Just Good Friends?

Chapter 23 - Keeping it from her

Joe

"Rumour has it, Trayton are gunning for us. Few of the boys have been asked what we're going to do" Harry approaches me before we get in the canteen at lunch.

"Yeah I heard. We wait till you're fit, then we do something. We'll have a chat with Nate, Mike and Cal at lunch and see if we can come up with something" it's all I've been hearing about all morning, and it was starting to piss me off.

"What about Bex?" Harry had fallen in to step with me now, and we just pushed through the doors.

"I don't want her involved. Bowers has guessed she means a lot more to Mike now, and will use it any way he can. She can handle herself, but I don't want her getting in to anything. She got in to enough s**t a few years back, she's in a good headspace now, we can't f**k with that"

"Got it. I'll let the others know not to mention anything" Harry veers off towards Nate and Cal, I see him say something quietly and they nod, then they join the conversation like nothings happened. But Nate gives me a look, and i know he's not happy. I look at Mike and he nods at me, understanding we need to talk later.

....

"So we don't tell Bex anything? She's gonna hit the f*****g roof if she finds out" Nate puts his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands.

"She can't know Nate, she doesn't need any more trouble ok" This is going to kill him keeping it from her.

"OK, I get it. When?" He looks defeated, but I know he understands.

"We need to wait for Harry, probably another week or two? Harry?" Mike looks over at him. Mike doesn't like keeping this from Bex either, but we have no choice.

"A week, I'm feeling better every day" Harry looks determined.

"Dont push yourself dude. We need you on top form. You proved yourself on the field, and they will have taken all that in, they know they need to come down hard on you to break you" Mike's right. They'll be even harder on Harry now that they know how much it took for him to hurt.

"A week. I'll be good to go" Harry's adamant, and we can't argue with him.

"Right, let's get this plan sorted then" Nate sits up and shakes himself. Obviously trying to get it out of his head that Bex isn't involved in this with us. Probably the first thing we've ever done without her. I have a nagging doubt at the back of my mind that I'm wrong for keeping it from her, but I push it away.

....

Mike

A week later, Harry is back on form, true to his word.

"Let's do this mother fuckers" he shouts to us in the carpark.

"f**k sake Harry" I shake my head but laugh at him anyway. Hes stronger than ever and ready to f**k someone up by the look of it.

"Where's Bex?" I ask.

"Gone to the track. I asked her after class so I could be sure she wasn't around" Nate has been, really worried about this, and I don't blame him.

"Good. Let's go" we all head off in Joe's car. We know where the fuckers are, so no chance of them catching us. s**t will burn.

....

"Get in the shower and throw all your s**t in this bin, it's going on the fire outside" Joe has a big bin and we all chuck our clothes in quickly, every f*****g bit.

"Joe, is Bex home?" Nate did good. We needed his speed tonight, and he smashed it.

"No, she'll be back in around an hour. I got Anna to take her for a burger, said I was worried she wasn't seeing her girlfriends enough. It's all good Nate" Joe reassures him, and he heads for the shower, satisfied she's OK.

....

Nate

Half hour later we are all back in our clothes we had on in school, sitting around the fire watching the stuff burn.

"Keep an eye open for any comeback ok. This isn't something that we would ever normally do, so its not likely it can get traced back to us. But they have a warning now" Joe sits swigging back his beer.

Bex is home, we saw her walk in 5 mins ago and head upstairs. I'm just so f*****g glad I can run my ass off!

....

Mike

It's going around the school that Traytons hideout was burnt to the ground. Everyone is looking at us, but we're all acting like normal, so they don't really know what to think. Trayton apparently want to kill us, but we know they won't use fire. They can't prove it was us, and don't want the backlash.

"Was it you?" Bex is f*****g furious.

""No" I cant look at her though.

"And now you're f*****g lieing to me?!" Nate looks over at us and scowls. He's f*****g angry too, at being made to lie to her. Bex turns and walks away, and I look over at Nate, pleading with him to go after her. He understands, and runs after her.

....

