Chapter Text

Sophia aimlessly wandered around the kitchen, grazing her fingertips against the cool marble countertops that she and Bobby had picked out for their house just a few months ago. She closed her eyes and reluctantly allowed her mind to wonder.

"These are perfect. Easily cleaned and look aesthetically pleasing with the rest of the kitchen!" His smile was beaming as he looked at Sophia, "What to do you think? They'd look quite nice in our new house wouldn't they?" He winked. She nodded and giggled at the pure look of excitement on his face. He did a little excited skip over towards her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into a deep kiss right there in the middle of the shop. When he pulled back, he rested his chin on top of her head and sighed contently, "I can't wait, lass. I can't wait."

Tears started welling up in her eyes but she refused to let them fall. There had been too much crying over the past month and she was afraid if it started again, she'd never be able to stop.

Today marked exactly 1 month since she and Bobby had broken up. It had been extremely messy and they both walked away from each other broken-hearted and damaged. Neither of them had wanted it to end this way, in fact, Sophia was sure she'd seen an engagement ring in the drawer beside his bed just a couple weeks before they'd began arguing, but she didn't want to say anything.

Noah had come round to the house a couple of days ago to offer support, knowing she'd been alone for a while and probably hadn't cared for herself at all. She begged Noah for details on where Bobby was but he forced her to take a shower and said he'd help her clean up the house first.

While they'd been cleaning, Noah headed towards their untouched bedroom but Sophia suddenly stopped him.

She hadn't been into it since the big fight and was scared. Scared of the emotions that it would invoke seeing the broken glass and broken memories that the room held.

Once they'd finished cleaning the rest of the house in silence, Sophia finally gathered the courage grilled Noah about how Bobby had been.

It turned out that Bobby had been just as bad as she was.

When he'd left the house he didn't know where to go, too embarrassed to go to his parents or Johnno's. The only person who knew him and Sophia had been struggling with the pressure and stress of fame was Noah.

So, Bobby had no choice but to drive the long 7-hour journey to London and knock on Hope and Noah's door.

Sophia broke down just at the thought of Bobby being so heartbroken. It was her fault in the end. The bubbly, fun personality everyone, including the whole nation, had grown to love was shredded to pieces.

Noah stayed with her and left early in the morning, leaving a written note saying he'd be back in 2 days to collect some of Bobby's things for him.

When Sophia woke up that morning she made herself a pact that she would start getting her life together.

She wouldn't dare to look at social media and the rumours, instead opting to take a photo of her coffee and pancakes with the caption, Needed this.

Within minutes there were thousands of comments, mostly positive saying they'd missed her and asking if she was okay, but some were negative - so-called "fans" asking for answers and being angry that she'd broken Bobby's heart.

Some of the other Islanders commented.

Chelsea said, Call me bra! and Gary made some sort of dad joke. She felt grateful for the support from her friends and felt guilty that she'd been MIA for ages but the thought of explaining what had happened to the "happy couple" was sickening. Telling her family had been hard enough.

When she finished her breakfast a text from Noah came through saying he was leaving London soon and would be there at 6 PM. Sophia looked at her watch, 11:20 AM. That left her plenty of time to pack. Unfortunately, that meant going into the bedroom.

She took a deep breath and then grabbed some boxes from a cupboard. She reached for the door handle and turned it slowly, opening the door to the un-touched bedroom.

The sheets were still tangled from their last night together and his clothes were thrown haphazardously across the floor.

Broken glass littered the floor from the photo frame she'd thrown at the wall. She knelt down and picked up the photo. It was her, Bobby, and the rest of the islanders at the reunion. She hadn't meant to break it, but in her emotional state that night she really needed to release her anger and disappointment at herself. It just happened to be the closet thing to her that she could break.

Sophia put the photo down and turned to the draws, pulling them open and carefully going through his clothes.

She pulled out the pale pink button-up that he wore on their final date in the Villa and sniffed it, taking in his doughy and familiar scent for possibly the last time before folding it neatly into a suitcase.

