elle's bachelorette challenge - day 2

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Smoothie Sims, Inc. proudly presents… Elle’s Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

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Page 1: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

Smoothie Sims, Inc. proudly presents…

Elle’s Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

Page 2: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

*DING DONG*

“Could you get that?” Marina asked.

Azula shrugged and moved toward the door. “Were we expecting anyone else?”

“Just a couple people I thought might like to come and watch with us. One today and acouple more later in the week.”

“Really? Who?”

“Why don’ t you go find out?”

“Uh, okay.” The blonde shrugged again and opened the door to admit their guest.

Page 3: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“DOM!” In her excitement, Azula leaped on the newcomer, startling him. Dominicbarely managed to catch her. “I didn’ t know you were coming!”

“Surprise!” he grinned. “Did you miss me?”

“Of course! I’m so happy you’ re here!”

Page 4: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“How much have I missed?” he asked, setting her down.

“Not much. I’ ll fi ll you in whi le Marina’ s getting everything set up.”

“Sounds good. Oh, and…” Dominic glanced over Azula’ s shoulder at Marina, “I pickedup, um, a hitchhiker on the way here. I hope you guys don’ t mind.”

Marina got up from her seat, frowning. “Who’d you bring? Bi lly?”

“No, but he says he knows you.”

“Huh. Who would--”

Page 5: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Oh dear lord. Are you TRYING to send me to an early grave?”

Page 6: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Oh, come on, Creator, haven’ t you missed me?”

Page 7: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“WHAT are you DOING here?”

Rhys Fitzhugh smirked at his Author’ s flustered state. “You didn’ t really think youcould keep me away, did you?”

“You are screwing around with my timeline unauthorized, buster! Did you actuallythink I wouldn’ t have a problem with that?”

“Oh, relax. It’ s just a side project, I’m not harming anything.”

Marina studied him. “You know, I’ ve never seen you this cheerful. Being dead musthave done wonders for your anger management issues.”

“It was really boring, actually. Guaranteed survival and nothing to plot took all theexcitement out of life. Er, unlife.”

Page 8: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Oh sure, because nice sunny beaches and as much booze and woohoo as you could everwant is such a horrible thing. Truly, my heart bleeds for you.”

“Uh, Marina?” Azula broke in, looking confused. “Who is this?”

Marina shot a glare at Rhys, who smi led innocently in response. “This is your great-great-grandfather Rhys, Azula.”

“Isn’ t he dead, though?”

“Oy. Um, remember how I told you Akor and Meloti were both from Strangetown?Well, they are, but two different versions of it. They’ re like alternate realities. Soyes, he is dead in Sierra Plains, but he can be alive here.” Azula frowned. “Okay, look,I’ ll explain it later. You go have fun with Dom whi le I settle this.”

Page 9: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

Deciding it was probably wise not to get in the middle of things for now, Azuladragged Dominic off to a corner of the room so they could catch up.

Rhys turned his most winning smi le on Marina. “Come on. You know you’ ve missedme, and I want to see what my descendants are getting up to. I don’ t even have thesatisfaction of haunting because I can’ t get in the house.”

“Oh, all right,” she said, crossly. “But you get to help me patch the feed from thehouse to the television, because there are way too many people to crowd around thecomputer now.”

“Why me?”

“Because you’ re good with machines, and I said so.”

Page 10: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

While they were waiting, Azula and Dom settled on the couch. “Is your fami ly alwayslike this?” he asked, amused.

“My ancestors don’ t randomly come back from the dead all the time, if that’ s what youmean,” Azula snorted. “I definitely prefer that to, say, the businesses, though.”

“I completely understand. So what have I missed?”

“Basically Elle’ s been walking around trying not to make a mess of herself in front ofthe guys, and she sent this bandana dude named Joss home about an hour ago. Nowshe’ s going to have tea with three of the guys who are left.”

Behind her, Rhys let out an indignant cry. “Tea? What’ s wrong with hot tubs?”

“Your great-whatever-granddaughter’ s shy, okay, she wouldn’ t be big on the swimsuitthing,” Marina said, and Azula could almost hear the death glare she gave him.

Page 11: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

Rhys sniffed and sat down. “There’ s nothing wrong with a good old-fashioned hot tub,”he muttered, glancing over at the snuggling couple. “Is that really necessary?”

