Chapter Text
Cheryl made her way down to the trial clearing.
"I knew it was gonna be me" she told the camera, "my brother said he was gonna make it family law that they all vote for me".
She made her way into the clearing where the two presenters were waiting. "Morning" she said to them.
"Mornin'" they replied with mischievous grins.
"I'd say it's nice to see yah but that would be a lie" Cheryl rocked up in front of them, looking around in apprehension.
"You know we actually get that quite a lot" Dec told her with a sigh.
"Right Cheryl shall we tell you what you're in store for today?" Ant asked excitedly.
"Do you have to? Can we not just switch off the cameras and go get a brew?"
"Aha unfortunately it doesn't quite work like that".
Cheryl slapped her leg sarcastically, "damn it".
"Welcome to Up to Your Neck in It, as you can see, over here there's a giant tank, well you're gonna be in that tank and you're going to be getting the stars, sounds easy right?"
"If you say so" Cheryl said "but I'm sure it's not"
"I don't know I haven't tried it" Dec pointed out "of course you can stop the trial at any point by saying the magic words"
"So you gonna give it a go?" Ant asked.
Cheryl shrugged, "I mean I walked all this way, I may as well".
The two other men laughed, "fair enough let's get you in place".
***
Cheryl was inside the plastic tank, goggles on and feeling like a right prat.
"You ready Cheryl?"
"If I have to be" she said.
"You'll have ten minutes to get all eleven stars" Dec announced, "your time starts … now".
Cheryl was confused for a split second because there was absolutely nothing in the tank with her but then she felt it. Something began falling fast onto her head and filling up the tank quickly.
"What the hell is that?" She asked as the things pelted her head.
"Falling in there with you now are mealworms" one of the presenters said, Cheryl was too busy searching through the insects to pay attention to which said it.
Something yellow caught her eye and then disappeared a second later. The tank was filling up so fast. Cheryl dived for it, digging through until finally she found it.
"Yes" she yelled triumphantly just as something slimy fell.
It was worms that had started to fall from the sky. They were lukewarm against Cheryl’s xposed skin making her shiver from the gross feeling. As she followed the sight of the second star one landed on her lip and she shrieked.
"Looks like that one wanted a kiss"
"Yuck" Cheryl grimaced, bashing the thing away but diving after the star all the same.
Minutes passed and more bugs fell. Next was beetles and spiders and cockroaches, stars falling right along with them which Cheryl managed to collect and stuff in her bag.
At the five minute mark the pile of bugs was up to her neck and she could barely move her arms and legs.
"Right Cheryl, for the remaining five minutes all you have to do is stay in there. Six stars have already fallen which means that now, every minute that passes is a meal won for camp".
"Awesome" Cheryl aid trying not to move to much.
From what she'd seen on the telly this wasn't as bad as she was expecting, although the feeling of cockroaches running round in her knickers wasnt the nicest of things.
She heard the tank hatch open and something tree like fell in next to her. And then suddenly her face started to itch like mad.
"In there now are Green Ants".
"Ow, nasty little buggers aren't they" she swore as they climbed about her face.
The pain only got worse from there.
A minute later came giant scorpions. And after that crabs. One crab in particular took a liking to Cheryl and it held onto her ear with all his might.
"And finally we have the snakes".
The snakes were probably the worst. They slithered around her neck like a noose.
She closed her eyes and tried to block out the pain of the crab clinging to her and the snake getting closer and closer.
And finally. Finally! She began to hear the countdown of "Ten.. nine..."
"And time!" they cheered.
Cheryl had to stand still for another second or two while they removed the snake and the crabs before she was hoisted up and out.
She immediately started to shake about because bugs got absolutely everywhere. It gave totally new meaning to ants in her pants.
"Well done Cheryl! Come over here, how was that?"
"Easier than yesterday to be honest" Cheryl said still shaking and dancing about.
"Right well, you went the full five minutes so that's five minutes right there in the bag, let's see how many more you got".
Cheryl started counting out the stars from the bag, throwing them down on the floor. ".. Four… Five and Six".
"Well done that's all eleven meals for camp, get back up there and tell 'em that they're in for a treat tonight!"
***
"What do you think Cheryl’s doing right now?" Toni asked the girls.
