Espresso • Love Island 2024

Chapter One

Emeline exited the black jeep with trepidation rumbling through her veins. The short black dress she'd put on just hours prior had ridden up, causing her to smooth off it the fabric with her palms.

She had been in the holding villa for a few hours, awaiting further instruction from the producers and the waiting game did nothing but worsen her nerves.

"How are you doing?"

The sudden interruption shocked Emmeline, he body jolted and she gasped in surprise as a voice broke her from the trance she'd somehow ended up in.

Her eyes drifted towards the figure that had made its way next to her, finally landing on the rather muscular frame of a very familiar looking person. It took her a good few seconds to process who was in front of her but as soon as she did, her eyebrows furrowed and her mouth hung agape.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She exclaimed with a smile of disbelief.

A smug smile crawled it's way onto Joey's face at the girl's reaction.

"I'm here to shake things up." He exclaimed sarcastically and playfully poked the shocked blonde with his index finger.

Emeline rolled her eyes with a smirk and pulled at the hem of her black dress to bring it further down her thighs.

"Aren't we all."

"I don't know how the islanders will react to me though." Joey proceeded to talk as the pair waited for their cue to enter the villa.

"As long as you don't act like a dick, I'm sure that they will love you." Her blue eyes flickered up and beamed as her lips curled into a kind smile. "Plus you're Joey Essex, people will be starstruck as soon as they see your face." She deadpanned with a quiet chuckle.

"I'm Emeline by the way," Emmie extended her hand towards Joey. "It's nice to meet you."

Before joey could reciprocate the handshake, a producer dressed in all black ushered the pair over to the gravel walk way that led into the villa and motioned for them to stand near the big heart shaped arch to film their walk in.

"Good luck." Emmie smiled earning a wink from Joey as they both began to walk into the villa.

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"It's nice to hear that you're all settled in." Maya began, she stood in front of the firepit as the islanders sat in their freshly formed couples. Nobody had become too acquainted with each other so the islanders were still walking on eggshells.

"But you are on love island." As the words left her mouth, there was an immediate reaction. A chorus of gasps and groans echoed through the somewhat silent atmosphere.

"And you should always be ready to expect the unexpected... So please welcome Joey and Emeline."

Patsy and Harriet squealed excitedly upon hearing that there would be a new male islander, which earned a few glares from Ciaran and Ronnie.

Emeline could feel her stomach doing somersaults as her heels tapped rhythmically against the wooden decking, she was nearing the firepit with Joey a few feet away but she felt like every single pair of eyes were glued to her.

Maya sensed her uneasy demeanor as the pair came to a halt, so shot the girl a kind smile and pulling her into a side hug.

"Hello!"

"What?" Patsy exclaimed as her eyes widened and focused on the man standing next to Emeline.

"Fuck off!" Exclaimed in shock.

"What you saying boys, looking sick." Joey attempted to mask his nerves with excessive confidence, something Emeline saw right through.

"Girls, looking tidy." He smirked, his eyes zeroing in on Samantha and Harriet who were still sat in disbelief.

Emeline let her eyes wander across the islanders who were seated, her nerves were still high but she didn't want people to know that she was absolutely bricking it, vulnerability is what people latch on to.

The girls were stunning, the kind of pretty that makes you feel acutely aware of your normality. Amongst everybody else, Emeline felt abnormally... Normal.

"Emeline, how are you feeling?"

The blonde mustered up a smile before looking back at Maya.

"I'm...yeah I'm excited!" She exclaimed.

"Ready to get grafting." Joey interjected from besides her, causing Emeline to cringe.

"Anybody caught your eye yet?"

"Yeah yeah, definitely a few." Emeline responded, her eyes subconsciously settled on a guy that the producers had introduced as Ciaran. He wasn't the kind of guy that Emeline would be drawn to usually, but he was gorgeous and the air of confidence around him just made him that more attractive to the blonde girl.

Ciaran noticed the lingering of her eyes and sent a sly wink in her direction, something that Maya caught onto, a wide smile plastered across her face.

"The two new bombshells have twenty four hours to get to know everyone before making their decision at the recoupling tomorrow." Maya clasped her hands Infront of her and smiled. "Have fun."