

Will faces Lucas as the boy packs his clothes into the same drawer he and Robin use. “I’m fine, I don’t know.”

“What’s bugging you?”

“I’m feeling a lot of emotions right now, honestly. I mean, ten people voted to save me! I was expecting, you know, The Party to vote for me, but ten people is crazy, and it just… it makes me feel good moving forward.”

“That’s good, you should feel that way. And it’s like we said, there was no way we were gonna let you go home so soon.”

Will begins whispering, even though there’s nobody around. “You’re right, but now I got the on-the-block stench on me, and with Jason as HoH, I don’t think it’s improbable that I can go back up.”

“Why do you think that?” Lucas asks in a whisper.

“I’ve been trying to think about who’s in alliance aside from us. And I’ve assumed that Chad, Stacy, Angela, and Jake are in one…”

“But?”

“But only four people is too small of a number this early in the game.”

“So, you think Jason is a part of it?”

“Yeah. Mostly because he seems like the most likely candidate out of everyone left.”

“I understand your reasoning, but you can’t get paranoid just yet. No one knows what he’s gonna do, so we have to be prepared for anything.”

Will sighs. “I guess you’re right. I just really don’t want to touch the block again.”

“I know what you mean.” Lucas finishes unpacking and looks at Will straight on. “Later today, go up to his room, and just talk to him.”

“That’s what I did with Jake, and look where that got me.”

“Let Jason lead this time, and don’t give him any names, no matter what the question might be. Try to suss out what he wants to do, if you need to make a deal, make one, and then base your actions accordingly on that conversation.”

Will breathes in deep. “You’re right, there’s nothing to worry about just yet. Not until those keys are pulled out of that Nomination Box.” Will gives Lucas a quick hug. “Thanks, Lucas. You’re the best.”

“No problem, Will. Like you’ve said, you’ve got a lot of game left to play.”

Will smirks. “Thanks.” Will thinks quickly, and decides to lock in with Lucas. “Final 2?”

Lucas laughs. “Say less.”

⏿⏿⏿

In the backyard, Will sits with Robin in the hammock, watching Mike and El playing around in the pool, while Chad, Jake, and Stacy utilize the pool table. They share a small bowl of strawberries, talking about the game and where it might be heading.

“I don’t trust those two.” Robin says, as she finishes chewing a strawberry in her mouth.

“You mean Mike and El?”

“Mhm.”

Will doesn’t like that Robin is questioning his allies, afraid that it might lead to her targeting the two of them. But, with their proximity to one another, Will doesn’t blame Robin for being wary. “Why do you say that?” Will asks, trying to humor her.

“You can’t tell anyone this, promise?”

Will would decide after hearing what she wanted to share, and says, “Promise.”

Robin leans in nonchalantly. “I think I caught them kissing last night. After the live show.”

Will thinks back to his conversation with Dustin, about how he was worried about the two of them becoming a Duo. He wasn’t even thinking about them becoming a showmance. “You think?” Will questions her wording.

“Yeah. I didn’t see anything, but I walked into the bathroom, right? And I see them pulling away from each other, like they were trying to hide how close they were to each other.”

“You really think they could be dating?”

“They could be, I mean look at them.” Will watches as Mike and El sit close together, his arm over her shoulder, talking quietly and looking into each other’s eyes. “We’ve got to be worried about whatever groups may be forming. The two of us could easily be picked off.”

Robin’s words make Will squirm a little, but he plays it off. He bites into a strawberry as he asks, “You think they see us as a Duo?”

Robin laughs. “I think, right now, they see nothing but each other when it comes to this game.”

Will doesn’t want to reinforce any of her ideas, and swiftly changes the topic of conversation. He looks over to the pool table, and asks, “Where do you think Angela is?”

Robin looks over. “Why’re you asking? Because she’s not with her friends?”

“Yeah, I mean, she was attached to Jake’s hip all of last week. Now, she’s nowhere to be seen.” Robin is quiet for a moment. “I bet she’s up in the HoH room with Jason. Trying to work him over.”

“You really think he’d work with her?”

Will looks at Robin. “I don’t know. But he’d definitely work with Jake and Chad. I mean, Chad is practically his twin. And that would mean Angela’s just one degree of separation from Jason.”

Robin regards him for a short moment. “You’re worried about nominations.”

“Absolutely.” Will lets out a sigh of stress. “You’re not.”

Will watches as Robin clearly tosses around an idea in her head, thinking over what to say next. “Jason came up to me after he won HoH, and he promised me I’m not going up on the block.”

Will’s mouth is agape. “Seriously?”

“I wouldn’t lie to you.”

“And you believe him?”

“Look at it this way. Either he’s telling the truth, and I’m not going up, or he’s lying, and when he puts me up, he reveals his cards a little.”

Will follows, but he isn’t sure how much information he’d reveal by putting her up. “I think I should go talk to him.” Nominations were later that day, and he hated how nervous he felt. He wanted some type of reassurance, even if it was false.

“You’ll come back down?”

Will is on his feet. “Yeah.”

Will makes his way across the yard, pulling open the backyard door. In the kitchen are Lucas and Erica, their backs to him as they talk by the sink. It’s obvious that their conversation almost halts due to his presence, but Will didn’t want to think about what that meant. Instead, he takes the stairs to the second floor, where he walks briskly to the Head of Household room. He knocks on the door, and waits for a response.

When he walks inside, Will’s suspicions are confirmed, when he sees Angela, sitting on the couch in front of Jason’s bed. It tells Will something immediately: that Angela was not as close to Jason as she was with Jake, since the last time he was here, she was seated on Jake’s bed, as if it was her own.

“Hi, Will.” Angela says.

Will tries to smile. “Hi, Angela.” Will sits down and looks at Jason. “Congrats, again, Jason. I really thought I had that tie-breaker question.”

“Thanks, Will, you know, you really gave me a run for my money. Angela was telling me how close you were.” Jason says, and Will hates knowing that they were talking about him.

“Yeah, Will, wasn’t expecting that out of you.” Angela says, and the smile she gives him is devilish.

“Thanks.”

“I guess you’re here to talk about nominations, right?”

Will spins his head to focus on Jason, and tells himself to keep focus on him, regardless of what Angela might say. “That obvious?”

Jason laughs. “You’re not the first, and I don’t blame you. I’d be doing the same thing if I were you.” Will laughs along with Jason, trying to get on his good side. “So, here's the deal, Will. I’m not going to put you up on the block, as long as you promise me that if you win HoH, you won’t put me up.”

After a rocky first week, Will was all about self-preservation, so, hearing that he could buy himself another week with this promise, he was ready to jump on the offer.

“Are you sure you should be promising this, Jason?” Angela asks suddenly, and against his own words, Will looks at her.

“Angela…” Jason says through gritted teeth, which Will takes note of.

“I’m just saying, it’s like Julie says, expect the unexpected. Who knows what might happen later on in the week.” 

Will looks at Jason, seeing how exasperated he looked, like he and Angela had been having that conversation for a while now. There’s a tension between them, and Will wants to seize the moment, to undermine Angela in some way, so he begins to show Jason a level of trust that Angela wasn’t giving him.

“Look, Jason, I hear you.” Will pulls focus away from Angela. “And that’s something I could do. If I win HoH, I won’t put you up. You can trust me on that.”

Will puts out a hand, and Jason receives it. They shake on it as he says, “Thanks, Will. I’m counting on you.”

Without anything else to say, Will makes his exit, feeling accomplished. It was like Robin said, either Jason is being truthful, and Will won’t be going up, or he’s lying, and Jason has to reveal the deck of cards he’s playing with. But, Will knows that Jason’s deal was about self-preservation, on both ends, and it made Will believe that Jason would stick to the deal. 

He heads downstairs, thinking about whether or not Robin had to make the same deal, and wanting to tell her about the underlying tension between Jason and Angela, so they could talk about what to do with that information moving forward. He’s about to head back outside when overhead, a voice comes on that says, “Will, please report to the Diary Room.” Without much of a choice, Will does so, ready for the time to reflect on what’s going on around the house.

⏿⏿⏿

Will sits at the dining table, with Mike to this left, and Angela to his right. It’s weird yet satisfying seeing a seat empty, signifying Eddie’s exit from the game. Even though he took no joy from Eddie losing, it meant that Will was one step closer to winning, and he couldn’t help but feel good.

Jason carried down the Nomination Wheel, setting it down on the lazy susan on top of the table. In the wheel were 12 keys slotted, shining underneath the kitchen’s lights. Will thinks back to the first Nomination Ceremony. His key was in the wheel, and even though it didn’t guarantee safety, Will hoped it would be in the wheel once more.

Jason stands at the front of the room, ready to begin his duties. He takes a deep breath, and begins speaking. “This is the Nomination Ceremony.” Jason’s speaking voice sounds more controlled than Jake’s was. “One of my duties as Head of Household is to nominate two houseguests for eviction. I will pull the first key, and that person is safe. That person will pull the next key. So on, and so forth.”

Without any pregnant pauses, Jason leans over, and pulls out the first key. “Jake, you are safe.”

Jake thanks Jason, and puts his key around his neck. He leans over, and pulls out the next key. “Chad, you are safe.”

Hearing Jake and Chad called out first confirms Will’s suspicions that the three of them are working together in some type of way. Whether that meant they were in an official alliance, Will assumes that he shouldn’t mention any of their names to them.

“Angela, you are safe.” Chad says, and Will expected her name next. 

Angela receives her key, and she begins pulling out the next one. Before Angela hears it, Will assumes it belongs to Stacy. “Stacy, you are safe.”

With the first four keys out, Will was still not safe, nor was any of The Party or Robin. Will tells himself not to think about it, to focus on just his own name being called. He can’t stand the anxiety of being on the block again, so he tries to manifest actual safety this week.

Stacy puts her key around her neck, and reaches for the next one. “Robin, you are safe.”

Will lets out a sigh of relief when he here’s her name. He watches as she puts her key around her, and smiles at him. She pulls out the next key. “Will, you are safe.”

He wasn’t expecting his name to be called out so soon. The other Houseguests turn the lazy susan, and Will hurriedly puts his key around his neck, swallowing the saliva in his mouth. Will grabs the next key, and reads the name on it. “Suzie, you are safe.”

Seven keys were pulled out, leaving only five more. With seven people left, there was a possibility of all of The Party members staying safe, which would leave Erica and Chrissy on the block. Will hoped for that as the outcome, but mentally prepared himself for the worst case scenario.

“Max, you are safe.” Suzie says, sitting back down quickly.

Will was relieved to have another alliance member safe, but he couldn’t help the dread he felt when Max read out the next name. “Erica, you are safe.”

Chrissy, Dustin, El, Lucas, and Mike were left, meaning that one of the alliance members had to sit on the block. Will gulped, thinking about who he’d rather see safe. The first two he thinks of are El and Lucas. He especially wanted Lucas safe because of the Final 2 deal they had, and because Lucas seemed the biggest threat out of the people left.

“Mike, you are safe.” Erica says, and Mike smiles immediately.

Two boys and two girls were left. With Eddie evicted, Lucas half wonders if Jason is trying to even out the new gender imbalance. In the seasons Will loves, guys like Jason often did this out of fear of the girls working together.

“Dustin, you are safe.”

Mike’s words are like Will’s worst nightmare. No matter what, one of the two people he trusted the most would be up for eviction. And, in the worst case scenario, they could both be on the block.

The final key was lodged in the Nomination Wheel. Dustin has his key hanging around his neck, and with a deep breath, pulls out the last one. Will has his head in his hands, preparing for what he might say. “Lucas, you are safe.”

Will looks at El instantly, breathing deeply. Her eyes - and Chrissy’s, Will assumes - are on Jason at the front of the room. He looks sure and determined as he begins to speak. “I have nominated you, Chrissy, and you, El. Chrissy, last week you went around to a lot of people, making deals to try to keep Eddie in the game.” This information was news to Will, and he wasn’t expecting information like this to be shared at the Nomination Ceremony. “I can’t see you as trustworthy when you spiral for a vote that isn’t even your own.” Jason looks at El. “El, you are a very sweet girl, and I’ve enjoyed my time with you. But, that’s the reason you’re on the block. I feel like everyone else might feel that way, and you’d be hard to beat at the end.” Chrissy and El nod, but Chrissy looks like she wants to kill Jason. “This Nomination Ceremony is adjourned.”

Jason begins taking the Nomination Wheel away, and as everyone else crowds around the nominees to reassure them, Will decides to do the opposite. He follows behind Jason closely, entering the storage room with him. Will wants to show his support, and to get in Jason’s head before anyone else does.

“You did great out there.” Will says, embracing him once the Nomination Wheel is set down.

“Thanks, Will. It was a tough decision.” They pull away.

“I wasn’t expecting those two, honestly.”

“Yeah, I feel like they get along well with everyone. I’m probably the only person who would put them up right now.”

Will tries to be supportive, even though El is at risk. “You made a good choice. Don’t let anyone tell you differently.” Then, Will decides to add, “Not even Angela.”

Jason gives him a knowing smile, and it tells Will that the tension he felt earlier was real. “Yeah, I just hope the Veto doesn’t get used. Ideally, one of them goes.”

Will primarily wanted to ask which one he wanted to go, so Jason bringing it up is perfect for him. “Who do you want evicted?”

Jason shrugs. “Honestly, either one. I don’t trust either of them.”

Will’s about to continue the conversation, when the storage room door opens, and Chad walks in. He decides that it’s best for him to leave then.

“I’ll talk to you later.” Will says quickly.

“For sure.” Jason says as Will exits.

Will makes his way back to the dining area, where he finds the remaining Houseguests. He joins them in comforting the nominees, but at the back of his mind, Will begins planning what to do about the vote.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 2, Day 10

Robin and Will stood in the kitchen, preparing themselves breakfast. They woke up early enough that the house was quiet with everyone else asleep. They had planned to do so, so they could talk before the Power of Veto competition. Robin flips pancakes, while Will scrambles some eggs, and they begin to talk candidly about the game.

“He said he wants one of them gone by the end of the week.” Will says in a hushed tone, paranoid that someone might sneak up on them.

“What if one of them gets taken off the block?” Robin asks, adding bananas into her pancake batter.

“He didn’t bring that up. I don’t know if he’s planned for that.” Will cracks two eggs into a pan. “Who do you think would stay between them?”

“Hard to say.” Robin flips a pancake. “But my money’s on the Veto getting used.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I mean, El’s got her little boyfriend or whatever, so, if she gets Houseguest’s Choice, and she picks Mike, she’s got a good chance of getting the Power of Veto.”

“You really think they’re a showmance, huh?” The first batch of scrambled eggs comes out well, and Will smiles.

“They’re not the only ones, if you ask me.”

Will was intrigued. “Who else do you suspect?”

“So, it’s Mike and El, but I definitely saw Jake and Angela kissing in the hammock last night, and Dustin and Suzie spend way too much time together.”

“You saw them kissing?”

“Full on tongue-on-tongue battle, it grossed me out, not gonna lie.”

Will was excited to learn this piece of information. “And those other couples are what, intuition?”

“You saw how Mike stayed by her side after she was nominated. Followed her wherever she went.” Robin has a large stack of pancakes, and continues making more until her batter runs out.

“I guess you’re right about that. But, I don’t know about them being a showmance.” Will finishes his second round of eggs, and begins pouring them glasses of orange juice.

“Showmance or not, they are definitely Duos. And the whole reason I brought this up was to get you thinking: what if we voted to evict El?”

Will nearly drops the glasses he’s carrying over to the dining room table. “I know what you’re gonna say.”

“Since she’s a Duo with Mike,” she brings their prepared plates over, “It might be best to isolate him now. I mean, who else does he have?” Will knows he has a whole alliance, but he follows her line of thinking. “Because, if they get too far, they could get too powerful.”

“But, they’d be really big targets in front of us if they make it that far. No one would want to go to the end with them.”

“You’re right, but one opportune competition win and they could easily make it to the end.” She begins slicing into her pancakes. “Just think about it, okay?”

As he eats, Will does think about it, and comes to the conclusion that if Robin is thinking this, then other people might. It hardens his resolve, and Will decides that if he gets chosen for the Power of Veto, he’d try his hardest to win, and pull El off of the block.

 ⏿⏿⏿

Veto selections took place not long after Will and Robin’s breakfast together. Everyone got ready, putting on comfortable clothing that they could easily change out of if they were picked for the Power of Veto competition. In that time, El doesn’t come up to Will to talk about the Veto selections. In Will’s mind, there is a collective subconscious between The Party, and they all understand that El would pick one of them - most likely Mike - if she gets Houseguest’s choice, and if any more get to play, they have to play to win to keep El safe.

There was an inherent trust built within them now that they have voted together. Before that, the alliance could have dissolved at a moment’s notice, but since they all worked collectively to keep Will, it was like their bond got stronger, and they knew what needed to be done to help them all get further in the game.

At the front of the living room, Jason stands behind a podium, like Jake had done the previous week. Will assumes that he has the same cue card that Jake had too, and that in any moment, he’ll begin explaining the rules for the Veto selection. Everyone else is seated on the couches, with Chrissy and El sitting in the nomination chairs. Will looks to Chrissy.

She had come up to him before they were all gathered into the living room, asking him if he would use the Veto on her. Unlike before, when he told Erica he was unsure what he’d do, Will decided to be honest with her, and told her flat out that he wouldn’t. She didn’t take it well, and as she sits in her chair, she’s never looked more determined.

Will’s attention is pulled back to Jason. “Only six people will compete in the Veto Competition, the Head of Household, the two nominees, and three other players selected by random draw. Will the nominees please join me up here.” Will watches El and Chrissy join him. “As HoH, I will pick first.” Jason puts his cue card in one hand, and with the other, he digs deep into the Veto box, pulling out a chip. He reads it and says, “Lucas.” Will can see the excitement in El’s eyes. Lucas isn’t just an ally, he’s also a good competitor, meaning there was a good chance that he could win and keep her safe.

After Lucas joins them, Chrissy reaches into the box. “Houseguest’s Choice.” She says this with a smile. “I pick Erica.” Chrissy’s choice is interesting to Will. He’s unsure who Chrissy was closest with now that Eddie was evicted, but hearing her call out Erica’s name was unexpected.

El proceeds to dig for a chip. “Angela.” Will doesn’t like Angela being picked. In his eyes, she’ll keep the nominations the same, and Will is hopeful that she doesn’t get that chance.

Jason finishes reading off the cue card. “Big Brother is to inform us when the Veto Competition is to begin… Good luck!” They all clap and Will is instantly on his feet, trying to hype up all of the Veto players.

 ⏿⏿⏿

Will sits on a wooden bench, sandwiched in between Stacy and Mike. In front of them are six lanes, similar to the ones used in the previous Power of Veto competition. The players stand at one end, where they have a button, and a podium with four slots in it. On the other end are three tanks full of blue balls one would see in the ball pit, and the Power of Veto symbol hangs above each tank. The lane itself has a small incline to get into the tank, and in the middle of each lane is a large and round hurdle, decorated to look like a log, that’s at least a quarter of each player’s height.

Off to the side is Chad, who has a cue card in his hand, as well as the Golden Power of Veto. Like Angela, he’ll be reading the rules of the competition for everyone to grasp, and will be commentating everyone’s progress.

“Here at the BB Lodge, we’re all about protecting our wildlife!” Chad says, the most enthusiastic Will’s ever heard him. “Unfortunately, some of our ducks on the campgrounds have gotten in the water before they were ready to swim, and they need your help! This competition is called Best of Duck , and here’s how it works. On my go, you’ll race down your lane to the tank of balls at the other end. There, you must dig through the balls and retrieve four rubber duckies, and bring them back to the start, one at a time. The first Houseguest to bring back four ducks, return with the PoV symbol, and buzz in, will win the Power of Veto.” Chad pauses for dramatic effect. “Does everyone understand?” They all cheer, excited to see how the competition will play out. “Then get on your mark. Get set… Go!”

In an instant, they all begin running across their lanes. Lucas and Jason have the lead, but Lucas is able to jump over the hurdle in front of him with ease. El and Chrissy land on top of the hurdle before getting over it, meaning they’re slightly behind everyone else as they jump into the tanks.

They all begin digging around, looking for their ducks. Lucas is the closest to where Will is sitting, so he keeps his eyes on him as he searches. They all virtually sink into the tanks, meaning that it was deeper than Will suspected. As they search, the blue balls move around, revealing a multitude of yellow ones underneath, most likely there to confuse the players with the color of a rubber duck.

Will’s attention is pulled to Jason, who is getting out of the tank, a rubber duck in hand. He watches him run back to his podium, as Chad calls out his progress. Will looks back to Lucas, and he has stepped out of the tank as well, and briskly jumps over the hurdle in front of him to place his duck. “That’s one for Jason, and one for Lucas!” Chad calls out, and Will’s heart really begins to pump.

Jason and Lucas return to their tanks before anyone else finds their own duck. Will looks at El, who was obviously struggling to find a duck because of how deep the tank was. She disappears from his line of sight each time she digs deeper, but Will encourages her by shouting out her name, spurring her to keep digging.

Will watches Angela jump out of her tank, a rubber duck in hand, but at the same time, Lucas emerges, and quickly catches up to her. They both place their ducks in their slots as Chad says, “That’s two for Lucas, one for Jason, and one for Angela!” Without hesitation, Lucas jumps over his hurdle again, continuing his search.

As Lucas jumps back into the tank, El flops out of hers, a duck in hand. She gets to her feet quickly, and tries to jump over the hurdle. Will can tell she’s using a lot of her energy, as she looks visibly tired, but he admires that she’s still sprinting across her lane.

Like a domino effect, Erica, and Chrissy find their ducks. Chad yells out, “That’s two for Lucas, and one for everybody else.” It’s a much closer game than Will thought it would be, and he sits with bated breath, hoping Lucas or El can keep up the momentum.

As he thinks that, Jason climbs out of the ball pit, and briskly returns to the podium, where he ties up the score with Lucas. And before Jason can return, Angela finds her second duck, and impending dread starts to grow. “Lucas has two ducks, Jason has two, and Angela has two!” Chad’s words feel like a curse to Will. If Jason or Angela won, they’d keep the nominations the same, and Will desperately wants El to be safe.

Lucas however dashes that dread by emerging with his third duck. He places it on the podium, and by the time he returns to the tank, no one else has found another. Will’s breath becomes faster as they near the end of the competition, and he puts all his energy in cheering Lucas on.

Angela dashes out of her tank, but closely behind is Lucas, with his fourth and final duck. Chad yells out, “Lucas is now on the home stretch!” Will stands up, cheering for Lucas, and he watches as his ally makes his final trip to the tank, where he hurriedly grabs the Veto symbol. The other competitors are an afterthought to Will as Lucas makes his way back to the podium, and slams his hand down on the button. “Congratulations, Lucas, you have won the Power of Veto.”

Chad runs up to him, as do Will and everyone else, and he puts the Veto around Lucas’ neck. Will feels like he can breathe again, and instinctively runs up to El, embracing her because he knows that Lucas will be pulling her off the block.

 ⏿⏿⏿

It’s late into the night, as Will is brushing his teeth, and almost everyone is asleep, when Lucas enters the bathroom. Will had thought he had gone to sleep much earlier, so seeing his ally approaching him makes him jump.

“Can I talk to you?” Lucas asks.

Will nods, and quickly finishes brushing his teeth, rinsing his mouth, and puts his toothbrush away. Will looks at Lucas, and notices the serious look on his face, and it makes Will worried. “Here, let’s sit down.” Will says, gesturing to the seats in the bathroom.

Lucas sits, and lets out a deep sigh. Will matches his posture. “I wanted to run some things with you.” 

“Okay.” Will isn’t sure where the conversation could go.

“If I used the Veto, it would obviously be used on El.”

“Right.” Will thought that was the plan from the beginning.

“Say I use it, who goes up in that case?” Lucas asks evenly.

“I hadn’t thought about that.” Will doesn’t think Jake, Chad, Angela, or Chrissy would be nominated.

“Right. I think based on who Jason’s working with, another member of the alliance could easily go up if I use the Veto.”

“So, what? You think you shouldn’t use the Veto?” Will doesn’t like the sound of that.

“If another member of The Party goes up, then we’d be back at square one.”

“But what if Jason puts up someone besides the alliance, like Suzie, or Erica?”

“I think the odds aren’t in our favor, we’re in a really big group, and I wouldn’t doubt that Jason puts up someone like Mike in El’s place.”

“You really want to keep the nominations the same then?”

“I do. We saved you last week, and we could save El this week, and really build up the trust in our alliance.” Lucas says, and Will follows his reasoning. “Plus - and this is selfish on my part - but I think I could build trust with Jason by keeping the nominations the same.”

Will regards Lucas quietly. “Did you make a deal with Jason?”

“No. Did you?”

Will decides to be truthful, mostly because he doesn’t see Lucas getting mad at him. “Yeah, he said that if he doesn’t put me up, then he expects me to do the same if I win HoH.”

Lucas thinks for a second, then says, “Do you know if he made the same deal with anyone else?”

Will thinks back to Robin, and how Jason promised her safety. He’s unsure if they made the same deal that he had made, but tells Lucas anyway. “I think he promised safety to Robin.”

“Well then, I definitely shouldn’t use the Veto. Think about it, if he made all these deals with certain people, then this makes the pool of renomination smaller, and he could put up someone from The Party.”

Lucas’ reasoning is what seals the deal for Will, and he agrees that using the Veto may be pointless in the long run. “Okay, okay. Say you don’t use the Veto, are we sure that Chrissy is going to go?”

“El needs seven votes to stay. We have the votes from The Party, right?” Lucas holds up five fingers. “I think Suzie will probably vote with Dustin.”

“You’ve seen how close they are right?” Will probes before they continue.

“Oh, yeah, they’re not subtle at all.” Lucas holds up another finger. “So, that’s five votes to keep El, and I can guarantee you that I can get Erica to vote with us.”

Lucas’ words make him think back to when he saw the two of them talking in the kitchen, and it makes him raise an eyebrow when Lucas finishes speaking, but he decides not to question their relationship. “Okay, but that’s only six, meaning it’ll tie and then it’ll be up to Jason.”

“Well, can you get anyone to vote with us?”

Will has been hesitant to mention Robin to any of The Party. He wants to keep their relationship a secret, and to that he needs to conceal how close they actually are. But in this moment, to make sure the plan goes off without a hitch, he has to reveal his hand a bit.

“I think I can get Robin.”

“Okay, then that’s seven votes, and El will stay.” Lucas puts another finger up, and then puts his hand down.

“Isn’t that cutting it a little close? I mean, it’s like Jason said, El is a threat. What if someone decides to flip at the last minute and vote to evict her.”

“Look, I know why you’re worried. We really need to keep our numbers up, and this can be a close vote, I get that, but this game requires some risk. But, if we get to work, and try to sway the house, we can really keep El in this game.”

Will sighs, uneasy with the plan, but he trusts Lucas, and that’s what he tells himself to focus on. “Okay, I’m with you. But Lucas, if this plan fails, you need to have a game plan for the fall out.”

“I hear you.” Lucas stands up. “I gotta tell some of the others.”

“I’m the first one you talked to?” Will was surprised Lucas didn’t speak to Max first.

“Yeah, I figured you’d help me think of this plan. And it’s like we said earlier, right? Final 2?”

Will smiles. “Final 2.” He stands up, and walks out of the bathroom with Lucas.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 2, Day 11

In Will’s mind, he’s been calling the other side of the house - the alliance of Jake, Angela, Jason, Stacy, and Chad - The Socs. To him, they give off the same air as the socs from The Outsiders , and because of that, it was easier to refer to their group as that.

Because there was an ‘other’ side of the house, it made Will think back to other seasons he’s seen on the show with similar house dynamics. In them, the people that make it the farthest are those not just well centered in their own alliance, but also well ingratiated into the other side of the house. When he woke up the day after the Veto, Will knew he had to begin working with them in some type of way.

To Will, he had the best relationship with Jason, which was great the current week, but would mean nothing next week. So, Will goes down the line of The Socs, and eliminates Chad and Stacy. They’re like an iron wall that stops any type of communication between him and them. With Jake and Angela, even though he was put up by Jake, and there’s friction between him and Angela, since they’ve actually had conversations, he thinks it best to try talking to them. Specifically, he begins speaking to Angela.

Will has grown accustomed to making breakfast for everyone. His mom taught him how to cook so that he can stand on his own, and it was definitely coming in handy for Will. Today, he made Angela’s favorite breakfast meal, an omelet full of vegetables, protein, and spice. Granted, he made specific omelets for everyone that asked, but he made sure to go out of his way to make a special one for her.

She appreciated it, Will could tell. Even if it seemed innocuous, Will knew the nice gesture could pay off in the future. But, he knew acts of service couldn’t be the only thing he enacted. So, when noon arrived, and he saw her out in the pool by herself, Will took it upon himself to join her.

As they sit in the cool water, they talk about various topics: what they studied in school, what season of the show they liked the most, why they decided to join the show. In it, Will is able to bond with her because he finds out her mother pushed her to audition, just like his mother encouraged him to do. He still didn’t trust her fully, but in Will’s eyes, it humanizes her a little, and he hopes it does the same for him in her eyes.

“How are you feeling this week?” Angela asks.

Will eyes her, and says, “I mean, I feel better, considering I’m not on the block.”

“What about Veto?” Angela asks. “What if Lucas uses it?”

Will realizes his mistake. He came off as secure, even though the nominations weren’t set in stone. He thinks quickly, then says, “He could, but Jason promised me he wouldn't put me up. Remember?”

“Hm.” Unlike Will’s game conversations with Lucas, with Angela, their words come out cold and calculated, like they’re both sizing each other up. “That man, I tell you.”

Will senses the tension he felt before, and tries to dig deeper. “What, you don’t trust him?”

“I mean, I trust him.” Angela says, but Will feels like she’s lying. “Just don’t think he’s handling this HoH well.”

“Why do you say that?”

Angela is quiet. She’s considering her words, and Will waits patiently for her to begin speaking again. “Well, I just think it’s a little hypocritical of him to put Chrissy on the block for making deals all last week, when he essentially did the same this week, trying to save his ass in the future.”

Will bites his lip, because he understands her feelings. “You’re right, I guess.”

“And I get it, he’s trying to get far in the game, but playing fast and loose like that can get him targeted really easily.”

Will knows that the only reason she’s worried is because she’s aligned with him, and if Jason were to get taken out, she’d be down an ally. Still, the animosity between them spurs Will to make a subtle move, to influence Angela in some way, because he knows that sooner or later she will come for Jason, and he wouldn’t mind seeing The Socs going after one another.

“Yeah, especially with how flippant he’s been talking about everybody. I can see it coming back to him.”

Will can tell his words catch Angela’s attention because she leans in closer. “What did he say?”

Will begins to exaggerate the truth. “I was talking to him earlier, and he just seemed annoyed with everyone. I mean, I mentioned you briefly, and he like, visibly tensed up. I don’t know what that means, but he didn’t do that when I brought Jake or Stacy.” Angela is regarding him deeply. “I think he was annoyed with how much you interfered with my conversation with him.”

“That jackass.” Will knew then that he said the right thing. “I told him to come out and tell me to back off if I was being too aggressive. Of course he was too afraid to actually buck up to me.”

“Yeah, but you’ve got to see it from his perspective, he probably didn’t want to ruffle any feathers this early on. You see he’s already trying to secure safety in the future, so it makes sense he just wants to be the peacemaker, so to speak.”

Angela is thinking again, and Will can tell she’s annoyed. “That guy better not screw anything up this week. With how cowardly he’s playing, I have to make sure he doesn’t make any more mistakes, like talking about me behind my back.” Her words are thick with threat, but Will decides not to comment on it, and hopes that this doesn’t blow back on him. If he guessed Angela’s and Jason’s relationship out, then there would be a good chance she wouldn’t run to verify what he’s said.

 ⏿⏿⏿

In the bedroom El occupied, Will was laying down with her, talking about the game, since The Party wasn’t able to meet up in the past few days. They no longer occupied the Have-Not room, meaning there was no meeting place they could go to without fear of getting caught. Like Lucas had done the night before, when he met up with Will in the bathroom, the members of The Party were forced to talk one on one to avoid suspicion from other players.

“You’re in a good mood.” Will says. He had seen the way she was moving about throughout the day, playing pool with Suzie, Max, and Erica, talking to everyone she could, energy in every action.

“Well, yeah.” El begins whispering. “What’s there to worry about if I’m not going home? It’s an easy week.”

“I take it Lucas told you then, huh?”

El makes a strange face, one Will can’t make out. “Tell me what?”

“How he’s not using the Veto.” It comes out more like a question than a statement.

“Wait, what?” El’s voice spikes, and Will jumps.

“What? What’s wrong?” Will asks, confused about her reaction.

“He’s not using the Veto on me?”

“Lucas didn’t tell you?”

“Would I be this shocked if he had told me already?” 

“Right, dumb question.” Will watches as she drops her head into the blanket they’re laying on, and before long, he can hear her sniffling. “El? El, it’s gonna be okay?”

With her face against the blanket, she says, “How am I supposed to believe that?”

“El, I trusted you guys to keep me last week, it’s practically the same thing this week.”

El turns her head. “Will, I can’t just trust that. Last week, you were a renomination, so there wasn’t anything we could do. This time, we can. Lucas can take me off the block, and he’s just choosing not to.”

“El, trust me when I say that Lucas and I-”

“And, after the Nomination Ceremony, you literally ran to Jason instead of comforting me, like somehow you agreed with what he did.” Her tears haven’t run yet, but Will can tell she really wants to let them fall. “What else am I supposed to think except that somehow you guys are okay with me going?”

Will considers his words carefully. “El, I didn’t know you felt that way. I’m sorry, really. I should’ve come up to you, just like you did when I got nominated.” Will holds one of her hands and continues speaking. “But, you have to believe me when I say that we’re not plotting against you. I mean, you were one of the first people to have my back. I wouldn’t turn against you like that, you have to believe me.”

El rubs her eyes. “I do believe you, but it’s just all so stressful. First, people think you and I are siblings, then, people think Mike and I are in a showmance, and now, my ally isn’t even going to use the Veto on me. I can’t help but feel like somehow I’m going home.”

Will embraces her. “I understand you, completely. I was where you are now, I thought I was a done deal.” Will pulls away. “But, just like last week, we’re working to keep you here, it’s not a lost cause.” He can see that his words touch El. “I think you should talk to Lucas. He’ll explain everything, and once you know the plan, you don’t have anything to fear.”

“You’re right, Will.” El leans in and hugs him again. “I’m glad to have you here.”

Will returns the sentiment. He’s so happy to have made friends with people like El, Lucas, and Robin. It made the experience all the more sweeter, and spurred him to keep playing.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 2, Day 12

Will and the rest of the Houseguests sit outside in the backyard, waiting for Lucas to start the Veto Meeting. Unlike last week, Will felt much more secure with this meeting. He knew what the plan was, and trusted that Lucas wouldn’t blindside him and use the Veto suddenly. Even if Lucas does use it, Will trusted that Jason would keep his word, and keep him off the block.

When Lucas calls them all into the house, Will shuffles in behind El, putting his hands on her shoulders, reassuring her about the whole process. El makes her way to a nomination seat, as does Chrissy. Will finds a seat on one of the couches, and he sits between Mike and Stacy.

At the front of the room, Lucas stands, with the Golden Power of Veto hanging around his neck. Will notices the anxiety that was in Lucas, who was usually so confident and sure of himself. It was a new sight to Will, and he hoped that Lucas could lead the meeting without any trouble, and with trust in the plan they thought up.

“This is the Veto Meeting.” Lucas begins. Lucas gestures to Chrissy and El, as he says, “Chrissy and El, Jason has nominated you both for eviction. But… I have the power to veto one of those nominations.” Lucas is quiet for a moment, and it makes Will feel like he might actually use the Veto. “I have decided… not to use the Power of Veto.” Everyone is quiet as Lucas steps to the Veto box, where he takes the Veto off of his neck, and places it in the box. As he closes the lid on the box, Lucas says, “This Veto Meeting is adjourned.”

Lucas begins to walk away, and the housemates begin to get out of their seats. Will watches Chrissy walk quickly out of the house, and Robin follows behind her, the only one to do so. Everyone else hugs El, reassuring her once again. Most of them leave, even Mike, but as El sits back down in her chair, Will decides to stay with her, wanting to pick her brain.

“What are you thinking?” Will asks.

“I don’t know.” El looks off in the distance, obviously gathering her thoughts. “Just trying to figure out what to do now that the nominations are set.”

Will nods. “You talked to Lucas, right? You know the plan?”

“Yeah, I’m just worried about the votes.” She leans her head on her hand.

“It’s cutting it a little tight, I’ll admit.”

“You really think you can get Robin to keep me?”

Will reassures her. “Yes, I have no doubt about it.”

El sighs, a stress Will has felt before. “What do you think I should do now?”

Will was surprised to have El asking her for guidance. He tells her to do what he did. “You need to campaign. Whether that’s just talking to people, or having actual game conversations, you need to do that. Specifically with the other side of the house.”

“Like, Jake and his friends?”

“Yeah. You know you have The Party’s vote, you just need theirs.” Will can see the trepidation on El’s face. “Look, Jason was right. You are a big threat, because everyone likes you. But, in this moment, that could be your greatest strength. Make The Socs like you, and they’ll keep you. It’s still too early for them to completely write you off as a non-ally. You get what I mean?”

Will is surprised to see El stand up from her seat. “Guess it’s time to pull myself up by my bootstraps, huh?” She begins to walk away, and looks back at him. “Thanks, Will. I’ll talk to you later.”

Will feels good about the way he handled that conversation. Usually, Lucas is someone guiding him on how to play the game, so Will feels like an inferior player when that happens. But knowing that he can do the same for someone else makes him more sure in his own choices, and shows that he can make the right calls.

Will is smiling to himself as Robin walks back into the house. She makes her way back to the living room, and sits in the chair just occupied by El, sighing as she sits down.

“What did you guys talk about?”

“Hm?” She asks, looking at him.

“When you followed her outside? What did you guys talk about?”

“I just tried giving her some words of encouragement, I guess. No one else followed her, so I thought she’d appreciate someone talking to her.”

Will wonders if there were any ulterior motives to Robin’s actions. Although he trusts Robin, and they’ve been working together, they rarely talked about any of their other allies. Will wonders if he’s projecting his own actions onto her, but he decides to ask her outright.

“Are you working with Chrissy?”

“No.” Robin smiles. “Are you working with El?”

Will lies. “No.” They size each other up, seeing if either one of them backs down and retract anything, but Will doesn’t take anything back. “I don’t mean to distrust you or anything. It's paranoia, honestly.”

“I know what you mean. I can already feel this house getting to me.”

Will lets the silence sit for a moment. Then he says, “We need to nip this bud right now, and promise each other that we’re taking each other as far as we can.”

“Like, a Final 2 deal?”

Will already had one with Lucas, and he may be spreading himself too thin, but he rationalizes to himself that he wants to cover all his bases. “Exactly.”

Robin sits up in her seat, and puts her pinky finger out. “Pinky promise?”

Robin’s actions make Will smile, and he feels like a little kid again, but he obliges, and places his own pinky finger around hers. “Pinky promise.” 

And before they get caught, the two of them pull their hands apart, and Will feels good about himself. With a full week off the block, he wanted to continue building his relationships with everyone, planning for the game ahead, and he feels like he’s set himself up well. All he has to do now is maintain that position.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 2, Day 13

Will feels like a weight is off his shoulders the day after the Veto Meeting, like he can move about the house without any real worry about his own game. As the day progressed, Will noticed both El and Chrissy going around, talking to different people. It’s what Will instructed El to do, and he hopes that her actions are taken positively, since Chrissy’s actions last week were taken poorly by Jason and some of the other people in the house.

He can tell the conversations are taking a lot out of El, especially since she mostly talks to Mike, and if she wasn’t talking to him, she was talking to Erica or Max. But the fact that she took his advice, and was putting in some work, proved to Will that she was a player, and could be a great asset to keep in the game, even if she wasn’t a part of The Party.

Currently, Will is playing pool with Max and Dustin. He wasn’t doing well at that game, but it didn’t matter to Will, since the whole activity was a ruse for them to talk about the game. Thankfully for the trio, they were the only ones outside.

“Have there been any updates about the Sibling Twist?” Max asks suddenly in the middle of a regular conversation.

“I haven’t really thought about it. I feel like it’s slipped my mind since El was on the block.” Will responds.

“Are you serious?” Dustin asks. “Suzie and I have been coming up with so many theories about who it could involve.” Max and Will give each other a look at the mention of Suzie.

“Well, then, who is on the hit list?” Max asks, and Will is glad she did, because he wants to know.

“Okay, full transparency here. It’s not like we were talking about this as if to take them out.” Will and Max nod, and Dustin continues explaining. “Suzie and I ruled out Eddie and Mike as brothers, because our thinking was that if they were brothers, then Julie would have announced the end of the Sibling Twist when he was evicted.”

“I guess that makes sense.” Will says.

“Right? So, then Will, you are on the list. Mostly because everyone thought you were siblings with either Jake or El.”

Will then asks, “You both thought that too?”

“I didn’t.” Max says.

“Well, we ruled out you and Jake, since he put you on the block.” Dustin syas. “Unless it was some weird power move to get us thinking of anyone else but you two. But, we didn’t rule out you and El, sorry.”

Will rolls his eyes. “Whatever.”

“Then, of course we have Chad and Jason, since they’re basically the same person.”

“I don’t believe that one either.” Max interjects.

“Okay, well then the only options we thought of are Robin and Chrissy,” Robin’s name catches Will’s attention, “And, now Max, don’t get upset, but there has been some talk about Lucas and Eric being siblings.”

Will doesn’t want to think about Robin possibly lying to him about something so big, so he doesn’t continue the conversation. Instead, he lets Max pick up the mantle.

“You really think that Erica and Lucas are siblings?” Max asks.

“I don’t know.” Dustin says. “I haven’t thought about too much, and I haven’t really seen them talking together.” Will knows that he’s seen them talking before, earlier in the week, but he doesn’t bring it up. “But, if they are, then it may be a good thing that Lucas is part of our alliance.”

“How so?” Will asks, trying to take part in the conversation.

“Well, if they are siblings, that basically means we have another number for the alliance. And if we all make it to the end together, they’d be the obvious targets.”

“I don’t like that last part.” Max says. “Let’s just drop the topic, okay?”

Will shares a look with Dustin, the same type he shared with Max earlier when Dustin mentioned Suzie. Even though he was in a Duo, he tried his hardest not to bring Robin up, so it was surprising to see people mention their allies that he already linked them with. It painted targets on their backs, and with Dustin and Max as his allies, he was hoping they weren’t as flippant with other people.

The trio try continuing their game. Max was winning against Will and Dustin. Even in a recreational activity, Max’s prowess was noticeable. It made her a strong ally, and it made Will glad that he was so close to Lucas. Since Max was also close to him too, Lucas could influence her to keep him safe if he wanted. But, his mind couldn’t help from positing that Lucas could choose her over him, so Will had to keep an eye out for her, especially when the numbers begin to dwindle.

They’re almost finished with their game when the backyard door is pulled open. Will watches as Chrissy makes her way over to them. They all stand up straight, and Will imagines she’s here to talk to them about the vote. It made Will smirk, because until now, he rarely had a conversation with her. A part of him felt evil for hearing what she had to say, knowing that he was going to vote her out come Eviction Night.

“Hey, guys. Can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Sure.” Dustin says. 

Will shares another look with Max, and they both are prepared to stand their ground against Chrissy’s campaign to stay.

“Look, I just wanted to ask you guys to think about saving me.” Chrissy begins. “I know we haven’t really gotten the chance to talk all that much, but I promise you if you keep me that I will be gunning for Jake and Jason.” Will does like the sound of that, but he holds his poker face. No one says anything, so Chrissy continues. “And if you do keep me, then I promise you that I won’t put any of you up. I swear it.”

Max begins suddenly. “How many other people have you offered this deal to?” Will was thinking it, but he’s glad that Max was the one to ask.

“Max, it’s like I said, the only people I would want to nominate are Jake and Jason, for obvious reasons.”

Max interrupts. “So, you win HoH, nominate them, then one of them wins Veto. What happens after that?”

Chrissy begins stumbling. “I m-mean, I don’t know, I-I didn’t really…”

“I can tell.” Max says. “Look, this isn’t to be mean or anything, but you’re juggling, and you’re dropping your balls.” Will laughs under his breath. “It’s not good gameplay, and it just doesn’t convince me to keep you. You need to try harder than that.”

“Max–”

Will interrupts Chrissy. “Look, it really sucked hearing Jason say that you went around to everyone, making deals to keep Eddie. You didn’t even try working something out with me if I did stay, which means you wanted me gone. I’m sorry Chrissy, but seeing you try to make more deals last minute just doesn’t convince me to have faith in you.”

At this point, Chrissy can’t look them in the eyes, and before she can hear what Dustin has to say, she begins walking away. “I guess I’ll just go fuck myself then.”

Once back in the house, Dustin turns to Will and Max. “That was a little harsh, don’t you think?”

“Whatever.” Max responds.

“No, seriously. What if she ends up staying? She’ll have a reason to target us, you guys should’ve at least lied and told her you would vote to keep her.” Dustin argues.

Will sees his point, but he stands with Max. He looks at Dustin and says, “Look, El is staying. We can’t put out into the world that Chrissy is staying. We are locked in, so it doesn’t matter that we made Chrissy upset. She’s going home, and that’s that.” Will then turns to Max. “But, Dustin is right. Moving forward, you and I both need to be careful about how we speak to other people, especially with Jury on the horizon. Fine?”

Dustin sighs. “You’re right.”

Then Max says, “I guess you’re right.”

Will smiles. “Good. Then let’s finish this game, the sun’s starting to go down.”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 2, Day 14

Will finds El sitting in the hammock in the backyard. Will finds it an odd sight, since earlier in the week, she was so inseparable from Mike. But ever since she was nominated, it was like Mike didn’t want anything to do with her. Will wanted to know more about their relationship, trying to get a better feel of the house dynamics. So, Will sits down with her, wanting to talk to her about the house in general before digging for the actual information he wants.

They begin talking casually, with Will checking in on her feelings, but before long, Will is surprised when El begins talking about the game unprompted.

“How does it feel not being a part of a Duo?” El asks.

Will wasn’t sure if El was just not the brightest, or if this was sentiment felt throughout the house, because he feels like, even with all of his precautions, that he and Robin always talk and are always seen together.

But, Will plays along with El’s perception. “I feel alright about it.”

“You don’t feel like someone might target you since you’re alone?”

“I don’t think that would happen. I think most people would take out a Duo, since they work so closely together and would feel inclined to bring each other to the end.”

“I see.” El’s quiet, then adds, “But, I just feel like there are so many Duos already, but nobody’s made a move on them.”

Will wants to know how El sees the house and asks, “Who are the Duos in your mind?”

El begins counting using her fingers. “Chad and Stacy, Angela and Jake, Max and Lucas, Dustin and Suzie, and Mike and I. You’re right about what you said. We’re all targets.”

“You’re worried about your relationship with Mike?” Will asks, looking for details.

El looks away, then says, “When I got nominated, I told Mike to stay away from me. I thought maybe Jason would put us up together after the Veto Meeting since everyone thinks we’re together. I mean, I don’t want to go home, you know?”

“But everyone still sees you guys as a couple.”

El groans. “Ugh, I know. All that work trying to stay away from him, and what was the use?”

Will asks outright. “What is your guys’ relationship?”

El blushes, something she tries to hide, but Will catches. She tries holding back, but eventually says, “I like him and he likes me. It’s as simple and as complex as that.”

Will laughs, because he understands exactly what she’s trying to say. “Well, if that’s the case, I don’t see why you would want to separate yourself from him. I mean, it’s like we talked about, everyone still sees you two as a Duo, why fight it when he can just be your closest ally?”

El thinks it over. “I know what you’re saying, but I can’t put all my eggs in one basket, you know what I mean? I need to diversify who I trust.” Will nods, because he understands what she’s saying. “I mean, right now, the people I trust the most are you and Mike.”

Will smiles to himself. In his mind, he has a Final 2 deal with Lucas and Robin already, and with how the conversation may go, Will thinks he can make another deal, centering himself well, just like he wanted.

“I trust you a lot too.” Will says. “I feel like you and I could really go far, you know.” El smiles at Will’s words. “And if you’re really unsure about working with Mike, you can work with me.”

“To the end?” El asks

Will puts the onus on El. “If you want to take that far, yes.”

El sits up. “I do, Will, I’m so worried about Mike and I, and I really need someone like you going to bat for me.”

“Then, it’s a deal.”

“Deal.”

Will feels great by the time they finish their conversation. They go back to talking about topics outside of the house, bonding over having one father growing up, and Will appreciates it, because it doubles as both strategy and making a friend. Although, with three Final 2 deals, he can’t help but wonder how his emotions might affect how he moves about the endgame.

But, for now, Will is entirely focused on El, and after he finishes talking with her, Will goes around, talking to people that should be voting to keep El. They all echo back his sentiment without Will having to be overt in his words, and that puts a lot of faith in him. 

The last person Will talks to is Mike. After his conversation with El, Will thought about his relationship with the other alliance members. For him, Lucas was number one, the most trustworthy and active member, involving Will in everything. Second, was El, primarily because of their fresh Final 2 deal. And like he said to El about her and Mike, Will figures that if people like Dustin thought Will and El were siblings, it makes sense to work together if they can’t change the Houseguest’s minds. 

For Will, Max and Dustin were equal in his mind. They talk often, about the game and about innocuous topics, but they’re bonds have not been solidified with any type of deal. And when it came to Mike, he was the one Will felt the least amount of connection with. They had talked before, especially after Will was nominated last week, but this week, Mike was under the radar, barely making any moves to talk to him.

But because any of them can be taken out, Will decides as he goes to bed, to try talking to him more. Will was able to get three deals by the end of the week, and if he maneuvers his way well with Mike, he’s sure that he can create a great bond with him throughout the game.

Chapter Text

Week 3, Day 15

The Houseguests sat about the living room, with Chrissy and El in the nomination chairs. Will sat between Chad and Mike, with Jason at the head of the couch they sat on. With Eddie evicted, they now all fit comfortably on the pairs of couches. On top of that, Will was much more easy going during the live episode, because he knew there was no chance of him going home.

He looks at El, and she’s talking to Chrissy. He assumes they are reassuring themselves, and Will realizes he never did that when he was on the block with Eddie. It was at that moment, he fully understood what Jason said about El being a social threat. She was casually making a bond with someone she would never see again in the house, regardless of who went home, and it made him see her in a different light.

Will trusted El, but he underestimated her. She was a lot like him, he understood why people thought they were siblings. It made him nervous that they had a similar social game, and in his head, he thought about how he could hinder her game, even if they were allies, even if he was saving her tonight. It made him feel evil, but he knows it’s part of the game, so he pushes away his self-doubt.

He’s glad when Julie Chen-Moonves' voice comes on overhead. “Hello, Houseguests.” Will responds with a greeting, as if he was actually in the same room as Julie. “It is now time for the second live vote of the season.” Like last week, her words send chills down his spine, but he shakes it off. “Chrissy. El. In just a few minutes, your housemates will cast their vote to evict. But, before they do, you each have a final chance to sway their votes with one brief statement. Chrissy, you’ll be speaking first.”

Will turns his attention to Chrissy, where she now stands up tall, ready to speak to everyone. “Thank you, Julie.” Chrissy smiles. “I just wanted to thank everyone for these past two weeks. I’ve played this game with passion and heart, and no matter what happens tonight, that will not be taken away from me.”

Will, and the others, clap for Chrissy’s speech. “Thank you, Chrissy. El, you may speak.” Julie says.

El stands and begins, “I just wanted to say to all of you, that to make it far in this game, you have to work with someone you like and trust. Chrissy has proven that she is not someone to be trusted, especially when she’s under pressure. I trust you all to make the right decision, because Chrissy has manifested this outcome for herself.”

He’s blown away by El’s speech, and as Will claps and looks around the room, he can tell no one expected that from her. It’s a fierce side he’s never seen before, but it shows him that she wants to play the game, meaning she’ll be an active and reliable ally.

They all turn their attention back to Julie as El sits down. “Thank you, Chrissy and El.” She pauses for dramatic effect. “The time has come. The live voting will begin now. The two nominees, Chrissy and El, are not allowed to vote. Jason. As the current Head of Household, you will only vote in the event of a tie.” Jason nods. “One at a time, the rest of you will enter the Diary Room, and cast your vote to evict. Remember, it takes at least seven votes to evict. Will, you’re up first.”

Will’s eyes widen, and immediately stands up. He opens the door, and walks down the hall that leads to the Diary Room. Once inside, he takes a seat, sitting in front of the camera they all use for their confessionals. Julie’s voice comes on, and she says. “Hello, Will.”

He smiles looking straight into the camera. “Hi, Julie, you look lovely tonight.” It’s something everyone says, despite the fact that they couldn’t see her at the moment.

“Thank you very much.” She pauses, then says. “Please, cast your vote to evict.”

Will lets out a breath. “I vote to evict Chrissy.”

“Thank you, Will. You may head back to the living room.”

Thank you, Julie!” Will is back on his feet instantly, and leaves the Diary Room.

Will crosses paths with Suzie, as she enters the Diary Room, and he gives her a high-five. He returns to his seat, where he makes eye contact with El. He quickly smiles at her, signifying the trust he wants her to feel. 

After Suzie, Stacy enters, then Robin, and then the rest of the contestants vote to evict. Angela returns from the Diary Room, and soon after, Julie begins speaking. “Houseguests, the votes are in. When I reveal the vote, the evicted Houseguest will have just a few moments to say goodbye, gather her belongings, and walk out the front door.” Julie pauses, and Will can do nothing but stare at her face on the T.V. screen. “By a vote… of 10 to 2… Chrissy, you have been evicted from the Big Brother house.”

Will instantly looks at Chrissy, who is already on her feet and heading towards the front door. She doesn’t stop to hug or talk to anyone, instead opting to just wave goodbye as people begin to follow her to the front door. Will grabs her duffle bag, and hands it to her, and without another word, she walks out the door. Will sighs, as does everyone else, thankful to have survived another week, Before the HoH competition can properly begin, Will walks up to hug her, thankful that everyone voted the way he thought they would, and glad that The Party still had all of their members in the game.

 ⏿⏿⏿

The backyard was transformed. Will and the Houseguests stand at a podium, one for each housemate, and at one end is a bucket full of large croquet-like balls.. Attached to the podium is a keypad. In front of them, the grassy terrain of the backyard was transformed to a shiny flat image of the forest floor. At one corner is a constructed squirrel, its mouth open wide. Close to it is a circle with the number 1 on it. Other circles are aligned, ranging in its distance from the squirrel, with the farthest one being the number 30. This circle was also the closest to the podiums they are using. Jason stands off to the left of the podiums, the HoH key around his neck, and a large croquet-like mallet in his hands.

Will stands up straight as Julie begins speaking. “Houseguests, the power is up for grabs. Jason, as outgoing Head of Household, you are not eligible to compete tonight.” Jason nods, and Will gulps as he waits to hear the rules of the competition. “This competition is called Munch Munch, Crunch Crunch . Here’s how it works. Take a look at the forest floor in front of you. One at a time, you will step up and attempt to hit your ball into the squirrel’s mouth. 

“Position one is the easiest shot. Position thirty is the most difficult shot. Before anyone shoots, everyone must claim a spot to shoot from. On my go, you will enter your desired shooting position on your keypad. If your number is already taken, you must pick another number until you claim a spot. Choose wisely, because with great risk comes great reward. The winner of this competition will be the Houseguest who sinks their ball from the highest and most difficult position, and bank shots are not allowed.

“Prepare yourselves, because on my go, you must enter a number until you get a position. Once done, you will all take your spots and begin shooting into the squirrel’s mouth.” Will quickly scans the field and finds a number that he wants, one in the middle of 15 and 30. “On your mark, get set… go.” 

Will quickly enters his number, 22, and the keypad in front of him flashes green, meaning he claimed his position successfully. He sees the keypads next to him flash red, and Mike and Angela begin punching in other numbers until they get the green light.

“Everyone’s position has been locked in.” Julie says after a short moment. “Please, grab a ball, and take your positions.” Once everyone does so, Jason walks up to Stacy, who stands on number 15, and hands her the mallet. “Alright Stacy, you chose number 15, which is the lowest number and the easiest shot. You may take your shot whenever you’re ready.” Will watches as Stacy hits the ball without any planning. Will follows the ball and watches it go in. 

“Congratulations, Stacy, you are now in the lead.” Julie says, and everyone claps for her. “Up next we have Mike at number 16. Take your shot.” Will watches, and unsurprisingly, it makes its way into the squirrel’s mouth. “Mike, you have displaced Stacy, good job.”

The next shots are made by Suzie at 17, and Lucas at 18, who both fail to make it into the squirrel’s mouth. Erica is on number 19, and when she hits her ball, it travels easily to the mouth. “Congratulations, Erica, you have displaced Mike as the highest scorer. El, you are up next.”

El hits the ball with her mallet, and it travels far off from its desired path. “Sorry, El, Erica is still the highest placing scorer.” At number 21 is Chad, who hits the ball with all his force it seems, and the ball goes flying away, similar to El’s. 

Will grabs the mallet from Chad, and it’s much heavier than he thought it’d be. “Will, it is now your turn. Take your shot.” He does a practice swing, and then takes a deep breath. When he hits the ball, his heartbeat increases, and he watches it roll across the backyard, and to his surprise, it falls into the squirrel's mouth. “Congratulations, Will, you have displaced Erica, you are now in the lead.”

Everyone claps for him, and Will feels like this could be his moment of victory. He looks down the line, and sees who’s left to shoot. It was Jake on 23, Robin on 24, Max on 25, and Angela on 26. He felt good about his chances of staying safe this week. Either, everyone else misses, and he is the new Head of Household, or he gets displaced by one of his allies. With Angela at the most difficult position, he hoped she would be hindered enough that she missed the goal completely.

Jake takes his turn, and the ball banks off of a wall instead of sinking in. Robin then takes aim, and hits the ball. It gets close to the squirrel’s mouth, but hits a wall. “Sorry, Robin. You are out. Will is still the one to beat.”

Will’s heart beats even faster, which he didn’t think was possible. There were only two people standing in his way of winning HoH: Max and Angela. He begins to bite his thumb, something he rarely does. He almost bites down hard enough to break skin, overtaken by his nerves. Max hits her ball, and like the rest, it travels far away from the goal. Will breathes deeply, trying to calm himself.

Angela grabs the mallet from Max. “Alright, Angela. Either you or Will are the next Head of Household.” The adrenaline was coursing through Will’s veins, and he didn't want to look. Angela swings her mallet, and with a loud smack, her ball travels and travels, until finally, it falls right into the squirrel’s mouth. “Congratulations, Angela.” Will lets out a deep breath. “You are the new Head of Household.”

Will runs up to Angela, unable to believe she just beat him. He gives her a hug and congratulates her, but deep down, he can’t hide the disappointment and anxiety that becomes apparent on his face.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 3, Day 16

Will rubs his eyes from exhaustion. He had spent most of the morning moving his belongings into the Have-Not room. After the HoH competitions, they were informed who the new Have-Nots were. Everyone that got displaced during the competition - Stacy, Mike, Erica, and Will - would be the new Have-Nots. Will was not thrilled about it, especially as he was already hungry after moving everything upstairs, and he wouldn’t be able to eat anything fulfilling except the slop that he was now on.

Will was happy with who he was now rooming with. Both Mike and Erica he got along with, and Stacy was someone you could never catch in her room, so he felt comfortable with his new roommates.

At the moment, he and Mike were packing away their belongings. They were the only ones in the room, and Will decided to seize the opportunity. He already wanted to get to know Mike better, but now with them alone together, they could even strategize together for the week and share their ideas with the alliance.

“You know, we’ve got to be careful around Stacy while we’re up here.” Will says as they keep organizing their clothes.

“Really?” Mike asks.

Will furrows his brow. “Yeah, she’s working with Angela. If we rub her the wrong way, Angela might put us up.”

“Are they really working together?” Mike asks, and Will can’t believe that he’s actually asking that.

“Yeah, you haven’t seen them hanging out?”

“I mean, yeah, but I don’t know, they’re both so easy to talk to, I just never thought they would worry about getting me out.”

Will didn’t know Mike felt so comfortable around them, especially since he always felt like he was walking on eggshells around them. “You trust them, then?”

“Oh, absolutely not. I just don’t think I’m a target for them, especially this week.”

Mike finishes and sits down on his bed. Will joins him even though he still has unpacking to do. He regards Mike, because he’s been playing under the radar. No matter who he’s talked to, no one has mentioned targeting him, and they all felt like they could trust him. It made him a dangerous player.

“Well, just try to be on their good side this week. I’d really hate to have another alliance member on the block again.”

“Will do.”

Will hates the way Mike seems so confident in his gameplay, when Will was sure Angela could put him up at any moment. Even though he was part of a big alliance, Will still felt powerless, especially with Angela in power. Without another word, Will leaves the room, Mike calling out to him as he exits.

With the Have-Not room and the HoH room on the same floor, the distance Will walks is short. He knocks on the door to Angela’s bedroom, and when she hears her voice, he enters. Inside, he finds Angela by herself, sitting on her bed, reading the letters she got from home. The past two weeks, Angela had been in the Head of Household room, and Will always thought that she was influencing Jake and Jason. Seeing her by herself, none of her allies are there to talk to her, Will’s suspicions are confirmed, and he knows that for her HoH week, she’s going to do what she wants to do without much input.

“Will, just the guy I was looking for.” She says.

Based on her words, he knows that she’s up to something. Will sits down on the couch, ready to hear her out. “Oh really? Lucky I was close by, huh?”  Will plays along, trying to be playful so that he can be safe.

Angela puts her gifts away, and to Will’s surprise, she hops off of her bed, and takes a seat next to him on the couch. “Okay, look, you’re the only one I’m telling this to.”

Will is inclined to believe her since her allies are gone. “Tell me what?” He asks. He wants her to lead the conversation entirely, so that he doesn’t misspeak.

“So, look, this is something you’re gonna have to trust me on, and I know it’s a big ask, but you need to trust me here.”

Will doesn’t like where this is leading. “Okay, I’m listening.”

Angela puts her head on one arm, trying to look less powerful, Will assesses. That was also the reason she decided to sit right next to him. “I’ve been thinking a lot about how to trust in this game, and I trust you a lot, so when you hear what I have to say, you have to believe in me.” Will can tell she’s lying a bit, because they only started talking recently. There was no way she trusted him the same way she trusted Stacy or Jake. “There’s someone that I want to backdoor this week.”

In the game, to backdoor someone is to nominate two pawns, have one of them come off of the block at the Veto Meeting, and then nominate the actual target, leaving them without a way to save themselves. It was a common strategy to use in the game to get out a big target, and since Angela was telling him about this, it meant that she wanted him to be a part of the plan.

“Who do you want out then?” Will asks.

“I can’t tell you that just yet.” Angela says curtly, and they begin to stare at each other, and after a short moment, Will determines she won’t give up the information that easily. “But, I wanted to talk to you because I wanted to nominate you as a pawn.”

Will feels his stomach plummet. It was an outcome he was expecting, but he was hoping that it wouldn’t occur. It signaled to him, whether or not he was an actual pawn, that Angela was okay with nominating him then, and that she would be okay nominating him further down the line, when the competition is steeper and more frantic.

Angela at least had the courage to tell him what she wanted to do, which he appreciated more than Jake being vague about his plans. But, in the seasons he’s watched, Will always hated when someone didn’t advocate for themselves to stay off the block, especially since pawns are easily taken out of the game. So, in that instant, Will decides to give some pushback.

“Look, I hear what you’re saying. I understand why you’d tell me this, so that I could go for the Veto and save myself, but I have to be honest. I don’t feel comfortable going on the block.”

Angela regards him, and Will can feel the tension brewing. “That makes sense. But, you have to understand that this is me trying to work with you.”

Will smirks. “I get that, but no matter how you try to spin it, I don’t want to go on the block. It’s as simple as that.” Angela is quiet for a moment, so Will continues. “I mean, you can’t even tell me who you want to backdoor, which, again, I get. You don’t want that information getting out, but you have to see how it’s hard for me to trust you a hundred percent.”

They enter another battle of wits where they size each other up. He knows that too much pushback can make him an actual target instead of who she was gunning for, but he can’t accept his fate without some pushback. Will also knew that his actions showed Angela how self-interested he actually was. It could come back to bite him. He might have dashed any trust she felt with him, and begun planning a way of taking him out.

Their silent battle is interrupted by a knock at the door. Angela gets up from the couch, and opens the door to find Suzie walking in. “Oh, I’m sorry,” Suzie says as she spots Will, “I can come back later–”

“No, that’s okay.” Will says as he stands up. Angela said she was sharing information she only wanted him to know, so if he stayed, he imagined he wouldn’t benefit anymore. “I was just about to leave, actually.”

Before Angela can try to coerce him to stay, Will exits the HoH room. He felt even more exhausted than before, and with his stomach rumbling, Will heads downstairs to the kitchen, where he fixes himself a bowl of slop to eat.

⏿⏿⏿

Nominations were right around the corner, but all Will had done was sit around the house, feeling sorry for himself.

He didn’t initially plan to sulk. Will wanted to plan for what happens if he’s on the block. He might have been able to save himself from nomination by pushing back, but with Angela, he can never tell what she might do.

Because of her unpredictability, Will let his mind become full of worst case scenarios. The prevalent one was that Angela just wanted him out, and was lying to him to drop his guard as she plans a way to lock in the votes to evict him. That idea caused him to sulk. On top of that, being a Have-Not dampened his mood overall.

He spends hours in the living room, pushing his bowl of slop around, watching people move about the house, and thinks to himself. It takes him an excruciating amount of time to eat his slop, and when he finally finishes it, he can’t bring himself to clean up after himself, dumping the bowl in the sink for someone else to deal with. 

Will climbs back upstairs, and enters his new bedroom. Everyone else was downstairs, meaning he had a moment to be alone. The clothes he left unpacked are suddenly in the drawer he and Mike were using. Thankful that the task was finished, he flops onto his bed, where he looks at the ceiling, thinking about what to do about Angela.

