𝐀𝐪𝐮𝐚 𝐄𝐲𝐞𝐬 ✓

12

"Are we celebrating anything?" Faye asks me loudly, all the way from her room as I sit on the couch and play a mind-numbing game on my phone while I wait for her to get ready. I don't bother pausing my game and I yell out "Nope! Just for fun."

I don't notice her tiny figure standing above me at first until Faye clears her throat. I look up and see her wearing one of my shirts that comes down to her mid-thigh and I look back down to my phone to try to hide the blush that I know now covers my cheeks despite my tan.

"You died. Let's go," She says, correct in the fact that I've died in the game that I was playing. I cough quietly and stand up, quickly glancing at her small body in my shirt which looks much better on her than it ever did on me.

"Ready." I walk past her to avoid staring again and Faye locks up the apartment behind us. I drive the familiar route to the soccer house that I'd lived in for almost three years before moving out and Faye hops out of the car as soon as I park, probably eager to see her friends while I simply try not to stare at her in my shirt. Is she wearing anything underneath?

I walk through the front door that Faye conveniently left open and close it behind me, immediately hearing the commotion coming from the backyard where the pool is located. I spot a lot of bodies through the big windows to the backyard and I walk into the kitchen on my way, grabbing two bottles of water as the air is still hot, even though the sky is dark now.

I easily spot Faye off to the side, sitting on a chair and sprawled over our friend Aurora, causing my shirt to ride up on her, exposing the underside of her ass and a bit of her favourite frilly, red bikini bottoms. I tear my eyes away but notice that I'm not the only one whose attention was caught. My fists clench but I ignore it because I have no basis for my anger.

"You look like you could use a drink," Chase offers me a beer and I crack a smile, but refuse because I'm driving us home tonight. "I'm the same way. As soon as Lexi takes off that shirt, I go on the defensive," He laughs and checks his girlfriend out from where she sits next to the other two girls. I notice that their other girl friend Kiki isn't with them.

"I'd feel better about it if she were mine though," I reason and Chase looks at me unconvinced.

"No, you wouldn't."

"No, I wouldn't," I agree, knowing that I'd probably be acting the exact same way that he is. Not as bad as Maddox, but definitely ready to fight anyone who looks at her. Faye smiles at me and waves cutely and, just like that, my anger washes away. All it takes is a minuscule amount of attention from that girl and I'm good as new.

"Maybe it's time to move on, mate. I know how you feel about her, but you're only torturing yourself. I know that you don't want to hear it, but has she given you any reason to think that she wants to be more than friends?" Chase rips the bandaid off and my elation fades quickly. I deflate slightly and clench my teeth together. I know he's right, I've heard it a million times before. I shake my head.

Never have I ever even attempted to move out of the friend zone. I simply push myself deeper. Any piece of Faye I can get is worth it, but it's obvious to everyone else that I push other people away, other girls away, in order to be closer to Faye because some part of me will always want her romantically.

"Maybe I should..." Chase seems surprised by my agreement because, in the past, I'd always denied that I did anything differently for her benefit. "Maybe I'll start dating, or just see how it goes..." I trail off and I hear an excited "whoop" come from behind me.

"Did I just hear you correctly? Are you finally going to let me set you up with someone?" Maddox says obnoxiously and slaps my back hard. I roll my eyes, looking at Chase for help but he holds his hands up in surrender.

"I can find a victim myself, thank you very much," I say, definitely not wanting Maddox's help. The kinds of girls he used to be involved with were definitely not my type. I'm more of a relationship guy. I think. I've never actually dated before.

"Baby Reece is finally growing up," Chase says and wipes a fake tear from under his eye. I walk away and hear their laughter from behind me.

Assholes.

I only partake in the pool activities when one of the girls begs me to. I have Faye on my shoulders because I'm the tallest and she's the shortest, and Lexi has Aurora on hers while we have a chicken fight.

Faye and I win every time because Aurora is always too scared to hurt anyone by pushing them off, and I'm a much more stable base than Lexi. Having Faye's legs wrapped around my head and my hands on her smooth thighs may be considered backtracking with the whole plan to get over her, but there is no part of me that would have it any other way.

Plus, even with how close we all are, I doubt Chase or Maddox would be ecstatic about their girlfriends being in Faye's position, even if it is me and not some random guy. If Faye wasn't my partner, who else would be? They know they have nothing to worry about with me, but they're both "alpha male" types and I know that the thought alone would have them bristling.

After we decide to stop playing, we just sit and talk and swim around in the shallow end, knowing that Aurora is still not the strongest swimmer. She can manage, but we never push her, knowing that she's not very comfortable in deep water.

"So Sky's family is having a huge fourth of July party and recommended that I bring my family. That means you guys," Lexi announces and they all ask questions about her new digs, including some other, less familiar people that join in on the conversation. Chase sits on the edge of the pool with Lexi standing in between his legs comfortably.

"Are you inviting your brother and sister?" Faye asks hesitantly and Lexi gasps dramatically.

"Oh my god! I almost forgot. I'll call them later." She laughs. The conversation moves away from the party and towards other things, but I continue curiously watching Faye and the way she paled when she received the answer from Lexi.