She pulled out his oversized t-shirt that she won when she ate the whole cake from the Villa challenge. There were still reminiscent chocolate stains across the front.

She pulled out a t-shirt that had a picture of a - crane on it?

Suddenly, it hit her.

They all brought back memories, but the t-shirt almost sent Sophia crashing to the floor.

This was Gary's t-shirt that Bobby had "borrowed" and never given back to him. He said it was a "souvenir of his epic pranks". It was from the day before the finale. Probably the happiest day in her whole time from the Villa.

Sophia was sat with Chelsea and Rahim in the bedroom when Bobby came rushing in, tripping over his own feet and then crashing onto the floor, doing a smooth forwards roll and carrying on, giggling as he zoomed past them all lounging clueless on the bed.

For the brief moment he was in the room Sophia saw he was wearing his signature purple swimming shorts pulled low on his waist, accentuating his v-line which she adored, along with one of her necklaces he'd "borrowed" and hadn't taken off since before casa amore.

In his hands were a bundle of clothes and a sock flew from his grip in his mad dash through the room. His loud snicker was booming through the bedroom and followed him all the way out the door into the garden. Ibrahim, Chelsea, and Sophia all looked at each other, confused.

"Dear Lord have mercy on my soul, this boy will be the death of me on the outside." Sophia sighed as she flopped back on the bed, dramatically fanning herself.

"I think we've been cooped up into this Villa for was too fucking long," Rahim breather through his shudders of laughter.

"I feel sorry for Soph! She's his girlfriend for God sake!" Chelsea said, patting Sophia's leg affectionately.

"I'm in love with an idiot, aren't I." At that moment they heard a shout coming from the doorway to the bathroom.

"BOBBY! GET YOUR ASS HERE BAKER BOY!" Gary came stomping into the room, his face a picture of rage and wearing only a small towel that just barely covered his manhood and asscheeks. He stopped in his tracks when he saw the three of them sat on the bed and his face morphed into a picture of embarrassment as he desperately grabbed a duvet to wrap around his legs.

"Gary!" Chelsea shrieked, covering her eyes, "I never thought I would see your ass cheeks!" All three of them burst out laughing at Gary's mortified state.

"That Scottish bastard took my clothes out of the shower room, and when I went to get more clothes they were all fucking gone!"

Gary spied his sock on the floor and grabbed it. Everyone sighed - another one of Bobby's pranks. Gary's attention suddenly turned to Sophia, "Oi! Soph. Go sort your lad out for God's sake."

Sophia rolled her eyes and forced herself up out of the bed, her bare feet padding against the cold tile floor, "I'll find him."

As she lazily walked out of the door she heard Gary starting to rant again. Ibrahim was offering to help him find his clothes and said he could borrow some of his swimming trunks.

This was typical Bobby. Any other day it would've been funny, but it was the day before the final, and while everyone was happy to be in solid couples, the reality that the whole experience was over soon had left a solemn mood hanging in the air.

It was only natural that Bobby would feel the need to try and lighten up the atmosphere, it was all the boy seemed to do, so she couldn't blame him - plus, seeing Gary like that was hilarious.

Sophia spotted Hope and Noah in the kitchen and made her way over to them.

She attempted to hop up onto the counter next to Noah who was watching Hope make a breakfast smoothie.

"Hey, Soph," Noah said, looked at her through puffy eyes and sleepily elbowing her ribs, "Need a hand?"

She huffed and crossed her arms, "Short legs are a burden. Hoist me up, hun."

Noah chuckled and placed his hands on either side of Sophia's waist gently.

"Okay, 1, 2, 3!" He effortlessly took her waist and propped her up on the counter. She smiled at him and ruffled his hair.

"Thank you Noah Boa, n either of you has seen a Scottish man about ye-high with freckles running past looking like an idiot by any chance?" She said, gesturing at about 5'10".

"I thought I heard Gary shouting. What's Bobby done this time?" Hope said, turning around and protectively placing an arm around Noah's shoulders. Sophia mentally eye-rolled before plastering a fake smile on her face.

