DAY 5 - 9:22am

Day 5 in the Big Brother house. Liz and Max are in bed after looking after the task during the night. Alex and Sean are in the lounge area playing snakes and ladders as Michael cooks breakfast in the kitchen. Kyle does push-ups in the conservatory while Laurie and Maria are out in the garden with the task.

Maria and Laurie talk as Tess walks out of the conservatory doors with 3 cups of coffee. She hands each of them a cup before sitting down and pouring tabasco sauce into her own cup.

"You know...I will never understand how you can drink that like that. How can the coffee possibly taste like coffee with tabasco sauce in it?" Maria asks as Laurie cringes as she watches Tess drink out of the cup.

"You...like tabasco sauce? With everything?"

Tess looks at both of them and shrugs her shoulders. "Lots of people like it...it just makes it taste better. Here..." she holds over the cup. "try it."

As both Maria and Laurie back off she smiles and takes another drink from the cup. "So, what were you guys talking about?"

Maria smiles at Laurie as she talks. "Alex."

Tess asks. "Alex? What about Alex?"

"Don't you think Alex is a great guy? I mean, he's funny, he's smart, he's sensitive, he's..."

"Cute? Musical? Available?" Tess offers helpfully as Maria looks at Laurie and clicks her fingers to emphasize the point.

"Exactly! He's a great guy, it's just a pity that he's not with anyone." Maria sighs as Laurie looks at her dubiously. Tess tries to stifle a laugh as Kyle walks over to them and takes her coffee cup from her and takes a drink

As Laurie and Maria see this they try and warn him as he drinks. "No, Kyle! It's..."

"Hey, you have tabasco sauce in it." As he takes another drink before handing it back.

Tess takes the cup from him with a "Hey" and a smile. Laurie and Maria continue to talk.

"So, Laurie...what do you think of Alex?"

Kyle rolls his eyes as he walks into the house and call's as he walks away. "Hey, Maria, you are as subtle as a freight train there..."

Maria looks after him and then towards Laurie who is smiling embarressed at her. "I think Alex is a great guy, he is really nice. But I think him and Isabel..."

Maria cuts in as Laurie talks. "No! Isabel and him are in the past. Isn't that right, Tess?"

Tess looks at both of them. Maria looks at her hopefully as she answers reluctantly. "Well, I don't know...but they did break up a while ago...and she did date another guy...so..."

Maria cut's in again. "See? They are so..." she gestures with her hand. "over."

Laurie smiles. "I really like him as a friend, Maria, but I don't really know him. And, to be honest...I'm not ready for anything else. And Alex really isn't my type..."

"Oh, really? And what is your type?"

"I don't know," Laurie sighs as she thinks about it. "I've never really thought about it."

"Well, then how are you sure that Alex isn't the guy for you?"

Laurie smiles. "Maria..."

"Okay," Maria holds her hands up in defence. "All I'm saying is wait until you get to know him, and I mean really know him before you cross him off."

Laurie lowers her gaze as she thinks.

"Okay?" Maria prompts her.

"Okay," Laurie nods.

Maria exchanges a knowing smile with Tess before sitting back on her deckchair.

12:24pm

While the others are outside, Sean and Maria are in the kitchen making lunch.

"Okay try it," Maria orders Sean.

"No."

"It's just hot dogs!"

Sean laughs. "I know what it is, but they don't look right."

"They're cooked," Maria barks.

"No, I'm not touching them."

"Fine!" she turns to see Alex walk into the house. "Alex, c'mere I need you to try something."

"At your own risk," Sean mutters.

Maria glares at him as she elbows him on the arm. Alex walks over to the counter.

"What is it?"

"Hot dogs," Maria smiles sweetly.

Alex raises his eyebrows as he looks down at them. "Really. Is it supposed to have those black bits on it."

"That's just for show, it doesn't affect the taste," Maria holds up a hot dog on a fork. "I need you to try it."

"Why?"

"Duh, to see if it tastes good."

Alex looks behind her to see Sean laughing lightly. "Well, why doesn't he try it."

"Because he's a jerk."

"Then why don't you try it."

"Because I don't want to ruin my appetite."

Alex frowns. "Why would it ruin..."

"Alex, just try it!" Maria snaps as she put the fork up to his mouth.

Before he gets a chance to reply a part of the hot dog is touching his lips. Sean and Maria look at him expectantly as he takes a bite. He cringes and spits out the food.

"That's horrible!"

Sean begins to laugh out loud, as Maria raises her eyebrows.