Azula shot him a glare. “I can cuddle with my boyfriend if I darn well please,” shesaid.

Instead of taking offense to this, Rhys grinned. “I like this one,” he called back toMarina. “She’ s definitely descended from me.”

“Shut up and watch the screen, Rhys.”

***

Page 12: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

Over at the bachelorette house, Elle had just begun to pour the tea when she heardfootsteps on the stairs.

“Hey, is it done yet?”

Page 13: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Yeah, come sit down,” she said, grinning when she saw that Liam, Abe, and Hamwere approaching the table. “So, you guys are the lucky three, huh?”

“There was a stampede,” Abe said, with a wink. “We had to fight the others off witha baseball bat.”

Liam stared at him. “Did you just make a joke?”

“What, am I not allowed to be funny now?”

“No, you just…you seem to take everything so seriously all the time.”

“Well, I do have a sense of humor, for your information. You can’ t grow up in myfami ly and not have one.”

Page 14: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“You can be as funny as you want to, Abe,” Elle said, very amused.

“Thank you, Ellie.” He cast a glance at Ham. “Of course, this guy was so eager to gethere we almost had to include him in the baseball bat treatment.”

Surprised, Elle turned to Ham, who shrugged, a small blush creeping to his face. “Idid say I would attempt to spend as much time with you as possible,” he said.

She smi led widely. “I’m glad you’ re here, Ham. Okay, everybody grab a cup of tea.”She looked around at the three men contemplatively. “I thought, just to break the ice,we could start off with a question that everybody has to answer.”

“What kind of question?” Liam asked.

“Something really simple, like…favorite color?”

Page 15: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“That’ s the best you could do?”

“It’ s a simple, no-pressure question. It’ s not like I’m trying to get you to lay bareyour soul on the second day, I know I’d be very uncomfortable with that.”

“Oh, well, when you put it that way…”

She spared Liam a glance. “Okay. Favorite color, and why. I’ ll start and we’ ll gocounter-clockwise, so. Mine’ s yellow.”

“Why?”

“I guess I like that it’ s cheerful. I don’ t know, all my clothes have had at least a li ttleyellow in them since I was a toddler. It’ s a nice color.”

Page 16: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

The guys nodded in polite agreement, and she turned to Ham. “Your turn.”

“Er…well, I quite like grey. No nonsense with grey, you see.” He ti lted his head incontemplation. “Ah, however, I do also enjoy several shades of green.”

Page 17: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Abe?”

“Green, definitely,” he said, smi ling. “Because of Chelley.”

“Awww, that’ s sweet.”

He shrugged. “It’ s just true.”

Page 18: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Okay. What about you, Liam?”

“Me? Uh…actually, I’m not sure I’ ve got one.” He thought about it for a minute. “If Ihad to pick, I guess it would be something earthy, like brown, or dark green--”

“Wow, there’ s a lot of green love here,” Abe commented.

“Shut it, Abe.” Liam looked vaguely annoyed at being interrupted, but the tone of voicehe used seemed harsher to Elle than his feelings on the matter. She’d noticed a bit ofodd male camaraderie going on between Abe and Liam, and really liked seeing it, forsome reason. “Anyway, I’m not that into bright colors, so…yeah. That’ s my answer.”

“Okay, that’ s fair.”

Page 19: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

They chatted for a whi le longer, and then Elle stood up. “Okay, I’m going to go getsomething to eat,” she said, “and then I’m going to come around and have a li ttle one-on-one time with everyone, so I’ ll see you guys in a bit.” She glanced down at Ham,who was looking up expectantly, and added, “Ham, we already had our one-on-one timeearlier because I was trying to figure out who to send home, and I’ ve been told I can’ tgive you more because it wouldn’ t be fair to the other guys. Is that okay?”

“Certainly it is,” he said, with a nod of the head, and if he was disappointed, he hid itvery well.

“Okay. Cool. Bye, then.”

Page 20: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

After a quick snack, she walked back upstairs to find four of the guys at the pokertable, deep in a game of Texas Hold ‘Em, and hated to disturb them. “Ellie, you’ ve gotto, sorry,” Marina said, when she voiced that concern. “They’ re here for you, not foreach other, and they can have their manly bonding time later. You don’ t see Liam orMeloti anywhere, do you?”

“No, they’ re probably taking a shower or something,” Elle said reluctantly.

