Another week.
Another eviction.
Another name read out with that brutal, final tone.
I sat on the couch, fingers twisted in my lap, trying not to shake.
The living room lights felt too bright.
The cameras too close.
I could feel sweat on my lower back even though the aircon was on.
Someone beside me was crying quietly.
Mia, of course.
She was always the softest.
She wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her oversized shirt.
Joshua sat on the other side of me, elbows on knees, gaze dark and unreadable.
He didn't move even as the voice boomed again over the speakers.
"You have just said goodbye to a housemate. But life goes on in Big Brother's house."
Life goes on.
Right.
We all sat there, too quiet.
Nobody really wanted to talk.
It had been a tense week.
Not enough food.
Long tasks.
Too many whispered conversations in corners.
I felt my shoulders tense as the buzzer sounded.
Kuya's voice.
"Housemates, please listen carefully."
We all straightened like scolded school kids.
"Tomorrow, you will face your third task."
No one spoke.
"This task will determine which of you will face the public vote. The two housemates with the fewest votes from the outside world will leave the house."
Mia let out a small whimper.
Paolo swore under his breath.
I just sat there.
Very still.
"Margaux, because you won the previous immunity challenge, you will act as referee for this task. You will not compete."
My stomach twisted.
A referee.
So i was safe.
Again.
But it also meant i'd have to stand there.
Watching them fight for their spot in the house.
I didn't know how i felt about that.
"Rest well tonight. You will need your energy. That is all."
The speakers clicked off.
Silence fell again.
Except for the sound of Mia sniffing.
"Hey," I murmured to her.
I reached over and squeezed her knee.
She blinked up at me, mascara smudged.
"You'll be okay," I said, even though i had no idea if it was true.
Joshua stood up.
"Come on," he said roughly.
He jerked his head toward the kitchen.
"Let's eat before it's gone."
Because that was the other thing.
We were running out of food.
Our budget was pathetic.
We had failed half our weekly tasks.
So all we had were small packets of noodles, eggs, leftover rice, a handful of canned goods.
It was humiliating, really.
To be seen like this on TV.
The Controversial Daughter of Makati City trying to figure out how to fry an egg without burning it.
But i followed them anyway.
We crowded in the tiny kitchen.
Paolo and Enzo were already there, squabbling over the last can of sardines.
Mia was digging in the cabinets, hunting for rice.
Joshua opened the tiny fridge, grimaced.
"Shit," he muttered.
"Only two eggs left."
I sighed.
"I'll eat less," I said quickly.
Mia whipped around.
"No. Don't. We'll share. We always do."
But my stomach was in knots.
We scraped together a meal somehow.
Rice, half an egg each, a spoon of sardines.
I didn't even taste it.
I just shoveled it in, needing the calories.
Because tomorrow was going to be hell.
-
When we finished, Joshua washed the dishes.
Mia dried.
I wiped the table down with a rag that smelled like bleach.
Enzo didn't help.
He sat at the corner and scrolled on the fake tablet Big Brother let us use for games.
Paolo did half the job and then wandered off.
I tried not to say anything.
But i caught Joshua's eye once.
He raised an eyebrow at me.
I just shrugged.
It's not worth it.
Later that night, lying on my thin mattress, I stared at the ceiling.
Lights off.
But i knew the cameras had night vision on.
They were watching.
They always watched.
I thought about tomorrow.
About having to referee.
Having to stand there and announce the winner.
Knowing the losers would face the public vote.
That two of them would go home.
I swallowed hard.
My mouth felt dry.
I didn't want to do it.
But i didn't have a choice.
-
The next day
We were woken up by the buzzer at dawn.
Groans all around.
Mia pulled her blanket over her head.
Kath swung her legs over the side of the bed, instantly alert.
I just sat up slowly.
Rubbed my face.
Forced myself to take a deep breath.
This is it.
We shuffled to the living room.
Kuya's voice:
"Good morning, housemates. Today is your third task."
A pause.
Heavy.
"This task will be done in teams. Since there are nine of you remaining, there will be two teams of four. Margaux, as referee, you will not participate."
A couple of side-eyes came my way.
I felt heat crawl up my neck.
Kuya continued.
"Please divide yourselves into two teams."
Awkward silence.
Joshua, bless him, spoke first.
"Come on. Let's just do it fairly."
He looked around.
Picked Mia.
She nodded, moving to stand beside him.
Paolo called Enzo.
Mia's friend, Mariel, joined Joshua's side.
Another shuffle.
Finally, teams were decided.
Team 1: Joshua, Mia, Mariel, Nico.
Team 2: Paolo, Enzo, Kath, Gelo.
I just stood there.
Hands clasped behind my back.
Watching.
Kuya's voice again.
"Margaux. You are the referee. Your job is to ensure fairness and enforce the rules."
I nodded.
"Understood, Kuya."
"Housemates, the losing team will be up for public vote. The two with the fewest votes will leave the house."
No one breathed.
"Additionally, this task will determine your weekly budget. Winning will earn you a larger allowance for food and supplies."
Groans.
But determined ones.
Because we were all sick of eating plain rice and canned sardines.
We moved outside to the activity area.
The task was brutal.
A physical puzzle course.
Stacking blocks.
Memorizing sequences.
Running back and forth under the hot sun.
I stood there, whistle around my neck, clipboard in hand.
I watched Joshua haul Mia over a wall while she shrieked with laughter.
Mariel ran back and forth with puzzle pieces.
Nico yelled out sequences, voice cracking.
Meanwhile, Paolo cursed and shoved blocks around.
Enzo barked orders.
Kath nearly cried when she forgot the pattern.
Gelo tried to calm her, but his face was red and sweaty.
I blew the whistle so many times my lips felt numb.
"Fair play!" I called when Paolo tried to cut the line.
"Back to the start!"
He glared.
But he obeyed.
Enzo cursed me out once under his breath.
I pretended not to hear.
It was chaos.
But it was real.
-
When it ended, both teams were heaving, bent over, sweating buckets.
Kuya's voice crackled in my earpiece.
"Margaux. Who won?"
I looked at my notes.
It wasn't even close.
I swallowed.
Lifted the mic.
"Team 1 wins."
Cheers erupted.
Mia actually fell to her knees, crying and laughing at the same time.
Joshua high-fived Mariel, then pulled Nico into a hug.
Team 2?
Silence.
Paolo threw his bandana on the ground.
Enzo swore.
Kath bit her lip so hard it bled.
Gelo just sighed.
I watched them.
My chest felt tight.
Because i knew what was coming.
Kuya's voice boomed.
"Team 2, you will face the public vote. The two with the fewest votes will leave the house."
No one cheered then.
Even Team 1 fell silent.
"Housemates, you may now return to the living room."
We filed in.
Sweaty.
Exhausted.
Silent.
We sat on the couch.
No one spoke.
Even the cameras felt like they were holding their breath.
Joshua finally clapped his hands once.
"Come on," he said roughly.
"We're all here. Let's just eat."
Because despite everything, we were all starving.
I stood.
Swallowed hard.
And went to help.
Because even if i was safe, even if i was referee, i wasn't above scrubbing a pot or stirring the rice.
And tonight, at least, we'd have a little more food.
But as i washed dishes, I felt the sting in my eyes.
Because tomorrow, someone was leaving.
And it wasn't going to feel like a win at all.