Chapter Text
LILY'S POV
The car ride to the villa was a breath of fresh air from the familiar hotel we’d all arrived at a week before filming. All of my needs had been met, sure, but I also hadn’t been allowed outside the hotel room to ensure none of the cast met before the show began. But alas, I entered the villa.
As the car pulled to a stop, I couldn’t help but feel a mixture of nerves and giddy excitement: while they were the same emotional experiences, it felt like an unnerving combination of feelings inside my head. Shaking off the last of my worries, I hurriedly rushed out of the car to meet another islander.
Just in front of the car responsible for transporting me to the villa was another, accompanied by a gorgeous girl who was just then exiting it. Immediately, I rushed to meet her.
“Hi, oh my God!” I cheered, reaching out for her hands.
She offered me a wide grin in turn, accepting my hands on her own. “It’s so good to meet you! I’m Mary.”
I couldn’t contain my eagerness, attributed to the pressure and isolation upon arriving at the villa, and exclaimed, “I’m Lily, and you look so good, wow.”
Mary giggled, flashing me a genuine and amused smile, “Ah, you’re so sweet! And beautiful, too, I love your dress!”
After a moment spent celebrating one another’s arrival, we made it down to the drinks further into the villa.
“I’m so excited!” I spoke, as though it weren’t already evident, and poured us both a drink with all the dramatics expected of reality television. With a grin, I held it up to her in a motion for cheers.
“Cheers to a perfect summer!” She offered happily, clinking our glasses together, to which I readily reciprocated.
We walked over to find a seat, our emotions already high and elated. “What are you looking for this summer?” Mary asked once we got situated, and I could already tell she was so very genuine.
“Mm, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t here to find my soulmate,” I smiled, partially teasing. I didn’t quite believe in soulmates, but this experience might just bring me the closest possible thing. “But I’m also really looking forward to the friendships and fun aspect of it all.”
Mary nodded as though expressing complete understanding, “Right!” She grinned. “Yeah, I get that. I don’t know about the soulmates aspect,” She spoke with a joking tone, reciprocating my own, “But I need to find that good connection. Be it romantic or platonic, I’ll be making it my summer for love.”
On cue, our eyes widened to find another car pulling into the villa. Gasping excitedly, I looked over to Mary and cheered. We both rushed to meet the incoming girl as she stepped out.
It should be expected, with the history of beautiful casting, and Mary being evidence of it herself right in front of me, but exiting the car was yet another beautiful girl. She cheerily moved toward us, “Hey!”
“Hi!” Mary and I called out, meeting her halfway back to the drinks.
The girl grinned, “You both look so good!”
Mary laughed, hugging her, “You are gorgeous! I’m Mary, and this is Lily.”
“You’re perfect!” I exclaimed as the girl gave me a hug of my own.
The girl seemed exceedingly good-natured and simultaneously mischievous, “Says you both. I’m Marlene, it’s fuckin’ good to see you both.” She seemed to take note of the drinks beside us, and her excitement seemed to increase tenfold.
Pouring herself a drink off-handedly—as though it were second nature, and by her reaction, it seemed as though it were—we immediately found ourselves in conversation. “So, who are you both looking to couple up with?”
I considered her question as we all moved to sit down once more. “Type-wise, I’d say I’m looking for someone soft and sweet. I want to be wooed, yeah?” I grinned at the other girls.
Mary hummed, both amused and interested. “That makes sense! So you want to be chased, huh?”
I let out a small breath of a laugh, shrugging, “What about you?”
“Hm… I tend to look for cool people, I guess. Collected and interesting. I appreciate it when they have a good chat.” Mary mused, tilting her head to Marlene for her input.
Marlene smirked, tapping her chin. “Wooers and cool people, then. I suppose what I add to the mix are witty and strong people. Someone who’d probably fight me, but I’d deserve it.”
Mary and I let out surprised little snorts, and my eyebrows pressed together with a curious, amused smile.
“Aside from that, then,” Mary moves coolly past Marlene’s tease, “People, is it? We’ve all been pretty vague about that, but any preferences?”
I nodded, “I get what you mean. I don’t have a preference in genders.”
Mary gave a little smile and nod of her own to that, indicating she felt the same.
“I’m all for the girls.” Marlene grinned, amused at the way we’d been skirting around the obvious. “Not quite sure how that’ll work out for Love Island, but oh, well.”
Just then, we heard two distinct voices coming from the front. We all perked up once more, letting the conversation between us three drop as we looked to one another and greeted the incoming girls: the final of the original ones, it seemed.
“Hey!” One of them cheered, loud enough for us to hear them from a bit away.
The three of us returned the girl’s energy, and I looked toward the girl at her side. She seemed equally pleased, though perhaps just not as daring quite yet. Mary, Marlene, and I walked the rest of the way over to the two, already spouting compliments and greetings.
