BRAX'S POV:
Charlie and I were over. Our friends with benefits thing was over before it had even really begun in my opinion. But why did I feel the way I did? Telling her I loved her was one of the easiest things I'd ever had to do, but I couldn't decide whether I meant it or not. Staring at her door for a little while longer, hoping she'd change her mind and unlock it, I sighed heavily and made my way back to mine, finding Ricky sat on the sofa, flicking through a surfing magazine…
"Hey" she greeted me "you okay?"
"Fine" I replied "come here"
Putting the magazine she'd been reading down, she stood up and walked over to me… "What's?"
Before she could finish her sentence, I pressed my lips to hers, moving my hands to unbutton her shirt…
"Brax, what're you doing?" she questioned, pulling away from me
"You told me to sort my head out. It's sorted. I wanna be with you" I informed her
"What about this other person you like?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at me
"Nothing's going to happen there" I sighed "so what do you say? Wanna give this a shot?"
She swallowed a lump in her throat and smiled at me weakly, nodding her head, signalling yes. Reciprocating her smile, I took her hand in mine and led her into the bedroom…
CHARLIE'S POV:
I sat curled up in a ball on the sofa when I heard a key in the door and then Ruby's voice… "Charlie? Why is the chain on the door? Let me in…"
Standing up, I moved into the kitchen, shutting and un-chaining the door, opening it so she could step inside…
"You okay?" she questioned
I nodded my head, signalling yes…
"Charlie?" she inquired
"I'm fine, Rubes" I replied
"Is this about Brax?" she asked
"Why does everything have to be about him?" I questioned, throwing my arms up in the air
"I was just asking" she sighed, placing her bag on the floor "if it's not him, what is it then?"
"Sorry, I didn't mean to snap" I admitted "but it is about him. Oh, Rubes, it's so complicated"
"Charlie, talk to me" she begged
"I've fallen for him" I informed her
"You've fallen in love with Brax? Charlie, this means you two can be together. Finally!" she proclaimed
"No it doesn't, Rubes" I replied
"Why not?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at me in confusion
"He's with Ricky" I informed her
"Wait a minute, you've not told him you love him, have you?" she questioned
"Yeah, I have. Right here about an hour ago" I admitted
"I don't get it" she sighed, running her hands over her face "if you told Brax you love him, why is he with Ricky?"
"Because the reason I've been pretending to be sick is because I've been upset that I saw them kissing" I explained "because he and I had started something in secret and it broke my heart"
"Oh, Charlie" she proclaimed "but how could he pick her over you?"
"He didn't" I informed her "he told me he loved me too, well, more asked if him telling me he loved me would help, and I said no, because he wouldn't have kissed Ricky if he really did"
"Charlie, have you ever thought about things from his side?" she questioned
"What do you mean?" I inquired
"His head is most likely a mess" she replied "you and him had something, then what happened with Ricky happened. You should go and talk things out with him"
"There's nothing to talk out" I informed her "we're over, and he's free to be with Ricky if he wants"
"And how are you going to cope seeing that every single day if it does happen? The Bay's a small town. You're not going to be able to avoid it" she inquired
"I'll manage" I assured her "now was there something else? Because if not, I'm gonna get changed into my gym gear and go for a run"
Ruby sighed heavily and shook her head, signalling no and made her way into the living room and switched the TV on. Making my way into my bedroom, I shut the door behind me and leant against it, hating the fact that I'd fallen for Darryl Braxton…
BRAX'S POV:
"Well that was fun" Ricky chuckled, lifting my arm up, wrapping it around my shoulder as she moved to snuggle into me "when are we gonna do it again?"
"Whenever you like" I informed her, pressing my lips against her forehead softly
"How about now?" she suggested, raising an eyebrow at me as she sat up to look at me
"Unfortunately not" I admitted "as I'm meant to be in work. Later though, yeah?"
"Brax…" she sighed as I pulled away from her and climbed out of bed
"What?" I questioned
"Are you sure this is what you want?" she inquired
"Course" I replied "why?"
"It's just as though your mind is elsewhere. If this isn't what you want, we can forget it" she informed me
"I don't wanna forget it" I admitted as I picked my t-shirt up and pulled it over my head "and as much as you say you'd be able to forget it, you wouldn't. Everything's fine. Things are just a bit hectic at work. I'll see you later, yeah?"
She nodded her head, signalling yes… "Aren't you forgetting something?"
Turning back as I headed to the door, I smirked at her and moved back to the bed, pressing my lips against hers softly…
So Charlie's in denial, and Brax is lying to Ricky about how he really feels? What's gonna happen next? Let's just say Ruby's right about Summer Bay being a small town and Ruby not being able to avoid their relationship…