He hears the door open, Will groans. He sits up to find Mike standing in the middle of the Have-Not room. Before he can say anything, Mike joins him on his bed.

“Are you okay?” Mike asks, concern on his face.

Will eyes him. “Why do you ask that?”

Mike looks away then back at him. “I don’t know, you just seem off. Not like your usual self.”

Will rolls his eyes. “Didn’t know you kept an eye on me.”

“You’re my friend, Will.” Mike says with a smile.

“We’ve barely talked to each other.”

“I know.” Mike moves in closer. “But I like you. You’re a great person. Not just an ally.”

Mike’s words are nice on Will’s ears. “I didn’t know you thought of me that way.”

Mike smiles again. “What’s wrong?” Will is silent. “Did Angela say something to you?”

Will looks at Mike, sees the worry on his face, and decides to cave. “You can’t tell anyone else this. Not even The Party. Not right now, at least. Do you understand?”

“Of course, whatever you need.” Mike nods.

“Angela said that she wants to backdoor someone and that she wanted me to be a pawn to get it done.”

“Did she say who else she wanted to pawn?”

Will did not expect that question. He hadn’t even thought who the other pawn might be. “No, she didn’t mention anyone else.”

“She didn’t say who she wanted to backdoor?”

“No. I knew I couldn’t pry that out of her.”

“I can see why you’re stressed out.” Mike laughs, and Will can’t help but join in. “You pushed back on her plan right.”

“Of course I did, I’m not an idiot.”

“Do you think you might’ve gotten to her?”

“I don’t know. Honestly, I just want to skip to the Nomination Ceremony already.” WIll sighs, and falls back down onto his bed. “What am I gonna do?”

Mike copies him. “I don’t know.” Will can feel Mike looking at him. “But doesn’t it feel better to talk about it with me instead of sulking.”

Will looks at Mike. “I guess.” They stare at each other, but unlike how it was with Angela, this one is filled with understanding and reassurance. “Thanks, Mike.”

“Anytime, Will.”

⏿⏿⏿

Will avoids making any eye contact with the other Houseguests. Instead, he keeps his eyes on Angela. She stands at the front of the room, ready to begin the Nomination Ceremony. Everyone else has their eyes on her too, but none of them were trying to bore a hole through her like Will was trying to do.

Aside from Angela, the only thing Will was sure about in the room was that Mike sat next to him. They had come down together from the Have-Not room. Mike told him to have faith, but Will couldn’t think of that either. All that was on his mind was Angela, and how he couldn’t trust her, regardless if his key was in the Nomination Wheel or not.

“This is the Nomination Ceremony.” Angela says, looking around the room at everyone. “One of my duties as Head of Household is to nominate two Houseguests for eviction.” She smiles at Will and he hates it. “I will pull the first key, and that person is safe. That person will pull the next key. So on, and so forth.”

Angela leans forward, and grabs the first key out of the Nomination Wheel. “Jason, you are safe.”

Everyone rotates the lazy susan toward Jason. He thanks Angela, and pulls the next key. “Max, you are safe.”

Will knew what Angela was doing. To make the nominations seem random, she wasn’t putting her allies back to back. But, Will saw through that, and wished she would get her friends out of the way.

“Stacy, you are safe.” Max says. 

Stacy thanks Angela, and pulls out the next key. She smiles as she says, “Mike, you are safe.”

Will looks at Mike as he puts his key around his neck. He grabs a new key. “Chad, you are safe.” Mike sits back down and to Will’s surprise, he feels his hand near his knee, trying to comfort him with small movements.

“El, you are safe.” Chad says after thanking Angela. El looks surprised, but hurriedly puts her key around her neck.

“Jake, you are safe.” She says, and Will finds it funny that Angela would put his key in last out of all her allies.

The people left still without a key are Dustin, Erica, Lucas, Robin, and Suzie. There was a high chance that Will could be on the block with an ally, or even an alliance member. It made him nervous to think about that outcome, and deep down, hoped that he’d be sitting on the block next to Suzie.

“Erica, you are safe.” Jake says. Will has to hand it to Erica. She was the initial target week one, and now no one was putting her up. She had to be playing the game well.

Erica puts her key on, and pulls out the next one. “Suzie, you are safe.”

There were two keys left and Will sighs. No matter what, he’d be on the block against an ally. Even if Angela was being truthful about her backdoor plan, anything could hinder that, and the targets can easily shift. He hated that he and his allies had to be sacrificed for her plan, but he hated himself the most for not being able to win the Head of Household competition.

“Lucas, you are safe.” Suzie, says.

Will brings his attention back to Angela, and as Lucas pulls out the last key, he doesn’t take his eyes off for another second. Lucas begins, “Dustin, you are safe.”

Everyone turns the lazy susan for Dustin to grab his key. They all turn their eyes to Angela, waiting for her to speak. “I have nominated you, Robin, and you, Will, for eviction. Simply put, you two are the ones I haven’t been able to bond with like the other Houseguests.” Will regards her with a cutting edge, but she doesn’t divulge any further. “This Nomination Ceremony is adjourned.”

Will is the first one out of his seat. He walks over to Robin, where they hold each other in an embrace. He’s the only one he offers that too, because once they’re done, Will walks away from the group, heading to the backyard. He takes his usual spot on the hammock, ready to let his feelings stew. He’s surprised though when Mike follows him, and takes a seat next to him.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 3, Day 17

Will tells Mike first what he wants to happen regarding the Veto. He said, regardless of who is playing, that he wants to win the PoV. It doesn’t matter if The Party decides to throw the competition to him, because he wants to show to everyone else that he still has some skin in the game. Being put on the block two times out of the first three weeks did not bode well for Will. He wanted to win the competition to show that he isn’t someone who is easily pawned or easily evicted.

He relies on Mike to tell other people in the alliance about this plan, but he’s able to relay his thoughts to Dustin, Lucas, and Max while in the kitchen. They speak softly of course, but since they were up early, they had little worry that anyone would catch them whispering.

Of course, they all promise to Will that even if the nominations do stay the same, they have the numbers to evict Robin easily. Will doesn’t verbally agree to this plan, but nods anyway. He can’t let them in on the fact that he was working with Robin, but he felt wrong actively campaigning against her before the Veto competition was even decided. Instead, he just keeps manifesting that he was going to win the Veto, no matter the cost.

It’s not long before the Veto Selections, and Will looks for Robin. She’s in bed, obviously as annoyed as Will was. He slides in next to her, where they begin talking about what they need to do.

“I hope you know I’m gunning for that Veto.” Robin says.

“I’d expect nothing less.”

“You better be too. It’s too early for either of us to give up.”

Will looks at Robin, and then, in a hushed tone, asks, “Did Angela talk to you before the Nomination Ceremony yesterday?”

“Yup. I’m guessing she did the same with you then?”

“Yeah, she told me that she wanted to backdoor someone, but she wouldn’t tell me who.”

“Same here. I tried getting it out of her, but she wouldn’t budge.”

“Has anyone else talked to you about the plan? Other than Angela?” Will asks, wanting to confirm something.

“Now that you mention it, no. Nobody’s brought it up to me.”

“Hm.”

“What are you thinking?” Robin asks.

“Well, she told me she didn’t want to tell the plan to other people, so that she could actually go through with the plan. No one else has mentioned it to me yet, aside from you. You think she’s actually telling the truth about her plan?”

Robin shakes her head. “I don’t know, but you know you can’t trust her. If neither one of us wins, she could easily do it herself and keep the nominations the same.”

Will sighs. “What do we do then?”

“I don’t know. But, I don’t want to think about it right now.”

⏿⏿⏿

For the second time, Will found himself in the nomination chairs waiting for Angela to begin the Veto Selection process. She looks pleased with herself, standing at the front of the room with her cue card and the bag full of the players’ names.

Angela begins speaking. “Only six people will compete in the Veto Competition, the Head of Household, the two nominees, and three other players selected by random draw. Will the nominees please join me up here.” Will looks at Robin, and they get up at the same time, walking to the front of the room. “As HoH, I will pick first.” Angela puts her cue card in one hand, and with the other, she digs deep into the Veto box, pulling out a chip. She reads it and says, “Mike.” There are claps for Mike, and Will looks at him as he gets up. Mike smiles at him, which Will returns. To Will, it seemed like Mike was throwing the competitions, so he wondered if he would actually be going for the win this time around.

It’s Robin’s turn now, and she wastes no time picking a chip. She turns it and reads aloud, “Lucas.” With Lucas playing, that meant the three alliance members were playing, and Will felt good about his chances of coming off the block; he can’t help but to smile as Lucas joins them.

Will reaches into the bag for a chip. He reads it before speaking, and he feels even better. “Max.” She joins them right away. In his mind, Will was jumping for joy, knowing that there was a third of chance that he or his allies won the Power of Veto. He didn’t want to get cocky, but he hoped that these odds were a sign of what’s to come.

Angela finishes the Veto Selections by saying, “Big Brother is to inform us when the Veto Competition is to begin… Good luck!”

⏿⏿⏿

When they walk into the backyard, they are amazed by a large scale set of a mess hall one would see at summer camp. But, this wasn’t the typical one, as it was overwhelmed with different objects like backpacks, pool noodles, baskets of fruit, and other things seen at a summer camp. It took up the whole of the backyard, with only the smallest part being sectioned off for everyone to sit at. The Veto players head to a series of booths set up for the six of them, where Will finds a chalkboard, as well as two metallic cards, one reading STAY and the other reading FOLD. Will looks at the large set again, trying to take in all of the details of what’s in front of him.

Off to the side is Erica, who is hosting the Veto competition for everyone. She puts on her best hosting voice, and explains the competition. “Welcome to your first day of work as a camp counselor at the BB Lodge ! As the newest camp counselors, it’s your responsibility to keep inventory of all the objects we keep here for the incoming campers. So, you’ll have a few minutes to count everything in the mess hall, starting now.”

Will leaves his booth, and walks right up to the mess hall, getting an even clearer picture of what he would be keeping count of. Aside from the first three things he noticed, he could now make out other objects like: sunscreen, kayak paddles, dodgeballs, bird feeders, pillows, water bottles, and much more. For each object, there was a smaller set of them right next to an uncountable amount. Numbers were not Will’s strong suit, but he was determined to win the Veto, especially since he wasn’t sure if he was the target for the week or not.

Eventually, they all return to their booths, and Erica begins explaining once more. “To earn the title of ‘Counselor of the Summer’, you need to earn three marshmallows. To earn a marshmallow, I’ll ask you a question about one of the objects displayed in front of you. Each answer is always a number. You will write down what you think is the correct amount, and then you will all reveal your answers. After hearing everyone’s answers, you must decide if you want to stay or fold. If you fold, you won't earn a marshmallow, but you get to stick around for the next question. If you stay, and you’re closest to the actual answer, you’ll earn a marshmallow. If you stay, and you’re the furthest from the actual answer, you’re eliminated from the game. The first person to earn three marshmallows, or be the last player standing, will win the Golden Power of Veto. Are you ready to play Counting Counselors ?”

Will, and everyone else cheers, but for Will it’s like a battle cry, done to pump himself up. “Round 1.” Erice begins. “There are 55 dodgeballs in the wire box. How many dodgeballs are  scattered about the mess hall?” Will looks at the display of 55 dodgeballs and compares them to the rest that he sees. There are nine full wire boxes, but they are overflowing with balls, including some on the floor about the mess hall. He does his quick math, and adds a few more to his total. 

“Alright counselors, please lock in your answers.” Erica says. Will displays his chalkboard, with the number 515 on it. “Angela, what is your answer?” She answers 520. “Mike?” Mike answers 500. “Robin, what is your answer?” She wrote down 530. “Lucas?” He put 510. “Will, what is your answer?” Will reveals his answer. “Max?” She wrote 517. Once everyone finishes, Erica asks, “How confident are you? Are you going to STAY or FOLD ?”

Will was unsure about his answer being correct, but he knew that to win this, he had to take some chances, so he put up the STAY display. “Angela and Mike have folded, everyone else has stayed.” Erica informs. “The correct answer is… 513 dodgeballs. Will, you were only two points away, meaning you’ve won one marshmallow. Sorry, Robin, you were the furthest away from the correct answer, so you have been eliminated.” Will felt bad for Robin, and he wanted to reach out and give her a hug, but he knew he needed to keep his head in the game no matter what.

“Time for Round 2.” Erica begins. “There are 15 drinking cups hanging on the drying rack. How many drinking cups total are there hanging on each drying rack.” Will tries to focus on the cups, but they’re semi-transparent, making it hard to properly count how many there are. He writes down a number and hopes for the best. “Angela, what is your answer?” Erica goes down the line with the answers being: 127  from Angela, 115 from Mike, 121 from Lucas, 120 from Will, and 137 from Max. “How confident are you? Will you STAY or FOLD ?” Will was the second lower number, which did not bode well to him, so he put up the FOLD display. “Mike and Will have folded, everyone else has stayed.” Will lets out a sigh of relief, because he could have been out if he stayed while Mike folded. “The correct answer is… 135 drinking cups. Angela and Max, you were both five cups away from the correct answer, meaning you both receive one marshmallow. Sorry, Lucas, you have been eliminated.” Will was betting on Lucas winning it if he couldn't, so hearing him eliminated makes him nervous.

“Round 3. There are 5 birds on the display bird feeder. How many birds total are there on each of the hanging bird feeders?” This was the trickiest question for Will. The five birds vary in sizes, so there wasn’t a set amount that could hang on each bird feeder. Regardless, he tries his best, and works out an answer. “Alright, please lock in your answers.“ Angela answers 220, Mike answers 216, Will answers 225, and Max answers 223. “How confident are you? Will you STAY or FOLD ?” Will had the highest number, but he knows that he has to be under the actual answer, since some of the birds are smaller, and he made his guess based on the average size bird, so he put up the STAY display. “Everyone has stayed. The correct answer is… 234 birds. Will, you were the closest, so you have received another marshmallow. Sorry, Mike, you were the furthest away from the correct answer, so you have been eliminated.” They were now down to three, with Will in the lead, but Angela and Max were not far behind.

“Time for Round 4. There are 25 sunscreen bottles on display. How many total sunscreens bottles are there on the spinning racks in the mess hall?” This was another tricky one, since there were multiple hanging on one wire. With a total of 10 spinning racks with 6 layers on them, Will guesses his answer, not carrying out his math properly. “Angela, what is your answer?” They go down the line: Angela answers 1,774, Will writes 1,526, and Max puts down 1,803. “How confident are you? Will you STAY or FOLD ?” Will is not confident at all, and decides to put up the FOLD display. “Will and Max have both folded. The correct answer is 1,800 so Angela, you have received another marshmallow. Max, if you had stayed, you’d have received another marshmallow, and Angela would have been eliminated.” Will is now tied with Angela, and Will figures that the next round he has to go for it. Either he wins, or he’s out, but at least he would have tried.

“Round 5. There 50 backpacks hanging on display. How many total backpacks are hanging about the mess hall?” Will doesn’t allow himself time to second guess himself. He works out the math quickly, and when he gets a solid answer, he writes it down. “Alright, please lock in your answers.” Angela answers 240, Will answers 253, and Max answers 237. “How confident are you? Will you STAY or FOLD ?” Will was the highest number again, but he bets on the fact that Angela is going for the Power of Veto, so he put up his STAY display. “Max has decided to fold, meaning it’s now down to Angela and Will.” Mike gulped, and focused his breathing, waiting for the answer from Erica. “The correct answer is… 261. Congratulations Will, you have earned your third marshmallow, and you have earned the Golden Power of Veto!”

Will falls to his knees, his face in his hands, and tears coming out. He can feel everyone around him, but he doesn’t stand up until the Veto is placed firmly around his neck, signifying his safety for another week. Once on his feet again, he immediately embraces Robin, letting all his mixed emotions flow freely.

Through all the chatter and fanfare, Robin asks , “You think I’ll be able to stay.”

Will responds quickly, “I’ll make sure of it.”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 3, Day 18

Robin is located in the shower, washing herself. Will stands nearby, giving her some privacy, but they need to discuss plans, especially since they aren’t sleeping in the same room at the moment. They speak in a hushed tone, the new normal now that they were further along in the room. 

“The person that she’s gonna put up, you think they’ll be a big enough target for me to stay?” She asks as she washes her hair.

Will is contemplative. “I’m assuming so, but who knows.” Will was anticipating her putting up someone from The Party, and in that case, Will wasn’t sure she'd be able to stay. “Regardless, I’m gonna try to take the target off of you.”

“Are you sure you should do that?”

“I know we’ve been keeping our alliance on the down low, but maybe I can talk to people without making us seem close.” Will’s looking in the mirror at her as they speak.

“I just don’t want you to throw away your game.”

“You’re right, but there’s gotta be something I can do.”

Fearing them getting caught in a conversation, Will leaves the bathroom. Instinctively, Will searches for Lucas. Their bond has grown, and they work great together. If there was anyone that he could strategize with openly, planning a way to keep Robin, it would be him.

Will quickly searches for Lucas in his room, but he finds nothing but empty beds. He hopes that Lucas wasn’t pulled into the Diary Room, because he needs someone to bounce ideas off of. He continues his search, and heads for the backyard. At the exit, through the glass door that separates the outside from the inside, Will stops, and notices Lucas on the hammock, with Max. They seem to be cuddling from his point of view, and Will rolls his eyes.

“What’s got you rolling your eyes?” Dustin asks. He walks to Will from the kitchen and stands next to Will. “Ah, I see.”

“I have nothing against them.” Will reassures him. “Just wanted to talk to him about something. Kind of hard to pull him away when they’re on each other like that, you know?”

“I guess.”

Will looks at Dustin, and realizes that he probably feels the same about him and Suzie. He did, in fact, find that couple annoying too, as they were inseparable. In fact, all the Duos around him, especially the ones that seemed like showmances made him feel uneasy. But, Will didn’t want his feelings to be overbearing, especially since a Duo could make him a target easily because of said annoyance.

“How’s Suzie?” Will asks, trying to hide his true feelings.

They begin moving over to the counter, continuing their conversation. “She’s good.” He said enthusiastically, which was endearing. “She’s in the Diary Room right now.”

“Robin told me you guys started sharing a bed now.” Will says playfully.

Dustin grins, and tries to hide his blushing face. “Uh, yeah, some nights we do.”

Will eyes Dustin, seeing how shy he’s gotten. “Are you guys, like, dating?” Will asks. That was the thing about showmances, it was hard for the people to fully trust one another because of the nagging idea of them using one another to get further in the game, rather than actual romantic feelings blooming between them.

“I guess you can say so. We’re getting to know each other for now, at least.”

Will smiles, slightly jealous of what all the showmances around him could be feeling. “Well, I’m happy for you. It’s nice having someone like that to watch your back.”

The conversation ends naturally, and Will returns to his initial goal. He walks into the backyard. Aside from Lucas and Max, Angela and Jake are in the pool, while Chad and Jason are lounging about. Will walks right up to Max and Lucas, standing in front of the hammock.

“Can I talk to you?” Will asks, looking at Lucas.

“Hello to you too, Will.” Max says. It comes off as playful, but Will knows he shouldn’t have ignored Max.

“Hi, sorry. I really wanted to talk to Lucas, if that was okay?”

“Uh, sure. I don’t see why not.” Max says as she gets up.

Will takes her place, and they both watch Max walk away. “What’s wrong?” Lucas asks quietly.

“I need to tell you something. But, you have to promise not to tell anyone.”

“Okay.”

“Not even Max.” 

Lucas slowly blinks, like he’s offended. “Okay.”

“Before the nominations, Angela told me she wanted to backdoor someone.”

Lucas’ brows become furrowed. “So you knew you were going up?” 

“I told her not to, but you saw how that turned out. Anyway, I don’t know who she’s going to put up, but I think she’s really gonna want them gone.”

“Go on.”

“So, I was thinking about last week. How you didn’t use the Veto so you could get Jason to trust you. I think it’s the same this week. We get out her target so that she can trust me, specifically. I mean, she told me about the plan beforehand, and it may not mean anything, but it has to be because she trusts me at some level.”

Will can feel Lucas studying him. “What if she puts up one of The Party?”

“She’s not gonna do that.”

“You know that? Or are you hoping for that?”

Will looks away. “You’re right. I’m hoping she won't put one of us up.”

Lucas is quiet for a moment, trying to find the right words. “Look, Will, it’s a good plan on paper. And I won’t outright deny trying to secure trust between you and her, but we don’t even know the other nominee yet. We can’t plan for what we don’t know.”

Will shakes his head in defeat. “I get what you’re saying.” Will was trigger happy. Campaigning without knowing for certain who was on the block was silly. But he wanted to plant seeds, just in case it did turn out well for him, and the other nominee was someone not in The Party.

“We’ll talk about this again after the meeting. Okay?”

“Okay.”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 3, Day 19

It was a strange feeling being the one leading the Veto Meeting. With everyone waiting in the backyard, Will had some time to think to himself inside.

He stood at the Memory Wall, where two pictures were already grayed out. He could feel his stomach turning as he looked at the picture of Robin. His biggest worry was that Angela would nominate one of The Party. In that scenario, he would most likely have to vote Robin out to keep the numbers on his side.

Will half wonder if he should use the Veto on Robin instead of himself. If Will manifested it, someone else could be on the block not in The Party, and they would instantly have the numbers to send that person out. It was a futile thought process though. Will wouldn’t make the mistake of keeping himself on the block. He wanted safety, and he earned it. There was no reason to wonder what Angela might do, because he was here for another week, and that should be all that matters.

When Will calls the rest of the Houseguests inside, he hurriedly takes his place at one of the nomination chairs, the Golden Power of Veto around his neck. He couldn’t help but to smile, knowing that no one could take the Veto away from him.

With everyone seated, Will stands up and begins the meeting. “This is the Veto Meeting.” Will says, looking at Mike mainly, who is smiling at him. Will gestures to Robin as he says, “Robin and myself have been nominated for eviction. But… I have the power to veto one of those nominations.” Everyone knows what he’s going to do, but Will pauses from dramatic effect. “I have decided to use the Power of Veto… on myself.” Will looks to Angela, and says, “Angela, you must now name a new Houseguest as a replacement nominee.” Will sits down in an open spot on the couch

Angela stands up from where she sat, looking confident and ready to take action. “My goal in this game is to get as far as I can. To ensure that, I need to take out people that want to nominate and evict me. I’ve already heard of someone planting seeds, and I know they have the possibility of winning a competition and ending my game. Because you are so dangerous, Jason, I have nominated you as the replacement nominee.”

The living room is dead silent. Will has his mouth agape, and others have their hands over their mouths, shocked that Angela just did what she did. Jason is in the nomination chair, obviously fuming, but holding back from going off on her. Caught up in the whirlwind that is Angela, Will almost forgets to end the meeting. He stands up, makes his way to the front of the room, and says, “This Power of Veto Meeting is adjourned.”

The Houseguests scatter like cockroaches. Jason is up first. He’s out the door, slamming it in an anger Will hadn’t seen in the house yet. Chad and Stacy run off to another room, while Jake tries following Jason. Everyone else walks away to different rooms. Will hugs each one of them, looking at all their shocked faces up close and personal. Lucas whispers that they should talk, and Will agrees. When Robin hugs him, she has a smile on her face, like she knows she has good odds of staying.

The last one in the living room is Angela, who, once everyone else leaves, stands up to give Will a hug. As she wraps her arms around him, she says, “Congratulations, Will.”

“Thanks.” Will says. 

She holds on tight to him as she whispers one last thing. “I need Jason gone.”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 3, Day 20

Angela’s words hung heavy around Will’s neck. It felt to him like she was recognizing the player he was. He had gotten the votes to keep himself safe, and he successfully got the votes to save his ally. She may be able to perceive that in Will, and was putting it on him to make sure Jason went home, to work the same magic he had done the two weeks prior.

In a roundabout sense to Will, it meant that she was trusting him. In fact, it may have been the lie he told her that tipped her off to him being untrustworthy. Of course, to Will, it was an exaggeration of how Jason felt, but Angela could have confirmed his disdain some other way. 

Will was weary to say that he trusts Angela, especially since she just put him on the block. But Will wanted Robin to stay, so in that instance, he was willing to work with her in order to keep a number on his side. Will knew he had to go to work. He needed to paint a target on Jason, to enlarge the hit Angela put out for him, and he knew to start with The Party.

He was waiting for Lucas in the Have-Not room. It was a good place to meet since it was isolated, and because everyone spent their time downstairs instead. When Lucas enters the room, Will sits up, ready to begin strategizing with him.

Without hesitation, Will says. “We need to get Jason out.”

“I hear what you’re saying, but let’s think some things out first. I mean, why should we keep Robin?” 

Will understands what he’s saying, but he doesn’t want to entertain the thought of her leaving. “Why shouldn’t we keep Robin?” He asks, wanting to hear Lucas’ thoughts.

“Well, it’s obvious now that Jason and Angela are going at it. Since Jason can win a competition, it’s much more likely that he’ll target Angela instead of us, buying us another week.”

It’s solid reasoning, but Will knows he has good reasons to keep Robin. “Okay, but think about this. Robin hasn’t won any competition, I mean, she couldn’t even win the Veto when her game was on the line.” He tries to go in on her to hide their relationship. “Plus, you remember how Jason promised me safety last week?”

“Of course.”

“Well, he probably made a lot of deals with a lot of people. And if people keep their word, that means he’s bought himself a lot of weeks if he stays this week.”

“I didn’t think about that.” Lucas says, looking contemplative. 

“And, we might not get another chance to evict someone as strong as him. Angela just put up one of her allies, if we evict him, then we have the numbers advantage, and we can keep working to get them all out.”

They’re interrupted when the door opens, and Mike walks in. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s okay.” Will motions for him to enter. Mike takes a seat on the opposite side of the bed.

“Okay.” Lucas begins. “I can see that you also really want Jason gone, and I’m gonna trust you on this one. Especially since you trusted me last week, I feel like I owe you.”

Will can’t help but to reach out and embrace Lucas. “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you. I promise that everything’ll turn out good.”

Lucas leaves not long after this, promising to Will that he’ll tell The Party the plan for the week, and work on convincing other people to do the same. Will lets out a sigh of relief, knowing that no matter what, he at least has Lucas on his side.

Will turns to Mike, and the other boy says, “So, we’re voting for Jason, then.”

“Yeah. Is that okay?”

Mike moves closer to sit by Will. “Of course.”

Will smirks. “You don’t take that much convincing, huh?”

“It’s not that. I just trust you.”

Mike’s words touch Will, and he looks away. “Really?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

In his head, Will answers the question. Mike shouldn’t trust Will because Will didn’t trust Mike. It wasn’t until this week that Will began to feel like their relationship was actually growing, like Will’s other relationships in the house had.

“Congrats, on winning the Veto, by the way. You looked cool up there leading the meeting.”

Will blushes. “Thanks. Maybe one day you’ll have the Veto in your hands.”

“Not unless I stop throwing these competitions.” Mike laughs out.

“So you have been throwing!”

“Well, duh. No reason to get blood on my arms until I feel like I need to save someone.” Mike pauses, then adds. “Might even keep you safe one day.”

“Well, that’s a generous thing to say, and now I’m holding you to that.” Will laughs.

Mike regards him for a moment, then asks, “Are you sure you’re not related to El?”

“Why do you ask that?”

Mike purses his lips. “Both of you are just so cute. It has to be genetic.”

Will blinks, taken aback by Mike’s compliment, mostly because he didn’t know Mike was attracted to guys. He looks away in embarrassment, then looks back, and tries to get his words out. “Uh, t-thanks Mike.”

Mike doesn’t say anything, just returning a smile. It feels like the air was taken out of the Have-Not room, and Will has to release himself from Mike’s glamor. To distract from the sudden attraction, Will tells himself that Mike brought up El, and that he’s surely used his charm on her.

In the game, charm could get a player far, especially someone as handsome as Mike. Will determines that that’s what he is doing, trying to charm Will to trust him. He writes off the compliment, sure that as the game continues, Mike wouldn’t be so flippant if Will shows it doesn’t affect him.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 3, Day 21

Jason’s campaign to stay started the minute he was nominated by Angela. Everyday, he would ask Will to talk to him, trying to work him over, oblivious to the fact that Will was working with Robin. He would speak to him both in the morning, and at night before bed.

During these conversations, Will tried his best to be receptive, to give off the air that Will could actually vote for him. Jason brought up a lot of the same talking points Will had discussed with Lucas. His biggest argument was that he was gunning for Angela after the eviction, and that he wouldn’t stop trying to evict her, meaning Will had nothing to worry about the following weeks.

Will entertained the idea. It was a convincing sale, especially since Will knew Jason was keeping his word after he guaranteed him safety in week 2. Will would have considered keeping Jason if it was someone else on the block. In another world, Will could even see trying to bring Jason into the alliance properly, maximizing their odds of evicting Angela. Unfortunately for Jason, Will was determined to save someone who has been his ally since day one.

Seeing Angela turn on Jason also made her a target. It signified to the people in her alliance that they couldn’t trust her, as she could easily cut them at a moment’s notice. And it signified to people outside of her alliance how cutthroat she was.

Will wanted to enlarge the target on Angela, but he knew he had to do it subtly and over time. He couldn’t go around making her a shield just yet. Angela was relying on Will to secure the votes, meaning there was a level of trust there that he could work on for the time being. He had to be content with the natural target that’s already been painted on her for now.

In the meantime, Will wanted to secure the votes. He had a good feeling that The Party was voting to evict Jason. It was the first time all six of the alliance members would be voting together, and because none of them were on the block, they easily had the numbers to vote Jason out. But, never satisfied, Will went to work to secure other votes.

He found Erica and Suzie in the kitchen, making food for themselves. He walks up to them, and sits down at the counter.

“Hey, Will.” Erica says.

Will eyes the food Erica is making, and Suzie asks. “Are you excited for the new week? You won’t have to be on slop anymore!”

“I hope so! Especially after seeing what you’re making, Erica, I could really go for some actual food.”

“I’ll save you some for tomorrow. Deal?”

“Deal. What are you making anyway?”

In front of her is a bowl of diced strawberries. “I’m making strawberry shortcake. My mom made it all the time when I was a kid, and I’m so glad I learned how to make it because I’ve been craving it.”

“She’s been hyping them up for the past week, I’ve been craving them since she brought them up.” Suzie adds.

Erica and Suzie continue talking, and Will nods along, but at the back of his mind, the gears are turning. He remembers Lucas telling a story about how his mom made strawberry shortcake when he was a kid. The connection makes him remember how Suzie and Dustin both thought Erica and Lucas could be siblings. He puts a pin in that information, and returns to the conversation.

“Thought it’d be a nice treat to share with everyone before the Eviction Night, you know?” Erica says.

“I know what you mean. Glad the week will be over soon.” Will begins to lie in a quiet tone. “I mean, love Jason, but he has been campaigning a little erratically for my tastes.”

“Erratically?” Suzie questions.

“Yeah, you guys haven’t witnessed that?” They both shake their heads. Will knows they both trust him, and continues lying. “He came up to me earlier, sort of threatening me, you know, to vote for him. He said he saved me from the block last week, so I should return the favor and keep him.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah, he cornered me in the storage room. It freaked me out, honestly.”

“I don’t know why he’s doing that.” Erica says. “Look at Robin, she’s cool as a cucumber.”

“Yeah, you’re right. It makes me wonder what he’s gonna be like if he makes it further in the game. He can become unstable, you know?” Will is happy they’re taking the bait.

“I never trusted him anyway. I mean he was friends with Jake and them. He may have had a good poker face to start, but I’m not surprised he’s revealing his true colors now that his back is against the wall.” Erica posits.

“I don’t think I’d want that in the house.” Suzie says. “I mean, Eddie was already too much to handle. I couldn’t deal with another person like that.”

Will asks quietly. “So, you guys think you’re voting for him tomorrow?”

“Are you?” Erica asks.

“I think so. Like, at least Robin isn’t flying off the handle.”

“That’s a fair point.” Suzie says.

Their conversation doesn’t last much longer, but Will plays it off by trying to avoid the food Erica is making. There wasn’t much of the day left. He heads outside, finding the hammock empty. He takes a seat, his favorite spot in the backyard, and closes his eyes. After a long week, Will needed a nap, but he needed the new week to arrive even more.

Chapter Text

Week 4, Day 22

Much like Robin sat next to Will during the first Eviction Night, Will sat next to Robin, holding her throughout the live show. It was nice being able to spend time with her like this, as they were hardly together the past week with Will stuck in the Have-Not room. Will hoped that they could room together again during the upcoming week.

The Houseguests would only have to worry about being a Have-Not for one more week. After week 4, they could sleep wherever they wanted without restrictions. Will liked rooming with Robin and Lucas, and he hoped that the three of them could stick together. With relationships deepening, many people would begin to sleep with people they enjoyed, and Will hoped that he wouldn’t have to move around to sleep with new people.

Jason sat in the nomination chair, looking around the room, as if to avoid any conversation with anyone. Will felt bad for him. It was obvious that at Angela’s behest, most of his alliance members had ousted Jason, aside from Jake. If Jason were to stay, the only real ally he would have left would be Jake, but he’d never be able to pull Jake away from Angela.

When Julie comes on the screen, Will lets out a sigh of relief. They were finally at the moment Will had been planning for. “Hello, Houseguests.” Will and the other Houseguests greet her happily. “It is now time for the third live vote of the season.” Will could feel Robin’s grip tighten on his hand, and he does his best to soothe her. “Jason. Robin. In just a few minutes, your housemates will cast their vote to evict. But, before they do, you each have a final chance to sway their votes with one brief statement. Jason, you’re up first.”

Will can see the fire in Jason’s eyes as he stands up. “Okay, so I want to start off by thanking you all for the past three weeks. They have been filled with some of the most fun moments I’ve ever had. With that said, I’ve been backstabbed this past week, and if you keep me I can promise you all that I’d be going after the person who did that. And I leave you with this, none of you can trust Angela. Not even you, Jake.”

Will’s eyes had widened throughout Jason’s speech. Will had lied to Erica and Suzie, saying that Jason could become unstable. But hearing his speech, so full of revenge and emotion, made Will feel like his lie could become the truth.

After they all finish clapping, Julie says, “Thank you, Jason. Robin, it is now your time to speak.”

Robin lets go of Will’s hand, and he gives her a smile as she begins her speech. “Hey guys. I’m not gonna say why you all should save me. Instead, I’m going to tell you all why you should evict Jason. Jason is a hypocrite. During his HoH week, he called out Chrissy for making deals with everybody, yet he did the same exact thing as HoH, trying to secure his safety. He is not someone to be trusted. That’s all.”

Will was surprised to hear Robin being cutthroat. Until this point, the house consensus was that she was a helpless player, with no allies, and low chances of winning a competition. But this speech could show them that she was here to win, as Will has known all along.

“Thank you, Jason and Robin.” Julie says, and then leaves room for tension to rise. “The time has come. The live voting will begin now. The two nominees, Jason and Robin, are not allowed to vote. Angela, a s the current Head of Household, you are not allowed to vote.” Angela nods. “One at a time, the rest of you will enter the Diary Room, and cast your vote to evict. And remember, it takes six votes tonight to be evicted. Jake. You’re up first. ”

Will looks at Robin and gives her a smile. Then, he does the same for Jason. He may be voting him out, but Will knew what it was like to be on the block, and he wanted Jason to know that he had a friend.

The Houseguests enter the Diary Room one by one. When Will gets to enter the Diary Room, he passes by Max, who he gives a high-five. Once inside, Will hurries to sit down, and waits for Julie to speak to him.

“Good evening, Will.” Julie says.

Will smiles as he speaks. “Hi, Julie, you look stunning.”

“Thank you very much. It is now time for you to cast your vote to evict.”

Will sighs, and then says, “I vote to evict Jason.”

“Thank you, Will, you may return to the living room.”

“Thanks, Julie.”

Will hurries out of the room, crossing paths with Erica as he exits and she enters. Will sits down, and he doesn’t have to wait long for the results, as there were hardly any people left that needed to vote. 

Stacy is the last person to vote, and once she sits down, Julie comes back on the screen in the living room. “Houseguests, the votes are in. When I reveal the vote, the evicted Houseguest will have just a few moments to say goodbye, gather their belongings, and walk out the front door.” Julie pauses, and Will waits patiently to reveal the vote. “By a vote… of 8 to 3… Jason, you have been evicted from the Big Brother house.”

Jason stands up, and unlike before, he goes around hugging everyone, except for Angela. Will heads to the entrances, grabbing Jason’s duffle bag for him. He watches Jason hug and give his final words to each and every person, while Angela stays back, watching just like Will did.

Before Jason leaves, he walks up to Will, and embraces him one last time. As he does, he whispers to Will, “You can’t trust Robin.” Jason repeats this phrase, and all Will does is nod in understanding, unable to question what he meant by that. And as Jason walks out of the front door, all Will can feel is a sinking feeling growing inside him

⏿⏿⏿

Once again, the Houseguests stood in individual booths, similar to the ones used in the Majority Rules competition. Will distracted himself from Jason’s words by looking at the mechanism in front of him. It was a rectangular prism that was rotatable, working on a turnstile. One side is blank, while the other three sides read: MORE, LESS, or EXACTLY. Will fidgets his hand by tapping his fingers on top of the rectangular box

When Julie comes on overhead, Will listens intently. “Houseguests, the power is up for grabs. Angela, as outgoing Head of Household, you are not eligible to compete. This competition is called By the Numbers, and here’s how it works. I’ll ask you a series of math questions based on events that have taken place inside the Big Brother house this summer. Your answer will be either: more, less, or exactly. Get the answer right, you stay in the game. Get the answer wrong, you are eliminated. The last Houseguest standing will be the new Head of Household. Does everyone understand?” Will nods his head, and hopes that at least one of his allies could win if he couldn’t. 

“Excellent, let’s begin. Question 1: During the Flower Frenzy competition, how many wooden flowers were there in total? Were there more than, less than, or exactly 80 wooden flowers?” Will knew this answer easily since he actually competed in the competition. They all needed to stack 20 wooden flowers, and with four players, that meant there were 80. “Answers, please.” He rotates his turnstile to EXACTLY. “The correct answer is EXACTLY.” Will lets out a sigh of relief. “I’m sorry Chad and Stacy, you are out, please step down.” The revelation was like music to Will, because that meant that Jake was the only one left from The Socs still playing.

“Question 2: How many times has Houseguest's Choice been picked at the Veto Selection meetings? Was it more than, less than, or exactly 3 times?” Will knows that Eddie and Chrissy got to choose a Veto player, and determines his answer. “Answers, please.” Wrotates his turnstile to LESS. “The correct answer is LESS. Everyone got it right, everyone continues on.”

“Question 3: During the Counting Counselors Veto competition, how many total drinking cups were guessed by the six Veto players? Was it more than, less than, or exactly 600 drinking cups?” Will knew this was a trick question. During that round, only five of them answered as Robin was already out, so the answer could be smaller than a total with six players. “Answers, please.” Will figures they all answered around 120, and does quick math to choose MORE THAN. “The correct answer is MORE THAN, the correct total was 620. I’m sorry, Max, Lucas, Suzie, Mike, El, and Robin, you all got it wrong, so you must step down.” Will didn’t like hearing all those names called out. It meant that he, Dustin, Erica, and Jake were left. Once again, Will was close to winning, and he hoped he wouldn’t choke like last time.

“Question 4: How many total number of Have-Nots have there been this summer? Is it more than, less than, or exactly 10 Houseguest?” There was a possibility of 12 Have-Nots in total, but Will knows that there were some repeats already, since Mike was a Have-Not for two weeks. “Answers, please.” Will rotates the turnstile to EXACTLY, and hopes for the best. “The correct answer is EXACTLY. I’m sorry Erica, you’re the only one who got it wrong, you must step down.” Three were left, and Will takes a deep breath to calm his nerves, hoping that he won’t let his friends or himself down like last time.

“Question 5: How many total trips did Erica have to make during the The Watering Hole Veto competition? Was it more than, less than, or exactly 55 trips?” Will could feel himself shaking, because this was an answer he did not know off the top of his head, nor could guess home much it could be, as he was not paying attention to that information during the Veto competition. “Answers, please.” Will picks his answer, EXACTLY, and hopes that Jake or Dustin don’t know the answer either. “The correct answer is MORE THAN.” Julie pauses, and Will closes his eyes. “Congratulations, Jake, you are the new Head of Household!”

Will brings his hands up to cover his face, disappointing himself once again. He can’t bring himself to join the others in congratulating Jake, because he knows that there is an increased chance of going on the block with him as the winner. Will’s not ready to face the others, but when he feels an embrace from behind, Will accepts his fate. He pulls his hands away and finds Mike hugging him, and Will can’t help but hug him back.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 4, Day 23

Will was organizing his clothes once again, now that he was no longer a Have-Not. This week, the Have-Nots were Robin, Max, Suzie, and El, all four of them volunteering, as it was the last possible week to be a Have-Not. His bed was taken in the room he picked out the first day, so now he had to make due with a new room and new roommates. The room he picked out was the furthest inside of the house, past the initial room he and Robin got accustomed to. Since it was behind a closed door, Will reasoned to himself that it was a beneficial move and that he could end up liking it even more.

Mike was no longer a Have-Not, and he got to move downstairs too. Mike followed Will into the new room, and Will was surprised to see the other boy choose the bed right next to him. They had begun to talk more the previous week, so Will was fine rooming with Mike again, and he figured it was good to get to know him more.  

Aside from Mike, Will’s new roommates consisted of Angela and Chad. Although with Jake as the new Head of Household, Will figured she would be spending most of her time with him instead of in the room. And with Chad constantly hanging around Stacy, it left the room spacious and quiet for Will and Mike.

“Are you okay?” Mike asks.

Will smirks, because somehow, Mike was always perceptive when it came to Will’s mood. Will sits down on his bed, sighing. “I just feel like a let-down, you know?”

“Why? Because you didn’t win HoH?” Mike sits down next to him.

“Yeah, I mean, I was basically second the past two weeks, and no matter what, I just couldn’t clutch a win for The Party. I feel like I keep letting you guys down.”

“Will, you don’t have to worry about our feelings.” Mike says as he puts an arm around Will. “We all tried our hardest. Your performances have more than shown how strong of a player you are.”

“Thanks, Mike.”

Mike is quiet for a moment. “Do you feel like you let yourself down?”

Will almost cries at the question. “A little bit.”

“Tell me why.”

Will looks at Mike. “I just wanted to guarantee my safety.” Mike nods along. “I’ve been on the block two out of three times, and with Jake as the HoH, I just feel like I’m gonna keep having to fight, you know?”

“Will, you have been guaranteeing your safety. Not just with the competitions, but with how you treat people. No one wants to see you go, especially not me.” Mike pauses, and they smile together. “And even if you do have to fight to stay, you’ve been doing a good job so far, haven’t you? Isn’t that something to be proud of?”

Will’s smiling begins to hurt. He pulls Mike into an embrace. “Why are you so good to me?”

Mike holds him tight. “Why shouldn’t I be?

⏿⏿⏿

Will is seated in his favorite spot, the hammock, eating a bowl of grapes, trying to build the confidence to go up to the HoH room to talk to Jake. Will wanted to get the stench of the nomination block off of him, and although it got him into trouble the last time Jake was in power, Will knew he couldn’t sit down and just let the game pass him by.

It felt to him like other players were already doing that. He thinks of Chad and Stacy, who have had their friends as the ones in power the first few weeks. He could tell that they were becoming complacent, rarely talking to him or any of The Party members because they knew they were safe.

Will also thinks about Suzie. He liked her, and thought that she could be a good ally, but she also had a small circle that she mainly interacted with. Of course, she was spending a lot of time with Dustin, which made Will uneasy, but she also spent her time with Erica and El. Aside from that though, it felt like she was coasting, and he wasn’t sure if that was part of her strategy or not.

Since it was week 4, they were getting close to the Jury segment of the game, and Will had to be aware of who ends up sitting as part of the Jury. After a certain point in the game, the Houseguests that were evicted from the house would enter the Jury house, so that they are sequestered from outside influence when they ultimately vote for a winner on finale night. Typically, the Jury consists of nine people, so that means Jury should start in two weeks. That notion was running wild in Will’s mind, because if he could get the right people on the Jury, they would be more likely to vote for Will at the end of the game, if he makes it.

Will is pulled out of his thoughts when the backyard door is opened, and he sees Angela making her way to where he sits. Will was surprised to see her outside of the HoH room, and even more surprised to see her approaching him. When she finally reaches the hammock, she sits down beside him.

“Just the person I was looking for.” She says.

“And why is that?” Will asks. They play coy with each other, something Will has grown to like over the past few weeks.

“Jake wanted you to go talk to him.” She steals a grape from Will’s bowl.

Will furrows his brows. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Did he say why he wanted to talk?”

“Nope.” She smiles, and Will knows that she’s lying.

Will mulls over what to do next, but he’s wanted to talk to Jake all day, so he decides to obey. “I’ll go talk to him.”

Will gets up, and as he does, Angela asks, “Can I have the rest of your grapes?”

“Sure.” Will wondered why she wasn’t joining him upstairs, but he decides not to verbalize his question

Will makes his way across the backyard, and as he opens the door into the house, Will once again finds Lucas and Erica, talking closely in the kitchen. Will’s suspicions about them had been rising and rising, but he hadn’t had the time to work out his thoughts.

He makes his way to the Head of Household room, knocking on the door for Jake to allow him in. Jake opens the door, greeting him, and gesturing for him to enter the room. Will takes his usual spot on the couch, as Jake sits at the edge of the bed to speak.

“How are you feeling?” Jake asks.

“I’m doing okay.” Will says apprehensively. This was the first time they were having an extensive conversation again. THe tension between them caused interactions to only consist of small talk, so Will was nervous about being alone in the room with him.

“Good, good, uh, you know, I wanted to talk to you about nominations.”

“Okay, shoot.”

“How would you feel if I nominated two girls?”

Will wasn’t sure why Jake would ask that. “Which two?”

Jake smirks. “I can’t tell you that, but just know it would be girls that I think are strong in this game.”

Will can’t help but question him. “Why do you want to put them up?”

“Well, there’s been three evictions, and two of them have been guys. My concern right now is that the game becomes unbalanced, and one by one the girls take us all out.”

Will silently regards Jake’s words. He knows that Jake wouldn’t put up Angela or Stacy, meaning The Party could easily be targeted. He has no doubt that Jake would put up two girls, but his reasoning for why he wants to do so comes off as phony to Will. He figures that Jake just wants a girl gone and is trying to secure the votes with  the guys. Will wants more information, and digs deeper.

“I see what you’re saying, but I think I need some hints about who you want out. I mean, what if we evict someone who’s weaker, and the girl that stays turns around and targets you.” Will frames his sentence as something that concerns Jake, even though Will just wants to determine his next plan of action.

Jake determines his next words, and then says, “I get what you’re saying.” He pauses again. “The person I want out is someone I think has been flying under the radar, even though she is ridiculously good at the competitions.”

Jake doesn’t know it, but he had given Will enough information to determine who he was targeting, but Will doesn’t reveal that. Instead, he reassures Jake’s actions. “Okay, Jake, as long as you don’t put me up, then I promise that I’ll vote out your target.” Will lies to him, because during the live show, Jake has no actual power anymore.

“I’ll shake on that.” Jake says, extending his hand.

With their conversation done, Will knows exactly what to do. He heads to the Have-Not room trying to find Max, and he’s glad to find her laying on a bed next to El. They both sit up when they see him walk in.

“Glad it’s just the two of you here.” Will says, taking a seat.

“Why? What’s wrong?” El asks.

“I just got done talking to Jake about the nomination ceremony.”

“Did he tell you something?” Max asks, like she can already sense the bad news.

“Nothing about me, but he told me he wants to put up two girls on the block.”

“Fuck.” Max says, and Will can tell she’s thinking what he’s thinking.

“What’s wrong with that?” El asks.

“Well, Jake is never gonna put up Angela or Stacy, not even after Angela put up Jason.” Will says, looking at the both of them. “That means that the pool is smaller, and someone from The Party might go up.”

“Who do you think it’ll be?” El asks.

“Jake said he wanted a strong girl, and I pushed him for more information. His target is a girl that is under the radar, but a good competitor.”

“Fuck.” Max says.

El looks at her. “What, do you think that means you?”

“I mean, I almost won the first HoH, and I did well in that last Veto competition. The only other girls who’ve done well at the competitions are Angela and Erica, and we already ruled out Angela.” Max explains.

“Yeah, it could be you or Erica.” Will says. “I’m not sure who, but I wanted to tell you, so you could be prepared. And then you guys could tell Lucas or Mike, so they know.” The room grows quiet and then Will interrupts it. “Regardless, this might be a hard eviction this week, depending on who’s on the block during Eviction Night.”

The three of them looked at each other, not knowing how to comfort each other about what may come. The conversation comes to an end, and Will leaves them in the Have-Not room, making his way back downstairs. The kitchen is now empty, and Will thinks of Erica and Lucas again, needing more information about them before he comes to any conclusions. Will looks outside and sees Angela still in the hammock. He opens the door, and returns to where she sits, sitting beside her for the first time.

“How was it?” Angela asks.

“Fine.” Will crosses his arms. “Why didn’t you go back up with me?”

Angela hands over the bowl of grapes that belonged to Will. “I wanted Jake to talk to you. He wanted to make a move that can be actualized, and I thought of you.”

Again, Angela was recognizing the type of player Will was. But Will knew that if it came down to it, and Jake does want Max out, he’d do everything in his power to keep her safe. But, he couldn’t help thinking again that it would be a rough vote, no matter who ends up on the block.

⏿⏿⏿

Will is sandwiched between Max and Mike. Three seats at the dining room table were now empty, a significant gap between seats that nobody can ignore. Will felt better about this Nomination Ceremony than last week’s, but it seemed to Will like his game was a roller coaster he needed to get off. He wanted safety, not at the hands of The Socs, but at the hands of The Party.

For the second time this season, Jake was leading the Nomination Ceremony. Unlike last time, he seemed more confident this time around. Jake walks from the front of the dining room to right in front of the dining table. He looks once over at everyone before he begins speaking. “This is the Nomination Ceremony. One of my duties as Head of Household is to nominate two houseguests for eviction.” Underneath the table, Will can feel Robin reaching for his hand, and he grabs ahold of it, comforting one another. “I will pull the first key, and that person is safe. That person will pull the next key. So on, and so forth.”

Will feels a soft pinch to his hand, and finds Mike smiling, like a reassurance. Will smiles back to offer the same sentiment. Jake walks forward, and pulls out the first key. “Angela, you are safe.”

Angela gets up to put her key around her neck. She smiles at Jake. Everyone expected her to be safe, and to be called first. She grabs the next key, and Will can assume the next two names to be called. “Chad, you are safe.”

Chad thanks Jake and grabs the next key. Will doesn’t take his eyes off of the Nomination Wheel, wondering where his name might be. “Stacy, you are safe.”

With those three names called out, the real anticipation began. Will watches Stacy put her key around her neck, and then she pulls out the next key. “Will, you are safe.”

Will was not expecting his name to be called so quickly. He watches everyone turn the lazy susan for Will, surprised that he didn’t have to worry about himself anymore. He stands up, grabs his key, and wears it. “Thank you, Jake.” He pulls out the next key. “Lucas, you are safe.”

Will stared at Lucas as he turned the lazy susan, and it was like they were speaking a secret language, full of their worries about who was going on the block. Lucas pulls out the next key and says, “Robin, you are safe.”

Robin is nonchalant as she puts the key around her neck. “Dustin, you are safe.”

Dustin, who has been sitting beside Suzie throughout the Nomination Ceremony, looks grave as he pulls out the next key, like he’s hoping he can pull Suzie’s name. “El, you are safe.”

There were only four people left: Erica, Max, Mike, and Suzie. Will predicts that Mike’s name will be called next, so he turns his head slightly towards him as El calls out the next name. “Mike, you are safe.”

One key was left in the Nomination Wheel. Selfishly, Will hopes that Erica and Suzie are the ones to be nominated. The hard thing about none of his allies winning HoH is that they were eligible to be evicted, and it meant a hard fight week after week. Mike pulls out the last key. “Erica, you are safe.”

Will sighs silently to himself, watching as Erica grabs her key, and as Jake begins to explain his reasoning for the nominations. “I have nominated you, Max, and you, Suzie. I’ve been wary of the both of you for the past few weeks, and I’m nervous because you are both very smart players. You are under the radar, but with these nominations, I’m forcing you to play, so that we can all get a better sense of who you guys are.” Max looks like she wants to kill Jake, whereas Suzie looks like she wants to be alone. “This Nomination Ceremony is adjourned.”

Jake walks away with the Nomination Wheel, and Will gets to his feet quickly. He walks over to Suzie, embracing her because he can tell she’s shocked by the outcome. He hugs Max second, and he can practically feel the heat coming off of her, but she tries her best to stay cool, and pulls it off. Finally, Will hugs Dustin, because Will knows that he has one of the hardest choices this week if the nominations stay the same. He has to choose between an ally and his showmance.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 4, Day 24

Will wakes up early in the morning, wanting to prepare himself for the Veto competition that was occurring that day. He tries to leave his room quietly, but when he missteps, he accidentally wakes Mike up, who looks at him through sleepy eyes, asking where he’s going. Will wants breakfast, and when he tells Mike, he decides to join him, which Will appreciates. It’s usually too quiet in the morning, so having a friend join him makes Will feel better.

Will begins cooking, and Mike asks him what help he needs. He instructs Mike to scramble some eggs for him. As he does this, Will begins cooking some bacon. He has a craving for a breakfast sandwich, something his older brother Johnathan always makes for him. Will was always the one being served, so serving someone else this meal was new to him, but he liked it.

Mike is a messy cook, getting leftover egg whites all over the kitchen counter, which Will finds endearing. Mike even has to pick out egg shell from the egg scramble he’s been collecting. But, Mike’s enthusiastic in helping, so Will can’t be mad at him for it.

It’s a very simple recipe that requires little ingredients, but being up this early, cooking something for someone else puts a new perspective on the game for Will. He always cooked alongside Robin, or cooked for multiple people at once, but just cooking for Mike feels like a bonding moment, one more intimate than the ones Will had with the other members of The Party, and Will wonders if Mike feels the same way. He decides to ask that question another time.

⏿⏿⏿

The two of them sit in the hammock, a few hours before Veto selections, talking about multiple outcomes that can occur. He was glad El told Mike about Jake’s plans, because their conversation doesn’t require much clarification.

“So, if they both stay on the block, we obviously keep Max.” Will asserts.

“Of course.” They talk openly and freely, no one else with them in the backyard.

“If Max gets pulled off the block, and someone else from The Party goes up, we evict Suzie.”

“What if Suzie is saved, and someone like El goes up?” Mike asks.

“We shouldn’t even put that out into the universe.” Will says that, but he knows it’s a valid question. Will tries to think like Jake though, and figures that Jake would not see El as threatening, so he wouldn’t want her gone.

“How sad do you think Dustin’s gonna be if Suzie has to go?”

“I don’t know.” Will ponders what to say next. “How sad would you be if El was evicted week 2?”

Mike is silent for a moment. “I don’t even want to think about that.”

Despite their newfound bonding, Will was still wary of Mike because of his relationship with El. It seemed like everyone in The Party besides Will was part of a Duo, and it could mean they wouldn’t take Will to the end of the game. He would feel more secure if he knew where he stood with Robin, but because of Jason’s final words, Will was afraid to put all his eggs in one basket. He figured bonding with Mike would be best for now.

“Say Max gets saved,” Mike begins, “And Jake puts someone like Erica up, who would go then? Would we vote together, or just vote any way we like?”

“I haven’t thought about that.”

“Because in theory, it shouldn’t matter who goes, but I’m sure Lucas would want to keep Erica, and Dustin would obviously want to keep Suzie.”

The conversation was getting stressful for Will. The game was becoming more and more complex as they progressed. He wanted to balance strategic moves with personal relationships, but he was finding it harder to strike a balance. He puts his body weight back, laying down on the hammock, trying to ease his mind from the game. Mike lays down too, and he’s thankful to have Mike with him to calm him down.

⏿⏿⏿

Will sat next to Robin during the Veto selections. They haven’t had much time to talk, mostly because Will was wary of her now, but also because they no longer shared a room. They still had a great rapport, and as they waited for Jake to lead the selections, Will found their conversation easy and fun.

Max and Suzie sit in their nomination chairs, and Jake stands at the front of the living room once again. Will could see the apprehension in Suzie, but Max was full of determination, making them polar opposites. He had seen determination in Max before, but seeing Suzie nervous was new for Will, and he found it funny how the game could pull out different sides to each player.

Jake holds a cue card in his hand, and begins the Veto selection process. “Only six people will compete in the Veto Competition, the Head of Household, the two nominees, and three other players selected by random draw. Will the nominees please join me up here.” They both quickly get to the front of the room. “As HoH, I will pick first.” Jake reaches into the bag holding the Veto chips. He pulls one out and reads it. “Stacy.”

Stacy had not played in a Power of Veto competition yet. Will wanted to see how she did, so that he could determine how much of a threat she could be to his game. Stacy joins them, and Max is now able to pick a chip. “Erica.” 

She joins them at the front of the room. Erica won the last Veto competition, so Will knew she was a force to be reckoned with in this one. But if she did win, Will was not sure what she would do with her newfound power.

Suzie is the last one to pick. She digs deep into the bag and pulls out a chip slowly. “Houseguest’s Choice.” She smiles, proud of herself, and Will knows exactly who she’s choosing. “Dustin.” He walks to the front of the room, and Will is uneasy with the decision. He was part of The Party, but it’s undeniable that he has a strong relationship with Suzie, so none of them knew what he would do if he won the Veto. In Will’s opinion, it would be best for Dustin to throw the competition, but since he was a superfan, Will didn’t expect Dustin to follow through with that option.

Jake finishes reading off the cue card. “Big Brother is to inform us when the Veto Competition is to begin… Good luck!” They all clap, and Will hopes for the best outcome, one that doesn’t require much more work throughout the week.

⏿⏿⏿

When Will and the other Houseguests step out into the backyard, they are surrounded by foliage, like they’re in the forest. Sprawled across the ground is a plastic tarp, with the image of a map impressed upon it. The map is divided into uneven shapes, with different drawings assigned to them, as well as a number from 1 to 50. At one end of the backyard is a rotating floor, with a catapult on top of it. Across the length of the map are six podiums, with a box stacked on each one, labeled one through six.

Will and the other contestants not playing in the Veto sit off to the side, while Angela stands off to the side, a cue card in hand, ready to read off the directions like she did during the first Veto competition. Will sits next to Lucas, as well as Robin, wanting to connect with them again after his week in the Have-Not room.

“Welcome to the BB Lodge Hiking Trail !” Angela yells out, and everyone claps. “Today, you’ll be selecting your itinerary from the BB Lodge Hiking Trail map. This competition will be played in a series of rounds. Each round, you’ll launch your hacky sack at the map displayed across the backyard. Your score will be the number of points indicated by the adventure your arrow lands on. The person with the fewest points each round will be eliminated. At the end of the round, any activities that were claimed on the map will reach full capacity, and can not be used for any future round. Land your arrow on a spot that’s already been claimed, and your score will be zero. 

“Don’t be too upset if you’re eliminated, because at the BB Lodge , no one goes home empty handed. Once you’re eliminated, pick a box and claim your prize. But don’t get too attached to it, because the players eliminated after you have the option of keeping their prize, or trading for yours. The last player standing will have their choice of picking any of the prizes, including the Golden Power of Veto! Who’s ready to play BB Lodge Hiking Trail ?” Everyone cheers like last time, and the competition is underway.

“Alright, let's begin round 1! Jake, you’re up first.” Jake steps up to the catapult, and as he braces himself, it begins to turn, spinning Jake as he reaches for the rope that pulls the catapult down. He doesn’t spend much time before he lets go of the rope, and Will thinks that’s a good idea, because too many rotations could mess up one’s aim. Jake’s hacky sack lands on 26, symbolized by a hammock hanging in between two trees. After Jake is Stacy’s turn, and she has a determination in her face that Will hadn’t seen before. She pulls the rope and lets it go, her hacky sack landing on 28, symbolized by a kayak. Max follows Stacy, and Will can tell she’s even more determined than Stacy. She ends up landing on the same number as Stacy, 28. Erica’s turn is the quickest, taking the fewest rotations. Will watches her hacky sack fly across the backyard, landing on 22, symbolized by rock climbing. It was the lowest number so far, but it didn’t mean she was out yet. Suzie has anger on her face, a new expression for Will to witness. She pulls on the rope hard and fast, but the hacky sack lands on 22 as well. The final player in the round is Dustin, who Will isn’t sure what this plan of action is. His hacky sack falls on 9, a hot air balloon, and Will can’t tell if Dustin threw the competition or not. “Sorry, Dustin, you’ve been eliminated, so please claim your sixth place prize.”

Dustin walks to his box, and pulls the lid of it off. Inside the box, Dustin pulls out the Golden Power of Veto, and he gets to wear it around his neck. Will knows that it won’t be around his neck long, and he knows Suzie must be annoyed at the sight of seeing Dustin with it.

“It’s time for round 2! All the activities you landed on last time are now at full capacity. Stacy, you’re up first.” Like last time, Stacy wastes no time in pulling the rope. Her hacky sack lands on 24, a campfire depicted beside the number. Max is the next person to throw their hacky sack, and she lands on 18, the mess hall. It’s a low number, which makes Will nervous, because she can easily get knocked out. Erica throws her hacky sack without many rotations, and it lands on 19, a bow and arrow. It places Max last, and it makes Will even more nervous. He wishes he was sat next to Mike, as the other boy knew how to calm him down when Will was stressed. Like last time, Suzie pulls the rope hard and fast, and she ends up landing on 19 as well. Will looks at Max, and can see the seriousness on her face. Jake is the final one to throw. Will wasn’t sure if he wanted Jake to win, unsure of how it would change the nominations, if at all. His hacky sack lands on 25, a horseshoe depicted beside the number. “Sorry, Max, you have been eliminated. Please claim your fifth place prize.”

Will can see the anger seething from Max. She opens her box, and pulls out a card. She yells out, “An all expense paid trip to Cancun for two!” Will cheers for her, as does everyone else, because the prize sounds amazing. 

“Would you like to keep you earned vacation, or trade it for one of the other prizes?” Angela asks.

Max smiles. “I’ll keep it.” Will thinks it’s a good decision. Players will constantly trade for the Power of Veto, so she might as well keep the prize if no one else was aiming for it.

“Moving on to round 3, remember, all the activities you landed on last time are now at full capacity. Erica, you are up!” Erica aims and fires, and Will watches it fall unceremoniously on 1, a zipline. It almost guarantees that Erica is out, but Will holds out for the round to end. Again, Suzie throws her hacky sack without aim, and it comes back to bite her, because she ends up landing out of bounds, putting her in last place. Someone else could tie with her, but it doesn’t look good to Will. Jake is up next, and he’s almost guaranteed to be safe this round. He lands on 12, a river raft, putting him in the lead. Stacy is the last one, and she lands on 11, a jet ski. Will dislike how well Jake and Stacy are doing, but he knows that Erica could beat them depending on how things shake out. “I’m sorry, Suzie, you have been eliminated. Please claim your fourth place prize.”

Suzie reaches into the box and pulls out a card similar to Max’s. She reads what it says, and yells, “Tandem skydiving!”

“Congratulations Suzie, you and one other Houseguests are gearing up for a tandem skydive. You and the Houseguest of your choice will be strapped together as tandem skydivers for 48 hours.” Suzie’s card was obviously a punishment, and any sane person would switch it, regardless of what other prizes were revealed. “Do you want to keep the tandem skydiving prize, or trade it for another one of the prizes?”

Suzie wastes no time in choosing her answer. “I’ll be trading it for the Golden Power of Veto.” Will expected that, but he also knows that Jake and Stacy would not let her keep it to herself.

“It’s time for round 4! Don’t forget, all the activities you landed on last time are now at full capacity. Jake, you’re up first!” There were only three people left, and Will figured that Erica would be the only to consider using the Veto, since she bonded well with both Max and Suzie. Jake lands on 14, a disco ball. Stacy follows Jake, and spins around a number of times before letting go of the rope. She lands on 2, a fishing rod, and Will couldn’t have wished for a better outcome for Erica. Erica does the opposite of Stacy, letting the rope go sooner rather than later, and her hacky sack lands on 7, a tent, and Will almost jumps up and cheers for her. “I’m sorry Stacy, you have been eliminated. Please claim your third place prize.”

Will thinks that it doesn’t matter what the prize might be, that Stacy will decide to switch it for the Veto. She reaches in and pulls out a check. “A cash prize of $5000!” Everyone gasps at the prize.

“Congratulations Stacy, you have won a cash prize. Do you want to keep this cash prize, or trade it for another prize?”

“I’ll keep the money! Will is shocked. Stacy’s decision puts all the onus on Jake to come in first place, so that he can keep the nominations the same. If Erica does win, she could easily allow Suzie to keep the Veto to save herself.

“Now for the final round! Of course, all the activities you landed on last time are now at full capacity. Erica, you are first!” Will holds her breath, because this was it. In a short moment, Suzie and Max’s fate could be sealed depending on how the cookie crumbles. Erica sends her hacky sack flying, and it lands on 17, an apple pie, and Will desperately wants to breathe a sigh of relief, but he can’t do it just yet. Jake pulls the rope for the last time, and Will watches it fly across the backyard, only for it to fall out of bounds, and Erica begins cheering for herself, and Will almost joins her. “Jake, you have been eliminated, please claim your prize.’

Jake runs over to his box, obviously disappointed in himself. “A gift card to your local Blockbuster!” Will laughs, because the dummy gift was inspired in his eyes.

“Congratulations Jake, you have won a gift card! Do you want to keep this cash prize, or trade it for another prize?”

“I’ll trade it for the Veto.” Jake says, but Will can tell that Jake knows it can slip from his hands.

“Erica, please claim your first place prize!”

Erica walks to her box, proud of herself, as she should be. She pulls out a card, and says, “The HoH bedroom!”

“Congratulations Erica, you have won the privilege of the HoH bedroom, taking it away from the current Head of Household! Will you be trading this prize?”

