Fessy Shafaat had an up and down journey on season 37 of The Challenge — but one positive was the relationship he formed with Amanda Garcia.
“I didn’t even know she was going to be on the season until, like, a week before we left or something. I didn’t really know anything about her or anything. So when I saw her in person, we kind of just locked eyes,” the Big Brother alum, 29, explained on the Thursday, September 23, episode of the “Watch With Us” podcast. “I was just staring at her at the airport because I just knew she knew I was looking. So I was like, whatever, we’ll play this game.”
When the cast quarantined ahead of filming Spies, Lies and Allies, their hotel rooms were across from each other.
“We would always go out to get our food that they delivered. … We would pass little notes, throw little notes across the hall. So that’s how that started,” he continued. “Then a fan had sent me a tweet that she tweeted about me on Big Brother saying that I was hot and all this stuff. So I sent her that screenshot, so she knew that I knew that she said that.”
Amanda, 28, and Fessy were shown kissing during night one and seemingly continued their romance during the season until he was sent home for his fight with Josh Martinez.
While the Are You the One? vet initially denied via Instagram that the pair are an actual couple, things seemingly changed when they shared multiple photos from a Mexico vacation together, in which they’re kissing.
“I thought people knew we were going to Mexico, like, some of our friends knew or whatever. So, when we took pictures, I was like, these are some dope pictures, so whatever, we’ll post them,” Fessy explained to Us. “That was me telling everybody like, ‘Hey, this is the girl I’m talking to.’ I really like spending time with Amanda, so why not? If I’m enjoying this time in Mexico, people are gonna say and talk and do whatever they want. So, here, look, these are, have some dope pictures.”
Although the reality star added that he’s “not seeing other people,” the duo are still “seeing what happens” right now and taking things slow.
“We live in two different states right now, and she has a son, so there’s a lot to think about,” he explained. “We’ve only been off the show now a couple months and we saw each other in Brooklyn for After Shows for MTV. She came to my fight in Dallas for a night and then we went to Mexico. … I don’t know when the reunion is [filming]. If it’s coming up, we’ll probably see each other then maybe, but I’ll probably see her before then.”
For the full interview, listen above and subscribe to the “Watch With Us” podcast for free.
The Challenge: Spies, Lies and Allies airs on MTV Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET.