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**
Poppy drags her feet, behind the group of girls as they walk up the gravel drive to the Villa. She’s hot and mentally exhausted. The trip to the beach wasn’t as tranquil as she had hoped. The sun beat down on them the whole time and she had to listen to Jo and Shannon’s shit for hours. She really did not sign up for this. Having to juggle everyone's feelings and problems whilst on a once in a lifetime holiday was not in the fine print. To top it all off, Jo called her a fucking attention seeker. She is having a really shit day.
Chelsea looks back to see her walking alone behind the group and hangs back until Poppy is next to her. She grabs Poppy’s hand and they walk together. Poppy throws a sad smile at her, unable to hide her mood.
“Did I tell you I adore your bikini today, babes?” Chelsea chirps up in the silence.
She swings their arms, trying to pick up Poppy’s mood. Poppy looks at her, instantly feeling a little better. No one knows how to melt away a bad mood like Chelsea does. Poppy nods, grinning back at her. The pair ramble on for a bit about how funny the day has been. Poppy cracks up about how she had to break into a Spice Girls song, just to cool down the argument - which didn’t even work.
“Oh my God!” Chelsea gasps. “My favourite part was Lottie’s face when you started singing. She looked like she’d just eaten shit or something.”
She pulls the face, her chins doubling and eyes wide. Poppy bursts out laughing, having to stop in her tracks to hold her stomach. Fuck, Chels was such a laugh - she gave no shits at all and Poppy adored her for it. Chelsea keeps walking ahead and laughing with her. She spins on her wedges and walks backwards to face her. She brings a fake microphone up to her mouth, Spice Girls lyrics exploding out of her - very out of tune.
“ Stop right now, thank you very much!” She sings, flipping her hair and strutting backwards. Her shoulders bop along to the words she’s singing. Poppy immediately joins in, fake mic and all. She points at Chelsea as she dances towards her.
“I need some-body with a human touuuch !” Poppy yells.
The other girls turn to look at them, as they walk through the front door. Shannon rolls her eyes and stomps in - Ibrahim is in for a real treat. Chelsea and Poppy hum the rest of the song together, bopping along into the villa. Their heels clack on the tiles as they skip through the foyer to the bedroom.
“Can’t wait to hear what the boys have been doing.” Chelsea huffs, out of breath as she walks to her bed.
She kicks off her shoes, elation on her face as her aching feet hit the cold ground. Poppy sits on her bed, watching her, mind wandering elsewhere. She says she’ll be out in a minute when Chelsea waits at the door for her. Chelsea gives her a little frown.
“Find me when you come out, hun.” Chelsea says. She skips out into the garden, leaving Poppy alone. She looks over to the bedside table, eyes fixating on Lucas’s water bottle. Her heart drops a little. As corny as it sounds, it's not the name she wants to read on that water bottle right now.
The villa felt different Post-Casa Amor. Physically everything was the same, beds, kitchen, the pool. The stack of Gary’s hair gel pots sat in the same place on the sink when she walked into the bathroom the day of the girls’ return. It weirdly made her feel at home.
It only hit her fully that she was back as she watched that beautiful, goofy Scotsman saunter over to the firepit. He made a joke, and she countered back. He flashed her a grin, and her heart leapt in her chest, giddy to see him in the flesh again.
She wasn't surprised Lucas had switched. They were never going to get along, especially when she made it clear she was only interested in one guy here. Very clear. So when she was kinda reunited with Bobby she was expecting to fall back in his arms straight away. That unfortunately was not the case.
The energy was different. They chatted and bantered like normal. She flirted, a lot, knowing Bobby loves it. He loves knowing she has an interest in him and soaks up every ounce he can get. And yet - nothing. Nothing. No quick kisses or hands on thighs. No tucking her hair behind her ears like he always does. He even offered to sleep with Lottie one evening. If she caught him staring over at her one more time she was going to flip. Or jump him, she doesn't know.
