The Beach

“I don’t understand what’s so fun about the boardwalk.”

Sawyer was about to rip her hair out. She couldn’t take it. She legitimately could not stand Jake anymore. Within 48 hours of his presence at the beach house, and Sawyer was willing to go through an extravagant murder plot.

Since his shower a few hours ago, Jake had been hanging off of Sawyer and leaving her no room to breathe. He had literally followed her everywhere and was being overly touchy and affectionate, something that even when she was in California she wasn’t. Jake knew that she wasn’t a fan of affection in front of people—well, except for when she was with Alex—but he still insisted on trying to kiss her and touch her every three seconds.

Not only that, but she literally couldn’t get two seconds to herself. Jake wasn’t just being overly affectionate, but also incredibly clingy. He tried to follow her to their room when she had to use the restroom. He literally couldn’t

Sawyer didn’t really know why Jake was doing that, because in all honesty, she didn’t care, she just wanted it to end. She had a feeling it was because he thought that something might happen between herself and Jack, and so he was trying his best to prove to Jack that she was Jake’s and Jake’s alone. However, all it was doing was making Jack laugh, Sawyer pissed off, and Alex uncomfortable.

It hadn’t gone unnoticed by Alex that Jake was being incredibly touchy feely with Sawyer, and that just made Sawyer even more upset. She literally looked like she was going to rip Jake’s head off every few seconds and everyone was on high alert in case they needed to jump in and stop a murder.

And to make this worse, Sawyer couldn’t help but look at Alex. Sawyer hated the look that was graced upon Alex’s features every time Jake tried to be affectionate with her. Sawyer couldn’t even look at Alex half the time because the hurt on his face literally broke her heart, but all she could do was give him a look that screamed ‘I’m sorry.’

Now they were all walking on the boardwalk, and Sawyer had allowed Jake to lace their fingers together in order to keep him at bay, but she wasn’t giving in to his attempts at being affectionate. In fact, she was certain that if he kept it up, she was going to legitimately kill him. She couldn’t handle all this affection and touching. It made her want to punch someone.

And here they were, on a beautiful day in Virginia Beach, walking down the boardwalk that wasn’t even very crowded and Jake was complaining. What in the world did he think the beach was? It’s not like its lined with 5 star restaurants and cigar lounges or something like that. It’s a damn beach in Virginia, not the Hamptons.

“It’s relaxing” Sawyer stated, although anyone who heard her would never assume that she was relaxed. And it was the truth. She wasn’t, especially with Jake standing next to her and Alex just out of her reach.

“Its boring.” Jake stated, and Sawyer almost stopped right there, but willed herself to keep walking. She was halfway through Jake’s trip at the beach house, and soon enough, she’d be back in bed with Alex pretending like the world doesn’t exist. She just wanted to be back in that world, and out of this horrible one where reality and dreams collide.

“SAWYER! LETS PLAY SKEEBALL” Sawyer breathed a sigh of relief, silently thanking Jack for saving her. She knew that it wouldn’t help Jake’s suspicions of her and Jack, but at the moment, she could care less as she dropped Jake’s hand from hers and wondered off to go play skeeball with Jack.

Alex hung back, watching the girl he loved interact with his best friend. He knew that Sawyer was the girl he wanted, but sadly, Sawyer was taken in the worst way, and although he thought about asking her to come home with him, he knew that it wasn’t realistic. She had Jake, and had no reason to leave Jake for him.

“Hey.” Alex snapped out of his thoughts to see Jake standing next to him. He wasn’t sure when he walked up next to Alex, but there he was, trying to start a conversation with Alex.

“Hey.” Alex said, not really sure how to respond. He did not want to have a one on one conversation with Jake. Ever.

“So. Sawyer and Jake look really close.” Alex had to stop himself from bursting out laughing. He figured that Jake was just looking for something to do, but then he realized that Jake wanted to talk to him because he was worried. About Jack.

Alex couldn’t help but find the whole situation ironic and hilarious.

“They’re best friends.” Alex couldn’t help but mess with Jake just a little bit. He knew exactly what Jake was trying to get at, but lord was he going to make it as painful as possible.

“Yea. It looks like it.” Jake said. “Have they ever, well, have they ever dated?” Jake asked, and Alex had to use all of his will power not to burst out laughing. He had a hard time remaining composed when the thought of Sawyer and Jack together was just utterly ridiculous, especially since they had only known each other for less than a week. But of course, Jake didn’t know that.

“Well. Nothing was ever official, but they were incredibly close for a while, and it made us all wonder but nothing official.”

Alex was sure that Sawyer was going to kick his ass later when she got word of her almost relationship with Jack, but he would just deal with that when it came. And he figured despite the undeniable fury she would have, it would be worth it. Oh so worth it.

“Oh.” Jake responded with. He was seriously hoping that Alex was going to tell him they were somehow related so that he didn’t have to worry about Jack trying to move in on his fiancée.

“She’s with you though, isn’t she?” Alex asked quizzically. Jake nodded, “Then what are you flippin about?”

Alex walked away at that point, heading towards the skeeball, a large smirk plastered across his lips knowing how insecure Jake was about his relationship with Sawyer. That ring might be on her finger, but he just didn’t feel good about this relationship. At least Alex knew where he stood with Sawyer, even if he didn’t always get to call her his.

In that moment, Alex felt redeemed and pretty damn smug.

Sawyer had seen Jake talking to Alex. It had made her nervous and she lost her focus, losing skeeball to a very spaztic Jack. How do you lose to a guy who can barely focus long enough to throw that damn ball down the stupid ramp?