"Why what's wrong with it?"

"It's raw in the inside."

Maria frowns as she puts the fork down. "Okay there is something definitely not right about this. I kept them under the grill and I can't keep them under any longer 'cause they'll burn."

"That might make them taste better," Sean smiles.

Maria strikes out at him again, but this time Sean jumps back.

"Michael!" she yells looking out into the garden.

"What?" Michael replies from where he is sitting.

"I need your help! Pleeeeease!"

Alex rinses his mouth out with water and spits it down the sink, as Michael walks into the house.

"What is it, Maria?"

Maria smiles sweetly a him. "I have a cooking problem, that I know only an excellent chef like you can fix."

Michael sighs as he stands beside her. "What's that?"

"Hot dogs."

"You sure?"

"Michael!"

"Okay," Michael says as he moves her aside. "So what happened to them?"

"They keep ending up black on the outside but raw on the inside."

Michael turns to her. "Maria, did you remember to poke them with a fork before you put them under the grill?"

Maria thinks for a moment. "Umm... no."

"Then that's what your problem is. Just poke them with a fork," he says as he does the job. "and put them back under the grill and we can scrape any black bits off afterwards."

Maria smiles and kisses him on the cheek hard. "Thank you, spaceboy."

"Yeah, yeah. You're welcome," he says trying to repress a smile.

Maria holds onto his arm. "So how do I do the pasta again?"

Michael, Sean, and Alex look at her as she looks around at them.

"What?"

"You are not cooking dinner," Alex states.

Maria rolls her eyes at them.

1:42pm

Liz and Maria are in the girls bedroom. They are talking about Maria's plan to pair up Alex and Laurie. Isabel is in the ensuite, and the girls don't realise that they can be overheard.

"Maria, I don't think that Alex will appreciate you taken control of his lovelife," Liz says as she applies nail varnish to her toenails.

Maria looks at her. "Who's taking control? I'm just letting two people who would be great for one another, realise that they could be onto a good thing."

Isabel stops in her tracks as she heads for the sink, and instead steps closer to the closed door that separates the ensuite from the bedroom.

"Maria, they just met."

"Yeah, and did you see the sparks fly?"

Liz smiles as she shakes her head.

"Those two are onto a winner there," Maria smiles as she finishes her toenails.

Isabel lowers her eyes, looking to the floor sadly as she continues to listen.

"If they keep on getting along nicely like this, then I wouldn't be surprised if they get together in the house!"

Liz laughs lightly but then frowns. "What about Isabel?"

Maria makes a face. "What about Isabel?"

Liz puts the nail varnish down and looks at Maria with a serious expression. "Maria, you have to remember Isabel's feelings in all this."

Maria brushes the thought off with a wave of her hand. "Isabel doesn't have any feelings. She proved that when she broke his heart."

Isabel's hand reaches for the door but pauses in mid-air.

Maria puts down her nail varnish as she looks at Liz. "Liz, she used him. She knew how he felt and stomped over his feelings and treated him like a doormat that she could always go back to."

Liz and Maria look up as Isabel storms into the bedroom.

"You don't know what you're talking about!"

Liz begins to stand. "Isabel..."

"You can't just sit there and judge me!" Isabel yells as she stands in the middle of the room facing Maria.

"Why not?" Maria snaps as she stands up and walks over to Isabel. "Everything that I've said is true."

Liz looks worriedly at Maria. "Maria..."

Isabel shakes her head. "It is not true! I was going through a lot of changes in my life..."

"And one of those changes was dumping Alex for an older guy," Maria states calmly.

"You don't know what you're talking about."

Maria shakes her head. "I know exactly what I'm talking about, Isabel. You had Alex as your lap dog who would do anything that you wanted at your beck and call. And when you were through with him you cast him off like he wasn't worth anything."

Isabel opens her mouth to reply but is interrupted by Liz.

"Lets just calm down," she says standing in between the two of them. "Remember where we're are."

Isabel glares at Maria as she leans in closer. "I'm warning you do not try and interfere where you're not wanted."

Maria holds her glare and forces a smile. "Ditto."

Isabel's eyes widen and she glances at Liz before she storms out of the bedroom. Liz watches her go, then turns to Maria.

Maria notices her sad look. "What?"

Liz sighs and looks back to the bedroom door as Maria turns back to her bed.

3.45pm

While Max and Isabel perform the task, Kyle teaches Tess how to throw a football.

"Okay you hold it like this," Kyle says looking at Tess. "And stand like this..."

