Diary of Secrets (bxbxbxb)

Chapter 20

We decided to go swimming, since the day has just begun. I was waiting on the patio for the slow pokes still finding their swim trunks inside, but thought they were taking too long so I started to walk out to set my towel down and kick off my shoes then take my shirt off. The sun was shining brightly today with little to no clouds in the sky. A few people were scattered along the length of the beach but it was still pretty early, so it wasn't super busy. I walked toward the edge of the water, dipping my toe in the water to estimate the temperature before just going in all willy nilly. 

It wasn't too chilly, so I slowly started to walk in the water when a voice shouted at me.

"Watch out!" they said and I turned just in time to dodge a spiraling football fly by my head. A guy with short brown hair and a chiseled body came running through the water for the football. I picked up the ball just as he was stopping in front of me. He's handsome. 

"Sorry about that my brother has a wicked arm on him" he said jerking his head toward a guy with similar brown hair but my length. 

"It's no problem" I shyly said.

"I'm Tanner" He said with a wide smile, offering his hand. 

"Jace" I replied and awkwardly fumbled with the football in the hand I was gonna shake his with. He chuckled in response when I finally switched the football to my other hand to offer him a shake.

"So where you from?" Tanner asked as I glanced and seen his brother start to walk toward us.

"Hazelton, you?" I said glancing at our beach hut wondering where my brothers were.

"Prescott, Wisconsin" he replied with a smile as his brother came up beside him. "This is Charlie. Charlie, Jace" Tanner introduced us and I gave a meek wave while Charlie gave a nod of his head with a genuine smile. I took in his appearance, they could be twins, same build but the one difference was eye color. Tanner had brown eyes and Charlie had light blue. Both good looking specimens. I blushed realizing I'm basically checking them out, so I averted my eyes to the water. 

"Who are you here with?" Charlie asked. 

"Oh, I'm here with my brothers" I said looking toward the house to see them finally walking down the patio steps in a train. "Shoot, I still have your ball" I let out a nervous laugh while offering the football back to them. Tanner took it and both his and his brothers gaze landed on my brothers, who just finished laying out their beach towels and are now walking into the water.

"Hey Jace, making friends?" Damon asked 

"Uh yeah, this is Tanner and Charlie" I said pointing to both of them. 

"I'm Damon" He offered his hand to both the guys "This is Sebastian" he pointed to Bash and then Kota "And Dakota"  They all shook hands.

"Nice to meet you" Tanner and Charlie both said offering a smile. "So, do you guys want to throw the ball with us?" Tanner asked. We all nodded and started to throw the football around for a couple minutes. I started to sweat from the beating sun so I said I was gonna take a break and went and sat on my towel digging in the cooler for a water bottle. I admired the five men, now playing some tackle football. I'm glad I wasn't part of that because I'd probably snap like a twig. Charlie soon came over and plopped next to me. 

"Gonna join back in?" he questioned, he bent his knees and wrapped his arms around them. 

"Are you kidding, they'd break me" I let out a chuckle.

"Nah, you're too cute to break" He gave me a smile and a wink. I muttered a 'thanks' and I blushed, starting to fiddle with my fingers awkwardly. I have never been openly flirted with, but I also can never be sure if someone is or isn't flirting with me. 

"I like your necklace" I said quietly to turn it into a normal conversation. His hand instinctively went up and started to rub it between his fingers. It was one of those pookah shell necklaces. Kind of makes him look like a surfer. 

"We got it from the gift shop yesterday. How long have you guys been here?" He asked while the boys in the water were now coming to shore.

"We just got here today actually, only staying a couple nights" I replied as Dakota sat next to me on his towel and the others followed suit. Besides Tanner, he took a seat next to Charlie.

"Well we should hang out while you're here. We are having a cookout for dinner tomorrow, if you want to come?"  

"Yeah, you guys should come, I don't think our parents would mind" Tanner piped up. I looked at my brothers for an answer and Damon and Sebastian shrugged.

"Sure, Want to stay for our bonfire tonight?" I asked nodding toward our firepit. 

"Yeah, we'll go check in with our parents and we will be back" Charlie said standing up and wiping the sand off his ass. Tanner followed suit and they started jogging down the shoreline to the hut 'next' to ours. 

