Shiny Demon

Here We Go Again

Seb liked cats. It wasn't a particularly interesting personality trait to have, but it was something he knew to be true about himself. And it had never felt so glaringly obvious as the moment AJ bounded over to him eagerly, her blonde hair and light brown eyes shimmering in the sunlight, like a human golden retriever.

She had just picked him as her partner. First guy to be picked! Something he'd never expected to happen, and he had to wonder what she could be thinking choosing him. She gave him a radiant smile as she took her place by his side. She was gorgeous, no doubt. She seemed kind, enthusiastic, even endearing. But she was not his type. He was a cat person.

Get it together, Seb. He could already feel the rain clouds gathering in his mind. Immediately spotting the negative in every opportunity. Did he think people were going to come swarming to his record shop because they loved mopey bastards so much? He tried to summon a genuine smile.

"Alright?"

"Alright! I'm AJ!" She practically vibrated with energy.

"Uh, I know. She just said your name." He nodded toward the host.

"Oh yeah, of course." AJ blushed and a funny little frown tugged at her mouth. Everything about her screamed "cute". Which he wasn't knocking. But it wasn't something that mixed particularly well with him.

"I love your look! Are you like, a musician or something? One of the other girls is a musician!" She looked wistfully toward the Villa.

"Ah no," he mumbled. "I sell music though. I own a shop."

"Lush!"

The next girl that came out, Elladine, was curvy and beautiful with an edgy looking undercut. Seb thought she may be the musician AJ had referenced, but apparently she was a glassblower. She picked Nicky, who seemed like a nice enough bloke. He was pleased to be chosen by her.

There was a surprising amount of lag time between introductions and the Spanish heat was starting to ramp up in earnest. Elladine and Nicky chatted easily. Seb and AJ made a few attempts at casual conversation, but Seb could feel his grumpiness inching up along with the temperature.

"Alright!" someone on staff called out. "Next girl up! Stevie!"

Everyone straightened up, making themselves camera ready, and directed their gaze to the Villa exit where the new Islander, presumably Stevie, would appear.

"Fuuuuck me." The words slipped out of him like air farting out of a deflating balloon when she came into view. He shot a sideways glance over at AJ to see if she had noticed, but she, too, was preoccupied by the appearance of Stevie.

A mop of silvery purple-blue hair danced around the striking features of the new girl's face as she stalked like a panther towards them. She had pouty, full lips and stormy, penetrating eyes that coasted slowly over the other Islanders. She reminded Seb of a French actress from an old movie his ex had made him watch. A classic beauty. If not for her otherworldly hair and the thin gold hoop in her nose, she could have stepped right out of a 60s film.

Once he could tear his eyes away from her face, he noticed the delicate tattoos scattered over her body. One on her collarbone, one on her forearm, one that peeked out of her plain black suit and crept around her hip. He couldn't make out what they were from this distance, and he badly wanted a closer look.

Seb had always wanted to get a tattoo, himself, but he'd poured everything he'd ever earned into his dream of owning a record shop. That was why he was here in the first place.

Not that he thought he stood a chance of winning. Gabby, one of his employees, had suggested it. Thought it would be good exposure for the shop. According to them, there would be any number of teenage admirers who would come to get a coffee and a vinyl from the Love Island geezer, whether he won or lost. "It's honestly better if you leave single," they'd said. "Then they'll think they have a shot with you."