“Love Island USA” Season 7 has officially ended, but the love stories go on. Winners Amaya Espinal and Bryan Arenales confirmed their relationship is thriving. How about Americaโs favorite ship, #NicOlandria?
Nic Vansteenberghe, 24, from Florida, and Olandria Carthen, 27, from Alabama, were both original Islanders who entered the Fiji villa on Day 1, but their love story took the most unconventional path of the season.
Though they had undeniable chemistry during challenges throughout the show, the pair spent most of their time coupled up with other people before finally finding their way back to each other in the final stretch.
Here’s what to know about what’s currently happening between Olandria and Nic.
What happened between Olandria and Nic on ‘Love Island USA’?
From the very beginning, Nic and Olandria seemed to gravitate towards each other, but only during challenges.
The hashtag #NicOlandria was trending on social media from the start of the season, as fans caught the chemistry the pair themselves didn’t seem to notice until much later.
Since his departure from the villa, Taylor told TODAY.com that Nic had voiced his attraction to Olandria from the very beginning of the series.
For most of the season, however, both Islanders pursued other connections.
Nic originally coupled up with Belle-A Walker and later formed his strongest connection with bombshell Cierra Ortega. Meanwhile, Olandria and Taylor had remained coupled up from the beginning, also establishing themselves as one of the villaโs power couples.
Everything changed during Casa Amor.
While Zak Srakaew showed interest in Olandria, he ultimately chose to couple up with Amaya, leaving Olandria single. At the same time, Nic couldnโt find a connection with any of the Casa Amor girls in the main villa โ though he had been pursuing Jaden Duggar, she ultimately chose to couple with Austin.
In what became the seasonโs biggest twist, both Olandria and Nic were dumped from the villa on the same night, unbeknownst to the Islanders in the opposite villa. But just as Nic was walking away from the villa, suitcase in tow, a car pulled up ahead of him. Who opened the door, beckoning Nic to get in? Olandria herself.
The pair went on a romantic date where they discovered they had the chance to return to the main villa โ as a couple. But both still had their respective partners on their minds. When Casa Amor came to a close, the two chose to keep their relationship platonic and planned to recouple with their old flames upon their return.
When they returned from Casa Amor, Nic was able to re-couple with Cierra and later made things exclusive with her in Episode 25. However, Taylor chose to recouple with Casa Amor newcomer Clarke Carraway, leaving Olandria single once again.
The door finally opened for Nic and Olandria to explore their connection when Cierra was removed from the villa in Episode 30 due to resurfaced social media posts containing racial slurs.
After weeks of fan speculation and stolen glances during challenges, the pair that viewers had been rooting for all season could finally give their relationship a real chance.
Are Olandria and Nic still together now?
While Nic and Olandria aren’t officially exclusive, they are definitely still exploring their connection.
In the final episode, Nic and Olandria said they want to continue getting to know each other in the real world, taking things at their own pace after such an unconventional villa journey.
The pair has already made concrete plans for their post-villa romance. During Episode 34, when the final five couples’ families visited the Fiji villa, Nic’s mom extended a dinner invitation to Olandria to visit their home in Florida, one she happily accepted.
True to her word, Olandria confirmed on her final date with Nic during the Season 7 finale that she’s planning to make the trip for that promised home-cooked meal.
Since the finale, fans have been keeping tabs on the couple through social media, with TikTok videos showing them returning to the States together.
Now that they’re both back in the U.S., they have the opportunity to explore #NicOlandria without the pressures and distractions of villa life.
Their journey may have been unconventional, but it’s clear that what started as a fan-favorite hashtag might just become the love story that viewers have been rooting for all season long.
The “Love Island USA” Season 7 reunion will air on August 25 on Peacock, where viewers will get an update on how the relationship has developed since leaving Fiji.