Erica mulls it over in her head, but she chooses an answer. “I’m picking the Veto.”

Erica trades with Jake, and she puts the Veto around her neck. “Congratulations Erica, you have won the Golden Power of Veto!” Will and the rest of the Houseguests crowd around her, congratulating her for winning. But as Will embraces her, he can’t help but wonder why she decided to take the Veto. Now, she had the hard decision of disappointing one or both of her friends, and Will does not envy her in the slightest.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 4, Day 25

It’s late in the day and Will and Lucas are sitting on the hammock, talking about the game and the results of the Veto competition.

Nobody knew what Erica was going to do. If she keeps the nominations the same, then there was no reason for her to take the Veto away from Jake, because he would most likely have kept his nominations in tact. Will assumes that she is going to use the Veto because both her friends were on the block. Even if she does disappoint one of them, she increases the trust with the other on. It would only be beneficial for her to use the Veto. He talks to Lucas about what could happen, seeing if they could plan for what Erica does.

“I mean, she might not use it. She could do what you did for Jason, keep the nominations and earn the trust of Jake, especially since he put her up the first time he won HoH.” Will says, speaking normally, since it was getting dark and people were heading back inside.

“She’s not gonna do that.” Lucas says confidently.

“Okay, but how can you be so sure about that? She can do whatever she wants, she’s safe no matter what.”

“I’m telling you Will, she’s not going to do that. She’s gonna use it on Max.”

This was new information to Will. “How do you know that? How can you be so sure?”

“Look, I talked to her, and she promised me that she’s going to use it on Max.”

Will’s suspicions arise again. He can’t come out with the question on his mind, because he still wants to trust Lucas and not question him. But, Lucas’ words, the use of ‘promised me’ makes it seem like they have a stronger connection than they lead on. He questions how Lucas learned this promise when so many other people around him, even Max and El didn’t reveal that to Will

“She told you that?”

“Yes, we talked about it right after the Veto. And I’m gonna talk to her about it again later tonight.”

“Well then, if Max is coming down, who do you think is going up? And who do we save in that case?”

“You’re jumping the gun again. We have to wait to see who Jake wants out, and then we can actually decide.”

Will’s annoyance was growing and growing with each word, and Will concedes, not questioning Lucas about what Erica is doing. “Okay, you’re right.”

The night passes, and eventually Will and Lucas head back inside. Despite the fact that it was late in the night, people were still up and about. Chad and Stacy are in the kitchen, making food for each other, and Dustin, attached to Suzie because of his tandem skydiving prize, sit in the living room, talking to one another about anything, like they always does. Lucas splits from Will, and heads upstairs, and Will assumes that he’s going to talk to Erica, and once again, Will can’t push away his suspicions.

Will decides to call it a night, and walks into his new bedroom. Inside, the lights are already off, but Will can tell that Mike is inside, laying on his bed. They greet each other, and Will begins to strip, replacing his day clothes with his pajamas.

Will is putting away his dirty clothes when Mike says, “Penny for your thoughts?”

It makes Will laugh. “What, you can tell my demeanor even in the dark?”

“Yes.” Mike laughs, and Will likes the sound of it.

“I just have a lot on my mind.”

Mike is silent, and Will can tell he’s regarding him. “Come lay down with me. Tell me what’s on your mind.”

Will blinks, and he wishes he could see how Mike’s face was like. Trepidatiously, Will obliges. He makes his way to Mike’s bed, and gently sits down, laying down on his back.

“Do you want to talk?” Mike asks.

Will considers what to say. “I’m just stressed.”

“What about?”

“In this game, has there been a moment where you question one of your allies?” Will turns his head, even though he can’t look at Mike properly.

“No, not really.” Mike is candid, Will could tell. “I trust you. And I trust The Party. Should I be questioning you?”

“No, it’s not that.”

“Good. Because I want you trust me as much as I trust you.” Mike says in a low tone.

Will smiles, assuaging some of his stress. Before Will can say anything else, he feels Mike pull him in closer, pressing Will’s back against his chest, an arm around his waist. Will’s breath hitches, surprised at the new contact.

They don’t speak any longer, instead, they begin to cuddle. Will can feel his heartbeat slowing, sleep taking over him as he rests in Mike’s arms. It was a good indicator to Will that he did in fact trust Mike. 

Despite the inklings he’s had that Mike was just trying to charm him the same way he’s charmed El, Will knew that Mike was being genuine with him. They had spent more time together, with Mike following him around the house like he would have done with El. They talk about the game, and about themselves. They eat together, and play pool together. It felt like Mike was slowly pulling Will away from his other allies. Despite the fact that Will should be worried about keeping up relations with other people, he almost wanted to give in to the hold Mike now had over him. But, he knows that’s not good for his game, and tells himself to buckle down, and get his head back in the game.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 4, Day 26

Will was unsure about how the Veto Meeting will play out. He knows that Erica will be saving Max, but Will is unsure who Jake would put up as the replacement nomination. Based on who he wanted out, the only real targets seemes to be Max and Erica, but with Erica guaranteeing both of them safety, there was hardly anyone left to choose from. Of course, Will thinks Jake could put up El, and they would be back at square one again, where the plan moving forward is to vote out Suzie. But, Jake could put up Robin, and in that situations, Will feels like everyone would be okay voting out Robin, especially if Dustin can campaign well to The Party to keep Suzie.

It made Will nervous. Although he was taking Jason’s last words into consideration, Will was unsure if he should cut off Robin completely. He wonders if he plays cool, and act like nothing is amiss, they could move forward without the tension planted by Jason. But, Lucas was right. Will likes to jump the gun. He needed to wait it out before forming a plan of action.

When Erica calls them all into the living room, Will just allows the game to play out. Jake would most likely keep his word, and nominate a girl as the replacement, meaning Will would be safe for another week. He had to focus on the positive aspect of the Veto Meeting to will himself to take a seat in the living room.

As usual, the nomination chairs are taken by Max and Suzie, while Erica stands at the front of the room, ready to lead the meeting.

“This is the Veto Meeting.” Erica states. Erica gestures to Max and Suzie as she says, “Max and Suzie, Jake has nominated you both for eviction. But… I have the power to veto one of those nominations.” Erica is quiet for a long time, like she’s still determining what to do next. “I have decided to use the Power of Veto… on Max.” Max stands up with a smirk on her face, receiving the Power of Veto from Erica. “Jake, you must now name a new houseguest as a replacement nominee.”

Will turns his attention to Jake, ready to hear what Jake has decided to do. “I nominated both Max and Suzie, because I thought they are both smart and savvy players. My new nomination wil also follow that precedent. Robin, I’m sorry, but I nominate you as the replacement.”

Robin nods her head, and purses her lips as she sits down in the nomination chair that was just filled by Max. Erica lets the room settle and says, “This Power of Veto Meeting is adjourned.” Erica closes the box on the table and carries it with her into the storage room.

Like clockwork, everyone huddles around the nominees, hugging them and whispering their condolences. One by one, they scatter, the people safe returning to their regular routines. Suzie and Dustin head upstairs, where Will assumes Dustin will be consoling her over Erica’s decision.

Robin remains in her seat, looking at Will. Will moves closer to her, assuming she wants to talk.

“Do you think I’m staying?” Robin asks.

Will thinks it over in his head. With the current state of the house, Will assumes The Party would keep Suzie on Dustin’s behalf. Will speaks candidly. “I don’t think so. I don’t think you have the votes.

Robin regards him, and they stare in silence, letting Will’s words hang. “I don’t think i have the votes either. Suzie and Dustin are gonna do just about anything to stay.”

Will nods, but he can’t accept that. Dustin and Suzie would choose each other over anyone else in the house. It would be against Will’s best interest if he kept them, regardless if Robin was someone he trusted or not.

“It’s not over ‘til it’s over.” Will says. “You never know what might happen.”

Robin looks reassured. “You’re right. I’m sure there are some people I can work over.”

“And you know I’ve got your back.”

Robin gets up from her seat and hugs Will. Will wraps his arms around her. He can’t stop himself from thinking of Jason’s words, but feeling the warmth from Robin reminds him that she was his first friend in the house. He couldn’t bring himself to disregard or work against her. Not yet.

When the pull away, Robin leaves the living room, off to campaign no doubt. Will gets to work. He knows he won’t be able to convince Dustin to betray Suzie, nor can he convince El to vote against her friend. He figures he shouldn’t start with The Party. Instead, he needs to talk to people outside of the alliance. If he could get enough votes, he could split the votes in Robin’s favor, but he needed to be careful who he talked to.

Will decides that Erica would be the first one he talks to. He follows her into the storage room, and he finds her pacing about, most likely avoiding Suzie’s wrath and disappointment. Will hugs her.

“You did great.” Will says. It was her second time changing the nominations, but he knows this one was harder than the first one.

“Thanks, Will. It was hard, but it had to be done.”

“I’m honestly surprised you kept Max. I thought you would have saved Suzie.”

Erica is quiet, then says, “Yeah, Lucas really convinced me.”

“Yeah, well, now a Duo was saved.”

“Hm?”

“Dustin and Suzie. There’s no doubt that Suzie is gonna be saved, even though those two are dangerous.”

“Yeah, if they get too far, they’ll just be playing for each other’s safety.” Ericas says, like she knows where Will is leading her.

“And Robin doesn’t really have anyone, if you think about it. She’s barely a threat after being put up twice in a row.”

“You think we should keep her then?”

“I don’t know, but Suzie is mad that you didn’t save her.” Will lies, because he assumes Suzie is more upset than angry. “And Robin sucks at the competitions.”

Erica sighs. “I don’t know, Will. I just don’t trust Robin.”

“I know.” Will hugs her again and then pulls away. “But, Lucas already had you do something for him. You should do something for yourself too. It’s only fair.” Will is unsure if he should be pulling Lucas and Erica apart like this, but he has to do something to save Robin. 

“I’ll think about it.” Erica says finally.

Will smiles. With part one of his plan done, he just needed a few more votes to guide the game down the path that he wanted.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 4, Day 27

Will finds Robin in the Have-Not room, pacing about, obviously worried. She had told him to meet her after lunch time, and when Will was finally able to pull himself away from the other Houseguests, he hurried to meet her, because he knew that she’d be shaken after the nominations, especially since the odds were stack against her.

“I don’t know what I’m gonna do, Will. I don’t know who I could talk to.”

“Robin, calm down.” Will leads her to a bed to sit down. “Who have you talked to so far?”

“I tried Stacy and El, but neither one of them gave me the vibe that they were actually listening to anything I said.”

“That’s a good start at least. I promise, if you keep working it, they could vote in your favor.” Will knew that he wanted to talk to Stacy. But, Robin talking to El could cause her to talk to The Party, and El could sway them against Robin’s campaign. With that in mind, Will knew he had to talk to someone from The Party sooner rather than later.

“Who else do you think I should talk to?” Robin asks. It’s the first time Will’s seen her truly flustered. Before this nomination, she was as cool as a cucumber, and so sure about her positioning.

Will wants to reinforce the work he’s done with Erica, so he guides Robin. “Go talk to Erica, and bring up how Suzie is in a showmance. Talk about how with Suzie gone, Dustin is weakened, and thus she is strengthened with one less showmance to worry about.”

“You think that’ll work?”

“I talked to her yesterday. Don’t bring me up, please. Just talk to her, and give her the rundown about why you should stay. She’ll really have to consider voting for you after talking about it with two separate people.”

They break for the day, afraid that one of the Have-Not girls might return to the room. Will leaves first, heading back downstairs to find someone from The Party. He needs to move fast to exert any influence over the vote, but when he looks outside at the backyard, he finds Lucas, El and Dustin in the jacuzzi, and he curses himself.

Dustin was surely pushing for the alliance to keep Suzie. And El would no doubt bring up her conversation with Robin to them. She was also Suzie’s friend, and knew that El instinctively wanted to keep her. Will considers those three a lost cause, and sighs to himself, because he knows word will travel fast, and in no time Mike and Max would agree to keep Suzie. Mike especially, since his attention seemed to be focus on El instead of Will for once.

Will needs to blow off steam, so he heads to the bathroom to splash cold water on his face. But, Will stops in his tracks once he sees Max, washing her hands. She eyes him and nods. He figures he should try talking to her, and joins her at the sink, beginning a whispered conversation.

“Is there a possibility for Robin to stay this week?”

Max dries her hands as she eyes him. “If she gets enough votes to stay.”

Will laughs. “You know what I’m asking. Would you consider voting to keep her?”

Max is silent, pondering his question. “I’m not opposed to it. But, I need a good enough reason to do that.”

“You can double check with Erica if you’d like, but I did talk to her and she said she’s considering it. That would be three votes already with you, me, and Erica. If we vote out Dustin, he has no out, meaning he has to be entirely loyal the alliance.”

“I’m following.”

“Look, I know how you feel about Lucas, and you might not like hearing this, but it’s the truth: this is an optimal time to get out a showmance. You’re smart Max, and you know it’s be better to go up against a lone wolf like Robin later on in the game.

“But, I know that Suzie trusts me. I don’t have as good a relationship as Robin.”

“But does Suzie trust you more than she trusts Dustin?” Will asks, and he knows she has Max backed in a corner.

Max stays silent again. He understands her hesitance. This vote could split the alliance if they weren’t careful, and Will didn’t want to witness that fallout.

“You have to promise me that Suzie goes if I vote with you.” Max says, glaring at him.

“I promise.”

“If this screws me, Will,” she says, looking directly at him, “Know that I’m coming for you.”

Will breathes deep. “I understand.”

With that, Max leaves him in the bathroom. He felt better now. He has Max, and she’ll most likely talk to Erica, once again bringing up the topic of keeping Robin. Will knew this was a risk, because Robin could easily go home, and he was actively working against his own allies, but he was one step closer to keeping Robin, and the notion kept him motivated him and reassured that he was making the right move.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 4, Day 28

Will awakes the next morning, accepting a truth that he wanted to deny for a long time: Lucas and Erica are siblings. Will didn’t want to accept that fact, primarily because it meant that Lucas didn’t trust him with that information, like he assumed Will would turn around and spread the news to everyone else in the house. It made him wonder if Max knew the secret, or if he was keeping it from her as well.

Lucas may be justified in keeping the Sibling Twist to themselves, because now that Will has accepted it as fact, he felt worried about Lucas’ positioning in the game. Lucas was the de facto leader of The Party. He was a part of a showmance with Max, as well as has an unbreakable bond with Erica. With The Socs so low in numbers, Lucas was the most well centered out of everyone from The Party. It also meant, despite the fact that he and Will talked game constantly, Will was not his number one, or his number two. Lucas had many pathways to get to the end of the game. 

Where Will once thought his positioning was good in the game, this revelation showed that other people were slowly setting themselves up for the win, and Will needed to take action to prevent that. Because of this, Will needs to lock in the votes to keep Robin, so that as numbers diminish, Will had other allies outside of The Party.

During the day, he finds Erica, and once again brings up the topic of keeping Robin. She’s more open to the idea, no doubt because she talked with Max about it like Will suggested. So when he asks her directly how she’ll be voting, there’s very little hesitation in her answer, saying that she’ll vote for Robin if Will guarantees they have the numbers. He lies, saying that he does, because there’e no harm in doing so if he eventually ends up getting the numbers.

Will talks to Max too, who wants Will to promise the same thing. She casts doubt over Will being able to have the numbers though, revealing that she talked to Lucas, who confirmed that he, Dustin, El, and Mike all confirmed that they would be voting to save Suzie. Will is disappointed that he didn’t get to Mike before El did, because he’s sure if he acted quickly enough, he’d be able to sway Mike to his side. Will cuts his losses, and determines a new plan of action. He had three votes: himself, Erica, and Max. He only needed a few more votes to keep Robin.

Will knows that his best option is to talk to Angela, who can persuade both Chad and Stacy to vote for Robin. Will never thought he’d be looking for Angela’s help, especially after she put him up, but he had nowhere to turn to, so he had to make ends meet.

Will finds Angela in the Head of Household room, after searching throughout the rest of the house for her. She’s the one that opens the door when Will knocks, and gestures for him to enter. Jake is absent from his room, out in the pool with Chad and Stacy. Angela sits down on the couch, and Will follows suit.

“What’s up?” she asks.

“I wanted to ask you something. Have you decided how you’re voting tomorrow?” Will looks expectantly.

Angela looks away, then says, “I was really going to decide once I got in the Diary Room. I haven’t really talked about it with anyone, not even Jake.”

Will tries to tell if she’s lying, but continues on regardless. “How do you feel about the idea of keeping Robin?”

She’s quiet again, the gears in her head turning. “I’m not opposed to it.” 

“Well, what’s keeping you from voting out Suzie?”

“I just don’t trust Robin. Last week, Jason and I spoke before the eviction. I know, shocking. But, he told me not to trust her.” Will was shocked to hear this, and waited for her to reveal more. “He didn’t tell me anything more, but it’s really put a target on her that I don’t necessarily want to think about anymore.”

Will wasn’t expecting Angela to have the same information as he did. But, Jason not revealing anything to her other than what he knows makes him wonder if there really is a reason to doubt Robin. From his perspective, she hadn’t done anything to betray him.

“I hear what you’re saying.” Will says, moving in closer. “But, I really want to get rid of Suzie. We both know that she’s going to pick Dustin over you or me, so we should get rid of her. Robin is on an island, with no one coming to save her. And with her being on the block multiple times already, she might just end up going on it again next week.”

Angela considers his words. “But I don’t see Suzie as a threat to me. She’s supposed to be a smart player, yet she can’t win any of these mental competitions. If she can’t even succeed in her strong suit, what else is there to be worried about?”

Will sighs, but continues his argument by speaking candidly. “Look, Angela, last week you asked me to ensure that Jason left, and he did. I’m not saying that you owe me, but I just want you to promise that you’ll consider it. Because I put my faith into you over being used as a pawn, and I would like it if you could do the same for me this week.”

They stare at each other like they always do. An immovable force and an unstoppable object. That was what their relationship was. “I’ll think about it.” she says finally.

Will stares at her again, and he can tell that she’s being truthful. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

The conversation comes to an end, and as Will begins to walk away, Angela says, “I’ll talk to Chad and Stacy too.”

Once outside of the HoH room, Will sighs. He knew his actions this week would be the riskiest he played yet, especially for someone who could end up betraying him down the line. But, he can’t lay down and let people take control of the game when he knows he has some influence over the house. If Robin stays, his alliance is still intact, and he still has an ally outside of it. But, if Suzie stays, then his win equity diminishes, and he can’t move up the ladder. In his mind, the former outcome is more desirable, and he can only hope that it comes true.

Chapter Text

Week 5, Day 29

Will was unsure who felt more nervous: him or Robin. Obviously, Robin was more nervous because she had the possibility of going home, but if someone were to compare their heartbeats, Will’s sure that his heart would be beating just as fast as hers.

The biggest worry for Will was that his work might backfire, with the people he’s voting with going back on their words to vote out Suzie. Voting against the alliance was already risky, but if Max changes her vote, and he’s the only one of The Party to vote Suzie out, he’d be painting a target on him so big that he could be the first one gone from the alliance.

Even though he has deals with both Lucas and El, Will knows that he can be cut at a moment’s notice thanks to the fact that they have strong relationships outside of him. But, if he does vote correctly, and Suzie does leave, the only one he’s truly scorning is Dustin, and he’d be able to keep up his relationship with El and Lucas. In addition, if Angela does vote with him, then he’s firmly created a connection with her that he can build upon, allowing him a new path in the game that is solely reliant on The Party’s success.

Currently, they were all waiting for Jullie to come on the television in the living room. Will sat next to Max, hoping that his proximity would influence her to vote on his side. Across from him, El and Mike sat together like they usually did, and it made Will nervous. He thinks about how Mike said he trusts him, and Will wants to trust him back, but seeing the two of them still so close, it made Will uneasy.

Julie comes on the screen, and Will pushes his thoughts to the back of his mind. The moment had finally come, and there was no turning back. “Hello, Houseguests.” Will and the other Houseguests greet her happily. “It is now time for the fourth live vote of the season.” Will looks at Robin, and they nod to each other, knowing there was nothing left they could do. “Robin. Suzie. In just a few minutes, your housemates will cast their vote to evict. But, before they do, you each have a final chance to sway their votes with one brief statement. Robin, you’re up first.”

Will looks at her as she stands, wondering what she might say since her last speech was so intense. “I just wanted to let you all know that being on the block really sucks.” They laugh. “But, you guys have been able to make it easier this past week, which I appreciate. All I want to say is that it’s obvious that I suck at these competitions. I’m a loser. Keep me. I’ll keep being a loser throughout the rest of the game.”

Will laughs, and appreciates her speech, because it’s simple and gives them all a good reason to think about. “Thank you, Robin.” Julie says. “Suzie, you’re up.”

Suzie stands, all smiles as usual. “I’ve had a very good time in this house, and I’ve met some amazing people because of it. I appreciate everyone, and I know you guys are going to make the right decision.”

“Thank you, Robin and Suzie.” Julie says, leaving a pregnant pause. “The time has come. The live voting will begin now. The two nominees, Robin and Suzie, are not allowed to vote. Jake, a s the current Head of Household, you will only vote in the event of a tie.” Jake nods. “One at a time, the rest of you will enter the Diary Room, and cast your vote to evict. And remember, it takes six votes tonight to be evicted. Mike. You’re up first. ”

Will watches Mike disappear into the Diary Room. He waits a moment, and then gets up from his seat, following suit. As he enters the corridor, he passes paths with Mike, and they smile at each other. As they pass, they turn their heads keeping an eye on each other as they enter separate doors.

Once inside, Will takes a seat and lets out a sigh. “Good evening, Will.”

Will puts on a smile. “Hi, Julie.”

“It is now time for you to cast your vote to evict.”

Will sighs, thinks about his choices quickly, and then picks an answer. “I vote to evict Suzie.”

“Thank you, Will. You can head back.”

“Thank you, Julie.”

Will leaves the Diary Room, passing by Angela on his way out. Will hurriedly returns to his seat, and looks anywhere but at the two nominees. He purses his lips, and waits for everyone else to vote, a quicker process now that there were fewer people left in the house. Stacy is the last one to enter, and Will sits up, prepared to hear Julie speak again.

“Houseguests, the votes are in.” Julie says on the television. “When I reveal the vote, the evicted Houseguest will have just a few moments to say goodbye, gather his belongings, and walk out the front door.” Julie pauses. Will closes his eyes, trying to manifest the outcome he needed. “By a vote… of 6 to 4… Suzie, you are evicted from the Big Brother house.”

Will’s eyes open quickly, and he looks at Suzie. She’s shocked, frozen in her seat, looking at all the people around her. Will looks at the other people - Lucas, El, Dustin, Mike - and they all have the same face as her. Everyone gets up at once, and one by one, people begin hugging Suzie. As Will goes to hug her, he can see the tears in her eyes, and Will makes the embrace quick. When he pulls away, he avoids eye contact, and heads to the front door like he always does. Will grabs Suzie’s duffel bag, and when she makes her way to the exit, he hands it over.

Will goes in for one last hug, and as he does, he whispers to Suzie. “I’m sorry.”

⏿⏿⏿

Like last week, Will and the other Houseguests stood in individual booths, with a turnstile in front of him. Two faces of the rectangular prism are blank, while the others say BEFORE or AFTER. Jake sits off to the side, and they all wait for Julie to begin the competition.

The only people Will would be okay with winning Head of Household are himself, Erica, Max, or Robin. They all conspired to evict Suzie, and Will knows for a fact that his allies were blindsided by the results. But if one of the conspirators were to win, there would be little pushback for evicting Suzie, as they held the power, especially if Robin won right after being saved. He couldn’t trust The Socs, because they could put up The Party easily, especially with less people in the house. Will’s best outcome was for the four who voted Suzie out to win.

“Houseguests.” Will’s face hardens with determination as Julie comes on. “The power is up for grabs. Jake, as outgoing Head of Household, you are not eligible to compete. This competition is called Before or After , and here’s how it works.” Will listens intently. “I will name an event that has occurred this summer. You must determine if this event took place before or after a second event I will name. Get the answer correct, you stay in the game. Get the answer wrong, you’re eliminated. The last person standing will be the new Head of Household. Does everyone understand?” They all let out a noise of agreement. Good, then let’s begin.

“Question one. Did Eddie streak naked across the house before or after the week 1 Veto meeting?” This question was a given to Will, and he’s sure to everyone else as well. “Answers, please.” Will choose BEFORE. “The correct answer is before, everyone got it right, everyone can reset.

“Question two. Did Houseguests count the amount of drinking cups in the mess hall before or after they counted the number of birds in the hanging bird feeders in the Counting Counselors Veto?” Will was glad to have played this Veto, because he’s not sure if he’d get it right otherwise. He chooses BEFORE. “Answers, please. The correct answer is before. I’m sorry Mike, you got it wrong, you are out, please step down. Everyone else can reset.

“Question three. Did Houseguests balance on a log before or after Houseguests balanced a ball traveling down a wave during the first live show?” Will knows that The Sinkin’ Log was the opening competition, so no matter what, his answer has to be BEFORE. “Answers, please. The correct answer is before. I’m sorry, Stacy, Robin, and Erica, you three are out.” Will curses to himself. Now, it was down to just himself and Max, and he didn’t like that odds.

“Question four. During Eviction Night, did Robin say, quote, ‘He is not to be trusted.’ before or after she said, quote, “Jason is a hypocrite.’” This makes Will giggle to himself, but he knows the answer, because he loved her speech so much. “Answers, please. The correct answer is after. I’m sorry, Angela, Chad, Dustin, and El. You all got it wrong, you are all out.” Will lets out a sigh of relief. It was down to three: himself, Max, and Lucas. For once, someone from The Party would be winning Head of Household, and Will selfishly hopes it’s not Lucas.

“Question five. Did Angela retrieve her third rubber duck before or after Lucas retrieved his fourth rubber duck during the Best of Duck Veto competition?” Will was unsure about this question. That moment in the Veto competition happened so quickly, everyone was moving so fast, he couldn’t remember what the order was. He picks AFTER and hopes for the best. “Answers, please.” Julie pauses, and Will knows that someone just won. “The answer is before. Congratulations, Max, you are the new Head of Household!”

For the first time, Will was genuinely happy with who won HoH. He runs from his booth, finding Max and hugging her. They jump up and down with excitement, and Will breathes easy, knowing that it was going to be an easy week for himself, and that The Socs will finally lose a member at The Party’s hands.

⏿⏿⏿

Max receives her HoH bedroom at night, as everyone is getting ready for bed. This is the usual time people receive their bedroom, but Will was more intrigued than any other time, because it was now at the benefit of one of his allies.

Will and the other Houseguests follow along behind Max, who leads them all upstairs, and unlocks her key. They all enter, and immediately swarm around Max’s gift baskets. She pulls out a card from her mother, Susan, and tells them all that she’ll read it once she’s alone. 

Inside the gift baskets are various candies and snacks that Max likes, but one of the most important things she receives is a CD and a CD player. Every HoH receives their favorite album to listen to as a perk, and as the weeks go on, Will wants nothing more than to listen to his favorite music.

Max’s album choice is Hounds of Love by Kate Bush, and Will instantly tells her that she needs to let him listen to it. Other than that, an important gift is a stuffed bear from her mom, something that she’s had since she was a kid. Max tries to hide, but Will can tell that she’s tearing up. She wipes them away discreetly.

One by one, people begin to leave. First it's the members of The Socs, then people like Erica and Robin, and finally, The Party begins to leave. Mike asks him if he’s coming down, but Will says he wants to talk to Max. Eventually, it’s just him, Max, and Lucas left.

There was no doubt that Lucas would be sleeping in the HoH bedroom with Max, considering how close they’ve gotten. So, when Lucas slips away to use the private bathroom that’s part of the HoH bedroom, Will talks quietly to Max.

“We have to talk tomorrow about who you want to put and what you want to do.” Will says.

“Yeah, just come up anytime you want. My door’s open.” She responds.

“And.” Will speaks even lower. “We need to talk to Lucas about why we evicted Suzie.”

Max is quiet, then says. “I’ll placate him tonight as we fall asleep, but I agree. It’d be best to explain to him before we get too far along in the week.”

Will moves in and gives Max a hug. “Congratulations. You deserve it.” And when Will pulls away, sleep hits him all at once, and he needs to get some rest. He leaves the couple alone, and retreats back downstairs, walking into the room he now shares with just Mike and Chad.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 5, Day 30

Will wakes up early in the morning, heading to the Head of Household room. He knocks once, and when he walks in, he finds the rest of The Party inside. Max wanted them to meet up early to talk without raising suspicion.

He avoids making eye contact with Dustin, he can’t stand to look at him just yet. Will can tell Max feels the same, because her glance passes over Dustin quickly. Will sits down next to Mike on the couch, waiting for Max to lead the conversation.

To Will’s surprise though, Lucas begins talking. “Why didn’t you guys tell us that you were voting Suzie out?”

Will lets Max respond, because he knows that Lucas would be more receptive to her words. “Look, Will and I should've told you guys, and we were planning to before the live show.” Max lies, and Will knows he has to go along with it. “We really were planning to, but we weren’t even certain that Suzie would be leaving anyways.”

“Yeah,” Will adds, “Robin came up to us right after the Veto meeting, and we promised her that we would vote for her, like she really got into our minds.”

Max continues. “We didn’t realize she was able to work other people too. Will and I thought we’d just be giving her a sympathy vote.”

“But, why didn’t you guys tell us you were open to voting Suzie out?” El asks. “That way we wouldn’t have been so blindsided by your votes.”

“Well, we knew that you guys wouldn’t even entertain it.” Will says. He looks at Dustin as he says, “We knew how much she meant to you, and we didn’t want you to think we were conspiring against you.” Will knows he has to throw Robin under the bus. “Robin must’ve done some really good work to get the votes, she had us fooled.”

“We’re really sorry, Dustin.” Max says, and Will nods along.

Dustin is quiet for a moment. “There’s nothing we can do about it now.” Dustin’s voice has a seriousness Will hasn’t heard before. “But, we have to promise each other that we vote together from now on, got it?”

Will nods. “Of course.” He says at the same time as Max.

Will looks at Lucas, and he can tell that he’s not satisfied, but he plays along. El on the other hand reacts the same as Dustin, obviously willing to put it behind her.

Max speaks again. “I promise Dustin, we’ll be voting together this week. That’s why I called you guys up here, so that you can know the plan for the week.” Max’s voice becomes more serious and authoritative. “Obviously, I’m gonna put one of The Socs up, alongside someone like Erica or Robin.” Will is perturbed at the mention of Robin, but he expected it. He can tell Lucas is also annoyed at the mention of Erica. “I thought about putting up Jake. He just put me up, it only makes sense that I return the favor.”

“He also has won two HoHs.” El adds. “He’ll have a big target on him and there’ll be no chance of him staying.”

“There’s still the Veto though.” Will interject. “You sure you don’t want to backdoor him?”

“I thought about that, but it doesn’t matter really. If he comes down, then another one of The Socs takes his place, and they leave instead. I’ll let you guys know who I pick in that case. Okay?”

“That sounds fine with me.” Dustin says, and Will can tell he wants to end the conversation.

The rest of The Party nods in agreement. “Good.” Max says. “We should split up before anyone else wakes up.”

Dustin is the first to leave, with Lucas following him soon after, most likely going to comfort him. Then, Mike and El leave together, leaving just Will and Max in the room. Max sighs, and takes a seat next to Will.

“Thanks for going with the lie.” Max says.

“No problem. I mean, we painted targets on our back now. We’ve got to stick together now. Because if Dustin wins HoH later on, I can see him putting us up as revenge.”

“You’re right. Just wasn’t expecting Lucas to take it so hard.”

“You know he likes to be the leader. He probably just wanted to be on the right side of the vote.”

Max sighs again, then asks, “You don’t think they might flip on us do you?”

“I can see them doing so in the future. But right now The Party has the numbers, they wouldn’t abandon that with The Socs still in the house.  Just make this a simple week, and let’s get out Jake or whoever. Then, you can work on bringing Lucas back on your good side. Not that you’re not on it already, but you can win him back.”

“Who do you think is the best pawn to sit next to Jake?”

Will thinks it over. He wants Max to win Lucas back, so he can’t suggest Erica. “Just put up Robin. She’ll take it fine, she hasn’t spiraled just yet. And the probability of her winning HoH is slim. She’s your best option.”

“I see what you’re saying, that makes sense.” Before Will can respond, Max pulls him into a hug. He can tell she’s worried about the aftermath of the move, but right now, all they can do is worry about the week at hand. 

“I’ll head out then.” Will says when they separate. “I want you and Lucas to talk.”

“Thanks, Will.”

Will exits Max’s room. Once he returns to the rest of the house, he finds Mike pacing around, walking around the small lounge room upstairs. Mike notices for him, and motions for him to come closer.

“Hi.” Will says, unsure what Mike wants.

“Hi.” Mike responds.

“What’s up?”

Mike sighs, looks away, then back at him. “Why didn’t you tell me about the vote?” Mike asks softly.

“Oh.” Will wasn’t expecting that question. “Uh, it’s like we said. We didn’t think you'd want to hear it. On my own, I thought El-”

“What does El have to do with you and me?” Mike asks, confused but not hostile.

Will stutters as he speaks. “W-Well I saw her talking to you, a-and the others, and I guess I just assumed that she convinced you to vote for Robin.”

Mike is silent, then says, “Will, I trust you more than I trust her. If you had told me to vote with you, I would’ve. You’re smart, and I know you know what you’re doing.”

“But Mike, you have to understand, you and El are always together. It’s hard for me to assume you guys aren’t working together.”

“I get that. I really do, Will.” Mike’s face softens as he says, “How do I prove that I want to work with you?”

Will blinks, surprised that Mike was laying his game out like this. But, Will knows he has to take advantage, especially since he’s painted a target on himself and Max. “You don’t have to accept, but I think it’d ease my mind if we formed an alliance.”

“A Final 2 deal?” Mike supplements exactly what Will wanted.

“Yeah, actually. You don’t have to accept, but-”

“Of course I want to.” Mike says. “You’ve got me. You and I are making it to the end.”

Will has no response. But, hearing Mike’s words put him at ease, and Will knows that making this deal as The Party makes it farther into the game was essential, especially since he feels like his deals with Lucas and El were damaged by the Suzie move. But, Will assures himself that with the easy week, he can bounce back and position himself well once again.

⏿⏿⏿

Will sits at the dining table, and for the first week in the game, he feels completely calm and confident that his key would be pulled out. He looks over to Robin, and then at Angela, and he wonders if he should have informed them about who might go on the block. With Angela, he could have built more trust with her, and with Robin, he could have prepared her about the Nomination Ceremony. Ultimately, he doesn’t want Max to suspect him of working with either of them, that his trust is fully with her, so he knows he made the right decision.

Max stands at the front of the room, ready to begin the ceremony, and Will sees a fire in her eyes, something that comes out every time she competes. “This is the Nomination Ceremony.” Max says as she looks at everyone. “One of my duties as Head of Household is to nominate two Houseguests for eviction.” Max smirks and it makes Will smile. “I will pull the first key, and that person is safe. That person will pull the next key. So on, and so forth.”

Max walks towards the Nomination Wheel and pulls out the first key. “Lucas, you are safe.”

Will expected him to be first, since she’s trying to win him back. Lucas puts the key around his neck. He thanks her and pulls out the next one. “Angela, you are safe.”

Angela smiles, like she knew she’d be safe. Will would never say it out loud, but he’s glad that she is safe, since they have a weird working dynamic. She pulls out the next key, “Dustin, you are safe.”

Dustin pulls out the next key with a straight face, and he knows that he has to talk with him to apologize again. “Stacy, you are safe.” He says, turning the lazy susan.

Stacy’s eyes narrow, obviously suspicious about Max’s intentions. She puts her key around her neck, and pulls out the next one. “Will, you are safe.”

Will smiles, thankful to know that this safety is definitive and Max has certified her choice. “Erica, you are safe.” He says, glad to see that Max took his advice about keeping her safe.

Erica continues on without hesitation and pulls out the next key. “El, you are safe.”

The final four people without a key are Chad, Jake, Mike, and Robin. He knows for a fact that Mike will be safe, and that the other three are up in the air. El pulls out the next key. “Chad, you are safe.”

Will knows the final key is Mike’s. The plan is a go, and it should be an easy week for him. Chad pulls out the final key, and says, “Mike, you are safe.”

When Mike sits down, Will smiles at him, happy to know they are a step closer to the end. Max steps forward again, and begins explaining her nominations. “Jake and Robin, I have nominated you both for eviction. As we get further along in the game, it becomes harder and harder to say any move isn’t personal. So, I won’t say that now. This is strategic, and I know you both know what outcome I want.” Max smiles at both of them, and they nod in understanding. “This Nomination Ceremony is adjourned.”

Max begins to walk away with the Nomination Wheel. Will stands up and heads to Angela. He pulls her into an embrace, congratulating each other on their safety. When they pull away, he watches Angela leave the dining room, and he knows that she’s plotting a plan for the week, and candidly, it makes Will worried about what she’s thinking of.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 5, Day 31

Will finds Dustin sitting in the hammock, looking at nothing, obviously in his own mind. Will approaches slowly, as not to disturb him too much. He knows that to get the target off his back, he had to get Dustin back on his side. Will already had Mike on his side since they made an alliance, so if he could get Dustin to forgive him, the target on him would diminish greatly.

Will sits down beside Dustin, mimicking his posture, arms crossed and one leg over the other. “How are you?” Will asks.

Dustin waits to answer. “I’m annoyed, Will. We were supposed to work as a team.”

“I wasn’t expecting her to go home, I promise.” It was a half-truth, as Will wasn’t sure how the votes would land.

“I don’t know why we couldn’t have just talked about it.”

“The alliance is too big, you know that. We don’t want to get caught.”

“Who cares anymore?” Dustin says suddenly. “We have the majority, The Socs are gonna be down another number by the end of this week too.”

“I get you, but it’s still not a good idea to let it be so obvious. We’d all get targets on us.”

“I already have a target on me. Even in The Party, I know I’m at the bottom of the totem pole.” Dustin sighs, then adds. “I know any of you would target me by the end of the game.”

Will needs to ease Dustin, and he thinks of a deal to make with him. Dustin is spilling so much of his feelings, and Will thinks that he can be the first to capitalize on them, get him off the island and make him feel less isolated. 

“Look, Dustin. Obviously, if all of The Party is the final six - which we’re on track to accomplish - of course it’s gonna be a bloodbath. There’s no avoiding it. Lucas and Max are together, Mike and El are together.” Will leaves out the fact that he was firmly working with Mike now. “I promise you, right here and now, that I’m not gonna target you.” Dustin stays quiet. “You don’t have to reciprocate that sentiment, but I want you to know that.” Will looks at him. “We’re in the same position in The Party. I trust you more than I trust them.” Dustin regards him. “And, I’m sorry that Suzie is gone. You guys deserved a proper goodbye.”

Will can see the tears in Dustin’s eyes. Dustin looks away. “Thanks, Will.” His voice almost breaks.

Will feels bad about tearing them apart, but he knows he needed to do it to get farther in the game. But, Will is empathetic, and he scoots closer to Dustin, pulling him into an embrace, and allowing the other boy to cry on his shoulder.

⏿⏿⏿

It’s just before the Veto selections when Angela comes up to Will in the storage room. She sneaks up on him, and he jumps when he realizes he’s not alone.

“Oh, hey, what’s up?” Will asks.

“I’m just gonna cut straight to the chase.” Angela is whispering, and Will leans in. “If you and I are both playing for the Veto, would you throw it to me?”

Will wasn’t expecting the question. He blinks, and then asks, “What, not to Jake?”

“No. If I win it, then I’ll be safe, and then I can keep Jake safe.”

Will shakes his head. “I don’t know, Angela. That’s a big thing to do.”

“I know, I know. I’m not expecting you to say yes, just to think about it.”

“Well, why would I want to keep you two? You guys are really close, I know you’d drop him for me at a moment’s notice.”

“You’re right, but it’s still early in the game. If two big targets like Jake and I are still in the game, then that buys you another week.”

Her logic makes sense, and it makes Will sigh. “Angela, I can’t promise anything.”

“If you do, then no matter who it is, Chad, Stacy, Jake, or me, we won’t put you up if we win HoH. You have my word on that.”

Will looks away, he can tell that her eyes are scrutinizing him. He looks back at her and says, “I’ll think about it.”

⏿⏿⏿

Will was hoping that he didn’t get picked for the Veto competition. Angela’s plan was enticing to Will, but he didn’t want to have to make that decision. Depending on the competition, it could be hard to throw the competition to Angela. And if he was obvious, the target he’s working hard to diminish with The Party would grow right back.

So as Max gets ready to lead the Veto selection process, he sat on pins and needles, hoping that anyone else but him would be picked.

“Only six people will compete in the Veto Competition, the Head of Household, the two nominees, and three other players selected by random draw. Will the nominees please join me up here.” Max says this all with a cool and calm manner of speaking. Jake and Robin stand up from their nomination chairs and join her. “As HoH, I will pick first.” Max puts the cue card in one hand, and with the other, he digs deep into the Veto box, pulling out a chip. She reads it and says, “Chad.” Will claps for Chad, and he knows that Chad will be fighting to win the Veto.

It’s now Jake’s turn, and before he speaks, Will can see a smile on his face. “Houseguest’s Choice.” Will’s eyes travel to Angela, and she meets his gaze. “I choose Angela.”

Angela walks to the front of the room. There was only one person left to choose, and hoped that fate would be on his side. Robin reaches into the bag, and pulls out a chip. “Will.”

Will forces himself to smile and joins the rest of the Veto players. Max finishes the process by saying, “Big Brother is to inform us when the Veto Competition is to begin… Good luck!” 

Will gulps at her words, and realizes that he had a tough choice to make, and he needed to make it now. He could throw it to Angela, securing some safety and growing a bond with the other side of the house. But, if he went all out, he could save Robin, reassuring her like he knows that he needs to in order to keep working with her. 

The two options are tossed around in his head, possibly impacting his path in the game. Everyone has dispersed from the living room, and Will knows what he has to do.

⏿⏿⏿

The Houseguests walk into the competition, entering a woodland scene that expanses the whole of the backyard. At one end of the backyard, at the top of an incline, is a large animatronic squirrel, and based on that alone, Will knows what competition they’re about to play.

There’s water streaming down the inline, and various ropes attached at the top. At the bottom of the hill is a shallow pool of water. Close to the pool is a huge mud pit, and by that is a pool of wood chips. The final area of the forest has large piles of leaves to sift through. The Houseguests not playing in the Veto competition sit off to one side, while Will and the others travel up the incline, up close to the animatronic squirrel. At the top of the incline sit five kneeling circles that look like tree stumps, and they all take a knee.

Suddenly, the animatronic begins moving and talking, and Will listens intently. “I’m OTEV the Scribing Squirrel! All summer, I’ve been working hard collecting acorns all around the forest! I’ve been obsessed with Big Brother , so much so I’ve been carving your guys’ names onto my acorns. But a recent flood has sent my scribed acorns all throughout the forest before I could store them properly! I really need your help finding my acorns. Here’s how it works:

“Each round, I’ll give you all a clue about the name of the Houseguest I’m looking for. You will slide down the dam and search the whole forest for the acorn I’ve scribed their name into. Once you have found the correct acorn, make your way back up the dam, kneel on a tree stump, and present to me the acorn you retrieved. If you are the last to bring me the acorn I asked for, you will be eliminated, and we’ll continue until only one player remains. That person will win the Golden Power of Veto!” Will and the rest of the Veto players cheer, and he begins to pump himself up.

“Acorn number one: I first scribed this name when they went skydiving. And I’m so glad I have it now that they are evicted, so they remain in my heart.”

When OTEV finishes peaking, a horn goes off, and Will turns around quickly, sliding down the dam. When they all land, they split up. Will heads for the mud pits, the farthest away from the incline, which he reaches by crawling underneath a fallen log. Will figures it’s better to start off further away from the kneeling circles, so that if the acorn is not there, he can work his way back and have a shorter distance to travel when he does find one.

Will dives into the mud pit and begins digging. He can feel the mud collect underneath his fingernails, and feels it splash on his chin. He wipes it off as he continues digging. No one else is around him, and Will sees it as a benefit. If he finds other acorns, he’ll have knowledge that other people don’t have. Will finds some with the names Jake, and Angela. He sets them aside. Based on the clue, he knows to look for Suzie’s name.

Will can hear people cheering, and he assumes someone is already returning to OTEV. He doesn’t bother looking, instead digging even deeper. The acorns are only slightly bigger than typical ones, and the mud on them makes it hard to read the names. Eventually, Will finds one with Suzie’s name and he rushes back to the kneeling circle. He hits his head on the log, but he pushes through the pain, and dive into the shallow water in front of the incline. He grabs a rope, and pulls himself up. As he ascends, he sees Angela and Robin kneeling in front of OTEV.

When he reaches the top, Will joins them, and kneels on a tree stump, reveling in the cheers he can hear from Lucas and Mike. He watches the other players, and before long, Jake returns with his acorn. Max and Chad look to be struggling in the wood chips. But, in an instant, Max rushes through the wood chips back to the incline, and Will cheers for her as she pulls herself up the dam. Chad isn’t far behind, but he isn’t fast enough to catch up to Max.

They all turn to OTEV as he begins speaking. “What acorn have you bought OTEV?” One by one they go down the line, and they all present the acorn with Suzie’s name on it. “The correct acorn is Suzie! Sorry, Chad, you have been eliminated.” Will watches as Chad slides down the incline, joining the rest of the Houseguests.

“Acorn number two: How could I carve your name into some of my acorns? Being the first to win two competitions means you’re one to remember!”

The horn blares, and Will hurries down the dam. He heads to the wood chips, Max running right beside him. He digs through the wood chips looking for the correct acorn. He knows OTEV is referring to Jake.

As he continues searching, Max zips by him, returning to OTEV. Again, Will picks up the pace. The dust from the wood chips make it hard to keep his eyes open, but he doesn’t stop for a second. Eventually, he finds a pile of acorns assembled by another player, he assumes. They have various names, but none of them have Jake’s name.

Will looks back at OTEV, and he sees Max and Robin kneeling already. Will destroys the pile out of frustrations, and uses the entirety of his arms to feel for something smooth in the wood chips. He hits something with his elbow, and he turns to find it. He reaches deep, and finds an acorn with Jake’s name on it.

Will sprints back to OTEV, crossing paths with Angela. They both grab a rope and begin pulling themselves upward, a neck and neck race that ends with both of them on their own kneeling circle. Will turns to see Jake traveling up the incline.

“What acorn have you brought OTEV?” They go down the line, revealing that they’ve all brought Jake’s acorn. It was close for Will, but he’s glad to have made it through another round. “The correct acorn is Jake! Sorry, Jake, you have been eliminated.”

Will huffs and puffs, trying to get his breath back as the next round starts. “Acorn number three: You may have been nominated the most, but don’t let that hold you back! Maybe it means the others are always thinking of you!”

The horn blows, and Will initially thinks he’s looking for his name, but realizes that Robin has now been nominated three times, and that he needs to find her acorn.

He doesn’t remember seeing any acorns with Robin’s name in the wood chips or in the mud. Will searches through the many piles of leaves, Angela bumping into him as she searches for one. He alternates between searching with his hands and his legs, but with leaves now falling down around him, it makes the search that much harder.

Will’s about to try searching somewhere else, when Angela runs past him. She drops something in front of him, and he looks at it closely. He confirms it’s an acorn with Robin’s name, and he looks as Angela runs away, sprinting back to OTEV.

Will doesn’t question it, and grabs the acorn. He hurries back to the kneeling circle, breathing heavy from exerting so much energy. He tries to catch it and doesn’t bother looking at who else comes up the incline. He looks to his side and sees that Robin has claimed the last tree stump.

“What acorn have you brought OTEV?” They all reveal their acorns, all scribed with Robin’s name. “The correct answer is Robin! Sorry, Max, you have been eliminated.” 

They were down to the final three. Will could feel the pressure on his shoulders from The Party to win. If he doesn’t, then one of the nominees is coming down for sure, and he knows Max doesn’t want to nominate a third person.

“Acorn number four: I wrote down your name, thinking you’d be going home. But, somehow, a friend pulled you off the block, and you turned it around.”

The horn goes off, and Will knows that OTEV is talking about Max, and he’s glad, because he knows exactly where he can find an acorn with her name on it. He heads to the wood chips, looking around the acorn pile he had found earlier. Once again, he’s searching side by side with Angela. He knows he can’t rely on her again, so he digs around furiously, and without much time spent, Will finds an acorn with Max’s name.

He leaves Angela in the dust. As he makes it back to OTEV, he hopes that Angela gets eliminated, because if she does, he won’t have to decide whether to throw it to her or not in the final round.

Will kneels on the tree stump, watching as Robin and Angela continue their search. At the same time, they get up, and he can see an acorn in both of their hands. Everyone begins to cheer them on, and Will waits with bated breath. They jump into the shallow pool, and then grab the rope at the same time. They begin climbing, and in an instant, Angela shoves Robin. She slips, and loses her grip on the rope and slides back down the dam, Angela making her way to OTEV.

Robin finally makes her way back up, obviously annoyed at Angela. “What acorn have you brought OTEV?” They both reveal their Max acorns. “The correct answer is Max! Sorry, Robin, you have been eliminated.”

It was the final round, and Will had a tough decision to make. He can feel Angela eyeing him, like she’s trying to confirm the plan.

“Acorn number five: I first judged you for running around naked, but then realized, I do the same everyday!”

The final horn blows, and Will knows to look for Eddie. Unfortunately, he has not seen Eddie’s name popped up in any of the previous rounds. But, Will considered this an advantage, because as he slides down the dam, he knows that he needs to throw the competition to Angela.

Will heads to the mud pit. Like in the first round, he considered it an advantage, because he’d have a longer way to travel back compared to Angela. And the mud is the hardest to wipe off the acorns, so he knows he’ll be spending a lot of time there.

He begins searching, trying to make it believable. He finds many acorns, and even though he’s trying to throw it, he finds Eddie’s name. The dilemma in front of him strikes him, and his instincts kick in. Without another thought, he begins to run back, diving underneath the log, getting more mud on his face. He crawls and gets back on his feet, catching Angela running back to OTEV.

Will sprints, but no matter what he does, he knows he’s lost it. Angela’s climbing up to OTEV as Will barely lands in the shallow pool. She kneels on the tree stump, and Will solemnly pulls himself up the incline.

“What acorn have you brought OTEV?”

“I’ve brought you Eddie!” Angela says.

“The correct acorn is Eddie! Sorry, Will, you have been eliminated.” Will looks at the ground. “Congratulations, Angela! You have won the Golden Power of Veto!”

Will congratulates Angela by giving her a hug. They both slide down the dam, and they head to the other Houseguests, where El is holding the Veto for Angela to claim. In that moment, Will knew he should be wondering about who is going up in Jake’s place, but all he could think about was whether or not he put on a performance good enough to fool The Party.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 5, Day 32

Will finds himself once again in Max’s bedroom. Lucas uses the private shower she was awarded while Will talks to her. They sit on her bed, the first time Will has gotten the opportunity to do so. They discuss who to put up now that Angela won the Power of Veto. Everyone in the house knows that she’s going to use it on Jake. As they discuss, Will tries to act sorry for his competition loss.

“I can’t believe she won that. Out of all the people.” Will says, trying to sound annoyed.

“It was a possibility. I honestly expected it. Once she got pulled during Veto selections, my gut told me she was going to win.” Max reassures Will.

“I just know that you didn’t want to have to nominate a third person. Those two are definitely gonna have a target out for you now.”

“It’s not your fault, Will. You ruled in that competition, I know you tried your best.”

Will nods along. “Well, at least your options are narrowed down. Who were you thinking of replacing Jake with?”

“I was thinking about Chad, since he’s a better competitor than Stacy, you know? What do you think?”

Will pauses, then says, “I see what you’re saying, but then he’d be going up against Robin, right?”

“Right.”

“He’s a better competitor than Robin, in my opinion. And he could use that to his benefit, going around trying to make deals with people, promising them safety if they keep him. It’s not a guarantee that’s gonna happen, but I imagine he would really campaign against Robin, and it could work, you know?”

Max considers what he’s said. “You think the target on him isn’t big enough then?”

“I think that if it were Stacy against Robin, Stacy would easily go. She has no relationships in the house other than The Socs. I think it would be an uphill battle to try to keep her, whereas Chad could get that moment easily.”

Max looks away, then back at him. “I don’t know…”

“I understand. You need to do what you think is best for your game. If you want Chad gone, then we’ll get rid of him.” Will is truthful in his statements. He would rather Stacy go, but eventually, they would both have to leave for Will to win.

“I’ll think about it. I should discuss it with Lucas.”

“Okay.”

“And know that whoever I put up, they need to go home. I’m gonna tell the rest of The Party this too.”

“Consider it a done deal.”

The conversation comes to a natural end, and Will leaves the Head of Household bedroom. He travels downstairs, finding Angela and Jake talking quietly in the kitchen. It’s not an uncommon sight, so Will passes by without a second thought, and enters the backyard. He finds Robin in the hammock, resting in the sunlight.

Will joins her, sitting beside her. When he’s settled, Robin asks, “Do you think I’m going home?”

“Not at all. No one’s mentioned your name to me. Not even for the future. Make it past this hump and I think you’re good.”

“Why do you think that is?”

“I think people want to pull you in. No one knows about their alliance, so you seem alone in the game. People are gonna try to pull you in.”

Robin digests his words, then says. “I think you’re good too. I think everyone likes you right now. I mean, Jake didn’t even put you up even though he did so week one. If we make it far, and keep our alliance secret, we could really make it to the end.”

“You haven’t thought about working with other people?” Will asks, trying to gauge how well their bond is.

“I mean, I’ve considered working with some of the girls, but I don’t really bond well with them. Those three, Erica, Max, and El, feel very close-knit. I don’t know if I can get into their group.” She looks at him. “What about you?”

“I don’t have any strong deals with people. If I made any early on, it feels like they’ve dissolved a bit.” Will omits mentioning his new deal with Mike. “I can only really rely on you.”

Robin waits a moment, then asks, “What about Mike?”

Will tries not to react. “Why do you mention him?”

“You haven’t thought about working with him?” Robin brings this up, like she doesn’t have a clue about The Party, so Will tries not to squirm. 

“Not really.” Will responds. “You think I should?”

“I think he’s been eyeing you.” Robin says in a playful manner.

Will turns his head quickly. “What do you mean by that?”

“I don’t know. I feel like he’s always looking at you. You haven’t noticed.”

“No, not really.” Will wanted his relationship with Mike to be secret, but having a close ally like Robin suggesting they work together means Will sees it as an out, a way to work with him more openly because Robin wouldn’t distrust what they come up with. “You think I should work with him?”

“I think so. He’s under the radar like me, and he’s well liked like you. Us three could make it far.”

Will doesn’t respond. Robin was right. If Will could work with them under the radar, all three of them could make it far into the game. But, Will isn’t sure what happens at the endgame. At this point, he doesn’t know who he’d pick over the other. It gives him trepidation, and he hates it. Will shakes the thoughts from his head, and tells himself to worry about the week at hand.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 5, Day 33

The Veto meeting was approaching, but Will couldn’t bring himself to get up from his bed. His body was still recuperating from the OTEV competition, and with the assurance that Max was putting up either Chad or Stacy, Will had no reason to get up and continuously talk game with everyone in the house.

He lays in bed when the door opens, and in walks Mike, holding a bowl of orange slices in one hand. Mike makes his way to Will, sitting on his bed. Will sits up and eagerly grabs an orange slice.

“Thanks, Mike.”

Mike smiles. “Was hoping you’d like them, peeled them just for you.”

“That’s sweet of you.”

Before the conversation continues, Mike maneuvers himself closer to Will. He mimics Will’s posture, and the two sit on Will’s bed, their backs leaning on the wall. “Is this okay with you?”

Will can feel himself blushing. “Yeah.”

Will hadn’t given himself time to properly discern Mike’s actions. It was obvious the other boy was flirting with him, especially after they cuddled one night. And with Robin’s observation of Mike eyeing him often, Will was confident in saying that Mike was attracted to him.

Will was attracted to Mike as well. He couldn’t help the giddy feeling he’d get when Mike would lean in close to whisper something to him, and as the game progresses, Will knew that he wanted to do the same things some of the showmances were doing. Will would often find Angela and Jake kissing, or Max and Lucas doing the same. Early on, he saw Mike and El touching each other playfully, and it made Will assume that he and El would end up a definitive showmance. But, despite the fact that Mike still talked to El, it was obvious to Will that they were no longer as close as they once were.

But, Will wanted to be correct in his assumptions. He didn’t want to move forward with Mike until he was sure that their romantic actions actually meant something to Mike.

“Can I ask you a question?” Will asks.

“Anything.” Mike responds.

Will feels trepidation, but goes for it anyway. “What’s your relationship with El?”

Mike laughs nervously. “You really want to know?”

They look at each other as Will says. “Yeah. Tell me.”

Mike picks his words. “There’s nothing between us. Not really. I thought there might be something between us at the beginning of the game, but as we talked, we didn’t really have much in common. She’s still a friend, obviously, especially since we’re both in The Party. But, that’s about it really.”

“Just friends, then?”

“Just friends.” Mike smiles at Will. “Is that okay?”

Will blinks. “Uh, y-yeah. That’s okay.” He turns away from Mike’s gaze.

Mike laughs, and Will loves the sound of it. “You’re cute when you’re jealous, you know that?”

“Shut up.” Will reaches for a pillow and covers his face in embarrassment.

“I’m being serious.” Will feels Mike come closer. “C’mon remove the pillow.”

“No way.”

“C’mon.” Mike says, pulling at the pillow. Will feigns resistance, then lets go. Their faces are closer than ever, and Will can’t look away. Mike is quiet for a moment, then says “I like talking to you.”

Will regards him for a short moment. “I like talking to you too.” They stay like that a while, and Will wants nothing more than for Mike to lean in closer and plant a kiss on him.

⏿⏿⏿

The Houseguests sit in the living room. Wil sits right next to Max. Jake and Robin sit in the nomination chairs. Jake has a smile on his face, so sure that he’s about to come off the block. Angela stands at the front of the room, the Power of Veto around her neck. Will sits calmly, knowing exactly what’s about to come next.

“This is the Veto Meeting.” Angela says, drawing attention to her. Angela gestures to the two nominees and says, “Jake and Robin have been nominated for eviction. But… I have the power to veto one of those nominations.” She pauses for dramatic effect, as if no one knows what's about to come next. “I have decided to use the Power of Veto… on Jake.” Jake stands up, and Angela puts the Veto around his neck. Jake kisses her as a thank you. “Max, you must now name a new Houseguest as a replacement nominee.”

Max stands up, and Will pats her as encouragement. “Unfortunately for this person, my decision has come down to how well I get along with them. Stacy, you rarely talk to me, and it feels like you don’t want to get to know me. I can’t have someone I have no bond with go any further. I nominate you for eviction.”

Stacy looks visibly annoyed and angered, but Will has no empathy for her. She brought it upon herself. She walks to the nomination chair and sits down. Angela ends the meeting by saying, “This Power of Veto Meeting is adjourned.”

Stacy is the first to get to her feet, walking to the backyard. Chad and Jake follow closely behind her. Will hugs Max as everyone else hugs Robin. When they hug, he whispers her reassurance, and she responds confidently, sure that no matter what, she’ll be staying come Eviction night.

When they pull away, Angela returns to the living room. She hugs Robin, comforting her with a short statement. Angela then turns to him, and gives him a hug, like everyone does knowing that they’re ultimately safe. 

Angela pulls away and then says quietly. “It’s gonna be a bloodbath. And I don’t mean for me. You need to be prepared.”

Will knows what she’s implying. As The Socs’ numbers dwindle, sooner or later The Party is going to turn on themselves. Will knows in that case, he has to be the first one to make a move, but for now, he has to believe in his positioning. He responds to Angela, “I know.”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 5, Day 34

Ever since Suzie was eliminated, and ever since Will made an alliance with Mike, it seemed like El and Dustin were spending more time together. It’s most likely because El was the most empathetic person from The Party. It was obvious that despite the apologies from Max and Will, Dustin was still reeling from Suzie’s elimination.

Making a new connection this far into the game is notable because it comes from after actual time spent together. In the beginning, it’s important to make alliances, but they can be founded on mundane reasons. Will has a Final 2 deal with El, but based on their lack of communication and the turn of events, Will knows that El is starting to distrust him.

They’re seated in the dining room, talking quietly about the eviction. Will leans in and says, “So, Stacy’s leaving.”

“Unless some people decided to change their vote.” El says, her tone pointed.

Will knows she’s still upset, but he doesn’t bring it up. “She’s gonna be a problem in the future, Stacy has to go.”

“I know.” El responds flatly.

Will realizes his problem. El was an emotional player, but he was speaking to her analytically and logistically. He needed to talk about them and The Party as a unit. “We need to rebuild the trust too, you know? I know Max feels badly about last week – and so do I – so, I really want to make it up to Dustin. And to you.”

El is quiet, then says, “I just don’t like being on the wrong side of the vote you know? It feels like Robin is gonna target me and the rest of The Party now.”

“You’re right, but she’s on the block now. If you talk with her more, you can win her back.”

“You really think so? I’m so scared about what might happen next week. What if she wins?”

Will gets up from his seat, and embraces her. “I hear what you’re saying, but you have to make your own destiny. You’ve gotten this far, I know you can make things better.”

They pull away. “Thanks, Will.”

That’s where the conversation ends between the two of them. Will’s not sure if he’s mended things with her, but Will knows this can be a crucial stepping stone on the road to working together again.

Will leaves her there, heading back to his room. He enters and finds Mike laying down in his bed. Since Lucas was sleeping in the Head of Household room, Chad left the room to sleep next to Angela and Jake. It left them alone in their room, and every other night, Will and Mike liked to cuddle in bed.

Mike smiles as Will approaches him. Mike pulls the blanket back, and Will crawls into bed with him. Will likes the feel of Mike’s frame enveloping him, so he lets Mike be the big spoon. Although it primarily acts as a way for them to be closer together, it also acts as a daily debriefing. A way to keep each other entertained inside the house.

“You know, Stacy has not come up to me at all today.” Will says.

“She’s not campaigning?”

“Not to me, at least. It feels like she doesn’t want to be in the game.”

“Maybe she doesn’t.” Mike says, pulling Will closer. “We have been here for a month now. I bet she wants to see her friends and family again.”

Will scoffs. “Then I guess we’re doing her a favor. It annoys me though. If you’re not gonna play the game, then why even come.”

“I get what you’re saying. But, it’s just a fun experience. Not everyone is as competitive as you. They just see the show as a way to meet people and have fun.”

“I guess.”

“And that’s not something to scoff about. I mean, we met each other, right?”

Will smiles. “I suppose meeting you is a good thing.”

Mike laughs. “You’re something else, you know that?”

“Yeah, but you like it.”

Mike pauses, and a moment passes. “I really do.”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 5, Day 35

Will finds himself once again in Max’s bedroom, sitting on her bed, his logs crossed as they candidly talk about the game without fear of eavesdropping. It was the last day of her HoH, and despite the fact that Will felt he made good progress mending bridges with The Party, he still wanted to have a game plan with Max going into the next week, especially as the game intensifies.

“How is Lucas feeling?” Will asks.

“I think I’ve calmed him down a bit. He had a lot of questions, obviously, but I kept up the lie we started. After saying it for a while, I think I even believed it.”

“Good. I’ve talked to Dustin about it all too, and I kept lying. He for sure believes it, so it’s good they have some faith in us again. But, I’m still worried about Lucas. Do you think he’s still upset with me?”

“I don’t think so, but I can never really tell with him. He’s good at hiding things. Even to me.”

Will knew that more than anybody, since he knew about Erica and Lucas’ relationship. Will regards Max, and wonders if she knows about it too. He doesn’t bring it up though, because he knows that it’s not the right time yet. He still had to wait it out and find the right moment to divulge it with someone.

“Just think, after Stacy gets evicted, we’ll be in Jury.” Will says.

Max smirks. “I know. And all members of The Party can make it, easily.”

“Quite the feat. So, if one of us wins HoH, who do you think should go next?” Will asks.

“I want Jake gone, obviously.” Max says. “But, any one of them needs to go next week.”

“I agree.” WIll grows quiet, then decides he can trust Max with his thought process. “What’s your ideal eviction order? Like, who do you see at the end with you?”

Max's eyes become discerning, but she shares information regardless of whatever doubt one should have. “I would want me, you, Lucas, and El. Ideally.”

“I feel the same way.” Will posits, lying. “So then would you cut Mike and Dustin at finale six?”

Max smirks. “Sure, but we have to think about who makes the first move. Because if they’re in power, and they cut one of us, then we’re screwed. I hate to say it, but it’s smart to make the first move before the final six.”

“I know what you mean. I just know the Jury part of the game is gonna be messy.”

“Especially with all the couples around. I mean, I know people can see how close Lucas and I are, but then there’s also people like El and Mike,” Will’s glad she groups them together instead of him and Mike, “And if Jake makes it, then he and Angela. We’re all gonna have huge targets. That’s why we got Suzie out in the first place, to take out a strong bond.”

Will nods in understanding. “And if we get too sloppy, The Socs could rally Erica and Robin to target us. They could get their numbers back.”

“You’re right.” Max looks away, and then back at him. “But, we just have to stick together. You have to go for that HoH tomorrow, and take control of this game. Then, we ride it out.”

Chapter Text

Week 6, Day 36

Will knew that Eviction Night was a done deal. There was no way Stacy was going to stay. She hadn’t campaigned, nor did she have many great connections. Robin would be staying, which meant that Will still had a strong ally. And with his alliance with Mike, as well as his newfound connection with Max, the dwindling numbers meant that Will was safe both inside The Party and outside of it.

With the Head of Household competition approaching, Will wondered to himself if he should throw the competition, like Mike has been doing. Although Will was missing his mom and his brother, and he really wanted their gifts and the privilege that comes with power, the game was tightening to a point where he had limited moves to make, otherwise, he would be seen as a traitor to The Party.

