𝔸 𝕃𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝔻𝕒𝕣𝕜𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕤 ➁

34. Sandy Things - ✭RAE✭

"Rae?" I freeze when I hear his voice come up behind me.

I look ahead of me to see an extremely tense Seth still walking toward me but his eyes are on the man behind me saying, "how's it going, Rhys?" Seth comes up to stand beside me and I can tell by his posture he's letting Rhys know we're here as more than just friendly acquaintances. "It's been a while."

"Yeah," his voice sounds even more tense than Seth's "it has."

"Hey Rhys." I turn around to see my brother staring at the two of us incredulously. "Great beach day, right?" I say it enthusiastically, trying to lighten the mood.

This is so fucking awkward.

I feel Seth's hand go to my lower back then wrap around my waist. He pulls me into his body and Rhys's eyes follow the gesture. He grits his jaw as he looks back up at Seth because he knows him and I'm sure he knows what that protective gesture is all about. It's a gesture that says we're together, she's mine, and I don't give a fuck what you have to say about it.

Now, I've wanted Seth to be this way with me many times before. I'd thought of this exact moment in my head but also not quite like this. No, not with all these people on the beach bearing witness to what is surely about to become a shit show.

Although his eyes are on Seth, he directs his question toward me, "yeah, great beach day, Rae. So, where's Liam at?"

"He's in New York." I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear nervously because I've never seen Rhys quite like this. "He uh, he got a new job. So yeah," I sound like a rambling idiot even to myself "he moved there and uh... yeah. I'm here still. So, there's that."

"Did you guys break up?" He asks, still eyeing Seth.

"Well... technically no but kind of."  I feel Seth stiffen beside me. I hadn't told him Liam and I were no longer together. I said he'd basically broken up with me. Technicalities.

He tears his eyes away from Seth. "Okay, so what's this all about." He gestures between the two of us. "What are the two of you doing together?"

"We're just uh..." I have no idea what to say because Rhys looks furious.

"Just what?" His eyes glare at the place where Seth's hand is grasping my waist. "Just fucking around while your boyfriend is away?"

"It's none of your business, Rhys." Seth takes a step forward, letting go of my waist. "What happens between Rae and I is none of your fucking business." His voice is full of barely concealed anger.

Rhys takes a step forward as well, squaring up with Seth. "Oh, excuse me? I'm pretty sure I was talking to my sister, Seth." He puts his hands on his hips. "I mean, what? Did you get sick of fucking everyone with a vagina at the gym? Get sick of Sarah finally?"

Seth snorts, "oh that's real rich coming from you. Who's your fuck of the week this week?"

  "Not your little sister." He pushes Seth backward but Seth barely moves.

"Rhys, stop!" I shout up at him, taking a step between the two them. "Just stop it!"

"Rae, get out of the way." Rhys grits out not looking at me.

"No, cut the shit, Rhys. What happens between us has nothing to do with you."

"He's right, Rae." I feel Seth's large body behind me, tense and rock solid. "Step aside. Let's see if this little man-boy can handle me."

"Jesus Christ, the two of you are so fucking ridiculous." I push against my brother's chest.

"I'm not going to let him fuck around with you, Rae." He pushes me to the side, like I'm absolutely weightless as he gets back in Seth's face. "She's not Sarah. I'm not going to let you toy around with her like a fucking play thing."

"She's not some fucking play thing to me, Rhys." Seth seems to stand up even taller than his 6'3 height, dwarfing me.

"Like hell she's not!" He let's out a laugh. "All the women you're with are play things to you."

Seth smiles down at my brother sinisterly. "You may not like it but you'd better get used to seeing us together. I'm not going anywhere this time no matter how much you try to keep us apart."

"Rae," he looks over his shoulder, down to me "please, you can't take whatever is going on between the two of you seriously. You're going to ruin what you have with Li-"

"Fuck you!" Seth shoves him back but unlike Seth, Rhys stumbles backward. "Talk your shit, Rhys. Talk all the shit you want but you're not getting in between us again. I won't let you."

"She has a fucking boyfriend, Seth. Clearly she's not thinking anything between the two of you is going to be long term." I can tell that one bothered Seth, you can see the irritation and hurt on his face. "See, you know it. You know whatever this," he gestures between the two of us "is isn't going to last. You know it."

"Rhys, shut up." I step back in between them but facing Seth this time. "Seth, look at me." His angry eyes look down on me and soften. My heart breaks a little when I can tell that there's a slight sadness there inside those angry green orbs. "I need a moment alone with my brother. Why don't you bring the stuff to the truck? I'll meet you there."

He looks up at Rhys and glares before saying, "alright, sweetheart. I'll wait for you." He doesn't say anything else before walking off toward our things.

"You're a fucking asshole." I put my hands on my hips and stare at my brother. "What in the actual fuck is wrong with you, Rhys? That's your best fucking friend. The two of you grew up together and you're talking to him like he's a no one."

"When he decided to fuck around with your head and your fucking heart he became a no one, Rae." He pinches the bridge of his nose in frustration. "You're my little sister. We all grew up together. He knows how I feel about this. He knows me so it makes it that much fucking worse."

"It's my head and it's my heart. If I want Seth to fuck with them then so be it. You can't talk to him like that after knowing how he feels about me."

"He feels about you the way he feels about every other woman, Rae. Whether you'd care to admit that or not, it's the truth." He lets out a long sigh. "He's a good guy but not good for you. I don't want him to treat my sister the way he treated Sarah. Their relationship was fucking terrible, Rae. It was completely unhealthy."

"I'm not Sarah and I can assure you he won't treat me like her."

"But Rae, you can't take him seriously. Trust me on this he-"

"I have been in love with Seth since I was a little girl and you know that. Nothing you say or do is going to change the fact that I'm in love with your best friend. I love him, Rhys." Rhys shuts right up and just stares at me. "I love him so much that yes, I'm risking my relationship with Liam because in truth, if you would've never brought him to Thanksgiving dinner, Seth and I would still probably be together."

"Tell me he's treating you right. Tell me you're happy and I'll drop it. Promise me and I'll let it go."

I take a step toward him and look up at him sincerely, "I promise, Rhys. The way we are together is just..." I bite my lip and smirk. "I don't know how to explain it. Just know I'm happy when I'm with him."

"Come here, kiddo." He wraps his arms around me, hugging me and I hug him back. "You're my little sister and I love you. I don't want to see you hurt, you know that. You know I only want what's best for you and if you honestly think that's Seth then be with him."

I give him a large, genuine smile. "Thanks, Rhys. I love you too." I back out of his arms and ask, "so, what are you doing here anyway?"

"You're right. It's a good beach day. It's fucking beautiful out." He laughs and so do I.

"You want to come and apologize?" He quirks an eyebrow. "You owe him an apology. He told me to tell him to leave and I didn't. He told me to just say the word and he'd exit my life. I told him to stay, Rhys." I give him a sad smile. "You've got to miss your friend and I know he's got to miss you."

He sighs. "Fine. I'll apologize."

"Good." Now if we all could've just done this in the first place we wouldn't be here.