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“So…” Elisa starts, eyes trained on her camera. “I’m sure you guys are wondering about the show…” she drawls some more. “And…” she slowly smiles, “Look!” she shouts cheerily, flipping the camera and zooming in and out repeatedly on a screen that’s playing the Love Island final.
She’s standing with another girl on the stage outside the Villa, hand clasped in the woman next to her’s, a soft smile on the other girl’s lips and eyes wide in disbelief as bright lights reflect in her eyes. Elisa’s beaming to the crowd, jittery and excited from the attention.
“Love Island 2019’s winners… Elisa and Willow!” echoes through the speakers. Elisa cheers, still wearing her golden dress from the final, and a small laugh sounds from nearby.
The text across her story reads ‘WE WOOOOON!!!!!!!!’
The next video carries on from where the last left off, Elisa cheering and whooping, jumping up and down in her heels, her hair slightly messy as she breaks into laughter.
She eventually collects herself from her laughing fit, adjusting her hair as she speaks, “Thank you guys so much!” she manages through her laboured breaths. “We know you guys voted and we’re so grateful for all you Elisa-bees!”
Another small laugh erupts from close by and the video cuts off, somewhat abruptly.
‘🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝’
A new video features the girl from the finale, her chin on Elisa’s shoulder from an unnatural height difference as she intently watches the influencer speak to her audience, “Seriously, thank you guys, it means so much. Right, babes?”
She turns to the woman on her shoulder, who in turn tears her gaze from Elisa’s face to the camera, “Yeah, it’s insane,” she nods along, remaining reserved as she turns back.
Elisa smiles at her for a long second, the two making extended eye contact before she faces her camera again, “And just for the record, don’t worry, Willow’s sticking around,” she grins, quickly pecking Willow on the cheek.
‘She's @willowsanimalfriends btw (its just animals from the shelter its so precious)’
---
Willow’s standing next to the pool chatting with a faceless person, her tight silver dress from the final falling down the length of her body in the candid, the dark sky behind her and lights reflecting in the water to illuminate the pool beside her.
‘What a babe’
---
A selfie of Elisa posing into the camera, head tilted, jaw set, and her expression serious, with a hand in her hair framing the angled shot.
‘What a babe’
---
A few screenshots of articles fill Elisa’s feed, each one titled with her and Willow’s names about their victory and a promise of a prediction of Love Island’s future, what with two girls winning and all.
‘🌈 We’re making history 🐝s! 🌈’
---
Elisa starts the video already running, sprinting through the train station she’s found herself in and trailing her suitcase behind her. “I gotta find Willow!” she announces to the camera, still running and panting as her hair blows behind her.
She rounds a corner and almost knocks into a random man, nearly falling to the ground in order to avoid hitting him. She stumbles for a moment before pushing herself up and regaining her footing, sprinting off again a second later.
She continues into another video, eyes scanning wildly before yelling “Will!” excitedly. She seems to somehow run even faster until she stops abruptly, dropping her bag and her phone simultaneously and tackling Willow into a crushing hug.
From the phone’s position on the floor you can just make out Elisa wrapping her legs around Willow’s torso and burying her face in Willow’s neck, her arms curled around her shoulders. Willow’s laughing into her hair amusedly as she curls her arms around the waist elevated above her own. Willow twirls Elisa around gently, neither breaking the moment for a long while.
Elisa eventually untangles herself from Willow and, after spotting her phone, drops her knees to the floor and hovers over the camera, hair curtaining around her face even as she tries to push it behind her ear, and smiles down at her phone.
‘😁☺️’
---
Elisa’s fingers brush along Willow’s cheek as she dozes, a grin splitting Elisa’s lips in the corner of the camera’s peripherals. Willow murmurs sleepily, turning to press her face further into Elisa’s shoulder. Elisa drops a tender kiss to her head, her fingers gently scratching at Willow’s jaw.