She didn’t know what they were talking about, but she didn’t like that they were talking. They needed to stay as far apart from each other as possible. It was already bad enough Jake seemed to think that she was somehow infatuated with Jack. The last thing she needed was for Jake to actually figure out that she was infatuated with someone, and that it was Alex, and that she was actually sleeping with him, not just flirting with him or drooling over him.

She turned away from the scene, trying to ignore the fact that her lover and her fiancée were talking far more than she would like them to. Them talking at all was far too much.

“Don’t worry. Alex won’t do anything horrible. The kid loves you.” Jack said, before going back to skeeball. Sawyer almost lost her breath, because love and Alex made her nervous.

It made her nervous because she knew she loved Alex more than life itself. And it was the one thing that she couldn’t actually handle. Loving Alex was something she just couldn’t deal with. Loving Alex was too hard, and heartbreaking.

“I know Jack. I know.” She said just barely above a whisper before returning to the game of skeeball.

It wasn’t until later that evening that Sawyer figured out what Alex had told Jake.

Jake had insisted on having a date with just Sawyer and himself, which she hated, but really had no excuse to deny, so here they were. On a date.

Jake had insisted on driving into town where there was a very nice, upscale restaurant that he had heard about and wanted to take Sawyer to, so that they could spend some time alone.

Truth be told, Sawyer would rather be at Mama’s diner eating with everyone else. Getting dolled up in Virginia Beach didn’t feel right to her. She was always so relaxed while she was here, mainly because it was technically a vacation, that she never did anything too fancy. Sure, it was nice when she was in California and Jake would take her out somewhere nice, but she really didn’t like it here. This wasn’t what her summer was about.

So here they were, in Ludo, some fancy place that Sawyer had to get super dressed up for that was overpriced even though she was sure that the food was beyond delicious. She knew why Jake was doing this. Part of it was that Jake really did just love taking Sawyer out to very nice places. In all the time that they had been together, he had never quite figured out that she much preferred little dives and diners over fancy places. She always felt that restaurants like this were more for special occasions. However, for Jake, he loved spending his time in these nicer restaurants. The other reason Jake wanted to take her out? He wanted to have alone time with her away from everyone else, mostly Jack.

“Thank you for taking me out.” Sawyer had said after they had ordered their food and the waitress had walked away.

“Of course. I wanted some time alone with you, away from everyone.” Jake said, but Sawyer raised her eyebrows at her fiancée.

“We could’ve done that on the beach.” Sawyer said. Jake just shrugged, and Sawyer narrowed her eyes at him. “What are you not telling me Jake?”

“I just. I saw you with Jack again today.” Sawyer rolled her eyes.

“You mean when we were playing skeeball? Me and Jack are just friends, Jake. I told you this already.”

“I know. But I didn’t know that you two were so close when you were younger and the..” Jake was cut off by Sawyer.

“What are you talking about?” Sawyer asked, thoroughly confused.

“Alex told me how you two were so close and everyone expected you two to date and I” Sawyer didn’t even let Jake finished.

“Jake. I don’t know how many times I have to tell you that nothing is going on between me and Jack, but nothing, and I mean NOTHING is going on between me and Jack. The past doesn’t matter since I’m obviously not with Jack, and I’m with you. Did you ever maybe stop to think that there was a reason for that? That there was a reason that I wasn’t with Jack” Aside from the fact that I’m with Alex and playing you? “No, because you’re too fucking jealous and listening to other people and not your fiancée.” Sawyer stood up, because she was just so furious.

“Where are you going?” Jake asked, moving to stand up, but Sawyer shook her head.

“I am leaving. I’m going to go eat by myself somewhere where you aren’t. And maybe you’ll start using your brain and realizing that I’m not going to date Jack. In fact, don’t even expect me in bed tonight. I think I’ll crash on the couch, or maybe. I’ll crash in Jack’s room just to piss you off.” She said before storming off, out of the restaurant.

Sawyer pulled out her cell phone, calling her house phone.

“Hello?” Alex’s voice came over the line.

“I expect to see you at Mama’s diner in 15 minutes or I might castrate you.” She said before hanging up.

Sawyer was furious, and even Mama could tell that when she saw Sawyer storm into the diner. Mama pointed to the corner, where Alex was already sat in a booth in the corner, with Jack next to him, probably as a witness should Sawyer kill him.

Sawyer stormed over to the booth, looking completely out of place in her black evening gown in the small diner.

“I cannot believe you Alexander.” Alex flinched as his full name. “You told Jake that me and Jack were so close that everyone thought we were dating? Seriously?”

“Dude. Bro.” Jack said, shaking his head. “Tell me you didn’t say that.”

“I may have said that everyone had suspicions that you two were dating after he asked if you two had ever dated.” Alex said as Sawyer sat down across from him and Jack, putting her elbows on the table and sinking her head into her hands.

“I told him I might sleep in Jack’s room tonight.” Sawyer mumbled, causing both boy’s jaws to drop.

“Seriously?” Jack asked, and Sawyer nodded.

“I was pissed. It seemed like a good response at the time. Plus it would piss him off more.” Sawyer said with a shrug.

Alex sat there speechless.

“Why not stay in Alex’s room. Jake thinks you’re with me, why not take advantage of the not wanting to sleep next to him moment and sleep in Alex’s room, especially since he actually likes Alex. You get some alone time, and Jake feels better that you’re not sleeping in my room. Ironically, you’re safer in my room, which makes this whole thing that much more hilarious. But that’s beside the point.” Jack said, and Sawyer nodded.

“I guess. But Alexander. I swear to god if you antagonize Jake anymore, I’m going to kill you. He’s almost gone. He leaves tomorrow night, so can you please just make it one more day?” Sawyer asked, and Alex nodded.

“Ok well. I need to eat. I may or may not have ditched Jake before food arrived.” Jack and Alex both snorted at her, because only Sawyer would leave before eating because she was angry.