Big Brother 18 stars Paulie and Zakiyah have had an interesting relationship this summer, to say the least. For a while it looked like Paulie was on top of the world and that there was nothing standing between him and the title of Big Brother winner. As it turns out, there was a huge obstacle in his way — himself. After betraying Zakiyah and getting her evicted, Paulie seemed to be at odds with the entire house. Then, after his eviction, he was at odds with the entire jury house. The only person in the jury house who seemed to actually like Paulie was, oddly enough, Zakiyah. And, from what the pair tells Bustle after the finale, it looks like Paulie and Zakiyah will continue to date after Big Brother.
While their relationship on Big Brother was complicated-at-best, it seems like these two have formed a real connection. Zakiyah says, "I would [continue my relationship with Paulie]. He’s a good guy, despite all the backlash and the crazy comments he’s said, and just who he is as a person. A lot of people have, I feel, the wrong idea of who he is, he’s really a good guy."
While many people in the house took issue with Paulie's behavior, Zakiyah has a very different picture of him. "He’s really sweet, he’s really sensitive, very caring. He had my back the entire time I was in the jury house, he’s just a really good guy," she says, adding that her relationship is hers and Paulie's business and no one else's, especially the people in the jury house. "[The drama was] petty. And childish ... It was crazy," she says.
Paulie agrees with Zakiyah that their business is their own, adding, "I’m not really thinking about my public reaction. People are gonna love me, people are gonna hate me. That’s just the way of the world. Over it. YOLO. I live my life the way I live my life."
As much as they would like to shrug off any and all haters, Zakiyah acknowledges that the public perception could be problem. "I feel like we have to deal with a lot of people on social media," she says. "They have a lot of things to say about you, they think they know you — they don’t. A bunch of people behind a computer, analyzing what they think is actually you and making their own assumption of the kind of person that you are."
Despite that, it looks like these two really do have a strong connection. "Zakiyah and I plan to hang out outside of the show. We’re gonna see where it goes. But I’m not looking for marriage," Paulie says. "I don’t think she’s looking for marriage anytime soon. We definitely gotta play it safe."
And, no matter what Paulie did and said in the house, Zakiyah says, "Honestly, it’s a game. I’ve said things, he’s said things, everybody said things; it’s a game. Once I’m out of the house, you said anything bad about me, I’m willing to forgive and move on, let’s be friends and that’s just the kind of person I am."
Hopefully, being out of the spotlight will take some of the heat off of them, and they can just focus on what their future is between themselves.
Additional reporting by Taylor Ferber.
Images: Sonja Flemming/CBS, Giphy (2)