“There you go. Bother Stuart or Akor first since they didn’ t make it to tea.”

She sighed, approached the table, and tapped Stuart on the shoulder to ask for amoment of his time.

Page 21: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” she said.

“It is quite all right. There wi ll be other poker games.” He smi led. “What did youwish to speak about?”

“Well, I wanted to ask how you’ re doing and what you think of the house so far.”

“Thank you. I am very well and have been enjoying myself exceedingly. This is reallya very comfortable house.”

“It is, isn’ t it? I really like it. I’ ve never lived anywhere this nice.”

“Oh, and where are you from?”

Elle blinked. “That’ s right, I never did say. Uh, Sierra Plains? It’ s a very long wayaway from here, and very different.”

Page 22: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Really? In what respect?”

“Well, there aren’ t any houses like this because of the zoning laws, for example, soit’ s basically a bunch of towers sticking up from what’ s basically the middle ofnowhere. Um, there was a huge power plant disaster generations before I was born,see, and my fami ly is kind of in charge of fixing everything that went wrongafterward, so there’ s all these really stupid laws in place we’ re working to get ridof.”

“I wish you the best of luck,” Stuart said. “How long do you think it wi ll take?”

“I don’ t know. It depends on what my siblings and I are able to do and where thatleaves us after, I guess. But, well, enough about that. What’ s Regalton like?”

Page 23: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“It used to be a patch of land in the country,” Stuart said. “My great-great-grandfather, Gabriel Legacy, chose to settle there, and since his time it has become aproper town. I believe I told you yesterday that my extended fami ly is very large.Most of us live in town.”

“That must be nice. My cousins live close by, too.”

“I quite enjoy having them around, yes. It meant there were many birthday partieswhen I was growing up, but also plenty of playmates. I could be just as satisfied withmy grandfather and brother, though. Our favorite activity to do together was playwith the electric train. It had its own table in the upstairs.”

Elle grinned. “That sounds like a lot of fun. How big was it?”

“Let me think…the tracks must have covered a table twice the size of the pool tabledownstairs.”

Page 24: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“That is one big table.”

“Yes, it was.” He grinned at her enthusiasm, and she couldn’ t help grinning back. Hereally was very nice, and easy to talk to. She didn’ t like ending the conversation, butshe wanted to talk to all the other guys, too.

“I really need to catch up to some of the others,” she said reluctantly. “But I want tohear more about the trains later!”

“I wi ll be happy to tell you all about them,” he promised, touching her arm briefly asshe made a move to go in search of someone else.

Page 25: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

Elle found Meloti in the hall, and as he approached her, he smi led and gave her athumbs-up. “Hello, Elle.”

“Hey, Meloti ,” she said. “What are you up to?”

“I was on my way downstairs to get some dinner, why do you ask?”

“Oh, I’d just like to talk to you for a minute, if that’ s okay.”

He nodded. “Certainly. What would you like to talk about?”

“I wanted to know how you’ re doing, how you like the house, if you’ re settling in welland all.”

“Well, I’m quite well, thank you. I like the house very much, it’ s tasteful and roomy,and I’m very comfortable here.”

Page 26: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“I’m very glad to hear that.”

“Yes, well, thank you again for asking.” A short, awkward si lence ensued. “Was thereanything else?”

“Oh, no,” she said, flustered that she had let the conversation lapse. And I was doingso well! “That was it.”

“All right. You’ re welcome to come down and eat with me, if you want.”

“I just ate, otherwise I’d love to,” she said, apologetically. “But you go ahead. Don’ teat any spoi led turkey.”

He nodded. “I’ ll be sure not to.” And then he left.

Page 27: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

She got Akor’ s attention next and pulled herself together fairly well, keeping theconversation going even when she felt incredibly awkward doing so. “So how are you?”

“I’m great,” he said. “This is a nice place.”

“How did you sleep last night?”

He took a moment to think about his answer. “As well as I could have, I guess. Thebeds are very nice, but you know how it’ s hard to fall asleep in a strange bed?”

“It doesn’ t feel right,” Elle agreed. “Even if it’ s the nicest bed in the world.”

Akor laughed. “Well, unless you’ re so tired your body won’ t be able to tell thedifference, but yeah. I slept okay once I got to sleep.”

“That’ s good to hear. So, tell me about Strangetown.”