She's still staring at Lucas' stupid water bottle when someone walks in, interrupting her train of thought. It's Bobby, of all people. She can't suppress the smile that creeps onto her face.
"Hey! There you are." He grins as soon as he sees her. He jogs over, jumping onto the bed to sprawl out next to her. "Saw all the other girls come back and wondered where you were."
She tilts her head, smiling at him. He's lying down, getting comfy on the bed, leg brushing against hers. She watches his chest move as he catches his breath for a second.
"Aw, you worried about me?" She teases. His mouth pulls into a small smile. He rests his hands on his tummy and starts tapping a beat absently. She watches his fingers hit his tan skin, she really loves his hands. She knows it's kinda dirty to think about right now, but she can't help but reminisce back to when he used them on her.
"Yeah. Always." He says, winking at her.
She laughs, poking him on the leg. He laughs as well, rubbing his hands on his stomach. His eyes drop down to the strap of her bikini and up again, quickly. Not quick enough for Poppy not to see though. They stay quiet a little too long, just basking in each other. He goes to say something but stops, closing his mouth and frowning. She would lean down to kiss him right now, but he's been so weird and distant lately she's not entirely sure where they are anymore. Like he's reading her mind, he hops off the bed and starts walking to the door.
"Imma head back. Come out soon though, okay?" He says, turning to her before he reaches the door.
"Yeah, okay." She smiles at him, watching him leave.
Poppy watches his dreads bounce as he runs off, butterflies in her stomach. She lies back on the bed and kicks her shoes off. Is it supposed to be this hard? She pinches the bridge of her nose, trying to calm herself.
"God, I'm so pathetic." She says quietly, looking up at the ceiling.
She walks out into the garden, padding her way over to the daybed where Chelsea, Gary and Noah are lounging about. She knees her way onto the bed, dramatically draping herself across Chelsea and Gary. She groans, dramatic despair in her voice.
"You alright, peach?" Chelsea giggles, twisting Poppy's hair in her fingers.
"No." She sighs. Gary sits up, frowning at her. Noah scooches closer to pat her arm. Poppy shoots him a thankful smile.
"What's up, mate." Gary crosses his arms, looking at her. Poppy shifts her legs off of him, sitting up in the centre of the bed.
"Mate, you know what's up." She chuckles. "The whole villa does!"
"Yeah - but... we don't wanna talk about it behind your back." Noah adds, looking at her concerned. "Or his."
"I like him so much." She plucks at the bed sheets, looking over to Bobby who's doing cartwheels in the garden with Hope and Lottie. She can hear him laughing from here and her heart drops a little.
"He likes you too, babes." Chelsea pokes her with her foot, grinning at her. "He's just, y'know, Bobby ."
Noah and Gary nod in agreement. She looks over to the garden again, watching the other islanders mess around on the grass. The sun is starting to set, an orange hazy glow seeps from the horizon to the villa. Their laughs travel through the warm, late afternoon air.
Poppy's phone chimes. The islanders visibly perk up, searching for the noise. Everyone on the bed looks to Poppy’s phone and back to her, she’s not noticed it’s hers. She's too zoned out to realise it's her own phone until Gary throws a pillow at her face, telling her to read it out.
"It's me!" Poppy shouts, waving her arm in the air. She takes in a big breath. "I've got a text!" Her voice carries across the garden, as the islanders come running to the beds.
She frowns when she reads it out. Unable to hide the annoyed expression plastered on her face. Lottie can't help but snicker at her. For fuck sake, she can't get a break. Lucas and her have to prepare a meal tonight for the other islanders. This is the last thing she wants to do right now.
"It might be fun." Lucas shrugs, smiling over to her. Poppy forces a smile back. Yeah, might be.
**
The girls are chatting away in the dressing room, getting ready for the night as per usual. Lottie's sat on the floor infront of the wardrobe mirror, expertly painting her face. Her eyeliner is so sharp, it looks like a blade on her face. Hope is wiggling into some leather pants, laughing as she tries to squeeze her bum in.