Candidly, Will knew that he was the only one working with someone from The Socs. Although his relationship with Angela started off rocky, he knew that she would rather work with him than anyone else from his alliance. And almost none of The Party members particularly liked her. El talked about how much she hated her, Max’s personality clashed often with Angela’s, Dustin found her off putting, and Lucas disliked her because of how Max felt. The only one with a semblance of respect for Angela is Mike, but even then, Will could tell that she got on his nerves easily.

But, keeping Angela in his back pocket was something Will needed to maintain. In the same way that Robin is an out for him when The Party begins to dissolve, Angela is an out for him if she makes it far enough. But, he wonders if he should save someone who would easily turn against him, just as she had when she nominated him for eviction.

“Hello, Houseguests.” Julie comes on the screen, and Will claps, genuinely smiling. “It is now time for the sixth live vote of the season. But first, I want to congratulate everyone that is safe this week, because it means you have all made it to the Jury.” Will and the other Houseguests clap, glad to have made it so far in the game. “Unfortunately for Robin and Stacy, only one of you will be making it to Jury. In just a few minutes, your housemates will cast their vote to evict. But, before they do, you each have a final chance to sway their votes with one brief statement. Robin, you’re up first.”

Will watches her stand, much more confident than she was last week. “You know, the past few times I’ve been on the block, I’ve had a statement to make, whether that was serious or funny. But tonight, I’ll just say that I leave tonight up to you all. Thanks.”

Will claps. It’s Robin’s third time giving a speech, so he knows that she has to be over the whole process already. It makes Will hope that, whoever the next HoH is, Robin has a week without being on the block, because three out of five times just didn’t bode well to him.

“Thank you, Robin. Stacy, it’s now your turn to give a final statement.”

Stacy stands up, and just with that action, Will knows that she won’t say anything meaningful. “I don’t really have much to say. Thank you for the fun time I’ve had in this house, I leave it up to you guys."

“Thank you, Robin and Stacy.” Julie says, and Will turns his attention back to her, rolling his eyes at Stacy’s words. “The time has come. The live voting will begin now. The two nominees, Robin and Stacy, are not allowed to vote. Max, a s the current Head of Household, you are not allowed to vote.” Max nods. “One at a time, the rest of you will enter the Diary Room, and cast your vote to evict. And remember, it takes five votes tonight to be evicted. El. You’re up first. ”

Will watches El walk into the Diary Room. Even though Will’s sure about who’s leaving, Will still feels trepidation. He looks to the floor, then looks up, and his gaze meets Mike on the opposite couch. Mike gives him a small smile, and Will returns it. Stacy could have pulled off the biggest flip possible, and got the target removed from her back, but Will knows that no matter what, Mike would vote with him, and it gives Will some ease.

Eventually, every Houseguest enters the Diary Room. Will is the last one to vote, crossing paths with Dustin in the short corridor that leads to the Diary Room. They fist bump as they pass each other. Once inside, Will sits down, and waits for Julie to speak to him.

“Hello, Will.”

“Hi, Julie. It’s nice to see you.” Will says, smiling.

“It’s nice to see you too, Will. Please cast your vote to evict now.”

Without hesitation, Will says, “I vote to evict Stacy.”

“Thank you, Will. You can return to the living room.”

“Thanks, Julie.” Will is back on his feet, and he returns to his seat quickly, wanting to hear the results.

“Houseguests, the votes are in.” Will sits up when he hears Julie’s voice. “When I reveal the vote, the evicted Houseguest will have just a few moments to say goodbye, gather her belongings, and walk out the front door.” Julie pauses, and Will waits. “By a vote… of 7 to 2…,” Stacy is on her feet before Julie even finishes, “Stacy, you have been evicted from the Big Brother house.”

Stacy is halfway to the door as everyone else stands up. The Socs catch up to her as she grabs her duffle bag. The three of them hug her, and before anyone else can say or do anything, Stacy grabs the front door, and walks through, without another word.

⏿⏿⏿

Will, as well as the other Houseguests, stand on small individual platforms attached to columns decorated to resemble trees. They stand ten feet in the air wearing goggles, with a stunt mat below. His toes stick out just over the edge of the platform. To his sides are multiple handles to grip onto and stabilize himself. In between Will’s legs is a wooden block, there to prohibit him from crouching. The minute Will saw the setup, he knew what he’d be competing in: The Wall. Off to the side is Max, sitting comfortably as she looks at the rest of the Houseguests.

Julie comes overhead. “Houseguests, the power is up for grabs. Max, as outgoing Head of Household, you are not eligible to compete. The BB Lodge campsite is home to some of the tallest and strongest trees in the country, which is why you’ve found yourselves among said trees. This competition is called Out on a Limb , and the goal could not be any simpler. Be the last Houseguest standing on your tree and you will be crowned the new Head of Household. Does everyone understand?” They all shake their heads, unwilling to let go of their grip. “Excellent, then hold on tight, Houseguests, because this competition begins now.”

Will tightens his grip. The trees they’re on begin leaning forward, and they stay there, the Houseguests no longer perpendicular to the ground. Will closes his eyes, then the trees move back, standing straight, and Will couldn’t be more glad. But, before he can get comfortable, the trees move forward again, and it stays like that.

Will is at one end of the lineup, competing beside Mike. They were randomly assigned positions, but Will is glad to be next to him. The farther they get into the competition, Will knew they could encourage each other, or just talk about things to get their mind off of the pressure The Wall provides. 

“Looking good everybody!” Julie’s voice shakes Will. “But remember, a summer in the forest always comes with a summer storm, which can only mean one thing.” Once Julie finishes, rain begins to fall over the Houseguests. Everyone burst in a cacophony of unpleasant noises, annoyed at the rain. But, to Will’s pleasure, the trees stand up straight again.

The rain continues to pelt them, and Will can’t even imagine how little time has passed. Being stuck in the tree with nothing to do made time travel slowly, and Will wasn’t sure how long the competition might go on. It was the first week of Jury, so everyone is trying to ensure they’re not the first one to enter the Jury House. So, anyone could win. But, Will knew he couldn’t drop, not until at least Dustin, El, or Lucas had fallen off. It’s weird to Will that he’s distrusting his alliance members the most, but he wasn’t sure where he stood with them. And, he’s not sure how early they’d be willing to turn on The Party to get further in the game.

The rain stops, and the trees lean forward. “Hello again, Houseguests.” Will can’t speak, too much energy focused on his grip. “Stay focused, everyone, because it’s going to be a long night. Good luck, and goodnight Houseguests!”

By the time Julie leaves them, Will assumes that they’ve only been hanging on for about twenty minutes. The previous HoH competitions had all been mental, so Will was wondering when they’d become more than just that. He always loved endurance competitions, so he was happy to be competing in one. Depending on everyone’s determination, the competition could go on for hours.

For the most part, everyone competing stays quiet, obviously focusing on the task at hand. For Will, he pays no mind to the rain that is continuously being dropped on them. With the goggles covering his eyes, he hardly considers it a hazard so early into the game. The thing that rattles him the most is when the trees begin to lean. His depth perception makes him queasy, and he has to close his eyes whenever that happens.

They’re leaning forward when Mike asks, “How are you doing, Will?”

Will takes a deep breath. “I’m fine. Trying to concentrate.”

“Do you want me to shut up then?” Mike asks, and it makes Will laugh.

“A little.” 

“I’m here if you want to talk. Get your mind off of the competition.” Mike trails off, then adds, “You’re doing great by the way.”

“Thanks, Mike.”

The first person doesn’t fall until at least thirty minutes into the competition. The Houseguests are transitioning from upright to an angle. Will has his eyes closed, but when the trees stop moving, he hears a cacophony of noises from everyone else, and he opens them, turning his head to the fallen victim. On the floor is El, getting back up on her feet. Her head hangs low, obviously disappointed in herself for being the first one to drop. Will was dreading being the first one out, so he knows how she’s feeling. But, with El now out, Will only had to make it further than Lucas and Dustin.

El joins Max where she sits. Will looks at them both, and from what he can tell, it looks like they’re watching him, silently hoping for him to win. Will thinks that himself winning could be the best scenario for The Party. It would force Lucas, Dustin, and El to keep their relationships up with him, thus continuing the strength of their bond in the game.

Will could feel his grip loosening on his handles. Every time they’re upright, he repositions, trying to get a better grip, but the water slips into his hands, and he can feel his grip becoming weaker every time he tries repositioning. He is determined not to release his hands anymore.

Periodically, Mike lets out words of encouragement to Will. Will returns them, trying to keep each other’s morale up. If anyone else could win, Will would want Mike to become Head of Household. He knows no matter what he would be safe, and he knows that he could work his magic and convince him to keep Robin safe. That was Will’s goal for the week. Even if he didn't win HoH, he just wanted to keep Robin off the block. He knows the mental toll has to be getting to Robin, and he wants her refreshed and determined to win as they enter Jury.

Around the forty-five minute make, two people fall. The first one is Dustin, who, before he falls, apologizes to everyone first, saying how he can’t go on any longer and that he needs to give up longer. The Houseguests console him, saying he did a good job as he releases his grip, and falls to the floor below. The next person to fall is, surprisingly, Jake. He doesn’t make any show, and Will barely notices his fall. He wouldn’t have known at all if it weren’t for the round of consolation from everyone else.

An hour into the game, they were down to the final seven. Lucas was still hanging, and Will assumes that Lucas could keep going for a long time. He’s athletic, has won a competition before, and most importantly, determined to win. With Max winning the week before, The Party needed to keep up their streak. The Socs had a four week winning streak, and The Party needed to win at least another HoH to direct the game down a course that was beneficial to them. Plus, Will knows Lucas would love to win so that he and Max could have another week alone in the private Head of Household room.

By the seventy minute mark, every Houseguest still competing continuously lets out groans of pain. Will felt queasy, and Mike’s words of encouragement have become few and far between, and Will could tell Mike was at his wit’s ends. 

“You’re doing good, Mike.” Will’s words barely come out.

“Thanks, Will.”

“How are you feeling?” Will asks.

“Not so good.” Mike says between breaths.

Will looks at him, and he’s concerned for Mike. “If you need to drop, you won’t be disappointing anyone.”

Mike is silent for a moment. “The only way I’ll drop is if you promise me you’ll win this.”

Will laughs. “Mike, you know I can’t promise that. My body could give out at any moment.”

“At least promise me you’ll try to win. Give it your best shot for me.”

It hurts to smile, but Will does it, because Mike’s words feel rejuvenating. “I’ll try, Mike.”

Mike says to him, “Do your best.” Mike lets god, and Will watches him land safely. They all tell him how good he did, and Will feels a second wind.

It isn’t long after Mike loses that Angela jumps to the ground. He actually catches her giving up. They’re standing upright, and she releases her grip. She kneels slightly, and jumps, landing upright. She looks proud of herself, as she should be, since she lasted at least an hour, but Will is surprised that she would give up when she knows that she’s an easy target.

They were down to the final five, and Will sees a path for victory. He knows he can beat Robin. She hasn’t won any competitions, and Will knows that sooner or later, she will drop out. Chad is definitely determined, because he is a target, but like Robin, hasn’t won anything, and Will knows that he could beat him with this competition, since Chad is audibly groaning in exhaustion.

The only people Will is worried about are Erica and Lucas. He knows their relationship as brother and sister, and with both of them winning a competition already, he knows that they’re going to work together to make sure Will doesn’t win. Especially in Erica’s case, she might want to get work done now that there isn’t a target on her.

Will looks out at the group of Houseguests sitting, waiting for the competition to end. Mike sits so that he is positioned as close as possible to where Will’s tree is. Mike gives him a thumb up, and with Mike encouraging him, Will doesn’t want to disappoint him. He has to do whatever he can to win.

Will’s grip is weakening, and his fingers are becoming red due to the pressure. The rain is annoying him now, and Will is shivering. He’s sure that the others are feeling the same. The cold makes him shake slightly. One wrong move, and Will can misstep, and fall right off of his platform. 

Around one hour and forty-five minutes, another person drops. Lucas yells out a battle cry, and leaps from his podium, complaining about the pain he’s feeling throughout his body. He’s in the endgame, and Will knows he needs to end it soon, because his body is ready to let him down.

Will looks at Robin. She’s in the middle of the set of trees, all alone. He keeps looking at her, trying to Will her to look at him. She finally does, and they can both tell how tired they are. But, determined to win, Will mouths to Robin the word, drop. She looks confused, but Will repeats the word. She begins to nod, understanding that Will is going for the win. Before long, she falls off of her podium.

Chad, Erica, and Will are the only ones left. Will assumes they’re close to two hours when Chad unceremoniously lets go. Will’s eyes are closed, but he hears Chad’s body hit the floor below. He opens his eyes, and Will can taste victory.

Erica and Will instinctively look at each other, and Will can see the fire in her eyes, but Will has made it this far, he needs to win.

“Erica!” Will calls out.

“Yeah!?”

“I promise you, you’re safe! You can trust me on my word!” Will’s grip is loosening.

“I want to win, Will! I’m only relying on myself!”

“Just give me another name you want safe, and you got it!” Will’s trying to clinch the win, and he hopes that Erica takes the bait.

Erica is silent, obviously considering Will’s offer. Will keeps his eyes on her, breathing heavily, and hoping that he’s won. Suddenly, Erica yells out, “I don’t want your offer!” But, before Will can respond, he watches as Erica falls off of her platform, landing on her back as the other Houseguests erupt in applause.

Will can feel tears falling down his face, and his emotions are so strong that Will lets go, falling on his back. He pulls his hands over his face, hiding his tears, overjoyed to have finally won Head of Household. He can feel everyone coming onto the mat to congratulate him. Will sits up and watches Max approach him.

“Congratulations, Will! You are the new Head of Household!”

⏿⏿⏿

Will hurriedly shoves the key to his Head of Household bedroom. The other Houseguests surround him at the entrance, but none of them are as excited as Will is. When the door unlocks, he opens it quickly, and steps inside.

On top of the bed sit three different gift baskets: one has a CD, one has pictures and a letter from home, and the last one has various snacks and drinks Will loves. Will looks at the picture he received, one of his mom and brother, depicting them on a Christmas morning when they were younger. He smiles at their faces, happy to see new ones from the outside world. Without thinking, he shares it with Mike, allowing him to look at it as he looks at the other gifts.

The CD he received is Combat Rock by The Clash, the group that created his and Jonathan’s favorite song, Should I Stay or Should I Go . Will holds it tight, thinking of the fond memories he has of listening to it with Jonathan. Will hopes that he is making him, and his mom, proud so far.

Eventually, Will’s family photo returns to him, passing through the rest of the Houseguests, and once it does, Will can’t help but be selfish, and begin ushering people out of his room, telling them how tired he is from the competition. Luckily, everyone understands, and they begin filing out of his room.

As they leave, they all congratulate him one by one on his win. Will thanks them all, but deep down he knows some of them are saying that in order to get on his good side. Regardless, Will knows rest and relaxation needs to come first, so he pushes thoughts about the game away.

Mike is the last one to leave, and he stays in Will’s room, waiting for everyone to leave. Will is trying to lead him out of his room, but Mike takes hold of the door handle, and shuts the door. Before Will can question him, Mike leans down, and on the top of Will’s head, plants a kiss on his forehead.

“I’m so proud of you.” Mike says, and Will feels butterflies in his stomach.

Mike leaves right after this action, leaving Will dazed, but happy. Will returns to his bed, grabbing his CD and its player. He connects the headphones and pops in the album, letting the first notes of the album play. Will lays down, letting the music envelop him, and as he does, all he can think about is sharing the music with Mike tomorrow.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 6, Day 37

Like he always does, Will wakes up early. But unlike before, where he would go around talking to people to see how the week would turn out, the Houseguests were in his position, coming to him to talk about the week ahead.

The first group of people to talk to Will is The Party. They file in one by one, early enough to avoid suspicion. But, Will feels like, after this week, their hold on the game may be too strong to bother with the secret meetings.

He informs them about his plans. He wants to put up both Chad and Jake. Immediately, he earns some ire from Lucas and El, who say that Will should put up Jake and Angela. They argue that since they’re a couple they’re a big threat to everyone. So, if Will breaks them up now, the remaining members of The Socs will be forced to work with other people for a change, since they wouldn’t have the romantic relationship keeping them together.

Will hears this, and understands them completely. Will placates them. He tells them that he’s going to consider it, when he knows for a fact that he’s not going to. He has a working relationship with Angela, and he can’t throw it away anymore. They’ve worked too closely for too long that getting rid of her when Jake and Chad are still an option would be harmful to his game. He also agrees with El and Lucas that the couple is a huge target. That’s another reason to keep them in, because other people would have to waste another week to break them up for good. 

By the end of their alliance meeting, Will comes to a decision, and lets them know that he doesn’t care who gets evicted out of the last three members of The Socs. He wants them to decide which way the game goes. Will ideally sees this as an easy week for himself. He’s been working so hard to keep the game on track so that it benefits him, and he wants the week to be easier on his mental functions. He doesn’t tell them that, but Will knows that no matter who goes home, it will be beneficial for him,

Will knows that now that they’re in Jury, he needs to shake up the game and turn on his alliance sooner or later, but what worries him the most is the prospect of a Double Eviction. During a Double Eviction, after someone is voted out, the Houseguests immediately play for HoH, and the winner has to nominate two people on the spot. They play for the Power of Veto, and then evict another person, all in less than an hour. 

If Will was to go against the plans of The Party, he knows that he could end up on the block, especially since Double Evictions allow for very little time to think or plan what to do. And if the wrong person won the HoH, Will can see himself being evicted in that scenario. So, Will goes with the natural flow of the game, and lets The Party choose which one of The Socs they want out.

Robin is the first one to talk to him one-on-one. She comes up to his room a little before lunchtime, and as soon as she steps into the room, she has her arms around him, and the two of them are jumping up and down. She congratulates him profusely, and Will can’t help but shed more tears of joy.

They sit down together on his bed. Will assures her, no matter what, she’s not going to touch the block. Not as an initial or renomination. She hugs him again, and it’s her time to cry. He knows how stressful the game has been for her. Especially during her second nomination, she really began to spiral. He feels good knowing that he is giving her a week to bounce back and relax. She’ll be able to talk more freely with other people without the fear of eviction.

Will doesn’t tell her who he wants to nominate. In his mind, he wants Robin to talk to everyone without the assumption they’re going home. If things work out well, someone might slip and tell her something, and she can report back to him so they can discuss what they need to do about said person.

The second one-on-one conversation he has is with Erica. With Erica, Will tells her that she’s not his target, like he said during the competition. But unlike with The Party and Robin, Will does not promise her complete safety. If Angela somehow wins the Veto again, and she pulls one of The Socs on the block, Will knows he has to use Erica as a pawn. He would prefer that not happening, especially since Will sees Erica as a threat. She’s won two Vetoes already, and if he nominates her, he can easily see her winning an HoH competition and targeting him for eviction.

But, if Erica did end up on the block somehow, Will wouldn’t be mad if she got evicted. He would never speak the idea into existence, because he knows Lucas would instantly turn on him, but Will knows Erica going home would be beneficial for his game too. In his head, there’s very little chance of Erica being evicted, but if she did, then Lucas would be down another close ally, and The Party would be the only people he can turn to, because Robin and Will were locked in and working together.

Unsurprisingly, The Socs don’t come up to his room. He knows they know that Will is putting them up for nomination. It’s almost futile to try saving themselves, because any one of them can be a renomination. But deep down, Will knows Angela is expecting herself to be safe, and that she’s most likely preparing Chad and Jake to go on the block.

When lunchtime arrives, Will is ordered to enter the storage room by Big Brother. Inside, he finds the Nomination Wheel, and black pouch. He looks inside, and finds the eleven house keys that belong to the remaining players. When Will walks out of the storage room, the house is empty, and he realizes that Big Brother instructed everyone else to wait in the backyard so Will can prepare the Nomination Ceremony.

On the small table in the living room, Will places the Nomination Wheel on top of it, and dumps out the house keys. Will puts his key around his neck, and then begins placing the rest of the keys into the wheel. Previous Heads of Household put names into the wheel to avoid suspicion of who they were working with. But, this far into the game, and with The Party having so much power, Will knows that it’s useless to try to trick anyone. So, he puts in the remaining keys, except the two nominees, in alphabetical order.

Will returns the black pouch to the storage room, and then carries the Nomination Wheel to the dining room, where he sets it atop the lazy susan on the dining table. Will waits as everyone enters the house again, all taking a seat. Five of the original seats are now empty, and from the front of the dining room, it highlights to Will how far they’ve all come, and how in a blink of the eye, they’ll be down to single digits.

Once everyone is settled, Will begins the Nomination Ceremony. “This is the Nomination Ceremony.” Will says this assertively, looking at the Houseguests one at a time. “One of my duties as Head of Household is to nominate two houseguests for eviction.” Will smiles when he sees Mike grinning at him. “I will pull the first key, and that person is safe. That person will pull the next key. So on, and so forth.”

Will walks to the table, and leans forward, grabbing the first key. He pulls it out, and says, “Angela, you are safe.”

Will can see his ally members glancing around at each other, but Will doesn’t let it bother him, because he knows that he’s making the best move for him to get further in the game. Angela thanks him as she puts her key around her neck. “Dustin, you are safe.”

Dustin looks pleased to be getting his key so soon, and Will hopes it can boost their relationship morale, even just a little. Dustin thanks him, and grabs the next key. “El, you are safe.”

El stands up, thanking him. Will looks at the rest of the Houseguests, and Chad and Jake are looking down at the table, like they know what’s about to happen. “Erica, you are safe.”

Erica is pleased, and like the rest, thanks Will. “Lucas, you are safe.”

Lucas doesn’t say anything, and Will wonders if he’s upset about Angela being safe. “Max, you are safe.”

Like Lucas, Max doesn’t say anything, but he knows that she is grateful, and isn’t silent out of malice. “Mike, you are safe.”

With one key left, Robin looks at him, and the two of them smile at each other. Mike, pulls out the final key, and says, “Robin, you are safe.”

Robin receives her key, and puts it around her neck. Will lets her sit down, and then begins his explanation. “I have nominated you, Chad, and you, Jake, for eviction.” Will looks at Jake first. “Jake, this is merely an eye for an eye.” Jake begins nodding in understanding. “You put me up the first week, so I put you up the first week of Jury.” Will then looks at Chad. “Chad, I’m trying to win this game, and I know that no matter what, you’ll never take me to the end of the game. So, you have to go.” Chad nods. “This Nomination Ceremony is adjourned.”

Will grabs the Nomination Wheel, and heads towards the storage room. As soon as he turns his back on the Houseguests, he can hear them stand up from the table, and he assumes they’re all either congratulating or consoling each other. Will tells himself to not overthink his choices, and lets out a sigh of relief. He’s safe for this week, and by the end of it, he’ll be taking out someone he can’t trust. He can see a path to the end, he just needs to keep his head on straight.

⏿⏿⏿

The rest of the day doesn’t bring much game talk for Will. The Socs avoid him completely, but once in a while, he can see Angela eyeing, and he can tell that she wants to talk to him about the game. But, Will decides to surround himself with other people, passing the time by being social in the hopes that people won’t target him the following week.

When the night approaches, and everyone begins to fall asleep, Will returns to his room, preparing for his well needed sleep. But, as he brushes his teeth, there’s a knock at the door. Will hurries to clean his mouth, and once he rinses, he hurries over to the door.

When Will opens the door, he finds Mike at the threshold, dressed in his pajamas. Will moves to the side, allowing him in. “Hey… what’s up?”

Will closes the door, and Mike responds. “Just wanted to see you before going to bed.”

“You’re too sweet.” Will says, blushing.

The two of them grow quiet, and a moment passes where they stare into each other’s eyes. “Can I ask you something?” Mike asks.

“Of course you can.”

Mike smiles, and hesitates. Will walks closer, encouraging him to speak. Mike looks away, then back, and asks, “Can I sleep with you tonight?”

Will blinks. He wasn’t expecting that question, and he doesn’t know how to respond. “You want to share a bed?”

Mike bites his lip. “Yeah. If you want to.” They grow quiet again before Mike explains more. “I missed you a lot last night in our bedroom. I really missed you by my side.”

Will breathes, his smile beginning to hurt. Will licks his lips, then says, “I think I’d like that.”

Mike smiles. “Cool.”

Mike gestures for Will to lead the way. Will pulls the sheets back, and slides into the bed, laying on the left side. Mike wastes no time, and makes his way to the right side. Mike gets into bed, and before Will tells him to, Mike scoots closer, and they begin spooning, like they always do. Mike’s arms provide a warmth that Will didn’t know he was missing.

“Goodnight, Will.” Mike says, in a low, husky voice.

“Goodnight, Mike.” Will goes to sleep with a smile on his face.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 6, Day 38

When Will wakes up, Mike is no longer in his bed. He’s also no longer anywhere in the Head of Household room. It saddens Will a bit, but he knows that it’s for the best that Mike is no longer around. No one suspects them of being an alliance, nor does anyone suspect that they’re romantically interested in one another. But, Will can’t help but wish that he got to wake up next Mike, like Angela and Jake have or how Lucas and Max have.

But now, Will had some much needed alone time. For the first time, Will had the opportunity to let his mind go blank. There wasn’t anyone around that he needed to talk to, nor did anyone need to talk to him. The plan for the week was simple, and it made Will glad that he won during this week. Any later, and he would have the pressure on him for turning his back against The Party.

Will thought about the people that made it to Jury. He began planning about how he wants people evicted. First, Will needed someone he had no real relationship with to be evicted. The people on that list included: Chad, Erica, and Jake. Either Chad or Jake will be going first, but after that, Will wants Erica to be evicted next, then Jake can leave the house.

After that small group, Will would have to evict some of his allies. At that point, he knows people would want Angela and Robin to leave next, but Will knows that wouldn’t be good for his game. He would have to turn on The Party at that point, because he knows Angela and Robin would trust him more than anyone. Ideally, Will needs Dustin to go home, and after that he wants El gone.

At that point, he would be left with Angela, Lucas, Max, Mike, Robin, and himself. If he moves correctly, Will knows he can get to that final six, and keep the target off of himself. Lucas and Max would have the biggest targets out of everyone left. 

But, after the final six, Will isn’t sure how he wants to get to the end. If Angela makes it that far, Will imagines she’d be the easiest one to beat, since most of the people in Jury wouldn’t vote for her. The hardest one to beat would beat Max, since she’s a strong competitor and is well-liked. The two Will wants to get to the end are Mike and Robin. He has such a strong connection with them, so bringing them as far as he could aligns with the person Will is. But, in both cases, he knows that they’d put up a good fight for the win.

Will shakes the thoughts from his head, and begins getting ready for the day. He tells himself to just focus on the day, and then just focus on the week. He can’t get too far into planning, because he needs to expect the unexpected.

⏿⏿⏿

Will stands at the front of the living room, holding the cue card he needs to read to guide the Veto selection process. The Houseguests all sit on the couches, with Chad and Jake in the nomination chairs.

Will takes a deep breath, and begins reading the cue card.  “Only six people will compete in the Veto Competition, the Head of Household, the two nominees, and three other players selected by random draw. Will the nominees please join me up here.” Will watches Chad and Jake join him, and waits for the rest of the Houseguests to settle. “As HoH, I will pick first.” Will digs into the bag, and grabs the first chip he can get his fingers around. “Erica.” People clap for Erica, and she gets up from her seat, standing next to Will.

Chad is the next person to pick a chip. Will knows that he and Jake are aiming to get Angela’s chip, and Will hopes that they don’t get the choice. He grabs one and reads it. “El.” It’s El’s first time being chosen, and he can tell that she’s happy to be playing.

Jake is the last one to pick, and he does it quickly. “Mike.” Will can’t help but smile, not just because he gets to play with him, but also because Angela was not chosen for the competition.

Once they all stand at the front of the living room, Will continues reading the cue card in his hand. “Big Brother is to inform us when the Veto Competition is to begin… Good luck!”

⏿⏿⏿

Unlike the previous Power of Veto competitions, Will, and the rest of the Veto players get to compete one by one, without an audience. As Head of Household, Will is instructed to play first. 

Will heads out into the backyard, where he sees three things of note. On one end is a large screen, and on it, the Houseguests’ pictures flash, one by one, eventually looping back through the sequence. On the opposite end is a button, as well as a cue card for Will to read. In the middle of the two ends are marquees with every Houseguests’ name, and right below is a button corresponding to each name.

Will grabs the cue card, and reads out the instructions like he was informed to do. “Get ready to see your housemates like you’ve never seen them before. In front of you stands the revolutionary Morph-O-matic . It morphs three different Houseguests into one face. Once the picture appears on screen, light up the three names you think make up that face. Then, run over and press the answer button. If the three names are correct, a new face will pop onto the screen. The Houseguest who correctly identifies all five faces in the fastest time wins the Golden Power of Veto.”

He places the cue card on the floor, and Will prepares himself for the competition. Will doesn’t want to win the Veto. In his mind, he’s a big competition threat because he’s won a Veto and HoH competition already. After reading the rules, Will knows he can easily throw the competition by taking his time, and decides to do just that, hoping that El, Erica, or Mike end up winning the power.

A horn blows, and on the screen, a face appears. Will instinctively runs up to the marquees, examining the screen as closely as he can. His eyes travel from the top to the bottom of the face. He recognizes the hair as Lucas’, his high-top-fade signature to him. The eyes Will looks at are big, round, and brown, and he determines they’re El’s. The mouth and chin are the hardest part. He’s stuck between Max and Chrissy. He goes with his gut, and chooses Chrissy. He runs back to the answer button, and when he hits it, the initial face disappears, replaced by a new one.

Will runs back to his place next to the marquees, turning off the names he’s lit up. He looks at the new face, where the hair now belonged to a person with short, styled, blond hair. Will’s stuck between Chad and Jason, but eventually chooses Jason, as his hair is more styled than Chad’s. The eyes he recognizes instantly as belonging to Mike’s. He’s spent so much time looking into them recently that getting it wrong was not a possibility. The jaw area is easier this time around, he recognizes Dustin’s lips easily. He runs to the answer button, and gets it right.

When the next face appears, Will sees the long wavy blonde hair, and instantly knows that it belongs to Angela. When he looks at the eyes though, Will doesn’t recognize them. He knows they belong to a guy, so he tries imagining everyone in his mind. It takes him a while to realize that the eyes are his, meaning he wasted time trying to figure out who they belonged to. But, when he gets down to the lips, he makes up time by recognizing them as Erica’s. He pushes the answer button, but when he does, the face stays the same, meaning he got it wrong. Will runs back to the marquees, and he knows it must be the eyes that he got wrong. He picks someone who has similar eyes to him: Jake. He pushes the button again, and thankfully, he gets it right.

The fourth face that appears starts off with a wild mane of jet black hair. It obviously belongs to Eddie, and Will locks that answer in. The eyes on this face have long eyelashes and pretty eye makeup. Will thinks they belong to Stacy, and chooses that as his answer. When he looks at the lips, Will instantly sees his birthmark above the lips, and knows that they belong to him. He pushes the button, and makes up some time by being correct.

The final face that shows up has a wildfire for hair, and Will knows it belongs to Max. When he looks at the eyes, he seems that they’re colored, and runs through a list of who it could belong to. The lashes are long, and because of this, Will determines they belong to Robin. The lips don’t give much information to Will, but the strong jaw attached to the face indicates a guy, so Will locks in Chad.

Will runs back to his answer button, and the final face disappears. He got it right, and was now done with the competition. His heart beats fast, and he catches his breath. Will is instructed to go back into the house and stay in his HoH room, where he has to wait for the remaining Veto players to compete. Once they all finish and join him in the HoH room, they, and all the other Houseguests, can return to the backyard, and Will can read out the results.

The competition doesn’t last long, less than an hour. Mike is the last one to finish, and once he enters the HoH room, Will leads them all back downstairs, yelling out to the rest of the Houseguests so that they can join them in the backyard. Outside, there’s a new item: a large cutout, with every Veto player’s name on it. Next to each name is a pink slip of paper, and underneath it Will assumes are all of their time.

Will stands next to the cutout, and everyone else surrounds it. “Alright everyone,” Will begins, “It is now time to reveal the results of the Veto competition! Remember, the fastest time means you have won the Golden Power of Veto. Now, let’s start off with… me!” Will grabs the pink slip covering his time, and yanks it off. “3 minutes and 14 seconds.” The Houseguests clap for him, and Will feels proud about his time. 

“Next up, Erica! You have received a time of 1 minute and 2 seconds!” Will is shocked about her time, and they all erupt in applause. Will knows that her time is going to be hard to beat. 

“Now for Chad’s score. You finished in 2 minutes and 53 seconds.” Chad looks disappointed in himself, but Will moves along. 

“El has received a time of 4 minutes and 3 seconds.” Will has a feeling she might have the slowest time, but they all clap for her anyway. 

“Jake, you’re up next. Your time is… 1 minute and 30 seconds.” Jake looks proud of himself, but Will can tell that he is hurt to have lost.

“And finally, Mike.” Will smiles at him as he reads out his score. “You have received a time of 3 minutes and 13 seconds.”

Erica begins jumping for joy. “Congratulations, Erica, you have won the Golden Power of Veto!” Will says. He grabs the Veto and waits for her to stop jumping with Max and El so that he can put it around her neck.

Will goes around, hugging all of the Veto players, then hugs the rest of the Houseguests. He feels a whiplash of emotions going from the warmth from Mike’s hug to the cold glare that comes from Angela and Jake. With Erica winning, their fate is all but sealed, but Will knows that he should expect the unexpected, especially when it comes to Angela.

⏿⏿⏿

Will leads Erica out of his room. After the Veto competition, she had come up to his room to talk strategy. She admitted to him that she wasn’t going to use the Veto, which Will expected. Jake had put her up the first week too, so she’s vehemently pushing for Jake to be evicted.

Will was happy to hear about her disdain for him, because it meant he wouldn’t have to nominate Angela if Erica used the Veto. He knows that she’s upset with him for putting Jake up, but Will wanted to avoid making her even more upset by nominating her. He hoped that their relationship was stable enough that by next week, she’ll be more willing to work with him, like she’s done before.

He’s about to get ready for bed when Will hears a knock at the door. It’s late, so he wasn’t expecting any more visitors. But, when he opens the door, he should’ve expected Mike to be standing there.

“Can I come in?” Mike asks.

Will doesn’t say a word, instead, he moves to the side, and allows him into his room. “You know, you did really well today.” Will says as they sit down on his bed.

“You think so?”

“Yeah. Did you throw it?” Will asks.

“Nah, I wanted to win. Make you proud or whatever.” Will watches Mike blush, and it feels good to know he’s not the only one to blush when they talk. “Don’t you think it’s cute how we had similar scores?”

“I guess great minds think alike, huh?” Will asks in a flirty tone.

They stay quiet for a moment, and like they always do, they stare into each other’s eyes. Then, Mike breaks the silence. “I crossed paths with Erica on the way up here.”

“Yeah, she wanted to talk about the Veto.”

“What did she say?”

“She just told me that she’s not going to use the Veto. She wants the nominations the same.”

Mike’s brows furrow. “And you trust her when she says that?” Mike asks.

Will wasn’t expecting that question. “Uh, yeah. I think so… Why? Do you not trust her?”

Mike makes a face. “I don’t know. I mean she’s not high on my list for people to trust.”

“Why do you say that? Has she said something to you?” Will knows he needs to pounce on this opportunity.

“No, I just don’t trust her. We don’t really talk that much, and it feels like she doesn’t have the best connections in the house, but she’s somehow made it far you know?”

“Go on.”

“Like, The Socs made it this far because they won those first few competitions. And with Robin, she was saved because there was always a bigger target. Yet, Erica hasn’t been a target since week 1. It makes me think she’s working overtime, you know?”

Will is silent. The target on Erica is being painted, and if he maneuvers just right, Will can make sure it sticks. But, even though he trusts Mike, he’s unsure if he should tell him the information he knows. He looks away, then back at Mike.

“Mike, I have to tell you something.”

Mike’s brows furrow again. “Okay.”

Will looks directly into his eyes as he says, “You have to promise me that you’re not going to tell anyone else.”

“Will, you know I only trust you.”

“No, Mike, I’m being serious.” Will puts out his pinky finger. “You have to promise me that you’re not going to tell anyone.”

Mike interlocks his pinky with Will’s. “I promise.”

They let each other go. Will takes a deep breath, and then rips off the band-aid. “I think Lucas and Erica are siblings.”

Mike bites his lips, and stays silent. Then, he asks. “Are you 100% sure?”

“Yes, believe me. They’re always talking to each other, and I know for a fact that they mentioned things involving their parents, and they tell the same exact stories.”

“Go on.”

“Lucas always tells us that when it comes to the voting, he can convince Erica to vote with us. I don’t think he has to do much convincing. And Dustin told me before that he and Suzie pegged them as siblings, and they’re both smart, I know their assumptions can’t be wrong.”

Mike puts his hands on his chin, digesting what he’s heard. “I believe you. You know that, right? I trust you more than anyone in this game.”

“I’m glad.”

“But, what do we do with this information? I mean, do you think anyone else knows?” 

“I don’t know about that. I mean, I told you, Dustin might suspect it. But other than that, I’m not sure… Maybe Max knows? Since she’s so close with Lucas.”

“I don’t think Lucas would risk telling Max that.”

“Well, we know. Us.” Will says, grabbing ahold of Mike’s hand. “But if she gets too far in the game, then Lucas can easily win. That trio would win back to back competitions like nobody’s business.”

“So, you’re saying one of them has to go soon?”

“I’m saying Erica has to go soon. She’s winning all these Vetoes, she can’t go much further in the game.”

Mike regards him, and then grabs Will’s other hand. “She won’t. No matter what, I promise you we’re going to get her out, no matter what Lucas has to say about it.”

Will smiles and throws his hands around Mike. “Thank you, Mike. I’m glad I have you on my side.”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 6, Day 39

Will is sad once again when he wakes up alone again. After their late night conversation, Will offered for Mike to sleep next to him again, but Mike declined. Will almost began to spiral, but Mike explained that it would be easy for them to get caught. They can be seen as friends, but if they were seen as a showmance, they would immediately get targeted, especially since there were fewer people.

But, Mike did stay long enough to help him get ready for bed, helping Will into his pajamas, and tucking him into bed. Once again, Mike gave him a kiss on the head, and as he went to sleep, all Will could think about is when they’ll finally let their lips touch. So, Will wakes up in a sour mood, but he tells himself to get it together, and interact with the house to keep up his relationships.

The main topic of conversation at the moment was the prospect of a Double Eviction. No matter who he talked to, they would eventually talk about what they were worried about.

When he talked to Dustin, he showed no real worry about the Double Eviction, and Will saw why. Dustin was no longer part of a showmance, and he’s not a big threat because he hasn’t won any competition. He doubts that anyone would target Dustin because of these reasons.

Robin is worried about what might happen. Since she’s been a pawn for so long, it would be easy to put her up again next to a bigger target. Will reassures her that she could easily stay in that instance, but even with those words, Robin can’t shake the anxiety that comes from going up on the block.

Erica isn’t worried. Like Dustin, Erica is a lone wolf. Or at least, she is perceived that way by most of the house. Will knows that she is working closely with Lucas, and if Mike is able to win Head of Household, Will wouldn’t be surprised if he nominates her, and he wouldn’t be surprised if she is evicted, since she’s proven to be a great competitor.

El feels trepidation, Will can see it on her face, but he’s not sure why. El, like Dustin, is on her own. She also hasn’t won any competition. Overall, she isn’t the biggest target because she hasn’t made any waves in the house. If Will won during the Double Eviction, he wouldn’t waste it on her.

Max and Lucas see themselves as targets, and Will thinks they should be on alert. They make up one of the two known showmances in the house, so putting them on the block together would be a no brainer. And in Max’s case, she has shown herself to do well at competitions, so taking her out could be too tempting for some people.

Angela and Jake are on the other side of the showmance coin. If Jake stays, they’ll be in the true minority. And since their bond is so strong, anyone can put them up without drawing ire from the rest of the Houseguests. And when it comes to Chad, he can be put up on the block again, just for the sole fact that he’s part of The Socs.

In Will’s mind, Mike would be a good person for the other Houseguests to target. He is doing well in the competitions, despite the fact that he’s throwing. And, he has a secret deal with Will that no one else knows about. But, Mike has done well to get along with everyone and has successfully diminished his threat level, so Will wouldn’t be shocked if people pass over him.

But, Will knows he needs to expect the unexpected. Despite the fact that he has done countless work to be good on all sides of the house, he knows his threat level is growing and growing, and one wrong move this week means he can be leaving the next. So, like he did during the beginning of the week, Will falls back, and diminished how much strategizing he does with people, in the hopes that he can fly under the radar again, and buy himself another week.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 6, Day 40

The Houseguests wait outside in the backyard, while Erica is inside, getting ready to lead the Veto Meeting. In the morning, Will had informed the rest of The Party what Erica’s plans were. The Party was okay with the nominations staying the same, and before they split up again, they asked Will who he wanted out of the house.

Will reiterated his thoughts, saying that both of the nominations are a threat to his game, so he didn’t mind one going over the other. Regardless of the outcome, it would still be a successful week for Will.

In Will’s mind, he expected at least three of them to evict Jake. Lucas would vote for him since he put Erica up on the block, Max would evict him as she already nominated him, Dustin would vote for him since he’s the reason Suzie was evicted. Mike and El have no outward disdain for Jake, so Will considers their votes up in the air.

But, none of Will’s speculation would mean anything since he can’t vote, so he waits for Erica to call them in so the week can continue. They all file into the living room, Chad and Jake in the nomination chairs, and Erica at the front of the room.

Will hopes that other people notice the frequency in which Erica has been leading the Veto Meetings. He wants to do some work, and paint a target on her when talking to people, but as HoH, Will doesn’t want to seem hungry with power. His only priority should be the week at hand, otherwise, he can inadvertently paint a target on his own back.

“This is the Veto Meeting.” Erica states. Erica gestures to Chad and Jake as she says, “Chad and Jake have been nominated for eviction. But… I have the power to veto one of those nominations.” Erica is quiet for a moment. “I have decided… not to use the Power of Veto.” Erica takes the Veto off from around her neck, and places it inside the box on the living room table. As she closes it, she says, “This Veto Meeting is adjourned.”

As usual, the Houseguests scatter after a marathon of hugs and congratulations and apologies. Chad and Jake leave together into the backyard. Angela, on the other hand, follows after Erica, joining her in the storage room.

Angela is a smart and scrappy competitor, and Will knows what she’s trying to do. Angela obviously wants to keep Jake in the game, and is now going around the house to convince people to keep him.

In Will’s head, he knows she has the power to pull it off. She’s fierce and intimidating, and if she somehow offers a deal too good to refuse, he can see Angela flipping some people onto her side. It gives Will some trepidation. If Angela is successful, it shows that she has more influence in the house than he thought.

It makes him wonder if he should target Angela earlier than he planned. If she can turn it around and get the Jury to like her, she may not be as easy of a beat that Will thought she was.

⏿⏿⏿

Will is happy to find Mike at his door late at night. Without any hesitation, he lets Mike in, and leads him to his bed.

They lay down together, and talk about nothing. They let time pass by, holding each other, enjoying the warmth they both provide. Will wishes there weren't any cameras on them, because he so desperately wants to let his hands roam around Mike’s body. But, because of their circumstances, they keep it tame.

Eventually, Mike is the first one to fall asleep. Will watches his chest rise and fall as he sleeps, and matches his breathing to Mike’s. He studies Mike’s facial features, tracing his thick eyebrows and prominent nose. Mike’s pink lips look inviting, and Will wishes Mike was awake so they could kiss.

Will wanted to do all the normal things a couple did. He wishes they were outside of the house, going on dates, and meeting each other’s family. He knows that they have a strong connection, but he wonders if it translates well outside of it.

Will’s mind posits the idea that Mike is using him, and it makes Will turn away from him. It’s an idea that’s always been at the back of his head. Mike was so ready to flirt with El, but as soon as Will showed some influence, it felt to Will that Mike dropped her to hang out with him.

He knows he should give more credit to Mike. Will can tell that he’s truthful, can see the sincerity in his eyes, but he knows that the game can make people do things out of character. Even Will was victim to it, turning on his friends just to get to the end. He couldn’t help but wonder if Mike was doing the same.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 6, Day 41

Will is awakened by a series of knocks at his door. It jolts him awake, and he checks to see if Mike is still in the room. He’s nowhere to be found, so it gives Will some ease. He’d hate to have been caught by an overenthusiastic Houseguest.

He hurries to his door, and finds Angela at the threshold. Without waiting, she walks into the room and sits on a couch. “Sorry, I thought you were awake already.” She says.

“It’s fine.” Will responds between yawns. “I’m guessing you’re here to talk about the vote.”

Angela smiles. “How perceptive. You’re right. I wanted to ask you something about the vote.”

“I’m listening.” Will crosses his arms, ready to hear what she’s been planning.

“If it ends up being a tie, which way would you break it?” She asks, mimicking Will’s pose.

“I haven’t really given it a thought.” This was true on Will’s end. A tie vote rarely happens, so it was never something that crossed his mind. “What, you want me to break it Jake’s favor?”

“I want you to consider it. You know me, I’m not going down without a fight. If Jake gets enough votes to be evicted, then that’s that, but if it is a vote, then I’m pushing for you to keep him. You can’t blame me for trying.”

“What’s in it for me to keep him?” Will asks, not wanting to reveal any cards. 

“He’s the devil you know, Will. I know for a fact you hardly speak to Chad. You at least know some things about Jake. And, he’ll be a big threat to everyone else, you know that.”

“But if I keep Chad, then there’s a possibility of me beating him in a competition. He hasn’t won anything.”

“If you keep Jake, then I promise you, the next time I win HoH, I won’t put you up.”

“You promised me that last week when you asked me to throw the Veto to you. I still don’t have enough reason to save Jake.”

“Look, Will.” Angela stands up and in front of him. “If you don’t save Jake, then I’m 100% coming for you. Fuck Lucas, fuck Erica, fuck Max. You and I have been working together, whether you like it or not. You can’t throw me away just yet, and you know that.”

Will never gets a chance to respond. Angela leaves his room without another room, leaving Will to contemplate what he should do now. It was true that, ideally, Chad would be the one to be evicted first, but being the one with the deciding vote strikes fear in Will’s heart. If he has the power to evict Chad, he can throw away Chad’s Jury vote. Chad would never want to vote for him after that. And if Will did comply, he’d be doing so in front of the other Houseguests. With so many of them disliking Jake already, being the reason Jake stays means a lot of people would be mad at him, which is never ideal.

Only Angela could make Will nervous like this. His mental faculties were pulling him to all sides of reasoning, and he wasn’t sure what to do. Nor does he know what to do for the rest of the day. He stays in his room, trying to weigh the pros and cons of the situation. But no matter what Will rationalizes, he can’t come to a clear answer.

By dinner time, Will hasn’t seen anyone else aside but Angela. He needed a second opinion, and there was one person that he knows can provide an accurate read on the situation.

Will finds Lucas in the kitchen, talking to Chad. Will unceremoniously butts in, and asks Lucas to meet him upstairs. He waits a short ten minutes, then there’s a knock at his door

“What’s up?”  Lucas asks as he takes a seat.

“It’s Angela. She’s trying to make it a split vote come Eviction Night.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah, and if it does, it’s gonna put me in a tight spot. I mean, I just wanted the house to decide who goes, I don’t know who I would want out.”

“Chad isn’t very good at competitions.”

“I know, but if I placate Angela, then maybe Jake won’t target me, you know? My biggest fear is winning HoH, and then being evicted the following week.”

“You’re trying to minimize your odds of that happening then?” Lucas asks, obviously thinking about what to say next.

“What would you do if you were me? I know a lot of people want Jake out, but an angry Angela can easily be my undoing.”

Lucas ponders the question, stays silent for a moment. “I think you should let The Party know. We still have the majority. If we all know the plan in a tie-vote scenario, then none of us will be blindsided, maximizing the odds of someone winning HoH who isn’t targeting you.”

“Are you sure they won’t be upset? I know Max wants him out, and Dustin must feel the same way too.”

“I’ll talk to Max. I know how to talk to her. Tomorrow, you have to tell everyone else. Again, it’s better they know. You saw how upset we got last time. Suzie’s elimination really rocked us.”

Will is glad to have made a connection that, despite rocky times, was still solid and meant that Will had a place to go for advice. It hurt knowing that he was trying to ruin Lucas’ game as they made it further together. “Thanks, Lucas.” Will hugs him, and hopes Lucas can’t feel or hear his heartbeat.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 6, Day 42

It’s the final night with Will as Head of Household. He lays on his bed with Mike, his head situated on Mike’s chest. Mike runs his hands through Will’s hair as they talk about their positioning in the game.

“We need to be in lockstep when it comes to Jury.” Will says. “We trust each other the most, but we need to know how we feel about other people, you know?”

“Like, who do we want to make it to the end with?” Mike asks.

“Yeah. What’s your ideal Top 3?”

“Well, you and me, obviously. And I think the third would be Robin.”

“Really?” This was music to Will’s ears, but as he digested that potential scenario, he realizes how hard it would be for him to win. If Robin makes it that far, she would have the underdog story that could entice people to vote for her. And in Mike’s case, he gets along with everyone, more so than Will, and he can see the Jury voting him because of it.

If Will thinks about it rationally, his ideal Top 3 would be himself, Robin, and Angela. Neither of them trust each other, so they’d be more inclined to bring Will to the Final 2. But in that scenario, he would want himself or Angela to win the final HoH competition, so that he can make it to the end with someone he could beat easily. He doesn’t say any of this to Mike, just agrees with him.

“That sounds good to me too. So then, does that mean if you win Head of Household, that you’d just put up The Socs?”

“I don’t know about that?”

“Why not?”

“Well, with the information about Lucas and Erica, they're too big of an opportunity to pass up.”

“You haven’t told anyone, have you?”

“Of course not.” Mike’s hands detangle from Will’s hair, stroking Will’s arm now. “But, they’re also big competitors, so it’d be better to get them out sooner rather than later.”

“I follow you.” Will switches his position, and looks up at Mike. “Well, whatever you decide, just know I stand with you wholeheartedly.”

Mike smiles. “Thanks, Will.”

They finish talking, but they stay locked in each other’s gaze. Slowly but surely, Mike begins leaning close to Will. Will can’t help his eyes flicking back between Mike’s lips and his eyes, anticipating Mike’s actions.

When Mike’s lips meet his, Will closes his eyes, allowing Mike to bring him in closer as their kiss deepens. Mike’s lips are soft, just like his touch, and Will can feel himself melting away in his grasp. But, because of their situation, Will knows they can’t go any further than a kiss for now.

Will is the first one to pull away. He looks up at Mike, who has a grin on his face. Will pushes the hair out of Mike’s face, taking in his visage as best he can, wanting to remember it as he falls asleep. They stay in each other’s arms, and Will feels like no matter what, he wants to bring Mike to the end.

Chapter Text

Week 7, Day 43

For the first time, Will sits close to the front of the living room, signifying the power he holds. Will had been climbing the totem pole for weeks. He started off in a horrible position, but he survived, and in the first week of Jury, he clinched the win to ensure he wasn’t the first one going to the Jury House. He felt bad for feeling like he was on top of the world, because he knew that in a moment, either Chad or Jake will be leaving.

Will wasn’t able to play in the Head of Household competition, so his fate was up to whoever won. He hoped that Mike or Robin would win. No matter what happened, Mike would never nominate him. And if he was being truthful, then that meant Lucas and Erica would be targeted, which Will is a plan he cosigns. If Robin won, she also would keep him safe. On top of that, she might take a shot at The Party. It has to happen eventually, and Will would be glad if he wasn’t the one to open fire.

When the television screen comes on, Will prepares himself to see Julie pop up. When she does, she immediately begins speaking. “Hello, Houseguests.” Will enthusiastically waves at her. “It is now time for the first Houseguest to enter the Jury House.” Will keeps his eyes on Julie, avoiding making any contact with Angela, Chad, or Jake. “Chad. Jake. In just a few minutes, your housemates will cast their vote to evict. But, before they do, you each have a final chance to sway their votes with one brief statement. Chad, you’re up first.”

Will turns his attention to Chad. “I don’t have much to say. I do want to thank you guys for the great summer so far. And if this is the end of the road for me, then I respect your decision.” It’s a respectable speech, but to Will, it highlights Chad’s lack of drive, and shows to Will that Chad has added almost nothing to the game.

“Thank you, Chad. Jake, it’s now your turn.”

Jake stands up, and Will expects a better speech from him. “As you all know, I have got blood on my hands. I’m the only one that has been HoH twice, and even though I’ve scorn some of you, I have no regrets. You all deserve it. You guys suck, and you need to play catch up if you want to beat me. So, do whatever you like.”

Will laughs silently at Jake’s speech as he turns his attention to Julie. “Thank you, gentleman. The time has come. The live voting will begin now. The two nominees, Chad and Jake, are not allowed to vote. Will, a s the current Head of Household, you will only vote in the event of a tie.” Will nods, hoping it doesn’t come to that. “One at a time, the rest of you will enter the Diary Room, and cast your vote to evict. And remember, it takes five votes tonight to be evicted. Erica. You’re up first. ”

The voting process goes much faster than before. Only eight of them are voting, and it’s unbelievable to Will that the amount of people voting has diminished so much. As they get further and further, a change in someone’s mind can easily change the fate of the players left.

Angela is the last one to vote, and when she comes out, Will can feel her gaze on him. She sits down, and they all wait for Julie to return on the television screen.

“Houseguests, the votes are in.” Julie says on the television. “And... we have a tie.” Will gulps, looking to the floor as Julie continues speaking. “That means, Will, as the current Head of Household, you must cast the deciding vote in front of everyone.” Will stands up, trying to catch his breath. “Once Will reveals his vote, the evicted Houseguest will have just a few moments to say goodbye, gather his belongings, and walk out the front door.” Julie pauses and Will knows it's his time to take over.

“I want to say first, that I respect both of you very much, and just because I’m voting does not mean I have a vendetta against you.” Jake and Chad nod in their nomination chairs, and Will can feel himself shaking. “But every move in this game is supposed to get me closer to the end, and that’s my only goal in this house. And, I’m sorry, Chad, but that means I vote to evict you.”

Chad smiles and nods. He stands up, and gives Jake a hug as Julie says, “It’s official. Chad, you have been evicted from the Big Brother house.” He walks up to Will, and gives him a hug, patting him on the back. Will can’t even hug him back, distraught over the events that just went down.

The rest of the Houseguests follow closely behind Chad, heading to the front door. As Chad opens the door, he feels Mike pull him closely, hugging him. Chad exits the house, and Mike wipes away tears Will didn’t know already formed.

⏿⏿⏿

Will and the other Houseguests sat in the living room. They all eyed each other, trying to figure out what was going on. By this time, they were usually in the backyard, ready to start the Head of Household competition. But this time, they were instructed to stay in the living room after the eviction, to wait for Julie to come back on the television screen.

“Hello, Houseguests!” Julie says. Will responds naturally, but deep down, he knew something was about to occur. “Shortly you will compete in the live Head of Household competition. But, before you head outside, you need to know that the Big Brother game is about to completely change.” Will sighs when he hears her say this.

“You are about to experience a week of Big Brother like never before. Get ready for the Split House twist.” Will looks at his housemates, who all share the same face of exasperation that Will has. “This week, there will be two games being played simultaneously and separately. Tonight, two Heads of Household will be crowned. One HoH will live inside the house this week with four other Houseguests playing one game of Big Brother . 

“A second HoH, along with the remaining four Houseguests will be living in the backyard all week long.” They all groan and respond in disbelief at Julie’s words. Will can’t help but think that the one week he can’t play for HoH is one of the most important. “These two groups of five will have no contact for the entire week. Both sides of the house will have their own nominations, their own Veto competition, their own Veto meeting, and their own vote and eviction. 

“That means in each group of five, one will be HoH, two will be nominated, only two people will vote, and one will be evicted. That means, one week from tonight, at the end of the Split House twist, two Houseguests will be sent to the Jury House, in a Double Eviction like no other.” By this point, Will’s heart is beating out of his chest, and he can’t make eye contact with anyone. 

“How will the groups be split?” Julie pauses. “I’ll let you know in a few moments. Everyone, head outside right now, the Split House twist begins now.”

⏿⏿⏿

For the first time, Will sits off to the side on a stool, unable to play in the Head of Household competition. The backyard is split into three segments. One: the seating area Will occupies. Two: dueling podiums with three buttons on each side, and the names: Chad, Stacy, and Suzie displayed in front of the podiums. Three: a seating area where the rest of the Houseguests sit. Currently at the dueling podiums are Robin and El. 

Julie comes on overhead, and Will straightens his posture. “Houseguests, the power is up for grabs. Will, as outgoing Head of Household, you are not eligible to compete tonight.” Will smiles and nods. “This competition is called Camp Knockout , and here’s how it works. Two at a time you will face off at the podium and answer a question based on the three previously evicted Houseguests. That means the answer to each question will be one of the following: Chad, Stacy, or Suzie.

“The goal is to be the first person with the correct answer. Answer correctly, you stay in the game, and your opponent is eliminated. You then choose the next two Houseguests to face off. If no one buzzes in, you will both be eliminated. 

“Listen closely to this part. If you win this competition, then you will be staying inside of the Big Brother house. The runner-up will be the second Head of Household, and will be living outside in the backyard. Where will the rest of you be living? That will be determined later this evening. 

“Does everyone understand?” The Houseguests competing let out noises of understanding. “El and Robin, you were chosen by random draw to face off first. Let’s begin.

“During an Eviction Ceremony, which one of your former housemates say they knew you all would make the right decision?” Will watches and in a blink of an eye, Robin hits a button, and Suzie’s name lights up, indicating her answer. El looks like she’s silently cursing herself. “Robin, you answered Suzie, and that is the correct answer. El, please step down, you have been eliminated.” El joins Will in his seating area. “Robin, pick the next two to face off.”

“I choose Max and Dustin.” Robin says as she takes her seat in the opposing seating area.

Will watches the two of them walk to the podium. Once there, Julie says, “Max and Dustin, who did not play in the Veto competition: BB Lodge Hiking Trail ?” Max stands there, thinking for too long. Dustin knows his answer and buzzes in quickly; he chose Chad. “Dustin, you answered Chad, and that is the correct answer. Max, you have been eliminated.” Max shakes her head as she joins Will and El. “Dustin, pick the next two to face off.”

“Angela and Jake, you’re up.” Dustin says quickly.

It was a smart decision to set them up. Now, one of them is guaranteed to lose. “Angela and Jake, who played in two separate Veto competitions?” Jake just stands there, and to Will, it looks like he’s throwing it to Angela. She picks Chad. “Angela, you answered Chad, and that is correct. Jake, you have been eliminated. Angela, pick the next two to face off.”

Angela considers her options before saying, “Lucas and Mike.”

Will sits up, hoping that Mike can get the answer correct. “Lucas and Mike, in the HoH competition By the Numbers, who of the three lasted the longest?” With quick reflexes, Lucas buzzes in his answer of Suzie. “Lucas, you answered Suzie, and that is correct. Sorry, Mike, you have been eliminated.” Mike smiles at Will as he joins the Houseguests out of the game. “Lucas, pick the next two to face off.”

“I choose Angela and Robin.” Lucas says quickly.

The two girls hurry to the podium. “Angela and Robin, during an Eviction Ceremony, which Houseguest did not say, ‘I don’t have much to say.’” Angela is quick with her reflexes, and selects Suzie as her answer. “Angela, you answered correctly with Suzie. Robin, you have been eliminated. Angela, pick the next two to face off.”

“Lucas and Dustin.”

After this round, only one of The Party members would still be in the game. “Lucas and Dustin, in week 2, 14 Houseguests played in the Head of Household competition, who was the last one to be eliminated?” Out for a win, Lucas swiftly picks his answer: Stacy. “Lucas, you answered Stacy, that is correct. Dustin, you have been eliminated.” Dustin joins the rest of The Party on Will’s side. Will realizes then that Lucas has won.

“Lucas, you are now one of our first HoHs. Angela and Erica, please step up, you are the only ones left.” Julie says, giving them time to get to the podium. “This question determines the second HoH of the week, so listen carefully. In the Head of Household competition, Munch Munch, Crunch Crunch , who shot their ball from position number 15?” Will waits on bated breath, and almost misses it when Angela chooses her answer: Stacy. “Angela, you chose Stacy, that is correct. Sorry, Erica, you have been eliminated.”

“Congratulations, Lucas and Angela, you are both the new Heads of Household!” Will and the rest of the Houseguests clap for the two of them, as they hug each other and congratulate each other. But, the competition wasn’t over yet. “This final question will determine who lives inside, and who lives outside.” The two of them prepare themselves. 

“During the opening competitions of the summer, which Houseguest did not compete in the competition The Right Course ?” Lucas and Angela stand still for a moment. It’s obvious that neither one knows off the top of their heads. But, before long, Lucas reaches for an answer: Stacy. “Lucas, you have answered Stacy, and that is correct! Congratulations, Lucas, you have won this competition, and you will be staying inside the house this week. Angela, as the runner-up, you will be staying outside of the house this week.”

Eventually, they all run up to both Lucas and Angela, hugging and congratulating them on their wins. Deep down, it feels like a victory to Will too, because he's so sure that both of them will keep him safe for another week.

Julie comes overhead as Will and the others stand in the backyard. Lucas and Angela stand separately, while the rest of them stand in a straight line. “You will now find out which part of the house you’ll be living in this week. Angela, Lucas, as you both know, you will each reign over four Houseguests for the week. The groups will be determined by a classic schoolyard pick.” Everyone groans in shock at Julie’s words. “Lucas, as the winner of the competition, you have the advantage of picking first. You have just a few minutes to think about who you want on your side.” Julie pauses. “And I leave you with that. Good night, Houseguests.”

“Good night, Julie!” They all say in unison.

⏿⏿⏿

After just ten minutes, Lucas and Angela finally get to pick. As the outgoing Head of Household, Will is in charge of leading the selection process.

“Okay, Lucas.” Will begins. “You’re up first. Who are you choosing to stay on your side of the house?”

Will lets him consider what to do. Will wouldn’t mind being on Lucas’ side, because he doesn’t feel like a target for him. Eventually, Lucas says, “I choose Jake.” Will can see Angela side eye Lucas’ decision, and Will can tell her gears are turning.

Once Jake joins Lucas, Will says, “Angela. It’s your turn. Who do you pick first?”

Without a moment of hesitation, Angela says, “Erica.” Will watches her join Angela, and this time, it’s Lucas’ turn to side eye Angela’s decisions.

“Lucas, who do you choose next?”

This time, Lucas wastes no time. “I choose Max.” Will thinks it’s good that Lucas secured Max. She’s a big target, and now she’s safe with Lucas.

“Who do you choose now, Angela?”

“I choose Dustin.” Will thinks it’s an interesting decision, but to Will, he doesn’t seem like a target for her.

“Lucas, who is your third pick?”

“I choose you, Will.” Lucas says, and Will happily joins Lucas’ side, thanking him. Now, Will got to stay in the house, as well as stay on the side with an obvious target in the game: Jake.

“Angela, this is your last decision. Who is it going to be?” Will asks.

Angela is silent for a moment. Will has no idea who she might choose. “Mike.” She says suddenly, and Will feels his heart tighten. Not only would they be apart for a week, but Will won’t have any way of working with or protecting Mike.

“Okay, Lucas, this is your last pick.” Will says. “Remember, you’re not just picking who is on your side of the house, but you’re also sending the last person to Angela’s side. Who are you picking?”

In Will’s mind, Lucas should pick Robin. Jake is the obvious target, but if something went awry, he needs someone else to fall back on outside of The Party as the target. Then, Lucas says, “I choose El.”

Will side eyes Lucas’ pick, and notices Max doing the same. Once El joins them, Will says, “That means, Robin, you will be living outside, with Angela as your Head of Household.”

Robin joins the other side, and as the night ends, Will feels like he’s safe, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be a dangerous and unpredictable Double Eviction. For the week, he needs to be under the radar, and he needs to be under Lucas’ wings at all times.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 7, Day 44

Will is in the bathroom, getting ready for the day next to Max. They’re both early birds compared to the other three people in the house. It’s a much quieter morning than what Will is used to since the other Houseguests are outside. After the selection process, they immediately had to pack up their things and move outside, where beds were quickly placed by production for them to sleep on.

Will was surprised to find Max in the downstairs bathroom. With Lucas as HoH, it was a given that she would be spending time with him in his bedroom. But, Will’s glad to have a few moments with her alone. 

Will’s ability to strategize is severely limited this week. Jake is the one Will can’t strategize with at all, since he holds no trust with him. And since he was the obvious target, Will wasn’t factoring him into his plans for the future. El, although an ally, was never one to offer too much strategically. Instead, she goes along with plans the alliance makes, and Will needs someone to spitball ideas with instead of someone who just reassures him. With Lucas as HoH, Will knows he’s going to want it to be an easy week, meaning they evict Jake. So, Lucas will be too blinded by his goals to offer up meaningful speculation.

Max is the only one Will can talk to right now. He knows how game savvy she is, and since they both voted to evict Suzie, he knows she’s open to going against the grain like him.

“We really lucked out, huh?” Will says.

“No kidding. Can't imagine how annoying it is to sleep outside.” Max replies. Then, Max turns to him, and in a low voice, says, “And we actually get to talk privately in a room.”

“What did you want to talk about?”

“Who do you think Lucas is putting up?” Max asks.

Will gives her a face, then asks, “What, he didn’t tell you?”

“No, he did. I want to know what you’re thinking.”

“Well, the only options are me, El, or Jake. There’s now way he’s putting you up.” Will posits, and Max doesn’t reply. “He’s gonna put up Jake, and I’m hoping he puts up El.”

“I guess we’ll know for sure this afternoon, huh?” They smile at each other, both sure that Max is going to be safe no matter what. “What do you think Angela’s going to do?”

Will mulls it over, then says, “Well, if Angela is smart, which she is, she’ll keep both Erica and Robin safe. Take out one of The Party, you know?”

“You don’t think Mike and Dustin can wiggle out of it?”

“I think Dustin can.” Will hesitates to say the next part, but he says it anyway. “I’m worried about Mike, though.”

“Erica’s on that side. She’s been winning those Vetoes. I’d be shocked if she doesn’t win this one.”

