Bachelor Challenge Season 1 - Episode 13

4th Elimination

Welcome back to an all new episode of The Bachelor! In our previous episode we saw our hunk of a bachelor bring a lucky girl on a solo date and hearts were soaring, hiiigh above Sunlit Tides. Bobby and Bethany had a great time but no flowers were exchanged for her safety from the elimination that will be happening at the end of this episode... For now, let us begin our day at the sunshine villa by the sea~

It was the wee hours of the morning and Bethany had only gone to bed several hours before the cameras began rolling. Pearl was the first among the girls to awaken and she didn't linger in bed for too long. She sat up in her bed, tossed her blonde locks to one side, and shuffled gracefully to the communal bathrooms.

Something worrisome stirred in her belly and she attempted to calm these nerves by doing some grooming in the mirror: picking at some blemishes and pulling out any unwanted hairs. She stood and looked at herself and loved what she saw, even without a generous layer of sexy makeup she still felt hot to trot... but what if the bachelor had his eyes set on someone other than her tonight?

Pearl knew that the spark she had with Bobby was undeniably raw and powerful but what if their sexual compatibility was not enough to progress her into the semi finals? He hadn't approached her once yesterday to even share a passing remark, other than to decide not to take her on the solo date last night, so what if this meant that he was going cold for her? It wasn't difficult to let your anxiety run amok in your mind but she did her best to compose herself, glide on a plumping lip oil and look smoking hot again today.

When she went back into her room to get dressed Rosie was sitting up doing some morning stretches, extending a sleepy hello to her roommate. As Pearl slipped out of her sleepwear and into her usual leopard print top and light denim shorts the other girl stumbled sleepily into the bathroom Pearl had just returned from. To their surprise the both of them met back in the kitchen at the exact same time, perfectly synching up their morning routines to have breakfast together.

Fruit Parfait was served up in a large bowl, set on the counter next to the fridges, and the contestants were free to take as big of a helping as they wanted. Next to the bowl stood a large jug of lemonade with drops of condensation sliding down the curved glass and Rosie was excited to have a cold drink with a fresh breakfast. As it was just the two of them for the time being they found themselves at the breakfast table on the other side of the kitchen and eased into their day, slowly mixing the layers of yoghurt, fruit and oats in their bowls.

"How are you feeling about tonight?" asked Rosie eventually, quickly followed by a short yawn as she battled the remnants of sleep from her body. Pearl glanced her way but finished chewing before she spoke back. The question was asked at an adequate time as she had a moment to think of the right response, settling on putting some trust in her roommate to share her feelings with.

"I'd be lying to say that I'm not nervous," chuckled Pearl awkwardly and Rosie met her gaze. "Don't tell the other girls that though, I'd prefer to remain my sexy and mysterious demeanor as their only opinion of me." That last part got a titter out of Rosie and she wiped her lips before responding,

"Your secret is safe with me." Rosie extended out her right pinky finger and Pearl dropped her spoon into her bowl to wrap her own around her roommate's. They shook it up and down as they gave each other a knowing smile before continuing to eat again. 

"Tell me more about what's on your mind," continued Rosie. "I'm sure I'm sharing the same concerns as you." Pearl pushed around some yoghurt covered blueberries in her bowl before speaking of what she was thinking about earlier this morning.

"I've felt quite confident for the previous flower ceremonies that we've had here so far," she explained to her confidante, "but this one doesn't seem to want to settle in my stomach quite right. I mean, Bobby barely spoke to me yesterday and I'm just worried he's beginning to go cold for me."

Rosie hurriedly nodded with wide eyes. "I feel the same! He just handed me his plate yesterday after breakfast and that was all I saw of him... it's kind of bothered me too..."

"And I still feel in the right in how I approached Margo's unnecessary visit to the party a few days ago but what if Bobby found that grossly unattractive?!" Pearl noticed her voice become louder as she finished her impassioned speech and grew a little embarrassed from it, shrinking a little back into her seat.

"Thank you for letting me speak my mind here," she confided. "We'll both be okay, I just know it, but not a word to the others, right?"

"Pinky promise," smiled Rosie. As they finished their last spoonfuls of fruit Mary-Anne was the next to emerge from upstairs and into the kitchen. She perked up as she saw her housemates and enthusiastically piped up,

"Oooh~ What's for breakfast today?"

At the very top floor Bobby had finished his morning rituals and had just slipped on his baseball tee over his torso, fixing any creases and stray hairs in the triple mirror in the corner of his room. He exhaled a heavy sigh as the nerves began to catch up to him also. He was to send yet another contestant home tonight... but what could he do if he can't decide on who?

Last night, just before bed, the stars gave him a hint of who to keep in the competition and he promised to himself he would use this advice wisely. But to pick two more girls was becoming a troubling feat, he enjoyed each girl's company so much and he wished there was more time with each one but the competition must go on. Bobby combed his fringe and set the brush to the side, checking his appearance in the mirror one last time before descending down the modern stairs and into the kitchen.

The girls had all dispersed into various parts of the villa while they waited for his arrival and for the announcement to get ready for tonight's elimination so our bachelor ate his breakfast in silence, or what he thought was silence at first. Once he sat at the kitchen island he heard a chanting commotion breaking out several rooms away and after eavesdropping from his seat he knew there was nothing to worry about.

Rosie had clearly shown a part of her daredevil nature after breakfast and collaborated with Mary-Anne to assist her in a keg stand. Her red headed partner chanted "chug! chug! chug!" as Rosie sipped as much juice as she could, the fizzy liquid dribbling out of her mouth, and even a little out of her nose, as she hung upside down!

Meanwhile, Pearl continued to steady her nerves by finally taking a swing (pun intended) at the small golf practice range they had in the garden of the villa. She loosened up her body and gripped the golf club not too tight and not too loose to get the perfect swing, lobbing the ball into a small net across the way. With each shot she made she felt her mind clearing more and more and she felt better prepared for the evening ahead.

By her fourth shot Rosie and Mary-Anne appeared into the garden through the backdoor donning their swimming gear, giggling about something trivial as they made it to one side of the blue pool. Pearl did her best to continue to focus on her sport but couldn't help to look up slightly once she heard Rosie run across the diving board and shout "cowabunga!", chuckling quietly to herself in watching.

