Jaded

Voted

Suresh awoke the next morning to Arlo's squeal.

"Guys, guys! I got a text!!"

Everyone sat up in their beds, and Suresh couldn't help but notice a larger than normal number of sheets and blankets askew. The controversial results from the challenge the night before seemed not to have impacted the couples too badly.

He glanced over at Jade. Her hair was a mess, her eye mask hanging haphazardly around her neck, looking like she'd been dragged backwards through a carwash. He couldn't help but grin at her, and she rolled her eyes playfully, smoothing down the hair she knew was everywhere. He ran a hand through his own, and she looked him up and down, shaking her head as if she couldn't believe he'd woken up looking the way he did.

Arlo cleared the morning from her throat, as she read it out loud.

'Islanders, after tonight, each couple will vote for who they think is the least compatible couple. The couple with the most votes will be going home. #PowerCoupleFail #TwoForTheRoad'

A gasp filled the room, as Suresh looked panicked at Lulu.

He hadn't exactly made a secret of the fact that they were just friends. He also hadn't made a secret of the fact that he was there for Jade, and pretty much no one else. He glanced over at Jade, who was looking at Johnny with the same panicked expression, before turning back to him .

Shit.

Suresh tried to ignore everyone else, who seemed to have turned their grafting dial up to 11. Meera and Alfie were cuddling at the firepit, seemingly over their tiff from the night before. Finn and Kat were dry humping at the pool lounges, Dana and Gabi furiously made out on the daybeds, as Arlo and Pete had the bathroom occupied with their extremely loud sex.

He and Lulu sat at the beanbags, resigned to their fate.

"It's so weird that I've just got here, and they're already going to be sending people home," Lulu mused.

"Yeah, it is weird. I have no idea how long we have until the end, but it can't be that far away."

"I'm glad we're not doing all this ," she waved vaguely around at the others. "I'd rather be sent home than pretend I had feelings for someone when I didn't."

He nodded. "I've done it before. It's not a good feeling when the person finds out."

Lulu turned to him, but glanced over his shoulder, smirking. "Unless they're in on it. Look ."

Jade and Johnny stepped out of the villa in coordinated outfits, hand in hand as they made their way across the lawn. Suresh couldn't help but laugh as she shot him an overdramatic wink..

"Nice," he chuckled, as she sat down opposite him, nestled between Johnny's legs. "You two look very cute."

Jade shrugged. "Can't hurt, I don't think we're winning any pri–"

Johnny swept her into a dramatic kiss, and she froze, as Suresh just raised an eyebrow. Johnny righted her, smirking, but she looked absolutely shocked, pulling him into a furiously hushed conversation. Lulu leaned over, the tiniest hint of a smirk on her face.

"Don't get any ideas," she scolded.

"Pfft, in your dreams," he laughed, pulling her in under his arm, and she leaned happily against him.

"Funny, I don't think you'd fit into Dana's slutty firefighter outfit, and that's what I dreamed about, so..."

"Come on, we both know I'd look great in it."