“And, I don’t think Angela would waste her HoH on Robin. Her alliance has been decimated, and if Jake leaves, then it’ll only be her. She really needs to take a shot at The Party.”

Max grows quiet, regarding Will. he can tell she’s deciding if she can trust him. Then, she says, “Well, if Angela is the last one standing out of The Socs, is there even a reason to take her out next week.”

Will notes how she used the word ‘if’ just like him. Max has a point. The target on her will diminish drastically if she’s the last one of The Socs. “I mean, she can win competitions, so she’s still a threat.”

Max smiles flatly. “Well, let’s just keep our options open, alright?”

⏿⏿⏿

The Nomination Wheel at the center of the dining table only holds two keys in it. It gives Will the shivers, and reminds him how serious the week actually is. Will can feel safe as much as he likes, but it’s not until after the Veto Meeting that he can choose to breathe easy or not.

Jake’s face reveals his thoughts, and Will knows that he can see the writing on the wall. El looks almost as nervous as Jake. She might be recognizing how low on the totem pole she is. It might be her first time acknowledging it, and Will can tell that she doesn’t trust Lucas to keep her safe.

The only one at the table who looks secure is Max, and Will doesn’t blame her. He’s surprised that she wasn’t picked first during the selection process. If Angela had chosen differently, Max could be the target for the players outside of the house.

Lucas begins the Nomination Ceremony without any trepidation. “This is the Nomination Ceremony.” Will balls his hands into fists, trying to calm his worry. “One of my duties as Head of Household is to nominate two houseguests for eviction.” Will looks at Max briefly, and they nod slightly to each other. “I will pull the first key, and that person is safe. That person will pull the next key. So on, and so forth.”

There’s only one name Will expects to hear as Lucas reaches for the first key. “Max, you are safe.” They all rotate the lazy susan, giving flat smiles to Max.

She puts her key around her neck. “Thanks, Lucas.” Max leans forward, and Will watches her hand grip the final key. She turns it, and as she pulls it out, Will closes his eyes, waiting for his fate to be decided. “Will, you are safe.”

His eyes shoot open, and Max rotates the lazy susan for him. He reaches for his key in disbelief. “Thank you, Lucas.”  Lucas silently nods with a soft smile. Will looks at El, and he can see her eyes getting misty. He looks at Jake, and he wears the biggest frown, and the ost serious of expressions.

“I have nominated you, El, and you, Jake, for eviction.” Lucas looks at Jake first. “To put it simply, Jake, I don’t trust you, and I won’t trust you moving forward, so I need you gone.” Lucas then turns to El. “El, you have to trust me when I say that I know no one is going to vote you out. This is all strategy.” El nods in understanding, but Will can still see her tears. “This Nomination Ceremony is adjourned.”

Lucas leaves with the key wheel, and soon after, Jake escapes to the living room, leaving El, Max, and Will alone in the kitchen.

Will and Max give El a hug. As he does, Will asks, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I just…” El’s voice almost cracks. “I just know where I stand now.”

“You’re gonna be fine, El.” Max says, trying to reassure her.

“I know, I know. I just…” El quickly turns away. “I need a minute.” 

El retreats into the bathroom. Max and Will look at each other. “I’ll go talk to her. You check on Jake.” Max says, following behind El.

Will abides, and heads into the living room. He finds Jake sitting in a nomination chair. They lock eyes as Will approaches him, sitting beside him.

“Are you okay?” Will asks.

“I’m fine. I expected it.” Will nods in understanding, but he doesn’t know what else to say. “Let me ask you something, Will.”

“Okay.”

“Is it a done deal? Should I even try?”

WIll gulps. He thinks about Max, and tries to figure out what she’s thinking. He recalls her phrasing earlier in the day, using ‘if’ regarding Angela being the last one standing, and he wonders what it can mean.

Will looks at Jake directly, trying to build trust. “I don’t want to get your hopes up, Jake, but there is a nonzero chance of you staying.”

Jake nods, obviously shocked at Will’s candor. “Thanks, Will.”

Before Will can add anything more, Jake gets up from his seat, and disappears to his bedroom. Will isn’t sure if he should have divulged his information to Jake, because Jake can easily run with it now and act like he’s guaranteed safety. Will closes his eyes and sighs, blowing raspberries as a way to calm himself.

His eyes shoot open when he hears a door open behind him. He turns and sees Lucas coming out of the storage room. Will instantly gets up from the couch and gives Lucas a hug.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you.” Will says, holding Lucas tight.

“It’s nothing, Will. I know you would have done the same for me.”

“Well, I owe you, Lucas. We’ll make it an easy week.” Will promises.

“That’s what I like to hear. I know it’s going to be too. I got two of the strongest competitors on my side. Now, all we need is for you, Max, or me to win Veto, and Jake is out of the house.”

“Of course, whatever you like.” Will says, knowing that deep down, both Max and himself are looking at next week with many possibilities. But, Will tells himself to just focus on the Veto competition. Until then, no plan is solidified in his mined

⌂⌂⌂

Week 7, Day 45

Will prepares for the upcoming Veto competition. Since there were only five of them playing in the competition, a Veto selection process was not necessary. But, before they played, Will knew he had to protect himself.

Aside from El, every one of them had won a competition before. To Will, any one of them could win, and that meant it would shake up who went home. It was evident that Jake is the target, but he could feasibly save himself, in which case, Will needed to cover his tracks and ensure safety.

He finds Max in the kitchen, eating a light breakfast alone. It’s beneficial to him, because he knows that they can speculate freely with one another.

Will rips off the band-aid. “We need to have each other’s backs.”

“I thought we were already doing that.” Max retorts.

“Well, yeah, but this week specifically, more than ever. If you, me, or Lucas win, we obviously won’t use the Veto.”

“Right.” 

“But, if Jake or El do, I’m most likely going on the block, but who knows, Lucas might nominate you instead. We can’t vote each other out, a tie vote is going to be way too easy to accomplish this week.”

“And if Jake does end up being safe, there’s no telling who he might vote out.” Max posits.

“Exactly. And I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love El, but, if I have to stay over her, then so be it. And if I have to choose you over her, I’d do that too. You’re the only one I work with like this.”

“I know what you mean. And I hate saying this, but El is becoming dead weight. She hasn’t won anything, and at this point, every competition win matters.”

Will offers up his pinky finger. “Then we have a deal?”

Max interlocks her finger with Will’s. “Deal.”

⏿⏿⏿

The Veto competition they participate in is done on a set. In the middle of the room, Will sees a giant model of ice cream scoops. At the top of these scoops is a shallow hole. To either side of the ice cream is a flat, table-like banana. At each end of the dueling bananas are handles, and Will can tell that the bananas are adjustable, both up and down, and side to side. At the end of each banana is a large bucket full of balls. 

Lucas has a cue card in his hand, ready to read the instructions to all of them so they understand the rules for the competition. “Houseguests, nothing beats a hot summer day like an ice cream sundae with a cherry on top. If you want to win the Power of Veto this week, you’ll have to be skillfully quick in landing your cherry on top of the sundae. The competition will be another knockout, with a series of head-to-head matches. In each match, two of you will begin by placing a ball into the starting zone of your bananas. Tilt the banana to roll your cherry toward the sundae. If a cherry falls off, grab another one and try again. The first player to land their cherry on top of the sundae will win the match and advance to the next round. The winner of the final head-to-head match will win the Golden Power of Veto. Are you ready to play The Cherry on Top ?” They all cheer. 

“As Head of Household, I’ll play first, and pick my opponent.” The Houseguests wait patiently for Lucas to decide. “Jake, I pick you.”

Will watches as they all pick a banana to use. Will wouldn’t mind Jake winning safety for himself any other week, but Will knew that if he did, he would end up being on the block because of it. So, in this instance, he was rooting for Lucas, and he knew Lucas was hoping to take out Jake.

They drop their balls into the starting zone, and a horn blows. They begin to tilt the banana upward, letting the ball travel down the curved platform. Will can see Lucas’ banana shaking, and before it travels halfway down the banana, his ball falls off to the side. Lucas restarts, while Jake’s ball nears the end of the banana, but at the last minute, it falls off just like Lucas’ and he has to restart. Will keeps his eye on Jake, and he quickly catches up to Lucas, and even surpasses him. In the blink of an eye, Jake’s ball lands on top of the sundae.

Jake jumps around with joy. He’s one step closer to securing safety for himself. Lucas steps away from his banana, and continues hosting the competition. “Okay, Jake, who are the next two you want to face off?”

“I choose Will and El.”

Will was expecting Jake’s answer. After revealing to him that he might be safe, Jake has no incentive to put Max and him against each other. Will takes his place opposite of El. He can see the determination in her eyes. With Lucas out, it was down to him or Max, and Will really didn’t want to leave her in fighting for the Veto alone. But, as soon as the horn blows, his ball travels too fast and falls off. Will restarts, trying to keep his eye on the ball instead of on El. He travels  slowly down the length, but as the banana thins out, his ball falls once more. He lets out a groan, and tries again. He can feel sweat on his palms, and his grip is weak. His banana shakes, and just as his ball falls for a third time, he hears El celebrating. He looks at the sundae and sees her ball on top of it.

“Congratulations, El, you’ll be heading into the last match of the competition. Max and Jake, it’s your turn to face off.” Lucas says. Will returns to stand next to him, and they exchange a knowing glance.

The odds were not in Max’s favor, but Will still held out hope. During the first set of competitions, she had a similar competition to this one, and she won. Will knew she had it in her to win again. When the horn blows, Max is slow to start, moving her ball in increments, whereas Jake moves quickly and with purpose. Jake drops his ball quickly while Max’s ball travels further along the banana. Jake uses another ball, and tries copying Max’s movements, moving slowly along the banana. But, Will can tell it’s pointless. Max’s ball is lined up perfectly, and in one fell swoop, she tilts her banana, and it falls in perfectly.

Will claps for her. All that stood against Max was El, and Will selfishly wanted Max to win. “Max and El,” Lucas says, “This is the final match. One of you is about to win this Veto competition.”

The final horn sounds, and Will can tell that Max is in her element. She travels her ball down slowly. El is obviously determined to win, and she copies Max, taking her time. Their balls travel at the same pace, but Will can see that El is shakier in comparison to Max. Will waits on bated breath, willing another win for Max. Neither one of their balls fall off the banana, and they quickly approach the top of the sundae. It’s a battle of who’s more precise, and with El’s shaky hands, Will bets on Max. El lets her ball travel further and off of the banana. Instead of landing, it falls off the sundae, and Will’s breath hitches. Max lets her ball inc closer, and in one final movement, lets it fall, directly on top of the sundae.

Max is jumping up and down, and Will joins her as Lucas says, “Congratulations, Max, you have won the Golden Power of Veto!”

⏿⏿⏿

At night, Max comes into Will’s room, and sits opposite of him. Will sits up, ready to talk to her about anything.

“How’d your talk with El go?” Will asks this question, because after the Veto competition, El looked just as upset as she had been after the Nomination Ceremony.

“She wanted to know why I didn’t throw it to her. She said it shows her low on the totem pole she is.”

“Well, what did you say to her?”

“I didn’t know what to say.” Max admits. “I told her that I wanted to win because I wanted to be safe; there was no underlying motive. But, I don’t think she believed me.”

“I thank you for keeping me safe, Max. I mean it. But, I don’t know how much longer we can placate El. She’s going to be annoyed even if we save her.”

“That’s why I was trying to hint at it before.”

“What?”

“Now, this isn’t gospel, but what if we flipped the vote. I know we both like El, and it’d be a hard thing to do, but sooner or later The Party has to turn on itself.”

“I’ve been thinking about that too. But, I can’t bring it up with anyone beside you.”

“I feel the same. And again, this doesn’t mean we should. But, we need to be prepared for the in-fighting to happen, and if not now, then when? Jake is always gonna be a target, you know?”

“Trust me, Max, I’ve been thinking about every possibility. And keeping Jake is a good idea, but I can just imagine Dustin and/or Mike coming back inside to find her gone. We already have a target on our backs for voting out Suzie, who’s to say this move doesn’t just take one of us out next week.”

“I hadn’t thought about that.” They grow quiet, and it looks like their conversation has nowhere else to go. “Let’s just sleep on it then, yeah?”

“That works for me.”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 7, Day 46

By the fourth day into the week, Will could feel himself losing it without any sunlight or fresh air. One of his favorite things to do was to sit in the hammock, soaking up the sun rays, and enjoying the fresh California breeze. But, with the backyard completely blocked off from use, Will had to cut his losses.

At this point in the week, Will also allowed himself to think about Mike for extended periods of time. He and Max talked regularly about the vote, about what Lucas wants, about how El and Jake were acting, that Will hardly got to think about what Mike was doing.

What he missed the most about Mike was the cuddle sessions they would have late at night. Everyone in the house was occupying their own room for the week, and the solidarity reminded Will just how big the rooms – and the house – actually were. 

Will didn’t allow any negative thoughts about Mike to bubble up. He had no idea what could be happening outside, or how well Mike was doing without their brainstorming, but he didn’t want to imagine anything going awry. Will repeated to himself that Mike was doing fine, that he had safety, and that they will see each other again at the end of the week.

Currently, Will sat at the dining table, looking out into the backyard, which was now obstructed by thick fabric on the sliding doors. El sits beside him, eating a bowl of fruit that Will periodically steals from.

“How are you feeling?” Will asks.

El sighs, and looks at him. “I’m honestly so bored. This week is making me realize how much I talk to Erica and Dustin. Missing them the most, I think.”

Because Will only has Mike on his mind, he brings him up. “You don’t miss Mike?”

“I mean, of course I do. But, I don’t know, we haven’t been as close lately. Dustin and I have gotten much closer over the past few weeks. I think he’s been leaning on me because Suzie’s gone.”

Will treads carefully, not wanting to arouse any suspicion about how close he is with Mike. “I get that. Having someone that close to you leave the house has to be emotionally taxing. I hope he’s holding up out there without you.”

“I hope so too.” El eats some more before asking, “Do you miss Mike?”

“Yeah, but I miss them all. Well, maybe except Angela.” They both laugh at Will’s comment.

“You’re not really close to anyone outside, are you?” El asks suddenly.

Will tries to be calm. “Nah, not really. Why do you ask?”

“I don’t know… I’m just thinking about how worried I am about Dustin, Erica, and Mike. I’ll be really devastated if any of them leave.”

“Well, I’ll be upset too.”

“Yeah, but it’s different. It just seems like you don’t have that close of a bond with them like I do.”

Will has to bite his tongue. El couldn’t be farther from the truth, but he can’t correct her without revealing his cards. But, the conversation makes Will wonder if he’s been successful in hiding his bonds, or if El is just not as observant as she should be.

Will thinks back to how Max called her dead weight. He thinks about it a lot, because, before she said that, Will hadn’t considered how useful El was being in the game. But, the conversation strengthened Max’s words. Not only has El not won any competitions, but she had a horrible read on house dynamics. El was never a person Will looked to have strategic conversations with, but he knows now that he can’t rely on her like he once thought he could. Because of this, Will knows he has to paint a target on her soon.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 7, Day 47

Will sits beside Lucas as Max begins the Veto Meeting. She stands at the front of the living room, while El and Jake sit in the nomination chairs. Will can tell that both Jake and El know what the outcome is about to be.

“This is the Veto Meeting.” Max says. She looks at both of the nominees and says, “El and Jake have both been nominated for eviction. But… I have the power to veto one of the nominations.” Max pauses, looking down. Will can tell it’s a hard decision for her, since she won’t be saving her friend, but he knows that her resolve has solidified. “I have decided… not to use the Power of Veto.”

Jake and El both nod in understanding. Max takes off the Veto, and places it into the Veto box. She carries it off to the storage room, and Lucas follows closely behind her. El leaves her seat, disappearing into her room.

Jake stays seated in his chair, and Will joins him, sitting in the nomination chair El leaves vacant. 

“Tell me the truth, Will. Am I staying this week?”

Will avoids making eye contact, but is truthful when he says, “I don’t know. Max and I have talked about it, but we really haven’t made our minds up.”

“What do I need to say to get you guys to keep me?”

“Jake, I don’t know–”

“Look, Will. You’re smart. You know you can’t get to the end with Lucas and Max. I promise if you keep me here, you’re not my target. I’m gonna be taking shots at the two of them before they get too far in the game.”

“Jake, it’s really up to Max–”

“You can’t give your power away to her, Will. You have to convince her, because if she runs this vote, there’s no stopping her from steamrolling through the rest of the game alongside Lucas. You know that.”

Fed up with Jake, Will says, “I’m not making any promises.”

Jake stares him down for a moment, and then says, “Whatever.” Jake walks away from Will, leaving for his bedroom.

Will stays put, thinking over Jake’s words. He knows Jake is right to a certain extent. Will can’t make it to the end with a showmance. No matter what, they would choose each other over him. It was the reason he voted to evict Suzie. But, in the case of Max and Lucas, they were even bigger threats, because they could win competitions easily.

Will believes Jake when he says that he’s gunning for the couple, but to keep him safe would require a lot of work from Will to keep a target off his back. If he kept Jake safe, he would have to convince Max to vote with him first, but in the fallout, Lucas would be upset with the both of them, and if Dustin was still in the game, then Dustin would also lose trust in him.

He’s sure that he could rein Mike, and make him understand his reasoning, but Lucas and Dustin were another story. And, if he and Max did vote together, he knows that she could win Lucas’ trust back much more easily than he can.

Will knows he can’t lose his positioning. He’s made key relationships with some of the strongest players in the game, and to throw it all away just to keep Jake made no sense. Will’s someone who likes to look at all angles of the game, but in this case, he can’t allow Jake’s intimidation and pleading to sway him into making a game ending move.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 7, Day 48

Will sits on the bed of the Head of Household Bedroom, across from Lucas. The rest of the Houseguests mill about the house. Will assumes that El and Max are conversing just like Will and Lucas are. He also assumes Jake is in his room, alone, since he didn’t get along well with the people inside the house.

“What do you think’s going on outside?” Will asks. It was the question on everyone’s mind, since the ones outside also just had their Veto Meeting, meaning the nominations were set in stone.

“I haven’t been thinking about it really. Just trying to stay positive.”

“You know Angela’s gonna be livid when she comes back in the house. I mean, she has to assume that Jake is leaving, right?”

“I’m sure she’s deluded herself into thinking he won the Veto. But, she’s got another thing coming.”

“You really haven’t thought about what’s going on out there? Not even who you’re expecting to be safe?”

Lucas shakes his head. “Nah, but now that you bring it up, I really expect Robin to be safe. She’s surrounded by three big targets out there. Either she’s off the block, or if she is on it, then she’s staying. No doubt in my mind.”

Will thinks the same, so he nods along. “Well, then, who do you think is in trouble?”

Without hesitation, Lucas says, “Mike.”

Will’s taken aback. “Why do you say that?”

“Well, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but he’s been acting real shifty.” Will nods along, even though he’s never gotten that vibe from Mike. “I know Angela has been saying how little she trusts him, which is weird, since they got along well in the beginning. And I know Erica doesn’t trust him. Not at all.”

Will tries not to react. “So, you’re saying Angela definitely put him up.”

“Oh, absolutely. And between you and me, I wouldn’t be shocked if he gets evicted, and I honestly wouldn’t mind.”

Will tries to regulate his breathing, trying to avoid his emotions coming out. “You really want Dustin to stay then?”

“Yeah, I really don’t think he has a shot at winning. Mike, on the other hand, has a good shot at the prize.”

When the conversation comes to a natural end, Will excuses himself in order to think properly. Will isn’t sure what to do with the information from Lucas. It was clear that Mike was a bigger target than Will once thought. At least three people distrusted Mike, and could easily take them out since they were good at the competitions.

In his head Will could see how The Party is turning on each other. Lucas and Dustin are targeting Mike, and Will lumps in El, since her relationship with him is the most strained. Max is targeting El, as she views her unreliable and deadweight, while Mike and himself are targeting Lucas because of the Sibling Twist. 

Will knew that it was good to have a target in front of him, even if it is Mike. It would buy him an extra week, maybe more if the next week results in a non-alliance member leaving. But, after that, Will couldn’t help but feel like he’d be the default target in The Party.

Dustin and El were no doubt working together, and the two of them, as well as Lucas, most likely held some grudge over him voting out Suzie. That meant, the only one not targeting him would be Max. But, even with that slim chance, Will knew the other three could convince her to flip on him, especially Lucas.

It made Will worried, because he knew that next week, he had to turn on The Party before the numbers got smaller. He knows that Angela is gunning for him, nor was Robin. He knew he needed to keep them safe, because they would take him further than a majority of The Party members.

But, most importantly, Will needed to keep Mike safe. He had no idea what was going on outside of the house, but Will hoped that Mike was savvy enough to return to him. If he could, then Will can lay out all the information to him and plan a path for victory.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 7, Day 49

“Who do you think’s working together?” Max asks him as they get ready for bed.

Will ponders the question. He never thought about other alliances other than The Socs, which made Will feel naive. Someone he could be giving his all to could easily turn around and drop him when need be.

“Honestly, I have no clue. I mean, aside from El and Dustin, I think everyone else can still be floating from person to person. Like, El and Dustin are too honest to try backstabbing anyone, so I think they’re the only two people I feel confident in saying are working together.”

“I bet Angela is working with Robin, in some way.” Max posits.

“Why do you think that?”

“I don’t know, it’s just a gut feeling. They’re both outcasts, in a sense. Robin’s been targeted for so long, and Angela is being targeted now. Wouldn’t it make sense for them to work together?”

To Will, it does make sense. And Will wouldn’t put it past her. Jason said not to trust her early on, and although Will feels like he’s assuage any anxiety made by that comment, he knows deep down that she is willing to do what is necessary to make it to the end

Max continues talking. “They should probably be targeted next, then Dustin and El. It’d make the path to the end easier.”

Will takes note about how Max avoids mentioning her own name and Lucas’. It makes sense why she did so, but it doesn’t stop Will from asking, “How far are you planning on taking me?”

“To the end.” Max says without hesitation.

Will believes her to a certain extent. “Even further than Lucas?”

Max is silent for a moment, and Will can tell that she’s about to lie to him. “I haven’t thought about the Final 2 yet.”

Max was one of the most competitive Houseguests in Will’s mind, and he knows that she has definitely thought about who she wants to sit with at the end. Will asks the question on his mind. “If it was you, me, and Lucas at the Final Three, would you choose Lucas over me?”

“I would.”

Will expected the answer, and expected Max to be honest. She was a game player, but never lied when the answer was obvious. But, it reaffirmed to Will that no matter what, Will couldn’t get to the end with the couple. He’s not sure how much longer he can keep working with them, but before the Final Three, Will knew he needed to take Lucas out.

“You’re not mad, are you?” Max asks.

“I honestly expected it.” Will admits. “I know you guys trust each other a lot.”

“The game’s not over yet, either. Who knows how these next couple of weeks can go. I have no idea what everyone else could be thinking, especially the people outside.”

“You’re right. Just know that they’re plotting for this upcoming week, and there’s no way to predict what they’ve thought up.”

Max grabs Will’s shoulder and says. “That’s why you and I have to stick together. If we lose trust, then people like Robin and Angela are gonna be gunning for us.”

“Do you think it’s good to take them out next, then?”

Max shakes her head. “No. Since we’re not taking El out this week, we have to take the first shot as soon as possible. Angela, Robin, and Erica are not threats to us now. Their numbers are too small to make an impact.”

“You’re gonna try to win HoH tomorrow?”

“Of course. At this point in the game, there’s no use in throwing any competition.”

Chapter Text

Week 8, Day 50

Will sat next to Jake. It was obvious to everyone what was happening during Eviction Night, and Will couldn’t let Jake leave without feeling like he was alone this week. Even though they didn’t get along much throughout the game, Will’s empathy didn’t allow him to fully be against Jake.

Because of the evident outcome, Will wasn’t worried about the vote. Instead, he was more worried about the outside vote. The only people Will was expecting to see was Robin and Angela. Other than that, everything else was up in the air.

All Will wanted was to see Mike one last time. Being separated without saying goodbye would crush Will. Everytime the thought enters his mind, he has to chase it away. He doesn’t want to manifest it, so Will tells himself to focus on anything else. During Eviction Night, Will was focused on evicting Jake.

Julie comes on the television screen, and Will sits up. “Hello, Houseguests.” They all half-heartedly greet Julie, obviously eaten up by stress. “It is now time for the first vote of the Split House twist.” Will eyes Max, and they silently nod to each other. “El. Jake. In just a few minutes, your housemates will cast their vote to evict. But, before they do, you each have a final chance to sway their votes with one brief statement. El, you’re up first.”

El stands up, and Will looks at her, expecting a speech that reaches the heart. “You know, this week has been very hard on me. I’ve cried more times than I’d like to admit, but I wouldn’t want to wish that on either of you two, so it’s all been worth it in my opinion. And I leave it up to you.”

Will and Max clap, as Julie moves the night along. “Thank you, El. Jake, it’s your turn.”

Jake stands up. “Listen, I know my time is up. And, I know some of you might hate me, but I wouldn’t change a thing that I’ve done in this game. I played hard, and that should be respected. The only thing I want to say is: you three need to get Lucas out as soon as you can. He’s on the path to victory, and if none of you do anything, you’ll never have the chance of winning.”

Will breathes in deeply. He knows that Jake is scrappy, but hearing him leave with an ultimatum was not something he expected. He looks at Max, and she’s just as surprised as he is. Will knew that he needed to evict Lucas, but now he wonders if Max ever had that thought before.

“Thank you El and Jake.” Julie pauses, and Will breathes in. “The time has come. The live voting will begin now. The two nominees, El and Jake, are not allowed to vote. Lucas, as the current Head of Household, you will only vote in the event of a tie.” Lucas nods. “One at a time, Will and Max will enter the Diary Room, and cast their vote to evict. And remember, it only takes two votes tonight to be evicted. Will. You’re up first.”

Will stands up, wiping away the sweat from his palms as he walks toward the Diary Room. He knows what needs to be done, but he couldn’t help the anxiety he felt.

Will sits down in the chair, as Julie comes on overhead. “Good evening, Will.”

He smiles. “Hi, Julie.” Will sighs.

“Please cast your vote to evict.”

Will licks his lips and says, “I vote to evict Jake.”

“Thank you, Will.”

“Thank you, Julie.”

Will passes by Max in the corridor, giving each other a flat smile as they walk past each other. He returns to seat, smiling at both El and Jake as he waits for Max to return. It doesn’t take her long to do so. She sits down, unfazed by the voting process.

Julie returns quickly. “Houseguests, the votes are in.” Will looks at Jake as Julie continues. “When I reveal the vote, the evicted Houseguest will have just a few moments to say goodbye, gather their belongings, and walk out the front door.” Julie pauses, and Will waits. “By a vote… of 2 to 0…” Jake is on his feet before Julie even finishes, “Jake, you have been evicted from the Big Brother house.”

Will hurries to catch up to Jake before he leaves the house. He helps him grab his duffle bag. Jake goes down the line, hugging everyone else in the house, until he lands on Will. He holds him close, and before he lets go, Jake says, “If Angela can’t win, I hope you do.”

Will doesn’t thank him. He can’t thank him, because before he can say anything, Jake turns around, and exits the house. Will sighs to himself, then feels arms wrapped around him. He’s pulled into a group hug and Will allows a sense of ease to wash over him.

⏿⏿⏿

El, Max, Lucas, and Will wait patiently in the living room. They were informed that in just a moment, the outside Houseguests would join them, and right after that, they would begin the Head of Household competition.

Will bobs one leg up and down in anticipation, waiting for the tarp between the backyard and the inside of the house to drop and finally put an end to any of Will’s speculation. 

His gaze is to the floor, so he doesn’t watch the tarp fall, but the gasps from the other people around him alert Will to look up. They all stand up from the couch, making their way to the dining room, and he sees the other Houseguests entering the house one by one.

Will sees Angela, then Robin, then Dustin, and finally, Mike. Will wants to cry tears of joy, but he composes himself. Immediately, everyone hugs a different person. Will hugs Robin, glad to see her return, then he embraces Dustin, happy to see him safe too. But, the best hug comes from Mike, who holds him tightly, and as they greet each other once more, Will takes the chance to smell him, unaware of how much he missed Mike’s scent.

Despite Will’s need to hold onto Mike for longer, he pulls away. He hugs Angela finally, but once he pulls away, he realizes who’s missing: Erica. In his shock, Will looks at Lucas, and he can tell the other boy is perturbed, but Lucas keeps his calm, trying not to look impacted by the eviction. 

Will looks at Mike, and makes a quick face, trying to ask what happened. But, because everyone else is around, there’s no answer from Mike. Lucas, in his hidden sadness, walks away from the group as conversation turns into a cacophony of greetings and catch-ups. Max follows Lucas. Will stays put, now eyeing Robin, and wondering what happened to get Erica out of the house.

⏿⏿⏿

Will and the Houseguests stand on a large mat, next to a rope. The rope hangs from a large, metal, circular mechanism above them. Attached to the bottom of the ropes are flat discs, just big enough to put two feet on. At one point in the backyard is a large cylinder, outfitted to look like lumber, sticking out in the air between two ropes. Angela and Lucas sit off to one side on stools, as they all wait for Julie to speak.

“Houseguests, the power is up for grabs.” She says, startling Will. “Angela and Lucas, as outgoing Heads of Household, you are not eligible to compete. This competition is called Fallen Lumber , and here’s how it works. On my go, you will be lifted high into the air and spun around and around. As you spin, you will encounter fallen lumber. You may squat down, but you may not sit down on your disc. Last Houseguest standing will become the new Head of Household. Everyone understand?” Will lets out a noise of understanding. “Then, step onto your disc and hold on tight. This competition begins now.”

Will stabilizes himself as he is hoisted into the air. He’s lucky he doesn’t start spinning on his disc, because El and Robin immediately begin to do so. It takes a few seconds for them to reach their maximum height, but once he does, Will prepares for more movement.

The Houseguests slow spin. Will watches Dustin and Max hit the lumber, and as they do, they begin spinning more erratically. Will hits the lumber next, but he tries stabilizing himself. The insides of his elbows grip the rope, and his hands are placed in front of his face. Will’s knees also tightly hold onto the rope as he continues to spin.

“How’s everyone doing so far?” Julie asks suddenly, and Will just groans. “Unfortunately, this is where I leave you all. Hold on tight, and good night.”

“Good night, Julie.” Will says, his eyes closed as he continues to spin.

Each time they hit the lumber, their inertia increases, and their movement doesn’t slow down enough as they complete a rotation. So, as Will hits the lumber for a tenth time, he hits it hard, and it switches which way he spins on his disc. He goes swinging from side to side, almost hitting other people.

But, the next time Will hits the lumber, his spinning stops, and Will can stand up straight again without much movement. Will looks at the other Houseguests, and contemplates what to do. With how little time they had to talk before the competition, Will had no chance to ask anyone what happened.

Erica was a strong player, who before the Split House twist, hardly anyone mentioned her name for eviction. To see her go out so early into Jury was a surprise. He knows Lucas will be gunning for everyone who was outside.

Lucas had a lot of influence, even with Will, and he knew that no matter what, Lucas would try to push for someone from the outside to go home. Will didn’t want that pressure, especially because the only person Will would target would be Dustin. Angela, Mike, and Robin, were nowhere on his hit list. He could tell Lucas would be annoyed with him if he won and didn’t put up two people from that list. Because of this, Will wondered if he should throw the competition.

Max said before that the game is so tight now that throwing a competition wouldn’t be beneficial, and Will agreed to a certain point. There were only two people Will didn’t feel comfortable winning: Dustin and El. He doesn’t know if he’s a target for them, but he knows they’d target Angela and Robin, two people Will wanted to keep in the game.

Max was another person he didn’t want to see win. With her as Head of Household, Will saw Lucas being by her side, continuously pushing for what he wants. He’s not sure if Max would do what he said, since she was a strong and self-preserving player, but the possibility of her listening to Lucas was too big of a risk for Will.

Aside from himself then, the only people Will wanted to see win are Mike and Robin. But, Robin is out of the question, because as they hit the 20 minute mark, Robin falls off of her disc and onto the mat below. They all cheer her up for falling as she sits with Angela and Lucas.

Seeing Mike as the only other one left, Will knew he couldn’t throw the competition. Mike had never won a competition purposefully, so Will has no real gauge into how well Mike can do in the competition. He can’t bet it all on Mike, so Will tightens his grip, and closes his eyes, willing for his endurance to last him as long as it did in previous competitions.

Will squats down, trying to relieve all the pressure he’s putting on his feet. But, as he does, Will slams into the lumber, and he goes spinning faster than ever before. He holds on tight, his eyes closed so he doesn’t disorient himself.

Will hears a slam, one louder than when someone hits the lumber, and he opens his eyes. He finds Dustin on the floor. He gets up quickly and joins everyone else who’s out.

He begins to stand up again, the pressure on his knees too much to keep squatting. As he spins, Will looks at Mike. There’s a determination in his face, and Mike looks like he’s barely under any pressure or stress from the competition.

They lock eyes, and Will hits the lumber again. He spins and spins, and as he does, he keeps his eyes on Mike. He can see Mike moving his mouth, mouthing something to him. Will tries to decipher what it is, but he continuously hits the lumber, and he goes swinging, making it difficult to understand Mike.

Eventually, Will hits the lumber just right, and his momentum stalls. He looks at Mike, and sees him mouth the word ‘drop’. Will furrows his brows, but Mike continues to repeat the word. They had always encouraged each other to go for the win, so seeing Mike advise him shook Will. 

But, Mike was rarely as serious as he was in that instant, and more than anything, Will trusts Mike. So, without any fanfare, Will lets go of his rope at the 35 minute mark, trusting that Mike has a plan that benefits the both of them.

With Will down, the only people that remained were El, Max, and Mike. El was squatting down, the position she took since the beginning of competition, while Max and Mike stood tall. Will can see Mike’s knuckles turning white, and he can see Max’s knees shaking.

The three of them were spaced out far enough that they wouldn’t swing into each other, which was reassuring to Will, because each one of them would hit the lumber hard and spin out. Will sat there, biting his fingernails as he watched them continue to spin. Max hits the lumber hard, and goes swinging and spinning, and before she knows it, she hits the lumber again even harder, and Will sees the energy knocked out of her. She falls to the mat, and Lucas helps her to her seat.

The final two are El and Mike, and Will is surprised to see El still hanging on. Everyone has been counting her out for the longest time, but this was now the second competition where she made it to the end. It made Will nervous, because either one of them could win.

They continue to spin, close to the hour mark, when Mike yells out, “El, drop!”

“I can’t do that!” She responds, obviously exhausted. “Please, just let me have this, Mike!”

“Not gonna happen! I can stay up here all night. Can you?” Will was surprised to hear Mike being cocky and antagonistic.

“Please, Mike, you don’t understand! I have to win this!”

“Then, you better hold on!”

They continue to spin, but Will can see El turning red, her strength read to give out. Mike looks even more determined than before, and hardly looks tired. Will knows that Mike was serious when he said he would hang on all night.

Will isn’t sure how much longer they stay on their disc, but Will keeps his eyes on El. As she passes by, he can see her exhaustion rise and her determination fall. She slams into the lumber, and spins out, and before she makes another rotation, El drops onto her back. Her chest rises and falls with deep breaths.

Mike jumps off of his disc triumphantly and runs up to Lucas as he says, “Congratulations, Mike, you are the new Head of Household!”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 8, Day 51

Will is in Mike’s HoH bedroom early in the morning. Mike had asked him to sleep with him for the night, but Will declined. He was still stressed out about the Split House twist, and the last thing he wanted to worry about was leaving Mike’s bed early to avoid being caught.

But, Will promised he would spend the rest of the day with him. Will woke up early to fulfill this, but he also wanted to ask Mike about his week. With how hectic it is when someone receives the key to their HoH room, Will wasn’t able to ask him about it, especially with everyone still around.

When Mike opens the door, Will can tell he just woke him up. His hair is a mess, and drowsiness clouded his eyes. Mike pulls Will in, and as Will reaches to fix Mike’s hair, Mike gives him a chaste kiss. It’s so quick Will barely notices it, but he enjoys the gesture regardless.

They move to Mike’s bed, where Will sits opposite of him, ready to get down to business. “Tell me what happened.” Will says.

“With what?” Mike asks with a smile.

“Outside. Give me the play by play.”

Mike looks away, pondering what to say. “You’re gonna be mad at me.”

Will’s eyebrows furrow. “Why would I be mad?”

“Just listen to what I have to say before you yell at me, okay?”

“Mike–”

“So, obviously, Angela won HoH, you know that. As soon as we got outside, it was obvious to me that Angela was going to put up me and Dustin, which she did. She’s smart, you know? It was the optimal move. But, this was horrible for me, because if it was me against Dustin on Eviction Night, I’d be going home, hands down.

“Angela doesn’t like me, and I don’t think Robin or Erica are that fond of me. So, I figured I was going home either in a unanimous vote, or a tied vote that Angela breaks in Dustin’s favor. I was the biggest target out, which was fucking with me, but I knew the game wasn’t over. I still had the Veto competition, and I had a trump card up my sleeve.

“Without going into too much detail, I lost in the Veto competition. And, utterly lost too, I came in dead last. But, Dustin ended up winning, and that worked out well. He was going to take himself off, and I’ll be going against someone else, meaning there was a chance. And this is the part, where you have to promise me, you won’t get mad, alright? Just hear me out.

“I knew that I needed Angela to put up Erica against me. If I was up against Robin, she’d be the perfect pawn, and I’d go home. So, I strategized with Dustin. And by strategized, I mean I told Dustin that Lucas and Erica were siblings. Like, you told me, he had already suspected that about them, but when I provided more proof he didn’t know, he was all about it.

“Now, I told Dustin this information, because he had better connections with Angela and Robin. If I went up to Angela telling her all this information, she probably wouldn’t believe me, and still put up Robin. But, because it was Dustin, who was more trustworthy, she was more receptive to the information. The same goes for Robin, they both trusted this information from him.

“So, Angela nominated Erica, and I knew then that I had a fighting chance. Either it’s a unanimous vote, and Erica just goes, or it’s a tied vote, and Angela could break it in my favor. Needless to say, the target on Erica’s back was too big to annoy, and Dustin and Robin evicted her instead of me.

“Now, I’m sure Lucas is going to hear about this, or they’re going to question him about it, which means he’s going to target me. So, I made sure I won the Head of Household competition, and now, you and I can work together to diffuse Lucas.” Mike pauses, staring into Will’s eyes. “Are you mad at me?”

Will shakes his head. “I’m not mad, Mike. You did what you had to do, but now they all know that I knew.”

“I didn’t mention you, I promise. They have no clue that you told me all that information. You do not have a target on your back.” Mike pleads, trying to calm Will down.

“Are you sure?”

“100%. I knew I needed to take all the heat, so that you can help me maneuver.” Mike sighs. “You will help me maneuver through this week, right?” 

Will laughs softly. “You know I will. We’re in this together.”

“Oh, thank god. I really thought you were going to be furious.” Mike pulls him in for a kiss, and embraces him at the same time. It’s a desperate kiss, and Will returns the fervor. 

They pull away, and Will asks, “Well, what are your plans for this week?”

“You have to tell me if this is idiotic, okay? I was thinking about putting up Angela next to Lucas. They’re both gunning for me now. The Party will most likely take out Angela. But, if she wins, then I’d put up another person from The Party.”

“Wait.” Will says. “You really want to take a shot at The Party?”

“Now is the perfect time. Robin is not going to win, point blank. I don’t want to waste an HoH on her.” Will nodded in agreement, primarily because he also wanted to keep her safe. “I haven’t thought about who to put up as a replacement, but it doesn’t really matter. It’s going to be chaotic no matter what.”

“I get what you’re saying.”

“You think it’s a good idea, then?”

“Honestly, no. But, it has to be done to make it to the end. I mean, I’m not opposed to you targeting Lucas. I know he and Max are choosing each other no matter what, so the sooner that gets nipped, the sooner we have more influence over the house.”

“You have no idea how scared I was to tell you all this.” Mike admits, sighing.

“Why?” Will asks earnestly.

“I just…” Mike pauses. “I just don’t want you to be mad at me. I can piss off everyone else in this house, and I wouldn’t care. But, if you were upset with me… I don’t know how I’d deal.”

Mike has tears forming. Will licks his lips, and for the first time, initiates a kiss between them. It’s softer than the previous one, and lasts longer, ending with Will on top of Mike on his bed. Will desperately wants to let his hands explore Mike’s body, but he practices self-restraint, and pulls away. Between breaths he says, “I could never be upset with you.”

⏿⏿⏿

Will could feel the tension in the dining room. Angela’s gaze is on the table. The writing was on the wall for her, and everyone could see it. Robin sits nervously too. Will hadn’t had the chance to warn her about the nominations or her safety. He knows that in her mind she’s expecting to go up though, since she shakes one leg and only stares at Will.

Mike stands at the front of the dining room with his key around his neck. Will has to stop himself from staring, because Mike looks exceptionally handsome when he’s so confident. He knows that if he looks at Mike, his gaze would be trapped for hours.

“This is the Nomination Ceremony.” Mike says, and Will breathes in deeply. “One of my duties as Head of Household is to nominate two houseguests for eviction.” Will catches Max looking at him, and Will quickly adverts his gaze. “I will pull the first key, and that person is safe. That person will pull the next key. So on, and so forth.”

Mike walks toward the table. Will looks across at the rest of the Houseguests. The number was so much lower now that two people were evicted, it showed just how high the stakes have gotten. “El, you are safe.” Mike says, rotating the lazy susan to her.

Will watches as she puts the key around her neck, surprised that she was the first one called out. “Will, you are safe.”

Will smiles shyly at Mike, “Thank you.” Will puts his key around his neck. He grabs the next one and says, “Dustin, you are safe.”

Dustin smiles too, and Will feels glad for him. Dustin grabs the next key and reads it aloud. “Max, you are safe.”

Like always, Max is as stoic as ever, and Will wishes he could be as cool as her. However, her stoicism falters when she grabs the final key and reads it aloud. “Robin, you are safe.”

Will widens his eyes, trying to feign shock as the rest of The Party members display true surprise. Will sees Lucas’ glance cutting through the room as he stares at Mike, and Will hopes that Mike can stay composed.

“I have nominated you, Angela, and you, Lucas for eviction.” Mike looks at Angela, who has not raised her head once. “Angela, you put me up last week. This is simply an eye for an eye.” He looks at Lucas. “Lucas, you are my pawn. Nothing more, nothing less.” Will hopes they buy Mike’s lie. “This Nomination Ceremony is adjourned.”

Will watches Mike walk away with the Nomination Wheel into the storage room. He fights the urge to run after him, and stays in the dining room, hugging everyone or consoling the nominees.

When he hugs and congratulates Max, she holds him close and whispers, “What the fuck is going on?”

Will can feel his heart beating, and lies, “I have no idea what he’s thinking.”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 8, Day 52

“Do you really think I’m safe this week?” Robin asks.

The two of them sit on the hammock in the backyard, something Will wanted to do all of last week when he was stuck inside the house. In his conversation with Robin, Will knew he couldn’t reveal too much information. People still weren’t linking him to Mike, and Will wanted to keep it that way.

“I hope so. I think the best case scenario is Angela leaving. You know that girl could win her way out of anything.” Will lies to Robin. This early in the week, Will was leaning toward sending Lucas home. He wasn’t sure if he had the votes, nor was he sure if Lucas was winning Veto or not, so he doesn’t voice any of these thoughts.

“If she leaves,” Robin starts, “Who do you think will be the biggest target? I mean, so many people want her out, have they thought about who leaves after her?”

Will nods. “I honestly think after her, Lucas and Max would be the biggest targets. That would be Top 7, they can both win challenges, they’re a showmance… They need to be taken out soon.”

“If you win HoH, you’re putting them up?” Robin asks.

“At least one of them. Maybe backdoor another, but I don't know.” Will realizes he shouldn’t verbalize these thoughts, but it’s too late. If he trusts Robin the way he does, then their conversation shouldn’t get back to Max. “What about you?”

“Max is no joke. Her and Angela. If we make it to the end with them, we might as well kiss our shot at a Final 2 goodbye.”

“You think so?”

“You know at least one of them would secure their spot in the Final 2 easily. They’re the biggest competition. I say, we take a weaker player to the end.”

“Who were you thinking?” Will asks.

“El. I just don’t see her getting the votes to win, you know?”

“Yeah, I agree. But if we take out players with bigger influence in the Jury, who’s to say they won’t sway the votes in her favor. It’s really determined on how they get voted out.”

“Send them out with a positive experience, you mean?” 

“Yes. Like, take this week. Angela might feel better if we give her a sympathy vote. It may not mean a lot, but she would probably try to figure out who voted to save her, and could easily think we did that.”

“I get what you’re saying. I’m down with that, actually.” 

“We just have to decide who’s giving the sympathy vote. We need to be in lock-step. If we can both make it past another Double Eviction, we can be golden.”

“No way we can falter now that we’ve made it so far.” Robin says. “To the end, no matter what.”

⏿⏿⏿

Mike stands at the front of the living room, and Will can’t help but think he looks cute holding his cue card, ready to lead the Veto selections. Will hopes that he gets to play alongside Mike. It doubles the odds of Angela and Lucas staying on the block if both of them play.

Mike begins speaking once everyone is settled. “Only six people will compete in the Veto Competition, the Head of Household, the two nominees, and three other players selected by random draw. Will the nominees please join me up here.” Angela and Lucas both walk to the front of the room, and they both look like they want to rip Mike’s head off. “As HoH, I will pick first.” Mike reaches for a chip in the bag, and pulls it out. Mike smiles as he says, “Will.” Will smiles as everyone else claps for him. He joins the other Veto players, standing next to Mike. 

Angela is second to pick a chip, and she does it without any care. “El.”

She quickly joins them, and as she does, Will can’t help but to count her out already. Lucas digs for the last chip, and pulls it out. “Dustin.” When they all stand at the front of the room, only Max and Robin remain seated. The sight reminds Will just how far he’s made it, and how much further he has left to go.

Mike begins again. “Big Brother is to inform us when the Veto Competition is to begin… Good luck!”

⏿⏿⏿

When Will and the other Houseguests enter the backyard, they find six large rectangular gardening pots. Attached to each pot is a piece of lumber, with an apparatus stuck on it. Beside each pot is a large bowl of a mixture of fertilizer and soil. In each pot there is more soil, as well as a small headrest.

Will prepares himself for what’s to come, and they all line up, ready to hear the rules from Robin, who stands off to the side. She begins, “In this Veto competition, each one of you will plant yourself into a flower box and put your head on your headrest. On go, Big Brother will begin to water each one of you. You must try to estimate when you have been watered for one hour. Today’s Veto winner will be the Houseguest who leaves the game closest to the one hour mark, without going over.

“You will leave the game by first announcing that you are leaving, and then lifting your head from your headrest, which will turn your light on. Let’s find out which one of you will become the perfect garden flower, and which one of you will be pushing up daisies in The Garden of Veto !” Will and the rest of the Veto players clap, but Will dreads what’s about to come.

They all get into a flower box, laying down completely inside. Robin and Max come by each one of them, burying them in more soil, and unleashing the leaking water onto their foreheads. The water is cold, and feels like it’s piercing through Will’s head.

Once they all have their dripping water, Robin says, “Let’s start the competition… now!”

A horn blows, and Will begins counting in his head. The only strategy for Will was to use his finger appropriately. On one hand, he counts out the seconds, and once 60 seconds pass, he raises one finger to signify a minute. Once all his fingers are up on his minute hand, he’ll begin putting them down, and keep alternating until he reaches close to one hour.

Of course, it was easier said than done for Will. The water dripping overhead was very distracting. It moved all about his face, traveling close to his eyes, which bothered Will to no end. Because of this, Will knows that his counting speeds up and slows down, meaning he’s already off.

But, Will tries to keep his cool. Any one of them could win the Veto. If they all lost a similar amount of time, and all leave their flower boxes at the same time, it would be left up to chance. Will wants to win the Veto not just to keep the nominations the same, but he also wants to win to reinforce Mike’s influence over the house. He knows Mike doesn’t want to put up another person, and Will doesn’t want that for him either.

By the time Will counts to fifteen minutes, Robin speaks up once more. “To help make the perfect flower, here’s a nourishing brew of Big Brother compost and a healthy helping of well-fed earthworms.” Will can hear other people groaning at the news, but Will can’t lose his focus, so he makes no noise. “Max, you and I get to decide which one to put on these flowers first.”

Will closes his eyes and tries to focus, but soon, he can feel one of the girls looming over him, and in an instant, he feels a new weight on him. And this weight begins to move, and Will feels huge worms begin to writhe all around him. They travel across his chest, around his thighs, and even try to bury their way into his sleeves. Will’s counting is affected by these worms, but Will pushes forward, counting as if nothing happened.

But before they sit in silence for long, Will hears, “I’m out. I can’t do this.” He recognizes the voice as Dustin’s, but Will still doesn’t open his eyes. In any other competition, Dustin would be in last, but with the rules of this one, Will knew Dustin had a guaranteed time. In an unfortunate turn of events, if they all stay in too long, Dustin would default as the winner, so Will knew that he now had to play it safe.

Squeals continuously come out of the Houseguests, but Will tries to pay them no mind. He continues counting, and he’s sure that they passed the 30 minute mark. Will wasn’t only dealing with the water and the worms, but he was also dealing with the sun. After laying out for so long, Will could feel himself warming up, and it made him exhausted, even with the cool water dripping on his face.

Will tries to control his breathing, hoping that it will help him regain focus. Will’s sure that he’s recounted a handful of minutes at this point, so he knows that soon, he’ll have to get out of the flower box. He really didn’t want to overshoot his time. If everyone else did, then Will could win the Golden Power of Veto if he waits a bit more.

Robin begins speaking again. “Okay, Max, let’s complete our gardening and add the compost to these flowers.”

Will is fine with the compost at first, even if it did stink, but as it sat there on top of them, the blazing sun beating down on them, the stench only grew more horrible, and it made Will sick to his stomach. He thought he could hold out longer, but with his newfound sickness, Will can’t hold on any longer, and says, “I’m out.”

Will sits up quickly, and pulls himself out of the flower box, the worms and compost falling down all around him. He looks back at the rest of the flower boxes, where Angela, El, Lucas, and Mike still remained.

Will stops counting, so he doesn’t know how much longer they stay in the flower boxes before they all give up. Lucas is the first to get out, followed closely by Mike. Mike sits next to him as they wait, and the smell of residual compost on Mike makes Will want to push him away.

When Angela gets out, Will has no idea how close she could be to the hour mark. El is the last one to leave, getting out a few minutes after Angela. Will is surprised to see El last so long, and it makes him wonder if she’s able to clinch the win.

With all of them out, they line up next to Robin, who has the results in an envelope. Will has no idea who won, but hopes for a favorable outcome.

“It’s time to reveal who has won the Power of Veto.” Robin says enthusiastically. “The winner will be the person who left this game closest to an hour without going over. With a time of 55 minutes and 47 seconds…” Robin pauses for dramatic effect. “Congratulations, Angela, you have won the Golden Power of Veto!”

Will hugs Angela, as is compulsory, congratulating her. But as he does, he catches Mike’s eye, and they share a glance, knowing that they need to talk about what to do next.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 8, Day 53

As Will lays down next to Mike in his bed, he notices for the first time how an alliance meeting hasn’t been held by Mike yet. Instead, Mike held his cards close to his chest, and whatever he did, the other alliance members just had to go with the flow. Will would also feign some ignorance when talking to them, trying to hide how Mike was consulting him on almost everything. 

Currently, Mike asked him what Will thinks he should do about the renomination. With Angela holding the Veto, there was no chance she would remain on the block. Now, Mike needed a plan that worked out the best. Will knew that no matter what, Mike would get blood on his hands, so they needed to pick someone that would result in minimal backlash.

“You’re fully okay with turning on The Party then?” Will asks for clarification. He needed to make sure that Mike and him were on the same page.

“Yeah, I mean, Robin’s not a threat to me, you know? Why would I put her up?”

“I get what you mean. Well then, who is a threat to you?”

“Aside from Lucas, I would say Max, but the idea of putting her up…”

“It’s risky.” Will supplements “Because if you do, they’ll both be pissed, then one is guaranteed to stay, and they’ll be gunning for you no matter what.”

“Exactly. And I want to avoid that if I can. So, if you, Max, and Robin are off the list, then it’s between Dustin and El.”

Will ponders what to say next. He knows that Mike will take his advice no matter what. Despite the fact that Will cared for Mike deeply, Will knows that this was an opportunity to get Mike to do something that benefits him instead. Will plans what to say carefully.

“I think you should put up Dustin.” Will says. Mike doesn’t respond, and Will continues. “You know El trusts you a lot, and she’s not really a threat to the game. There’s no reason you waste your HoH on her. Get someone smart like Dustin out, or get someone competitive like Lucas out.”

“But if I do that, El is gonna be pissed at me.”

“So will Dustin if you put El up. But I can actually see Dustin winning a competition over El and targeting you. This decision is good because not only are you keeping the weaker player, you’re also keeping yourself safe since she can’t win anything.”

The conversation lulls, and Will looks up at Mike to see what he’s thinking. When he does, he sees Mike smiling down on him. Will can’t help but return it and asks, “What?”

“I just don’t know what I’d do without you.” Mike pulls Will in closer. “I’m so happy I met you.”

Will can feel tears of joy forming. “I’m happy I met you, too.”

Mike grabs Will’s chin, and pulls him in for a kiss, a gentle one that doesn’t last long, but holds so much weight. When Mike pulls away, he re-enters strategy talk, and says, “if I put up Dustin, I want Lucas gone.”

Will knows why Mike says this, because he knows that Will can get the job done. “I’ll see what I can do.”

⏿⏿⏿

Will leaves the Head of Household room soon after his conversation with Mike, fearing that if he stays any longer, someone will catch him staying too long with Mike and they would grow suspicious.

As soon as he steps out, Will runs into Lucas, who seemingly is about to knock on the door. 

“Oh, hey, Lucas.” Will says, trying to sound nonchalant.

“Will… Can I talk to you for a second?” Lucas asks.

Will’s brow furrows. “Uh, sure, what’s up?”

“Not here. Let’s move somewhere else.” Lucas leads him to the lounge area on the second floor, a place hardly anyone uses or stays in for long.

“What’s wrong?” Will asks.

“Did Mike tell you who’s putting up in place of Angela?”

Will tries to feign ignorance. “No, he didn’t, but I assume it’s just gonna be Robin.” Will lets the tension rise. “Why? Are you doubting him?”

“Look, Will.” Lucas begins talking more quietly. “I have to tell you something.”

Will leans in close. “What?”

“I don’t think we can trust Mike. Or at least, I can’t trust him anymore.”

“Why do you say that?”

Lucas looks away, then back at Will. “Has Mike ever talked to you about the Sibling Twist?”

“No, not really. What does that have to do with Mike?”

“Well, I have to tell you Will…” Lucas pauses, and then says it plainly. “Erica and I were siblings.”

Will acts shocked, opening his eyes wide and letting his mouth gape. “Are you serious?”

“Yes. She was basically our seventh member of The Party, and I told her to work with us. She was gonna keep us safe no matter what. Dustin told me that Mike figured it out, and that last week, he used it against her so that she could get evicted. And now, with me on the block, it’s pretty obvious that he wants me gone.”

“You mean he’s turning on The Party?”

“Yes. He’s been keeping secrets from all of us, his own alliance members, and now he’s throwing down the gauntlet and is gonna take us all out.”

Will pauses, then asks, “Why didn’t you tell me about Erica? Did Max know?”

“No. Max didn’t know. Look, Will it was too early in the game, and I couldn't risk The Party getting decimated. I knew she’d listen to me, so I didn't see the harm in keeping it secret. I was waiting for us to make it to seven, and then I was gonna tell everyone. Make it a big celebration that we all made it.”

Will knows Lucas is lying to him. There’s no way Lucas would reveal his secret so late in the game. He’s only saying that to build trust with Will, so Will allows him to think so. “I believe you, Lucas. But, what do we do now? Mike doesn’t tell me his plans, what are we supposed to do?”

Lucas grabs one of his shoulders. “Just keep your guard up, okay? You can’t trust Mike, and it hurts to say that any one of us could be going up tomorrow. Even you.”

Will looks away, trying to keep up his act. “You’re right, Lucas. But, no matter what, as long as you and I can get through this, we’ll be good.”

“Of course.”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 8, Day 54

As Will sits in the living room, he can feel anxiety spreading throughout the entirety of his body. Aside from Mike, he was the only one who knew what was about to transpire. 

As he looked around at the rest of The Party members, he could see their own anxiety showing through. Will’s sure when they look at him, they assume his jitteriness is the same as theirs. He feels bad keeping information and lying from them, but since he and Mike are the only ones that talk, it eases his mind knowing they won’t find out anytime soon about their alliance.

Angel stands with the Veto around his neck, smiling smugly as she begins to lead the meeting. “This is the Veto Meeting.” Angela says, her eyes on Mike. Erica gestures to herself as she says, “Myself and Lucas have been nominated for eviction. But… I have the power to veto one of those nominations.” Angela laughs to herself. “I have decided to use the Power of Veto… on myself.” No one is shocked, and Angela presses forward, “Mike, you must now name a new houseguest as a replacement nominee.”

Will looks down. He’s always liked looking at Mike, but in this moment where he has to turn on his allies, Will couldn’t look at him, nor could he look at any of his allies' faces.

“The point of this game is to make it to the end,” Mike begins. “And to accomplish that, I need to keep the people who aren’t targeting me. Unfortunately, that means that people I’ve come to enjoy have to end up in the crossfire.This has nothing to do with my personal feelings for you, but Dustin, I nominate you for eviction.”

Will raises his head. He watches Dustin sullenly make his way to the nomination chair. Across from him, Will can see El, her face hardened. Max sits next to her, and her head is hidden behind one hand. Lucas and Dustin sit beside one another, holding each other’s hand. Angela returns the Veto into its box on the table, saying, “This Veto Meeting is adjourned.”

Angela takes the Veto box and returns to the storage room, while Lucas, and subsequently, Max, make their way to the backyard. Mike runs away upstairs and into his HoH room. Dustin leaves, making his way to the bathroom, while Robin leaves for her room. The only person that stays is El.

Will sits next to her, asking, “Are you okay, El?”

“I’m fine, just… blindsided.” El looks at him. “He didn’t tell you, did he?”

“No… He kept his cards close to his chest.”

“What are we gonna do now? I mean, how am I supposed to choose between the two of them?”

Will knows she wants to keep Dustin, and he can’t persuade her to do otherwise. “You’re gonna have to vote with your heart. We all are. And the chips will fall where they may.”

“But if I do that, Max is gonna be upset with me. She might target me because of it, you know?”

Will can see The Party already becoming suspicious of one another. He expected it, but he wasn’t sure it would happen before their votes were cast. “You have to play this game for yourself, El. If you’d rather have Dustin stay, then vote Lucas out. He’s your friend.”

El looks at him through teary eyes, nodding slowly. She embraces him then, and Will can feel wet spots forming on his shirt. They pull away when they hear the backyard door opening. Max returns, heading into the kitchen, where she fixes herself a glass of water.

Will stands up, checking in on Max as El follows Dusin into the bathroom. Max shakes her head as Will approaches, and he can feel her anger radiating.

“What the fuck does that idiot think he’s doing?” Max asks.

Will knows it’s rhetorical, but answers anyway. “I have no fucking clue.”

“Do you think he’s trying to get Lucas out? That has to be it, right? He’s trying to break him and me up, why else would he do all this?” Max’s words come out fast, obviously fueled by her anger.

“Not necessarily. If he wanted to split you guys up, wouldn’t it make sense to just put you up right next to Lucas?”

“Just goes to show that guy has no fucking balls.” She downs her water, slamming her cup down. “Well, he’s got another thing coming to him if he thinks Lucas is gonna get evicted so easily.”

Will keeps his mouth closed. He just nods along. He doesn’t want her to know how he was voting to evict Lucas. But, as Max goes on and on, Will knows that the vote was in his hands. He had a good idea of where everyone was voting, even Angela, and if things went the right way, he could evict Lucas come eviction night easily.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 8, Day 55

Will searches the storage room for the correct ingredients when he’s startled by another presence in the room. Like a sort of tradition, Will turns around and finds Angela there, regarding him coldly like she always does, no matter how long they’ve lived together.

Will tries to smile at her presence. “Hey, Angela.”

“I have a question for you.” She says matter-of-factly. 

It was just like Angela to do so, it’s what Will’s grown accustomed to. “Sure.” He says, obviously biting back some disdain for her disdain.

“You were the one that convinced Mike to put Dustin up on the block, weren’t you?”

Her question is more of an accusation, and it makes Will sweat. “No, actually. He came up with that all on his own.”

Angela’s eyes narrow. “I don’t believe you.”

“Well, I don’t know what you want me to say, Angela. I didn’t tell Mike what to do, nor did I even really talk about the game with him.” Will crosses his arms in defense.

Angela mimics Will’s posture. “But, I’m pretty sure I noticed you up in the HoH bedroom for a long time. Not just before the Veto Meeting, but even before the Nomination Ceremony.”

Will doesn’t know what to say. “I think you’re overestimating how long I was there. Mike and I aren’t that close.”

“Actually, I think I’ve been underestimating you throughout this game.” She walks closer to Will, and it makes him uncomfortable. “You’ve been flying under the radar for a while now, but I knew that you had some influence in the house. But, with Dustin on the block, I have to hand it to you. You’re a real contender.”

Will bites the inside of his cheek, and he feels more flustered than before. “What are you trying to say, Angela?”

“I think I know what you want this week. You have Dustin up on the block against Lucas, and it’s almost impossible to not want to evict Lucas. He’s a good competitor, and he’s part of a showmance. Gottat get him out before it’s too late, right?” Will doesn’t say anything, just stares her down. 

Angela continues giving Will heat. “You’re gonna evict him, right? It’s the best call. But, if not now, they could easily be targeted at the Double Eviction, I think.” Angela chuckles. “If only there were another showmance to target.” Will can feel his heart beat faster. “It would definitely keep a target off my back. But, it can’t be helped. I guess this is it for Lucas, huh?”

Before Will can respond, Angela leaves him, exiting the storage room. Will looks to the floor, unable to get his thoughts straight. Before their conversation, he was so sure about his positioning and how to progress through the game.

Angela is a smart competitor, and Will curses himself for being so careless. He should have expected to be more observant now that all of her allies were gone. And if she was able to put together just how close Will was with Mike, he wonders if anyone else has, or if they’re hiding this knowledge from him. It puts him on edge, and he doesn’t know who to trust.

Their conversation also makes him question the upcoming vote. If he does evict Lucas, it proves Angela right. And with her knowledge about his relationship with Mike, it makes him a big target, not just for Angela, but to anyone she decides to divulge the information to. If he keeps Lucas, Will might be able to placate Angela for another week, keeping a shield in front of him. But, Will knew it to be risky. The two of them could easily win another competition, and then their influence would grow even larger than before. It was a balancing act, and Will wasn’t sure what his vote should be.

Will also couldn’t help but to think about Mike. Currently, Will wanted to run upstairs to Mike, and tell him everything about what Angela said. But, Will knew there was no use. Mike already distrusted her, even targeted her this week. 

His conversation with her did make Will wonder what to do the following weeks. Before, he thought taking Angela all the way to the end would be an easy way to win the game. But, with the information she has, Angela was now too dangerous to take any further. He knew taking her out sooner rather than later would make his path to the end more difficult, but Will couldn’t risk her using the information against him. No matter what, he needed to get her out next week. And with everyone distrusting her, he knows it can easily be done.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 8, Day 56

Ever since his conversation with Angela, Will has been avoiding going into the Head of Household room. He needed to be proactive now that he felt like he was caught, and the best way to do that was to stay away from Mike, even if it’s only a marginal difference.

That’s how Will finds himself sitting on Robin’s bed. He tried to find her to talk about the vote, especially since Will was second guessing himself. Everyone else was scattered about the house, walking on eggshells after Mike threw down the gauntlet.

They talk quietly, even though they’re the only ones in the room. “Who do you think should go home?” Will asks.

“Obviously Lucas. We gotta take out the showmance.”

Will tries not to react at the mention of a showmance. “Eviction is three votes this week, right?”

“Yeah. El is voting for Lucas, since she’s close to Dustin, and Max is vice versa. I don’t know about Angela, but she has to know Lucas is the bigger target and that he needs to go.”

“So, that’s two against Lucas, and that leaves you and me left.”

“I think we should give Dustin another pity vote. Like we talked about earlier.” Robin says.

“Are you sure? The vote’s gonna be close if we do that.” Will asks, unsure about the plan.

“We have to. If we make it a close vote, Max is gonna have a hard time pinning down who voted out Lucas. It keeps a target off of us in that scenario.” Robin posits, and Will nods in understanding.

Will is sure he knows how Angela, El, and Max are going to vote. He realizes then, depending on what he says next, Will could be the swing vote for the eviction, since he was still unsure who to vote out.

A swing vote is a tricky situation to be in. Will’s planning out the vote with Robin now, but he’s so unsure about what to do. He has many reasons to vote out either of the nominees, but if he flakes out on Robin, he knows that she’s gonna be pissed.

But, Will realizes then there was a way to get away with it. He needed to pin the swing vote on someone else. If he can convince Robin of how to vote, then he could pin the blame and feel free to vote however he wants.

“You do realize that if we plan our vote, that Angela’s gonna be the swing vote, right?” Will asks.

“In what way?” Robin’s brows furrow.

“She’s the only one that we can’t bank on. You’re not that close to her, I’m not that close to her, so we don’t know how she’s going to vote. Lucas is the obvious choice, but what if she wants Dustin out? He’s been flying under that radar so much, he could easily make it to the end.”

Robin considers his words. “You’re right, but I still think you and I should split the vote.”

“Are you sure? Why?”

“Because if we do, and she does evict Dustin, then Lucas and Max have no choice but to go after Mike. It keeps a target off out backs, and creates a feud between the three of them.”

Will’s glad to know Robin likes to consider every possibility, because this allows him to actually keep the swing vote with him. “Okay, fine. We’ll split the votes. You evict Dustin, and I’ll evict Lucas. Deal?”

