public opinion
The next morning, the islanders all cheered as Kai and Sanam came back in from the hideaway, immediately grilling the couple. Kai didn't hesitate to bring out a whip he had stolen from the retreat, before the girls headed to the terrace. Isa couldn't help letting our her 'aw's as Sanam seemed smitten.
"You're so giddy," Isa reached over to grab Sanam into a side hug. All the girls came to the conclusion to ban the talk about sports day from then on as well. The girls headed inside to throw swim suits on and head to the garden to get their tan on.
Samie, Jessie and Rosie ended up chatting, Rosie talking about her ideal man. "I think I'd rather be with the funny one than like, the calm, mature, sensible one," Rosie shrugged. "Like, it's nice that Tom seems like he can do both."
"Yeah, its a trait I really like," Isa nodded. "And I am pretty out there sometimes, so it does feel like he can mellow me out when needed as well, which is something I kind of look for in a guy." The girls chatted about their boy's personalities for a bit longer before they were interrupted by Tanya calling out that she had a text.
"Islanders, it's time to find out how the public rate you as couples. If you guess enough opinions correctly, you will win a part tonight," she read out.
"Oh, some feelings are gonna be hurt," Isa said as she stood up to grab Tom and head to the challenge area.
The couples all lined up, and Sanam read out the first poll. "Who is the hottest couple?"
"I think Tom and Isa gotta go up there," Kai called out, a few other agreeing.
"Not gonna lie, I think Jessie and Will. I'm jealous of her body," Isa called out as other names were also put into the ring. At the end, it was Isa and Tom in first, followed by Casey and Rosie and Tanya and Shaq. Kai read out the results, with the islanders only getting Isa and Tom correct, and missing Kai and Sanam and Ron and Lana from the standings.
Next was the smartest couple. "Yeah, we don't need to be any where close," Isa shook her head. "I know my strengths."
Kai and Sanam of course were put up there, with Ron and Lana and Tanya and Shaq following. Shockingly, Tom and Isa and Jessie and Will were both missing from their guess, but Kai and Sanam had taken first place.
For the top three argumentative couples, that was when the debates really began. Kai nominated Shaq and Tanya, and Casey and Rosie, and also called out Isa and Tom.
"Listen, I get in arguments, but if this is within the couple, not sure we're up there," Isa tried to clarify. They ended up heading to the podiums with Will and Jessie in second and Tanya and Shaq out first. They got 2 out of 3 right, missing Casey and Rosie where Tom and Isa stood.
Next was the top three couples with the worst dress sense. "Ok, I feel I'm the most qualified to judge this one," Isa raised her hand. The group went on to ignore her.
"To be fair, this one is about the boys mostly," Isa said as Jessie said she and Will should be there. The group ended up putting Will and Jessie, Kai and Sanam and Shaq and Tanya up for it. They got two out of three, only missing Casey and Rosie for Kai and Sanam.
When it came to the top horniest couples, it seemed like no one had a problem being up there. They easily placed Shaq and Tanya in first, followed by Will and Jessie and Kai and Sanam. The correct order had ended up being Shaq and Tanya, then Isa and Tom, and Will and Jessie.
"I guess we're just good at flying under the radar," Isa shrugged as the whole group laughed.
Next up was the three most one sided relationships. Ron was quick to nominate himself and Lana, along with Shaq and Tanya and Casey and Rosie.
"Nah, you guys are boyfriend and girlfriend," Isa shook her head as other protests were heard. "If this was four weeks ago, maybe."
Casey and Rosie nominated themselves up there, and Will led he and Jessie up too which Isa could see grated on the girl. "This is about the publics opinion guys, based on what they see, not on how you feel," she tried to soothe any hurt feelings. Casey and Rosie were voted third, with Will and Jessie in second, and Shaq and Tanya as first.
Next was the top three couples to have their heads turned once they leave the villa. Isa felt bad for the group on this one, as it was tense. But she had to agree when Rosie was quick to nominate herself and Casey as the first couple to go up. Shaq and Tanya eventually agreed to head up as well, and the third couple was Ron and Lana. That round they got all three couples, but just in different orders, which Isa counted as a tough win.
Next was the top three couples with the least sexual chemistry. Isa felt bad for Lana because she could tell she was frustrated at her and Ron being nominated, but she and Ron eventually took a podium with Casey and Rosie and Kai and Sanam.
The order ended up being Will and Jessie in third, then Casey and Rosie, and Ron and Lana. "Don't let that get to you," Isa soothed as Lana walked over, clearly unhappy. "The public is gonna say that about anyone they think isn't making out every day in here."
"I do feel bad for them, because they have been very open about not wanting to be intimate while on the telly," Isa said next to Tom in the beach hut. "But it's definitely not nice to hear I'm sure."
Next was the biggie, and it was the top three most game playing couples. Isa sucked a breath in as she looked around the group. Rosie was the first to speak up, trying to nominate Kai and Sanam.
"Yeah no," Isa shook her head. "Don't think that'll be it. Plus if it was based on number of couples, Tom would be up there, Casey would, Ron would. I don't think it's based on that at all."
Will brought up Shaq and Tanya's Casa situation, theorizing that could have led to them being up there. Both of them got quite heated when chatting about it, leading Shaq to pull Ron in and saying Ron made Lana his girlfriend because everyone likes Lana.