Chelsea fiddles with her earrings, singing along to something Marisol is humming. She looks over to Poppy, whose sat in front of the mirror, staring at her make-up bag. Her face is completely bare, hair still damp from the shower.
"You really like him don't you?" Chelsea says quietly, leaning over to her. Poppy whips round to look at her, confused look on her face. She goes to speak but closes her mouth. Chelsea nods, she gets it.
"Babe. It's your face. You always have a look on your face when you're thinking about Bobby." She laughs and places her hand on Poppy's arm, giving a reassuring squeeze.
"I do?" Poppy laughs. "Is it a dumb face?"
"No! No." Chelsea giggles, turning on her stool to face her. "It's kinda like you're daydreaming and shocked. Like you're on the edge of a cliff and dunno if you wanna jump or not."
"That's very specific, Chels." Poppy raises an eyebrow at her and laughs. The blonde just shrugs, waving it off. She shuffles herself closer to Poppy, grabbing her make-up bag. Poppy watches her rummage through her things before pulling out some primer and a sponge.
"I'm gonna make you look banging, he won't know where to look." She squeals. Poppy grins, closing her eyes when Chelsea tells her to.
Chelsea bounds down the stairs ahead of all the girls as they apply their finishing touches. She almost stacks it in her high heels as she runs to the bedroom. She barges through the door, the boys are being loud and pissing about still getting dressed. She watches as Ibrahim throws a pillow at Noah. He ducks and the pillow crashes into some toiletries stacked up by the mirror. Chelsea struts down the bedroom towards them - a woman on a mission.
"Bobby!" She says, her voice barely registers in the noise of the room. She raises her voice. " Bobby !"
Still nothing. The boys are laughing and yelling, still unaware she's in the room. She huff's, her blonde hair ruffling slightly. Alright, she's had enough. Her heel cracks down on the tile as she stomps her foot down, fists clenched at her sides.
"Oi! Baker boy!" She yells. The boys go silent as they all turn to look at her. Bobby's eyes are wide, scared shitless. Gary covers his chest, still just in his underwear.
"Chels! We're getting dressed!" He grumbles. She rolls her eyes as she walks past him to Bobby.
"Oh, don't flatter yourself, Gaz. I'm not impressed." She replies, instantly. A chorus of 'Oohs' echoes round the room as the boys laugh. Ibrahim punches Gary on the arm laughing and he hits Rahim back.
"Can I talk to you?" She says pointedly at Bobby. He nods, ringing his shirt in his hands as he steps outside with her, not even thinking to put it on. Chelsea wasn’t planning on playing cupid today, but sometimes dummies need help falling in love.
They stand in the small pathway to the garden, the lights are on and it's a bit chilly already. Bobby really wants to put his shirt on but scared Chelsea will yell again for whatever reason. She laughs at his face.
"I'm not gonna shout again, bubs." She smiles at him, shaking her head. He laughs with her. They stand under the fairylights laughing together, the situation feeling silly all of a sudden.
"I do need to talk to you." She speaks quietly, crossing her arms. She stands up straight, looking him in the eyes. Fuck, Bobby hates when Chels gets serious, because that normally means it's really serious.
"I shouldn't tell you this, given my reputation in the villa right now.” Chelsea rolls her eyes. “But… Poppy really likes you." She breathes out, hands waving about as she talks. "Really likes you."
"I really like her. Really like her, Chels." Bobby nods.
"Oh babes, that's so great." Chelsea eyes go soft, getting distracted by the sentiment. She has to focus again.
"But - I think you're tiptoeing around it." She says bluntly, thoughts coming out of her mouth before she even processes them. "She doesn't know you like her, like you say you like her."
Bobby nods, staring, uncertain of what to say next. He’s not really one for opening up to people so quickly. Too wounded from past loves to even think about doing it right now. On TV no less.
