****Delilah's POV****
"You're still here." Dami was the first to reach me as all the others made their way over, instantly wrapping me into a hug and lifting me off the ground. "It's his loss babe."
I could feel the relief from everyone as they went and gave me a hug, thankfully managing to avoid Gemma and Luca.
"Some guy is going to walk in here and be the perfect guy for you." Amber assured me as we all dispersed. "Don't let this knock you."
"I just feel shit man, I'm going to go inside and just calm down."
"Do you want me to come with?"
"No, go spend some time with Dami. I'll speak to you later."
"Love you girl."
I feel like this place was becoming a bit of my safe haven right now but I took myself off upstairs and went out onto the terrace. Taking a peak through the railings I could see everyone off in their couples and here was little old me sat on my own once again. I knew I shouldn't have but I couldn't help myself and found Gemma and Luca in this little alcove away from everyone, she was almost sat on his knee and they had their hands intertwined. I wanted in every ounce of my body to just move on from this but all I could feel was just anger and disappointment in myself for believing I even had a chance there, like why couldn't he have just been honest with me.
I stayed up on my own as I heard everyone else move around and start to come inside. "What are you doing out here alone?" Indiyah and Afia came out closely followed by all the girls except Ekin-Su.
"Just thinking."
"Oh babe," Indiyah pulled me close to her side for a cuddle. "It's only week one, I'm sure some bombshell will walk in here just for you."
"I really hope so. Just standing down there was like being picked last in PE or being the odd one in the friendship group, that was the hard part for me."
Gemma looked really nervous as she spoke up. "I obviously didn't want to do this in front of everyone but it feels wrong not to say it now, I hope this doesn't effect anything between us."
Between us? Honey I think that all went when you wanted to kiss him yesterday.
"I don't want this to come across as patronising or harsh but honestly Gemma I think the way you've acted over these past few days has maybe proven that there was never any respect for me on your behalf."
"Why would you say that?"
"You asked Luca if he would kiss you yesterday and never once did you come and speak to me about what was going on, when Afia and Ekin-Su came in we spoke about communication and trust and you've basically just left me in the lurch."
"But that was our first conversation, like I had no idea this was going to happen."
"I'm not saying you knew what was going on in his head, because lets be honest I wouldn't trust a word he says, but a head's up would have been appreciated. Maybe that's just me but I feel like that would have been a respectful thing to do." She seemed to quieten down at that and shrunk back into her seat.
"Where does this leave you and Luca?" Afia asked.
"I need to speak to him but for me the trust has gone, like how can I trust a word he says to me."
"I would just give it time, see if some new boys come in and take your fancy." Indiyah said. "Keep being you and just enjoy yourself."
"I'll try."
"Hey girls, am I alright to grab Delilah for a chat?" Of course it had to be Luca.
"I'll see you all inside." I answered for them, silence taking over as just us two were left. "Congratulations."
"I'm really sorry."
"I mean it's a bit too late now."
"Honestly I meant every word of it, until I was stood there I had no idea who I would pick, but nothing's changed for me, I still want to get to know you just as I was getting to know Gemma."
"But everything's changed, in that speech as well you said you'd had your eye on her from the start. You never once mentioned her name in those conversations we had. Then throughout today you've been reassuring me, making out like I had nothing to worry about. I could have been dumped from the Island Luca."
"But I had to go with my head."
"You're not listening to me, I have no problem with you choosing Gemma if that's who you're feeling it with. I have a problem with the way you handled it, if I wanted to chase after little boys I would have stayed at home."
"Not petty at all."
"You fucking deserve it mate, standing up there all alone was embarrassing. What about actions speak louder than words, was that when you made me a drink only to go and give her one as well?"
"I can see you're angry."
"How else do you expect me to react," Hearing him say that made me pause and gather my thoughts, catching the tears gathering in my eyes. "I hope she's the full package."
"I don't want to see you get upset, I couldn't see how this was affecting you. I do still want to get to know you though, like I still find myself so happy being around you."
"But you picked her and that's got to mean something, how ever much she disrespected me I would never do that to another girl so I think you should rule me out."
"If that's what you want."
"It's probably for the best."
It was a bit awkward as I walked into the bedroom to share my bed with Afia, seeing Gemma and Luca cuddled in bed but I held onto my blanket a bit tighter than usual and gradually sleep came.
****
"Good morning." Afia was definitely a morning person and hearing someone be that loud in the morning was definitely having an impact on my ear drums and the forming headache. Keeping my sunglasses on I managed to sit up and face everyone else. "How did you sleep Ekin?"
"Yeah all right."
"I will say you're not a bad person to share a bed with." Afia turned to me. "Like you barely move at all."
"I couldn't sleep really, I'm so tired." I could barely keep the yawn in as I said that.
"The place feels really weird without Liam." Ikenna said. "I'm so devastated he's gone man."
One thing I really wasn't expecting though was for my phone to go off that early. "I've got a text. Afia and Delilah you are both going on a date, please get ready to head out into the garden. Afia you will be first #morningglory."
"I'm a bit nervous you know" Afia squealed as I wrapped my arms around her, quite excited for the date.
"I honestly need some thick make up to cover the bags under my eyes."
Afia went out first and I tried to calm the nerves by staying inside but when Amber came in with wide eyes I knew something strange had happened.
"So apparently he's Gemma's ex."
"Of course he is, just when I thought things couldn't get any more complicated."
"You look amazing just forget about all that and bring your best chat."
"I'll try to."
I don't think my first choice for any date would be a bikini but I styles a printed top out with my white wrap skirt, earning a whistle and shouts of good luck as I made my way through the boys.
