The negativity at times went as far as threats, a harsh reminder of the climate Black women navigate. Still, they refused to let it break them.

“I think a big part of it is we are very confident in ourselves,” Chelley says. “It’s a thing of wanting to bring us down so badly, but why? If you see us feeling ourselves and happy about who we are, why can’t that make you want to be happy as well?”

“Because it makes them uncomfortable,” Olandria follows. “I truly feel like, as a little girl, I always struggled with my skin complexion and my hair type. I have 4C hair, I have dark skin, and I have brown eyes. So I always felt like I looked the opposite of what beauty looked like in the Black community. Light skin, curly hair, bright eyes. If only I could go back and hug little Olandria and say, ‘Baby, we’re going to be all right. You’re beautiful.’”

Despite the noise, love outweighed the hate. Together, they left the villa with more than two million followers across their social media platforms and a loyal fan base. Both are excited for the future.

“I think my biggest goal right now is longevity,” Chelley says. “It’s not just one thing that I want to do. From modeling, working with brands, or hosting, there are so many different things.”

“As for my relationship, your girl is happily in love,” she continues. “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?’ And if anyone knows anything about Ace, he’s going to do it in the most romantic, grandest gesture ever. So I’m excited for that because he knows I’m extra too.”

Similarly, Olandria has her eyes set on multiple paths: “I don’t want to just put myself in a box when it comes to certain things, like yes, I want to model. I want to go into beauty, podcasting… I want to do everything to see what sticks.”

Whether it be outsiders going for the jugular, attacking their physical features, or fans pitting them against each other, claiming that they aren’t truly friends, one thing is clear: Chelley and Olandria have each other’s back.

From their adoring eyes looking out as the other speaks or their continued hand holding while on this press run, there’s an unsaid connection and sisterhood that comes with being Black women on reality television.

Amidst their continued laughs and “clock it” hand gestures during the interview, Olandria says with a full-faced smile: “My girl — we are in it for the long haul.”