Michelle's Days Are Numbered

It's been a bit touch and go for Michelle during her time on Big Brother 18. Now, it looks like her days might really be numbered. She's one of the few remaining houseguests without any strong alliances in the house. This has left her a vulnerable target in a house where the showmances seem to be ruling the roost. To add insult to injury, it appears that the latest Power of Veto competition has sealed her fate. While Michelle's no stranger to being on the block, Nicole's Power of Veto win not only leaves her on the block, but it practically secures her exit from the house this week. Buckle up, Michelle fans. It's going to be a rough one for us all.

As some of you may recall, Michelle and Nicole have not been the biggest fans of each other since the early days of Big Brother 18. From Da'vonne and Michelle's closeness sprang an feeling that Nicole was playing a shady game. Da'vonne was warning her friends in the house, Michelle included, of Nicole's said shadiness. From the seed was planted a bitter rivalry between Michelle and Nicole, leading to one of the most savage and, frankly, amazing eviction speeches in Big Brother history. Michelle really let loose on Nicole, at one point calling her "a snake," something which has not sat well with Nicole ever since. Now, with Nicole holding not only the Head of Household title but the Power of Veto title as well (on top of the fact that Michelle is vulnerable), Michelle might well and truly be headed home on Thursday night.

The cards are really stacked against Michelle, especially considering Nicole's intense dislike for her. It's clear that the two reigning showmances in the house—James & Natalie along with Nicole & Corey—are safe for a few more weeks because they are incredibly ironclad. This means that the already vulnerable Michelle is more toasted than a campfire marshmallow, ready to be chewed up by Nicole's Big Brother power play.

But, just as the cards seemed stacked against Victor before his second elimination, the situation appears the same for Michelle. Just like Victor, too, there could be a crazy twist up Big Brother 18's sleeve that could give Michelle the chance to swerve right back into the game. Or, is there a chance that she would try and play nice with Nicole in an attempt to persuade her to use the Power of Veto?

Chances are slim that Michelle would go that route, despite Natalie and James' desire to believe otherwise. They've spent the last few days consoling Michelle, attempting to make her see that they'd vote for her because she's an asset to the game. Will playing nice be enough to save Michelle? Or is she going to have to roll up her sleeves and make some big alliances in the house to stay in the game a little while longer?

Image: Sonja Flemming/CBS