Tess watches him as he does an american football player's stance.

"And you pull your arm back like this, and then fire."

The ball tosses forward a few yards.

Tess frowns. "That's not far."

"Of course it's not! There's not much room in here to throw a ball when there's chickens here," he points to the chicken coop. "and the task over there."

"Riiiight," Tess nods smiling.

Kyle grins. "C'mon give it a try."

"Hmm, I might hit something I shouldn't."

"You won't hit anything," Kyle laughs lightly. "I promise."

He stands behind her helping her guides her to the proper stance.

"That's it. Now throw."

Tess' eyes widen as the ball almost hits the Max.

"Sorry!"

"It's okay," Max replies stand to get the ball.

Tess turns around to Kyle wincing. Kyle laughs at her expression.

"Here."

Kyle catches the ball as Max throws it to him.

"Just be careful not to hit the water cooler," he says earnestly. "Or take my head off next time," he adds with a smirk.

"I'll do that," Tess answers with a smile.

"We can't promise anything though," Kyle grins for only loud enough for her to hear.

Tess laughs and hits him lightly on the arm.

4:55pm

Maria is in the girls bedroom alone. The other housemates are outside.

Michael chaps on the door. "Are you decent?"

"Like that would stop you," Maria laughs. She frowns as she sees his expression. "What is it?"

"Maria, I thought I told you not to involve Laurie in any of your games."

Maria sighs. "Isabel told you."

"I don't want Laurie getting hurt."

"And what makes you think that she would?"

Michael shakes his head. "Stay out of it, Maria. Both Laurie and Isabel don't need this right now."

Maria sighs as she wants away. "Neither do I."

5:36pm

Sean and Michael are watching over the task. Kyle sits with them reading a book. The rest of the group are on the decking discussing their feelings of being away from home.

"I miss it," Liz admits. "I miss my family, and just being able to..."

"Leave the house when you want to," Isabel finishes for her.

Liz nods. "Yeah."

Maria sighs sadly. "I miss my mom."

Both Alex and Liz give her shoulders a gentle squeeze.

"Me too," Isabel replies quietly.

Max shares a knowing look with her as he nods.

"It would be great just to say hi to my mom and dad," Alex says leaning back onto his elbows.

Maria lies down beside him. "That's the one thing I hate most of all."

"Do you think that any of our family will be watching us on the live feed?" Tess asks curiously.

"Probably," Alex answers.

Tess turns to Maria. "Well, just think that your mom is still with you...in a way."

Maria sighs despondantly. "It's not the same."

Tess shrugs as she looks away. Laurie stands up.

"Does anyone want anything to drink?"

"I'll have juice if there's still some," Tess speaks up.

"Me too," Isabel echos.

Laurie looks to the others.

"I'll pass, thanks," Max says.

Liz shakes her head. "I don't want anything."

Alex stands up. "I'll help."

Isabel looks at him then looks away quickly.

"Thanks," Laurie smiles, as she looks out into the garden.

"Do you guys want anything?" she calls out.

"Orange juice would be nice," Sean replies.

"I'll have a soda," Kyle calls out.

Michael lifts up his hand as if calling a waiter. "Juice."

"And remember to bring the tabasco!" Kyle says, which receives a nod of approval from Michael.

Alex shakes his head. "Now that is just disgusting."

"Especially for him," Liz chirps in.

"Maria?"

When she doesn't answer Liz nudges her gently.

"What?" she asks with a frown.

"You in the land of the living?" Alex laughs. "What do you want to drink?"

Maria shakes her head. "Nothing." She then sits up. "I'm coming in anyway, I want to talk to Big Brother about something."

Liz watches as she gets up and follows Alex and Laurie into the house. Max looks at Liz.

"Do you think she's okay?"

Liz nods. "Yeah. She just misses home."

"Like the rest of us," Isabel adds not looking at anyone. Liz, Max, and Tess share a worried look, before looking at Isabel.

Maria presses the button to the Diary Room and waits for the light above the door to turn green. She glances over at Alex and Laurie as they share a joke while pouring the drinks. Looking back above the door she sees that it is now safe to enter the Diary Room.

She sits down and looks over her shoulder to make sure that the door has closed behind her.

"Hi, Big Brother."

Hello, Maria.

"I just wanted to talk about how I feel about certain things right now," when she doesn't get a response she looks into the camera. "Is that okay?"

Big Brother is here for the housemates to talk to.

Maria nods. "Okay." She sighs as she looks away from the camera to the wall behind it.

