SOME PEOPLE LOVED change. Others hated it. It was funny how people adapted differently to the same situation.

I survived my first night in this hellhole, and I didn't think I was adapting well. After spending my night staring at the left corner because it was the only one without a camera or a picture, I realized that I hated this place, especially my room.

The pictures fucked with me, but I couldn't sleep anywhere else. Sleeping out in the open felt unsafe.

We did promise not to kill each other, at least until after the first voting session, but could we really trust each other? Sebastian came off as a nice guy, but could I trust him? I didn't know.

He did help me feel a little bit more comfortable in the house. We talked for a couple of hours last night, and once that was over, I played with my iPad for a while.

The communication app was easy to find, but I didn't really want to talk to anyone. The Battle of the Killers app, where we could talk to the viewers, caught me off guard. I clicked on it because I was curious, but I didn't know it would automatically sign me in and make me available to chat.

Instantly, comments and questions bombarded me, and some were so vulgar that a porn star would blush. I swore to myself to avoid that live chat at all costs.

Chi-Lynn was very popular in live chat though, taking racy pictures and flirting with everyone. She requested all types of things like a new four-poster bed, makeup, clothing, and a Birkin bag. Why the hell would she need a Birkin bag?

Anyway, everything she put on her wish list she got. She kept putting up request after request, and viewers would tap on it, buying it for her instantaneously.

Even though I did need things, I couldn't imagine requesting things from a bunch of eager strangers. Strangers who were probably betting on whether I would live or die. It was tempting though.

A bed would be nice. The carpeting was plush, but nothing beat a nice, fluffy-firm mattress. I also needed basic necessities like clothing, towels, a toothbrush, and just basic toiletries. I literally had nothing but Khan's jacket, a burned bra, scorched jeans, ashy boots, an iPad and a keychain.

Could I go on for weeks like this? I didn't think so, but I couldn't get myself to request stuff. A part of me thought it was my pride, but it also felt wrong at the same time.

Chi-Lynn wasn't the only one requesting things either. She was the first, but throughout the night, everyone started requesting stuff. I saw beds, televisions, Xboxes, PS4s, basic necessities, snacks, and lots of other things.

The only other person who didn't request was Layla. We were the only ones. Two stubborn wolves together.

Sitting up on the floor, I yawned and stretched, releasing the stiffness in my shoulders. The iPad said that it was 11:30 a.m. I've been in this room for the past seven hours.

The plush carpet crunched under my boots when I made my way to the bathroom. The shiny black marble and chrome coloring caught my eye first, giving off a lavish, comfy feel.

I went to the full-length mirror, staring at myself. Crusty, chipped blood and ashy smog caked my filthy skin and pores, making me look like I just survived a tornado attack in Kansas.

My fingertips touched my big, curly mess, feeling the dryness and dirt. I needed a shower and hair products asap.

The jacuzzi and adjoining shower looked very inviting, but I had no towels or soap, and the cameras in the bathroom bothered me. Millions of people would be watching me shower.

Not to mention the other contestants as well. I didn't quite get why they'd want us to spy on each other in the shower. Probably because they wanted to promote and encourage sex and perversion in the house, making us want to sleep with each other. No thanks.

Yes, I was a virgin and by choice. Dating never seemed in the cards for me. I spent most of my time trying to blend in and be normal. Having a boyfriend just seemed like an extra effort because I'd have to try even harder to act like Betinia, but my therapist encouraged dating, recommended it even.

A few days later, I met Jonathan, and I thought, why not? There wasn't really a connection; I never had a connection with anyone before, but the attention and the company were nice.

I doubted I would fall for any of these people. I just wanted to survive and get home to my family. Tim and Angie must be freaking out. I never just up and disappeared before.

A part of me hoped Tim would pull a Taken and come find my ass, but that was highly doubtful. This place was truly underground and locked down.

Turning on the sink, I tried scrubbing the blood off my clothing, but without soap, it seemed like a lost cause. Shaking my head, I clutched my day-old frizzy hair. Maybe I should request something — No!

