Love Island USA star Chelley is opening up about her relationship with fellow cast member Ace ahead of the Love Island USA reunion on Aug. 25.
In a new interview with Teen Vogue alongside her season seven castmate Olandria, Chelley reveals that while is is “happily in love,” she and Ace aren’t formally in a relationship yet. “I’m not fully in a relationship yet because I’m like, ‘Look [Ace], you told me you want to be exclusive, I said Yes. But until you ask, ‘Will you be my girlfriend? I am not your girlfriend, okay?’” she explained to Teen Vogue assoc. editor Aiyana Ishmael.
Chelley is sure, however, that Ace will pop the girlfriend question in his own special way. “And if anyone knows anything about Ace, he’s going to do it in the most romantic, grandest gesture ever,” she continued. “So I’m excited for that because he knows I’m extra too.”
While they explored different connections during their time in the villa, Chelley and Ace ended up falling in love in Fiji on season seven of Love Island USA. After the show ended, Ace posted on Instagram that “I walked out that Villa a winner. I left with the most beautiful girl in the world, someone who truly means everything to me. And if I had to do it all again, I’d do it a billion times over.”
After they left the villa, Ace and Chelley spoke to Vulture about their relationship plans, especially the long-distance factor; he’s in Los Angeles, and she lives in Florida. “For now it’ll definitely be long distance since I’m in Florida, he’s in LA. But eventually I am moving to LA,” Chelley shared. “That’s something that’s gonna happen. When exactly, that’s still the question mark. But we’re definitely gonna navigate long distance. With us being the intentional people that we are and knowing what we want, it’s not gonna really be a challenge.”
We caught up with the duo to chat about their time in Fiji, hair maintenance, and wearing makeup with sunkissed skin.
Chelley found a romantic partner onscreen, but she also found a close friend in Olandria. “We’re soul sisters for a reason,” Olandria told Teen Vogue. “We’ll always say to one another, ‘God knew we needed each other.’ I’m so happy the past seasons did not work out for us because season seven was the year to be here at the same time.”