The villa remained that way for the next hour or so, Pearl perfecting her swings under the cool tree shade and deciding by her twentieth attempt she would finally call it quits and the other two friends splashing and challenging each other to 'hold breath' contests in the chlorine waters under the blistering sun. 

On Pearl's sixteenth swing she suddenly noticed approaching feet in her peripheral and she was aware that Bobby had come close to watch her play. The nerves began to return and her knees grew a little shaky from his presence so when she finally took her swing she realised she had missed the ball underneath her completely, ultimately swinging at the air. 

The bachelor smiled at her and did a polite golf clap as she scoffed at her embarrassing mistake and tried to save herself nonchalantly,

"Bobby, this is the second time you've flustered me this week! First with the pool table and now..."

"Can I chat with you in private?" asked the bachelor, Pearl swallowed. She set her golf club down and quietly nodded, worried about how matter of fact he was and abruptly felt all of her previous fears wash over her anew. He began to walk ahead and back towards the villa at a brisk pace and Pearl followed suit several steps behind him.

They stepped away from the humid climate and back into a tailored and air conditioned atmosphere as they walked back inside the villa and Bobby guided his chosen girl into what the contestants have dubbed the 'interrogation room'. As he invited his guest to sit down at the white loveseat Pearl calmly spoke,

"Now that I'm in here I've realised that you've never invited me to have a chat with you here before..." She crossed her legs and looked around in mild awe before finally landing her gaze at Bobby who stood next to her.

"Count yourself lucky, I guess!" stated the bachelor as he plopped himself down next to the blonde girl. They sat in silence momentarily, their eyes shifting from various parts of the room and back to one another, before Bobby finally broke the silence.

"Ah, come here you," he said as he extended an arm out, inviting Pearl for a cuddle. She didn't hesitate and quickly scooted herself closer to the bachelor, nuzzling right under his arm and placing her head under the curve of his jaw.

He placed a hand on her forearm and began to gently glide his fingers along her supple tan skin, indulging in this quiet moment of solitude away from the others. He breathed in her designer perfume that lingered on her neck and could feel her heartbeat quicken lightly.

"I'll get right to it, Pearl," began Bobby as he did a side glance towards his girl. "It's been an amazing time getting to know you during this competition and I needed to chat with you here before the elimination. We've had so many unforgettable moments together but-"

Suddenly Pearl pulled away slightly and turned her head to stare at the bachelor with soft yet hungry eyes. "But?" she repeated. "What are you about to say? It's kind of sounding like you're about to break it off with me."

"What? No! Not at all!" he spoke back as he saved himself, chuckling as Pearl's sly glance registered before him. His eyes squinted in laughter and this expression only made Pearl fall more in love with the man.

"What I was trying to say was: but... I'm worried that our future experiences won't compare to what we've shared already." Pearl settled back into his side once more now that she was satisfied to hear the rest of his explanation but a small frown grew on her face.

"If we're being transparent here... I've had the same fear come to mind too," shared Pearl in a quiet voice. "Everything has simply felt magical when I'm with you but what if our sexual desires that we share are the extent of it?"

The pair sat in this uncomfortable silence for a while until Bobby suddenly felt something on his leg. Pearl placed one hand on his left knee, giving it a gentle squeeze, while her other hand held tightly onto Bobby's which lazily hung on her shoulder. They both turned their heads to look towards one other and their noses grazed softly as they stared deeply into each other's eyes.

"I can't foretell what the future has in store," continued Pearl in a whisper that only the two of them could hear, "and I don't know what feelings you share with the other girls. One thing I know for sure is... you can't deny the electric chemistry that is happening between us right now."

As she spoke Bobby could feel her warm breath against his skin and his heart felt like it beat in unison with hers, a lustful tension and desire building up greatly in his chest. Pearl's eyes fluttered down to his lips and back up again, the hunger more ravenous in her eyes than ever before.

"Kiss me, Bobby," demanded Pearl. An exciting chill ran down the man's spine and Bobby didn't need to be asked twice as he launched himself towards her.

He took his free arm and wrapped it around her curved waist, his hand sliding down onto her hips covered by rough denim shorts. The pair's breath began to quicken with each smack of their lips and it was impossible to stifle each and every moan that got caught in their throats. Their tongues intertwined and perfectly danced in an action made for two, Pearl was desperate to have her body pressed even closer to the bachelor.

Once Bobby stiffened to an uncomfortable degree he finally decided to pull away. They both opened their eyes and gazed at each other, love and lust reflected between them as they attempted to steady their titillated breathing. Pearl swallowed and pushed her chin down slightly, looking up at the bachelor,

"You can't possibly send me home after this," she said in a sultry tone. With how direct she was with her statement Bobby was reminded of Bethany but it felt wrong to compare the two girls as Pearl only truly spoke her mind in moments of vulnerability, such as this one. Nonetheless, he sighed and replied,

"I can't say anything for certain, I still have one more girl to speak to before the rose ceremony." A frown began to grow on his face and Pearl slumped down in his embrace, glancing around the room before meeting his gaze again.

"I guess I can wait a few more hours before I find out. Thank you for this, Bobby. I won't forget it." She planted a kiss on his cheek as she began to rise up from their love nest but once she was far enough from his face a giggle jumped out from her throat. She reached for a tissue on one of the small tables next to them and handed it to the bachelor.

"Also, you might need to clean up a bit... your lips, they..." She gestured on herself around her mouth and Bobby accepted the tissue, taking one swipe at it across his mouth and seeing the cherry pink lip gloss stain the white square. He clicked his tongue playfully,

"You know just how to leave your mark on me." Pearl covered her smile with her hand as she animatedly giggled again before slinking away from the room and to the door.

"See you later, Bobby," she spoke as she made her way to the nearest bathroom to clean her makeup up also. Once Bobby felt like he had sufficiently wiped the evidence of their snogging away he pocketed the tissue and readjusted himself a little, the stiff discomfort finally disappearing, and he made his way out into the tropical sun once more.

Pearl's electric kisses still tingled on the bachelor's lips but he did his best to put his feelings for one girl aside and focus on another lady he needed to talk to before his final decision to send another contestant home tonight. He could hear Rosie splashing around in the pool to his right, creating more waves than she should as she attempted some butterfly kicks, and chuckled a little while he observed her form. 