“Deal.”

Chapter Text

Week 9, Day 57

Will was the most nervous he had ever been come Eviction Night, even in comparison to when he was on the block. His thoughts swirled in his mind thinking about what to do and who to vote for. He knew the game would get harder as each week went by, but now that he was nearing the endgame, every decision mattered, and this vote felt like it held the most weight.

Conflict arose in Will because of how everyone was viewing him. Max and Lucas were expecting him to evict Dustin, since he was working so closely with the couple. Will tried considering every outcome, and he knew it would be to keep the two of them on his side, especially since they would be targets in front of him. But then his mind would think about how he promised Mike that he would evict Lucas, and how both Robin and Angela were expecting him to do so. It made Will’s stomach turn, and he didn’t know what to do with his vote.

So as he sat in the living room waiting for Julie to return, Will’s decision was still up in the air. He was glad that to the perception of the house, Angela was the swing vote, when in reality, Will was the one who was undecided. Depending on the fallout, he could easily cover his tracks, but his thinking was still working overtime to land on the optimal move.

“Hello, Houseguests.” Julie’s voice startles Will, but he knows that the time has come. “It is now time for the fourth Houseguest to enter the Jury House. Dustin, Lucas. In just a few minutes, your housemates will cast their vote to evict. But, before they do, you each have a final chance to sway their votes with one brief statement. Dustin, you’re up first.”

Will quickly looks at El, who’s sitting on the opposite couch, before turning his attention to Dustin. Will avoids making eye contact while Dustin speaks, afraid the other boy might look into his eyes and see Will’s indecisiveness.

“It’s always been my dream to play this game, and I never thought I would make it here, let alone make it to the Top 8.” Dustin starts, and then looks directly at Mike. “I also never thought in a million years that my close ally would be the one put on the block, but Mike, I guess that shows me and everyone else,” he gestures to the room, “how untrustworthy you are. If I don’t get the chance to take you out, I know karma is going to spiral right back onto you.”

Will looks at Mike for his reaction, and all that’s on his face is a flat smile paired with a tiny nod of understanding. “Thank you Dustin.” Julie says. “Lucas, it’s your turn.”

When Lucas stands up, he chuckles to himself before speaking. “Dustin, I couldn’t have said it any better myself.” Lucas looks at Mike like Dustin did, “Mike, count your days, because you’ve just sealed your fate. Even if you make it to the Final 2, you’ll never have the votes to win.” Will sighs, and Lucas turns his attention back to the whole room. “Whatever happens with this vote, I respect your decision.”

Lucas sits back down, and Julie begins speaking once again, “Thank you Dustin and Lucas.” Julie pauses, and Will breathes in. “The time has come. The live voting will begin now. The two nominees, Dustin and Lucas, are not allowed to vote. Lucas, as the current Head of Household, you are also not allowed to vote.” Mike doesn’t respond. “One at a time, the remaining Houseguests will enter the Diary Room, and cast their vote to evict. And remember, it takes three votes tonight to be evicted. Max, you’re up first.”

Will watches Max leave the living room, every footstep she takes causing dread to fill him. Eventually, the other girls enter the Diary Room, first El, then Angela, and then Robin, and when Robin leaves the living room, Will silently prepares himself for what’s to come.

Will leaves the living room, avoiding eye contact with anyone. He passes by Robin in the hallway that leads to the Diary Room, and does his best to give her a jovial high-five. He enters the Diary Room and sits down, waiting for Julie to speak to him.

“Good evening, Will.” She says.

“Hi, Julie.” Will has nothing else to say besides the greeting. He breathes in and out.

“Please cast your vote to evict.”

Will’s mouth opens but nothing comes out. He hesitates. He swallows his saliva, then breathes in and out again. He closes his eyes, rubs his hands together and says, “I vote to evict Dustin.”

“Thank you, Will, please return to the living room.” Julie says. Will quickly sits down in his seat, trying to hold his head up high.

“Houseguests, the votes are in.” Will stares straight ahead as Julie speaks. “When I reveal the vote, the evicted Houseguest will have just a few moments to say goodbye, gather their belongings, and walk out the front door.” Julie pauses, and Will waits. “By a vote… of 3 to 2…” Will closes his eyes, “Dustin, you have been evicted from the Big Brother house.”

Will opens his eyes and he looks at Dustin as sympathetically as possible. Dustin gets on his feet, and El is the first one to hug him. Like always, Will heads to the front door, grabbing Dustin’s duffle bag for him as he says goodbye to everyone else. Will watches everyone receive a hug from him, except Mike. Will wishes he could comfort him, but before he knows it, Dustin is hugging him, taking hold of his duffle bag, and walking out the door without another word.

⏿⏿⏿

Mike sits off on a bench while Will and the rest of the Houseguests sit in individualized couches. In one of their hands is a buzzer. They wait patiently for Julie to come overhead. With this Head of Household competition, Will was determined to win. 

It was obvious to him that everyone now distrusted Mike, leaving him at the bottom of the totem pole. To Will, it was obvious that Mike would be nominated this week. If he won, not only would he guarantee safety for himself, he would also guarantee safety for Mike. Even if it was a bad move, all Will wanted was to keep Mike alive in the game.

“Houseguests, the power is up for grabs.” Julie says, startling Will. “Mike, as outgoing Head of Household, you are not eligible to compete. Tonight’s competition is called Diary Room Confessions . I will read a quote that one of the evicted Jury Members said in the Diary Room, either Chad, Jake, Erica, or Dustin. But don’t worry, none of the statements will give away any house secrets. The first person to buzz in must state who gave the quote. Answer correctly and not only do you stay in the game, you also get to eliminate one Houseguest from this competition. Answer incorrectly and you are the one who is out. The last person remaining will be the new Head of Household. Does everyone understand?” The Houseguests nod. “Then, let’s begin.

“Question 1. In the Diary Room, which Jury Member said, quote, “She is one of the most beautiful creatures to ever walk this Earth.” Before Will can process the words, a buzzer goes off. He looks for the source and finds it quickly. “Angela.”

“Jake.” She replies easily and confidently.

“That is correct, who would you like to eliminate, Angela?” Julie asks.

She looks down at all her options, and Will can feel her gaze piercing through him. “I choose Max.”

“Sorry, Max, step down as we move on.” Will watches Max walk away from her seat and onto the bench with Mike, sitting as far away from him as possible.

“Question 2. In the Diary Room, which Jury Member said, quote, “If he’s lying to me, I’m gonna rip his head off and make sure his mom is watching.” Will knows the answer, but is too slow to respond. “Robin.”

“That’s Erica.” She answers.

“That is correct, who are you eliminating?” Julie asks.

“I choose Lucas.” Robin responds and it shocks Will. He wasn’t expecting her to choose him, but with how good of competitors they are, Will is also glad they were out.

“Lucas, please step down.” Julie says, and Lucas looks especially upset about being eliminated.

“Question 3. In the Diary Room, which Jury Member said, quote, “I just can’t believe that he is taking my dream away from me.” Without waiting, Will presses his buzzer. “Will.”

He processes the word quickly and finds the name he needs. “Dustin.”

“Correct. Will, who are you eliminating?” Julie asks.

Will stares straight ahead. He knows who he has to choose. There was only one person left explicitly upset with Mike over his nominations. “Sorry, I choose El.”

“El, you are eliminated, please step down as we move on.” Will avoids eye contact with the people on the bench, afraid they might be throwing daggers for not eliminating Angela.

“Question 4. In the Diary Room, which Jury Member said, quote, “I think I have this game in the bag. That money is mine, let’s just fast forward to the finale.” There’s a buzz as soon as Julie finishes speaking. “Angela.”

“Chad.”

“That is correct, who do you eliminate?” Julie asks.

“Will.” She smiles at him.

“Sorry, Will, step down as we move on.” Will makes his way to the bench and he can feel the tension between everyone.

“This is the final question. One of you ladies is about to be the new Head of Household.” Will gulps at the thought of Angela winning. “In the Diary Room, which Jury Member said, quote, “If she wins this game, I swear I’m walking off the stage on finale night.” Will watches Angela press her buzzer. “Angela.”

“That’s Chad.”

Julie is silent for a moment, then says, “Congratulations Angela, you are the new Head of Household.”

Will looks to his side, and he can see the disdain coming from everyone on the bench. Determined to stay safe, Will gets onto his feet, and makes his way to Robin and Angela. When the girls stop hugging, Will gives Angela a hug, and congratulates her, hoping that he can work something out with her when it comes to her nominations.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 9, Day 58

When Will walks out the Diary Room, he finds a silent house. It’s a moment the house rarely gets, especially with the drama occurring recently. Will sits down in the living room, letting his head fall onto the back of the couch, his view now squarely on the ceiling.

He lets out a sigh about the state of the house. Will feels like he’s being pulled in multiple directions. With Angela as HoH, he feels like he has a good chance of being safe for the week. He's one of the few people that has a working relationship with her, and he figures it’ll pay off as they get further and further in the game, even if they butt heads on occasion.

Will tries to imagine the best case scenario for the end of the week. Ideally, the week would end with both Robin and Mike safe. He imagines that Angela won’t touch Robin. She’s not a threat to win like Lucas, Max, or Mike, and he knows Angela is smart enough to target the right people. This meant that Mike was the only person he was worried about.

He wasn’t sure where Angela’s mind was at. Lucas and Max were too big of a threat to ignore, but the way their last one-on-one conversation went, he knew that she was growing more and more wary of him and Mike.

To guarantee Mike’s safety Will knew he had to push for Angela to put up Max and Lucas, but he felt trepidation about going through with that plan. Angela has no loyalty to anyone left in the game. Will wouldn’t put it past her to snitch on him to the couple, and in that scenario, it would be the three of them against him. Beside that, Will didn’t want to throw their names out because he still considered them close allies, and he didn’t want to sever the bond.

And after flipping his vote to Dustin, Will knows it would not be beneficial to his plans. He voted to keep Lucas because he knew the couple would sooner target both Angela and Mike. With how close they have gotten, Will doesn’t think he can nominate Mike. He would have to let the game play out naturally for Mike to go home, there was no convincing him to evict Mike.

There were so many targets and shields in front of Will, and the tightrope he walked was precarious, but he’s made it far by trusting his instincts and trusting his strategy, so now that the pressure is on, he needs to continue moving through the house as he’s always done.

⏿⏿⏿

Will knocks on Angela’s door, and to his surprise, the door swings open and he finds Angela standing at the doorway. “About time.” She says. “I was wondering when you were gonna come and talk to me.” She walks away and Will follows suit.

Angela sits on the edge of her bed, and Will sits on the couch in front of it. “Am I really that predictable?” He asks.

“You’re just not one to let the game pass you by is all.” She responds. The two of them enter a silent staring match. With Angela as HoH though, Will can’t help but to fold. “What did you want to talk about?” She asks.

“Just trying to get an idea of where your head's at.”

“I’m not putting you up, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Okay.” Will responds curtly. 

They enter another staring match, but this time, Angela is the one that folds. “Is that all you wanted to talk about?”

“No.” Will crosses his arms. “Who are you putting up?”

Angela mimics his body language. “What, you want me to keep someone safe?”

“I’m not saying that. I just want to know what to expect at the Nomination Ceremony.”

“You don’t want to know why I’m keeping you safe?” She asks suddenly.

Will is surprised by her question. He didn’t put much thought into why she would keep him safe, but now that the question was posed, he wanted to know. “Why are you keeping me safe?”

“You have a lot of allies in this game. Putting you up would put a target on my back again. And with everyone looking at Mike now, I want to make sure the target stays on him.” She says this matter-of-factly.

“So what, you’re saying you’re putting up Mike because nobody trusts him anymore?” Will asks. He can feel his heart beating as the conversation turns to Mike.

“I want to keep people from getting upset with me. What do you think the totem pole for the house looks like right now? Who’s at the top, and who’s at the bottom?

Will mulls her question over. He knows that Angela is mainly asking about who’s at the bottom, and if he comes to the same page as her then he’d know who’s going up. He finds his answer and says, “Mike and El are at the bottom. Mike made everyone mad last week, and El has no allies and hasn’t won any competition yet. Right?”

“Precisely.” Will so desperately wants to bring up Lucas and Max, but before he can, Angela continues speaking. “The way I see it, putting up someone from both showmances would be a dumb move, so that means I can only focus on one showmance for now. You know what I mean?”

Will understands. With Mike at the bottom of the house, and with him part of a showmance, he’s the obvious pick for nomination. But since Will’s at the top of the house, Angela has to put someone else up in place of Will. If Will wasn’t sure that Angela knew about their showmance before, he was now, and he thought it couldn’t have come at a worse time.

“I get what you mean.” Will adverts his eyes then says, “Thanks for keeping me safe.” There’s nothing left for him to say. He can’t push for anyone to go up to Angela, and he can’t push for her to keep Mike safe. He just has to let the game flow and see what he can do.

⏿⏿⏿

Angela is in the Diary Room, preparing the Nomination Wheel, only a few moments before the Nominations Ceremony begins.

Currently, Will sits next to Mike on his bed. They both feel the tension. Mike confessed how Will is the first one to talk to him today, and Will wishes he could kiss away all the hurt Mike was feeling.

“I’m going up, aren’t I?” Mike asks.

Will nods first before answering. “Yeah, I think so. Angela insinuated it when I was talking to her.”

Mike looks at him, and Will can see his eyes are wet with budding tears. “And you? Are you going up?”

“No. No, she promised me I’m safe this week.”

Mike looks at the floor, and Will catches the slight smile forming on his face. “Good. You don’t deserve that.”

Will grabs one of Mike’s hands. “It’s gonna be okay, Mike.”

“I know it will.” Mike grips Will’s hand, and Will feels a wet drop land on the back of his hand.

⏿⏿⏿

Will sits next to Robin as they wait for Angela to return to the dining room. As he looks around the room, he sees tense faces on everyone. They were getting down to the wire, and now there was one-third of a chance that any of them ended up on the block. Even with Angela’s promise, Will knew that she could change her mind at any moment.

When she returns with the Nomination Wheel, Will straightens up. She sets the wheel down on the lazy susan and begins. “This is the Nomination Ceremony.” She says. “One of my duties as Head of Household is to nominate two houseguests for eviction.” Will looks at Max and Lucas, and the couple both have their heads down. “I will pull the first key, and that person is safe. That person will pull the next key. So on, and so forth.”

Angela walks toward the Nomination Wheel and with one swift motion, she turns the first key and pulls it out of the wheel. “Will, you are safe.”

Will blinks as the lazy susan turns towards him. He stands up and puts his key around his neck. He thanks Angela and then reaches for the next key. He pulls it out and reads aloud, “Max, you are safe.

Max’s eyes widen as the wheel turns her direction. Will sits down and watches her wear her key. She grabs the next key as she sighs, no doubt trying to revel in her safety. Max reads the key and says, “Robin, you are safe.”

Robin, like Will, thanks Angela. With those names called out, there was only one key left in the wheel. Will closes his eyes, as if this action would change the outcome of whose name is on the key. He listens intently as Robin speaks. “Lucas, you are safe.”

Will opens his eyes, and looks at Lucas. Him and Max look surprised about the outcome, but not more than El. When Will looks at her, he can see the anger on her face, an emotion that is rarely presented by her. No doubt she expected safety, at least during the initial Nomination Ceremony.

Angela stands tall as she begins speaking. “I have nominated you, El, and you, Mike for eviction. When it comes to you El, you’re a victim of circumstance.” Will sees her nod like she understands, but he knows she doesn’t. “You and I don’t really get along, and the rest of the house views you as closest to Mike, so you have to go on the block. Mike.” She turns her attention to him. “This is an eye for an eye. You nominated me last week and failed to get me out. I’m sure you understand.” Mike doesn’t respond, not even with a nod. “This Nomination Ceremony is adjourned.”

Angela leaves with the Nomination Wheel, and in an instant, both El and Mike stand up, and exit the house for the backyard. Max and Lucas stand up and hug each other.

Will approaches them and hugs them both individually. “Congrats, guys, I’m glad you’re both safe.”

“Thanks, Will.” Lucas says. “We really dodge a bullet, huh?”

“Yup.” Max says. “And now it’s flying right toward Mike.” She adds smugly.

Will swallows his saliva. “I hope the two of them are okay.”

Will’s startled by Robin’s voice. “I’m sure they’re comforting each other just fine.”

“What do you mean?” Will asks, confused by her phrasing.

“Wouldn’t be surprised if we found them in each other’s arms, honestly.” She adds.

“Are they really that close still?” Will asks, feeling unease rise within him. “I thought they grew out of that.”

“Nah.” Max says. “They try to be discreet, but I catch how close they are.”

“Yeah, I mean,” Lucas adds, “Just last night, after the HoH competition, they were talking for hours in the bathroom.”

“Are you serious?” Will asks.

“You’re really not that observant, are you?” Max asks rhetorically. Will blinks, unsure of what to make of the new information. “Regardless, we all know who’s leaving by the end of the week, so I guess they need that time alone.”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 9, Day 59

Will follows Mike into the bathroom. It’s moments before the Veto selection process when he decides to talk to him. He tells himself not to bring up anything that Robin, Max, and Lucas brought up. His emotions were still a mess about the new information, and he wasn’t ready to actually talk to Mike about his actions. Instead, Will just wanted to talk to him about the Power of Veto Competition.

They stand in front of the sink as they speak. Mike’s facial expressions are tender as he asks, “What’s up?”

“I wanted to talk to you about the Veto Competition.” Will says.

Mike’s hands end up on his hips, and he leans forward to listen more intently. “I’m listening.”

“You have to go for it.”

“Yeah, I figured.” Mike laughs.

“No, I’m being serious. I know you don’t want to hear it, but I don’t think I’d use it if I won it.”

“Really?” Mike asks, his face turning serious.

Will hesitates before saying, “I don’t want to put a target on my back.” Will licks his lips. “You have to understand.”

Mike nods. “Okay.”

“Please don’t be upset.”

“I’m not.” Mike breaks his sentences by leaning in and giving Will a kiss. “I trust you.”

Will can feel his eyes tearing up. “I promise, I’m not turning my back on you.” Will says it, but he knows deep down, hesitation was gnawing at him, making him unsure of how the week may end.

⏿⏿⏿

Will sat on a couch in the living room, his eyes squarely set on Angela who stood at the head of the room, ready to begin the Veto selection process. With so few people left, only one of them would be sitting out of the competition. Will hoped it would be him. He didn’t want to think about how much or how little effort he’d have to put in to be inconspicuous to the rest of the house.

“Only six people will compete in the Veto Competition,” Angela says, grabbing the attention of everyone in the room, “The Head of Household, the two nominees, and three other players selected by random draw. Will the nominees please join me up here.” El and Mike silently rise and join her. “As HoH, I will pick first.” Angela reaches for a chip in the bag, and pulls it out. She reads it to herself and then reads it out loud. “Robin.”

Will claps for her and watches Robin join the other competitors. El is the next one to choose a chip. She does it quickly and then says, “Max.”

Like Robin, Max joins the other competitors, and it leaves only Mike left to choose. Will looks at El and Max, and he can tell that the two of them hope Lucas gets picked. With the three of them, Mike would have an uphill battle trying to win the Veto. When Mike reads his chip, he smiles, and says, “Houseguest’s Choice.” He looks at Will with a smile. “I choose Will.”

Will joins the rest of them, and Mike puts an arm around him. The only person not playing is Lucas. Angela speaks again. “Big Brother is to inform us when the Veto Competition is to begin… Good luck!”

⏿⏿⏿

When the Houseguests walk out into the backyard, the first thing Will notices is a huge mud puddle right in the middle of the lawn. Towards one end of this mud puddle are two wooden benches, with small crawl spaces underneath. At the end of the mud pile stand six booths, like the ones they always use for various Head of Household competitions. The six competitors make their way to their respective booths, and Will finds a display case at the front of the booth. It contains four slots, covered in the front by a wood panel, and to the side of it is a fifth slot, labeled ‘discard.’ Will also finds a pair of goggles and he puts them on.

Lucas, as the only contestant out of the competition, begins reading out the rules. “Good day, Houseguests! The Veto election is finally here! We’re looking for a new head counselor and you six are all on the ballot! But to get votes in this election, you’re gonna have to get a little dirty. 

“To earn votes, you will need to crawl under the wooden benches and search through the mud for sealed ballots. Once you find a ballot, bring it back to your booth and open it up to reveal its value. After opening a ballot, you must choose to keep it or discard it. You only have room to keep four ballots in your ballot box, so choose wisely, as you must have each slot filled by the end of the game. At the end of eight minutes, the candidate with the most votes without going over 21 votes wins the Golden Power of Veto! Are you ready to play Big Brother Election ?” Will and the other Houseguests cheer. “Then on your mark, get set… go!”

At the sound of a blow horn overhead, the competitors all dive into the pile of mud. Mud instantly flies into his face. Will digs through the mud and underneath the benches. Will’s strategy to avoid winning involves moving slowly and discarding any high value ballots. Will watches the rest of the competitors race back to the booths as soon as they find a ballot. Will takes his time to find one but when he does, he hurries back to avoid any suspicion from the rest of the Houseguests. Once back at the booth, Will opens his sealed ballot to reveal its value, and finds that he grabbed a 1. Will smiles, and instantly banks it into one of his slots.

When Will leaves his booth again, he can see everyone else digging through the mud as he traverses under the wooden benches. Despite the amount of mud on his face, he sees clearly how determined Max with each movement. There’s mud in her hair and almost every part of her skin is covered in mud. She’s a brown blur as she returns to her booth with another sealed vote.

Will finds another sealed vote and makes his way back to his booth. As he does so, he passes by Mike, and he avoids making eye contact with him. Will felt bad about throwing the competition, but seeing people like Max and Mike trying so hard made him feel worse about his decision.

He opens up his sealed vote and finds the number 5 on it. Will isn’t sure how high the numbers went, so he can’t tell if he has a high number or if it was considered low. He banks it into his slot and returns to the mud pile.

Lucas calls out to all of them, saying they were now at the halfway mark with only four minutes left on the clock. Will picks up the pace. Even though he’s throwing the competition, he wants to at least have the four slots full so it doesn’t seem obvious to the other Houseguests. He finds another sealed envelope and hurries back to his booth.

He opens it quickly to find a 4, and without thinking, banks it. Will runs back into the mud pile, noting how both Angela and Max were already finished collecting their votes. Will brushes shoulders with Robin and El as he digs for his last sealed vote. There’s mud under his fingernails and he grows cold as the mud solidifies on his skin, making it hard to grip onto another sealed vote.

Eventually, he grabs one and returns to his booth. But, when Will opens it, he’s shocked to find that he has an 11. Will realizes that if he banks the votes, he’d automatically win, since all his votes add up to 21. Will curses silently, and knows what he has to do. He puts the votes into the discard pile and sprints out of his booth.

Will scurries to find another vote before the time runs out. The rest of the Houseguests stand in their booths, waiting for Will to finish. He hopes that any of them have a better score than the one he ends up with. Despite the fact that he could have secured his safety by winning the Veto, he knows he would hurt someone’s feelings, regardless if he used the Veto or not. At this point of the game, it was every contestant for themselves, and Will had to practice self-preservation.

When Will returns to his booth, he opens his sealed vote to find a 3. He happily puts it into his slot, and with that, they finish the competition. Lucas makes his way to the front of their booths, ready to find out who won the Power of Veto.

“Alright you guys, time to find out who the winner is! We’ll start off with Angela. Please reveal your votes.” Will watches Angela remove the wooden panel in front of her slots and Lucas adds up her score. “Angela, you have received a total of 18 votes!”

Will and the rest of them clap for her. Will’s glad to see such a high score though, because he already knows that he isn’t the winner. They continue down the line with El, and she reveals her total of 15 votes.

After El it is Mike's turn. “Mike, please reveal your votes!” Lucas says, and Mike removes his wooden panel. Will can see Lucas’ eyes widen for a second, and then he reveals Mike’s score. “Mike, you have received a total of 20 votes. Sorry, Angela, you are no longer in the running for the Power of Veto.”

Will’s surprised by Mike’s score he almost forgets to clap for him. The odds look great for Mike, and Will hopes that he might be able to win the Veto for himself. He hadn’t considered that outcome, and wonders who would go up in Mike’s place because of it.

Will is pulled out of his thoughts by Lucas’ voice, prompting him to reveal the votes he received. Lucas reveals his score to the rest of the Houseguests, a 13, and they move on to Robin. There were only two people left, but with one fell swoop, Robin reveals her score, and Lucas announces that she also scored a 13. Will gulped. All that stood between Mike and the Veto was Max, and if anyone could steal the win away from Mike, it would be Max.

“Alright, Max, please reveal your votes!” Lucas says. Will bites his lips, afraid of what she might reveal to everyone. Max removes the wooden panel and Lucas counts her votes. Will can tell who won before Lucas could even announce it. “Max, you have received a total of 21 votes, meaning, congratulations, you have won the Golden Power of Veto!”

Will breathes out, watches Max run up to Lucas to receive the Veto around her neck. Will walks towards the couple, hugging Max for winning and congratulating her. As the rest of the Houseguests congratulate her, Will looks back to the booths, and sees Mike sitting down, eyesight aimed at the floor, and Will wishes for nothing more than to join him and offer some comfort. Instead, he stays with the group, clapping for Max’s win.

⏿⏿⏿

Will scrubs the mud off of his shins, leaving red marks from the pressure he applies. He’s the last one to use the shower after the Veto Competition, leaving just him and Max, who blow dries her hair in front of the mirror as he wipes his skin clean.

Will’s not expecting much as he showers, but he’s caught off guard when Max turns off the blow dryer and walks toward him. He focuses on her as she begins speaking.

“We’re golden this week.” She says with a smile on her face. “After last week, I really thought it was all going to go downhill from there, but we actually made it to next week.”

Will chuckles. “I’m guessing this means you’re not going to use the Veto?” He asks rhetorically.

“Hell no. Way too big of a risk that either you or Lucas goes up. Besides, nobody’s on the block that I would want to save.”

Will blinks and forces himself to say something. “I appreciate that, Max. Really. I’m glad we can make it to another week together.” Will pauses then adds, “All three of us.”

“You don’t have to thank me. I know you'd do the same for me.” Will adverts her eyes as she says this, because he’s not sure if he would have. “All that’s left is for us to evict Mike.”

Will licks his teeth behind his lips, and goes along with Max’s words. “You’re right. It’s all going to work out.” Will returns to cleaning himself, pushing away any unease about the upcoming eviction.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 9, Day 60

Will sips on a cup of orange juice as he rocks himself on the hammock in the backyard. With so little people left in the house, he has the entire backyard to himself. It allows him to thinking about the eviction without much distraction. The nominees were solidified as El and Mike since Max wasn’t using the Veto, and he tried weighing the pros and cons of keeping each person.

If El stayed, Will would still be in the good graces of Max and Lucas. They would be able to trust him and would bring him further in the game. If he kept El, his chances of winning any competition against her would be larger. She’s proven that she isn’t the best competitor, especially in comparison to Mike. 

The cons of keeping El also ran through Will’s mind. He had a feeling that she would be more loyal to Max and Lucas. Especially with the way that she moved through the house, Will assumed Max told her she was staying. The couple was already powerful as a twosome, but with a loyal number like El on their side, any wrong move could mean Will loses. Another con was her lack of win equity. Based on previous conversations, it seemed like not a lot of The Jury would vote for her to win. This incentivised everyone to bring El to the end as a goat, meaning they could easily win against her. But the biggest con to Will was that she wasn’t Mike.

If Mike stayed, Will knows that he would be the most loyal to him. Mike tried talking to people throughout the house, but it was obvious nobody was jumping at the opportunity to work with him. In the long run, Mike would never put him up. Mike would also act as a target in front of him. Max and Lucas would have no choice but to target Mike in front of him, buying himself another week. With Mike here another week, Will would be the most centered person in the house, and he’d have an easy time making it to the finale if he can get one of Max or Lucas out.

However, the cons weighed heavy. If he kept Mike, he knows that Max and Lucas would be furious with him. He would have to come up with airtight reasoning and lies for them to smooth anything over. He also assumes that Mike is Angela’s target, so keeping him would also make Angela upset. The biggest con of all though is that Will isn’t sure if he trusts Mike after what was revealed. Will doesn’t want to think that Mike is playing him, but he can’t lie and say that the thought hasn’t crossed his mind. Will shouldn’t take someone further if they have been actively working against him.

Will almost drops his cup as he hears the sliding door open. Will watches Mike make his way to him, and Will scoots over on the hammock, making room for him. Will eyes him up and down as they sit in silence. Will knows he’s the only one who still has conversations with Mike, and it makes a warmth rise up in him, making forget all about pros and cons and what the future holds.

“Be honest, I’m toast, right?” Mike says.

Will laughs. “I wouldn’t say that.”

“Oh, come on, you and I both know I’m a goner this week.”

“You’re gonna end up a self-fulfilling prophecy the way you’re talking, actually.” Will takes a sip of his drink, smiling against the rim.

Mike smiles and stays quiet. His features begin to drop and he looks solemn. Will doesn’t know how to anticipate his next words. “Be honest with me.” Will licks his lips. “You voted out Dustin, didn’t you?”

The words come out easily, and without thinking, Will responds. “Yes.”

Mike smiles, laughing and shaking his head as he falls back on the hammock completely. Will is surprised by his reaction. He was so sure the other boy would be upset with his vote, so seeing his teeth flash as he laughed unexpectedly.

“You’re good at this game, Will, I tell you.” Will stays quiet. “I’m glad you didn’t bullshit me either. That’s what I love about you. You’re not like everyone else saying that their vote is undecided.” They sit there, letting the word ‘love’ hang in the air. “Although, I wish you would stop bullshitting me and just say I’m leaving this week.” Mike’s tone is as playful as ever.

Will regards Mike, appreciating how he’s still himself despite his impending doom. Still playful and fun, trusting Will like no one else. Witnessing Mike’s actions on the hammock and digesting Mike’s words make Will’s resolve solidify.

“I mean it, Mike. I’m gonna make sure the votes are on your side.” Will says in a low voice.

Mike lifts his head and it’s his turn to regard Will. They stare into each other’s eyes looking for the other one’s sincerity. “Max and Lucas are never evicting El.”

“I know. But their votes aren’t necessarily needed for you to stay.”

Mike raises an eyebrow. “What do you have planned?”

Will takes another sip of his drink. “You trust me, right?”

“Wish I could kiss you to show how much I trust you.” Mike responds quickly.

Will giggles. “A simple ‘yes’ would have sufficed."

Mike grins. “There’s nothing simple about us.”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 9, Day 61

Will sits beside Angela on a couch in the living room. A moment before, he and the rest of the Houseguests sat outside waiting for Max to call them in for the Veto Meeting. Now, she stood at the front of the living room looking smug and confident. It wasn’t the first time Will saw her that way, but it felt salacious because he knew the attitude was aimed at Mike.

El and Mike sit expectantly. Will knows they both don’t expect Max to use the Veto. They knew their fates were sealed. Everyone in the living room knew where they stood and were ready to move on to eviction night.

“This is the Veto Meeting.” Max says suddenly. Max gestures to El and Mike as she says, “El and Mike have been nominated for eviction. But… I have the power to veto one of those nominations.” Will doesn’t blink, just expects her to carry on. “I have decided not to use the Power of Veto… obviously.” Will silently laughs, as does Lucas. Max takes the Veto off from around her neck and returns it into its box. “This Veto Meeting is adjourned.”

Without a second wasted, the Houseguests begin to move. Max makes her way to the storage room while Lucas, El, and Angela move to the kitchen, lightly chatting about what to make for dinner. Mike recedes to his room, and Will wants to follow him closely.

Instead, Will follows Robin to the backyard. Now that the nominations were solidified, he wanted to enact his plan. The first step was talking to Robin.

They sit at the edge of the pool, dipping their feet into the cool water as they talk one-on-one. Robin is the first to speak, asking, “How do you think Mike’s feeling?”

“Shitty. Obviously. He has to know he’s going home.”

“I guess. He did it to himself though, he has no one else to blame.”

Will wants to defend Mike, but he swallows the words on his tongue. They sit silently for a moment before Will says, “Would you think I was crazy for wanting to keep Mike?”

“Yes, next question.” Robin says without missing a beat.

“I’m being serious, Robin. What if we keep Mike this week?”

“You’re really going to have to walk me through your reasoning.” She says, rolling her eyes.

“I’m glad you asked, because I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. First, if we keep El, whose side is she going to be on?”

“Max and Lucas’?”

“Exactly. If El stays, it’ll be those three against us, against Angela. And that means there’s more than a fifty percent chance one of them will win HoH next week and there’s one-third of a chance you or I go up on the block.”

“Okay, I see what you mean-”

Will cuts her off. “But, if we keep Mike, then there’s only one-fourth of a chance one of you or me goes up. Mike would be a shield in front of us, and Max or Lucas would have to put him up alongside Angela to start.”

“Will, but-”

“And Mike knows that Max and Lucas are voting to evict him, so if he stays, he’s more likely to be on our side, meaning we’ll have the numbers advantage of them. And thinking long term, if we keep him, then there will be four obvious targets once we hit the second Double Eviction, with Angela, Lucas, Max, and Mike being viable nominees.”

“Will.” Robins looks at him expectantly and he shuts his mouth. “I get all these points. Really, I do.” She splashes some water around. “And I’d be down to do it, but there’s no way Mike is staying. There’s only four votes this week.”

“I know that.”

“Right, so it’ll be us two against Max and Lucas, leaving the tiebreaker to Angela. There’s no way she’s going to save Mike.”

Will kneads his lips together. “Look, Robin. Just trust me on this, okay? We need to vote El out.”

Robin regards him closely, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. It shakes Will a bit, but he stands firm. “Will, I’m with you, you know that.” She pauses before saying, “But if this vote screws me over, it’s your head on a stake.”

“I understand.”

“Good. Then, let’s vote out El.”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 9, Day 62

Will breathes in and out. It’s late at night, with most people in bed, as he stands outside the Head of Household bedroom. Will can feel saliva forming in his mouth, and indication of how nervous he was. Really, the whole plan to evict El left him wracked.

His conversation with Robin went over well, especially since he was able to convince her to vote out El, but ever since then, Will felt like he was a dead man walking. He was sitting on a secret, one that he had to keep from Lucas, Max, and El.

Of course, he went on talking to them as if nothing was the matter, but Will always felt like he was once second away from misspeaking, and revealing his true intentions to them. It felt like he was walking on pins and needles, and he wanted nothing more than for Eviction Night to pass already.

So, the past two days felt like the most stressful moment in the game so far, but he knew he wasn’t done yet. He still had one more step to take to try to make his plan a success, and it required the biggest wildcard left in the game.

Will knocks on the door, full of intent, and waits for a response. In a quick moment, the door opens, and he finds Angela, dressed like she’s getting ready for bed. There’s confusion on her face. Hardly anyone spent time with, especially one-on-one time with her in her room, so it was obvious she wasn’t expecting a visitor.

“Come in?” She says, moving out of the way for him to enter. Will takes his usual spot on the couch. “What’s up?” She asks, her tone more casual than usual.

Will rips off the bandaid. “I wanted to talk to you about the vote.”

Angela’s demeanor turns serious, and she sits down beside Will. “What about it?”

“If there’s a tie in the vote, who would you vote to evict?” Will asks.

“Mike, obviously.”

“Mike 100%?” Will presses. 

“I mean sure, not 100%, but-”

“Then you should vote to evict El.” Will adds.

Angela scrutinizes him, looking him over many times. Will counts the seconds it takes for her to respond, but loses track at some point. “Is this a good idea, Will? I mean, Max and Lucas want him out vehemently. What means you think I won’t tell them about your plan to push for El’s eviction?”

“This isn’t about them. It’s between you and me.”

Angela picks her words. “I won’t say that I haven’t thought about keeping him, but honestly, after that jackass put me up, all I want is to see his sorry ass exit out that front door.”

Will sighs. He knew that Angela was stubborn like no one else, but it annoyed him to have to convince her. “Okay, what about this?” Will starts. “If you keep Mike, then I can promise that neither he or I will put you up if we win HoH next week.” Will had been thinking about a convincing enough deal for Angela to take. He knows that she wants to win the game, so guaranteeing her safety so late in the game was sure to make her consider saving Mike.

True to Will’s assumptions, Angela sits in silence, obviously considering taking the deal, weighing its pros and cons. To push her further, Will adds, “There’s no way Lucas, Max, and El won’t put you up next week. All you would have is the Veto, but Max and Lucas sure as hell won’t give that up easily.”

Will feels the power he holds over her now, and he grows more comfortable in his seat. Angela is a game player, and if he keeps pushing, he’s sure that he can convince her. After a moment, she says, “So, what? If Mike is gone and you win HoH you’re just gonna put me up? That would be the dumbest thing to do. You have no chance of making it to the end working with them, you’d have to put them up.”

Will almost stutters. “But I would at least get further with them in that case, and with a Double coming up, there’s no way one of them won’t be evicted.” They’re at war with their words, and Will was determined to win against her. 

“Regardless of if I keep Mike or not, I really don’t think you’d put me up next week. It’s just not an optimal move, and I know for a fact you wouldn’t do something to sink your game.”

“Are you sure?” Will posits. He glares. “Mike is a close ally, so if you take him out, why shouldn’t I just nominate you as revenge. Because trust me, if you are on the block come Eviction Night, everyone in this house would jump at the opportunity to evict.”

Angela blinks, and Will knows that he stunned her. But, she recovers quickly. “I’ve made it this far, what’s a few more people?”

Will chews the inside of his cheek, annoyed at her cockiness. “Fine, I guess I’ll leave it at that then.” Will stands up. “Just know that it’s gonna be a tie regardless, so I suggest you think about your self-preservation.”

Will walks away, and Angela has nothing to add. Once outside of the Head of Household bedroom, he paces about, thinking about the upcoming eviction. He’s not sure that he ever could have convinced Angela, but knowing that he gave it a shot put him at ease. Will doesn’t want to let go of his resolve, so he doubles down, and seeks out Robin to tell her that the plan to evict El is in motion.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 9, Day 63

Will sits in the hot tub beside El. He spends time with her purposefully. He’s not sure if it’s her last day in the house, but if it was, he wanted their last few moments together to be good. They sit quietly, looking up at the night sky as they are comforted by the warm water. He enjoys the moment between them. Early on, Will thought he would have a closer relationship with her, but as the game went on, it was clear that their strategies didn’t mesh well. He wonders if they had stayed close if they would still be in the same situation.

“I’m gonna miss him.” El says suddenly.

Will looks at her, but she keeps her gaze on the night sky. He sits comfortably again and says, “Mike, you mean?”

“Yeah. I mean, we were close for a while there, you know. And even after he nominated Lucas and Dustin, I couldn’t stay mad at him.” She reveals.

“Seemed pretty convincing to me.” Will says.

“You say that because that’s what you saw. You weren’t around for any private conversations.” El divulges this information and it makes Will feel uneasy.

“You talked to him a lot this week then?” Will questions, wondering if he could learn more.

“Everyday. Comforted each other, I guess.”

Will pushes down any anger he feels rising. “I guess you guys are still pretty close, huh?”

“Yeah. I guess it gives me a little hope.”

Will kneads his lips together. “Hope about what?”

El sighs. “About us. Outside of the game.”

Will’s fists begin to ball under the water. “He promised you that you guys would stay close?”

“Depending on how it goes, we could end up together. For real, you know?”

Will closes his eyes as he says, “I’m happy for you. He’s a good guy.”

El is silent then says, “Thanks. I’m glad not everyone in the house sees him as a villain.”

They return to their silent stargazing, but now, Will felt hurt instead of comforted. He could look past Mike talking to El flirtatiously to secure his safety, but for him to continue his actions the week they were both on the block made no sense to him. For Will, there was no reason for him to keep leading her on, especially if he claims to trust Will the most. He didn’t know what game Mike was playing anymore.

It made him rethink his decision of keeping Mike. But, he knows the sincerity in Mike’s eyes was real, and it turned him into a huge mess of indecisiveness. Angela was right when she said that Will always made optimal decisions. It was the reason he kept her around for so long. But with Mike’s actions, Will was unsure about what route to take. 

Strategy aside, Will wanted to cry thinking about Mike just using him for the game. He feels dumb for thinking emotionally, especially since he was using Mike just the same. But, Will put so much stock into Mike. Will didn’t want to believe that he was just a pawn to Mike. He needed to know that what he felt for Mike was reciprocated, and that his feelings for El were fake.

The pressure of the week builds up, and as Will looks up at the sky, he begins to cry. El notices his tears and asks, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” Will says quickly. “I’m just gonna miss Mike too.”

Chapter Text

Week 10, Day 64

Will sits next to Robin, holding her hand as they all wait for Julie to return. Max and Lucas sit on the couch opposite of them. He squeezes Robin’s hand, thinking about the promises he’s made to everyone. To Max and Lucas, a promise to evict Mike, and to Robin, a promise to evict El. As he waits for Julie to speak to them again, his heart races as his thoughts overtake his mind. 

The night before had Will wide awake thinking about what to do. For Will, the vote felt like the most pivotal of all, and he wasn’t sure what to do. He looks at Mike, who smiles sheepishly at him, and Will feels some of his worry dissipate. He hates himself for how susceptible he was to Mike’s charm. It clouded his vision of the endgame, and did nothing to help him decide which way he should vote.

Deep down, he doesn’t want to evict Mike, especially after all the time and effort he put into him. He had assumed the feeling was the same for Mike, but as the game gets messier, Will realizes how self-interested Mike actually is. Will’s upset with him because of it, even though he knows it’s illogical to feel that way. Everyone left in the game was self-interested, especially Will himself. Will feels like he has no right to be upset with Mike, and yet, all he wants to do is air everything out with Mike and finally get on the same page as him, lille he thought he was the entire time.

Will’s pulled out of his melancholy by Julie. “Hello, Houseguests. It is now time for the fifth Houseguest to enter the Jury House. El, Mike, in just a few minutes, your housemates will cast their vote to evict. But, before they do, you each have a final chance to sway their votes with one brief statement. El, you’re up first.”

When Will looks at El, he can see her confidence radiating, so sure that she’s going to stay. Her speech reveals her assuredness. “I think I have gotten pretty used to being on the block. Before, you guys would have found me a crying mess, but this time, I feel peace. And honestly, even if I’m mad at Mike, there is no one else I’d rather be sitting next to. Especially tonight.”

El sits down, and Will claps for her, even though it feels like she’s stabbing a knife into him. “Thank you, El.” Julie says. “Mike, it’s your turn.”

Mike stands up, and Will thinks he looks handsome. “I know I’ve hurt a lot of feelings recently, and coming into this house I knew that was going to happen eventually, especially as the game went on. I told myself I wouldn’t feel sorry about hurting feelings, and I’m not.” Mike looks at Will suddenly. “I’m just glad I haven’t hurt those closest to me in this house.” Mike looks away. “I leave it up to you guys. Thanks for an amazing time.”

Mike sits down and Julie speaks again. Will sits in awe of the person Mike is. “Thank you El and Mike.” Julie pauses, and Will breathes in. “The time has come. The live voting will begin now. The two nominees, El and Mike, are not allowed to vote. Angela, as the current Head of Household, you will only vote in the event of a tie.” Angela eyes Will so quickly he almost doesn’t catch it. “One at a time, the remaining Houseguests will enter the Diary Room, and cast their vote to evict. And remember, it takes three votes tonight to be evicted. Robin, you’re up first.”

As Robin stands up and makes her way to the Diary Room, she gives a small nod to Will, confirming to him that she’s voting for El. Will nods back to her and takes a deep breath. Will continues his deep breathing, trying to do so as silently as possible as Max and Lucas eventually enter the Diary Room to vote.

Will looks to Mike as he sits in the Nomination Chair talking quietly to El. Mike is pulled away by Will’s gaze and as they lock eyes, he smiles at Will. It makes his heart beat even faster.

Will walks down the hallway and into the Diary Room. He takes his seat, holding back tears as he prepares to vote. He continues to breathe deeply, and he’s able to chase away any tears as soon as Julie begins talking to him.

“Good evening, Will.” She says.

“Hi, Julie.” Will swallows his nerves.

“Please cast your vote to evict.”

Will opens his mouth to speak, then closes it quickly again. He kneads his lips, an action that’s become much too common recently. He closes his eyes, wincing like he’s in pain. Will forces himself to answer. “I vote to evict El.” The words come out fast.

“Thank you, Will, please return to the living room.” Julie says.

Before he returns to the living room, Will prepares himself for the storm that’s about to ensue. “Houseguests, the votes are in.” Will sits up straight, ready for what’s to come. “And… we have a tie.” Julie pauses, and Will waits. “That means, Angela, as the current Head of Household, you must cast the deciding vote in front of everyone.” Will locks eyes with Max, and he can see the confusion behind them. Angela stands up in front of them all. “Once Angela reveals her vote, the evicted Houseguest will have just a few moments to say goodbye, gather their belongings, and walk out the front door.” Julie finishes and Will tears himself away from Max’s gaze.

“Okay, look.” Angela starts, a moment of uncertainty from her that Will hadn’t seen before. “You all know that I’m here to win, and I can’t let the numbers stack against me.” She looks at Max and Lucas. “I can’t let you guys have the numbers, so even though I’m taking out a weaker competitor, you have to understand my plan.” She looks at El suddenly. “I’m sorry, El, but I vote to evict you.”

El sits in shock as they all hear Angela’s vote. She stands up, mouth still agape as Julie says, “It’s official. El, you have been evicted from the Big Brother house.” 

The room is silent as everyone else stands up with her. Angela and Robin are the first to give her hugs followed closely behind by Mike. El cries as she turns to say goodbye to Max and Lucas, who still wears a look of confusion.

When it’s Will’s turn to hug El, he pulls her in close, whispering in her ear, “I’m sorry.” But as soon as the words come out of his mouth, El is pulled away from him. 

She begins walking hurriedly to the door, her legs wobbly with each step. Max and Lucas join her, and Will has no energy to follow them. Instead, he stays with Angela, Robin, and Mike. He sees the couple hold the door open for El, and in an instant, El is gone, outside with Julie. 

Max has her hands on her hips in defeat, while Lucas has his cross. Their heads hang low in defeat. When they turn around, Will can see the anger that has grown in them, and he knows that their anger is most pointed at him.

⏿⏿⏿

The backyard is set up with five sets, one for each HoH competitor. Like during a booth competition, each Houseguest picks one set. The set is decorated like an outdoor camp site, with fake foliage all around them. As Will enters his set, he sees a digital screen on a wall, with the red light set to 0. He notices a huge pile of firewood. Each piece of wood had a number on it. The numbers are either 1, 5, 10, 20, or 50, and there are multiples of each possible number. Next to the large pile was a red button. In the center of the set is a fake fire pit, large enough to hold multiple of the fake firewood. As he settles into his set, Will realizes what competition he’s competing in. 

“Hello, Houseguests.” Julie says overhead. “The power is up for grabs. Angela, as outgoing Head of Household, you are not eligible to compete tonight.” Angela nods from where Will can see her. “This competition is called Keep the Fire Going , and here’s how it works.

“In each round, you will be asked what day an event happened in the Big Brother house. The day you moved into the house is Day 1, and today is Day 64. After I ask you a question, you must pick up any number of firewood that corresponds to the day you think the event occurred. Once you think you have the correct answer, lock it in by pressing the red button. But think carefully, because for every number you are off from the correct day, you will receive one penalty point. The player with the least amount of penalty points at the end of five rounds will become the new Head of Household.” Julie pauses for dramatic effect. “Ready? Then let’s begin.

“Round 1. What day did Angela use the Power of Veto on Jake to take him off the nomination block?”

Once Julie finishes speaking, Will knows it's time to go. With Angela and Mike still in the house, he knows that he’s not the target going into the week. Regardless, he was not comfortable with Lucas or Max winning the competition because he knows after the vote to evict El, the only ones they could trust was themselves.

Will wasn’t great with his days, instead needing to split his time in the house up by weeks. He knows that Jake was pulled off the block while Max was the Head of Household, and he knows that The Party wasn’t in power until at least a month in. Will rounds his guess and grabs his firewood, making the logs add up to 30. With that as his answer, he presses the red button to lock it in.

Eventually, the rest of the Houseguests lock in their answers, and Julie begins speaking again. “Alright, Houseguests. The correct answer was day 33.” Will smiles at the answer, glad to be close. “Lucas, you were off by 5; Max, you were off by 5; Mike you were off 7; Robin, you were off by 3; and Will, you were off by 3. Your penalty points have been updated.” Will looks at his digital screen and sees the number three on it.

“Round 2. What day did the Veto Competition, Best of Duck, occur?”

Will barely remembers the competition, and he assumes that’s because he didn’t play in it. What he does remember is that Chrissy was still in the house when it was played. Based on that, he knows that it must have been early on in the game. Will collects his firewood, and locks in 10 as his answer.

“Okay, Houseguests. The correct answer was day 10.” Will is shocked to learn he was spot on. “Lucas, you got it correct; Max, you got it correct; Mike, you were off by 1; Robin, you were off by 1; and Will, you got it correct. Your penalty points have been updated.” Will’s glad to see the number three unchanged.

“Round 3. What day did a 6 to 4 vote occur during Eviction Night?”

The question stumped Will. The vote count meant that there were only thirteen people left in the house, which meant the eviction was for the week four nominations. Since Eviction Night indicated a new week, Will knew it took place at the start of week five. He gathers his firewood, locking in 30 as his answer.

“Listen up, Houseguests. The correct answer was day 29.” Will’s glad to not be far off. “Lucas, you were off by 2; Max, you were off by 3; Mike, you got it correct; Robin, you got it correct; Will, you were off by 1. Your penalty points have been updated.” Will watches his three turn into a four. At the halfway point, Will counted who was in the lead, and he was glad to know that he and Robin were both at the top with only four penalty points.

“Round 4. What day did the Head of Household competition, Munch Munch, Crunch Crunch, occur?”

Will remembers the competition well. It was the one where he came in second place, beaten out only by Angela. It occurred early on in the game, so Will aims for a low number. He locks in 16.

“Thank you for your answers, Houseguests. The correct answer is day 15.” Will feels like he has the HoH competition in the bag at that point. “Lucas, you were off by; Max, you were off by 3; Mike, you were off by 3; Robin, you got it correct; and Will, you were off by 1. Your penalty points have been updated” Will’s number is turned into a five, but he’s shocked to hear Robin get another one spot on.

“This is the final round, Houseguests, listen carefully.  What day did Eddie streak naked across the backyard?”

Will rolls his eyes at the question, but he instantly knows the answer. Will moves his firewood around, locking in his answer: 2.”

“Okay, Houseguests, after we reveal everyone’s answers, we will have a new Head of Household.” Will knows it has to be between him and Robin. “The correct answer is day 2. Lucas, you got it correct; Max, you got it correct; Mike, you got it correct; Robin, you were off by 5; and Will, you got it correct. Your penalty points have been updated.” When Will hears Julie reveal Robin’s answer, he knows that she threw the competition. He found it improbable that everyone but her got the answer correct.

“With a total of 5 penalty points,” Julie begins, “Congratulations, Will, you are the new Head of Household!”

Will is swarmed by the remaining Houseguests, all congratulating him as is customary. But, as he looks out at the remaining five players, he can feel a sense of dread bubble deep inside him. He doesn’t know who he’s going to nominate. He promised Angela's safety, Robin is part of his Final 2, Mike is loyal only to him now, and Max and Lucas have been close allies since the beginning of the game. Will takes a deep breath, knowing he has a lot to mull over before the Nomination Ceremony.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 10, Day 65

Will is awoken by a knock at the door to his HoH bedroom. In a hurry, he tells the person at the door that he needs to get dressed. He does so quickly, brushing his teeth as he puts on a fresh set of clothes. He quickly makes his bed, and when he thinks his room looks presentable, he opens the door, where he finds Mike standing at the threshold.

“Good morning, Mr. Head of Household.” Mike says jovially, stepping into the room. He quickly picks up Will and spins him around in a fit of celebration, and Will is taken aback by his actions.

“Mike, put me down.” Will says with a smile on his face.

Mike obliges and he moves to sit on Will’s bed. “Sorry, sorry. I’m just happy for you.” Will joins him. “You’ve secured a spot in the Top 5, that’s insane!”

“You’re right.” Will says. “I guess I haven't really thought about that.” All Will had on his mind was his nominations.

“You should be proud of yourself.” Mike says, and Will smiles at his words. Will watches as Mike regards him, and after a moment of silence, Mike says, “Are you okay?”

Will lets out a sigh. “Yeah, yeah, you know, I just have a lot on my mind…” Will's words trail off, and he begins biting his lip.

“Is this about the Nomination Ceremony?” Mike asks bluntly, his eyebrows furrowed with concern.

Will can feel his hands getting clammy. He knows everyone in the house is going to talk to him about the nominations. “Yeah, I don’t know what I’m gonna do.”

Mike puts his hands out, and instinctively, Will puts his hands in Mike’s palms. “You know… You don’t have to worry about me.” Will looks at Mike with confusion. “If you need to put me up, then you should do it. I know everyone wants that anyway.”

“Mike, you can’t throw the game away like that.” Will says, annoyed, turning his head away from Mike.

“I’m not.” Mike says. “Will, look at me.” Will obliges slowly. “I’m never going to give up on winning the Veto. But, if it all goes wrong, and you need to secure your safety, then you should just put me up. If I can’t win, you need to.”

Will reminds himself to breathe. “Are you serious?”

“Dead serious. Do what’s right for you, and I’ll stand behind your decisions, just like you did with me.”

Will looks at Mike tenderly, unsure how to respond. Will pulls his hands away as the moment passes. Mike’s words are the reason he kept Mike another week. He’s so loyal to him now, it would be dumb for him to evict him now. But, he knows that Max and Lucas have to be talking about him. And if he can’t talk his way out of his predicament with the couple, then he knows his target will continue to grow.

“You have plenty of time to think it over, okay? Don’t let it drive you insane.” Mike leans in, and to Will’s surprise, kisses him, a sensation he hadn’t felt in a while. Will leans into the kiss, reciprocating the intimacy as much as he can. But, Will jolts away when there’s a knock at his door. He hears Mike sigh. “Guess I should go, huh?”

Will can only nod as they both stand up. He walks to his door, and opens it for Mike. At the threshold was Max and Lucas, and in an awkward interaction, Mike slides past them as the couple enter Will’s room.

Before Will can close the door, he hears Max’s voice. “Don’t lie to me, Will.” Will turns to find them on the couch in front of his bed. “Are you working with Mike?” 

Will sits down, eyeing the two of them. He can tell that Max is more upset than Lucas, but both of them mean business. “I promise you, I’m not working with Mike.”

Before he can continue, Lucas interrupts him. “Then why did you vote El out?”

“Okay guys, look.” Will knows that as HoH, he has the power to influence them easily, since everyone wants to be in his good graces before the Nomination Ceremony. “I voted El out because Angela convinced me to.”

“You’re not one to be convinced easily, though.” Max says. “What she could possibly have said for you to vote El out. I can see her convincing Robin since she’s not loyal to us, but I find it hard to believe that you could trust her over us.”

“It’s not that I trust her.”

“Then what is it?” Lucas asks.

“She said she wanted to be the one that took out El.” Will lies, and continues adding to it. “She was adamant about getting her out, and she knew you guys wouldn’t flip, so she asked me to.”

“But why would you go along with it?” Lucas asks again.

“I went along with it because I knew she’d be burning another bridge. And with El voting for one of us to win at the end, I wanted a higher chance of getting her vote, honestly.” 

“That’s a nice story, Will.” Max says. “But I'm still pissed that you voted El out, regardless of the reasoning behind it.”

Max stands up from her seat, but Lucas pulls her back down. “Let’s hear him out some more.”

“Are you serious?” She asks.

“Look, I’m not against you guys. I promise you that.” Will knows it’s risky to tell them that, but he needs to fold over any tension. “It’s us three to the end. It has been for a long time. I trust you guys more than anyone else.”

“Then tell us who you’re putting up.” She demands.

“Max.” Lucas begins to chastise.

“Don’t, Lucas. Will, tell us who you’re putting up.”

Will’s mouth is agape for a second, but he quickly regains his composure. “I don’t know who I’m putting up yet.” He regrets his words as soon as they come out.

Max is on her feet, “How are we supposed to trust you if you can’t even say Mike is a possible target?”

Before he can answer, Max exits the room, leaving the two boys alone. Lucas stands up, and as he’s about to follow her says, “You better know what you’re doing, Will.” His tone is serious and unlike any Will has heard before. He follows Max shortly after she leaves.

Will exhales, glad to be done with the grilling that only Max could administer. He only gets a moment of reprieve though, because another knock at the door comes, and it makes Will antsy again. He opens the door, this time finding Robin. She lets herself in, obviously excited to talk to Will.

“Okay, tell me the game plan. Who are you putting up?”

Will shakes his head. “I don’t know.”

“What?” Robin’s face contorts into confusion. “What do you mean you don’t know? The Nomination Ceremony is coming up, you have to know.”

“It’s not that simple, Robin, you have to know that.” Will pleads, ready to explode from nerves.

“Then tell me what you’re thinking, we can work this out together.”

Will pauses, unsure of what to say. “I’m just trying to do this without getting too much blood on my hands."

Robin scoffs. “Too much blood on your hands? It’s the Top 6, when else are you going to get blood on your hands?”

“You’re right, but…” Will knows he should rip the bandaid off and either target Mike or Max and Lucas, but he doesn’t want to show his cards just yet. Instead, he’d rather leave his options open to see how the week progressed. “How would you feel if I nominated you?”

“I’d rather you didn’t.” Robin replies instantly. “I think that’s a stupid idea, regardless of what your intentions are.”

“You’d only be a pawn.” He tries to assuage her feelings.

“Even then, that’s stupid. One wrong decision and I could be going home.”

“It’s only to buy me some time, Robin.” Will can see that she isn’t okay with the idea, but he pushes further. “They’re not evicting you, everyone else in the house is too big of a target to ignore.”

“I know that, Will. I still don’t want to be on the block.”

“What if…” Robin looks at him expectantly as his words trail off. “What if I said you can choose who I put up if the Veto is used?”

Robin studies him, obviously thinking over his deal. “That’s only if the Veto is used though, and even then, how do I know that you’d go through with my choice?”

Will licks his lips. “Robin, you have to trust me.”

Robin sighs. She looks away, then back at Will quickly. She shakes her head and gets to her feet. “I need some time alone.”

Will lets her walk out of the room. Will’s left alone to think about what he’s said to everyone, how he’s promised different things to everyone. He’s caught in a web that he weaved, and he’s not sure how to escape it.

⏿⏿⏿

The house is empty as Will looks at the Nomination Wheel in front of him. The rest of the Houseguests wait outside as he prepares the Nomination Ceremony. There are five keys spread out for him, but he only gets to put three in to guarantee safety to his housemates.

Will swallows hard. After his conversation with Robin, Will thought about his choices over and over until Big Brother told him it was time. Without flinching and without overthinking, Will grabs the two keys he knows aren’t going into the wheel and shoves them into their pouch. He returns it quickly to the storage room and begins filling up the Nomination Wheel. He puts the three keys in the wheel without thought or reason. He puts his own key around his neck.

Will walks to the backyard door, and with one shout, informs the Houseguests to return to the kitchen. They file in one by one as Will hauls the wheel over to the dining room table, placing it in the center on top of the lazy susan.

Will stands at the head of the dining room, and with as much confidence as he can muster, he begins the Nomination Ceremony. “This is the Nomination Ceremony.” All eyes are on him, everyone looking expectantly at him now. “One of my duties as Head of Household is to nominate two houseguests for eviction.” Will takes a breath. “I will pull the first key, and that person is safe. That person will pull the next key. So on, and so forth.”

Nobody blinks as Will reaches for the first key. He doesn’t know whose it is since he put them in randomly. He holds the key and says. “Max, you are safe.”

She looks at him with a fierce gaze, one that he feels like cuts through him. She grabs her key and continues the ceremony. “Mike, you are safe.”

When Will looks at Mike, he can tell that he’s surprised by his choice. There’s a sense of gratefulness too, and Will wishes he were alone with Mike. He puts his key around his neck and reaches for the next key, the last key, and pulls it out. “Lucas, you are safe.”

He can see the fury that is bubbling inside Angela in her eyes. She lets out a deep breath, obviously annoyed with the outcome of the ceremony. Robin on the hand, looks cool and collected, a trait that she’s always had and one that Will coveted.

“I have nominated you, Angela, and you, Robin for eviction. Robin, I want to tell you that this is a means to an end. You are an amazing person and everyone should see that.” Will looks at everyone as he says, “Angela, last week we made a deal. One that meant I wouldn’t nominate you if I won Head of Household.” Will begins revealing this deal so that Angela doesn’t have the upperhand on him. “I accepted it obviously, but as the pariah, I don’t feel bad about breaking the deal.” Will looks at Angela and finds her smirking. “We’ve had a rocky relationship, so I hope you’re not surprised by this.” Will looks away. “This Nomination Ceremony is adjourned.”

As Will picks up the Nomination Wheel, he sees Angela walking into the backyard, a glare across her face. Robin gets up too, and unsurprisingly, separates from the group, heading outside as well. Max and Lucas hug each other for a long moment, even as Will returns the wheel to the storage room.

Once inside, Will takes a deep breath. He hears the door behind him open, and soon he hears Mike’s voice. “You did a good job.”

Mike walks up to him as Will responds, eyes tearing up. “Thanks.”

Mike smiles sheepishly. “I’m so proud of you.” Mike leans down, and to Will’s surprise feels Mike planting a soft kiss on his forehead. 

Will wishes that they were out of the house, so that they can be truly alone. Instead, he settles for the tender kiss. “Thank you.”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 10, Day 66

The tension in the house is the thickest it has ever been. Max and Lucas keep to themselves. Although Will didn’t put either of them up, Will knew they were still wary of him because of his vote. They still talk to him, but it’s only ever if he reaches out to them. Angela avoids everyone. Even though Will screwed her because of the deal, she was still the most disliked person in the house. Even if she wanted to complain about Will breaking the deal to anyone, nobody in the house would care enough to hear her out. Robin mainly avoids Will. Like with Lucas and Max, she only talks to him when Will goes out of his way. Other than that, she keeps to herself, obviously annoyed at the whole outcome. And with Mike, the only person he gets to talk to is Will. It was obvious to Will that everyone distrusted Mike more than him. He’s isolated from the rest of the house and only enters into a conversation when he’s around Will.

With the Power of Veto competition on the horizon, Will hoped it was something he or Mike could win. All six of the remaining Houseguests would be competing, and everyone one of them had a reason to win the Veto.

Will tried shaking the thought of the competition out of his head, and tried looking toward the future. They’ve only had one Double Eviction so far, and with the numbers dwindling, Will felt in his bones that another one was right around the corner. In his ideal scenario, Max and Lucas would be around for it, but neither one of them should win HoH. They would be the biggest targets, even more than Mike if he’s there, even more than Angela if she’s there, even more than himself. They would easily go out in that scenario because of how fast-paced the night would be.

To achieve that scenario though, Will needed the nominations to stay the same. With Angela and Robin on the block, everyone would vote out Angela. Robin was not intimidating to Max and Lucas. Will thought more highly of Robin, knowing how much of a strategic threat she actually was. But, having the other Houseguests underestimate her made it better for their Final 2 deal to flourish.

The finish line was so close and Will could see himself winning. Despite the fact that he’s ruffled some feathers, he can see many people voting for him. He sees his best shots being against Angela or Mike. With all of The Party in jury, it would be a landslide victory against Angela. None of The Party would vote for her, and he’s sure that he’d get Robin and Erica’s vote. Against Mike, it would be another landslide. Will assumes the members of The Socs that are in The Jury would definitely vote for him over Mike. Even though Will was odds with them at times, they worked together various times, something he knows Mike hasn’t done. And, Mike has angered some of The Party, and people like Dustin and Max would be more inclined to vote for him.

Will could see the path ahead of him and he needed to follow it closely. With newfound resolve, Will finds the other Houseguests, and begins talking to them, hoping to build up his relationships with them as much as he can.

⏿⏿⏿

When Will steps out into the backyard with the rest of his housemates, he instantly thinks about the previous Power of Veto Competition. All around him are giant camping props; tents, lumber, boats, firewood, all scattered around due to a large, shallow pool of water and giant dirt pits. Scattered about are tiles, hidden and unhidden, with letters on them. To one side of the backyard, there are six stations, each with a long board that contains a flap. Each station also has a button to the side of it and a timer at the top of it. Based on everything around him, Will knows what competition they are about to play before even reading his cue card.

As the Head of Household, Will is chosen to explain the rules of the competition. “Alright, everybody, summer is almost over here at the Big Brother house, but no summer is complete without writing letters to home. However, in this case, you’ll only be writing one word to describe how you feel. In this competition, your goal is to find letter tiles and correctly spell the longest word. On the sound of the horn, you’ll make your way through the water and search for tiles with letters on them. You must bring your tiles back to your spelling station one at a time to begin spelling the word. You only have twelve minutes to spell your word, and once you’re happy with the word you’ve spelled, press your button to lock in the answer and time. The person who correctly spells the longest word in the fastest time will win the Golden Power of Veto! Who’s ready to play Letters to Home ?” They all whoop and holler as is customary. “Then, take your marks, and get ready for the starting horn.”

Will stands at his spelling station, looking out at the rest of the competitors. He isn’t sure who’s going to do well. He didn’t know anything about their spelling prowess, and he didn’t know whose side luck was on. With a determination fiercer than before. The horn blows, and Will begins sprinting.

They have to run through the water first before they come across the large dirt pits. As he begins digging for the tile, he feels the dirt sticking to his skin, and he groans in annoyance. The Houseguests scatter far and wide that Will has an eye on all of them as he digs. Will tosses and turns trying to find a tile, and when he does, he stumbles onto his feet, not even sure what he’s picked up.

As he runs back to his station, he feels someone beside him. He sees Max also running to her station, and she cuts off his running path to get to hers, making him stumble to the ground. Will gets back up as quickly as he can and returns to his station, placing the tile he’s found, an E.