Page 28: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Well, I like it, obviously, i t’ s my home. It comes by its name honestly, though. A lotof strange things happen there. For one thing, there’ s an old Pollination Technicianliving with his wife--”

Elle’ s eyes went wide. “Are you serious? A real live alien? The kind that flies aroundin spaceships, not the half-aliens we usually see?”

Akor laughed. “There are plenty of those, too, but yes, a real full-blood alien. He’ svery old, though, I don’ t think he’ s going to be around much longer.”

“Oh, that’ s sad.”

“Eh. Everybody’ s got their time. It’ s sad, but it happens.”

“Yeah, true,” Elle agreed, missing the way his eyes clouded. “What about your fami ly?”

Page 29: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Well, I’ ve got a twin brother, Djor, and a younger sister, Llana, who just gotmarried.” His eyes suddenly li t up with amusement. “Djor i s actually doing somethinglike this right now. It’ s being televised and everything.”

“Talk about coincidences,” Elle said, amazed. “Do you know how it came out?”

“Not yet. I’ ve been here. But I’m sure I’ ll find out next time I see him.” He grinned.“I never really thought of my brother as a TV personality, to be honest, so I’m lookingforward to that conversation.”

She laughed. “Siblings. Gotta love ‘ em.”

“Well, sometimes you hate them too, but that’ s beside the point. What about you?Have you got any?”

Page 30: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Yeah, an older sister named Azula and a younger brother named Bi lly who are both ami llion times more outgoing and personable than I am.” She smi led, but couldn’ t helpfeeling a li ttle downcast, remembering this.

“I haven’ t met your siblings, obviously,” Akor said, “but I don’ t think you’ re half badat being personable. Yes, you were nervous, but you’ ve done a pretty good job gettingaround it.”

She blinked, and then her smi le shifted to something more relaxed. “You’ re a verynice man, Akor. Thank you.”

He nodded in thanks, grinning. “I happen to think you’ re a very nice woman yourself,Elle.”

Page 31: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

After she was done talking with Akor, she meandered around the house looking forAbe and Liam and found the latter sitting out on the back porch. “Hey,” she greetedhim. “I’m not bothering you, am I?”

“Course not,” he said quietly, getting up. “Are you done with everyone else?”

“Uh, I sti ll have Abe after this. Would you rather I talked to him first?”

“No, we can talk now, I was just curious.”

Page 32: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“So how are you?”

“I’m okay. You?”

“I’m okay too. Sti ll a li ttle overwhelmed, but better than yesterday.” She smi led,though it took more effort around Liam than the other boys. “How do you like it here?”

Liam pursed his lips in thought. “It’ s the largest house I’ ve ever lived in,” he saidfinally.

“Me, too,” she said. “So you’ re in good company. Wow, that’ s a relief, I thought I wasthe only one actually impressed by the size of this house. It kinda seems like all theothers are used to it, don’ t you think?”

Page 33: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Wait a minute, really?”

Her smi le faltered, but she stubbornly hung on to it. “Really. Why?”

He looked a bit confused. “Nothing, I just…well, I figured your fami ly would have hada lot of money in order for you to be able to do this, so I thought--”

“Oh no,” she said hasti ly. “I mean, we do have money but that didn’ t have anything todo with this. A fami ly friend organized it and asked my sister to help her. It wasn’ teven my idea, they just thought I’d like it, and well a lot of what we have we can’ tspend anyway because there’ s nothing much to get that we don’ t already have andnowhere to put it anyway because of the zoning laws, the house is already full as it iswith just the basics--”

“Whoa, slow down,” Liam said, laughing slightly. “You don’ t have to explain--”

Page 34: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“No, I want to,” she said. “I don’ t want you to think I’m this spoi led kid who’ s doingthis out of lack of anything better to do. Having money isn’ t all i t’ s cracked up to bewhere I’m from. There’ s nothing to do with it. The houses are tiny, so there’ s noroom to put anything anyway, and there’ s a lot we can’ t have besides because of thosedumb mi litary laws. People who have money are pretty much just like everyone else,except they have a lot put back that they can’ t spend.”