The striking one on the left was enthusiastic about our welcome, “You’re all so sweet! I’m Dorcas, what are your names?”
Marlene spoke up for the rest of us, urging her way into the conversation. “I’m Marlene! These girls are Mary and Lily.” She spoke, pointing to us in doing so. “What about you?” She smiled over to the quieter girl at Dorcas’ side.
“My name’s Emmeline. It’s so good to finally meet you guys.” She smiled genuinely at us all, her energy pushing us towards the fire pit to chat.
Once we were all settled, Dorcas drove the conversation. “I’m guessing you guys have all talked a bit before we entered? Anything important we might’ve missed?” She asked kindly, directed towards Mary, Marlene, and me.
“Chatting about our types and what we’re looking for! Not too much missed, I don’t think.” I answered for her.
Mary nodded, “Right. What about you both?” She hummed, encouraging Dorcas’ and Emmeline’s responses.
“Well, for this summer, I suppose I have some high expectations.” Emmeline spoke calmly, “This experience is essentially a dream. Hot people looking for love.”
Marlene and I let out a giggle at that, nodding in full agreement. Marlene nodded to Dorcas for her input.
“What I’m looking for is the right person. I don’t plan on falling in love at first sight, not that I even believe in that, but just to find someone I click with.” Dorcas mused, with Marlene hanging onto every word she spoke.
Mary and I looked curiously at each other before suddenly finding Emmeline far more fascinating as Dorcas and Marlene continued to chat.
“What about your type, Emmeline?” Mary asked.
Emmeline smiled softly. “I’m not sure I have one, exactly. I tend to prefer kind people, though. People who are open and good communicators.” She listened. “It’s a turn-off if a misunderstanding seems to continuously happen.”
I agreed vigorously, wholly understanding as Mary seemed to do the same. “You’re so right for that, truly.”
We continued to have a discussion about some more topics we’d yet to discuss, occupations and homes as Marlene and Dorcas returned to the group conversation gradually.
“I’m an art teacher at a primary school in Glasgow,” I told the girls, trailing off as the rest were startled by something coming from the entrance of the villa.
“New boys,” Mary whispered, causing me to fully transfer my attention to the two incoming islanders.
The new boys were stark contrasts from each other. The one on the right had longer, silky black hair, and wore mostly monochrome. The one on the left, though: he seemed nearly as bright as the sun, outside even his startling green shirt and grin. He had glasses on, and I’d only just remembered myself when their voices sounded.
“Hello!” The one on the right cheered, coming to meet us all as the bright boy followed.
Most of the girls returned the energy with shouts of our own, beckoning them to come sit with us.
As they finally made their way, the bright boy—as he was now dubbed in my mind—greeted us. “Hi! I’m James, this all is serious, yes,” He spoke as though to himself, causing Mary and me to glance at each other in question. “But this guy’s actually Sirius. We’re best mates now.” He grinned, elbowing the taller one, Sirius.
Marlene blinked. “Right.” She deadpanned, lips pursed.
James shook his head fervently, looking as though he was having the time of his life. “I’m serious! Well, no, he is—”
Sirius shut his eyes with a small breath of a laugh, biting his lip down with a smirk. “Okay, shush. We only just met, so I have no obligation to him. My name’s Sirius. S-I-R-I-U-S. Like the brightest, or dog, star.”
Emmeline hummed in understanding, setting off a chain among the rest of us to accept it past the brief conundrum.
I jumped in to introduce ourselves in turn. “It’s great to meet you both! I’m Lily, and this is Mary, Marlene, Emmeline, and Dorcas.”
“Right lovely to meet you all,” Sirius smiled lazily.
Dorcas perked up, alas, “Are you French?” She tilted her head in question towards Sirius.
“I am!” Sirius nodded, looking momentarily startled over having been immediately discovered. “I only just live in Islington now, though.”
“How cool!” Mary commented, a kind tone to her voice as she chimed in.
James seemed to get restless being left out of the conversation. “Oui, I knew that about my new best mate already, of course.” James grinned, a humor dancing along his lips.
Sirius looked at him curiously, perking an eyebrow up with a curious smile. “Did you? Seems you’ve properly earned that title then, huh?” Sirius shook off the banter, turning to the girls once more. “Well, how about you all? What’ve you been up to so far?”
Emmeline spoke this time, “Not much. Talking about what we’re looking for here, what our types are.”
Mary smiled over to Emmeline, nodding in agreement. “And on that note, you two? What are your thoughts?”
James seemed more than eager to jump in. “Types, is it? People with tons of personality. I like right banter, I couldn’t stand being with someone who’s entirely boring.” James hummed, pressed his hand up to his chin, “But I’m also looking for a romance like my parents. They never did leave the honeymoon phase, it seems. I reckon they’re soulmates.”
