Is she kidding me?
I look from one man-mountain to the next. All five of them are refusing to make eye contact with me. Two of them are inspecting their nails. How embarrassing.
‘Not yet,’ I say shyly. ‘Maybe when I get to know them a bit better.’
‘Exactly. Yeah, for sure. Yeah, uh-huh. So, which one would you choose?’ Destiny is smiling sweetly at me.
‘I still feel as though I’d like to connect with them first. Find out their names and a bit about them, that kind of thing.’ My legs are turning to jelly. I wish she’d just get on with the show and talk to someone else.
‘One hundred per cent, for sure. Yaaaas.’ She’s purring and batting her lashes rapidly. She puts a finger discreetly to her earpiece then stares at me as though to say,Choose or die!‘But if you had to choose one.’ She is starting to lose patience with me.
Is this hypothetical? ‘Erm, that one?’ I point to a man sat on the end.
‘Why have you chosen Marcel?’ she says, suddenly delighted.
‘Erm, he’s got two eyes, two arms, two legs.’ I shrug, looking over at him. He is rather easy on the eye, I suppose. ‘And doesn’t look as though he kills puppies for a living?’
This is so fudging pointless, but at least when Destiny starts laughing after a split second, where it could have gone either way, everyone joins in, sniggering tentatively along.
The atmosphere is unbelievably tense for what should be a joyful welcome to the show. Marcel is not sure about everyone laughing, and says to the beautiful girl next to him, loudly enough for us all to hear, ‘Don’t worry, Ella. She’s definitely not my type. Not in the slightest. I only have eyes for you.’
He grins to himself and lounges back on the curved seat, throwing his arm around her. She snuggles closer to him.
Everyone looks my way to see if I’ll react.
As if this wasn’t mortifying enough.
DING.
Ella peers down at her phone. She reads the text out loud. ‘Ella. Libby has chosen your man to couple up with. You are now dumped from the island. Please collect your belongings and leave.’
Cue shocked looks, loud gasps and hands flying to mouths.
‘You cow!’ Ella bellows at me.
‘And cut!’ I see Cam racing towards me with a blanket. ‘Take five while she dries off!’ he barks, ignoring Porscha. ‘Can we get a runner, please?’ He sweeps the blanket over me, muttering, ‘Jesus Christ! You okay, Libby?’ He leans right in. ‘Do you need some… pineapple?’ he says out of the side of his mouth.
I nod quickly. ‘Yes, yes please.’
16
‘Fuck me. What have they got you wearing?’ Cam says, frowning, as he slides in behind the recycling bin. Luckily, I already knew about the secret door leading out from the only walk-in cupboard without cameras. It’s where they will pull Islanders for chats. I was able to sneak through undetected, due to the sheer uproar caused by Ella getting kicked off the show after only twenty minutes. I slid along the wall to the blind spot, my heart thudding in my chest. We are hiding behind the bin, and Cam has disabled my microphone for me. ‘We only have a few minutes.’
He has been positively heroic. The way he swooped in and covered me in a blanket, issuing instructions and tut-tutting at the runners. We are crushed together. Me shivering like a drowned rat. Him looking all concerned for my mental health and well-being. I notice dark patches under his eyes. They’ve got that haunted look back again. The warm blue-green eyes with specks of gold have turned to a cold grey-blue. His stubble has grown a bit thicker across the jawbone so that the slight dent of the chin is no longer visible, and his hair is sticking out at odd angles. I’m not the only one who didn’t get enough sleep last night.
‘You okay?’ he asks softly. Our bodies create a warm flow of energy as we huddle together. Like a magnet, I feel drawn to sag against him and feel his safe, strong arms wrap around me. But I can’t. I grab the blanket tightly and stand a little taller.
‘I didn’t know that was going to happen,’ I say. ‘That poor girl. I feel terrible.’
‘It’s Porscha. She obviously chose not to share that with any of us. I’ll bring it up at the next team meeting but honestly…’ He sighs and I feel his breath on my cheek. ‘If any of this gets too much just let me know. I’ll get you out of here.’
He gives me such a concerned look that I instantly melt.
‘It’s okay. Really. I can handle it.’
He half smiles. ‘I’ve put a suitcase of clothes in the dressing room for you. It was the best I could do at such short notice. I drew a pineapple on it, so you know which one it is. I think Porscha may have tampered with your other case. I imagine the outfits she’s put in will be kinda like what you’re almost wearing now.’
‘Thank you.’ I am bursting with gratitude. ‘Just one more thing,’ I say, pointing to the backs of my thighs.