While running back to the dirt, Will thinks it’s good that he found a vowel. He immediately starts thinking of long words that begin with E: penultimate, equestrian, evermore, everlasting. Will wonders if he can make a word that long. He finds another tile, a P, and begins running back, checking how much time he’s already spent. Three minutes have gone by, and Will only has two letters. He realizes he needs to pick up the pace if he wants a longer word.

Like Will, every Houseguest has returned to their station at least two times, but even as they blur by him, Will can tell that Angela, Lucas, and Max are moving the fastest. He can tell that they have at least double the amount of letters he has. Will’s third letter is an R, and with these letters at his station, he begins searching for more specific letters in order to spell out a word.

He finds many tiles as he searches, but none of them are what he needs. People run past him, banking more and more letters as he keeps searching. Will gasps when he feels someone kneel down forcefully by him, a new pair of arms searching through the ground.

“What are you looking for?” Mike asks.

“What?” Will asks, confused.

“What letters are you looking for? I’m almost done with my word.”

Will processes what Mike is saying and gives his answer, “I need an S or an I.”

“Got it.”

Before Will knows it, Mike is gone from his side and he can see him searching for letters in a different area. Will keeps digging, and before long, he finds a letter he needs, and H. Will runs back to his station, noting he only has five minutes left to keep searching.

Will sees that Lucas and Robin have locked in their answers, while Max and Angela seem to be spelling out their words. Will begins running again, and notices a motion from Mike. He sprints over to him and sees both an S and I, as well as another letter he was looking for that Mike couldn’t have none about.

“I gotta go spell my word.” Mike says, breathlessly. “Good luck.”

“Thanks.” Will says as Mike runs away.

Will picks up a letter and quickly makes his way back to his station. There, he quickly arranges his letters, hoping it will save him time later. Will returns to the letter pile Mike made for him and grabs another letter. With it, he has six letters total, but he knows he can push it further.

He places it as part of his word, seeing that the countdown has less than two minutes left. He goes back to Mike’s pile, grabbing the other letter Mike happened to find. Out of breath, Will places it in his station, with only one minute left.

Will keeps searching. Everyone else has their answers locked in, and as Will digs for more tiles, he counts down along with the timer. With thirty seconds left, Will finds his final letter, getting to his feet clumsily. There’s mud all along his arms and up his legs, but all Will can think about is making it back to his station.

With fifteen seconds left, Will places his last letter, and before it’s too late, presses his button to lock in his answer. Surprisingly, everyone claps for him for getting it done. He’s on the floor, catching his breath from the sprinting he did. He breathes in and out, knowing he has to continue leading the Veto Competition.

After a moment, with his breath caught, Will gets back on his feet, grabbing his cue card to announce the results. “Now that everyone is locked in, let’s see how everyone did. As Head of Household, I’ll go first.” Will lifts up the flap that covers his word and says, “I have spelled: PERISHED.” Will feels good about his word. “This is a correctly spelled word, worth 8 points. With this as the score to beat, we’ll move on to Lucas.”

Lucas nods in understanding and moves to reveal the word he spelled. “I got: UPCOMING.”

Will realizes then that he’s lost. “Lucas, that is a correctly spelled word, worth 8 points, and you locked this word in faster than me. You are now the new score to beat.” Lucas smiles, and so does Max. Will hopes that with himself out of the game that one of them might win the Veto. “Mike, it’s your turn.”

Mike nods, and in a swift motion reveals the letters he arranged. “I spelled: PARAMOUR.”

Everyone claps for Mike’s answer. “Mike, that is a correctly spelled word, worth 8 points. But, Lucas spelled his word faster, meaning UPCOMING is still the word to beat.” Mike nods his head in disappointment, no doubt upset that he didn’t secure his safety. “Max, you’re up next.”

“I have spelled,” Max reveals her word, “PARAMOUNT.”

There are oohs and ahhs from the Houseguests. “Max, that is a correctly spelled word, worth 9 points, meaning you have the new score to beat.” Lucas cheers for her, and Max eyes everyone else smugly. “Robin, it’s your turn.”

Without any fanfare, Robin says, “I wrote: TEAMMATE.”

“Robin, that is a correctly spelled word, worth 8 points.” Robin nods in understanding before Will says the last part. “But, that is not enough to beat out the word PARAMOUNT. Angela, that means only you have the chance to beat out Max. What word did you spell?”

Angela smiles. “I spelled out the word,” she reveals her letters, “MALEFACTOR.”

Will’s eyes widen at her answer, and he almost forgets to speak; he's so shocked by what comes next. “Angela, that is a correctly spelled word, worth 10 points, beating out PARAMOUNT. Which means, congratulations Angela,” Will pushes out the next words, “You have won the Golden Power of Veto!”

Angela approaches Will with a malevolent grin on her face. Will feels his heartbeat quicken as he puts the Power of Veto around her neck. He can feel her laugh against him as they enter a congratulatory hug, and in a quick moment, she says, “I wish you all the luck with your nominations.”

They pull away and she’s surrounded by everyone else. Will bites his lip, because he knows he’s in the hot seat once again. The one thing he didn’t want to happen did, and now he had to rethink what his game plan was.

⏿⏿⏿

Will knows that Angela was going to use the Veto. Everyone knew. Although most people seemed worried about their fate, Robin seemed content.

After the Veto Competition, and after they had all washed the dirt off of themselves, Will was greeted by Robin at his bedroom entrance. He let her in, and like before, they talked together on the couch about the game.

Robin decides to lead the conversation. “I think you should put up Mike.”

Will coughs. “I’m sorry?”

“Remember how you said you’d nominate who I choose if you put me up? Well, I’m cashing in. You need to put Mike on the block.”

Will didn’t even have to think about why she wanted that outcome. With Mike on the block, Max and Lucas would vote him out no question. Instead of asking for her reasoning, Will supplies another option. “What about Lucas? With him on the block, it’d be the perfect timing to break up that duo.”

Robin’s eyes narrow, like she’s scrutinizing him. “You shouldn’t touch them. There’s a Double coming up, we all know it. They’d be the perfect target then.”

Will considered that too, but he was hoping Angela would be gone by then. Her winning the Veto made keeping the couple less desirable to Will. “Yeah, but they’d both get a chance to play in the HoH Competition. And they’re both beasts, you know they’d be determined to win that.”

“Honestly, I think it’s worth the risk.” A natural lull forms between them, Will unsure of what to say now. He wants to keep Mike safe at the moment, but he didn’t want to admit it to anyone. Robin asks, “What are you thinking about?”

Will looks away. He sighs. “I’m thinking about the end of this game. About who I want at the end with me.”

“You mean, besides me?”

Will looks at her and nods. “Yeah, besides you.”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 10, Day 67

For the first time in days, Will laid in his bed, cuddled up next to Mike. Mike lays to Will’s left side, his head nestled between the crook of Will’s neck. With the privacy of the Head of Household bedroom, they could stay in that position without fear of being walked in on. Will’s left hand reaches upward, and he begins petting Mike’s hair. With their height difference, Will enjoyed Mike curled into him. It was a new dynamic they rarely explored.

“I can hear your heart.” Mike says quietly.

Will half-smiles. “What does it sound like right now?”

“Well, it’s beating fast. I’m not sure if that’s because I’m here, or because of the game.”

Will chuckles. “I’d say a little bit of both.”

Mike waits a moment to continue speaking. “Are you worried about the Nomination Ceremony?”

“Yeah.” Will says easily, but he knows that there’s another thing he’s worried about. “But there’s something else, too.”

Mike moves away from Will, separating himself, much to Will’s dismay. “Oh, yeah? What is it?”

Will can feel his distrust gnawing at him. It’s been gnawing away at him for days, he thinks, and he’s not sure he can take it anymore. He knows what he’s about to ask is difficult, but he needs clarification now more than ever.

“What are we?” Will regrets his phrasing, sounding so cliche and needy.

Mike sits up as he asks, “I’m sorry?”

Will sits up to match Mike. “What do I mean to you? Both inside and outside this game.”

Mike looks at Will stupefied. “You’re Will. You’re the one I got, and the one I need.” Mike pauses then adds, “I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t in this house, and I don't know what I’m going to do when I can’t be around you twenty-four/seven.” Mike kneads his lips, and his face softens. “What’s making you doubt my feelings?”

Will can hear the sincerity in Mike’s voice, and knows he isn’t angry. He decides to be truthful with him, “People have been telling me how close you are to El. Even she told me how you were talking to her about your guys’ relationship outside of this house. I guess…” Will looks down. “I guess I feel like I’m being used.”

With a gentle hand, Mike lifts Will’s head back up, and when Will looks at him, he can see the wetness that has formed in Mike’s eyes. Mike licks his lips, kneads them as he plays with the hair that sits on Will’s forehead. He removes his hand, and with both, holds onto Will’s, caressing them gently.

“It’s true that I said that to El. And I don’t blame you for being suspicious of me.” Will nods as he listens to Mike. “At the beginning of the game, she and I bonded closely, you know. And I was attracted to her. I am attracted to her.”

“Oh.” Will says, hearing Mike correct himself.

“But I told her all that stuff last week so that she knew we weren’t official. And I told her that because when she asked me about that stuff, all I could think about was you. How much I liked you, and how attracted I am to you, and how much I want to keep spending time with you, and how much my feelings for you overshadow my feelings for her.”

Will can feel Mike trembling, and to reassure him, he says, “I need you too.”

Mike smiles and kisses him. His lips are soft and moist and what Will needed to calm himself. Mike pulls away, leaving their foreheads touching. “Our days together in this house are numbered, but outside, I’d love them to be infinite.”

The two don’t get more time together. In a rush, Will tells Mike to leave his room so the others don’t get suspicious of what they’re doing. He wishes they could revel in the moment for longer, but with the fear of the game, Will has to distance himself from Mike. But even if they can’t spend the whole time together, he’s glad to have talked with Mike. It makes him feel more secure about his decisions, and makes him hopeful for more than just winning the game.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 10, Day 68

Will sits in the living room with the rest of Houseguests, waiting for Angela to begin the Veto Meeting. All eyes were on Will to see what he was going to do, but unlike before, Will felt no worry about his decision. He sat still, thinking about the conversations to be had after the meeting was over. He knew he’d have a lot of explaining to do, but he was ready for every question that could come his way.

After Angela won the Veto, hardly anyone else came up to Will to discuss the next course of action. Not even Max and Lucas visited him to push an agenda or convince him to keep them safe. He knew that they were expecting one thing to occur, knew that Robin was expecting the same, but Will’s sure that Angela is the only one who has a clue about what he’s decided.

“This is the Veto Meeting.” Angela states, standing in front of the nomination chair.. Angela gestures to Robin as she says, “Robin and myself have been nominated for eviction. But… I have the power to veto one of those nominations. I have, of course, decided to use the Power of Veto on myself.” She looks at Will as she says, “Will, you must now name a new Houseguest as a replacement nominee.”

Will nods in understanding. He stands up from the couch and begins the speech he’s been preparing. “This late in the game, I can’t hold anything back, and I can’t hide behind any people. Any one of us would look at an established relationship and know that we can’t go to the end with them.” Will can see Max and Lucas exchange glances. “Because of this, I hate to put you up, but Lucas, it has to be done.” Lucas nods, tense in the face, and sits down in the nomination chair. Will sits down too, and catches the stare from Max. He holds his gaze on her as Angela stands up.

“This Power of Veto Meeting is adjourned.” She closes the box the Veto comes in and returns it to the storage room.

Instantly, Robin leaves the living room, blowing off steam in the backyard. As expected, Max and Lucas approach him.

“What the fuck is up, Will?” Max asks, and unlike any other time, Lucas doesn’t try to reel her back.

“You guys, you have to understand-”

“Guys, you can’t be mad at him.” Mike interrupts, standing beside Will. “You have to understand that it’s just a game.”

“You stay out of this, Mike.” Lucas spits out, annoyed.

“How could you turn your back on us?” Max asks rhetorically. “Do you know how many times we’ve been there for you?”

“Oh please, like you guys wouldn’t turn your back on him for each other.” Mike spits back. Will is surprised by Mike’s fighting spirit.

They continue going back and forth. Will can see Angela avoiding the confrontation, sneaking away to the backyard. “Max, Lucas,” Will starts, “It was a hard decision.”

“I’m sure it was. Tell me, did you have this planned out at the beginning of the week?” Max presses.

“No, absolutely not.” Will says truthfully. “I didn’t start considering you guys until recently.”

“I don’t believe you.” Max says. “I should’ve known something was up when you didn’t put this douchebag up.” Max gestures to Mike.

“Max, that’s uncalled for.” Will retorts.

“It’s fine, Will.” Mike says, not backing down. “She can say whatever she wants, it just solidifies my thoughts on who I should evict."

“You little-”

“Let’s get out of here.” Lucas stops Max from continuing the quarrel. 

Max leaves with one last remark to Mike. “You've been touched by an angel. And you.” she points at Will, “You better not think this conversation is over.”

Will nods. He watches Lucas lead her away, back into one of their bedrooms. Will kneads his lips nervously, biting at them as the room becomes quiet. To his surprise, he feels an arm wrap around his shoulders. He’s pulled in tight by Mike, who asks, “You okay?”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 10, Day 69

Robin sits in the hammock in the backyard. She came up to Will the day before saying they needed to talk. Will was expecting this conversation to occur eventually. After he put up Lucas, Robin mostly avoided him, obviously upset that he didn’t put Mike up.

When he sits down next to her, Will feels no anger in malice, but instead feels an indifference radiating off of her. It’s unexpected, and it makes Will feel uncomfortable from the start, shivers running up and down his spine. It feels amplified because Robin has never made him feel this way before, and he wonders if anyone else in the house has felt this aura from her before.

Without mincing words, Robin says, “Am I your target?”

Will shakes his head. “You’ll never be my target. I’m with you to the end.” Will says his words slowly, hoping she can hear the sincerity in them.

“And you’ll never be my target. But I don’t understand why you didn’t nominate Mike like I said.”

“Look, Robin. You and I are a team, first and foremost.”

Robin interrupts. “And everything I’ve done in this game has been for the good of the both of us.”

“And so have I.” Will adds, not wanting her to think like she’s been alone. “But… just this one time, I wanted to do something that would be good for me.”

“But how can keeping Mike be a good game move for you?” She responds without missing a beat.

“Because…” Will wasn't expecting the question, nor was he expecting how Robin was scrutinizing him. He quickly thinks of a reason that would satisfy her, “Max has no one to turn to now. With Lucas gone, she’ll never work with Angela, and she’ll never work with Mike.”

Robin is silent for a second, eyeing him up and down before saying, “I just don’t understand why you didn’t tell me sooner.”

Will sighs. “It was a last minute decision, I promise. You have to believe me when I say that you and I have been working together for so long, I wouldn’t just throw that way.”

“I know you wouldn’t.” Robin says. She looks away. “But, I’m still pissed off at you.”

“I don’t blame you, believe me. I promise that this wasn’t done to slight you, it was purely done to get closer to the end.”

Robin looks back at him, and with a grin, says, “Noted.”

⏿⏿⏿

Max pulls him into her room. Surprisingly, Lucas isn’t there. Instead, it’s just the two of them in her room as she pulls Will onto her bed to finally talk. Like Robin, Max was also avoiding Will for the better part of the day, but now that time has passed, she was more willing to hold a conversation with him. The same could not be said for Mike, who she was still actively avoiding, as well as Lucas, who couldn’t hide his disdain for Mike anymore.

Since Max was the one to pull him into the room, Will waited for her to lead the conversation. “Why did you put up Lucas?” She asks eventually.

Her tone is even tempered, and Will matches it as he says, “It’s like I told you, you guys are an obvious Duo left in the house. Any one of us would’ve taken the opportunity.”

“Yeah, but we were a Duo that was protecting you.” Max retorts.

“I know, but in our Trio, I knew for a fact that you guys would choose each other over me.”

“That’s not true-”

“Don’t lie to me, Max. Everyone knows how you guys feel about each other.” Will interjects her, annoyed by what she’s trying to say. “If the three of us made it to the Final 3, there’s no chance I'd be in the Final 2 unless I got myself there. There’s nothing you can say to make me think otherwise.”

“Well, if you feel that way, why didn’t you just put us up to begin with?” She asks

“I told you, I didn’t think about putting up one of you guys until recently. I didn’t go into the work thinking that one of you guys would be nominated.”

“So, what?” Max’s eyes narrow as she asks, “Someone convinced you to put Lucas up?”

“No, okay?” Will was trying to figure out the best way to win Max over, but every question she had was like a landmine. “I thought of it all on my own. And I’m sorry that it hurts the two of you, but at this point in the game, I need to be selfish.” He can see Max begin to bite her lip. “It wasn’t done to slight you or him, and who knows, maybe he’ll stay by the end of this week, but I need you to know that I still trust you…” Will’s words fade, but he comes back with more conviction. “That’s why I didn’t even nominate you.”

“I know.” Max says, face and tone of voice serious. “And I appreciate that. But after this, I don’t know if I can trust you the same ever again.”

Will nods. “I know. But even if you don’t trust me, know that I still envision us making it to the end.”

Max purses her lips, looks away, and then back at Will. “I can’t say I don’t feel the same. But, if I see any way to cut you at the knees, don’t be surprised if I take the shot.”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 10, Day 70

Will sits on his bedroom floor, his back against the side of his bed. Beside him is Mike, mimicking his position, as they share headphones attached to an MP3 player. Will thinks the music they win as Head of Household is the best reward of them all. Especially as he sits next to Mike, it’s like the two are transported somewhere else, far away from the house and the competitions. They nod in time with the music, letting time pass them by without a care of anyone being suspicious of them.

It’s late at night, the last time they can share the bedroom before Will has to give up the room to someone else. Will counted the days, only 14 left before they were finally free from the house. He wished time could scurry along faster, but Will pulls himself back into the moment he’s sharing with Mike.

“I can’t believe we made it to the Top 5.” Mike says. “Did you think you would make it this far?”

Will thinks it over. “Before week 1, yeah, but when I was nominated, I thought for sure I’d get eliminated soon. I can’t believe there’s only two weeks left.”

“You should be proud of yourself, Will.” Will rolls his eyes, but Mike insists. “I’m serious! You’ve been owning this game.”

“I don’t know about all that.”

“Please, no one’s dumb enough to think you don’t deserve the win.”

“You really think so?”

“Of course! I think you’d win against any of us.”

Will’s eyes widened. “Well, don’t repeat that to anyone. They’d take me out in an instant.”

“You know I’d never.” Mike leans close and plants a kiss on him. “I want you to win. And I know other people in the Jury House want you to win.”

Will plants a kiss on Mike in return. “I guess we’ll see.”

Mike gives another kiss, starting a war. “I swear, if you don’t win, I’m going ballistic.”

Will kisses him. “Then, you better get me to those Final 2 seats.”

Mike swarms him with multiple kisses. “I have no other mission. I’m by your side.”

Will ends the war by planting a long, wet kiss, one that brings them into each other’s arms. “And I’m by your side.”

Chapter Text

Week 11, Day 71

Mike sits across from Will as they wait for Julie to talk with them. Beside Will is Max. He was surprised that she chose to sit next to him. Even though they talked about how they were feeling, he could still feel some of the iciness her body language conveyed.

Will bounces his leg up and down, feeling his nerves take over him. Although he was sure Lucas would be the one leaving, he knew he could never be sure about anything in the house. He thinks the odds of Robin leaving are extremely low, but he knows that someone’s decisions can change in a moment’s notice.

In his mind, Angela and Mike would both evict Lucas. But, he knew that Angela could want to undermine him by evicting Robin. Will didn’t go around trying to secure the votes to Robin throughout the week because he felt that her position was secured. But as he waited for Julie, he realized he should have talked to them about where their votes were going.

“Hello, Houseguests.” Julie says and it causes Will to sit up straight. “It is now time for the sixth Houseguest to enter the Jury House. Lucas, Robin, in just a few minutes, your housemates will cast their vote to evict. But, before they do, you each have a final chance to sway their votes with one brief statement. Lucas, you’re up first.”

Lucas stands up, and for the first time in a while, Will looks at him in the eyes as he speaks. “I really thought that I would make it to the end. I really thought I had this game wrapped up, but it seems like my time here is going to be cut short. And despite all the negative feelings, I just want to say to you, Will, good game.”

All Will could do was nod as Lucas sat back down. Internally, Will feels like Lucas’ words hold more malice. In his head, it feels like Lucas is putting a target on his back, but Will can’t tell if he’s being paranoid.

Robin stands up, talking to the whole room. “You know, it’s been a while since I sat in one of these chairs.” This earns a laugh out of the Houseguests. “I want to tell you all that if you keep me, you’ll have an ally. And with how close we are to the end, allies are important in this game, and I am an important piece to all of your games. Don’t let me go just yet. Thank you.” Robin sits down in her chair. Will has to give it to her, Robin is unflappable in the threat of eviction and always seems to know what to day.

Everyone turns their attention to Julie. “Thank you Lucas and Robin. The time has come.” Julie pauses. “The live voting will begin now. The two nominees, Lucas and Robin, are not allowed to vote. Will, a s the current Head of Household, you are also not allowed to vote.” Will nods, thankful he doesn’t have to deal with a tied vote. “One at a time, the remaining Houseguests will enter the Diary Room, and cast their vote to evict. And remember, it takes three votes tonight to be evicted. Mike, you’re up first. ”

Will lets himself relax as the voting begins. He watches Mike disappear into the Diary Room, then Max leaves the room, and finally, Angela leaves to vote. Will remembers how long the voting process used to be, how his nerves would multiply with every passing moment, but now, it’s over and done with before Will even realizes.

With all of them back in the living room, Julie returns. “Houseguests, the votes are in.” Will locks eyes with Robin, who just smirks at him. “When I reveal the vote, the evicted Houseguest will have just a few moments to say goodbye, gather their belongings, and walk out the front door.” Julie pauses, one so long that Will begins to worry. “By a vote… of 2 to 1…” Lucas stands up suddenly, “Lucas, you have been evicted from the Big Brother house.”

As Will stands up, Lucas hugs Max, and begins to walk away. He says thank you to everyone, grabs his duffel bag, and as he heads for the front entrance, he turns around to everyone and says, “Good luck.”

As Lucas leaves, Will hears the sniffles coming from Max. It’s the first time he’s ever seen her cry, he’s taken aback. Even with her wide array of emotions, sadness was one thing she kept guarded. Without thinking, Will hugs her, wrapping his arms around her, and he’s glad to find that she doesn’t push him away.

⏿⏿⏿

“Houseguests.” Julie comes overhead. The remaining five contestants stand around in the kitchen, Max leaning on Will, still recovering from Lucas’ eviction. They all stand up straight at Julie’s sudden voice. “I need everyone to gather in the living room, right now.”

Will looks at the others, and they all begin to walk back to where they just were. They sit on the couches, avoiding the nomination chairs and wait for Julie. “First of all, I want to congratulate you all for making it to the Top 5.” They all clap, some more than others, reveling in how far they’ve made it. “One of you sitting there will win Big Brother , and the $750,000 prize that goes with it. That is the good news.” Will kneads his lips, his nerves starting to form. 

“The bad news is one of you sitting there will be leaving the game… tonight.” Will breathes in deeply. “That’s right, Houseguests, with just two weeks left in the game, I’d like to welcome you all to Double Eviction Night.” There are groans of fear and excitement all around. “You’re about to play a week’s worth of Big Brother in the next hour.” Will lets out a nervous laugh. “You will not only be battling for Head of Household, but two people will be nominated tonight, the Veto Competition will be played, the Veto Meeting will then take place, and a second Houseguest will be sent to the Jury House tonight.” Will shakes his head in disbelief, even though he was expecting it. 

“So, please, everyone head to the backyard, and I’ll see you there shortly.”

⏿⏿⏿

Each of the competing Houseguests are tied to a long, thick, and stretchy rope. The rope is around their waist, and the rope is tangled and wrapped around a box created by large pipes. All the Houseguests have their backs to this wire frame, and yards away from them is a button. The rope is white, and paired with the forest backdrop, Will thinks it’s supposed to emulate a spider’s web. Off to the side, Will sits in a chair, waiting for Julie to speak.

“Houseguests, the power is up for grabs.” Julie says. “Will, as outgoing Head of Household, you are not eligible to compete.” Will only nods. “Tonight’s competition is called A Tangled Web . On my mark, you must navigate yourselves and your web through the wire frame in an attempt to untangle your web. The goal is to untangle enough of your web to get to the opposite side of the backyard to press your button. The first person to press their button will become the new Head of Household, and will only have a few moments to think about their nominations. Does everyone understand?” Will hears them all agree. “Good. Then on your mark, get set… go.”

Will’s eyes fall on Mike instantly, and he quickly regrets it. Mike’s stature, usually not so gangly, is a hindrance to him as he begins weaving around his wire frame. Will can’t help but grimace every time one of his shoes gets caught up, or how he almost stumbles, struggling to remain upright.

The girls have the advantage over Mike. With their smaller frames, Will watches them quickly maneuver in and around the wire frame. Only half a minute in, and the girls are carrying their rope with them, wrapping it around one hand to traverse the frame without getting stuck.

Angela is the first one to try to reach her button. With a burst of energy, she sprints for the button, but she comes up short. Will doesn’t know how much more she needs to untangle, but the hurried return to her wire frame costs her time he knows she didn’t want to waste.

Will looks back at Mike, and to his eye, it seems like he’s caught up with the girls. The rope wrapped around his arm looks the same length as the girls’ and Will hopes this means Mike is making a comeback. He figures Angela is dead last, but as he eyes her, he can see that she moves swiftly enough to catch up with everyone.

In an instant though, Will sees Max darting away from her frame, and closely behind her is Robin. Will can’t believe his eyes as he watches Robin catch up to Max, and then, even surpasses her enough that when she slams her hand down on the button, it’s merely a millisecond difference from when Max slams her button. Will stands up, mouth agape.

“Congratulations, Robin.” All eyes fall on her as Julie speaks. “You are the new Head of Household.” Max hugs Robin, while Angela and Mike detach themselves from their rope. Will runs up to her, hugging and congratulating her as Julie says, “You have just a few minutes to strategize, so everyone please head inside right now. I’ll be back for your decision shortly, Robin.”

At Julie’s command, they all return to the house, and quickly, the cheering turns to mummers of nervousness. In a quick motion, Robin walks toward a bedroom and says, “Someone, come talk to me.”

Max follows quickly behind her, disappearing to the back. Will feels Mike next to him. “What do you think she’s going to do?” Mike whispers. Will can feel Mike’s nerves, and Will can feel himself become worried too.

“I don’t know.” Will responds.

“Who do you think is her target?”

Max returns, and Angela quickly follows Robin to talk to her. “I don’t know, we never talked about that.” Will can feel his voice shaky. Will motions for Max and asks her, “What did she tell you?”

Angela exits, and as Will talks to Max, Mike goes to talk to Robin. “You’re good, you’re good, you’re good.” Max says quickly.

Will darts his eyes back and forth between Angela and Max. “Did she say she was going to put you up?” Will asks, mostly to Max, but also to Angela.

Robin and Mike return from the room they were just in. Mike walks right past him, while Robin walks up to Will. “What’s going on?” Will asks her.

“You can’t be mad at me.” Robin says curtly.

“What are you saying?”

“HouseGuests, I need you to take your seats so we can begin the live Nomination Ceremony.” Julie says overhead. Will reluctantly sits down. Mike joins him, his face flat and emotionless. Will eyes Robin, who stands at the front of the living room, licking her lips and breathing deeply.

“Robin, as Head of Household, it is your responsibility to nominate two housemates for possible eviction.” Robin nods in understanding. “Please, tell us your decision.”

“Um,” Robin starts off meek, but quickly finds her words, “You know, it’s like you said last week, Will.” Will feels his heartbeat quicken, his palms become sweaty. “I can’t go to the end with someone in an established relationship.” Will tenses as she continues on. “So, I’m sorry, but I nominate you two, Will and Mike.”

Mike instantly makes his way to a Nomination Chair. Will sits, mouth agape, and it takes him a moment to realize what Robin just said. He gets up, and sits down beside Mike, feeling his heart fall to his stomach.

“Thank you, Robin.” Will sees Max biting her fingernail, avoiding eye contact. “Now, Mike and Will, one of you may be the next HouseGuest to be evicted, but you still have one last chance to save yourself.” Will can only nod, holding back tears. “It is now time for the live Veto Competition, so please, everyone head outside.”

Will stands up, his knees weak, as Mike pulls him by an arm to keep him moving. Robin and Angela walk further ahead, but Max turns back to talk to him. Mike lets go of his arm, leaving the two. “Is it true?” Max asks. “What she just said?”

Will can barely process her question. “I…”

They step out into the backyard. There’s a generic forest backdrop all around them. There are five buttons at one end, and they all claim a spot. In front of them is a large table, about twenty feet long, decorated to look like wood. On the surface of the table are cutouts, winding and whirling together from one end to the other. At the end closest to the button is a small wolf model, sticking out of the cutouts. 

“HouseGuests, it is now time for the Power of Veto Competition.” Will does his best to steel himself. “The winner of the Power of Veto Competition can use it to remove one of the nominees from the chopping block, or they can leave Robin’s nominations intact.” It hits him then what Robin just exposed to everyone. Like Will putting up Max and Lucas, Robin put up Mike and him because they were dating. “This competition is called The Forest Run . On my mark, you must guide your wolf at the start of your puzzle and work it through your maze all the way down to the other end. The first person to successfully navigate their wolf through the maze, return with their wolf to the start and hit their buzzer, will win the Golden Power of Veto. Does everyone understand?” Will can’t respond. “Excellent. Then get ready… get set… go!”

Will runs up to his table, and with shaky hands, he grabs his wolf. Will sees the long table maze in front of him, and begins moving. He always thought the solution to a maze requires taking the path less traveled. So, instead of going straight forward, he goes perpendicular to the length of the table, hoping the path he chooses is the one to bring him to the end. 

The wolf Will is using, catches against the table many times as he traverses the maze, and it annoys him, because he moves with determination and hates having to backtrack. He gets flustered easily though, regretting his movements, especially as he thinks about what Robin just did. The target she painted on him was immense, and he wasn’t sure how he could talk his way out of it.

Although Will was mad and hurt, he was also confused. He was so sure that he and Mike were as careful as can be, he’s not sure when Robin could have pieced everything together. What worries Will the most is the possibility of Robin knowing for a while, holding it in to reveal to everyone at the right time. He wonders who else might know about their secret. At least it seemed like Max was unaware of the relationship, so it gave him some hope that other people were unaware. But with both of them on the block, he’s not sure how Max and Angela would respond.

Will knew he needed to guarantee his safety. He focused entirely on the maze in front of him, now halfway down the length of the table. From the side of his vision, he can see other people at the same location, meaning he was not leading the pack. Will kept moving: left, right, right, straight, straight, right, left. He looked at the maze further down, trying his best to plan his movements.

He desperately wants to look around to get a better sense of where everyone is along their table. Will yearns to see where Mike is. Will wants to win the Veto to guarantee his safety, but he knows Mike winning could be the better outcome. He’s sure if Mike stays on the block then he would be the one to get evicted, even if he voted in Mike’s favor. But if Will stayed on the block, he’s more confident that they’d both stay. But, Will knows he can’t risk that, so he continues maneuvering through the maze as fast as possible.

The end inches nearer and nearer, but as Will gets excited at the prospect of finishing, he keeps choosing the wrong path, cursing quietly at himself each time he has to backtrack. However, as Will looks ahead, he finds the correct path and begins moving accordingly, determined to finish.

Will’s attention is pulled away when he sees a red blur racing back to the start. Will’s wolf exits the maze, and he turns around as quickly as he can. He begins to run, but as soon as he does, he sees Max slam her hand down on her button.

“Congratulations, Max, you have won the Power of Veto!” Max slams her wolf onto the floor in triumph as Julie speaks. Will drops his wolf, no need for it anymore. “You have just a few moments to decide if you are going to use it.”

As Julie finished talking, they all head back inside, congratulating her for her victory. Once inside and in the living room, Will knows it’s time to pounce.

“Max, you have to use the Veto.” He says with conviction.

“Max, don’t.” Angela says, standing in between Max and Will.

“Max, you have to.” Will says. “You can’t trust Angela.”

Robin interjects. “You have to believe what I said earlier, Max. I wouldn’t lie to you.”

“Is it true what she said, Will?” Max asks. “Are you and Mike together?”

Mike starts, “Max-”

“I didn’t ask you, I’m asking Will.”

“It’s the truth.” Angela says. “They’ve been together for weeks.”

“She’s telling the truth.” Robin says. Will can’t believe she’s backing her up. “She told me about them.”

“What?” Will asks in disbelief.

“Are they telling the truth?” Max asks, her attention back on Will after bouncing back and forth between the girls.

“Max, look you can’t trust them.”

“Answer the question, Will.” Max insists.

“You have to use the Veto.” Will says. “Use it on me, and then we vote out Angela, and we can talk about this afterward.”

“Fuck you.” Angela says.

“Will, you have to tell me.” Max pushes.

On the television Julie appears. “HouseGuests, I need you all to take a seat. It’s time to begin the Veto Meeting.”

“Max, you have to use it.” Will says. Instinctively, they all begin to move their positions. “Trust me. You have to use it.”

Max stands at the front of the living room, licking her lips. Will doesn’t take his eyes off her. “Max.” She looks at Julie. “As the winner of the Power of Veto, you may remove one of the two nominees from the chopping block. Or… you may also leave the nominations in place. Please, give us your decision.”

Max looks at them again and begins. “This is all in the name of the game… I don’t mean this to hurt you.” She’s looking directly at Will. “But, like you said before, I don’t think you’d choose me at the end. I’m sorry, I am not going to use the Power of Veto.”

Max sits down, and Will’s mouth is agape. All at once his emotions swirl and mix together and he realizes the outcome that’s approaching. He’s going to be separated from Mike. Will feels his eyes water and his breaths become short.

Will looks at Robin and Angela who give Max an approving nod. Angela catches his gaze, narrowing her eyes before looking away. Robin avoids looking at him, staring straight ahead, waiting for Julie to continue.

“Mike and Will,” Julie begins, and Will can’t help but fidget with nerves. “In just a few moments, your housemates will cast their vote to evict live. But, before they do, you each have a final chance to sway their votes with one brief statement. Mike, you’re first.”

With a sigh, Mike stands, and Will can only look to the floor as he speaks. “For the past few weeks, I’ve been told I’m playing a dirty game, or told that I could never win in the end. But I just want to remind everyone that there are no rules to playing this game, and neither myself or Will deserve the judgement coming down on us from Robin and Angela. You two are never getting my vote.”

It sounds like Mike is giving up, something Will was expecting. As Mike sits down, Julie says, “Thank you, Mike. Will, it’s your turn.”

On shaky legs, Will tries to stand as confident as possible. To save himself, he starts rattling off. “Have I played the cleanest game? Absolutely not. And I know my nominations last week caused a stir, but everyone has to know that it wasn’t against anyone. I wanted to be at the end, as I’m sure you all do. My actions weren’t meant to hurt or belittle anyone, and they shouldn’t take away from the fact that we have established trust with one another, something that I hope you consider tonight as you vote.”

Will sits down, holding his hands together, trying to comfort himself. “Thank you, Will. It’s time for the voting to begin.” Will could feel bile forming. “Robin, as Head of Household, you only vote in the event of a tie. Neither are the two nominees. One at a time, the rest of you will enter the Diary Room and cast your vote to evict. Angela, you’re up first, please go to the Diary Room.”

Will bounces one of his legs, uncomfortable and full of nerves. He reminds himself to breathe. To his side, he feels Mike’s hand graze his arm, and in a smooth motion, takes hold of one of Will’s hands. Mike’s hand is warm and encompassing. It keeps Will grounded and gives him the power to sit up straight to wait for his destiny.

“HouseGuests, the votes are in.” Will can feel Mike’s grip tighten. “As a reminder, when I reveal the vote, the evicted HouseGuest will have just a few moments to say goodbye and walk out the front door.” Julie pauses, and this time it’s Will’s grip that tightens. “By a vote of 2 to 0… Mike, you are evicted from the Big Brother house.”

Mike gets to his feet, and with him he brings Will. With wobbly knees, Mike pulls him away from the living room. Will can feel tears falling down, unable to keep them at bay. The girls stand back. Mike lets go of Will’s hand and Will hates it. Mike grabs his duffle bag and he looks at Will, eye to eye.

“Listen, Will. Please don’t cry.” Mike says, wiping away at the tears that have collected at Will’s jawline.

“But- I…” Will stammers.

“I deserve this, okay?” Mike hugs him quickly. “And you deserve this. You deserve to keep going. You deserve to make it to the end.”

“Mike-”

“Please, don’t be sad, okay?” Mike’s face softens. “If I have to leave for you to stay, then I’m fine with that.”

“Mike-”

“All that’s left to do now is win. Okay? You go out there and get what you deserve, right?” Will can only nod at Mike’s questions, his tears finally stopping. “And I’ll be cheering for you every single day that we’re apart. And when it’s all said and done, I’ll be waiting for you, okay? Never forget that.”

Will nods. “Okay.” He breathes in and out.

“I have to go now.” Mike says lowly, stepping closer to Will. “Do your best.”

“I will.”

Will savors the soft smile Mike gives him. In an instant, he feels Mike’s lips on his, and unlike before, so worried about who was watching, Will lets himself melt into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Mike’s neck as the taller boy leans down. He closes his eyes, and pulls himself away from Mike, looking straight into the other boy’s eyes.

“Goodbye.” Will says, unwrapping his arms from Mike.

“Goodbye.” Mike turns around and grabs a hold of the door. He opens it. He waits at the threshold, turning back to look at Will. As he lets the door close he lets out a sentence. “I love you.” 

Before Will can say anything, the door is closed, and the two are worlds apart.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 11, Day 72

When Will wakes up, he has no energy to leave his room. He lays in bed, underneath the covers, curled up in a ball as he tries to free his mind of what occurred the day before. He tosses and turns, trying to make himself as comfortable as he could, except he realizes the only time he was ever comfortable in the house was when he was alone with Mike.

It takes a long time for Will to let his mind settle on thoughts of Mike, but when it does, he gets up from the bed immediately, determined to deter his mind from dwelling too much on him. He searches his drawer for what to wear, but it feels like pulling teeth to pick any. He knew he had to get ready for the day, especially since he had to play in another Head of Household competition soon, but no matter what, he couldn't pick anything. The only reason he properly dresses himself is because a voiceover comes on, informing them it was time to compete.

It’s still early in the day, before lunch, but because of his procrastination, Will has nothing in his system as he heads into the backyard for the competition. When he walks outside, he does his best to avoid eye contact with any of the girls, which is easy to do because of how extravagantly the backyard is decorated.

Although Will has gotten used to the forest theme that’s plagued each competition, he’s taken aback by the three large wire chicken coops that stand in the backyard. On his own, Will enters a chicken coop, with Angela and Max following suit, entering their own. Will looks around the chicken coop. To his right, he finds a basket of eggs. They sit on the outside of the coop, though, so they are barely able to be reached by him. On the opposite end of the coop is a ramp angled downward with a slit barely big enough for one hand to fit through. At the end of the ramp stood the letters ‘HOH’, but to Will’s eyes, they look easily collapsible.

Will stands, waiting for Robin to explain the competition. Since the competition isn’t live, it was up to Robin to hold the competition in place of Julie. Even though it pains him, Will forces himself to look at Robin, ready to listen intently.

“HouseGuests, the power is up for grabs.” Robin says. The girls cheer her on, and Will allows himself to join in. “As outgoing Head of Household, I am not eligible to compete. Bummer. This competition is called Poached Eggs and here is how it works. On my go, you will reach through your chicken wire and maneuver your one egg at a time up the front of your coop, across the top, and back down, where you can grab it. Once you grab an egg, you must roll it down the chicken coop ramp in an attempt to knock over three targets, which are H, O, and H. The first HouseGuest to knock over all three targets will be the new Head of Household. Does everyone understand?” Will nods. “Alright, then on your mark, get set, go!”

Will gets to his knees, sticking his fingers through the wire to get a wobbly grasp on an egg. He drops it a couple of times, but he tightens his grip, and slowly but surely begins maneuvering it upward. The egg can only move upward inch by inch; his fingers grab it, rotate 180 degrees upward, and then his next set of fingers grab on. It goes on like this, monotonously, in the silent backyard.

No one says a word. Like Will, he assumes the girls are as focused on the challenge than anything else. Will knew the competition meant life or death in the game. After being blindsided by Robin, it meant that he wasn’t as safe as he initially thought. With her breaking the seal, any of them could end up on the block. 

If Will didn’t win the Head of Household competition, he knew he had the Power of Veto, but he could hardly place his bets on it. With only four people in the competition, the initial Nomination Ceremony meant nothing to them. The winner of the Power of Veto would hold all the power, since the HoH would have no options for a replacement nominee. And although Will liked the idea of having the sole vote at the end of the week, he’s much rather secure his place in the Final 3 as soon as possible.

As he gets his egg to the roof of his coop, Will allows himself to look at how the others are doing. Angela looks to be at the same position as him, but Max looks further ahead, moving swiftly and without trouble. Obviously she was able to figure out a strategy to help her. He doesn’t let this deter him though. Even with a gap between them, Max could fumble her roll and Will could easily catch up to her.

While moving across the top of the coop, Will thinks about the possibility of reaching the end. Of course, he wants to win HoH, but if he can’t, he needs to know what work he has to do to ensure a path forward. But as he thinks about it, he realizes his odds of moving forward are small.

He was sure that he could have stayed sitting against Angela, but he wonders if she’s become a goat to Max and Robin. Her win equity is low. She has little friends in The Jury, and since she’s seen as an enemy to most of them, a win against Angela was almost guaranteed. Sitting against Robin is similar to Angela. Although she would put up more of a fight for the votes, he’s sure the other girls would see her as another goat they could beat since her game isn’t as flashy as everyone else’s. Will thinks he can beat Max. She’s the biggest threat left, both physically and socially. She can earn the votes easily, and she can win a competition to get her to the end. If he was sitting next to her, the other person would be dumb not evict a big target like Max.

As Will maneuvers the egg back downward, his mind posits the idea of the remaining girls working together. Outnumbered, it makes sense to vote the odd man out, literally. He’s not sure about the possibility of Max working with Angela, but after seeing how Angela and Robin teamed up during the Double Eviction, he knows it’s not out of the realm of possibility. 

Back at the bottom, Will can freely grab his egg. With respite, Will looks around. Angela is still working her way down the front of the coop, but Max is back at the start, carrying her egg to the top. He looks at her targets and finds that one of them is already knocked down. Shocked, Will returns to the competition. He lines his egg at the top of the ramp, closing one eye to properly align it with one of the targets. With a gentle push, the egg rolls down the ramp, and Will grimaces with hope.

Luckily, he hits one, the O, and Will feels glee. Hurriedly, he returns to the starting point. He picks up another egg, and now that he’s found his groove, he ascends the front of the coop at a quicker rate than before.

“Fuck!” The sudden shout of anger from Angela almost makes Will drop his egg. Continuing to move upward, he looks in her direction and sees that one of her eggs missed its target. Will smirks. It’s a huge setback, and one that Will is glad occurred. At the rate he’s moving, his second egg already traversing the top of the coop, he can clinch the win.

As Will traverses the top, he looks at Max. She’s determined to win, her face scrunched up with an intense glare as she focuses on the egg. She’s close to reaching the other end of the coop, and it causes Will to work overtime. Selfishly, he doesn’t want her to win, especially since he thinks she’s the only one he can beat if they were nominated together.

Unlike with Robin and Angela, Will doesn’t have a sense of anger for her and her decisions. Although she did vote out Mike, it was to his benefit. It seemed like she didn’t know about their secret relationship, the conspiracy seemed to be entirely led by Robin and Angela. Will and Max may be on shaky terms after the last two evictions, but he’d be most willing to work with her, and he’s sure that she feels the same.

In Will’s mind, it was the battle of the Duos. Angela and Robin versus Will and Max. Robin and Angela are paired in his mind purely because of the Double Eviction, but for Will, it shows that Robin can be influenced by Angela. Max was a free agent and always has been. It seems to Will that she’s the only that he can work with anymore.

As Will reaches the ground once again, he lines up his second egg. He lets out a deep breath, and with faith, releases it. He watches it roll down the ramp. It leans to the left, then back to the center, and as it reaches the edge, it rolls right up to and H, knocking it down.

It’s then he realizes that Robin has been calling out everytime a target gets knocked over. He’s been blocking her out as he focuses. He looks at Max’s coop, and sees that she also has two targets down. The two were tied, with Angela in last place. Max already has her third egg in hand, and Will hopes she accidentally drops it.

With his third egg in hand, Will traverses the front of the coop again. Will keeps a rhythm to stay on track. Left hand, right hand, left hand, right hand. He loses himself in it, no thought about nominations or allies able to be formed in his mind. Even when he hears Robin announce that Angela knocked down a target, Will keeps his eyes on the white oblong shape in his hands.

Eventually, Will makes it across the top of his coop again, and at the last step of traversal, takes a deep breath. He’s almost to the end. With enough swiftness and a good eye, he can secure his spot in the final three. He travels back down, letting his egg fall a few inches instead of only moving centimeter by centimeter. 

Back down on his knees, Will grabs the egg with shaky hands. He breathes deeply, trying to calm himself. He aims the egg at the edge of the ramp, lining it up with the final letter. He lets go of his final egg, but as it rolls down, his attention is pulled away.

“Max has knocked down her final target. That means, congratulations, Max, you are the new Head of Household!”

Will watches Max step out of her coop, receiving the HoH key from Robin. Angela steps out of her coop, and Will follows suit. As he makes his way to the other girls, Will looks at his targets, all knocked over, three eggs strewn about the floor.

⏿⏿⏿

Will sits at the dining table, his hands in his lap as he stares across at the two girls. Angela and Robin sit at two other points, evenly dispersed, highlighting the empty spaces between everyone now that so many of the HouseGuests have been evicted.

Max stands at the front of the dining room. She’s placed the Nomination Wheel on the lazy susan, and is ready to begin her nominations. At this point of the game, the nominations didn’t mean much, and none of them bothered campaigning to her about staying off the block. Because of that, the Nomination Ceremony occurred quickly after Max won HoH.

“This is the Nomination Ceremony.” Max says, speaking to everyone. “One of my duties as Head of Household is to nominate two houseguests for eviction.” Will keeps his eye on the key, wondering what decision she made. “I will pull the first key, and that person is safe.”

Will bites his lip, out of habit instead of because of his nerves. Max leans forward, grabs the key and pulls it out. With a flat smile, she announces who’s safe. “Will.” He’s surprised to hear his name. “You are safe.”

He stands up from his chair, and reaches for his key atop the Nomination Wheel. He puts it around his neck, and before sitting down, says, “Thank you.”

Max just nods. She turns to Robin and Angela and begins speaking. “I’ve nominated you, Angela, and you, Robin for eviction. We all know this doesn’t really mean much, so I say this to all of you.” She returns her attention to the whole room. “I expect you all to go out there and give it your best shot. Don’t disappoint me. This Nomination Ceremony is adjourned.”

As Max reaches for the wheel, they all stand up. Robin and Angela disperse, heading different ways. Will stands in the dining room for a moment before deciding what to do. He follows Max, entering the storage room just a few seconds after her.

“How are you feeling?” She asks suddenly.

Will links, but responds. “I’m fine. I know it doesn’t mean much, but thank you for not nominating me.”

“I’m not talking about that.” Will lets his silence pose as a question. Max adds, “How are you feeling without Mike?”

Will is taken aback. He wasn’t sure she would have cared about that topic. “Um.” Will walks closer to Max. “Horrible, honestly.”

Max smirks. “Sounds about right. That’s how I’m feeling right now too.”

It dawns on Will then that Max is also hurting from her loss. They’ve both gone a day without their number ones in the game. “I’m sorry…” Will says. “About all that.”

“It’s fine.” Max says. “I mean, it’s not fine. At least I got you back for it.”

Will laughs, rolling his eyes. “Yeah, you fucking suck for that.”

“You started it.”

Will laughs again. “Fair enough.”

“But at least we’ve got each other, right?” Max smiles, something Will hasn’t seen in a while.

Will reciprocates. “You’re right.”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 11, Day 73

When Will wakes up the next day, he feels less dreadful than the day before. Although the Power of Veto looms over his head, he feels more comfortable in the house after talking to Max. The two of them were in lock-step emotionally. They both understood how the other was feeling, and regardless of the fact that they did turn on each other, the comfort they could provide each other was needed for the both of them. He’s glad to know that he still has a friend in Max.

The same could not be said for Robin. No matter what, Will couldn’t muster up the courage to talk to her about what happened. Unlike with Max, Will felt like there wasn’t a reason for her betrayal, and he especially thought it was suspicious of her to team up with Angela. He knows he’s being hypocritical when he thinks that since he’s worked with Angela before, but he rationalizes that it was never to undermine Robin. Overall, he just wasn’t ready to talk to Robin yet.

He could feel the tension between them, as well as the tension between Angela and them. Only one other person would be able to secure their spot on Finale Night. Max didn’t need to to win the Power of Veto, and Will’s not sure she wants to. He thinks that she’ll throw it to one of them, which Will hates, because he’s sure she would keep the nominations the same if she won it. 

Because of the tension in the house, Will prepared for the final Power of Veto Competition alone, trying to hype himself up and reassure himself that he can win. He’s done well in all of the competitions before, and with the determination burning inside him, he was ready to win this one, and to make it one step closer to the Finale.

⏿⏿⏿

The backyard is plain compared to what Will is used to. In the center is a large circle, with perpendicular lines running down the center of it. Each corner of the circle is decorated the same with foliage and a backdrop reminiscent a campground. In the center of each room is a wooden base, with a rod extending high upward, and a step ladder right beside it. On the left side of the room is a large rack of wood carvings, and as Will looks at them, realizes they are carved in the likeness of all the HouseGuests. Will stops to look at the carving of Mike, swallows hard. On the right side of the room is a button, and above it, a television screen, currently blank. Will and the girls take their spot in their own room, cut off from each other.

As the Head of Household, Max reads the rules, loud enough for everyone to hear. “Welcome to the final Power of Veto Competition, where the winner will secure their spot on Finale Night alongside me! This competition is called The Totem Pole , and here’s how it works. On go, you’ll receive your first question on the television screen. The answer is always four specific HouseGuests. To answer, gather the wood carved heads on your right, and race back to your step ladder. Climb it, and slide down all four heads on the rod to create a totem pole. Have each carving facing frontward, and when you think you’ve gathered the correct four faces, hit your button. If you’re incorrect, adjust your answer and buzz in again. If you’re correct, the next question will appear on your television screen. The HouseGuest who can correctly answer the five questions the fastest will win the final Power of Veto! Are you ready to play?” Will and the rest of them cheer.

To his surprise, Max has nothing left to say, so Will prepares himself. The horn blows, and Will looks at the screen, reading the first question as fast as possible: WHO ARE THE FIRST FOUR HOUSEGUESTS TO SURVIVE EVICTION NIGHT ON THE BLOCK?

Without much trouble, Will knows the answer: himself, El, Robin, and Chad. He was the first one to survive, followed by El. Robin stayed on the block for three weeks, and Chad was the first one to join The Jury because of that. He gathers the four heads, and slides them down the rod as quickly as he can. Once down, he runs down the step ladder and to the button. He slams his hand down and luckily, the question changes to the next one, meaning he got it right.

Will scans the screen, reading the next question as fast as he can. It reads: WHO ARE THE FIRST FOUR PEOPLE TO USE THE POWER OF VETO?

Will doesn’t know the answer right away, but, determined not to waste any time, Will returns to the totem pole, sliding his previous answers off of the rod, returning them to the rack two at a time. Once they’re all returned, Will looks over every face. He grabs his own face and he grabs Erica’s. He knows for a fact that Erica used it the first week and that he used it to save himself during week 3. He places them on the rod, sliding them down as he thinks about who could be the other two heads. He knows the third person as soon as he sees the face: Angela. She used it to save Jake from eviction. Will slides it down the rod and returns to the rack. He struggles with the last one. From his recollection, Angela is the only to use the Veto for the few previous weeks. But, it eventually comes to him. He’s reminded of the Split House Twist and how Mike told him he was initially nominated against Dustin. Erica left that week, which meant the last person had to be Dustin.

As Dustin’s head slides down the rod, Will runs to the button, and the question changes to the next one: WHICH FOUR HOUSEGUESTS WERE EVICTED FROM THE HOUSE WITH TWO VOTES COME EVICTION NIGHT?

Will hurries to his totem pole and removes all of them except for Erica’s. He remembers the Split House Twist ending with unanimous votes on both sides, so Erica’s head has to stay. Will runs to the rack and drops the heads he doesn’t need anymore. He grabs Jake’s since he left during the Split House Twist too. The last two faces he knows belong to Lucas and Mike, the most recent people to be evicted. He grabs them and slides them down, planting a quick peck on the wooden Mike before placing him on the totem pole.

With a hit to the button, the screen reveals the penultimate question: WHO ARE THE FIRST FOUR HOUSEGUESTS TO BE EVICTED DURING A WEEK THE VETO WAS NOT USED?

Will stumbles backwards, another question that trips him up. He removes all the heads from the totem pole, desperately trying to recall when the Veto wasn’t used. He knows Lucas didn’t use the Veto to save El in week 2, resulting in Chrissy being eliminated. And similarly, Erica didn’t use it when Will won his first HoH. He takes the two siblings and drops them onto the rod, annoyed he removed Erica for no reason. As he does, he also remembers that Jake was evicted without the Veto being used, so he makes sure to grab his head. The last person, Will almost forgot about. Max didn’t use the Veto then because she thought Mike would leave, but instead, El was the one evicted.

Hurriedly, he drops El and Jake’s heads and runs for the final question. He reads the last question carefully as it appears on the screen: WHICH FOUR HOUSEGUESTS WERE THE HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD MORE THAN ONCE?

Will knows this answer by heart. It includes: Jake, Angela, Max, and himself. He leaves behind Jake’s head, running quickly to the rack to answer the final question. He grabs all three remaining heads at once. He gets on the step ladder and hurriedly places them. Will steps completely off of the step ladder, but stops when he hears a shout of excitement.

“Yes!” It’s Angela. Will looks to his screen, and sees that the final question has disappeared, nothing but a blank screen left. “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!” Angela repeats

He sees Max run to her side, and as she does, she exclaims, “Congratulations, Angela, you have won the final Golden Power of Veto!”

⏿⏿⏿

Will felt dejected. With Angela as the winner, his fate was left entirely in her hands. He wanted to be angry at himself, but really, Will was just mad at himself. Mike was counting on him to make it to the end, he can’t imagine facing him in the Jury House. He wants so deeply to see him again, but he’s determined to hold off until Finale Night. But with this flub, only seconds away from the button, Will’s not sure he can keep his promise to Mike.

He knows that he should talk to Angela. He needs to persuade her in some way to keep him. He needs to make a deal, or grovel in front of her, but instead, the only person Will wants to talk to is Robin.

Aside from when they were on opposite sides of the house during the Split House Twist, it was the longest Will had gone without talking to her. It’s primarily because of the tension built between them from their anger aimed at each other, but Will hopes that they can reconcile in some way. They had worked together since the beginning of the game, and for a long time, Will pictured himself at the end with her, so knowing that come Eviction Night, they’ll be sitting against each other, and the dream they once worked towards will be dashed.

He finds her in the hammock, a location they always shared. As he approaches her, he asks, “Can I sit here?”

“Whatever.” She says curtly. Will sits down, despite his best judgement. “What did you want to talk about?”

Will’s surprised at how forward she is. “About the blindside… I guess.”

Robin doesn’t bother looking at him, and Will returns the favor as she speaks. “If you’re coming here to play the victim, don’t waste my time.”

“Robin, you put me on the block-”

“You were never going home.” She cuts him off. “Besides, you put me on the block too. You didn’t even nominate Mike when I asked you, so I think what I did was fair play.”

Will shakes his head. “Well, now you know why I didn’t want to do that. I guess I have Angela to thank for you knowing.”

Robin reveals something suddenly. “I’ve known about you and Mike for a long time. I was waiting for you to tell me about it.”

Will looks at her. “Seriously? When did you know?”

“Does it matter? He’s gone.”

Will looks away, licking his lips. “I’m sorry-”

“That’s how I knew I couldn’t trust you. I couldn’t believe you didn’t tell me about any of that.”

Will rolls his eyes, annoyed. “What, so you decided to trust Angela instead? You just did her dirty work.”

“I wanted Mike out on my own. I knew Angela would help me with that.”

“So, what happens now? You’re allies to the end?”

“Fuck off.”

“No, seriously.” Will says, angry and annoyed. “You trust her enough to take you to the Final 3 then?”

Robin stands up. “I told you not to waste my time with this victim complex.” She begins walking away. “Don’t talk to me.” Will watches her cross the backyard, slamming the door as she enters the house.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 11, Day 74

“What do you think Angela’s going to do?” Will asks Max. The two are on her bed in the HoH room, Max sitting upright against the headboard, while Will lays flat looking up at the ceiling.

“I think she’s going to keep the nominations the same and give you the power to evict whoever.”

She’s joking. Will punches her playfully and Max returns the favor, more power than expected. “I’m being serious.” Will says, rubbing his wound. “Do you think she’s evicting me?”

“I don’t know.” She says. “She’s a wildcard, who knows what can be running through her mind right now. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’d love it if she evicted Robin.”

“Thanks.” He says flatly. “Imagine that, though. Us together in the Final 3. Can easily take out Angela then.”

“That’s if she doesn’t win the Final HoH.”

“She won’t.” Will let the idea ruminate for too long. “Who would she pick between us, you think?”

“Probably you. I don’t think she likes me very much.”

“And she likes me?” Will asks.

“More than me!”

Will sighs. “I guess.” Will lets his eyes travel along the minute details of the ceiling. “Have you ever thought about taking Angela to the end?”

“It’s never really crossed my mind, honestly.”

Will turns from where he lays, looks at Max. “Would you?”

Max hesitates, and before she responds, Will has his answer. “I don’t know.”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 11, Day 75

The Veto Meeting occurs without much surprise. Like expected, Angela uses it on herself and Will goes up as the renomination. If it were any other week, Will would be upset and confused, but this time, Will would have no one to direct those feelings at. Instead, he’s understanding. If he wanted to be safe, he should have moved faster during the Veto. Now, he reaps what he sows. But, he still had a few days to change the course of his destiny, and it all hinged on Angela.

After the Veto Meeting, Will wastes no time. He follows closely behind Angela as she returns the Veto to the storage room, walking in with her. “Here to beg me to save you?” She asks, obviously happy to have all the power.

“Is that so bad?” Will says. “You’d do the same wouldn’t you?”

“What’s your leverage then?” She asks, ready to take the conversation seriously.

“I don’t have any. Not really.” Will says. He’s thought about it over and over in his head, trying to see how he can regain her trust, but he knows he can’t. “There’s really nothing I can say other than that if you keep me, then I’ll take you to the Final 2.”

“You know, I don’t believe you when you say that.” Angela crosses her arms in defense. “The last time you promised me something, my ass ended up on the block because of you.”

“I know.” Will says calmly. “That’s why I don’t expect you to keep me or anything. But you’re way too smart to not consider it, right?”

Angela looks away. “I’ve thought about it, as I think about every aspect of the game.”

“Right.” It pains Will to agree with her, but he couldn’t deny the fact that she was a worthy competitor. “And I’m sorry. About putting you up. I guess I underestimated you.”

“Thanks, I guess.” Angela says, returning her attention. “You’re just lucky I haven’t won HoH, otherwise your ass would be out of here.”

“That makes sense.” Will tries to feed into her ego, without letting it go to her head. “Anyway, that’s really all I leave you with.”

“What? That you’re taking me to the Final 2? That’s bullshit.”

“Maybe.” Will begins to walk away. “But you’d be dumb not to consider every possibility in this game.”

In truth, Will was considering taking Angela to the end. After his conversation with Max, he got the vibe that Max wasn’t sure on who to take to the end, and that made Will question his loyalty. Even more than Angela, Max was a worthy competitor. He knows going to the end of with Max would be an uphill battle. Although he’s confident he would get The Socs votes in that scenario, The Party’s votes would be split between them, and a stray vote could result in Will’s loss.

Against Angela though, Will was sure to win. No one besides The Socs would vote for her. It would be a landslide victory, and that sentiment made taking Angela to the end more and more enticing.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 11, Day 76

Will walks into the kitchen to find Robin preparing a snack for herself. He almost stops himself in his tracks, but he forces himself to be around her. He grabs himself a snack - a glass of orange juice with a bowl of chips. As he pours himself the juice, Will can’t help but to speak.

“If you stay, you have to get Max out.” Will says. “I think she’s beating all of us here.”

Robin is silent for a moment, but eventually responds. “I know. She’s going to be a tough one to beat even in the final competition. I imagine she wins Part 1 easily.”

The Final Head of Household Competition was divided into three parts: a physical competition, a mental competition, and a social competition. Going up against both Max and Angela in Part 1 would be a challenge for both Will and Robin.

“Would you vote for me?” Will asks. “If I ended up sitting next to Max?”

Robin looks at him. “I think so. I’d think you’d deserve it more in that case. Against Angela especially.” Will chews a few of his chips. “You could say the same for me.”

“I thought it went without question. I’d vote for you over either of them.”

“Good.”

“But The Jury’s opinion? I think it swings in Max’s favor.”

“I know.” She says. “Now I’m thinking we should’ve evicted her when we had a chance.”

“Barely any chance of that. Took herself off the block, and then I didn’t even nominate her.” Will laughs. “She’s really the one to beat.”

“She’s good at the game, I’ll give her that.”

There’s a natural lull in the conversation that occurs, both aware of their next steps after one of them is evicted. Will swallows hard then, and says, “I’m sorry about putting you up.”

Robin laughs. “I’m sorry too. Now we’re both on the block.”

“I know. It’s funny how the game goes. We were so close, and yet so far away too.” Will grabs his things, not wanting to interrupt the bittersweet moment. As he leaves, he says, “Rest up for the HoH competition. Lord knows those two are going to fight for it.”

“Thanks. You too.”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 11, Day 77

“When did you guys even get together?” Max is asking about Mike, confirming what was revealed earlier in the week.

“I don’t even know. This game is one big blur at this point.” They sit in the living room on the Nomination Chairs. Will’s reminded again that Max has never sat in them come Eviction Night, but he swallows the jealousy.

“How serious are you guys then? I mean, Lucas and I talked a lot about us outside of the house, did you guys talk about your future?”

“Yeah, a little bit at the end.”

“And what did he say?” Max asks gingerly.

Will smiles. “Just that he wants to try to make things work out on the outside, when we get the chance we get to see each other again.”

Max lets a moment go by, and then asks, “Do you think he was being genuine?”

Will rolls his eyes. “Are you asking that because you don’t like him?”

“No!” She raises her arms in front of her in defense. “I’m being serious. You know how these things are sometimes. People get in here and use someone as much as they can and then they don’t last long. It’s not uncommon.”

“Trust me,” Will says, “I’ve thought about that over and over again. Too many times to count. But…” Will envisions Mike, how he held him close right before leaving the house. “He has to have been genuine. The way he left me screamed a future together.”

“Mhm.” Max says supportingly.

“You know, the first week I didn’t think something like this would happen. I was on the block and thought for sure it was game over.” Will pauses, then adds. “Then I met people like you and Robin and Mike, and I made enough connections to stay. And one of them became strong enough to be romantic, something I never thought would happen for me in this house.”

“Mhm.”

“It feels like a dream… And I hope the dream doesn’t have to end tomorrow.”

Chapter Text

Week 12, Day 78

Will sits next to Robin in the Nomination Chairs, talking animatedly with Max and Angela as they wait for Julie to come on the television screen. Will was resigned for once. Unlike the previous times he was on the block, emotions were not running high. Instead, he was content with what he’s done. He’s made it so far in the game and he’s done everything he can to get further, but the power is out of his hands now.

Of course, he wanted to stay in the house. He knows he’d put up a fight for one of the Final 2 spots, and he feels good about his chances of winning. But, in the back of his mind, the idea of spending the last week with Mike didn’t seem so bad.

He thought about Mike often, waking up, preparing food, during competitions, going to bed, all the time. He knows Mike has no idea about his being on the block, but if he did, he knows Mike would be cheering him on. That silent support spurred Will onward. When he came into the game, he was doing it all for himself and his family, but now he has someone just as special to make proud. Although he’d love to be with Mike again, he didn’t want to have to see him until Finale Night.

“Hello, HouseGuests.” Julie appears on the screen, and they all greet her joyfully. In that moment, Will feels Robin’s hand on his and he accepts it. “Well, it’s time for the penultimate eviction. Angela, as the Veto holder, you are safe. This means the power to evict rests solely in your hands.” Angela nods. “Robin, Will, Finale Night is just a few days away. But unfortunately, only one of you will make it there. So, I’d like to give each of you one final chance to address Angela before she casts the sole vote to evict. Robin, you’re first.”

Robin lets go of his hand and stands up. “Angela, I want to tell you congrats on making it to the Final 3, you’ve worked your ass off for it, and I think you should be taking me with you. You need to bet on yourself, because with me in the Final 3, the probability of you winning is much higher. You know how to play this game, and I trust that you will make the right decision.”

“Thank you, Robin. Will, it’s your turn.”

Will stands as Robin sits. “I want to thank you all for the wonderful time here, even if the past couple of weeks have been turmoil for me. Angela, I know your mind's made up already, there’s nothing I can do to change that. You’re a strong headed person and I admire that of you, and I hope that I get to spend this last week here with you and Max.”

“Thank you, Will.” As Will sits down, Julie says, “Thank you, both. Angela, it is now up to you to cast the sole vote to evict. You now have the power to send one nominee to the Jury House and send the other to Finale Night. Just a reminder, when Angela casts her vote to evict, the evicted HouseGuest will have just a few moments to say goodbye, gather their belongings, and walk out the front door. Angela, please stand at the front of the living room,” Angela begins moving, “face the two nominees, and cast your vote to evict.”