"He hid Gary's clothes or something. I've got to lecture him because apparently I'm the mother of the Villa these days."

Hope shrugged and turned back to chopping up her strawberries. Noah smiled and winked at Sophia when Hope turned away, "It's only because you won the baby challenge. And I think I saw him run down by the pool." Sophia plopped herself off of the counter with a thud and headed down the stairs, saluting the couple.

"Guess I'm playing hide-and-seek with my 24-year-old boyfriend."

Down by the pool, she spotted Lottie with Jo and Priya playing catch in the water.

Bobby was nowhere to be seen but a small trail of lone socks and a pair of boxers leading to the firepit gave away where he'd ran off too.

She went along, picking up each item of clothing as she walked past and eventually it lead her to the culprit, his back turned to her, hiding clothes behind a bush.

She took this opportunity and carefully tiptoed behind him. Without making a sound, she firmly pushed him head-first into the bush making him scream like a child, high-pitched and wailing.

He quickly picked himself up and turned around, shocked to see Sophia standing there, "Fucking hell, lass. Could've given me a heart attack! I thought you were Gary coming back for revenge."

"Well, the Prankster becomes the Prankee, how does it feel?"

He placed his hand on his heart and chuckled, the sound warming Sophia's heart, "Glad to see I've taught you well, but I hope you realise I'm gonna have to get you back Soph?"

Her eyes widened in mischief, "Gonna have to catch me first!"

She printed off towards the direction of the pool, Bobby not far behind. Although he wasn't the most athletic lad in the Villa - much preferring the odd cupcake to a gym session - he could run pretty fast. He caught up with her easily and smoothly wrapped his arm around her waist, carrying her effortlessly and fire-man style over his shoulder to the pool.

"Bobby!" Sophia screamed, knowing what was coming next. She punched his back in an effort to make him let go but he refused, "I swear to God if you throw me in that pool!"

"You'll what?" He questioned, winding her up but getting closer and closer to the pool.

"You don't wanna find out!" She shouted.

In a last desperate attempt to be free from his strong grip she bit and nibbled his back. She felt Bobby take a sharp intake of air as she pulled his skin into her mouth, "Lass, that's gonna leave a mark. Bein' sexy isn't getting you anywhere!"

She furiously blushed, not realising fully what she'd been doing. There was a bright red and purple hickey on his upper back, "Oops, it's definitely left a mark" Her voice came out all jerky as Bobby began pummelling it full speed towards the pool.

She screamed in protest but it only spurred him on.

By now Gary, Ibrahim and Chelsea were sat on the bean bags, Gary's face still a picture of rage and Hope and Noah were perched on a day bed having some late breakfast. The others who were previously in the pool were now chilling out and sunbathing, perched around the edge chatting happily.

Everyone had turned to watch the couple play fighting, which was pretty normal for them now. They all started cheering and chanting as Bobby approached the pool at full speed, jumping in and releasing Sophia just as he hit the water.

She braced for the impact and the cold water was a massive contrast to the boiling hot sun. She stayed underwater for a few seconds before emerging and seeing Bobby at the other side of the pool, a huge smirk on his face.

There was a muffled sound of Lottie shouting at Bobby for getting her hair wet but he just shrugged, his gaze never leaving Sophia's. He began swimming across to her.

When he reached her he shook his hair like a puppy, spraying it everywhere. Shrieks were heard by Lottie and Jo again but he didn't care.

He swept Sophia up in his arms and gave her a soft peck on the nose, "Boop."

She scrunched her face up in mock disgust and giggled. She reached her hand out and gently touched his nose, "Boop."

Tears streamed down Sophia's face as she replayed the memory in her head over and over again. She and Bobby had so many amazing memories together such as moving into their house and winning Love Island, but for her, that topped everything. That was the very moment that she knew they would last outside the Villa.

They'd said "I love you" before, but that was when she knew it wasn't for the cameras because they didn't have to even say those words. All she had to do was look into his eyes and she could see that he loved her. It was as simple as that.