“Soulmates?” I spoke up, giving him a lopsided smile, properly interested. “You believe in true love, then?”
James looked at me as though it were an obvious question, a genuine laugh sparking from him. “Well, obvs. I feel like you’d be a proper fool to come here without being a hopeless romantic.”
I let out an agreeable noise, lifting one shoulder in a shrug.
“Right,” Mary and Sirius spoke at the same time, grinning in surprise until Dorcas took it upon herself to further the conversation.
“Enlightening. Sirius, what about you?”
Sirius nodded, tapping the side of his face. “Hm. In comparison to all that, I suppose I’m here for the fun of it all. I’m interested in finding love as well, but,” He dragged out, seeming as though he already deemed it unlikely. It was a curious disposition to have, entering a dating show where the outcome was intended to be love. “Then again, I wouldn’t mind just a summer of good friendships and flirting.”
“I’m good for both,” James chirped.
His comment charmed a laugh out of Emmeline and me, but just as any of us could reply, a few of the islander’s attention was drawn to the entrance. A sign, I knew now, of incoming islanders. A few noises of excitement startled within the group.
Walking toward the rest of our group looked to be two more guys, seemingly the last of the original cast of islanders.
Curiously, it also appeared as though a carbon-copy of seriously Sirius, I titled him internally, was entering the villa. Alongside, of course, the other man: sandy blonde hair and a loose polo, as though he were set to go golfing the instant he entered.
Cheerfully, the majority of us called the newcoming guys over, save for Sirius himself. Intrigued by this absence of at least a welcoming from him, I tilted my head to glimpse at the silent Frenchman, looking, as I observed, utterly astonished.
I pulled my attention away and back to the final of the original islanders once more, smiling delightfully to see such a wonderful turnout of people. Though, the Sirius carbon-copy stopped as he got closer, eyes narrowing.
“Certainly not.” He remarked, stopping everyone else’s greetings. He was, decidedly, very French. I felt like my head was splitting in two. Was he really a doppelganger after all? A clone?
James, ever the confident one, spoke up, “What is it, mate?”
“Um, I’m Peter.” The sandy-haired man spoke up from beside the catalyst of seemingly the first drama of the summer. I couldn’t help but feel a little awkward for him, urging him to come sit with the rest of the islanders. Just then, Sirius took it upon himself to erase everyone’s confusion.
“Reggie,” Sirius laughed, as though nothing was quite funny after all. “My brother, ladies and gentlemen,” he addressed us, intent on avoiding the increasingly irritated look of the appointed Reggie.
“I apologize. My name is Regulus. I obviously didn’t anticipate—” While Regulus apologized, he certainly wasn’t targeting it towards Sirius, his brother, it seemed. Perhaps he was recognizing there was no use bringing family drama to a pool of potential romance opportunities.
Dorcas laughed, genuinely this time. “That’s right unbelievable. Awfully unforgettable welcome there, Peter and Reggie.”
Regulus seemed to take a minor offense to this nickname use, but brushed it off as he made to sit down. Sirius got up, mumbling something about needing a drink after all.
“Properly sorry, Peter.” Regulus offered the boy, settling beside him once more.
“Right then!” Marlene announced, determined to force the two to introduce themselves. James seemed equally interested, more likely than not still feeding off of the impassioned welcome. It certainly made for good reality television: James proved it. I could only hope he wouldn’t be a stirrer.
Peter let out a small laugh, “What’s there to say? I don’t have any mystery brothers, unfortunately.”
Regulus smiled lob-sidedly at that. Perhaps he had a good sense of humor, after all—or he simply enjoyed sarcasm.
Emmeline perked up, “Where are you from, what are you looking for?”
Just then, Sirius finally made his way back over, sending the rest of the islanders a pleasant smile, fueled by the alcohol in hand.
“I’m from Bournemouth, I’m sorry to say. What I’m looking for,” he trailed off, as though he hadn’t quite thought that far to be asked. “Ah, well. I suppose just someone I could have proper chats with. I’m all for that. Good, serious conversations.”
James perked up at that, “Sirius!” He laughed, nudging Sirius. Sirius simply rolled his eyes. I thought he wasn’t truly all that annoyed, just unammused by the jokes which he certainly heard all the time. “That’s all on, mate.” He seemed genuine alas as he complimented the meeker man, earning him a grateful nod.
“And you?” I turned towards Regulus in question.
Regulus hummed in return. “Well, I’m sure you all are aware I’m from France,” he looked over to Sirius briefly, “Neuilly sur Seine, to be exact. I still live there.”
The two were certainly estranged, with how pointed Regulus spoke, I observed.
“As for what I’m looking for, I can’t quite give you a good answer,” Regulus was nearly murmuring now. “Someone who’s interesting, is all. Love. That’s what I’m looking for, I suppose.”