First impressions walking to the table were that he seemed attractive, quite tall and tan as he came to greet me.
"Hey, you ok? I'm Jacques." The front definitely matched the back and there was no doubting his attractiveness. There was a northern accent to his voice but I actually found it quite attractive.
"I'm Delilah."
"How can a girl like you be single in this place?"
"I guess the public chose the wrong guy for me." I answered. "But tell me a bit about yourself."
"So I'm 23, I live in Leeds and I play rugby."
"Wow, so is that like your full time job or like bit on the side."
"No so I play full time, I play for Castleford Tigers."
"I've actually heard of them, my family are all quite sporty so we have a wide range of sports on. Should I be worried though, like rule number one is usually don't go for a rugby boy?"
"I don't think you have to be worried, high on adrenaline, bid muscles, what's not to love?"
"Glowing endorsement for yourself there, are you close to your family?"
"Really close, it's the cliché thing but my mum is my rock, definitely my biggest supporter. I've just got a new puppy as well so I'm missing him"
"I've been pondering getting a dog for a few years but I can never quite make that commitment."
"Maybe you can come and see mine,"
"I'd like that. So what are you looking for in a girl? Long term?"
"Yeah I'm looking to find that person, most of my team mates are quite settled and I want someone to enjoy those moments with. Someone quite funny, flirty, I like that banter with someone, I can't handle a dry conversation. Maybe in the past I've gone for looks and it's come back to bite me when they're personality comes out"
"Do you have a top three girls?"
"Can I not just give my number one? You."
"I bet you told Afia that as well." I smirked back at him. "Playing us off against each other."
"No I'm being honest with you. If I had to have chose a girl to get to know in here it would have been you."
"Why?"
"Well for one you're stunning, two you've got good chat and then you're literally wifey material."
"Thank you." I spoke, knocking my foot against his own which had tapped my leg as he said that.
"I'm being serious, obviously I don't know all the other girls and I want to get to know everyone but on first impressions I would say you're top."
"I can't argue with that."
"So what about you then? Are you open to getting to know me?" He asked.
"Yeah I want to, I've heard some rumours that you're Gemma's ex and obviously she just got with Luca but I just want to move on from the situation, I don't want it to ruin my time in here anymore than it already has."
"Good, I'm glad."
"Me too."
Overall I would say it was a good first date, a bit awkward knowing everyone was watching us but I just want to get to know him more now in a natural way.
****
I'm not going to lie the aim of the night was to try and get to know Jacques a bit more, see what he's really like in group situations and with the other girls. I had on a creamy almost two piece dress which I loved and was quite risqué at the same time as being comfy.
Like the immature people we are the game for the night was a game of 'Never have I ever', probably a game which has never ended in a good note for all the individuals involved. Ekin-Su made the rules clear with you only drinking if you have done the statement.
"Never have I ever kissed a member of the same sex." I think there was only Davide and Jacques who didn't drink to that one. I mean come on who hasn't kissed their best friend when they're so drunk they can't walk.
"Dude you?" Davide questioned Dami.
"Yeah dude he was my best friend, I'd do it again if he was here. I don't care."
"Never have I ever had sex on a plane." If you had to bet on the one person that drunk to that you'd probably have put good money on it being Ekin-Su.
"Never have I ever had a one night stand." Pretty much everyone drank to that one, I guess in some uni's that's like the right of passage now."
"Never have I ever slept with someone who was in a relationship." I didn't drink to that but I was shocked at the amount of people who have done that, to me they would have had to have been an out of this world worker for that.
"Never have I ever slept with a boyfriend or girlfriend of one of your mates." Again to me that was like the one before, they're my mates for a reason.
"My mate asked me to." Davide explained his reasoning for drinking.
"Why?"
"He gets horny so yeah he wanted to bring me in..."
"He watched?"
"No he didn't, well once he watched and once he didn't." What kind of mates did this guy have? Like that gave me the creeps.
"Never have I ever done BDSM? Like bondage and stuff." The real shocker for me for that one was Andrew who took a little sip, I was not expecting that.
"Never have I ever had a threesome." I was hoping people wouldn't notice but I had to drink to that one.
"Delilah?"
"Never have I ever had a foursome." Davide quickly went on, which I also had to drink to.
"I mean I guess I've done both, they were kind of linked." It was so embarrassing having to explain it but I guess it showed I might not be as innocent as I may have appeared. "You've just got to go with the flow."
"Never have I ever fancied a partner's mum." Jacques said that one and it was obviously all to do with Gemma by the look he gave her.
"Never have I ever had a foot fetish." I swear Ekin-Su and Davide were a match made in heaven, well in the bedroom, like they've drunk for most of them.
"Never have I ever got back with an ex." I said.
"When you say get back what do you mean?" Amber questioned.
"Had sex." I would never an admit it but of course it was a little test and of course Gemma and Jacques both drank to that one.
Once the game was finished I managed to catch Jacques in the kitchen. "So how are you feeling tonight?" I asked leaning against the bar next to him.
"Really good, you look amazing tonight by the way."
"Thank you."
"Made an extra effort for me?"
"You wish. So is it awkward the whole Gemma thing?"
"Not awkward, I guess we'll always have a flirty relationship but I know the barriers of when I can be like that. She's an ex for a reason you know."
"Better keep that in mind."
Jacques is still quite a mystery to me, but I'm intrigued. I want to know more
****Author's Note****
I hope you like this chapter.
I've kept up to date watching the episodes so wanted to see what people think of the couples? Do you think any couples right now will actually make the final?
At the start Luca was definitely my favourite boy but he's acting weird right now I feel and I don't think Gemma is into him.
Please vote and comment any suggestions.
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