At this, Liam got a funny look on his face. “That’ s a lot like the way it is where I’mfrom,” he said. “My fami ly’ s house isn’ t any better than a shack. Things are miserableback there. No clean water or electricity, no school for anyone older than ten, thephone lines are a mess--”

“That’ s how it used to be in Sierra Plains,” Elle said. “There was a massive powerplant disaster generations ago. My fami ly’ s trying to make it better.”

Page 35: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“So’ s mine,” Liam said. “There was a nuclear accident where I’m from, too.”

“Where are you from?”

He smi led, bitterly. “This disgusting sand pit we call The Hellmouth. I hated it andI’m never going back.”

This appalled Elle, who hadn’ t even considered never going back to Sierra Plains.“Never?”

“Never,” he said vehemently.

“But what about your fami ly? Aren’ t they sti ll there?”

“They can get on without me. It isn’ t like they needed me in the first place.”

Page 36: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

Elle heard a whistle and a stunned murmur of “Damn” in her earpiece, which onlyserved to freak her out more. She’d almost forgotten there were people next doorlistening to the conversation. What would Azula and Marina think of Liam now? Shewas sure he was nice, just quiet, and of course he had a good reason for that.

Liam took in her reaction and sighed. “I’m sorry. I don’ t like thinking about it.”

“It’ s okay,” she said. “I don’ t blame you.”

“I’m gonna, um, go--”

“Yeah, I should go find Abe--”

“…talk to you later?”

She bit her lip. “Yeah. Sleep well when you get there.”

Page 37: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

She eventually ran into Abe upstairs, but she was distracted by her conversation withLiam, so it was very nearly a li teral run-in. “Whoops,” she said, backpedaling beforeshe knocked him over. “Sorry.”

“It’ s all right,” he said, frowning at her. “You look a li ttle flustered. Everything okay?”

“I’m fine,” she said quickly. “What about you? How are you doing?”

“I’m good. Are you sure--”

“Yes,” she said, firmly this time. She owed Abe a decent conversation, and he wasn’ tgoing to get it if she were sti ll dwelling on what had happened with Liam. “So, tellme, how are you settling in?”

Page 38: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“It’ s very different, but not bad,” he said. “I live in a cabin in the woods with Chelley,and this place is a lot larger and much more open. Somewhere anyone else in myfami ly would prefer to live, actually. My brother was kind of appalled when he foundout where I was living.”

“But this is okay,” Elle said, feeling like the smi le on her face was stuck there.

“Oh, it’ s more than okay, I’m not complaining,” he said, with a quick laugh. “Whatabout you? Are you doing all right here?”

He was the first person to ask her that, and it caught her off guard a li ttle. “Yeah,”she said, after a minute. “It sti ll feels kind of surreal, but it’ s good. I like it here.It’ s my kind of place, very relaxed and quiet.”

Page 39: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“I’m glad to hear it,” he said. “Sometimes it doesn’ t seem that way.”

“It’ s the people, not the place, and I’m getting over that,” she replied. “I’m not used toliving in a house with a bunch of strangers.” Feeling a yawn coming, she turned herhead in what she hoped was a discreet manner and covered it with her hand. Itsurprised her, how tired she was all of a sudden, but she was determined to give Abea couple more minutes and not let him see.

He noticed anyway. “Am I boring you?”

Page 40: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Oh no, no, you’ re fine,” she said quickly. “I’m just exhausted. I’m sorry.”

“Don’ t let me keep you from your beauty sleep, then,” he said kindly.

“But you should get at least a couple more minutes. I talked longer with all the others-”

“Elle,” he said firmly, “i t’ s okay. Later. You look like you’ re about to keel over. Don’ tworry about hurting my feelings. It’ s been a long day for everyone.”

She studied him for a moment, and finally nodded. “Thank you, Abe,” she said quietly.“You’ re sweet. I’ ll see you in the morning.”

“Night, Ellie. Sleep well.”

***

Page 41: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

Ham was up very early the next morning. It was a li ttle before 5am, and he could besure that no one else would be stirring for another hour or so, but he couldn’ t get backto sleep, so he simply crept downstairs as quietly as possible to the buffet to havesomething to eat.

He knew he was on thin ice after nearly being eliminated the day before, and the factthat he hadn’ t seen Elle at all since the tea date worried him. He had no desire to besent home, and he had no proof that Elle had any desire to keep him there.

Page 42: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

To his surprise, Meloti showed up at about half past five, sleepi ly snatched a plate ofturkey, and sat down at the table with him. “Morning,” he mumbled.