"Just show her, hun. That's all she wants." She pats him on the arm and gives him an encouraging smile. He smiles back, stretching his arms out for a hug. Chelsea giggles, patting his back.
"Thanks, Chels." He gives her a squeeze.
"Oh, you are welcome." She pulls back, resting her hands on his shoulders. "You are so gonna owe me."
Bobby sputters out a laugh, blood rushing to his face. Chelsea cackles as they walk back inside.
**
At a dinner table, crammed with a bunch of people, probably wasn’t the best place to be gawking over someone, but Bobby couldn’t help but look over to the kitchen every now and then. He feels like he hasn’t fully picked his jaw up off the floor after seeing Poppy walk down the stairs. It baffles him everyday how someone like her chose him. She’s moving about in the kitchen with Lucas, laughing and joking as they cook together. Lucas howls with laughter at one point, making Bobby whip his head around and strain to hear what they’re giggling about.
“Dude, you’re practically drooling.” Rahim nudges him with his arm, not realising how strong he is as Bobby jolts sideways from the force of it. Bobby laughs, rubbing his arm.
“I’m hungry.” He counters.
“Yeah, not for food.” Rahim says quietly enough for no one else to catch.
“Fuck you.” Bobby laughs, eyes wide at him. Yeah he’s right, but he’s not gonna admit to it just yet.
Poppy sits opposite him after dinner is dished up. Her glittery mini dress clinging to her as she settles into her seat. Lucas gives credit to her, she fans herself jokingly, laughing as everyone applauds for their efforts. Bobby’s heart races in his chest just looking at her, the way she’s smiling and saying thanks is enough to get him going. He doesn’t realise he’s risen to his feet until words are falling out of his mouth.
“Lucas, you’re a lucky guy. Poppy, you can do better!” He jokes. Everyone laughs, especially Poppy whos looking at him in amazement. He can see Lucas’ smiles falter slightly out the corner of his eye, but he chuckles along with everyone else. Poppy smirks at him as she talks.
“Aw, thanks, Bobby.”
Dinner is amazing, but there is definitely some tension in the air as they all tuck in. The underlying truth in his statement from earlier sits heavy over the table. He can feel her gaze on him as the islanders converse. Their eyes never meet, her eyes locking with someone else's when he tries to catch her gaze. She looks down at his plate, it’s completely bare, licked clean. She can’t help but like him a little more in that moment.
Bobby’s joking with Gary, the big blond in tears over something funny he said when he jumps suddenly. He swears he can feel the heat of Poppy’s leg under the table. Her foot lightly rests next to his calf as she crosses her legs. Blood rushes to his face, when she extends her leg ever so slowly, her toes brushing up his thigh. She smirks to herself, nodding along to something Chelsea is saying. He sits there, gobsmacked and kind of in love.
Everyone stays at the table, talking late into the night. She’s nodding along to conversation, nothing going in. Her attention completely focused on Bobby under the table, until someone says her name.
“Poppy?” Gary questions her. Everyone at the table is looking at her.
“She’ll never get it.” Noah giggles, putting his napkin on his plate.
“Get what? What am I guessing?” Poppy asks, brow arched in confusion. She sits up straight, both feet planted on the floor again. Bobby quietly lets out the breath he’s been holding, covering his red face with his hand.
“What the boys did today, babe.” Chelsea says, patting her arm.
“Oh, um.” She drums her fingers on her lips, thoughts rattling in her head. “I don’t know. Something imaginative - creative.” She shrugs.
Graham leaps up from his seat, almost knocking his plate and Marisol to the ground. He claps his hands together, almost too impressed. Marisol's arms flail about in the air as she tries to balance, finally grabbing at Grahams shirt to haul herself back up.
“You know us too well!” His voice loud and amazed.