‘Sorry I forgot to post. Got a little distracted by this cutie @willowsanimalfriends’
---
A livestream begins with Elisa taking a few careful sips from a mug, the faint sound of conversation playing in the background. “I made hot cocoa,” she grins softly. “I thought I’d say hi on here and answer a few questions, since I wasn’t online much today,” she explains quietly, her voice softer than her followers are used to.
Comments flood the screen, hearts exploding across the glass. She sets her mug down on a kitchen counter, resting her elbows on the marble and positioning her phone across from her.
Her finger trails along the rim of the mug as she waits for more viewers to join, a small kitchen light the only illumination in the dark room. “Okay,” she starts, focusing her attention on the camera. “Ask me some questions,” she smiles.
A few seconds pass as questions fly along the screen. She reaches out to tap away at her phone. “‘Where are you?’ Easy. I’m in Cambridge, at Willow’s place for the weekend.” Another few seconds, “‘Where’s Willow?’” Elisa’s lips split into a soft smile, “She’s asleep on the couch; that’s why I’m being so quiet.”
She pauses for a moment to sip her cocoa before inspiration seems to strike, “Should I go wake her up?” she jokes with a quirk of an eyebrow. The live chat multiplies in strength, agreements and pleas tumbling forward. Elisa chuckles softly, “I was kidding, guys. But I will go peep on her,” she winks cheekily.
She carefully scoops up her phone, carefully padding into another room, the distant conversation increasing in volume as lights from a screen begin to play against the scenery surrounding Elisa. She stops in front of a couch, dropping down to sit in front of it with her back against the furniture.
Willow’s curled up behind her, her hair illuminated by the blue lights from the screen as her features remain frozen in a sleep-induced peace. Elisa glances back before dropping her head to the cushion, pulling the camera above her and simultaneously keeping Willow out of frame.
She rattles off answers to a few more questions, her voice never moving above a whisper, even when she finds one comment particularly amusing. She’s starting to say goodbye, promising more posts and a new tutorial by the end of the weekend when her eyes fly up, looking past her hairline.
The last few seconds of the live feature dark hair obscuring the camera’s view of Elisa, before it ends suddenly.
---
Willow’s head is turned upwards as she distractedly watches the clouds in the sky overhead with her knees to her chest. Elisa’s laying on a blanket next to her, propped up on an elbow and watching Willow’s eyes as they sparkle in the sunlight.
The sounds of the park surround them, bird calls and children’s laughter echoing across the open field. Elisa adds to the noise, humming along to a song stuck in her head, loud enough for Willow to notice.
She glances over, finding the camera held in Elisa’s hand aimed at her features. She scowls at the camera and Elisa, who flips the camera around to herself and drops back to the plaid blanket below her and continues to hum with an amused smirk.
‘Happy Saturday!!! @willowsanimalfriends ;)’
---
Elisa’s smiling up at her phone that’s held high above her head, squinting in the sunlight. Her other hand is locked in Willow’s, swinging wide between them. Elisa glances at Willow - who’s staring straight ahead - and nudges her shoulder. Willow turns, glimpsing the camera and rolling her eyes.
Elisa nudges her again and Willow concedes, pulling Elisa closer with a yank to her hand and wrapping her arm around Elisa’s waist. She plants an exaggerated kiss to Elisa’s cheek, but the influencer doesn’t seem to care about the snark of it, beaming wide with eyes crinkled shut.
‘😘 @willowsanimalfriends’
---
Willow’s driving, the windows down as she sings along to the radio, belting some summertime hit and entirely unaware of Elisa recording her in the passenger seat. Elisa soon joins in, throwing her hand out the window and letting the wind blow past it.
‘🎶🎵🎶’
---
“Okay, so,” Elisa begins eagerly, “We’re at this really cute boutique right now, and Will’s changing so I’m in here waiting,” she gestures to the dressing room she’s standing in, a mirror reflecting the light to her side.
She’s bouncing on her feet, fidgeting with the necklace resting on her collarbone and worrying her lip between her teeth. She wiggles her eyebrows with a growing smirk, excitement evident in her eyes.