She’d been whisked away to the pond by Veronica and Betty for a swim and a sunbathe and probably also to stop Toni from strangling Sweet Pea (as he still hadn’t told her how he’d got on the show).
"I don't know" Veronica said, "probably something gross".
"She'll do it though, doesn't seem like the kind of girl to take losing well" Betty added.
Toni only hummed, thinking of last night and how Cheryl had seemed genuinely afraid and out of it. She was so deep in her own thoughts of Cheryl hat she missed what Veronica had said and only caught the tail end of Betty’s reply. "Not likely, he's gay".
Toni looked at them confused, "who's gay?"
"Cheryl you nitwit" Sweet Pea exclaimed, walking into the clearing and flicking her ear.
"Oh" Toni said "really?"
Veronica shook her head and started to tell the story of how Cheryl had become one of the biggest LGBT+ reality stars and how the media had a field day with it.
"Which is why Reggie was sad. He kind of fancies her" Betty murmured from where she laid.
"Er not fancy, she's just a fantasy. She’s too young for him unfortunately" then she turned to Toni, "but not too young for you" she said with a raised eyebrow.
Toni went pink and laid back down, hiding her head in her discarded t shirt. "Don't know what your talking about".
"Pft course you don't" Veronica said but thankfully said no more leaving Toni to the sun and her thoughts.
***
Cheryl was welcomed back to the camp with so much excitement, everyone waking up from their naps to see her.
She happily accepted some water off Fred before telling the tale of what she'd gone through. She even showed them all her bleeding ear.
Once she was finished Cheryl whipped off her t-shirt because she stunk of bugs and she was sure there was still some worms stuck to her back.
"Cheryl wait" Betty called after her in alarm as she made to leave camp.
"Oh god there's still a bunch of worms on me isn't there?" She swivelled around trying to see.
"No" Betty said and Cheryl was starting to get worried by the tone of her voice, "no I think we need to call a medic".
Cheryl was really confused now. She looked down and started to run her hand over her chest checking she wasn't actually hurt. And then she ran her hands over the scars that covered her chest.
"You mean these?" She asked Betty.
"Yes" she said, "did something scratch you?"
Cheryl was really touched by Betty’s worry. "no, no Betty I'm fine really thank you. I've had these since I was younger".
Cheryl managed to make a quick escape to the shower to wash off all the bugs and she spent the rest of the day swimming and sleeping and hanging out with Josie.
***
Dinner that night was ostrich. Toni had appointed herself chef again with the help of Josie while Sweet Pea dazzled the camp with tales of their childhood. Cheryl noticed the way Toni frequently rolled her eyes as he spoke.
When dinner was served Betty sat herself down next to her.
"I truly am sorry" she mumbled to Cheryl about earlier. The girls explained to me how you got those scars and I really didn't mean to pry".
"Oh don't worry about it Betty" Cheryl said, "it was really sweet of you, and it's not something i'm ashamed of them or anything".
"I used to cut myself as a kid" She explained. "I had a bit of a messed up childhood and then there was me being ashamed of being gay and I took it out on myself"
Betty put a hand on her shoulder.
"I used to be well ashamed of it. Especially when I got into TV and I had random people commenting on it. " she continued "but then i realised they weren't a sign of my weakness. They showed that I'd survived. And I think it's important to talk about you know, for other people, if he kids to know that they're not alone and that it does get better".
***
"You okay?" Toni asked Cheryl as they were walking to the dunny, getting ready for bed. "I overheard a bit of your conversation with Betty, just wanted to check-"
"I'm good" Cheryl said from where she sat, wondering if now was the best time for this conversation, while she was actually on the toilet.
"I didn't mean to but in or anything it's just- it's really admirable what you said about not being ashamed and showing others it gets better-" Toni was on a roll as she whispered into the night "I'm not saying I ever- my uncle, he found me in an old barn once. With a girl".
Cheryl tried to finish up her business as quickly and quietly as she could while also trying to let Toni talk.
"Her name was Leah." Toni continued, "she was a farm hand, only a year older and well it was a boring summer. One thing led to another and then in the end... well he found us snogging and in the end I had a black eye to go with the hickey".
Cheryl chose that moment to step out and look towards Toni who was biting her lip. "Never told anyone that before" she admitted.
"Your uncle was a dick." Cheryl said simply which was just what Toni needed after admitting something like because she burst out laughing.