Ahead of him Mary-Anne stood in the blinding sunlight, her pale skin and fire red hair in full glow from the sun's rays, and she took several gulps of water from a cooled glass. She set it down on one of the shaded tables next to the sunbeds and let out a large sigh of relief, closing her eyes and letting the satisfaction wash over her. As her eyes opened she met Bobby's gaze and gave him a friendly wave and he smiled back, beginning his short journey towards her.

The closer he got to her the better he saw small droplets of sweat gather on the exposed parts of her skin and admired their glistening appearance in the midday sun. Mary-Anne ran her hand through her long hair and pushed her locks out of her face and to one side, her smile still plastered across her face as she watched Bobby approach her.

"Looks like you've worked up a sweat," commented Bobby cheekily, Mary-Anne looked down momentarily.

"You're not wrong! I don't know how you're not melting in your clothes right now," she replied.

"Trust me, I'm getting there!" They shared a quick chuckle and Bobby continued, "Care to join me for a quick chat before we start getting ready for the ceremony?" Mary-Anne gulped animatedly and nodded in response and the pair started for the villa once again.

They found themselves in the same room that hosted the infamous white loveseat and nicely air conditioned atmosphere and got comfortable sitting next to one another. Bobby's side of the couch was still warm from earlier but he hoped Mary-Anne's sun-kissed skin wouldn't take notice that he had already spoken to another dame. He took charge in distracting her quickly if such notions came to her mind,

"See? Much nicer and cooler in here, not even close to breaking a sweat!" He pointed to himself and Mary-Anne grinned back in response, admiring his artificially illuminated appearance. My, my, this man can truly look good in any kind of lighting.

"So, what are we to talk about?" asked Mary-Anne, straight to business. She, like all the other girls, was wrought with anxiety whether if she would be going home tonight and just wanted to get the information out of the bachelor as fast as possible. Bobby leaned back and looked towards the room for a moment, the girl continued,

"I'm aware that I was on the chopping block at the last elimination, I could have gone home that night..." Her voice trailed off with a hint of sadness but she quickly collected herself with a deep breath. "But I didn't, you chose to keep me in this competition, and I'm so thankful for it!"

Now she was leaning back also and Bobby finally watched her speak. "When it was between me and Theodora for who should be sent home on our last night in Champs Les Sims I was dumbfounded. Every time you talked to someone before elimination they were the two that would be in the bottom... but that night something was different. You spoke to Pearl yet she was the first gal you chose."

"I see you've thought about this thoroughly," pointed out Bobby and Mary-Anne nervously smiled, immediately getting back to what she was discussing.

"Will it be different this elimination too?" she asked inquisitively. "Will it be between me and Pearl this time or am I even part of the equation to begin with?"

"Pearl?" questioned the bachelor, attempting to feign ignorance but Mary-Anne looked down upon him with impatience.

"Don't do that, Bobby. I saw you invite her for a chat in the garden and you were gone for quite a while." A line began to form in between her eyebrows and her lips grew more pursed as she spoke, the nerves were clearly getting to her and Bobby knew he had to soothe them.

"Hey, come here, come here," he said with a comforting tone as he enveloped the red headed girl into a cuddle. Mary-Anne's breath was slightly shaky as she exhaled, settling into the curve of his side, biting her lip before thinking of speaking further.

"Firstly, the format is usually I'm the one who asks the questions in this room," jested Bobby, receiving a short snort of laughter from the girl in his arms. "But to answer your questions... actually, I don't exactly have any answers for you. Eliminations have always been difficult and my decisions are honestly fully solidified in the moment that I hold those bouquets, listening to what my heart is saying."

Mary-Anne's body language did not show signs of certainty or settling to his 'answers' and felt rigid in the bachelor's arms. He placed a hand on her forearm, in the same way that he did with Pearl, and attempted to comfort her that way.

"If it makes it any better, I'm enjoying my time with you here right now." He was telling the truth but he still felt like Pearl's touch lingered on his finger tips. Mary-Anne's skin however was smoother and felt more fragile under his hand and made sure to touch it with the utmost care. Was it just some light sunburn that he glid his hand over or was she truly just a more fragile girl, inside and out?

She finally turned to face the bachelor yet again and was merely centimeters from his face. It was an intimate scene and she could smell his breath closely as he exhaled from his nose, lightly fluttering the stray hairs that gathered on her neck.

"Tonight, think of the picnic date that we shared on the little island in France," reminisced Mary-Anne with a worried frown. "Remember our cramped photobooth moment. Don't forget us looking at the stars on one of our first nights."

"I couldn't forget that for the-" began Bobby but was stopped by Mary-Anne suddenly pulling away from him, her eyes wide and glued to his lips.

"Your breath smells like cherries... and there's a tint of pink on your lips," she analysed, eyes darting to stare daggers at Bobby whose expression was beyond perplexed. "I should have known the two of you were simply snogging in here"

Mary-Anne wiggled in his arms until she finally broke free, all the while Bobby attempted to assure her that they're in a competition and this far in kissing would be a common thing to occur. She didn't have any of it, shaking her head in disgust.

"I'm getting a stomach ache from all of this," croaked Mary-Anne. "I'm sorry Bobby, I need to be alone for a while." She stood up, one hand on her flat belly, and stumbled out of the room and up the stairs. The bachelor sat still, mystified at just how quickly things took a turn before him, and slumped his shoulders as he exhaled a breath he had been keeping inside of himself for several seconds.

This wasn't the conversation he wanted to have with Mary-Anne and he felt foolish for not checking himself in the mirror before meeting with her just minutes ago. He swiped a thumb across his bottom lip and could swear there was no trace of Pearl's cherry scented and cherry coloured lip gloss but it was too late to cover up his tracks now. He stood up, brushed his jeans off uncomfortably, and took a moment to also be alone before gathering the girls to announce the theme of today's elimination.

He wandered the halls, glancing into each room to map out the whereabouts of each lady. He spotted Mary-Anne sitting hunched on her bed but knew it would only make things worse if he made another attempt at speaking with her. Pearl was also in her room but she sat by her make up table, tweezers between her finger and her thumb, and deep in concentration. Rosie was still outside by the pool but Bobby realised he still hadn't seen a trace of Bethany this entire day. That is when he heard guitar chords being strummed out in a distant room.