‘@willowsanimalfriends hurry up!!’
The next video starts with the dressing room’s curtain being flung open dramatically, Willow laughing as she steps inside, dressed in a flowery romper cinched at her waist, a deep V-cut accentuating the jewelry falling down her chest. She’s wearing strappy wedge heels as she poses jokingly.
“Wow,” Elisa comments, “You look… amazing.” Willow dips her head, a blush spreading across her cheeks as she drops her arms, crossing them over her chest awkwardly. “But not as amazing as me,” Elisa whips the camera to the mirror, bending at the waist and cocking her head to pose with a hand on her outstretched knee and a smile into the camera.
“Lise!” Willow groans, the video ending with an image of Elisa holding back laughter.
A final candid of Willow burying her face in Elisa's shoulder, arms around her waist as Elisa laughs, cupping Willow’s head with her free hand, fingers woven in Willow’s hair, ends the story.
---
A screenshot of an instagram post featuring Elisa and Willow posing against each other in harsh sunlight, sunglasses adorned upon their noses as they gaze into a reflective window with their arms draped around each other. Elisa’s staring into the camera with an intense set to her jaw as Willow looks on with a slight smirk.
‘New post!!! Go tell us we look hot!!! (we already know it tho)’
---
A photo of Willow sitting on the floor with her back to a wire gate, cradling a cat with a gentle smile on her lips as the cat stretches in her arms.
‘❤️🐱 @willowsanimalfriends’
“Look at all the kitties!” Elisa squeals, speed walking - actually, nearly running - past rows of kennels housing cats of all different shapes and sizes, the fingers of her free hand trailing along the metal bars of the doors.
‘❤️🐱🐱🐱🐱🐱🐱❤️’
Elisa’s giggling on the floor, the camera pointed down at her as a puppy licks at her chin. Her head’s thrown back as she attempts to avoid the dog's tongue from making contact with her face, but her laughter is loud and echoing as she plays with the puppy.
‘🐶 kisses better than @willowsanimalfriends. Sorry not sorry’
---
The photo’s of a surprised Willow, fork held away from her mouth as she stares at the camera with wide eyes.
‘I learned how to make vegan paella!!!!!’
---
Willow’s watching telly when Elisa sneaks up on her, camera poised to capture any action as she slowly stalks forward. She pounces within a few steps of the sofa, vaulting over it and landing on Willow’s outstretched legs with a smirk.
Willow recoils as much as she can with Elisa weighing down her legs, pulling her blanket over her head instinctually. “Jesus, Lise!” she yelps out, carefully lowering the blanket to watch Elisa.
“Hi,” Elisa drawls from behind the camera.
Willow swats at her shoulder, Elisa exaggeratedly falling back to the other side of the sofa. Willow rolls her eyes, turning back to the telly as Elisa pouts at her, flipping the camera to capture her own expression.
‘😭’
The next video picks back up a few moments later, Elisa grinning at the camera with Willow’s arm draped across her chest, just below her necklace. The camera pans up to Willow, the telly’s reflection in her eyes with Elisa laying on top of her.
‘❤️’
One last picture bookends the story, Elisa smiling from ear to ear down at her phone in her lap as Willow kisses her head, eyes still trained on the screen.
‘❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️’
---
Elisa has started a stream to update her ‘Elisa-bees’ that are eager to track her every move as she strolls through a local park on an early Sunday morning. Willow’s hand is in her own, their interlocked fingers swinging idly in an arc between them as they go.
“Hi!” Elisa greets with a grin, Willow unconsciously doing the same beside her. She shares some idle chatter as more of her followers begin to join, commenting on her upload for the day and teasing the makeup look.
Willow gently tugs her to a bench under a tree, dropping down unceremoniously and pulling out her own phone. Elisa sits beside her, swinging her legs onto Willow’s lap as she does, and leans back against the armrest.
A breeze is blowing through the red and yellow leaves of the surrounding trees, sending a few scattering in the wind. There’s a few passerby in the background as Elisa chats away, time seeming to evade her as she falls into stories from the Villa, Willow’s laughter and comments occasionally interrupting the steady flow of words.