“Thank you, Julie.” Angela says before addressing them. “As you guys know, I’ve had to fight every week of this game to get here. I’m sure many of you thought my time was up weeks ago, but no matter what, I kept fighting. And I’ll keep fighting until I make it to the end. So, although I’ve considered keeping either one of you, I’m deciding on ensuring my way to the Final 2, which means, I’m sorry, Robin, but I vote to evict you.”

Will looks to Robin, and she’s already on her feet. “It’s official.” Julie says as he stands up. “Robin, you have been evicted from the Big Brother house.”

Robin turns to him and they give each other a hug. Will sighs in relief at the outcome, but also feels a pang to his heart as he watches Robin turn and hug the other girls. Together, they walk to the front door, where Will grabs her duffel bag and places it on her soldier. Robin leans in and gives him one last hug, one that hurts to pull away from.

“Goodbye, you guys.” She says, addressing everyone. “Good luck, I’ll see you all in a week.”

Will opens the front door for her, and with tears forming in his eyes, watches Robin leave the house.

⏿⏿⏿

The backyard contains a giant gardening box, filled with soil and fake, plastic carrots poking out of the ground. Three in particular are larger and protrude higher than others, all equidistant from one another. Will, Max, and Angela each stand on one of them. Dangling above them is their house key, their names scrawled across them like the ones used for the Nomination Ceremony. At the center of the garden is a mechanism that holds up a long, thin pole. The pole reaches out to the large carrots, and is attached to a wire, circular rail. Attached to this pole is a stuffed bunny.

Will looks at his two competitors. Since it’s the final Head of Household Competition, Max also gets to compete alongside him and Angela. Out of everyone in the cast, the two girls were Will’s biggest competition when it came to endurance. He knew without a doubt that they would put up a fight, especially Angela. With Robin gone, and Max’s lack of security to him, Will knew he had to win one of the first two competitions to have a fighting chance.

“HouseGuests,” Julie’s voice scares him, “We are about to begin the final Head of Household Competition. The winner is not only guaranteed a spot in the Final 2, but chooses who sits next to them in the end.” Will can see the fire in Max and Angela’s eyes, regardless of how far away from them he stood. “This competition will be played in three parts. The winner of round one will automatically advance to the final round, leaving the remaining two HouseGuests to compete against each other in the second part. The winners of rounds one and two will face off in round three.” Julie pauses for a long time, working up Will’s nerves. 

“HouseGuests, the power is up for grabs. Max, even though you are the outgoing Head of Household, you are still eligible to compete. This competition is called The Bunny Hop , and here’s how it works. At least one hand must remain in contact with your key at all times. If you let go of your key, fall from your carrot, or stop the rabbit from moving forward you’re out of this game. The last person left standing will be declared the winner of part 1 and will automatically advance to part 3. Does everyone understand?” Will lets out an agreeable grunt. “Then, the competition starts… now.”

The rabbit on the pole begins to move along the wire rail, moving in a circle like the hands of a clock, first approaching Max, who jumps over it, then Angela, and then Will. He holds the key with his right hand, and as he jumps, is afraid that key might detach.

Like that the rabbit continues to run. As it goes, Will keeps his eye on it, even when it’s just glided underneath him. He knows that if he doesn’t, he will end up distracted and somehow end up forgetting to jump.

Will tries to figure out the speed it makes a full rotation and assumes four rotations make up a minute. He hops and hops, keeping track of time as the bunny keeps rotating. One hop, then two, then three, four, five, and six. Eventually he reaches twelve hops, and a voice comes on overhead.

“How are you doing, HouseGuests?” Julie says

“Fantastic!” Angela responds.

“Well, hold on tight. Do you know what it takes to keep a garden so lush?” There’s a crackle of thunder that spooks them all, and in an instant, an artificial rain begins to fall on them. “That’s right, it takes a lot of rain.” Will is completely soaked in seconds, and he can feel himself shivering already. “I wish you all the best of luck, HouseGuests. Good night.”

Will squeaks out a response, trying his best to keep his focus on the competition. With the artificial rain, Will had no energy to watch the bunny make full rotations. All that was on his mind was knowing when the bunny was right in front of him.

The bunny runs under him another twenty-five times, the rain still pouring over him. He has flashbacks to the wall competition, hanging on for his life as water was sprayed on him. Will finds it harder to breathe underneath all the water, like his body thinks he’s drowning, making him take quick and shallow breaths as if he’s not safe. 

To Will’s surprise, the bunny doesn’t approach him. He counts how long it takes for it to return, but after making it to the two minute mark, Will looks around. He sees the bunny stopped in between him and Max, giving them a reprieve from hopping. Will wishes he could breathe a sigh of relief, but the water pouring over him pelts any sense of comfortability out of him.

Will looks at Angela. She’s shivering, with one arm across her chest as a way to keep herself warm. To keep himself warm, Will keeps his arms tight against himself, not wanting his body to move an inch so that his blood flows easily. He looks at Max. Just like them, she shivers, but she has a deep rhythm going for her breathing, helping to keep her calm while under the rain.

When the artificial rain suddenly stops, Will goes to wipe his face of any droplets. It doesn’t help, his face becoming wet again thanks to the water in his hair. He shakes different parts of his body, trying to shake off more water. He's so engrossed in this action that he almost misses the bunny approaching him, narrowly hitting it and making the bunny stop.

Will has to find his rhythm again, jumping over the bunny with a wet plop. A couple of times his feet slip toward an edge and it takes everything in him to not fall over. He knows he can’t give up on this competition, even if he was going against incredible competitors.

He wanted it the most, so if he wanted to make it to the end, he needed to hold on to his key as if his life depended on it. If he had to compete in the second part of the competition, he has no doubt that Max or Angela could beat him there as well. They’re no slouches when it comes to mental competitions. Will hates the people he’s going up against. If Robin was there, he’d feel more comfortable about his odds of winning, but with Angela and Max, he had to put all his effort into the competitions like never before.

The rain starts again, and Will curses under his breath. All three of them have been quiet throughout the entirety of the competition, intent on winning no matter what. The only sound echoing is of them jumping on their carrot and the water splashing on them. 

Will’s not sure how long they’ve been there, but at this point, his arm begins to ache from being held up for so long. As soon as the bunny races under him, he maneuvers his key into his other arm, relief spreading throughout his right one as soon as he puts it down. Unfortunately, there’s no relief to his knees or feet, can’t even crouch because he’d be unable to reach the key anymore.

Ironically, the thought of crouching makes Will think of Mike. It makes him think that Mike would still be able to reach the key even while crouching. The mental image makes him smile.

The bunny and the rain come to a stop, a surprising moment of stillness that allows Will’s thoughts to drift to Mike. He realizes then that he did, in fact, survive eviction, and now he’ll only reunite with Mike on Finale Night. It made him happy knowing Mike had a chance of voting for him in the end.

It’s then that he thinks about The Jury and their votes. He’s sure Mike and Robin are definite votes for him, regardless of who he sits next to. He thinks of Chad, Jake, and Angela, and thinks that they would vote for him against Max. To his shock, he realizes he has the votes there. He knows he’d win against Angela, but actually thinking through his likelihood against Max spurred him onward. He needed to win.

He tightens his grip, and with purpose, jumps over the bunny as it starts up again. Will keeps his eye on the bunny again, and notices its change in speed. After Max jumps over it, it speeds up, just to slow down again right in front of Angela. She nearly stumbles over it because of the trickery. The bunny speeds up again, then slows, but Will is able to jump over it successfully.

The rain continues again, making it harder for them to see the speed of the bunny. Will was hoping it would travel at different speeds in a pattern, but to his dismay, it moves erratically, no set pattern to anticipate when to jump over the bunny.

The rain stops again, and Will looks at the bunny. It stops too, and then suddenly, moves, this time counterclockwise. Will is able to anticipate its approach, and jumps over it. Will maneuvers both his hands onto the key, and rotates himself, but as he does, he hears a voice scream out.

“Ah! Fuck!”

Will turns his head and sees Angela stumbling off of her carrot and onto the floor below. The bunny is momentarily stopped, but starts again. Will looks over at Max, but before he can say anything, Max jumps over the bunny and turns herself around.

As Will jumps again, he says, “All good, Angela?”

“Whatever.” She says, voice annoyed. “I’m taking a shower.”

As the bunny approaches, Will jumps again, and as he lands, the water runs again. “Fuck.” Will says annoyed.

“You can drop too, if you want.” Max says loudly, hopping over the bunny.

Will sighs. He hops, and responds to Max. “I’m good.”

“I can go all day.” Max says, taunting him.

He knows it’s a fact, that Max is just as determined to win as him, but still, he can’t give in just yet. “Then I guess we’re going to be here a while.”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 12, Day 79

Will knows it’s the next day as the moon begins to set, the darkness of the night lightening into a light purple. The coldest he’s felt has passed, but the water spraying over him still makes him shiver, visibly shaking. Even Max, despite how unflappable she is, was affected by the rain, shaking just as much as he was.

The moments when both the rain and the bunny stop are few and far between, but Will cherishes them as much as he can. During them, Will tries his best to warm himself up, rubbing his upper arms with his one free hand to generate heat. He also allows himself to bend his knees. As the morning approaches, he’s stood in one place for hours, and his knees and feet are begging for any type of relief.

He looks at Max, and she’s as still as a statue. It surprised Will that Angela was already out, but he thanks the bunny for helping her lose. He never thought he could beat her at the competition, but it gave him some hope that he could beat Max too. However, seeing her stand still, locked in like never before, it gave pause to Will. She was never going to drop out, he would have to wish for another incident like what happened to Angela. 

Will tries to manifest it, images of Max tripping over the bunny, or slipping off of her carrot filling his mind. It makes him laugh to himself and the joy he feels reminds him of his goal. He needed to beat Max, no matter the cost. He wanted this joy to last all the way to the win.

When the bunny starts again, it moves clockwise, and Will is lucky to hop over it safely. He rotates his body so that he can anticipate its movements. Max is able to anticipate the bunny too, no chance for her to be accidentally taken out.

The bunny stops, and the rain comes on. The rain feels like tiny shards of glass cutting into his back. He thinks about Angela, how she was able to take a warm shower and go to bed, lay under her bedsheets and get some rest before the next competition. He’s envious of her, and wishes the competition was over already.

He wonders if he should drop out. Max was obviously keen on staying on her carrot as long as she needed, and if she is able to beat him, then he’ll be going against Angela on a back foot. He’ll be sleep deprived and his body will be exhausted. On top of that, the time he’s spending on his carrot could be time used for studying, which will no doubt help him in both part two and three of the competition. 

Even without the strategic benefits, Will wanted to experience basic comforts. It’s at this point he realizes that he needs to use the bathroom, and that he hasn’t eaten anything since before the live show. He can feel his stomach grumbling, and he wants nothing more than to enjoy a big bowl of warm soup.

Will tries to push away the thoughts of dropping out, knowing that he can’t disappoint himself like that. The bunny starts moving again, and Will contemplates what to do. He wants to talk to Max, trying to get her distracted enough that she falls off, but deep down he knows he’ll just get distracted in turn or Max will become more determined to win than before. Instead, Will decides to just fuel himself to keep going.

⏿⏿⏿

Will can feel his eyes fluttering closed, and the rain falling on him makes it even harder to keep his eyes open. The sun is beginning to rise and Will is ready to knock out. He no longer has the strength to stand up straight or to hold his head high. 

Luckily for Will, the bunny isn’t moving, so he gets some reprieve from hopping. As the water falls on him, Will opens his mouth, swallowing some of it, regardless of if it's tap water or not. He can feel his fingertips pruning, and he wonders how much longer he can stand it all.

His clothes are stuck to his skin, his shoes form a small puddle on the inside, and he can feel his lips beginning to chap from the cold morning air. He’s not sure how to generate any amount of heat, especially since he knows the rain is just going to start again anytime soon.

Will looks at Max, and she looks just as miserable as him. She swivels her head back and forth, obviously trying to keep herself awake. He speaks out to her, trying to keep himself animated. “Hey, Max.”

“What’s up?” Her voice is low and husky.

“How’re you feeling?”

He sees her smile. “Never been better. You?”

“I feel incredible.”

There’s a moment of silence, and then Max speaks. “One of us needs to drop soon.”

“No kidding. I really need to use the restroom. I don’t know how much longer I can hold it.” Will admits. 

“You’ve been holding it?” Max asks like she’s about to divulge something. “I’ve gone like two times already.”

This wakes up Will. “Really.”

The bunny begins moving again and Max hops over it. “Yup. Really warms you up, honestly.”

Will jumps over the bunny as it approaches him. Hearing that Max has relieved herself already highlights to him how determined she is to win, and it makes him feel inferior. “You’re really gonna stay on as long as you need, huh?”

“I have to.” Will can hear a desperation in her voice. “I don’t think I’d be able to beat Angela in the second part. I’m not good at all with trivia.”

The rain stops, and Will’s glad. “You think I can beat her?” Will asks as she jumps.

“You have a better chance than me, is all I’m saying. And if you do, then we’ll both be in part three together. No way she’ll end up with the power.”

Will considers her words. Angela is great at trivia, especially in comparison to Max. He’s not sure who he wants to take to the end, his mind still not made up, but he knows that he wants to have the power. If Max is admitting to being bad at trivia, then he knows the final part will trip her up. As long as he gets there with her, he knows he can beat her during part three.

Will looks over at her, and calls for her attention. “Max! You got it.”

As the bunny approaches him, Will lets it collide with his legs, stopping its momentum, making Max the winner of part one. He gets down from his carrot, and wobbles over to Max. He helps her down, and they huddle for warmth. As they make their way to the house, Will says. “Congratulations, Max.”

⏿⏿⏿

When they both wake up, it’s the middle of the day. After the competition, they take a warm shower, and instead of changing into regular clothes, they both fall asleep on Max’s bed.

But as soon as Will gains consciousness he knows that he has to study. He wakes up Max, and begs her to help him. Together they go through each competition, trying to remember who participated, who won, what order people lost, and more, trying to cram in as much information as possible. They also go through each nomination, and all the evictions, remembering the vote counts for each person eliminated.

As they help each other study, Will feels good about his connection to Max. Without Angela there studying with him, it feels like they are a proper duo. As they have fun, bantering in between each event from the house, Will can feel the want to take Angela to the end subside. They have been working together for a long time now, and regardless of any backstabbing that occurred from both of them, he wants to honor their friendship. But, Will still can’t help but feel like Max may not feel the same.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 12, Day 80

“Do you want to study with me?”

As soon as Angela asked the question, Will should have known she didn’t actually want to do any studying. Still, Will decided to follow her lead, figuring that it wouldn’t hurt to try studying with someone else.

Angela led him to the backyard, and they sat on the hammock. She lays back, and Will waits for her to bring up any topics to study. Instead, moments pass before Angela decides on what to say.

“I’m just gonna be frank with you.”

“Okay.” Will wasn’t sure what to expect, but the tone of voice she had taken was new. It felt like she was subservient, like a child about to ask their parent to buy them a toy. “I’m all ears.”

“As soon as Jury started, I’ve been playing for second place.” Will’s about to interject, but she keeps going. “It’s fine, I know I’m not going to win. Hardly anyone’s going to vote for me, I know, it’s whatever. But, I need to get to second place.”

Will knows where she’s going. “I understand.”

“You said that you would take me if I evicted Robin last week. I know that you’re a lying bastard-”

“Thanks.”

“And that you could just evict me regardless, but I ask that you consider taking me to the end. It’s a guaranteed win if you do.”

Will decides to be honest. “I won’t say I haven’t considered it. But, you have to understand how hard that would be for me to cut Max like that.

“I know, I know.” Her hands are up in defense. “I wasn’t expecting an answer or anything, I just want you to consider it.”

Will regards her, and then a thought enters his mind. “Have you talked about this with Max?”

Angela smirks. “Yes. I have.”

“And what did she say?”

“She’s in the same boat as you. She’s considering it.” Angela lets a moment pass then adds, “But if you ask me, I think she’s more keen on the idea than you are.”

“That makes sense. She wants to win.” Will rationalizes.

“Don’t you?”

“Of course, I do.”

“Then you have to do whatever it takes to win. And if that means cutting Max, then you have to.”

“Okay, you’re pushing it, Angela.”

“Sorry.” They eye each other. “But you know it’s true.”

Will sighs. He knows her words ring true, but he still finds it hard to commit to the action. He thinks about Mike then, wishing he could talk to him about what decision to make. But, without him there, he just remembers Mike’s push for him to win. It hurts thinking about what he has to do, but he pushes away the feeling.

“Look, for now, just help me study for tomorrow.” Will says.

“Okay. But don’t think I won’t keep pushing it as we study.”

“Fine.”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 12, Day 81

When Will walks out into the backyard, he finds that it was transformed with similar forest foliage and set decorations he’s come to be used to. On an elevated island, Will stands with his instructions, a belt around him with two hooks, and a button beside him. Behind him are various name plates, and as he reads them, he realizes that they’re names of the both HoH and Veto Competitions. In front of the button is a zipline that reaches another, larger elevated island. It splits into two separate paths, both leading to a wall that either says HOH ACTIVITY or VETO ACTIVITY.

For the cameras, Will is instructed to read out the rules of the competitions from his cue card. He does so, saying out loud, “Welcome to part two of the final Head of Household Competition. Massive advertising dollars have been going to BB Lodge billboards to promote the final competition in the Big Brother house, and it’s up to you to make sure they’re correct. Here’s how it works.

“On go, you must zipline between the island platforms and transfer up to two BB Lodge competition titles at a time from the answer board to either the HoH or Veto billboard. It’s up to you to remember if an activity title was a Head of Household or Veto Competition. The BB Lodge promotores have demanded the titles on each billboard must be placed in the order they were played. Once you think both billboards are correct, hit your button. If you’re correct, your time will stop. If you’re incorrect, that means one or more of the competition titles are out of place. So, it’s up to you to figure out where you went wrong, adjust your answer, and buzz in again. The HouseGuest who can correctly arrange both billboards in the fastest time will win part two of the HoH competition. Are you ready to play Activity Itinerary? ” Will lets his emotion out. “Hell yeah!”

The rules of the competition were simple to Will, and with the studying he’s done in advance, he’s sure he can move quickly enough to beat Angela. With a blow of a horn, Will turns around and looks at all the competition titles, ready to move as quickly as he can.

Will decides to fill out the HoH billboard first. He’s won two of them, Out on a Limb and Keep the Fire Going . He finds them quickly on the wall, and grabs them, placing them on the hooks of his belt when he sees that the titles have holes on them. He turns around swiftly and grabs onto the zipline, zipping to the other side easily, and running to the HoH billboard. 

There he sees all the numbers each title has to be placed next to. Will grabs Out on a Limb and places it in the sixth position. He knows it goes there because he was HoH during the first week of Jury, and five other people were evicted by that time, so week six was correct. For Keep the Fire Going , he knew he won it two weeks before. Since they're on week twelve, he places the title in the tenth position.

With those two in place as anchors, Will runs back to the starting point, using the zipline to make it over. Will’s strategy now is to work from front to back, picking the first two competitions to start and continuing until he hits a wall. In that case, he’ll start from front to back until he hits a wall. In his mind, he’ll be able to fill up the billboard quickly. He remembers the first two competitions easily enough, BB Democracy and Majority Rules . He remembers the former better, since because of his vote, he gave the HoH to Jake. Likewise, he ended up on the block because of it.

After placing those in the first and second spots, he remembers the Heads of Household that came before him: Angela, Jake, and then Max. He assigns Munch Munch, Crunch Crunch to Angela, remembering how he almost won that himself. Jake won By the Numbers , and Max won Before or After . By nailing these three down, Will knows he has at least half of the HoH billboard done. Although there’s no visible timer, Will feels like he’s making good timing.

Will places the titles for the third and fourth week, and eventually returns to his starting point. He grabs Before or After , then starts to think about what came after his HoH reign. He recalls the Split House Twist taking place, meaning that both Lucas and Angela won that week. He determines then that the competition was Camp Knockout , one of two HoH competitions he didn’t get to play.

Once those two are on the board, in fifth and seventh place respectively, Will ziplines back to the button and sees what he has left. It’s at this point that his mind is foggy on what the competition titles were, so he decides it's better to work backwards. The latest two Head of Household competitions were Poached Eggs , and A Tangled Web .

Will races back to the HoH billboard and places them in the last two placements. With those two on the board, he had ten out of twelve. With only two left, Will is able to remember the titles as soon as he sees them on the board. They were: Fallen Lumber , and Diary Room Confessions. 

With the HoH billboard virtually done, Will knew what first competition to grab. He won the third Veto of the season, and decides to use it as an anchor: Counting Counselors . At this point, Will feels out of breath, but he pushes himself to place his first Veto title. 

Realizing he’s halfway through with the competition, Will tries running faster than before, even though his lungs were begging for him to stop sprinting. Will didn’t win any other Veto Competitions, so instead he focuses on other players that won multiple times. The first person he looked at is Erica, who won the first Veto, the one right after Will, the Veto from week 4, and the one from week 6.

Will looks at the remaining titles on the board and zeroes in on the correct ones: The Watering Hole , BB Lodge Hiking Trail , and Morph-O-Matic .  He grabs the first two and races back to put them on the Veto billboard, in their first and fourth positions, repeating his path to place the one in the sixth position.

He tries to think of what was the second and fifth Veto competitions. He knows Lucas won the second one and didn’t use it, while Angela won the fifth one and used it to save Jake from being evicted. He remembers Lucas finding ducks, so his brain connects it to Best of Duck, and then he remembers that he let Angela win that Veto. He realizes that it was OTEV, so he grabs the title with OTEV on it, and grabs Best of Duck .

As he places them in their correct positions, he realizes he’s almost done, he just needs seven more. He sprints back to the starting point, imagining Mike cheering him on as extra incentive. With six remaining to be placed, Will tries thinking of the most recent competitions, and it comes easily, since he participated in all of them. They were: Letters to Home, The Forest Run, and The Totem Pole.

Will grabs the first two, and as he places The Forest Run in the eleventh position, he tries to push away the guilt he feels from not being able to win it to save himself or Mike. Instead, he channels it all back into his running, pushing himself harder to finish strong.

After placing The Totem Pole last, Will breathes deeply. He only has two trips left to make. He works on the Vetoes from the Split House Twist first. He knows the one he played in easily: The Cherry on Top , but it takes him a second to remember the one that Mike played. It’s hard to remember since he’s only ever heard it once in passing, but he’s able to remember that Mike mentioned something about comic books. He matches his knowledge to what he sees and picks up BB Comics as the answer.

Will carries them over, and places them in the right position. As he runs to return to the starting point, he knows exactly what competition he’s missing: The Garden of Veto . At the starting wall, Will finds it easily, and quickly returns to the Veto billboard with it in his hands. He slams into the wall he’s moving so fast, but once he places the final title, Will keeps his momentum and returns to his button.

With the slam of his hand, he stops the timer, and, out of breath and tired, he falls to the ground, laying down to catch his breath. He knows he could have been more efficient, made less trips or moved faster, but all he can do now is hope that Angela trips up more than he does.

⏿⏿⏿

Max stands at the front of the living room, while Will and Angela stand side by side. It took Angela around the same amount of time for her to complete the competition as Will, but they weren’t sure who won part 2 until they read the times. On the television screen in front of them, there was the title of the competition, Activity Itinerary , as well as the words NAME and TIME. 

“Angela and Will,” Max starts, leading the reveal, “let’s see which one of you is joining me in part three of the final Head of Household Competition.” Will can feel his nerves getting the better of him, his breathing shortening and his hands becoming clammy. His name appears on the screen. “Will, you’re up first.” 

Will presses his lips together, afraid of what will be revealed to them. “Let’s see how you did.” They all look at the screen, and in a flash, his time is shown: 6:41. “You finished with a time of six minutes and forty-one seconds.” Will breathes out a sigh of relief seeing a small number.

“Angela, that means you’re going to have to beat six minutes and forty-one seconds to move on to part three of the final Head of Household Competition. Let’s see how you did.” Will stops breathing for a second, his focus entirely on the screen. He can feel the tension rising between him and Angela waiting for the reveal. And in an instant, all his worries are gone when the screen shows: 7:04.

“Wow.” Angela says. Will looks at her, and she gives him an embrace. She stabilizes him from a shakiness he was unaware of. “Good job.”

“Congratulations, Will.” Max says. “That means you’re joining me in the final Head of Household Competition.”

He pulls away from Angela, and then instantly embraces Max. Tears of joy form and Will wipes them away. He’s done himself proud, and he has a fighting chance. He can breathe a sigh of relief, and he does, ready to face off with Max and earn his way to the win.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 12, Day 82

Unsurprising to Will, he spends his studying time alone. Now that they both knew they were adversaries in the final part, Will and Max needed to study alone. Will couldn’t forgive himself if he accidentally shared important trivia with her and she’s able to beat him because of that. Will is also sure that Max would feel the same way, so the studying needed to be isolated.

Will preferred it too, because he needed to take a break, he was able to think about and ruminate on whatever he wanted. Mostly, his thoughts went to Mike. He couldn’t get his mind off of him ever since he won part two. He wished more than anything that Mike was there so that Will could see his face light up as he congratulated him.

He was putting a lot of pressure on himself to win the final HoH, but Will knew it was worth it, and he knew that he’s worked well under pressure thus far. If he can survive Eviction Night on week 1, then he can do it again on week 12. As long as he kept his motivation up, he was sure that he was going to beat Max in the final competition. He didn’t want to see Mike again until his fate was certain.

Will goes on, studying for hours in his room about the competitions, statistics about each player in the Jury House, and about the nominations and evictions. After the second part of the competition, Will had most of the facts down, and he was feeling good about his chances. 

The only thing Will was worried about was his nerves getting the better of him during the competition, messing up his thinking. Although Will tries his best to remind himself to breathe deeply, he knows that his mind can the better of him. He decides then that it’s better to imagine something calming when he feels like that during the competition, and his mind offers up the visage of Mike.

He stops studying then to think of Mike, how supporting and earnest he was. Will could always depend on Mike to back him up, even if it took him a while to see that. They’ve spent so much time alone together, and as a way to help himself, Will begins spouting out trivia facts about the game as if he was talking to Mike. He knows Mike was never the best at the trivia, so he imagines he’s helping him, and as he does, the time moves on fast. Before long, Will’s gone a couple of hours without eating or resting.

But Will’s flow is broken when Angela enters the room. He invites her in, surprised to see her. Since she’s no longer in contention for the final Head of Household, he assumed that she would lounge around the final few days, resting after a gauntlet of exhausting competitions.

“You’re studying.” Angela says, sitting down on the bed next to Will’s.

“Yeah, never know what they’re gonna throw at you.”

A moment passes, and then Angela says, “I was just helping Angela study.”

Will looks at her. “Really?”

“Yeah. But now I’m here to help you.”

Will scrutinizes her. Although they had both studied together before, the situation at present felt weird. “Really now?”

“Okay, not really.” Will knew things were never that simple. “I wanted to talk to you again about taking me to the Final 2.”

“Oh. Of course.” Will should have known that regardless of anything, Angela is always going to keep competing until the game is over. “I mean, I’m still thinking about it.”

“Well, you should stop thinking about it, and make up your mind. Especially because Max has already decided what she’s doing.”

“What, she told you?” Will doesn’t believe her.

“Yeah, I asked her while she was studying.” Angela’s facial expression is controlled like always. “She promised me she’s taking me if she wins.”

“I don’t believe you.” Will stands firm. He didn’t think it possible that Max would work with Angela like this, even more so that Angela would spill the beans about it.

“You don’t have to believe it. I know the truth, and she said she’s taking me, not you.” Will grimaces at her words. “I’m just trying to give you a heads up, because if you don’t win that final part, you won’t be winning this game.”

A moment passes before Will says anything. “Maybe you’re right. But I didn’t enter this game to lose, so regardless of anything you’re trying to say, I will be winning that last part.”

Angela stands up, and before she leaves, she says, “Then I wish you all the luck. Let’s hope you can pull it off come Finale Night.”

⌂⌂⌂

Week 12, Day 83

On the penultimate night in the house, Angela, Max, and Will receive a full course dinner, courtesy of the producers. When Will first sees all the food - appetizers, sides, mains, desserts, champagne - he nearly falls over. After twelve weeks in the house, he was happy to consume something other than the few meals he knows how to make.

As they sit around the table, eating their food happily, they begin talking about the season as a whole, talking about everyone’s ups and downs and their favorite moments.

“Well,” Angela starts, “I just want to congratulate you, Will, for making it this far after being nominated week one.”

“You know, I try not to think about it that often.” He takes a bite and swallows. “It was a big blow to me knowing I voted for Jake as HoH in the first place.”

“Yeah, well, I have to admit, I might’ve pushed you to him a little bit.”

“I had a feeling.” Will says, eyeing her. “Regardless of what he said, it just didn’t seem like a smart move.”

“When did you guys start working together anyway?” Max asks. “It felt like you guys were so quick to bond.”

“It was the first day, really.” Angela says. “We saw each other and instantly knew we wanted to work together.” She takes a sip of her champagne. “Wasn’t it the same with you and Lucas.”

“No, not really. I’m not sure when we started bonding a lot, but it definitely took us a while to realize we should work together.”

“Hm.” Angela turns to Will. “And what about you and Mike?”

“Honestly not until the middle of the game. I mean, he and I got along well, but before him I got along well with other people, like Max.”

“Yeah,” Max interjects, “Will and I really connected thanks to Lucas. It feels really weird he’s not here, no offense.”

“None taken.” Angela laughs. “I mean, I’m sitting here without any of my alliance members.”

“And you should be commended for that.” Will adds. “You really fought to get here.”

“We all did.” They all nod at Max’s words. “But, you guys really had the game in your hands in the first half.” Max says to Angela.

“We really did. Four HoHs in a row? That’s crazy! But then we dropped the ball and you guys got us all out.”

“Yeah, until somebody’s boyfriend had to initiate friendly fire.” Max says pointedly.

“Hey, what do you want me to say?” Will has his hands up in defense. “After he revealed Erica and Lucas were siblings, he had to take a shot!” Will feels good getting to defend Mike.

“Wait,” Angela says, “I have a question. When did you guys figure out they were related?”

Will goes first. “I put a few things together. They weren’t as clean with their stories as they probably should have.”

“Lucas told me once he returned to the house.” Max replies. “But I agree, Will, I had my suspicions.”

“But, just think,” Angela interrupts, “If Mike hadn’t taken out Erica, Lucas would have had both Max and her on his side. I think he would’ve won the game in that scenario.”

“You think so?” Max asks.

“I mean,” Will adds, “Who would take him out then? It would have been a cakewalk for him to get to the end, especially if he and Erica were able to keep up their secret.”

“I guess so.” She’s silent for a moment, then asks, “Do you guys think he’s a fan-favorite?”

“Like,” Angela clarifies, “Do I think he could win America’s Favorite Player?”

“Yeah.”

“I guess. I see it more for Erica though.” Angela replies.

“Really?”

“I do too.” Will agrees. “She was smart, a competition threat, and got out because of a twist. I’m sure people think she should’ve gone further.”

“Well, do you guys have any other ideas for who might win?” Max posits.

“I can see it for Dustin or El.” Will thinks about it some more. “Or even Eddie.”

“Please no.” Angela says in a huff. “Chaos incarnate.”

“You know he kept them entertained though.” Max says.

“I guess.” Angela shakes her head. “That was an easy eviction though. No feeling for him whatsoever.”

“I take it then that Jake’s eviction was the hardest for you?” Will asks

“It was. But… I don’t know, it was still pretty early in the game, it’s not like we bonded as much as we could have.”

Will continues his questioning. “So what? You guys aren’t going to date after the show?”

“I want to. Really.” Angela shakes her head again. “I’m not sure if Jake will want to though.” The table grows silent, just for Angela to move along. “What about you guys? Are you going to try to keep dating Mike and Lucas?”

“Absolutely.”

“Of course.”

Their words come out at the same time in a garbled mess. They laugh as Will continues, “I don’t see any deal breakers on the horizon.”

“And,” Max adds, “For all of us, if we win, who wouldn’t want to date the winner of Big Brother ?”

With that, they are reminded that the end is near. Only one day left. Only one competition left. Only one eviction left. Will looks down at his empty plate. Soon he’ll be reunited with his family, and soon he’ll be reunited with Mike. He can’t wait to see the looks on their faces when he leaves the house as the official winner.

⌂⌂⌂

Week 12, Day 84

Will stands tall, waiting for Julie to come overhead to begin the final challenge. He stands atop an elaborate set piece for the final competition, a large judicial scale, him on one side, and Max on the other, perfectly balanced. In front of him is a podium with an opening, with three large boards labelled either A, B, or C. There is also a chalkboard inside. In front of the scale is a large television for them to view. Will tries to steel his nerves as he waits.

He had woken up early, making himself a hearty breakfast that would last him through the day. Will feared that any food consumed closer to the live show would make an unwanted appearance due to the butterflies in his stomach. But that breakfast kept him going, giving him enough energy to think about the night’s events.

All day Will thought about the final part of the HoH. He could imagine the large scales, an iconic set piece used for every season, and he envisioned himself there, getting every question right and knocking out Max easily. He kept envisioning that, encouraging himself and manifesting his goals so that it would become a reality.

He thought about winning at every moment of the day; as he showered, as he got dressed, as he and the girls talked to Julie briefly before the competition. Will thought about winning at every moment because he knew that it was now or never. Will needed to be the final Head of Household, he needed to secure his safety, and he needed the power to evict.

Will looks across at Max. She’s as shaky as he is. She was not as good at trivia as she needed to be, and Will hoped that this backfoot she was on would end in his favor. He cracks his knuckles, something he rarely does, and reminds himself to breathe. It was just like any other competition before, and if he’s beaten Max once, he could do it again.

He closes his eyes and imagines Mike. They weren’t as far away from each other anymore. He knew Mike had to be on stage with the rest of the contestants, waiting to find out who won. Even like that, separated by just a few walls, Will could feel Mike’s encouragement, and he knew he could do it. Will knew he could win.

“HouseGuests...”

Will straightens up. “Hi, Julie!” He exclaims, his voice breathy. He hears Max greet Julie as well.

“For the last time this season, the power is up for grabs.” Will tries to shake his nerves. “Max, Will, as the winners of the first two rounds of the HoH competition, you two are the only ones eligible to compete tonight. This competition is called Jury Vlog , and the members of The Jury had such a good time this summer, they’ve recorded videos to tell their family all about it. Your job is to prove just how well you know your former housemates who now sit on The Jury.

“You’re about to watch a series of short Jury Vlog videos. These will feature a specific member of The Jury. Each video will reference three statements about that specific juror. Your job is to pick out which statement is false - A, B, or C. For each correct answer, you will receive one point. The HouseGuest with the most points after eight videos will become the final Head of Household of the season. Max, Will, are you two ready?”

Will forces himself to nod. “Of course!”

“Born ready.” Max says.

“Then let’s begin. Here is your first video.”

The television screen comes on, and on it, a humorous photoshoot of Chad doing camp activities is displayed. Will laughs as Chad speaks. “Dear Mom and Dad. It sucks that you guys couldn’t come on this trip with me, but I’ve been having the best time of my life. I can’t wait to tell you all about when I: was third place in the Out on a Limb competition, received the same amount of votes to evict as Suzie, and was evicted the first time I was nominated.”

The screen dissolves from Chad to the three statements, labelled A, B, or C respectively. “Is the false statement A, B, or C?” Julie asks. Will knows this answer easily. Will was the one to nominate Chad and recalls it being his first time, so the answer wasn’t C. He also knows that it took a lot of effort to evict Suzie, causing a tight vote, whereas Chad received the majority of the votes, so B must be correct.

Will grabs the B board as Julie says, “Lock in your answers.” A moment passes. “Answers are locked. Please reveal your answer.” Will turns the board around. “The false statement is B. Suzie received six votes to evict while Chad received five votes. You both got it right, you both receive a point.” WIll puts the board away. “Reset as we move on to video number two.”

Will feels good knowing he has a point. He hopes that Max fumbles the next question. The screen displays another photoshoot, this time of Jake. “Hey guys, missing you all so much! You know me though, gotta make the most out of life, like when: the Veto was used both times I was HoH, I was nominated during two consecutive weeks, I received seven votes to evict in total.”

The screen dissolves again and Julie asks again which statement is false. Will picks up the C board quickly. He remembers that Jake and Chad were on the block together, and as HoH, Will was the one to break the tie. This paired with the fact Jake was evicted during the Split House Twist meant he received six votes to evict in total.

“Lock in your answers,” Julie says, “Answers are locked, please reveal your answer.” Will shows the board, and breathes a sigh of relief. “The false statement is C. Jake received four votes in week six and two votes in week seven, meaning he received a total of six votes. You both got it right, you both receive a point. Reset as we move on to video number three.”

Will puts away his board as the new video starts, showing off Erica, a person Will wasn’t present during their eviction for. “Dear Mom and Dad, Lucas and I are doing great here. Both of us are having the time of our lives, and I can’t wait to tell you guys all about when: I won the Veto four times, I competed in the Veto competition five out of seven times. and I was evicted with the same number of votes as Lucas.

“Is the false statement A, B, or C?” Julie asks. Will is sure C is correct, because Lucas was evicted with two, and Erica was evicted unanimously during the Split House Twist when only two people voted on her side of the house. He knows she competed many times, so Will assumes A is incorrect.

“Answers are locked. Please reveal your answer.” Will does so, hoping that his guess is correct. “The false statement is A.” Will smiles, glad to know he got it correct. “Erica won the Veto three times. You both got it right. You both receive a point. You are tied at three points a piece Reset as we move to video number four.”

Will puts away his board, and finds himself happy to see Dustin’s face appear on the screen. “Dear Mom. Please don’t worry about me, my summer has been absolutely incredible. When I get back, I’ll tell you and Mews about when: I was evicted the week right after I had won Veto, I was evicted after being a renomination, and I received two votes during BB Democracy in week one.”

Will doesn’t have to think about this one, and drowns out Julie as he speaks. He picks the C board. “Lock in your answers. Answers are locked. Please reveal your answer.” Will hopes that Max’s early game memory is fuzzier than his. “The false statement is C. Dustin only received one vote during BB Democracy in week one.” Will begins to put his board away. “You both got it right. Again, you are tied.”

Max was giving Will a run for his money, and as they went further along in The Jury, he wasn’t sure if Max would get one wrong. As El appears on the screen, Will tries not to become discouraged. “Dear Dad. Everything’s going great here. I’ve made a ton of new friends that I can’t wait for you to meet. I also can’t wait to tell you about when: I received a vote every time I was nominated for eviction, I lost all twenty competitions I played in, and I was evicted with a tie breaker vote.”

Will knows this answer instantly, and he knows Max knows it too, much to his dismay. During the Split House Twist, Jake was evicted unanimously against El. He picks the A board and locks in his answer. “The false statement is A. El received eviction votes during week two and week nine, but not week seven. Again, you both got it right, you are still tied. Reset as we move on to video six.

Lucas shows up on the screen. “Dear Mom and Dad, Erica and I are having an amazing time together, although I wish she could’ve stayed a little longer. Regardless, I can’t wait to tell you guys about when: I received the second most votes during the BB Democracy competition, I was the seventh person to fall during the Out on a Limb competition, I was in the sixth lane during the Best of Duck competition.”

Will knows the answer isn’t A, but aside from that, he’s not sure what to choose. He reads the two options over and over again, but no matter what, Will couldn’t remember what Lucas did during both competitions. “Lock in your answers.” Julie says, applying pressure to him. Hurriedly, Will picks C. “Answers are locked, please reveal your answers.” Will obliges, hoping he got it right. “The false statement is B.” Will feels his heart sink. He knows one wrong answer could take him out of the running. “Lucas was the sixth person to fall during the Out on a Limb competition. Max, you got it right.” Will rolls his eyes, of course she’d get it right. “You take the lead by one point.”

Will resets his board, annoyed to have lost. The large scale tips in Max’s favor, him now higher in the air than Max and he can feel himself sweating. But, when he looks at the screen and sees Mike’s face, he can’t help the softening of his facial features. He had gone so long without seeing Mike, he’d almost forgotten how he looked. “To Nancy. I hope you’re doing well. Summer has been great so far, and I met this guy I can't wait to tell you all about.” Will is stunned to hear Mike's words. “I also can’t wait to tell you about when: I was the last person to be nominated for eviction, I came in third for the BB Comics competition, and I competed in eight out of eleven Veto competitions.”

Will knows the answer like he knows Mike. He picks B and locks in his answer. Mike had told him BB Comics was played during the Split House Twist and that he came second to Dustin. “Please reveal your answers.” Julie says. “The false statement is B. Mike came in second during the BB Comics competitions. Will, you got it right, tying the score once again.”

He couldn’t believe what Julie just said. The scale tips back down, now at equal weight. Will was sure he was down and out after missing the previous question, but knowing that he tied the score again, Will knew he needed to get the last one right too in order to stay in the running.

The screen reveals the final person, Robin. “To Vickie. This has been the craziest summer of my life, you’ll never believe what happened. I can’t wait to tell you about when: I was on the block on eviction night five times, the Veto was used every time I was on the block, and I was always nominated by a female Head of Household.”

Will knows the answer, but he’s sure that Max does too. He picks option C and reveals his answer. “The false statement is C. Robin was nominated by both Jake and Will. You both got it right, and we are still at a tie.” Will puts down his board and he can feel his nerves shaking him. He reaches for his chalkboard as Julies says, “Grab your chalkboards and ready yourselves for the tie breaking question.”

Will tries to control his breathing, closes his eyes and pictures Mike, calming his nerves as Julie continues speaking. He knew it was now or never, this was the question that would make or break him.

“Now, I’m going to ask a question. The answer is going to be a number. The person who comes closest to the correct answer without going over will be the Final Head of Household. If you both go over, the answer closest to the correct answer will determine the winner. Are you two ready?”

Will nods, pressing his lips together, feeling butterflies form in his stomach. “Including tiebreaker votes, how many total votes to evict have been cast so far this season?” Will feels himself freezing. He tries doing the math in his head, counting out the maximum and minimum total, trying to remember all of the tied votes, but the numbers get jumbled up in his head. He knows he has to add the numbers sequentially: 13 plus 12 plus 11 and so on and so forth, but with time ticking, he knows he can only make a guess. “You must write something down, because I need your answers.” On his chalkboard, he writes down 88. 

“Answers please.” With Julie’s command, Will reveals his answer. He closes his eyes, shutting them as hard as he can. His breathing is shaky, and he repeats please, please, please in his head. He just needed to be closer than Max. “The correct answer is… 85.” Will begins to cry. “Congratulations, Max, you are the Final Head of Household!”

The scales tip in her favor again, this time going all the way down to let her off. “It is now up to you, Max, to decide who you would like to evict, and who you would like to sit next to when you face The Jury later tonight.” Will sees her, her head in her palms, fist pumping with joy. “I’ll be back in a few moments for your decision.” And as the scales tip downward for Will, he can’t help but feel jealousy at her euphoria.

⏿⏿⏿

Will sits beside Angela in the nomination chairs. For the first time all season, they hold hands. He squeezes hers hard, like it’s his only lifeline. Will looks at the floor waiting for Julie.

Will tells himself to not be so sure, that anything could happen and that Max would vote either way. But deep down, Will could feel dread crawling and creeping into every corner of his body. He was so close to the correct answer. He beats himself up for going over.

“Angela, Will,” Julie’s voice is like a siren's song. He looks up at Julie as she continues speaking, “In just a few moments, Max will cast her vote to evict.” She sits on the couch to the side of him, and Will can’t bear to look at her. “But, before he does, you each have one last chance to plead your case. Angela, you’re first.”

Will lets go of her hand and watches her stand. She turns all her attention to Max as she speaks. “Max, I think it goes without saying that I am the one you need to take to the end. If you are sitting in the end with Will, you are going to have an uphill battle for that win. Sitting next to me is your best chance at winning. We may not have worked together throughout this game, but now is the time to pledge loyalty to me so that we can both be sitting in those Final 2 spots. Thank you.”

Angela sits down as Julie says, “Thank you, Angela. Will, you’re up.”

Will stands up and forces himself to look at Max. “Max, you and I have been playing this game together for a long time. We have promised each other to go to the end for weeks, and we’ve worked together in a symbiotic relationship that has benefitted the both of us, and it’s gotten us this far. Now, all we need to do to make it to the end is to evict Angela. You and I have never backstabbed each other, never put each other up or voted for each other, and that loyalty can take us to the end. Thank you.”

As he sits down, Will is surprised at the word salad that has fallen out of his mind, but he’s glad that to have pushed the loyalty angle to her. He’s happy with his plea, and knows now it’s all in Max’s hands. Will grabs ahold of Angela.

“Thank you, Will. Thank you both. Max, you are now guaranteed at least second place and the $75,000 prize that goes with it.” Max nods along at every word from Julie. “But you have a very big decision to make. By deciding who to evict, you are deciding who will stay and sit next to you when The Jury votes for the winner of Big Brother . This could be a $750,000 decision. Are you ready to make it?”

Will can feel his heart in his throat as Max says, “Yes, Julie.”

“Then please stand at the head of the living room and cast your vote to evict.”

Max stands and obliges. She puts her hands together in front of her and breathes, and Will can’t take his eyes off of her, his lips going dry. “I respect the both of you so much, you are both such worthy competitors and you really gave me a run for my money. This is the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make.” Will can feel his hand sticky against Angela’s. “And it would have been a hard decision for either of you, so please know that I have to do what’s best for me at this moment, and I’m sorry, Will, but that means I vote to evict you.”

Will can only nod his head, trying to hold his tears back. He stands up, and gives Angela a hug as Julie says, “It’s official, Will. You are the last person evicted from the Big Brother house.” 

Will can’t believe how nice it feels to hug Angela, missing it as soon as it ends. He faces Max next, and embraces her just as he’s done before, despite the fact that she’s ended his path forward. “I love you, Will.” She says against his ear.

“I love you, too. I have the utmost respect for you and your decision.” Will pulls away, and Max wipes away the tears from underneath his eyes.

Will walks toward the front door saying, “It’s time for me to meet Julie.” He opens the door and looks at the girls. “Good luck, y’all. I’ll see you soon.”

As Will leaves the front door and into the hallway to the front stage, hearing Max and Angela saying goodbye to him. And in the darkness of the hallway before the stage, Will hurriedly wipes away his tears, preparing himself to meet Julie.

⏿⏿⏿

The cheers from the live audience is almost enough to toss all of Will’s sadness away. On the stage is Julie, looking even more beautiful than on the television screen. She motions for him to sit in a chair beside her. He smiles as the audience continues their cheers, waiting for Julie to sit beside him. 

“Hi, Julie.” Will says, catching his breath after the emotional moment. “You are looking lovely tonight.”

“Thank you, Will, so are you.” Julie’s voice is calm and welcoming and it centers Will. “You are obviously having an emotional moment about all this, I have to ask how shocked are you? Because you and Max have been working together the majority of the game. So, the fact that she just evicted you, are you shocked?”

“Uh,” Will tries to find the words. “You know, I’m really not. I’m definitely sad about all this, obviously, I’m crying, but, you know, I’ve been picking up on signals that she wouldn’t take me, for a while now. And it’s like she said. It’s best for her game, so I’m not shocked that she did what she did.”

“Well, I will say, you are handling it with grace, despite the tears.” Will can’t help but smile at hearing that. “Did she, in your opinion, make the right decision in order to have a chance at winning the money?”

Will nods before he speaks. “I think so. I really do. You know, if she took me, she’d be splitting The Party votes, now she probably has them all. And, I was a formidable opponent, you know, I made big moves and wasn’t afraid of taking charge of the game.” At this point, Will feels no more tears.

“Well, when those big moves were made during your watch, do you think that you might’ve burned any possible Jury votes?”

“I don’t think so. I think I got along well with almost everyone, especially as they left the house. Even Robin. Even though we didn’t speak that much at the end there, we were the best of friends come Eviction Night. So no, I think I had a good Jury Management, probably even better than Max did.”

“I see.” Julie pauses before asking. “What’s the best thing you’re going to take away from this experience in the house?”

“Definitely, the connections I made in the house. I was part of a big alliance where I meshed well with everyone. So, definitely, those friendships I’m going to carry forever.”

Julie smirks. “And what about Mike?” The audience begins to cheer and Will blushes.

“You know, he and I have a lot of talking to do now that this is all over, but I can promise you, at least on my end, that he’s someone I’ll never be able to shake.”

The audience cheers again, and Will can’t help but laugh at his own embarrassment. “Well, Will, you are now the ninth and final member of The Jury, and in just moments, you and the others will be crowned the winner of Big Brother . Thank you so much.”

“Thank you , Julie, for everything.”

Julie turns to a camera, and to the audience says, “Up next, the Final 2 is revealed to The Jury, and they get a chance to grill them, looking for answers to help them make their decision on who deserves the three-quarter million dollar grand prize.The live interrogation next. Stay with us.”

⏿⏿⏿

Will stands off to the side of the stage. In the distance he can see Mike and the other Jurors. He waits for his cue to join them, listening to Julie asking them who they think is joining The Jury. As he does, he can hear Mike say he hopes for anyone but Will, and hears Jake say he’s expecting to see Angela.

At the cue of one the crew members of the show, Will walks out onto the stage, seeing the Jurors sit in two rows. “Hey, y’all!” He says loudly, basking in at their surprised faces and their applause. He walks over to them, receiving a fist bump from Dustin as he sits down in his seat next to Robin, feeling Mike’s eyes on him the whole time. Will wants nothing more than to run off the stage with him.

“Just so everyone knows, Max won the Final Head of Household Competition, and obviously, she chose to evict Will.” Will can feel Robin snake her hand in his and he happily takes it. “Alright Jurors, in a few moments, you will lock in your votes for the winner of Big Brother . But, before you do, you will have one last chance to question Angela and Max. You’ve been asked, as a group, to come up with three questions for each finalist. You will now get to ask them these questions.”

On the screen behind Julie, the image of Max and Angela sitting in the nomination chairs appears, and they begin waving at the Jurors. “Angela, Max, I am here with The Jury, and in just a few moments, they will be voting for the person they want to see win Big Brother . But, before they do, they have some questions for the two of you. Lucas, you’re up first.”

Lucas stands up, just three seats away from Will, waving to the two finalists. “Congratulations, you guys! I’m so excited for the both of you!” He says quickly before transitioning to his question. “My question is for Max. Other than using your HoH to evict Stacy from the game, what do you think was the most pivotal move you made that set you up to get to the Final 2?”

Max nods in understanding, stands up and confidently answers. “You know, I’d have to save it was actually a moment of restraint that got me here. During the Double Eviction, refusing to use the Veto, even though my ally, Will, was on the block was the most beneficial. It kept me centered in the house, and going into the final four without a target on my back allowed me to survive and fight my way to the Final 2 by winning both the Final 4 and Final 3 HoH’s.”

Will smiles, thinking that she answered the question appropriately. Max sits back down as Julie says, “Thank you, Max. Chad, what question do you have?”

Chad projects his voice as he speaks, clear and concise. “This question is for Angela, congrats on making it to the end. Angela, you were a target for the majority of The Jury segment of the game, did you adapt your game to improve your position, and if so, how?”

Angela stands, smiling at the opportunity to answer. “Absolutely, I adapted my game. During the first few weeks, I really didn’t want to win any competitions so that I wouldn’t appear as a threat, instead working my influence behind the scenes. But, as soon as you and Jake were evicted, I knew I had to do my best in every competition, and despite being the target for multiple weeks, I got myself as far as possible.”

Will thinks too that Angela answered appropriately, impressed that she has a good grasp on her game. “Thank you, Angela,” Julie says, “Jake, you’re up next.”

From behind Will, Jake talks, obviously smiling as he speaks. “Congratulations to the both of you, you’re both such great competitors. My question is for Max. No one can play a perfect game, what was your biggest blunder, and how did you remedy it?”

Again Max stands. “My biggest hiccup in this game was losing my number one ally, Lucas, but the best way I remedied that was by evicting Mike. As soon as I did that, I knew Will would have no one to turn to, thus gaining myself a new number one ally that I could continue working with, and it’s with the help from Will that I remained well-centered in the game and sure that I could make it to the end.”

Will feels a bit hurt at the mention of Mike’s eviction, but knowing that Max kept a level head through the Double Eviction impresses him enough to push the hurt away. “Robin, next question please.”

Will shifts his attention to Robin, watching her read off a tiny cue card. “First of all, congrats to the both of you, you’ve both done amazing in this game and I’m happy to see two girls at the end. Angela, were there any big moves in the game that people might not necessarily see as yours and that you orchestrated, and how did you do it?”

“I think a move I should get credit for is when you, Robin, nominated Mike and Will for eviction. I had been sitting on the information that they were a duo for a long time, and slowly began talking to you about it because I knew I needed someone to back me up when the time was right. So, when you won your HoH, I made sure I was the first one you talked to so that I could push for you to nominate them both, and because of that I successfully got Mike out.”

Mike can only laugh and shake his head. He knows Angela is right about wanting the credit for the move, but he’s not sure some of The Jury would agree. “Thank you, Angela. Erica, please proceed with the next question.”

Will is happy to hear Erica’s voice after such a long time. “Hey, guys, you both look great! This question is for Max. Some people think you played a safe game, not assuming much risk, as you were always protected by The Party. Where would you say you took a deliberate risk in the game that’s your own?”

“The biggest risk I took was trusting actually being the first one to take a shot at The Socs. In this game, the pendulum could easily swing back against my favor, and I knew putting two members of them up in week 5 would make me a target for them the following week. But, I trusted my gut, and got one of them out, and with the connections I made in the house, I was able to stay off the block in the weeks that followed.”

In Will’s mind, he’s not sure he entirely agrees with Max’s statement. At that point in the game, the only logical sense was to nominate The Socs, especially since they would have targeted The Party. Regardless, Will lets her have it. “Thank you, Max. Mike, your question.”

Will turns to look at him, and as soon as he hears Mike’s gentle timbre, he realizes just how much he’s missed Mike’s voice. “Hi, y’all, I can’t wait to see you both out here. Angela, this question is for you. Angela, this question is for you. You were nominated many times this season, and that can be seen as weak gameplay. Tell us why we are wrong about that.”

“It’s true what you say, that I was nominated many times this season, but each time I was, I won the Veto to pull myself off, and with that, I made sure to begin working with other people. Like I said before, I worked with Robin leading up to the Double Eviction, but I also worked with Will, because I knew he had a lot of influence in the house, making deals with him and talking strategy with him. Regardless of how many times I was nominated, I never stopped playing the game, and that should be commended.”

“Thank you, Angela.” To Will’s surprise, Julie turns to him. “Now, Will, you were just evicted, so I want to give you a chance to ask your own question to one of the finalists.”

“Okay, uh, Max, this is for you. You’re at the end at the expense of me. Is this because you were convinced by Angela to evict? If not, tell me why I should think differently.”

“Hi, Will. Sorry, you know, about all that.” Will laughs. “But you should know better than anyone that I have a thick skull and I’m hard-headed, no one could convince me to do anything. I’ll admit that Angela was trying to convince me to evict you, but even before she did that, I knew that you would be my biggest competitor. So, when I had the sole vote to evict, I knew I was making the winning move, and unfortunately, it was at your expense.”

Will accepts the answer. “Thank you, Max. Thank you, Angela. Thank you, Jurors. Angela and Max, I’ll be back in just a few moments, where you’ll each have an opportunity to make a final statement to The Jury.”

Julie begins speaking to the camera once again. Despite the fact that there were still the final statements to hear, Will knew who he was voting for. But, he couldn’t help but feel like Angela answered her questions expertly, and he wasn’t sure how the votes might play out.

⏿⏿⏿

Off to the side of where The Jury sits, Will eyes a podium. It holds the key wheel, and on either side, boxes with both Angela and Max's name. Before, the wheel was used to determine who was safe each week, now it will be used to hold the votes of each Jury member. In Will’s hands is a small bag, and inside two keys sit, one with Max’s name on it, the other with Angela’s. Will waits with bated breath as Julie introduces the final segment.

“Angela, Max, it is now time for The Jury to cast their votes.” Will smiles, happy to have power again. “But first, you each have a chance to tell them why you deserve to win Big Brother . Max, you’re first.”

Will watches Max stand tall and proud, and waits for her to hit it out of the box. “To the members of The Jury, I implore you to vote for me because I have played the best game out of everyone. Early on, I played socially, working with a large group to ensure my safety. And when I had power, I played strategically, talking to everyone and gaining as much information as I could to ensure my safety. And by the end of the game, I played physically, bringing myself to the end by winning competitions to ensure my safety. Every aspect of the game that makes a player great, I have tenfold, and it shows that no matter what part of my game you look at, there’s something to commend me for. I played this game hard, and did it so well that I have never been on the block come Eviction Night and I’ve never received a vote to be evicted. If that isn’t the sign of a deserving player, I don’t know what is.”

Will claps, and so do the rest of The Jury at Max’s speech. He had heard Max practice it low to herself, but hearing it now, Will knew nobody else deserves to win but her.

Angela stands next, just as tall and as proud as Max, and fights for the win. “If ever there was a persistent player, that would be me. Like we’ve talked about earlier, I have gone through many positions of the game during my time here. I’ve been at the top, fallen to rock bottom, positioned myself in the middle, and that is because I love this game, and until it’s over, you never know what might happen, so I never gave up on myself. Even when you all thought I was down for the count, I proved you wrong. So, yes, I may not have been the safest like Max, but I have just as much drive, if not more, and despite all the obstacles, I made it here. I beat you all. And I deserve the credit. Thank you.”

Will’s blows away at her speech. The right amount of ego and cockiness. It made Will want to give her credit.

As the applause dies down, Julie speaks again. “Thank you, Angela. Thank you, both. Jurors…” Will can feel his heart racing, but this time, he knows it’s a good thing. “It’s time to vote for the winner of Big Brother . One at a time, you will step up to the key wheel and insert the key of the person you want to see win the game and the three-quarter million dollar grand prize. Chad, you’re up first.”

From behind him, Chad appears, and walks to the wheel. He pulls out a key, and as he’s about to place it in the wheel, he says, “I vote for my favorite underdog. I hope you take it.”

Next is Jake, striding up to the wheel with all the confidence Will associates with him. As he inserts his key he says, “Well, I think we all know who I’m voting for. See you soon.”

Jake’s words earn him a laugh from Will, and Erica laughs just the same as she approaches the key wheel. “I want you to know my vote is purely for the person I’m most impressed by. That’s all.”

Dustin is the next person to vote, and Will knows that Dustin has been waiting his whole life for this. “Congrats to you both. You both played a great game. Better than me.”

El high-fives Dustin as they pass each other, and she looks as radiant as Will as ever seen her. “Congrats you two, you’re both such strong women. I’m proud to vote for either of you.” She plunges her key and then steps away.

Lucas is next, and he looks just as cool and confident as Jake. As he inserts his key, he says, “What Jake said. I think we all know who I’m voting for.”

Mike is next, and Will blushes looking at him, taking his entire essence in once more. “I won’t lie and say that I wish I could vote for someone else.” Will shakes his head. “But you guys both did great, congratulations.” Will keeps his eyes on Mike as he returns, the two can’t help but smile at each other. 

Robin stands up next, and Will prepares himself for his turn. “Good job, you two. Should’ve taken me to the end, but what’re you gonna do, you know?”

Will laughs. As he passes by Robin, he gives her a quick hug, happy to be in her presence again. Will reaches the key wheel, pulls out his choice, and plunges it in. “I’m giving it to the most deserving player. Which should be me, but whatever.”

This earns a laugh from everyone, and Will is giddy to sit back in his seat. “Thank you, Will.” Julie says. “And with that, the voting is complete.” 

Will watches Julie approach the podium, and she takes her position, talking to both the camera and to Angela and Max. “After 84 days, it is now finally time to crown a winner. Angela, Max, I’m about to reveal The Jury’s votes.” Angela and Max grab hold of each other’s hands. “The winner will receive $750,000, the runner-up, $75,000. I will pull the keys from the box, revealing whom each Juror chose to win Big Brother . You will need at least five votes to win.”

The room goes quiet, and Will realizes Julie is beginning to move. He reaches for Robin’s hand, and they hold each other as she grabs the first key. “Chad has cast his vote for… Angela.”

Will can feel his hands going clammy, and he apologizes quickly to Robin. Julie puts Chad’s key into Angela’s box. She grabs the next one, and as she does, says, “Jake has cast his vote for… Angela.”

Those were the two votes Will was sure would go to Angela. Now, he waited to see how everyone else voted. “Erica has cast her vote for… Angela. That’s three votes for Angela, zero for Max.”

Will’s shocked at the vote, and by the look on Angela and Max’s face, they were too. Unfortunately, Julie continues onward. “Dustin has voted for… Max. That’s three votes for Angela, one for Max.”

Will breathes out slowly, sure of the next few votes. Julie puts the first key into Max’s box, and moves on. “El has voted for… Max.”

With Lucas’ vote next, he’s sure what Julie is about to say. “Lucas has voted for… Max. That’s three votes a piece. You need five votes to win.”

Mike’s vote is next, and Will’s unsure what Mike decided on, especially since they both voted him out. “Mike’s vote goes to… Max.”

Will watches as Max leans in closer. She needs one more vote to win, and everyone waits with bated breath. “Robin’s vote goes to…

“Congratulations, Max!” Will and the rest of the audience begin to applaud. “You are the winner of Big Brother !” Max stands up, and she embraces Angela, holding each other tight. “Angela and Max, head out the front door and join us on stage.”

Will’s on his feet, as are the rest of the Jurors. Across the stage, he can see the other competitors, Suzie, Stacy, Chrissy, Eddie, and Jason, all flooding the stage to join them. On the screen, Max and Angela hold each other’s hand, walking out of the front door and down the corridor.

When they walk out on stage, a hurricane of confetti flies into the air. Max stops in her tracks, and puts her arms up in victory, basking in the glow of winning. Will is the first one to embrace Max, and then he feels Robin joining in. She holds them tight, saying, “I love you guys. I love you guys, thank you!”

The next person Will hugs is Angela, going in right after Jake and Chad pull away. The confetti falls on them as they hug, and Will congratulates her. He can see tears forming in her eyes, and Will hopes that they're from joy.

One by one, everyone embraces Max, the applause and conversations too loud for Will to hear anything they say. But as Will watches Max receive the love she deserves, Will feels a hand on his shoulder. He turns around, and there, with a soft smile on his face, and a piece of confetti in his hair, is Mike, earnest eyes on nothing but Will, and before will can even think about something to say to ruin the moment, Will embraces him, and leans in for a kiss, ready to receive the love he deserves.

⏿⏿⏿

Will and the rest of his housemates stand crowded around Julie as she hosts the final part of the show. As Will listens, Mike inches ever closer to him, grabbing ahold of one of WIll’s hands, and holding it tightly.

“Welcome back to the season finale of Big Brother ,” Julie says. Julie holds up one key for viewing and says, “Just for the record, Will also voted for Max to be the winner.” There’s more applause from the audience, and Max pulls him in for another embrace before quickly letting go. 

“As you all know, there is another prize up for grabs tonight. Our viewers have been voting for their favorite HouseGuest. The person who received the most votes will take home $50,000 plus, a cruise for two aboard the Princess cruise lines.” Will and the others all ooh and awe at the prizes.

“The top three vote-getters, in no particular order, were Erica…” Will claps for her, happy she’s recognized, “Eddie…” Will’s shocked to hear that, especially since he only lasted one week, “And… Will.”

Will’s jaw drops. Mike grabs him, turning Will by the shoulders, embracing him as if to share the excitement he feels for Will. Will never thought about how the audience viewed him, not wanting it to hinder how he played the game, so he always defaulted to the thought that they hated him. But to be here now, in contention for a prize. Will presses his lips together, and hopes that he’s won.

Will watches Julie open an envelope she holds in her hand, his chest rising and falling with greatness. Mike’s hands are on his shoulders, stabilizing him, and Will holds one of them there, hoping they can both manifest a win.

“America’s Favorite Player is…” Will closes his eyes, and then hears, “Congratulations, Will!”

Will instantly crouches down, only to be pulled up by Mike again. There’s applause all around. He covers his mouth in shock, and for the second time in the night, he feels tears forming, this time, of joy. Mike pulls him in for a hug, and then he enters a carousel of hugs from his friends.

“Oh my God!” Will is finally able to let out. He wraps an arm around Mike’s shoulders, and he pulls Will in closer by the waist.

“Will,” Julie says, smiling at him. “What do you have to say, Will?”

“This is insane. I never could have dreamed of any of this.” Will can feel his mouth going dry from his nerves, then quickly adds, “Looks like Mike and I are going on a cruise!” There’s another round of applause, and Will feels Mike kiss him on the cheek. He blushes like he always does. 

“Well, you deserve it, Will, congratulations. And congratulations to our winner, Max Mayfield! Tell us, Max, what are you going to do with the money?”

Max lips her lips, looking around, and then curtly says, “My taxes.” The room bursts with laughter and Will feels on an incredible high, happy to be sharing the night with his friend. 

“And Angela, don’t think I’ve forgotten about you. How do you feel about winning $75,000?”

Angela smiles, a genuine one that Will is unfamiliar with seeing. “I’m just so appreciative of this moment, I haven’t even thought of it. Thank you all, for everything, I’m so glad to have made it this far.”

“Thank you, Angela. And thank you all for an incredible season. For the last time, I must say: Goodnight HouseGuests.”

In unison, they all say, “Goodnight, Julie!”

“From outside the Big Brother house, I’m Julie Chen Moonves, and remember, love one another. Good night.”

⏿⏿⏿

And in the afterglow of the season, as people slowly but surely leave the set of the show, shuffling about and saying goodbye to everyone, Will stands with his back against a wall, his hands on Mike’s waist as Mike domineers over him, talking lowly and looking at each other eye to eye.

“You meant what you said back there? About us going on that cruise?” Mike asks, voice husky.

“Of course.” Will says, fluttering his eyes.

“Then I guess that means you want to keep this up? You and I?” Mike asks timidly, something Will finds so cute.

“With all my heart.” Suddenly, Mike leans in, and kisses him, and Will thinks it’s almost as good as winning America’s Favorite Player.

Mike pulls back, and says, “Good, because there’s something I’ve been wanting to do with you without all the cameras watching.”

Will feels his knees go weak, understanding Mike’s undertone. “If only they could. Guarantee it’d make a good show.”