There she was, in the upstairs function room, just herself and an acoustic guitar. She didn't notice his presence at first, eyes closed with her heart and soul in the melody she was creating, and only when Bobby took a seat at one of the scattered barstools, crossing his arms into a nonchalant pose, did she open her eyes and flash a wide smile at him. 

She noticed his semi-pained expression and chose to stay quiet, entertaining him only with the calming strums of her nail against the metal strings of her chosen instrument. The acoustic chords gave Bobby a chance to think, his eyes unfocusing and his mind sorting through some situations that weighed on his conscience. As soon as Bethany let her last chord ring out the bachelor slowly grew present again and raised his head to look at the brilliant performer, clapping a delayed applause her way.

"You seem to have a lot on your mind," identified Bethany gently. "I'm glad to have been your theme song to thought." He was happy to hear that she wasn't angry at him for not paying full attention to her tunes and uncrossed his arms, tension being released from his muscles.

"You're dead right," agreed Bobby, "you're dead right."

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Just before the four remaining girls and the single bachelor all retreated to start their preparation for the fourth elimination of the competition he gathered them in the function room where he watched Bethany play the guitar and finally announced the theme for the night. 'White and Gold Goddesses' was the name that Bobby uttered and everyone's minds flooded to images of Greek gods and draped togas, a winning night for most other than one girl...

The contestants all gave each other knowing and inspired glances and decided to disperse into two groups of two as there were so few girls left in the competition. Pearl and Rosie were the only two that were roommates and so they sacrificed their time together to split and get ready in someone else's room.

Pearl was to get ready in Mary-Anne's room, unaware that there was some secret strife going on between them, and Rosie was to join Bethany in her room. Mary-Anne was quite distant not only to her rival's friendly advances but also distant emotionally as she wracked through some unsolved opinions deep in her heart. Rosie and Bethany have had their disagreements before but remained good friends regardless so they linked arms and skipped to the other side of the villa to prepare for a dramatic night.

While Pearl and Rosie went to gather their clothes and makeup to bring to their chosen rooms Mary-Anne was the first to get changed into her dress for the evening. She claimed that she had made it from scratch by herself and so she donned a icy white draped dress which was decorated with a simple yet elegant band that wrapped around her torso. It was short yet flowy and showed off just enough skin for her to feel comfortable in.

Just as Pearl made her way into her room she was brushing out any tangles in her hair, pushing some strands behind her right ear and letting any locks on her left side flow freely. Her blonde roommate for the night complimented her style and even suggested to help her with her makeup which Mary-Anne politely refused. She turned away from Pearl to give her some privacy as she stripped down and instead smudged some iridescent and sparkly eyeshadow and topping it off with a nude lip gloss.

Once she was done by the mirror it was Pearl's turn to play with her hair and makeup until she looked just right and so Mary-Anne walked to her side of the room and rested on a bench against the wall, observing her rival. Pearl's dress was out of this world and looked like it cost her hundreds, if not thousands, of simoleons. Stark white cut out sleeves hung loosely on her tan arms and a long flowing skirt trailed behind her while the soft parts of her body were held together by insanely intricate gold plated motifs.

As usual for Pearl, she left no room for imagination when it came to expressing herself through clothing and her breasts were sensually pressed and held up by thick and curved metal brackets which made up the top half of her dress. She undid her two thick braids and used the wavy effect that naturally occured to her advantage and added volume to her updo, wispy blondey pieces jutting out from all angles. She found a pot of sparkling golden eyeshadow and brushed it onto her eyelids, finishing her look with a lipstick combination that made her plump lips pop.

"What do you think of this number?" flaunted Pearl as she turned to present herself to Mary-Anne. The ginger girl didn't notice that her jaw had dropped until she was asked the question and promptly shut it, trying her best to find the right words to say back.

"It's- it's definitely something," she breathed, still sitting. Pearl pushed back a stray hair from her face and exhaled delightfully.

"If I made you speechless I can't imagine how Bobby will react when he sees me downstairs." Pearl admired her appearance in the mirror that hung above Mary-Anne but soon realised she should probably comment on her roommate's look also,

"You're looking like a fine dame too. Stand up and give us a twirl!" Mary-Anne reluctantly stood up and spun around slow and steady, Pearl wolf whistled in response.

"Girl, you should be showing off those legs more often!" exclaimed Pearl, hyping up her friend. Mary-Anne blushed slightly, rosy cheeks pronouncing her speckled freckles across her face. What happened between her and Bobby still lingered in her mind and she knew she had to discuss it before they made their way downstairs and it was now or never.

But before that could happen Bethany was fixing her peach tinted and gold adorned dress that she slipped onto her slender body. Her chosen White and Gold Goddess dress was a little less white than the other girls' but it was equal parts revealing and comfy. 

She kept her hair the same way as always, the only difference being the ends of her hair being more curled, but there was not much you could do when you had a peekaboo dye. Bethany slipped on her last decoration, an arm cuff with an abstract butterfly, and stood by her mirror adjusting the folds of the dress to sit just right.

As she was doing the last fixing touches around her chest Rosie walked in with a bundle of her clothes and make up, announcing her entry with a melodic hello. Once she had everything laid out on the dresser and the free bed that used to be Theodora's she realised that she would need some assistance in getting into her costume for the night and Bethany was perked up and curious what help she needed.

The trickiest part of Rosie's Greek mythology inspired outfit was the golden breastplate that she would wear underneath her carefully layered toga and the latches in which to close the unique top were right along her spine. She shimmied into the tight fit and thanked Bethany for securing the piece on her body and the girls shared a moment of female joy once they noticed they would be somewhat matching in wearing an arm cuff although Rosie's depicted a snake wrapping around her right arm.

The brunette tousled her hair and did a little bit of backcombing, imitating an appearance as if she just escaped battle, and started on her makeup. She had acquired some glittery eyeshadow just like the rest of them but asked to use some of Bethany's orange tinted eyeshadows as they really made her perfectly green eyes pop.

With a little bit of metallic lippy Rosie's look was complete and was quickly complimented on her muscular thighs by Bethany. Rosie went a step further and made a passing remark,

"Goodness Bethany, where do you find these perfect fitting dresses? I need to know the shop you always go to for your looks!"