"Shaq, that is a step too fucking far," Isa laughed in shock as Ron clearly got upset.
"Let's be real, everyone in here could be accused based off of some situation, for being a game player," Kai tried to reason.
"Agreed, and again this isn't about whether you actually are a game player. It is about what the public think," Isa agreed. "At this point I would go up there to get this over with."
The group ended up sending Will and Jessie, Shaq and Tanya and Rosie and Casey. The correct order ended up being Ron and Lana, Shaq and Tanya and then Casey and Rosie. With the game over and the islanders ending up with their party, it was clear no one really was in a partying mood.
Isa and Tom ended up sat with Rosie and Casey, with Casey commenting how the game was nice for the other couple. "I mean sure, but that was brutal to watch," Isa shrugged. "I don't love watching my friends get their feeling hurt."
The four of them tried to laugh about it, till Casey brought up some comments Jessie had made about Claudia during the game playing ranking. "Well, sorry she get's defensive over her friend and she was defending her couple," Isa tried to help explain. "Not exactly fair to you but I do think that one was a defense mechanism."
"Ron and Lana were up there too," Tom commented.
"They definitely took the sexual chemistry one hard," Casey said. "And the Shaq comment."
"That one pissed me off honestly," Isa shook her head. "I don't agree with it and for Shaq to throw that out because he's pissed people said him and Tanya wasn't fair at all."
Their chat was interrupted by a commotion from Jessie and Will over in the kitchen. Isa frowned as she saw that Jessie was clearly crying. The couple took a few moments, before they came over and joined them.
As the islanders headed into the evening, it was clear there was still tension lingering even with everyone trying to look ahead to the party. The girls all got dressed up in more extra outfits than usual, and then headed to the garden with the boys. It was nice to see some fun cocktails laid out for them, and after Jessie toasted them, the group had a dance and a laugh to keep the evening light.
After a bit of time, Isa led Tom over to the daybed and the two came into a cuddle. "Listen, I know we weren't up there as worst dressed, but you cannot wear jorts," Isa laughed as she rubbed the boys thigh.
"Be nice to me," Tom shook his head with a laugh. "How are you feeling about today then?"
The two didn't get much more chance to chat before Shaq and Tanya came to join them. "I hope Lana and Ron didn't take things today personal," Shaq said as they chatted.
"He did," Tanya shrugged.
"To be fair, whether you meant to or not, you made it very personal," Isa said. "I'm not trying to be rude, but that comment, if someone said that about me and Tom, I would be fuming."
"Yeah but I was right," Shaq tried to defend.
"Sure, but there was so many other hypotheticals you could have said," Isa disagreed. "You literally could have said, maybe because the way you moved before casa, and made the point without being as personal about it."
Isa was glad when they were joined by others, thinking the conversation would be done but Tanya and Shaq kept going about it. "I'm gonna be honest, I think this is a fucking sore conversation and I'm walking away," Isa stood up. "You said you didn't think that about them, but the way you keep talking about it is making me think you do."
Isa turned and headed to the kitchen, passing Ron on the way who clearly was heading to pull Shaq. Tom quickly entered the kitchen with her, asking if she was alright. "Honestly, that just pisses me off because they keep harping on it. Like those are supposed to be their friends, and before even speaking to Ron about it, they're airing it to a group. Like it's the Jessie thing all over, and I won't be a part of it."
"You okay?" Isa asked a few minutes later as she headed for the daybeds where Ron, Lana and Sanam were sat.
"Yeah, all good," Ron nodded.
"I just want to be clear, I don't think you made Lana your girlfriend for popularity," Isa tried to joke as Ron and Lana just shook their heads. "I know today had everyone feeling on edge, but I think we all just have to kind of look internally and focus on how we feel about our partner and couple. Because that's what matters."
"That's a good point," Lana nodded. The blonde ended up heading to the kitchen, while they were joined by Tanya, Tom and Kai as they headed to the firepit with the air getting a bit nippy. Tanya asked Ron how he was feeling, and the boy went through his thoughts, even airing what he had believed as a viewer in the past.
"I always thought that the smooth sailing couple was playing a game when I was watching, so like if that's something the public sees, that's what they believe. Nothing you can do to change that," the boy shrugged. "I'm not bothered by all of it because I know I'm not like that. And I think in here, at this point, I think you would be found out if you were a game player."
Lana eventually came over and headed inside with Ron to fix her hair, Isa following along to switch to her heels. The three were chatting in the foyer when Rosie came in, asking to pull them to get some advice.
"Lay it on us babe," Isa said as the four of them sat on the kitchen sofa.
Rosie talked through how she had been feeling with Casey, and then the conversation she had just had with the boy. "In here to prepare for the outside, you have to get to know each other quicker, and the only way to do that is to spend more one on one time together," Ron said.
"And like, he should just pull you for a chat and not staring at you. I think the slow burner is a different thing, but he also loves to be a part of the three musketeers. I think he feels comfortable, and he knows you're going to be there. So maybe you just pull back a bit and see if he comes to you."
"Exactly, like he needs to be putting in that effort to pull you," Isa agreed. "But you'll be fine. Just see if he changes things up after your conversation, yeah?"