Najah Fleary wants better for Kay Kay on Love Island USA
Sara Mally/PEACOCK
Love Island USA just had its most dramatic Casa Amor recoupling to date. Most of the islanders recoupled with bombshells from Casa Amor and two couples clashed as everyone came back together.
Najah Fleary was one of the bombshells who were dumped after connecting with Keenan Anunay. When Kay Kay Gray returned to the villa, she was livid about Keenan entertaining another connection with a bombshell even though he had chosen not to recouple with Najah. Now out of the villa, we caught up with Najah to discuss her time in the villa, the bond he built with Keenan, and what she thinks about the pair staying together after her exit.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What drew you to Keenan and what was developing that connection like for you?
NAJAH FLEARY: The main thing that drew me to Keenan was that we're from the same area. He is from southeast DC and I live in an area in Maryland that's like 20 minutes apart. Our high schools were rivals. We instantly clicked on the fact that we grew up in the same area.
Was there anyone you had a connection with other than Keenan?
I wanted to get to know Jonah. He was one of the guys on my list, but we didn't have that much of a connection. I did grow a good connection with Leo and Mike as far as friendships in the villa.
From your perspective, was Keenan clear with you about how he was feeling?
In the moment I thought he was being clear because he told me I am split between you and Kay Kay, but then a lot of it was that he was more interested in me. We have multiple conversations that weren't shown where he said he wanted to pursue me and take me back [after Casa Amor]. Then I watched it back and what he told the guys was completely different then what I was led to believe.
Were you expecting Keenan to recouple with you?
When it came to the recoupling I felt fairly confident that he would. We shared a nonverbal connection, we looked at each other twice during the recoupling and he made me feel very secure that he was going to choose me. I felt good until Carmen dropped the bomb about the video. I saw his face that his whole mood just switched and I feel like that moment is when he decided to choose Kay Kay.
Lila Seeley/PEACOCK
Is there anything you would like to clarify about your time in the villa with Keenan?
I'm an adult, so I stand on every single thing I did and all my choices. It's such a shame that Keenan is not the same. When I was watching things back the way he made it seem that I was not only pursuing him, but that I was doing things that were unwanted. I couldn't vibe with that. He made it seem like I was attacking him to the point where I was getting messages saying I assaulted him and that was a big slap in the face. A lot of the advances were initiated on his behalf and reciprocated. It is degrading and belittling the whole relationship that we shared.
When he was saying that he pushed my hand away and I just kept pursuing thing with our initial bedtime intimacy, that was initiated by Keenan. I didn't pull back because it is what it is and we're both adults. That was a slap in the face because we got intimate on TV. We didn't cross the line as far as sex or anything like that. We did kiss and that was not shown, so he's lying about that. His lies just made me look back because we had a much deeper connection that what it appeared to be.
What was the energy like during that recoupling? There were quite a few tense moments throughout it.
The tension was so thick during at that recoupling. It made all of us girls uncomfortable because we didn't know anything about the video. You could just see how everybody had turned against them and it was so awkward.
What about when Kay Kay came in?
I felt a sense of joy, I'm not gonna lie. I was so happy that she came in and states that she was going to be single because [Keenan] never made it seem like their relationship was closed. I wanted to give her a high five and a hug because I honestly feel he blindsided a lot of people and downplayed his relationship with her.
Do you think you deserved better from Keenan?
Yes, I wish I could have connected with someone who was actually genuine, honest and a respectable human being. As far as being jealous or upset that he didn't choose me, I don't feel that way. If they continue their relationship, then I'm praying for that girl. The biggest thing is seeing how his lies are affecting him, but I stand on whatever I did and he knows what happened.
In the episode after the recoupling they seem to be getting back together.
I've seen clips, I've not watched the whole episode. I can't shame Kay Kay because I feel like a lot of girls when they meet the love of their life, we're in the same position where they can do no wrong even if they do wrong. I hope that when they leave the villa that she has more clarity to see Keenan for who he is. I want better for her.
Anything else you would like to add?
My true loves were honestly the girls I went in with. We walked right into the villa with super high energy. I'm thankful for the experience, as rocky as it was and slightly embarrassing, but I'm just glad I was able to share it with my Casa girls.
Love Island USA season 5 is currently airing on Peacock.
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