Nate

"Bex, wait up!" I run after her as she pushes through the doors out of school.

"What Nate? I guess you're going to lie to me too?" f**k she's really pissed at us.

"No. No I'm not. Let's get out of here. Give me your keys, I'll drive, you message Mike and tell him we're off and we'll see them all later" she hands me her keys and gets her phone out of her pocket as she climbs in to the passenger seat.

"Where are we going?" She's still angry, but at least she's speaking to me.

"Beach. You need your happy place" I wink at her, trying to lighten the mood a bit, it kind of works as I see her relax slightly.

"OK. Then you'll tell me everything?" She looks pointedly at me.

"Everything" is all I say.

....

Mike

"You don't mind?" Joe isn't sure how I'll react when he finds me after the first lesson.

"Nah, she needs to talk to someone about this, she needs to know too, and I think Nate is the best person to tell her. They've got closer over the last week and that's because of Harry, but I'm fine with that. I know how he feels, but I also know he won't do anything, just the same as I didn't." Nate and Bex have got closer, but she's still my best friend and girlfriend. Nothing will come between us.

....

Nate

"So nothing will come back on you lot?" She's much calmer than I was expecting her to be. I think she just needed straight talking.

"No, Joe was tight on his plan, nothing can be traced back. I'll never let anything happen to him Bex, I've always got his back, you know that. He makes the plan, I alter it so it's doable but let him think it's all him, and i keep him safe. That's how it's always been with us. We just keep our mouths shut, and act as normal. Just watch yourself though ok, I couldn't bare it if anything happened to you"

"OK, I'll watch myself. But don't you ever go behind my back again ok, none of you! What the hell were you thinking Nate? Im pissed at Joe and Mike, but I get it, they don't want their sister and girlfriend getting involved, but you? I thought we were friends? I thought we'd bonded more over Harry, at least I hoped we had. You're Joe's best mate, and we've always been friends, and now that Mike is more than that to me, it felt like we'd got closer." She's upset with me, and understandably so.

"All I can say is sorry Bex. Joe and Mike didn't want you to know, and in a way, I didnt either. It was only to keep you safe" I feel like a d**k. I shouldn't have lied to her. But if she was mine, then I would have done what Joe and Mike did too. I think I'm starting to think of her as a really good friend, the best, and I'm happy about that.

"Let's make a deal Bex... I'm starting to think of you as my best mate, besides Joe and Harry that is, so we'll treat each other as such from now on yeah? Honesty till the end?" I hope she goes for it.

"Deal" she smiles "You can't replace Mike, he's been by my side for 15 years, you know that right? But I need someone in my corner that isn't trying to protect me all the time"

"I know I can't replace him, but I think I've earned my own spot by your side haven't I?" I grin.

"You most certainly have. Now message the fuckheads and tell them s**t's good" she grabs my hand and pulls me up "Let's go home"

I feel happy knowing me and Bex are the closest we're ever going to get, and that is enough for me.

....

Mike

"So are we OK babygirl?" I warily ask Bex as I walk in to her bedroom.

"Yeah, but don't you ever try protecting me by lieing again ok"! She walks in to my arms and reaches up to kiss me.

"I won't, promise. Did you sort things with Nate? He's a good friend to you, I'm glad you have him" and I was.

"Yeah, we're good. Infact, we made a deal. We're now best buddies... well, after Joe, Harry and you, but now that you're more than my best mate, I need someone else too. Do you get me?" She's looking at me thoughtfully.

"Yeah, I get you. And I think it's good that you're much closer than you were, and I think it's good for Nate too." I pull her back to me kissing her more urgently.

....

Joe

"And you're sure you're not hoping for more?" I ask Nate incredulously.

"No, my mind is finally settled. I need Bexs friendship more than anything, and we're good together, as friends, nothing more. You'll probably notice I'll be much happier from here on mate" and I notice it already. It's like a calm has settled over him. He's always been the chilled laid back one, but theres been an edge too. That's gone now, and he seems happier, more playful, than I've ever seen him.