There had to be something I could do. My mind thought over my options, and then I came to a conclusion. On the way to my room last night, I spotted a laundry room. Washing my clothes there felt like my only choice to get somewhat clean.

Grabbing my stuff, I left my room. Laughter and noise echoed throughout the wide halls. Everything seemed livelier now.

Searching around while trying to avoid people was hard. It got even harder when I had a cameraman right on my ass, zooming in. Didn't they sleep?

Taking a sharp corner, I spotted Khan, sitting on the floor, boot against the wall. He appeared to be staring at his anklet, silent. He moved a bit, pushing his thick black hair behind his ears, but he never made a sound. Was he looking for a way to dismantle it? Was he trying to escape?

Was that even possible? I ignored my questioning mind and went back to searching for the laundry room. Once I found it, I ran inside, slamming the door in the cameraman's face.

It was a medium-size area, housing several washers and dryers. All of them were empty, but a few of the washer and dryer doors were opened. Someone was in here before me.

Moving further into the room, a pack of Tide pods littered the ground, peeking out from under the open washer. The person in here before must've dropped them by accident. Score!

The process of stripping out of my clothes and starting the washer without being nude in front of the two cameras in the high corners happened very fast. It involved a lot of speed and a lot of skunking down into Khan's jacket.

The sink wasn't near any of the cameras, so I ran over there and tried washing my body of the grime and blood. The crusty blood washed off in small flakes, but the grime smudged my fingers more than wash off. Ugh!

Sitting on the floor, I waited until the washer finished and followed up with the dryer. My lacy bra had surprisingly held up during the washing and drying but barely. Luckily, no one would be seeing it because I was going to button up the jacket to the neck before leaving.

Being in clean clothes felt amazing, but I still felt dirty and messy. Fixing my hair without products was a hassle, but with tons of water and finger combing, I created this hobo pony-tail that came out semi-decent.

A loud squeal escaped my throat when I smashed into the cameraman upon leaving the laundry room. The metal camera hit me right in the chest, knocking the air out of my stomach for a second.

The cameraman just stared and kept filming. I didn't think I'd ever get used to this. A tiny ping sprung from my iPad, and I stood up, catching my breath before looking down at it.

Sebastian sent me a private message. It said, "Come to the kitchen and eat with me!"

I paused for a second, not really wanting to go. What if it was a trap? Or what if he was just trying to be nice? Weighing the pros and cons in my head, I decided to go, thinking it would be smart to get to know him better. Everyone here was technically my enemy, so getting to know them better might come in handy later.

It took me several minutes to find the kitchen. The underground house was huge with its multiple hallways and excess room and very confusing. The only reason I found it was because I followed the delicious stench of caramel bacon and the echoes of girlish laughter.

Following the obnoxious noises, it brought me to a red revolving door. The crisp aroma of freshly cooked bacon and eggs massaged my nose, making my stomach growl.

Swinging the door open, an expensive yet modern kitchen came into view. Multiple stoves and ovens plastered the wall with black marble countertops and cabinets complimenting the crimson touches.

Sebastian, Aries, Gmie, Chi-Lynn, and Demo relaxed at the side island, sitting on the tall iron stools. Fee with his hulking frame worked the stove while ignoring everyone else. He flipped and stirred things like he was in his own home.

Plates of different foods littered the counters, waiting for hungry people to grab them.

"Hey!" Sebastian sauntered over to me from the island with a smile, looking all fresh and clean in a new white shirt and tight jeans. He smelled like fruit soap, and I instantly became jealous. "Sleep good?"

I shrugged. "I'm alright."

"Hungry?" he asked, pointing down to the food. "Eat. We found out that Fee loves to cook. He's been here for hours, just cooking and cleaning."

Fee grunted and continued to cook, still ignoring everyone.

"Trust me, it's not poisoned," Sebastian said. "I watched him cook it."

"Still possible," Gmie yelled from the island while munching on a strip of bacon.

I think she was trying to freak me out. People like her annoyed me, and I almost left, and Sebastian must've seen that because he quickly made me a plate and pulled me to the island.

