Brains & Bobby

Day One

The day I took this offer I knew it was a bad idea. But it was Joanne who told me if I didn't do it I'd regret my chance at love. I mean Greg had broken my heart, again. He was my lab partner and was working on the same paper. Dr. Goldstein had already taken it to be peer-reviewed and sent to the IRB. He told me to take the summer off. He knew how I was feeling over the past year working with someone I disliked, let alone slept with multiple times. We didn't see anyone half the time since we were in the lab most of the day and night. Little did I know he was already engaged! I felt like such a fool. So when I got off the video call with the producers of Love Island, I thought " what the hell?" I had some extra grant money to get a whole new wardrobe, which I hadn't done in years. I had moved halfway around the world to become a doctor. Now I am taking a bigger leap: trying to get out of my head to find someone to love. But when I got to the lawn to see the guys there, I was shocked by their gorgeousness! I heard Joanne's voice in the back of my head. "Girl! Fake it til you make it! Go out there and take a chance? What's the worst that could happen?" I took a breath and faced these men like I did when I faced the dissertation board.

"Well hello handsomes!" I said standing there in my strappy bikini. It wasn't the most revealing one I brought, but I didn't want to go out guns blazing. These guys weren't expecting an American accent. I gave them a dazzling smile. I remembered how to stand from my days in pageants. How else was I going to pay for grad school in the UK?! I looked at all five men with a deep analysis. They were all extremely good looking. I could see that they were all men who, if I wasn't stuck in a lab all day, would have been in my bed in a hot second! But, I had to be calm with my approach. The last guy, Bobby, I couldn't put my finger on it, but he was all kind of adorable. The 2nd guy to make me laugh. But it was Ibrahim who I was initially drawn to. He was strong but had this shyness about him. There had to be hidden layers behind those eyes. He was my first choice, Noah was my 2nd choice if one of those crazy women had tried to snatch him. There was another something I couldn't put my finger on about Noah. He was a lot like Greg. He was tall, quiet, and had deep meaningful eyes.

"Man, you guys make my job a lot harder! I guess the boy I want to couple up with is Ibrahim." He smiled shyly and took my hand.

"Hi, I'm Krystal," I said as my long brown hair brushed into my eyes. His dark caramel eyes bore into mine.

"Hi," he said, biting his lip. His hands were so big against mine. I felt like I was standing with my own personal bodyguard. That's what I needed. Someone to protect me.

"I don't usually meet people like this, but I am starting to like it," Ibrahim said in my ear. That sent chills down me. I smiled and felt my cheeks blush for the first time since Bobby made me laugh. Sensing someone was looking at me, I turned and made the first up-close eye contact with Bobby. I felt that first pang in my chest.

NO! Not that again! Not going to happen again girlfriend. Push that feeling deep down and never let it come back again!

Once the girls had their partners, and we got over the whole awkward Hannah/Gary match, I grabbed Ibrahim's large hand and pulled him to the side. I needed to get away from Bobby as fast as I could. My long olive legs were now getting baked in the Spanish sun. I had asked the producers to put my sun hat and glasses on the side of the building.

"Sorry, I don't like to be out in the sun too long. Skin cancer is not pretty," I said with a smile. I notice the sparkle in his eyes for the first time as we sat on the lounge chair.

For the love of God, Do not analyze your first guy! Remember, they are not Greg! I could hear Joanne say.

"If I'm honest, it's such a weird trip coming in here and meeting all these girls," he says leaning close to me. I could see the chiseled jawline so much better. "It's like, I've been here five minutes and already I'm sitting next to the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." Oh that was such a line! "The competition is pretty fierce out there... for both of us. My head's still spinning. It's all so much to take in. I never even thought I'd make it in, and now there's so much happening at once." Cameras were now starting to leave us due to Ibrahim's nervous chatting. I gave a silent thanks to him. It was going to take some getting used to. His smile appeared to brighten when he said, "I guess we should get to know each other a bit. Ask me anything! I'm an open book." I looked at him over a bit. I highly doubted he was an open book. He stood too straight, his eyes were looking at me, almost pleading to ask easy questions. What was he hiding?