It Could Only be You

Episode 57: The Disaster Part Two

Daphs wants a little word of reassurance with Lucas before things begin. With his eyes on her, Daphs lets Noah go and walks across him to Lucas who's waiting at the end of the firepit bench expectantly. When Daphs draws up to him, he turns them down the side, away from all the others.

"What was that about?" He asks before taking a drink, not looking at her.

"Oh, you hadn't heard?" Daphs replies, her tone clearly dripping with sarcasm.

Lucas eyes her. "What did you say to him?"

With an eyebrow raised, Daphs says, "What do you think I said?"

"I'd like to believe you were turning him down."

Daphs stretches up on her tiptoes to kiss him. He returns the kiss, but otherwise doesn't make a move of comfort. "I love you," Daphs whispers.

His steady look falters. "I love you, too," he says, leaning down to give her another kiss.

"If you two are ready to join us?" Gary shouts over.

Daphs grins up at Lucas, who gives her a defeated smile, giving in. They hold hands for the two seconds it takes to join the others, swinging them between them. Daphs sits her drink behind Lucas as he takes his place at the end of the bench before she heads over to join the line up of ladies. Daphs steps in on the end, nearest Lucas, and takes Priya's hand with a huge smile. Priya kisses Daphs on the head.

A phone chimes and Chelsea squeals, squeezing herself in as she picks up her phone and reads. "Oh my God, guys, I'm first! So exciting, I can't believe I'm getting to start things off!" She rises to her feet, clapping her phone between her hands. "So, the boy I want to couple up with is someone who's been an absolute diamond since I arrived; he's made me feel so welcome and he's had me laughing, like, everyday! He's absolutely one of the funniest guys I've ever met, and he's so sweet, and I can't wait to see where things might lead for us! So, the boy that I want to couple up with is ..."

Daphs scans the boys, wondering if Lucas was going to be swiped out from under her, when – "Gary!"

Everyone applauds enthusiastically as Gary gets to his feet with a smile. He gives Chelsea a big hug before they sit down together, his arm around her back. Daphs checks Lottie who's looking determinedly ahead, her lips pressed tightly together.

As the next phone chimes, Jakub rises to his feet. He clears his throat. "All right. I want to couple up with this girl because I think a lot of people in here might have given up on her, and because I think I see something in her that nobody else does. She's a great laugh and I want to see where things could go with her. I always say I'm not afraid to shake things up. I want to see where my journey takes me. So, the girl I want to couple up with is ..."

Fear runs sharply through Daphs chest as Jakub catches her eye. Then he looks away and Daphs feels relief like nothing else she's ever experienced before.

"Hope."

Oh no nevermind.

Daphs doesn't hesitate to check on Noah. He's staring straight ahead before he his gaze slowly flicks to Hope as she strolls confidently to Jakub, kissing him on the cheek before she sits down next to him. Nobody says anything. And then Noah's phone beeps.

He gets to his feet, staring at his phone all the while, like he's using it as an excuse to buy himself a couple more seconds. The silence is as loud as Daphs has ever heard it. Daphs just wants to hold his hand, she feels so bad for him.

"So," he says slowly, before he looks up at the girls sharp, scanning down them with his hands crossed over his front. "This is a bit of a shock, but not completely unexpected, and I know what I want to do." He takes a deep breath, eyes falling to the end of the line of girls. Daphs raises the back of her hand to her mouth. "I want to couple up with this girl for many, many reasons. She's always the first person I turn to when I'm feeling down, which I have been a lot lately, and she's the one person who's had my back in here at all times. Things have been a little trickier lately, but I'm hoping things are going to go back to like they used to be. Well, maybe not exactly. It's fair to say that this isn't ... new ... on my part. Ever since the beginning, I've wanted to see what it would be like to get to know her this way, and that feeling has only grown stronger since. So, I can't really believe I'm getting to say this, but ... the girl that I want to couple up with is Daphs."