As if on que, which it most certainly was, the host of this season’s Love Island came out to greet the newly-formed group. She instructed the cast to follow her to the fire pit where we’d be pairing up for the first time of the summer.
I found myself increasingly worried. For the first time tonight, I counted the current islanders and found it uneven: meaning that one girl would be left unchosen. What if it was me, my mind rudely insisted I consider. Certainly I wouldn’t be kicked off this early into the show, but Love Island left no promises of security. Everything seemed possible. Regardless, it was time.
The host announced what this coupling entailed, and that, in it, she’d call one islander at random to step forward and choose their first pair. She, of course, addressed my prime worry in maintaining that one islander would remain unmatched.
We all sat down, and I found myself seeking Mary’s reassuring smile.
“James Potter! You’re first up.” The host announced with enthusiasm. James responded in turn, perking right up to go stand at the front.
“Right, then. You’re all great ladies, but,” James smiled playfully, before sighing lightly, “I want to couple up with this person because she seems like a great mate, and we could use the time to talk more. So, Lily?” He smiled, some semblance of less self-assuredness than he’d presented all this time thus far.
I smiled gently, and moved to take my place by his side. I wasn’t quite sure how to feel about him as of now, deeming him perhaps far too frivolous for my tastes yet, but I might enjoy getting to know him after all.
“Next up, Mary Macdonald!”
Excitedly, she made her way over to where I stood, happy to simply be there now, though I could tell she was anxious about making such a decision. “Alright, well. I’d like to couple up with this person because they’re a proper fun time, and for sure a worldie. I think we could work out well together, if they’d be open to it. So, for that reason, I’m choosing Marlene.”
Marlene grinned, making her way over to Mary. She seemed not to have expected that, I thought, as she caught up to the rest of us at the front. Hopefully she was amenable to it, if only for Mary’s sake.
Dorcas seemed to be considering something, only to be called up at the next second. “Dorcas Meadowes!”
She hummed, taking her position to speak, “I’m choosing this person because they seem like a lovely individual, and someone I can definitely see myself getting along with well. I’d like to couple up with Emmeline.”
Emmeline’s eyes widened in appreciation, evidently pleased with Dorcas’ decision, and walked up to stand beside her with a gentle smile.
I observed the remaining islanders, left only Peter, Sirius, and Regulus. Evidently, it seemed either Sirius or Regulus would be left on their own for this first recoupling. I could only hope, however, that would be all they would be left to: rather than being kicked off. I was beginning to enjoy my time with the whole of these islanders.
“Sirius Black!”
Regulus frowned. He would be the one left single tonight, and simply looked off boredly. I had to consider whether he was questioning the same things I was, if he’d be kicked out tonight.
“Well.” Sirius chuckled lightly, as if he were attempting to contain it. “There’s not quite any option for me here. Regardless, I’d still like to couple up with this guy because, even while we haven’t really properly met, he’s someone I’d like to get to know. I’m choosing to couple up with Peter.”
Peter smiled softly at Regulus, a genuine, muted sympathy before he found his way to Sirius, nodding with a playful look of enjoyment at the taller man.
“Can I have everyone sit back down in their new pairs? There’s one more thing I’d like to announce.”
James insisted I lead, trailing behind me as the group settled back down into the fire pit’s surrounding seats. The summers here really were exceptionally hot, even in the evening. The firepit certainly wasn’t helping, I lamented helplessly mentally.
“I’d like to introduce you to your actual final islander of the night, and Regulus’ pair.” The host smiled, before leaving just as the aforementioned islander strolled into the villa, a substitution of sorts. The original islanders immediately catapulted into whispers and cheers, excited to see yet another inclusion.
Mary giggled, “A mystery man!”
He finally landed right at the front of the firepit, tilting his head in a subtle confidence. “Not a mystery for long, I hope. My name’s Evan. Luckily for me, I was already set on your single islander here.” He gestured towards Regulus, clearly aware of all the former proceedings.
Regulus’ eyes widened, amused. “Really, are you certain? That’s awfully great luck of yours, have you tried playing the lottery?”
Evan shook his head, “Not yet, I prefer my addictions later in life.” He sat down beside Regulus, and the two set off into a bantering conversation that left the rest of us stunned. Clearly, they would be great friends. Or perhaps more, if Evan were truthful after all in what he’d been alluding to.
“Right inseparable already,” James joked, a muted smirk on his face which I took notice of.
Sirius perked an eyebrow up, every bit an overprotective figure. Perhaps I’d been far-off in my immediate assumption that the two siblings were conflicted, after all.
Emmeline laughed, shrugging. “But no one went home! Better that.”
The coupling closed off the final event of the night, leaving everyone to party and converse in their new pairs until a strict, but later enough, bedtime. I found it a lovely first day of what looked to be nearing into an eventful summer.