“Good morning,” Ham said softly.

“You’ re up early too, huh? Couldn’ t sleep?”

“I did awaken earlier than I had planned to, yes.”

Meloti nodded and took several bites of his food, glancing up after to see that Hamhad barely touched his and was moving his fork around his plate aimlessly. “What’ swrong?”

“You would not wish to hear what I would say.”

“Try me.”

Page 43: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“I am afraid Miss Ellie wi ll send me away today,” he said. “And I do not want to go.”

Meloti studied him critically. “Do you like her?”

“I have not spent enough time with her to be sure, that is why I am worried. I doknow that I am interested in finding out, and that I want to have that chance.”

“Then tell her that.”

Ham blinked. “Do you really think that I should?”

“Well, based on what she told you yesterday, I think that’ s something she needs tohear. That’ s the reason she sent Joss home, you know. She didn’ t think he liked her atall.”

Page 44: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

Ham nodded slowly and got up. “I wi ll try. Thank you for your kind ear. I believe Iwi ll avai l myself of the bathing faci li ties before the rest of the house rises fromtheir beds.”

“Good idea,” Meloti agreed, calmly finishing his turkey.

***

Page 45: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Good morning, Ellie,” Marina’ s voice greeted Elle as she got up that morning.

“Marina, if I didn’ t know you were doing this for a very good reason, it would be thecreepiest thing in the world,” Elle said, blinking at the wall in an attempt to orientherself. “I hope you know that.”

“You can take off the earpiece whenever you want if it bothers you.”

“Eh…I’ ll keep it a whi le longer. What’ s the plan for the day?”

Page 46: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Okay, so this morning, you’ re going to have one-on-one time with the guys again. Thistime I want you to try flirting with them a li ttle.”

“F-flirting???”

“Yes, Elle. Flirting.”

“Um…can we maybe substitute something potentially a lot less embarrassing?”

“O ye of li ttle faith. It’ ll be good. All functional romantic relationships involve someform of flirting at some point or another.”

“But I don’ t want a romantic relationship with all of them! This sounds like somethingZuzu would do!”

Page 47: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Ellie, I told you there was going to be flirting when Zuzu and I pitched you the ideain the first place. That’ s how these things go. Just think of it as practice.”

“I don’ t like you right now.”

“You’ ll get over it. Then of course you have to send someone home at noon, and afterthat do another tea date. When you’ re done with that, I want you to spend forty-fiveminutes fishing with each of the guys.”

“Fishing? Really?”

“Yes, because chess is boring. You got that?”

“Uh, yeah. I can do that.”

“Good girl. Off you go!”

Page 48: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

When she got down to the breakfast table, there was a chair open next to Stuart, andshe grabbed a plate of gelatin and walked over to it. “Morning,” she said to the generalpopulace of the table.

“Good morning, Miss Ellie,” Stuart said cheerfully in reply. “Did you sleep well?”

“Like a baby, thanks.”

Page 49: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

By this time, Elle was at ease with most of the guys and felt like they were herfriends, or soon would be. This was enough to get her through breakfast withoutbreaking down, and she forgot to be nervous long enough to eat her gelatin.

It was only after, once she was ensconced in the little room designated for flirting,that she began to really freak out.

Page 50: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“MARINA I NEED HELP”

“Ellie, don’ t wimp out on me now,” Marina said, encouragingly, but firmly. “You cando this.”

“No, I’m going to do it, I just…how?”

“How?”

“I don’ t know how to flirt!”

Marina hadn’ t considered this and it was enough to make her start to panic. “Oh,Ellie, uh…I’m no good at it myself. It’ s not something I can do if I’m consciouslythinking about it.”

“Is Zuzu there then?”

Page 51: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Um, she’ s a li ttle occupied right now, hon--”

“Marina, I need serious help if I’m going to be able to do this! Please!”

Marina briefly considered the idea of having Rhys talk to her, and discarded it almostbefore it had finished forming itself as a complete thought. “Okay. Azula! Get overhere, your sister’ s having a crisis.”

Page 52: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“And tell her to hurry up with it!” Rhys added. “I have been lacking in myentertainment for the past two hours and I want to see flirting!”

“Rhys, shut your mouth or I wi ll shut it for you. With duct tape.”