"They seem nice" Sebastian said as soon as they were out of ear shot. Dakota snorted and we all looked at him.

"What? Seriously, you guys didn't see that Charlie guy flirting with Jace" he deadpanned. My face heated up. Okay, so I wasn't imagining it. 

"Just because he was talking to him does not mean he was flirting" Sebastian rolled his eyes.

"Oh come on! He was giving him f**k me eyes" Dakota retorted. 

"Well Jace wasn't flirting back, so there's no issue" Damon reassured and then all eyes were on me.

"What?" I asked, the blush not leaving my cheeks. Dakota narrowed his eyes at me.

"You weren't flirting back were you?" He questioned. I widened my eyes, quite offended.

"No!" I exclaimed "Why would I?" I asked incredulously 

"I don't know Jace, that's why I asked" Dakota retorted. Anger flared inside me.

"Well I'm sorry my love means so little to you, that you can't trust that I wouldn't do that" I spat and got up, gathering my things and stomped to the house. 

"Wait, Jace!" I heard Damon and Sebastian call to me. I didn't stop, I was in a bad mood now. I whipped the patio door open and slammed shut. I went to the bathroom and just sat on the edge of the tub. I'm awkward as f**k but I would never flirt with someone else. I'm in love with them, how do they not understand that. Well, more so Dakota actually. I groaned pulling at my hair in frustration.

Damon's P.O.V

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jace slammed the patio door shut and I instantly turned and glared at Dakota.

"What was that for?!" I scolded him. His heated eyes met mine.

"I saw him get all blushy when that Charlie character sat next to him!" He yelled back.

"Guys, settle down" Sebastian tried to calm us down.

"That's just Jace, and I believe him when he says he wasn't flirting back, Dakota" I retorted while standing up "Getting protective is normal, but don't let jealousy overtake your judgement on someone we've known our whole lives" I said before walking toward the house. Sebastian got up to follow but I put my hand up to stop him.

"I got it Seb" I told him as his concerned eyes met mine. "It can't always be you to talk to him if we are all gonna work out, my love" I made a circle gesture to signify all of us. 

"You're right" he sighed, turning around and then sat next to Dakota to probably talk to him then. I continued to the patio door and gently opening it and shutting it. I checked the living room and then seen the bathroom light on, illuminating under the door. I walked over and softly knocked on the door.

"Jace?" I waited for an answer.

"What?" he answered in a sassy way. I sighed "Can we talk please?" I asked hopefully.

It was silent for a couple seconds before I heard soft footsteps and then the bathroom door unlocking and opening a little bit. He left it cracked and went back to where he was. I pushed the door open to find him perched on the edge of the tub, head down. I closed the bathroom door and squat in front of him. 

"I wouldn't do that to you guys" he said quietly.

"I know baby, he just let the green eyed monster take over" I said as I cupped his cheek to have him look at me. His gorgeous brown eyes held unshed tears making my heart ache. 

"But...But I did think they were attractive but I love you guys, I swear!" he exclaimed and started to sob "I'm sorry!" he crumpled into my chest. I adjusted to where I was sitting on my butt so I could hold him in my arms. I held him tightly as his body wracked, his hands balled into fists on my chest. I felt his tears fall on to my chest but I didn't care.

"Shhh babyboy, it's okay" I ran my hand through his hair to help calm him down. They were good looking men, so I seen where he was coming from. "It's not wrong to appreciate good looking people, just as long as we don't act on it, my love" I kissed the top of his head. His sobs stopped but he was sniffling every once in awhile now. 

"You're not mad?" he asked looking up at me shyly with a hiccup. 

"No baby. If you say you didn't flirt back, I believe you" I said bringing my hands up to his face to brush his tears away with my thumbs. 

" I swear, I didn't... I love you guys so much, I would never dream of it" he said sincerely which made me smile. He wrapped his arms around me tightly and my heart squeezed with his words and his hug. "I'm sorry for inviting them to the bonfire" he whispered.