"The same could be said for you," playfully retorted the slender girl. "Where on earth could you find a golden breastplate to wear so casually?!" They chuckled at each other's statements and began to wonder if the others were ready for the ceremony yet, they began to notice that they were going behind schedule.

Back in Mary-Anne's room the energy grew heavier as she had some questioning to do with Pearl. She clasped her hands together and looked down at the ground, taking in a deep breath, and got straight to it.

"Pearl, I won't lie, I left things quite unfortunately with Bobby earlier today," she began sorrowfully. "Just in case you didn't know, he asked to talk to me after he chatted with you and... well, after thinking it through I may have gone too hard on him." Pearl stood quiet, nodding slowly and listening carefully.

"Should I go and speak to him before the ceremony? Tell him that I didn't mean what I said and try save my place in the competition?" Mary-Anne's voice began to shake as she finished while Pearl's face was like stone, unshifting, unmoving.

"I genuinely think it's too late now," responded Pearl in a genuine tone. "I mean, you could try take him aside just as we all meet downstairs but do you really think it would change much" Mary-Anne shook her head, defeated.

"I think the damage has been done, unfortunately. Only thing you can do is hope for the best." Pearl placed a hand on her rival's arm and tried to gently comfort her. Mary-Anne looked down and tried her best to accept this fact but her heart felt like it was shattering.

"What did you guys talk about that was so... horrible?" questioned Pearl, cocking her head to the side inquisitively and Mary-Anne hesitated to respond.

"I-I noticed that he had your lip gloss still smeared across his lips," announced the red haired girl, Pearl's eyebrows shot up a little. "It wasn't all there but I could smell the cherry scent on his breath too and I just, um... got too jealous."

"Ugh, boys," scoffed Pearl in response, rolling her eyes animatedly. "They never know how to cover their tracks just right." Her attempt at a joke didn't stop Mary-Anne from feeling any worse about what happened so Pearl tried even harder,

"Look, I wont deny that we traded some kisses but isn't that the name of the game? Aren't we all fighting for the bachelor's love? That's what I was doing earlier, I wanted him to remember one reason why he liked me, for him to feel the sensation of our kisses when he stands and chooses who to send home tonight and be reminded that it won't be me."

"I know that doesn't exactly help you feel any better but... if it really is your last night here wouldn't you want to go out in the most stylish way possible? Keep your head held high, give him the brightest smile and continue to flaunt your qualities that you want him to be head over heels for!" Pearl looked down to meet Mary-Anne's distant gaze and she kept turning her head away, trying her best not to tear up from the heartbreak she was experiencing.

"Show me that smile, the smile that will make him remember why he kept you here for so long," demanded Pearl and her once rival finally looked up at her, blinking away any wetness that gathered on her bottom eyelid. She inhaled a deep yet shaky breath and presented a smile, although slightly pained looking it still showed off her gorgeous teeth and sparkling eyes, almost perfect enough for a beauty pageant.

"That's more like it," affirmed Pearl, flashing a smile back to Mary-Anne, and continued to find words of reassurance to calm her friend's nerves.

In the other room a slight debate was underway where Bethany was self assured in staying in the competition while Rosie asked for proof of such claim.

"Hello? Did I not tell you about how amazing our date went yesterday? I'm a shoe in!" boasted Bethany with great arrogance but Rosie was having none of it.

"But it's not like he sent you home with some wildflowers to say that you're not going home tonight. Don't be so cocky, it's coming across as rude."

"Says the one who is jealous about not being chosen for said date!" Bethany crossed her arms and smirked fiendishly, Rosie rolled her eyes.

"Jeez, do you have to be so childish about this? Just admit it, we're all on the chopping block tonight, nobody is safe." In response Bethany began to check her nails and avoid any eye contact with her once friend and simply said,

"Doesn't apply to me, I have a guaranteed spot in this competition."

Rosie was tired of repeating herself and simply walked out of the room and farther away from the nonsense being said to her face. Just as she went into the hallway she spotted Mary-Anne leaving her room and noticed that Pearl was still inside, deciding that she needed to decompress a little before they made their way to the stage downstairs.

Inside Pearl was fixing up some wild stray hairs that stuck out of her messy bun and was delighted to see Rosie approaching her, commenting an appreciated compliment her way, yet quickly realised that Rosie was tense from something and began to pry.

"Ugh, it's really nothing," began the brunette with a sharp tone. "Just Bethany engaging in some exaggerated antics. I couldn't stand to be stuck in the cycle that we were speaking in."

"Was she bragging about how she was definitely being picked by Bobby tonight?" asked Pearl without a second thought and Rosie scoffed in surprise.

"It's like you were in the room with us!" she joked cheekily and the girls shared a moment of laughter as they launched into a personal and hushed bitching session before being called away to all meet downstairs.

While these discussions were all happening Bobby spent some extra time getting ready in his personal bathroom by engaging in the glittery golden theme, applying some muted sprinkles of gold flakes around his eyes. He had no experience with make up of any kind, not even face paint, so he just did what he could to look a little more out there than usual.

The same went for his outfit tonight, more out there than usual. He accentuated his chest with a flamboyant shirt that had a large cut out in the middle, garnished with careful beadwork that glimmered under the right lighting. His pants were something simple but contrasting with his pale white shirt and soon he was ready to begin the ceremony.

His nerves felt like they were at an all time high compared to all the other rose ceremonies that he conducted in the competition thus far. He agreed that how he left off with Mary-Anne was far from idyllic but was it bad enough to send her home for? He spent some time meditating on it before getting dressed but he knew he would only properly make such a decision once he saw all of the contestants beautifully decorated before him. It was show time.

Once the bachelor made his way down the stairs he found the four remaining contestants aimlessly standing around, awaiting his arrival. As soon as he took his last step from the stairs and onto the concrete floor he was speechless at the girls' ethereal beauty and could only speak in hand motions, guiding them to stand on the stage and begin the elimination process.

There have never been assigned places for the contestants to stand in when on the stage so they quietly worked it out amongst themselves where each person belonged while Bobby watched from afar. He found his gaze avert to the single rose that stood on the table next to him and contemplated his upcoming decisions until he felt the room fall silent and he turned back to see the ladies wait with patience.

"Welcome back to the elimination stage," began Bobby, exhaling a deep breath he didn't realise he was holding in. "I can't believe this is our fourth elimination of the season. Tonight one more girl will be sent home and three of you will be progressing onto the semi-finals... exciting stuff."