“You’ re not going to do anything that could mar my handsome, manly face--”

“DUCT TAPE.”

“Okay, fine.”

Page 53: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Okay, Ellie, there are many, many different flavors of flirting. It is an art that hasmore subtle nuances than I can count. However, I think I can boi l i t down to two maincategories: innuendo, and compliments. And since I don’ t think you can manage thefirst one yet--”

“Azula, do you think you can maybe condense this to a crash course instead of aseminar?” Elle hissed, through gritted teeth. “Ham just walked in here and he lookslike he wants to die and I don’ t know what to do.”

“Right. Just say something nice. Like…you think the way his hair flops in his eyes isreally sexy.”

“I can’ t say that to him!”

“Oh, gotcha. Old-fashioned values. Well, say something else nice! And do it before hethinks you’ re crazy for talking to yourself!”

Page 54: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Is it not my turn yet, Miss Ellie?” Ham asked worriedly.

“No, no, you’ re fine,” Elle said, getting up from the couch. “I was just trying tocollect my thoughts.”

“Right. Well, I just wanted to say that, ah, I am having an exceedingly good time hereand I hope that you are as well, and I should very much like to stay when you makeyour decision today. If you would like me to,” he added hasti ly.

Elle blinked in surprise. “Ham?” she began uncertainly.

“Yes?”

Page 55: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“I…I really like your sweater,” she said, smi ling shyly.

“Y-you do?”

“Yeah. I think it brings out your eyes.”

Page 56: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Oh my,” was all Ham managed to say, a delightful smi le appearing on his face. Heswiftly exited the room, looking completely twitterpated.

“Azula! Azula! I flirted with a guy! And he liked it!”

“Good job, Ellie,” her sister replied, highly amused. “Don’ t let it go to your head.We’ ll be watching.”

Page 57: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

Meloti came in next, and Elle made a simi lar comment to him only to have him blinkin surprise for a long moment and then burst into laughter and walk out, chuckling toohard to speak.

“Uh oh. That was not a good laugh.”

“Shut up, you’ re going to freak her out.”

Page 58: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

Fortunately for Elle’ s ego, Stuart was next, and he came into the room with a smi lethat put her right at ease. “Hey Stuart.”

“Hello, Miss Ellie. You wanted to see me?”

“Yeah, I did. I just wanted to tell you I think that shirt looks nice on you.”

Page 59: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Oh, does it really?”

“Yeah. It’ s a nice color, and uh, you look…warm. And very comfortable.” Elle smi ledand tried to ignore the loud laughter that burst into her ear at that one.

Page 60: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Ah, well…thank you, I…it is a li ttle warm in here, is it not? Or is that just myimagination?”

She grinned, blushing a li ttle. “I don’ t think it’ s just you, no.”

“Good, I was beginning to be a li ttle worried.” He grinned back at her and left theroom.

Page 61: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

She also, surprisingly, had success with Liam. “So, Liam, if I tell you that’ s a nicejacket, wi ll you not hold last night’ s conversation against me?”

He blinked. “Oh, Elle, no. That was my fault. I get angry easi ly, sometimes. It’ s notone of my better traits.”

“So we’ re good?”

“We’re good.”

“Okay. That’ s sti ll a nice jacket.”

“Oh, thanks. I guess it is, isn’ t it?”

Page 62: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

The encounter with Akor was also a surprise, and not a very nice one. “Elle, that’ s thecheesiest pickup line in the world, you know that?” he joked, backing off a bit.

Page 63: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

When he saw the look on her face, he was quick to back up. “Oh dang it. I’m sorry,Elle. I didn’ t--”

“No, it’ s okay,” she said quickly. “I probably shouldn’ t be so sensitive.”

“Uh, sure.” There was an awkward pause. “Right. I’m gonna go now.”

“Okay.”

Page 64: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

But if she had been surprised by Akor, that was nothing compared to her shock atAbe’ s reaction. She was barely halfway through her compliment on his sweater whenhe flinched and held up his hands, backing off. “What’ s the matter?” she asked,completely hurt. “I was just saying I like your sweater.”

Page 65: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

Abe just grimaced and shook his head. Elle closed her eyes, trying not to cry. “Allright, fine. I’ ll go now.”

Page 66: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

When she left the room, she was surprised to find that it was only 10am. She hadbeen hoping that the magnitude of her utter mortification would give her the power tomagically make it noon, but alas, i t was not so.

“Elle, wait.” She turned to see Abe hurrying after her. “I’m sorry,” he said hasti ly.“Really, I am. Let me make it up to you. Do you like to play catch? Let’ s play catch.”

“Oh…okay.”

Page 67: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

So they played catch.

It was the most awkward game of catch Elle had ever played in her life.

For a long whi le, they tossed the ball back and forth in si lence. Abe looked like hewanted to say something, but never did, and Elle had no idea at all what to do to gethim to say it.

Page 68: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

The game was interrupted when Ham made his way outside. “Miss Ellie, may I speakto you a moment?” he asked.

“Sure,” she agreed, more than happy to escape the tension with Abe.

“Ah, I must apologize for leaving so quickly before.”

“Don’ t worry about it, you’ re fine.”

“…I also, ah, wished to express…”

“Yes?”

Page 69: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“…I quite like your sweater, too.”

Elle smi led. “Thanks, Ham. That’ s nice of you to say.”

Page 70: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

As if on cue, the rest of the boys began to fi lter out to the yard, which must havegiven Abe the trigger he needed to talk to Elle. “It’ s not you,” he said abruptly. “My ex-wife…oh, it was years ago, but it doesn’ t feel like that long. I didn’ t even think aboutit.”

“It’ s okay, Abe,” Elle said. She hadn’ t thought about it, either. She hadn’ t evenrealized she would be making her first foray into the world of flirting that day, muchless how it would affect the guys she was trying to flirt with.

“I can do this,” he said. “I promise I can.”

“I believe you,” she replied. “It’ s okay.”

He nodded. “Okay.”

Page 71: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

When Stuart came out, Elle quietly stepped up to him and said, in a low voice, “I justwant you to know, I really appreciate your not laughing at me, or running away, orfreaking out when I complimented your shirt this morning.”

Stuart looked slightly confused. “Why should I do such a si lly thing?”

“No idea.”

Page 72: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Hey, Elle!” Liam came sauntering up, apparently in a very good mood, and took herarm. “It’ s noon. Would you like me to escort you to the living room?”

Elle had to smi le. “You are such a gentleman, Liam. Yeah, let’ s go.”

Page 73: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

As with the day before, they all gathered in the living room, and Elle prepared whatshe was going to say mentally for quite a whi le before she was able to say it.

The decision had been easier than the day before. She sti ll didn’ t like it, but she knewbetter now who she wanted to stay and who had to be sent home. Now all she had to dowas get the words out.

She had the feeling that part wasn’ t going to get any easier.

Page 74: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Okay, so. That time again, I guess.

“I suppose saying how sorry I am to have to do this again is pointless cause it’ s justgoing to happen anyway. Uh, today…didn’ t really go as well as I hoped it would. I don’ treally hold that against any of you, though, and those of you I’m talking about knowwho you are so I’m not going to name names. I’m sure it was partially my fault.Anyway, the guy I’m sending home today, I don’ t think I’ ve really connected with atall, and whi le I hate that we haven’ t spent much time together at all, I couldn’ tpossibly say goodbye to the others yet.

“I’m sorry, Meloti .”

Page 75: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“I agree with you,” Meloti said, surprising her. “I would hate to get in the way ofsomeone who wants to be here much more than I do.” He smi led. “I apologize forlaughing at you, but…you remind me of my little sister, and the idea of flirting withher…”

“Would be absurd, yeah,” Elle murmured.

“But I do wish you all the best,” he said. “I hope you’ ll pick the right one.”

“You too. Let me call you a cab.”

Page 76: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Hey Marina!”

“What?”

“When do I get one of these?”

“In your dreams, maybe.”

***

That’ s the end of Day 2! Look for Day 3 by the end of the week ^_^

Thanks once again to Cait for the cover, and to all the authors of the guys I’ veborrowed for lending them to me and all the help in writing them.

Turn the page for the scores -->

Page 77: Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 2

“Choo-ska, Mr. Fitzhugh!”

“God, that makes me feel old. Go away kid, you bother me.”

Scores

Stuart - 74/19 = 93 (friends)

Liam - 39/14 = 53

Abe - 16/13 = 29

Ham - 18/11 = 29

Akor - 11/7 = 18

Meloti - 3/1 = 4