𝙄𝙣𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 | 𝘾.𝙎

𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙧

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"It was so nice seeing everyone," Nick  spoke to the group as they were the last ones left. 

Chris, Matt, Sarah, Nate, Aubree, Alahna, and Nick all sat in a circle, in that exact same order.
Only person separating them was Matt.

"Yeah," Sarah said as she tried her hardest to not look directly as Chris, she was still looking with her peripheral vision and he was doing the exact same thing.

"What happened with Luke was crazy tho," Nate scoffed and this made them to look directly at each other. She stared at Chris' already bruised cheek.

"I'm sorry about that," She apologized again as he rolled his eyes. "Don't apologize it wasn't your fault Marie," Everyone widened their eyes at what he had just said. It's like time had never passed.

Sarah stiffened and hugged her knees to her chest. "still," She muttered as Aubree and Nick made eye contact, desperately trying to find a new conversation topic.

"At least you got a cool bruise now," Matt filled in for them as Nick made a mental note to thank him later.

"Cool?" Chris asked as he pulled out his phone to stare at his bruise. "It does not look cool, it looks like I ran into a wall," Chris said as he snapped a quick picture laughing.

"Fine, at least you have a story to tell," Matt laughed as everyone stared and quietly laughed along.

"What could have possibly gone through your head Chris? Like that guy is twice your size," Nick laughed as he shrugged and looked at Sarah, who was looking out at the waves.

"Two years in a row where Chris ends up in the floor, after something hit him," Aubree said as everyone started laughing.

"First a volleyball and then Luke," Nick laughed along his friends as Chris tried his best not to laugh.

"Shut up,"

"I would have loved to see last years fall," Sarah admitted as Chris turned to look at her. "Like 5 people have mentioned it to me today,"

"It was hilarious, but nothing beats Chris' face when Luke hit him," Alahna basically squeaked out from laughing too much. Everyone laughed along as he rolled his eyes.

"I was so worried, that punch looked hard," Sarah said between laughs as Chris nodded. "It was,"

"What do you guys think is gonna happen next year?" Nate asked as he moved closer to his girlfriend.

"Oh- Great question!" Matt joked "Probably the volleyball net is gonna take him out," Nick laughed as everyone did too.

They were all having fun and laughing, but it wasn't the same and they knew it was never going to be. They way Chris and Sarah kept watching each other and everyone noticed was so awkward. You can tell Sarah started to talk less and less while Chris talked more and more.

"Its like you could hear her head gears moving," Matt spoke to Nate as he nodded. They were both home already and they called each other to talk about what had happened at the beach that day.

"I felt bad man, she is usually so bubbly, she just looked like she was overwhelmed by him just being there," Nate said as Matt looked through his room for something to do while talking to Nate.

"What did Aubree say about it?" Matt said as he settled on an old rubix cube he had around.

"I haven't talked to her yet... Aubree and the girls are having a sleepover right now,"

"Wait with Sarah?" Matt asked as Nate quickly agreed. "Great, you can tell me all they talked about after you talk to Aubree tomorrow," Matt joked but knew there was some truth in that.

"Don't act like Sarah wont tell you everything tomorrow," Nate laughed as Matt shrugged.

Something Matt had failed to tell Chris was that when Chris stopped being Sarah's best friend, Matt sorta filled the spot. The pair rarely saw each other but they talked on the phone and texted a lot. He loved the girl deeply and he loved having a friendship with her. They both had similar problems so they both comforted each other.

"Still wanna know Aubree and Alahna's opinions," Matt said as Nate nodded. "Ill tell you everything tomorrow,"

"Alright, good night buddy," Matt chuckled before Nate said the same thing and hung up.

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Sarah brushed her hair out as she tried her best to concentrate on the movie that Aubree and Alahna had picked, but her mind was on Chris and everything that happened today.

"What's up?" Aubree asked once she noticed that her cousin wasn't really focused. "Huh?" Sarah asked as she started braiding her hair.
"You okay Sarah?" Aubree asked and this time Alahna paused the movie.

"Yeah? Why?"

"What's on your mind?"

"Nothing really," Sarah smiled as Alahna and Aubree share a look. "Is it about today,"

Sarah Marie nodded slightly as the girls sighed. "Is it about your ex? Or about Chris?" Alahna asked knowing that so much happened with both.

"It's about Chris and mostly the fact that I am gonna be spending a big chunk of my summer in his house!"

"What was I even thinking?" She added as Aubree winded her eyes. "Chill Sarah... Look, it will be fine, maybe this will make everything... less awkward?" Aubree felt like she was reaching and her cousin could tell.

"Yeah... Let's just keep watching the movie please," Sarah said as she fake smiled and kept her anxiety to herself.

Sarah cuddled into Aubree's side and slowly fell asleep.

"I feel bad," Alahna spoke as she head Sarahs deep breaths, indicating she was asleep.

"Same,"

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get ready for one more POW POW