His last dry attempt at a joke made the girls break a small smile on their lips but the tension in the room could be cut with a knife. He took a moment to look behind him where the bouquets were spread out in vases, the petals ranging in various warm tones. Then he looked back at each girl he has spent almost a full week getting to know.

It was undeniable at how exceptionally gorgeous each contestant looked today and Bobby was delighted with himself at creating such a playful theme for what is seeming to be a stressful elimination. He gave each girl a sprinkle of his attention as he looked them up and down, doing his best not to have his jaw drop to the floor from awe and enamour.

"You have all left me speechless from your beauty tonight, just... wow," he finally said and this comment made the girls smile more authentically, each one giving the bachelor a look of thanks in their own personal way. Bobby cleared his throat and fixed the flowing collar on his shirt before he spoke again,

"Let's get down to business shall we?" Everyone's backs straightened and they braced for disappointment. "Tonight none of you are safe as I did not hand out any wildflowers throughout this week so I have three bouquets to give out to the lucky girls... going to be a short night tonight."

He lifted up a fresh and full bundle of white roses and twisted them in his hands, admiring the fragile beauty while he found just the right words to use to describe the girl he wanted to keep in the competiton.

"Last night I conducted an experiment, something my mother taught me to do when I was stuck on what to choose: I consulted the stars," he explained and the girls were intrigued. "I chose some constellations and far away planets that sparkled in the night sky and let fate take control, landing me on the answer I was looking for."

He finally looked up and studied each girl, creating mystery as to who the stars helped him choose to keep in the competition. "The star that shone the brightest last night, the girl I want to know more about is..."

"Pearl."

Her shiny lips curved into an all knowing smile and she glanced at her competition before she began to make her way down to face the bachelor. Rosie watched her walk gracefully while the other girls averted their gaze and focused on their breathing. Pearl tilted her head to the side once she stood before Bobby, a delicate blonde strand falling onto her cheek as she waited to hear him say the words.

"Will you accept this bouquet of roses, my girl from the stars?"

"Why, certainly I will." Pearl's dulcet tones were like music to Bobby's ears and he gently handed the manicured bouquet to his first choice, watching her sway with each step and settle on the couches to the side.

She took her seat on an armchair and noticed Rosie looking back at her. While Bobby picked out his second bouquet Pearl motioned a thumbs up to her nervous roommate and mouthed a quiet "you'll do great".

The contestants shifted on their feet, most of them eager to join Pearl on the white couches before them, but Bethany began to pull out the stops by placing a hand on her hip and giving Bobby the biggest smile yet.

"For my second choice of who I'd like to keep in the competition I realised that my heart still soared high for this girl and I would be foolish to deflate her chance at winning," Bethany's smile was beginning to hurt her cheeks but not from trying hard it was all thanks to Bobby's continuous puns.

"If you didn't catch my drift, okay I'll stop now," he chuckled,

"It's Bethany."

Even with the many jokes that the bachelor uttered before speaking the girl's name it still caught Rosie off guard and her eyes widened in fear. But as soon as she heard Bethany's heels clack on the wood beside her she fixed her expression and steadied her nerves the best way she knew how.

Bethany lifted her gown slightly as she stepped down from the stage and lay it gently on the floor once she was right in front of Bobby, the smile on her face impossible to wipe away.

"This is for you, will you take these roses and stay in the competition?"

"Of course I will, Bobby! I hope these roses take me to high places," She cringed a little at her attempt at bouncing a pun back at Bobby but he laughed along side her, placing the flowers in her arms. She lifted her gown with one hand and shuffled to the couches, sitting directly across from Pearl to get a different angle of the competition.

And now there were only two girls left and one bouquet to hand out. As Bobby lifted the last flowers into his arms Rosie's and Mary-Anne's expressions began to change into a grimace; neither of them wanted to be sent home tonight and now that reality was setting in their knees felt weak beneath them.

"Before me stand two brilliant girls," began to reason Bobby. "You two have shown me so much of your personalities and I would be lying if I said I didn't fall for each of you... but it's time to say goodbye to one of you. I'm gutted, I really am, but tonight my last bouquet will be going to..."

The girls on the couches sat with their breaths held, Bethany's eyes wide with anticipation and Pearl covering her mouth in shock as she tried not to bite her nails in anxiety. The silence was deafening, nobody moved a muscle, but the two remaining girls felt like the room was filled with their loud heartbeats.

Rosie's shoulders rose sheepishly, presenting herself like a lamb that was about to be brought out to slaughter, and her soft green eyes pleaded with the bachelor to not send her home. On the other hand Mary-Anne attempted to comfort herself by hugging her arms and she found it difficult to make eye contact with Bobby, so unlike how she was at the elimination in Champs Les Sims. They had been waiting long enough, it was time for the bachelor to spit out a name...

"Rosie."

Gasps filled the room but Rosie's was by far the loudest one. Her hands rose to rest on her chest as she started up her breathing again and a thankful expression washed over her face. Bobby had to beckon her over with his hand for her legs to guide her to stand before him and Mary-Anne couldn't bear to look at the scene.

The red haired girl's lip began to quiver and she averted her gaze from everyone in the room. She felt foolish, absurd, regretful and deeply saddened by the outcome of this rose ceremony and her emotions blocked out the words said by the bachelor to his last pick of the night.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," announced Bobby suavely. "I saved the red roses for you... will you take them?"

"Yes, Bobby, yes! Thank you so much for choosing me." Rosie's eyes looked more watery than usual and she sniffled a bit when she smelled the blood red roses. She shared a meaningful look with the bachelor but his eyes soon shifted to look at Mary-Anne, his smile fading by the second.

"Join the others by the couches, it is time for me to say goodbye to Mary-Anne."

Her name being uttered by the bachelor woke Mary-Anne up from her depressive trance and she shuffled over to stand before him, her legs feeling heavier than ever. As he said his final words to the eliminated girl Pearl brought Rosie in to a tight hug, their respective metallic embellishments on their dresses clinking comedically.

"I'm sorry to have to see you go so soon," began Bobby but Mary-Anne's face was unmoving. "We may not have become each other's romantic partners through this competition but out of everyone I've met here so far I'd love it if we could stay in touch as friends?"