Everyone looks over to Bobby as he starts talking about pirates. He’s speaking so quick he’s not sure the words are coming out of his mouth the right order. All the boys join in, listening off their names and adventures. He can’t resist looking over at Poppy as Rahim starts talking, so excited to share his pirate’s backstory. He even has some note cards, it’s cute. She, to his surprise, looks kinda sad. She’s laughing along to the stories but her heart isn’t in it. Her laugh never really reaching the loud and obnoxiousness that he falls harder for everytime.
She gets up immediately, walking back to the villa as everyone starts clearing the table. He watches her walk away, dress twinkling from the fairy lights. He runs over to Chelsea, who’s wiping down plates in the kitchen.
“Can you, um -” He breathes out, eyes watching Poppy disappear around the corner. “Keep everyone down stairs?” He rushes out, looking at her with pleading eyes.
Chelsea rolls her eyes and nods, not saying a word. Bobby beams, kissing her cheek quickly before running off.
“You owe me!” She yells as he leaves from her sight.
Chelsea finishes off wiping down the wet plates, as quickly as she can. She throws the tea towel down to the counter, tottering in her heels as she tries to run into the bedroom before anyone else. Noah and Hope exchange confused stares as she runs past them.
She bounds over to the door to the foyer and closes it, leaning against it as she huffs out a breath. Her head thumps against the door as she does so. Lottie startles her as she walks into the room and asks her what she’s doing.
“I’m just, y’know, appreciating the carpentry, babes. Love a sturdy door.” She pipes up and instantly making a face to herself, realising what she’s just said. Yeah, no one’s gonna buy that.
“Chels, I know you’re weird and that.” Gary appears behind Lottie as he walks in. “But you’re not that weird.
“I can be weird.” Chelsea argues, crossing her arms. “Don’t put me in a box, Gaz.”
Poppy’s already at the top of the stairs when he catches up to her. He’s standing in the foyer, chest heaving from his run to find her. She looks over the railing to catch the door to the bedroom close behind him.
“You alright?” She asks, laughing at how hard he’s breathing. He looks up at her, smiling and catching his breath. She smiles back, leaning over the railing to look at him properly.
“Can we have a chat?” He breathes out.
“We’re chatting right now.”
“You’re funny.”
“I am . Thank you.” She grins. The light is soft in the room, it’s weirdly romantic. He doesn’t know how to continue the conversation. He musters up the first thought that comes to his head.
“Feel like I’m talking up to a princess in the tower right now.”
She laughs looking a little shocked, still looking over the railing at him.
“I’m not a princess.” She smirks, flipping him off. He looks delighted and nods.
“Yeah. Definitely the dragon.” He says easily, winking at her.
She chuckles, biting down on her lip. Her face flushes slightly. She prays that she’s far away enough that he can’t see it. He can and he loves it.
All the other islanders spill into the bedroom, ready for sleep. Chelsea stands at the door telling a story to Gary and Lottie. She’s waving her arms about, laughing at her own jokes. She doesn’t know how much time Bobby needs but she’s trying her best.
“And then!” Chelsea clutches her stomach as she laughs at her own story. She holds up a fingers as she laughs, unable to finish her sentence.
Lotties looks unimpressed, Gary even more so. Everyone gathers to watch the blonde in the middle of her laughing fit.
“And then he says - “ She wipes a tear from her eye. Lottie rolls her eyes and sits on the bed next to her, ready to wait it out. “Then he says, that’s not a camel, that’s my wife .”
“I don’t get it.” Jo comments, immediately.
“Chels, can we just go upstairs for a second?” Hope pleads. She looks fed up and Noah drapes off of her, looking exhausted. “I just wanna brush my teeth.”
“And I need to pee.” Lucas adds.
Chelsea claps her hands together, energy suddenly running through her. She’s running out of ideas and the other islanders are definitely running out of patience. She bounces on her toes and shakes her arms. She looks crazy, Shannon can’t help but stare - amazed.
“I can do the splits!” She says kicking her heels off and getting to the floor. “Can anyone else do that?”
Gary suddenly looks very intrigued. He stands with his hands on his hips.
