Just Good Friends?

Chapter 3 - Feelings

Bex

"Do you love him yet?" Joe is lifting weights, but I just need to run, but I also need to be with Joe, so I'm on the running machine.

"No, is that bad?" I do feel bad, as I know Oscar loves me, but I just don't feel that way. I like him, I like him a lot. More than anyone else, and he makes me happy, he's hot and really turns me on, but I don't love him."

"Nah, it's not bad. You're honest with him, that's the main thing. You spoken to Mike?" He looks over at me then.

"Yeah, he'll be home soon. I'm so f*****g excited!" I reply.

....

Joe

I saw my sisters face when I asked about Mike. It lit up. I'm so f*****g angry at that dude. He just f*****g left, left her, when she f*****g needed him. I hope she hasn't fallen for him. She has Oscar now, but she hasn't been the same since Mike left, it's like she's missing part of herself. I've heard about him sleeping around whilst living with his dad this year, he always has been a player. He's just gonna walk back in to her life again soon, and if she has feelings for him, it's going to hurt her seeing him with other girls.

....

Oscar

"You seeing Bex tonight?" Harry asks as we head to my car.

"Yeah, she was chatting to Mike when we came out of class, but I'll message her later" I throw my bag in to the back seat and climb in behind the wheel.

"You OK? You still thinking she loves him?" Harry hits me where it f*****g hurts.

"Yeah, I know she does, but I can't do anything. She's been totally honest with me about her feelings for me, so it's not like she's using me. I love her Harry, she might love me one day" but I don't believe a word of it. We've all noticed the difference in her since Mike left. None of us thought he'd be gone for so long, but I think she knew, they tell each other everything.

....

Nate

"That fucker will be back soon" Joe is seething.

"Dude, what the f**k? Mike's a good guy, he looked out for Bex, and you for that matter, all the f*****g time. Bex hasn't been herself since he left, she needs her best mate back. Think how you'd feel if I had to f*****g leave" Joe had been my best mate as long as Bex and Mike had been.

"Yeah but, I think she loves him, and he's no f*****g good for her in that way" he grumbles swigging back his beer.

"If she does, you can't change that dude" I don't tell him, but I think she does too, but she has no idea herself.

"Do you still love her?" He stares at me now, I can't lie to him.

"Yeah, I do. I think I always will, but you know I'd never do anything about it. We've been over this" I sigh.

"I know, and I'm really grateful. You've been the best mate to me, more than I deserve. Thanks" he holds a fist up and I bump it. I'd never move on my feelings for Bex, my friendship with Joe comes first, will do before anything, even the girl I love.

....

"Where the f**k are they? Bex said they were coming straight home! I'm ringing her" Joe grabs his phone and dials Bex.

........

Bex

"Come on Bex, we'll grab a drink then head upstairs for my stuff ok" Oscar grabbed my hand and led me through the door of his parents cafe.

"Hey Mum, can we get a couple of chocolate milkshakes please" He gave his mum a peck on the cheek as we got to the counter, and she smiled brightly at us.

"Hi guys, how was school, what are you two up to later"? Steph started making the shakes as she spoke to us. She was an attractive lady, long blonde wavy hair, with a big smile. Her and her husband Brian, Oscars dad, had been running the cafe for 3 years, and it was thriving.

"It was OK, got revision to do for start of assessments next week" I told her as I sat on a stool by the counter.

"We'll be heading out in a bit, but going to head upstairs first" Oscar grabbed both shakes and motioned with his head for me to follow.

"See you later Steph" I called as we headed through to the back where their private home was.

It was a nice size house attached to the back of the shop. They could easily move to a larger house, but the Jackson family were happy where they were. They liked the simple life, no fuss involved.

As we headed upstairs my phone started ringing. Fishing it out of my pocket, I saw it was Joe, my cocky confident twin brother.

"Hey Joe, what's up" I answered as we walked in to Oscars room.

"Bex! Where are you dude? Thought you were heading straight home so we could catch some waves"? I can hear him practically jumping around as he chats.