"Friends?" asked Mary-Anne coldly. "Friends?!" Her voice began to rise and it caught the attention of others.

"I've had it with you, honestly! I've been timid this entire competition but I won't stand for your hot and cold nature anymore. I don't ever want to hear about you from this day forward!"

"Hey, can we smooth things over a little?" Bobby presented his palms before Mary-Anne, trying to appear as innocent as possible.

"You don't deserve my mercy, you pathetic, immature player!" Mary-Anne began to storm off and out of the villa and Bethany began to sound out a jeering "ooooo~" before being nudged by Rosie with a disapproving shake of the head. Bobby started on his feet and tried to catch up with the eliminated girl.

Once the bachelor and Mary-Anne were out of sight the remaining three exhaled their remaining tension and began chatting, waiting for Bobby to return and celebrate a successful elimination. Bethany stood by closely as Rosie and Pearl smiled at one another, Pearl starting their conversation,

"Gosh, I'm delighted to still have my roomie with me!" Rosie replied silently, her beaming smile was the perfect response to such a comment. Pearl continued, "I knew Bobby had a deeper connection with you, he and Mary-Anne were on... shaky ground."

"I know right?!" chimed in Bethany, titillated by the drama that was finally being discussed. "Out of everyone that has been in the competition so far I never expected Mary-Anne to be the one to tell off Bobby in front of everyone!" The girls exchanged their opinions on what had happened moments ago and the room was abuzz with chatter, a stark change to the silent night that was greeting the eliminated girl outside.

Mary-Anne was several steps ahead of Bobby and he raced after her before she entered the car that awaited her and left his sight for good. "Wait up, hey!" he shouted after her and she finally listened, head hung low and unable to make eye contact with him. Bobby could swear he saw a wet twinkle in her eyes once he stood before her and tried to speak with a gentle voice to her,

"Mary-Anne, hey, hey, please listen to me before you go." He hunched down ever so slightly, desperately trying to have her look at him. "Things didn't play out how I wanted them to tonight and I just want to apologi-"

"Like hell you do," exploded the red haired girl, glaring up at the bachelor. He attempted to place a hand on her arm to comfort her and she violently shook it off with a grunt. Bobby presented his hands in defeat and stood silent, waiting to hear Mary-Anne out, her face growing red from anger.

"How do you think I wanted things to go tonight, huh? Things didn't go your way but they didn't go my way either! I'm sick of the world revolving around you. Have you, even for a second, thought about how things appear to us girls? Ugh." She scoffed, rolling her eyes dramatically. Suddenly she narrowed her eyes, her gaze piercing through Bobby's core, and spoke in an icy tone,

"Don't you ever touch me ever again."

"I promise I will not," replied Bobby calmly, lowering his hands, palms still open yet limp. "I'm sorry for tonight, Mary-Anne."

"Like hell you are," she muttered, quickly slinking into the black vehicle that they stood beside. The tinted windows disguised her from Bobby's view and it was only then that she let herself finally cry, two fat tears plonking right down onto her fantasy dress. She scrunched the fabric up in her shaky hands and moved with the rhythm of the car as it pulled away from the villa, glancing back towards Bobby one last time who stood there like a lost child.

A cold sea breeze blew through Bobby's hair creating small goose bumps along the back of his neck and soon the car that carried the eliminated girl was merely a dot in the distance. He let out a deep sigh, something sitting in his chest not quite right, and he felt extremely regretful of the happenings of this evening. He didn't particularly feel in the party mood tonight but celebrations had to be done as three beautiful girls remained in the tropical mansion alongside him and so he dragged his feet back inside, finding the contestants waiting in the kitchen.

As he entered the room each girl had a unique smile decorating their lips and Rosie could not contain her excitement any further, quietly and quickly clapping her hands as she gazed at Bobby. To their right stood a tray with four illumninous drinks, small bubbles floating to the top in a uniform manner, and looking deliciously refreshing at that. Before looking back at the girls the bachelor did his best to put on his game face but the sting that was left by Mary-Anne was still felt deep in his chest and so his eyebrows looked slightly tensed.

"Well, help yourselves," finally spoke up Bobby, gesturing to the bar, and each girl took turns taking a cocktail. They all raised their glasses high and waited for the bachelor's speech, Rosie smiling the biggest out of them all, high on success.

"Congratulations to all of you," recited Bobby calmly, "you have made it to the semi-finals!" Cheers and hollers erupted from the contestants and this finally put a smile on Bobby's face also before continuing,

"Our time here grows shorter and shorter and the toughest decisions of this competition are surely awaiting me but tonight we celebrate you gorgeous girls getting closer to winning this competition. Let's drink to you, Rosie, Pearl and Bethany. Congratulations, once again."

Their glasses clinked and chimed as they interacted with one another, each taking a sip once the action was done. Sounds of satisfaction quickly followed and Rosie licked her lips from the stunning flavour.

"My compliments to the bartender!" exclaimed Bethany, garnering a couple chuckles. They spilt off into groups of two and Bobby found himself in the company of Pearl who exchanged a couple flirty looks with the bachelor while nobody was looking. Bobby found it difficult to reciprocate and Pearl noticed, her face dropping slightly,

"Still thinking about Mary-Anne?" she quietly asked and Bobby sighed, looking to the side as if uncomfortable.

"It was the worst elimination to date," he choked, a slight grimace appearing on his face. "Mary-Anne wouldn't hear me out in the end either, I just felt like an outlet to her."

"You probably were, Bobby," said Pearl bluntly. "She was riding on tensions hours before the elimination, I think she'll come to regret how she acted this same night." Bobby smiled at her, feeling indebted for her listening to his woes.

"Thanks for the reassurance," he said, lighter on his feet. "But enough about the tragedies of tonight, how do you feel still being here?"

"Exhilarated," commented Pearl in a sultry tone. "I had no doubts, once again, that you would pick me, Bobby. Our connection is undeniable."

"No doubt about that, Pearl." He smiled and winked at her but resisted getting any closer to her while the other girls were still around, fearful of another growing jealous and repeating recent history.

Suddenly Bobby found Rosie standing by his side and turned to ask how she is doing. She waved off his question quickly before leaning towards his ear and speaking in a hushed tone, but not quiet enough to Pearl to not hear,

"Can I steal Pearl away for a minute? I have to chat with her, woman to woman." Bobby's eyebrows shot up before smirking and nodding knowingly, Pearl looked anguished by this interruption but gathered herself for her roomie. 