"I have no issue with it, just try to shut down any flirting from Charlie, yeah?" I said and he nodded against my shoulder. "Alright, we should probably go back out since they will be back soon" I reasoned. He pulled away from my chest but leaned up and gave me a kiss. 

"I love you, Damon" he said seriously.

"I love you Jace" I smiled and gave him a loving kiss then I gave his butt a light tap. He got up and offered a hand and I laughed taking it, even though I know he couldn't really 'help' me get up. We left the bathroom and headed back outside.

Dakota's P.O.V

~~~~~~~~~~

"You're right" Sebastian sighed then he sat down next to me as Damon went toward the house and inside the patio door. We were silent for a minute, while we watched the waves of the water come up on the shoreline. 

"He's also right about the jealousy" Sebastian added breaking the silence. 

"I was just asking" I huffed out, playing with the sand surrounding my towel. "Of course, I wouldn't think he would but I had to ask, that dude was looking pretty chummy over here" I explained. 

"We know Jace though, he's shy and quite awkward" he reasoned.

"I know" I muttered "I...I just love him so much I don't even want him even blushing at another guy, that isn't us" I admitted. 

"We all love him, Dakota, but we can't control his every action or reaction" he said "And you can't accuse him without hearing his side of the story" 

"I didn't accuse him though" I tried to say.

"Your tone said otherwise" He shot back.

"What do I do?" I sighed in defeat.

"Really?" he asked with an eyebrow raised "You apologize, dipshit" he chuckled giving my shoulder a shove.

"Hey!" I yelled and he shrugged.

"You know...he told me that he believes that you and him have a different type of bond than with Damon and I" he said taking on a serious tone. I looked to him in question. "Just like Damon and I have a different type of bond" I listened and nodded in agreement. Thinking about it, it's actually pretty true. Damon and Sebastian were always so close to each other and Jace and I were also super close to each other.

  "He thinks the world of us, especially you. So, you need to talk to him" He said knocking his shoulder into mine. He looked around before leaning in to give me a quick kiss.

" I love you, but you can be super dense sometimes" he said and I rolled my eyes.

"I will apologize, but I just worry about that Charlie coming to our bonfire" I said with disgust.

"I'm sure Damon has already talked to him about that" Sebastian said and then we heard the patio door open. I looked back and seen Jace come out with his head down with Damon following. Sebastian got up and walked over to Jace.

"Want to go swim with me love?" he asked Jace as they came closer. He looked up to Sebastian and nodded. I could see his eyes, red and puffy from crying. I frowned as a pang hit my chest. He avoided my eyes, I don't like to see him upset. It is my fault though. Sebastian and him walked into the water and they both dove under and popped up a little further away. 

"I told him to shut down any flirting from Charlie tonight and he said he would" Damon said as he took a seat where Sebastian was.

"Okay, good" I said and watched my two lovers in the water swimming around together. I sighed. 

"I didn't mean to get him upset" I told Damon.

"Probably not, but Jace is sensitive, you know that" He said "But he did admit to finding them attractive" he added and I whipped my head toward him.

"What?!" I exclaimed with fury.

"Calm your t**s, he didn't flirt but he admitted they were attractive. Which I agree, they were, but as long as he didn't act on it. It's whatever." 

"No they weren't" I huffed which earned a full heartedly laugh from Damon.

"Sure, Dakota, Sure" he shook his head, clapping a hand on my shoulder. "Anyway, I hope you're going to apologize"

"I will, I'm just going to give him some time. Plus, the bozo's are on their way back" I said with annoyance. Tanner and Charlie were walking back with a bag in each of their hands.

"Hey! We brought clothes to change into for later as well as s'mores stuff in case you guys didn't have any" Tanner said, holding up the bags as they came up to us. I rolled my eyes and Damon discreetly nudged my shoulder. 

"Thank you, we have a little bit of s'more stuff, so thank you" Damon replied.

"Yeah, thanks" I muttered. The brothers gave me a questioning look. 

"Alright, wanna go back in the water?" Damon suggested getting up from the towel. Tanner and Charlie nodded and they headed back into the water toward Sebastian and Jace. I slowly made my way off the towel and towards the water myself. They aren't bad guys, I guess. I just wish Charlie didn't look or flirt with our Jacey.