"Today just seems so hard. I had this stupid fight with Michael, that I know will blow over like it always does. And I'm just really missing my mom right now. I mean I know that I'm lucky to be chosen to enter this gameshow... and I'm extremely lucky that three of the most important people in my life are in here with me sharing this experience that no one else can say they have done with these people. But..."

She looks down and takes a minute to calm herself before she continues.

"Today I realised that my mom isn't here with me," she says as her voice breaks.

She sighs and clears her throat.

"She's this amazing wonderful person, and I don't tell her that enough."

Maria looks into the camera. "I know that this will probably not get shown as we're not allowed to send messages to the outside world...but I just wanted her to know that."

She looks away again and wipes a tear from under her eye.

7:42pm

Max walks to the Diary Room after being called in by Big Brother. As he enters he looks around nervously before sitting down on the chair and smiling akwardly at the camera as Big Brother begins to speak.

Hello Max.

"Hi..Big Brother..."

How do you feel you are getting along with your fellow housemates so far?

"Umm, I don't know, I think...okay, with most. But, some of them just..I just can't see me getting on with some of them."

Who do you feel you get along with least?

"Umm, I guess Kyle and Sean..."

And why do you think that is?

"I... just don't connect with them. I...it's just a difference in personality. I just don't think I'll ever break down the barrier between us. We just don't connect the way I do with the other."

Who in the house do you feel you connect with?

"Um, Isabel, obviously, Michael...and Liz, are probably the ones I'm closest to."

Why do you think you connect with these people more than the others?

"Well, Isabel's my sister and Michaels my best friend...I've known them forever..."

What about Liz?

"Liz...Liz is Liz. She'll always be important to me."

Why is that?

"I...I think I'll always have feelings for Liz. I don't think I've ever stopped...she's one of the few people in my life that really knows me. It's...it's just weird the way I feel about her..."

Would you like to explain more?

"Umm, no...I don't..."

What about the others in the house? what is your feelings about them?

"Umm, I obviously get along really well with Maria and Alex, but I don't really know Laurie that well..."

What about Tess?

Max looks down at his feet as he answers. "Umm...I, I like Tess, but it's weird. I...I feel responsible for her I guess. I blame myself for how she gets treated by the others. I'm just scared she'll get hurt... " He looks up into the camera. "It's a little akward with her in here..."

Why do you think it is awkward?

"Because of me and Liz, and what happened between the three of us..."

Would you like to talk about it?

"No..."

Do you have anything else you would like to talk about Max?

"No...I don't think so."

Thank you, Max. Please remember Big Brother is here if you ever want to talk.

"Ok, thanks, Big Brother..."

Max stands from the chair and walks out the door.

9:25pm

The group is in the lounge area, except Michael who is in the boys bedroom, and Kyle, Sean, and Laurie who are outside with the task. Maria has been in the den for over and hour and a half.

Liz is glancing towards the conservatory doors. Alex notices.

"She just needs some time on her own," Alex says gently.

Liz shakes her head. "I don't know. She's really missing home. And her Michael had an argument earlier."

Alex frowns. "What were they arguing about?"

Liz exchanges looks with Isabel, and Alex looks at them both curiously.

"It doesn't matter." Liz stands. "I should make sure she's okay."

"I'll go."

Liz watches as Michael walks out of the boys bedroom and passes by her. She exchanges a look with Alex before she sits back down.

Michael chaps lightly on the door to the den. "Maria open up."

Laurie, Sean and Kyle look at him with curiousity.

"C'mon, Maria," he says as he knocks harder this time.

"If you've hurt her again..."

"Shut up, DeLuca."

"It's open."

Michael opens the door and walks into the den. He sees Maria crawled up on the cushions with blankets wrapped around her. As he closes the door behind him he looks around.

"Nice place."

When he doesn't get any response he sits himself down on the cushions next to her.

"I don't usually say this, but I'm sorry." When she doesn't respond he continues. "I shouldn't have said what I did."

Maria sighs. "It's not about you, Michael."

Michael sees that she has been crying. "What's going on, Maria?" he asks taking her hand and caressing it within his own.

"I just want to get out of here and see my mom. I miss home," she says through her tears.

Michael pulls her to him and allows her to lay her head on his chest. He strokes her back softly.

"It's just 'cause it's been a crappy day. We're all gonna have them."

Maria wraps her arm around his chest. "I hope it's better tomorrow."

Michael stares at the ceiling as he considers what she has said. "So do I."