"Don't worry, I can see it's nothing I need to hear. I'm sure Bethany has been dying for my attention anyway," chuckled the bachelor before gaining a wink from Rosie and so he stepped away from them and tapped Bethany on her shoulder, distracting her from something she was staring out at through the window.

"Bobby!" she exclaimed before wrapping her free arm around him in a gentle hug. "Did Rosie kick you out of your conversation with Pearl?"

"Yes, do you care to share what she was dying to chat about?" asked Bobby with a raised eyebrow, Bethany shook her head confidently.

"Nuh-uh, girl-code. I don't reveal what you boys don't need to know." Bobby looked impressed by her comment and decided to drop it, instead complimenting Bethany on her loyalty.

Their chats were cut short when their personal chef entered the room with a cart full of cheeses, various fruits, chutneys and crackers galore. They were instructed to help themselves to whatever they fancied and Bobby invited them to eat in the large dining room. They each selected a nice pick of flavours and followed the bachelor into the next room over, all sitting together on one side of the table while Bobby took precedence at one end of the table.

Once everyone tried a bit of everything on their plate, sharing their favourites with each other, Bobby began a group conversation regarding what they will get up to tomorrow,

"I want to hear from you, girls," he began lightheartedly. "I have taken the lead in deciding the various dates and events that we have experienced across Sunlit Tides this entire competition but I would love to hear from you all what you'd fancy doing with the few days we have left here. I'm opening up the floor to your suggestions."

"Pearl lives on the island, so maybe she would know of a good place to take us all?" spoke Rosie, making eye contact with her friend once she uttered her name. Pearl nodded and took a moment to think of something fun and unique to do before responding.

"There's so many things that have already been done, whether it was a group date or solo..." pondered Pearl, reminiscing on her own dates with Bobby and what the contestants had shared with her before.

"The spa in the mountain is a good call but Bobby has already taken me there last week. To be fair, not many of the spa facilities were used by us, I never got that massage that was promised me." She shared a knowing glance with the bachelor and Bobby nodded in approval to her idea.

"I feel like we haven't utilised our easy access to the sea that is surrounding us so far, why not a day out on the waters in a yacht?" Rosie looked towards Pearl awaiting approval to her idea and the blonde girl nodded before commenting,

"Sound great, I know exactly where we can go to hire a boat for a good price too!"

"Oh! Oh! How about we go on a boat trip around the island and then we have a bonfire on the beach!" shouted Bethany excitedly. "I haven't been on the beach here yet either, pretty please Bobby! I want a beach day!" She began to chant 'beach day! beach day!' to rile up the others, Rosie joined in shortly while it took a bit of convincing for Pearl to chant alongside them.

"Alright, alright," laughed Bobby as he watched the girls win him over. "A beach day it is!" Bethany cheers echoed across the dining room before she popped in the last piece of cheese she had in her plate, doing a cute little dance as she sat in her seat.

The girls listened in to Bobby and Pearl exchange information regarding the boat hire and which beach would be the nicest and most secluded to host a bonfire for four in such short notice and their excitement only grew stronger in their bellies. Once everyone's plates were empty they made their way back into the kitchen where they spotted four more sparkling cocktails just waiting to be drunk. They raised their glasses high one more time and this time around the girls cheered for the bachelor.

"You congratulate us every elimination for keeping our place in the competition but it's about time we celebrate you, Bobby!" explained Bethany. "Welcome to the semi-finals, just us three girls to worry about now!" They sipped their liquids and Rosie licked her lips once again,

"I can't get enough of this drink, what is it called and how do I make it?!"

Conversations began to become samey the more sips each girl took, their tolerance of drink becoming very light assumingly from the stress they experienced earlier. Laughs were exchanged, memories were shared but by the time Rosie stumbled in her heels while she stood in one place the bachelor decided to call it a night. He gave each contestant one last hug before instructing everyone to retreat back to their beds and bid them a goodnight.

The girls may have went upstairs to undress and wash off their makeup but once Bobby found himself alone the gnawing heartache returned once more. He decided to take a moment to breathe in the fresh midnight air before returning to his bed to conclude another night. 

Salty tones pierced his nostrils with every deep breath he took and he looked out at the still water in the pool, illuminated by the underwater lights making it look almost ethereal. Bobby closed his eyes for a few minutes and let his feelings settle deep in his chest, playing through the mantras in his mind that he learned in his martial arts academy many years back:

"The past is in the past, the future is the only thing that can change, and think not only with your heart but also with your mind."

The feeling finally began to subside and he opened his eyes sleepily, a few more minutes and he could have probably dozed off there. He inhaled the marine air one more time and made his way into the villa and up the stairs to his bedroom, ready to conclude the day he had.

A little bit of banter could be heard from Pearl's and Rosie's room as he walked by and it brought a smile to his face to hear their giggles. He peered through the glass doors as his legs moved him past it and he noticed Pearl steadying Rosie, both in their pyjamas ready to sleep. The bachelor found it somewhat endearing that Rosie is such a lightweight and chortled to himself as he made it up the last few steps.

But with every high comes a low and once he stood before his mirror in his room he noticed himself frowning once again. Was the midnight meditation not enough to soothe his broken feelings for Mary-Anne? A seed of doubt began to germinate in his mind... what if sending her home was a mistake? Was it her icy words that hurt him most or was it the lack of her presence that made him so sad?

Nevertheless he had to strip from his extravagant partywear and get comfortable in his bedtime shorts. He was so tired and preoccupied with his swimming thoughts that he forgot about the glitter he applied to his cheeks, inevitably having a surprising shock to see it on his face when the morning comes. 

The villa fell silent once more, another day of the competition has passed. A sunny and action packed day awaits the bachelor and his remaining three contestants but for now they rest up and recharge their collective batteries to make the most of their time together.

And that concludes our fourth elimination! It was shocking to see Mary-Anne go, and go out with a bang nonetheless! But we have to move on and hope there is something better awaiting her on the tropical horizon. Tune in next time to watch Bobby bring his remaining girls on a summer retreat and get some sand stuck in between their toes!

Bachelor Season 1

Episode 12 / Episode 14