"Just at Oscars, he's grabbing his stuff and we'll be heading home soon. Chill out dude, waves will still be there" I hung up as I looked over at Oscar who was grabbing some clothes from his drawers. He'd taken his top off whilst I was on the phone with Joe, thankfully I hadn't noticed or the conversation wouldn't have finished. Oscar was 6ft 2 with wavy sandy blonde hair and he was ripped, his muscles were so defined it was impossible to concentrate when I looked at him. He was on the football team, and worked out every day... and it showed. He looked up and saw me watching him. He straightened up and crossed the room in three strides, grabbing my hips and pulling me close to him. I could feel every muscle in his arms and back tensing under my touch. "What you looking at babe"? His lips grazing my ear as he dipped his head towards me, sending shivers down my spine. I closed my eyes and pulled his face towards me and our lips met hungrily. "We need to go babe, Joe will rip me apart if he has to wait for you to surf any longer" he chuckled, seeing the effect he had on me, well the effect we both had on each other really. We found each other irresistible, hungry for each other all the time. I wasn't in love with him, but everything was easy between us. He pulled a white t-shirt over his head, and picked up his sunglasses and bag.

"OK, let's go then" I pulled myself together, grabbed my bag and headed out of his bedroom.

.......

"f**k guys, you took your time, bet I can guess what you've been up to" Joe came bounding down the stairs with a cheeky grin on his face. He held his fist up to Oscar who bumped it with his own in greeting. He shouted out the doors that lead to the back garden "Come on you lot, let's bounce, the lovers are here" with that he grabbed his bag from the hall and headed out the front door.

Ems, Anna and Jess came in from the patio, followed by Harry, Nate and Cal, pushing each other and laughing. We all headed out the front after Joe, and I grabbed my board off him as he passed it out from the sports hut. The two of us, along with Harry, are big surfers. We've finished school early today and getting a surf in whilst the waves are good.

Joe and I live in an old vicarage with our Dad. It's called a vicarage, but it's not your typical old stone cottage type vicarage. It's a huge 10 bedroom, imposing house on a cliff, overlooking a beach, with huge grounds. We have tennis courts, a multisports Court, a swimming pool and a gym. Our Dad had it all done as both me and Joe are crazy fitness freaks. I surf, box (yes boxing), tennis, and hold a record in Athletics. Joe surfs, is a football god alongside Oscar, basketball star and plays tennis. Oh, and we both skate too. Apparently the house belonged to the church for hundreds of years, but then was sold on. Our dad bought it in a bit of a state, but had a vision and worked on it for months to have it habitable.

The beach is literally two minutes walk from our house, and we all head down. It's quite busy, but plenty of space to throw our things down, and it wouldn't put us off anyway as everybody knows us around here. I hate the attention, but Joe laps it up, he's in his element when all eyes are on him.

We head down on to the sand, and Joe stops to chat to the Lifeguard on duty "Aled, hows it going dude"? They do a weird hand grab thing and chat for a bit.

"You going in yet Bex"? Harry asks me as he dumps his bag on the sand and lifts his shirt over his head. Harry's also fit with muscles rippling all over his body. With dark hair and dark eyes and tanned body, he had the girls falling over themselves to get to him. In fact, all the guys that we hung out with did. They were all fit and so good-looking, girls drooled as they walked past.

"Yeah, soon as Joe gets down here, I'll head in. It's looking good out there, few in" I'm looking down at the sea where there's a few surfers in enjoying the waves.

"Cool, I'm heading in now, see you in a bit" Harry picks up his board, sends a wink and cheeky grin the girls way and heads off towards the sea.

I look over to Cal who's looking at his phone. Cal is the quietest out of the boys. A bit insecure around people he doesn't know, not confident like the rest. He hasn't said much since leaving the house, and I wonder if there's something bothering him. I make a mental note to chat with him later. Nate has linked on with a group of girls to the side of us. I'm not sure that Anna will be too happy about that, shes had a crush on him for the last 6 months, but won't do anything about it. I think Nate actually likes her, but he's s**t scared of the whole relationship thing, so plays up around girls.

"Come on Bex, always waiting for you" Joe nudges the back of my head as he walks past. He leans down and smacks a kiss on Ems lips before he starts heading down towards the sea.

"Go, he'll be shouting from the waves otherwise" Oscar chuckles as he plants a kiss on my cheek.

"I'm going, I'm going" pulling my t-shirt and denim shorts off, I grab my rash top out of my bag and pull it over my head over my bikini top. I grab my board and run to catch up with Joe. He throws his arm around my shoulders and pulls me in and plants a kiss on the top of my head. I'd be lost without my brother, he can be the biggest pain in the ass, he's hyper as s**t, and cocky as sin, but I love him to bits and he'd go to the end of the world to protect me.