Love Island

Chapter 12 - New Islanders

With Noah by my side and his jacket draped over my shoulders, we walked down the covered path toward the villa entrance. The rain continued but had softened to a drizzle that now dripped off the palm leaf roof. We reached the side door that led into the living room, and I stepped inside with Noah closely behind. The living room was empty, but there was a cluttering of voices that I couldn't pinpoint the location of.

"Guys?" I called into the villa.

"Kitchen!" Peach's voice answered.

I turned to Noah. "Ready?" I asked.

"Absolutely."

We walked down the hall and into the kitchen. Everyone looked up as we entered.

"Oh my god!" Polly yelled, clasping her hands over her mouth.

"That's not Michael! That's not Michael!" Peach gasped and started playfully punching my arm. Blake straightened his posture at the sight of the new, taller islander.

"Hello, everyone. I'm Noah," Noah introduced himself. The guys immediately got up to give him the bro-initiation while the girls hung back and analyzed him. I stepped over to let the guys surround him and joined the girls.

Peach leaned over to me. "You're wearing his jacket. Went well?" She gave me a flirty wink.

I looked down after having forgotten that I was wearing it. "Oops. Yeah, it did."

"Is that an accent I detect?" Amelia purred, her red hair parting the sea of testosterone until her path to Noah had been cleared.

"It is, yeah. I'm from England," Noah responded.

Katrina looked around. "Wait, if Maddie went on a date with this guy, where's Michael?" The silence that followed deafeningly answered her question.

"Do you know who he's on a date with?" I asked Noah.

"I've met her, but I don't know I should say," he said. "I think you'll meet her soon enough."

Like clockwork, the villa door opened once again, and Michael's laugh and a pair of heels entered. Michael strolled into the kitchen with a tall blonde in a white sleeveless romper with bell-bottom style pants. Her skin was glowy and tan, her eyes a light blue that sparkled with joy.

"Hey, guys!" She introduced herself with an impossibly white smile.

"This is Peyton!" Michael said.

Peyton looked around and locked eyes with Katrina. "You must be Katrina! Michael told me so much about you," Peyton walked over and hugged her. "I love your hair."

"Oh, thank you!" Katrina smiled and looked at Michael gratefully.

"Shall we get to know these new people?" Giselle smiled and stepped forward.

"Totally!" Polly agreed. "Living room!" Before getting a response, Polly skipped past Noah and Peyton and out of sight. The others followed.

"Maddie," Amelia said. I looked back and saw her leaning against the kitchen counter. I watched Noah shuffle out of the room and then walked back to convene with Amelia.

"What's up?"

"How'd your date go?" She asked. I could tell where this was going.

"Really well, actually." I tapped my fingers on the counter, waiting for it.

"That's great. I'm really happy for you," Amelia smiled slightly. Before I could respond, she continued. "I'm super supportive, but why you? I was the only single person in the whole villa, and I wasn't chosen to go on a date with the new guy? I'm sure you can empathize with me: that sucks!"