Elisa hunches over after a while, her phone held at arm’s length against her outstretched legs, her free arm crossed over her knee as she rests her chin on her forearm. Willow’s on the edge of the frame, casually playing with Elisa’s hair as she listens to the influencer.
At some point Elisa glimpses the time, finding just how long she’s been rambling, “Oh God, it’s been over an hour,” she sighs, dropping her head to her knees.
Willow chuckles gently, rubbing Elisa’s back as she peeks out from her arm, quickly ending the live with a grin and a tease for her upcoming tutorial.
---
Elisa’s boomerang swipes across a table, mugs of coffee and tea, plates of french toast drenched in powdered sugar, and bowls of assorted fruits mixed together are visible on the wooden surface.
‘BRUNCH!!!!!’
A slightly blurred photo from an odd angle, peeking above the table’s edge, has captured Willow hunching over the table, a mug held beneath her chin as she grabs for a napkin to wipe at the droplet of her drink slipping down her chin.
---
A quick shot of Elisa beaming at the camera, her back to Willow, who’s ordering at a till.
‘MOVIE!!!!!’
Elisa steals a piece of popcorn from over Willow’s shoulder as they walk further into the theatre, earning a glare from the girl as she shifts her hold of the bucket to defend it. Elisa just winks, tossing the popcorn in her mouth as she smirks at the camera.
One last image rounds out the series of updates, Elisa glancing down at her phone hidden in her lap with a smile in the dark theatre as Willow glares out of the corner of her eye.
‘shhhhh’
---
“My train’s in two hours and I’m so annoyed,” Elisa huffs, tossing clothes into a suitcase as she frowns heavily, her phone propped up behind the open lid of the suitcase. “I never thought I’d be disappointed to go back to London, but here we are,” she gestures her hands sarcastically.
“Oh, hush,” a voice sounds from behind the camera. Elisa scowls up at the origin of the voice as she carries on angrily throwing items of clothing into her purple case.
She rocks back to sit on her heels when she’s run out of ammo and looks into the camera, pursing her lips to the side. In an instant her face has lit up once again, a wide smile on her lips, “On the bright side, I can get back to filming!”
She smiles up at the voice, somehow smiling wider at the voice’s unseen reaction. Her gaze darts back to the camera, “So get excited,” she says flirtatiously with a wink, the voice snorting behind the camera.
Elisa glares up, immediately ending the video.
---
Willow’s draped along Elisa’s shoulders, her face held close beside the influencer’s as they look into the camera. “I need to get on my train…” her lips twist at the admission but she makes no attempt to move away.
Willow drops a kiss to her cheek before pulling her arms back, nudging Elisa in the shoulder, “Go on, then,” she jokes.
Elisa pouts in retaliation for a moment before pecking Willow on her own cheek and taking hold of her suitcase’s handle, strutting along to her train, throwing a wave over her shoulder at a softly smiling Willow.
Willow waves back and when Elisa turns her head back to the train, she’s beaming.
‘Bye Cambridge 🐝s! ❤️’
The next update is a picture displaying Elisa in a window seat and slumped against the view of the station with an overdramatic pout, gazing wistfully out the window into the blues and greys of the afternoon sky.
‘Miss you already @willowsanimalfriends’
A DM chain with crossed out messages is screenshotted and skewed, the last message the only uncensored one. Willow’s username is at the top of the DM, her last message being Elisa’s latest story with three words commenting on it below: You big baby.
Elisa’s added in big, block letters beside it, ‘You big babe* ;)’
And, in a much smaller caption, seemingly forgotten in the corner of her post, is a tiny little ‘I love you.’
Elisa’s scrolls through her DMs a minute after posting, finding the usual messages commenting on her stories, asking random questions, and a few creeps saying God knows what, too. But one @ pops to the top of the long list of usernames with a new notification.
@willowsanimalfriends: I love you too