I sat on the end stool, plate in front of me. Sebastian was on my right with Aries next to him. The girls were across from us — Gmie in the middle, Chi-Lynn across from me, and Demo on the end.

Gmie flickered her light brown eyes at me, sizing me up before crinkling her nose. "You still look dirty. Guess you're a two-day panty wearing type girl, huh?" she asked in a patronizing tone.

Tini shifted in me, wanting to go for her jugular, but I reeled her back. "I don't feel comfortable requesting anything."

Chi-Lynn stopped typing on her iPad to throw back a lock of red hair. "You don't feel comfortable? Fuck it. I'm requesting anything I want. I'm going to enjoy myself while I'm stuck in this prison."

"It's so easy," Aries said, nodding. "You request it, and it shows up at your door in like two hours. I just got my own Xbox — I can't live without my games, man."

"Nah, I'm okay. I'll be fine." My fingers picked up a piece of bacon, fingering the brown sugar glaze on top before taking a bite. Wow, this was good.

"So, you think you're better than us?" Gmie asked, slapping the counter. "That we're users because we're getting stuff from strangers? You think you're too good for us?"

Okay, she wanted to not like me. That had to be the only reason she kept messing with me.

"I don't think she meant it that way," Sebastian said, looking at Gmie.

"Ms. Princess Peach here — fan favorite," she ranted. "So special and innocent. Blah. You're just crap."

"Look. I don't know why you don't like me. Probably because I beat you at one stupid challenge, and your ego is just that fragile," I said, feeling Tini slip out completely. "If that's true, then you truly are sad, and I don't like you either. So. Keep my name out of your mouth, and I'll keep yours out of mine. Got it? If you can't do that, I seriously think you need to get some help. Maybe in the form of therapy?"

Silence basked the air, tension rising like a sunrise. Even Fee stopped cooking for a second. Gmie's mouth popped open in shock.

Chi-Lynn burst out laughing, elbowing Gmie. "Guess she's not so soft after all. Girl's got a bit. I like that." She tapped my hand. "I'm not going to fuck with you. I saw how you cut open that body — um yeah, I'm good."

Gmie's tiny body started to shake while her fingers clenched her silk blouse.

"Man, you did destroy that body," Aries said, shaking his head. "You a med student or something?"

"No, I just saw some weird med videos on Twitter before," I said before munching on some bacon.

Gmie growled, finally getting her bearings. "Therapy? Really? For you—"

"Let's eat," Sebastian said, cutting her off. "And change the subject. Let's talk about normal stuff. Are ya'll missing anyone back home?"

Gmie huffed before straightening her expensive skirt. "No. My parents are probably off working or drinking or whatever. They never pay attention to me. Only when I got into Harvard did they show an ounce of care." She let out a bitter laugh. "They probably haven't even realized I'm gone."

Aries coughed before speaking. "You get ignored, try having publicity out the ass. Everywhere I go there's cameras. The police told the press that I wasn't a suspect anymore because I had an alibi, but everyone still thinks I did it. On YouTube, I have thousands of conspiracy videos about me."

"Aries, you did it," Gmie said, fixing her curly bun. "Just be happy you got away with it, and you're not someone's jail bitch, okay?"

Rabid anger pinched Aries' face as he slammed his fist on the table. "I didn't do it."

Gmie glanced at her. "I come from money, honey. I know when it works magic."

He looked like he was about to snap at her, but Demo touched his hand, bringing his focus on her. With a harsh accent, she said, "Family. Dead."

Chi-Lynn nodded. "Mine too. I'm the only survivor of my estate. It's a very lonely life."

Sebastian brushed some hair out of his face. "Yeah, I only have my brother and my parents, and we're all super close. They definitely know I'm missing by now."

"Yeah, but it's not like they have any hope of finding you." Gmie looked around the place. "This place is perfectly secured and perfectly hidden. Nowhere to escape. Our only way out is to play the game and survive until the end, and I plan to do just that."

Her eyes focused on me when she said all that.

♟♙♟