“You’ve never mentioned this, what the hell, Chels?” He asks, eyebrows confused and angry. Lotties throws her hands in the air in defeat, throwing herself back onto a bed.
Poppy and Bobby are still in the foyer, watching each other, completely in the dark as to what’s going on in the next room.
“You couldn’t handle a dragon.”
“You don’t know that.” He laughs. “I have wrangled many a dragon in my day.” He bows, like some fucking knight, making her cackle. He has been burned a few times too.
God he fucking loves that laugh, he’s been waiting to hear it all night. His heart races in his chest, he swears it’s going to burst out if he doesn’t say something else soon. She waits for him to say something else.
“I really like you.” He blurts out, unable to hold the words in. His hands clench at his sides, he doesn’t know what to do with himself. She watches him for a long time, their stares not breaking.
“I like you, as well.” She says, head tilting to the side.
“Okay.” Bobby breathes out. He feels like he’s shaking from the pure happiness running through him. He soaks in this moment for a second, just smiling at her.
“So -” Poppy starts before getting interrupted.
They both jump as some commotion breaks out on the other side of the door. They can hear Chelsea and some of the other islanders yelling. Poppy runs down the stairs, gripping the railing just before the door swings open.
Elise falls through the door, Chelsea stumbling behind her.
“Chelsea, what has gotten into you!?” Elise exclaims, trying to rearrange her hair.
“Is everything alright?” Poppy walks over to Chelsea, stroking her arm up and down.
The other islanders spill through the door. Lucas zips past them all and up the stairs, bursting for the loo. The room erupts into conversation, everyone asking what’s going on and trying to dissect Chelsea’s weird behaviour. Chelsea glances over to Bobby, giving him a quick thumbs up, without anybody noticing. Everyone’s too engrossed about Chelsea trying to juggle the water bottles a mere 2 minutes ago. She nods along, playing it totally cool. Bobby grins and gives a thumbs up back.
“Did you know Chelsea can do the splits?” Gary asks, looking over to Poppy.
“You did the splits?!” Bobby bursts out laughing, clapping his hands together. Chelsea just nods, a smile plastered on her face.
“No, I didn’t know that.” Poppy chuckles, crossing her arms.
“I cannot juggle, I have found out.” Chelsea pouts, rubbing her head from where she got knocked by one of the bottles.
“Well, whatever you were trying to do, it was amazing.” Marisol smiles. “But I’m exhausted and wanna go to bed.”
They all shuffle upstairs, very ready for sleep now. A few of them mill about in the bathroom, Lottie hugs Gary from behind as he brushes his teeth. Her eyes open and close as she rests on his back. Jo and Elise swap pyjamas, giggling to themselves at how good the other looks. Chelsea hums to herself as she puts her hair into pigtails, dancing along to the rhythm in her head. Probably Spice Girls.
Poppy sits in front of the wardrobe mirror on the floor, eyes scrunched together as she wipes her make-up off. Bobby watches from the doorway, arms folded, waiting for her to come down. Everyone’s finally gone to bed and he can’t sleep until she’s in the room with them all. She catches his gaze in the mirror and sticks her tongue out. He smiles and makes a face at her reflection. She laughs quietly, smiling back at him.
“I’m knackered.” Poppy sighs as she gets up, walking over to him. Bobby hums and nods.
He looks down to her lips, a little stained still from the lipstick she was wearing. She moves first, cupping her hand on his cheek, pulling him down for a kiss. He swears he feels a shock shoot down his spine as she presses her lips on his. He pulls her closer, hands gently cradling her waist as they continue to kiss. His hands travel up to her hair, fingers slipping between her locks. She moans against him, happy and surprised, or so he hopes.
She pulls back, kissing him quickly a few more times. He can’t help but lean in for one more as she tries to pull away again. She laughs at him as he does. She laces their hands together as they walk back down to the bedroom.
Shit, he really really likes her.
**