Oh,Brother! (Complete)

13: Just Friends

Last night's basketball game seemed like a hazy dream. However, when I woke up this morning, I was reminded that it was not. I picked up my phone from my bedside table seeing a message from Liz and Max both saying the same thing.

Hey, how was the basketball game last night?

One text I felt a little guilt over, and the other I felt an insane amount of guilt. This was Liz's brother for crying out loud. I couldn't be going around kissing her brother. She had already warned me off once for doing it that night in the club and I had promised her it wouldn't happen again. And I had every intention of keeping that promise.... That was until last night.

I groaned and snuggled back into my bed. I knew Liz didn't care for sport, so she wouldn't have watched the basketball game on television. That was one less thing I had to worry about.

Then there was Max. I knew that we weren't exactly together or anything, but I think he was wanting to head in that direction. I still wasn't sure where I wanted to go with Max, but he had been nothing but nice to me and had even taken me out to that amazing ski slopes place.

That night after the basketball game, Jason dropped me off home. We didn't speak to each other after the kiss and watched the rest of the game in silence. The car ride back home, however, was a different story:

"I think we should discuss what just happened there" Jason started; his attention focused on the road ahead of him.

I nodded in agreement. Unlike the last time, where I could ignore it and blame it on us being drunk, we both knew what we were doing this time. "Yeah" I sighed and pursed my lips, thinking of what to say next "We just did that again" I chuckled, trying to make light of the situation.

Jason chuckled, relaxing slightly at the wheel "We sure did"

I hated serious situations and would always default to making jokes in the worst situations. My first thought was of Liz "Can we not tell Liz about this please?"

"Why not? It was just a kiss for the kiss cam, right?"

"I know but she wasn't too happy about our last kiss"

"She saw that?"

"Yeah" I nodded "She said to make sure it didn't happen again, and to be honest, I didn't think it would"

Jason chuckled, probably remembering that first time too "I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy tonight's kiss. And the one before that"

I blushed at his confession. I didn't want to admit it out loud, but I enjoyed those kisses too, so I brought the topic back around to Liz "So you won't say anything to Liz?"

Jason sighed "Sure, if it means that much to you, I won't say anything"

"Thanks Jason" I sighed; glad he was understanding. Liz and I had been friends since kindergarten. She was the one constant thing, besides my parents, in my life and I wouldn't want anything to jeopardise that. "What about Ian?"

"What about him?" Jason asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

Too late I had realised what I had just said "I mean, wont he have been watching the game? And Ethan too? They'll know what happened "

"Don't worry. I'll let them know not to say anything to Liz" Jason said, already one step ahead me.

I smiled, grateful to have someone like Jason in my life.

Later on that day, I met up with Max at a little ice cream parlour that we used to frequent often during our college days. I opted for a white chocolate ice cream while Max went for a vanilla milkshake. We had chatted for a while, but I had a feeling he had a reason for bringing me here.

"Can I just ask you something?" he started "about the basketball game yesterday"

I knew that was coming. He hadn't mentioned it all day but knew it was why he had asked me to come out in the first place. "Let me guess, you want to know about the kiss between Jason and I?"

"I just didn't realise there was another guy in the picture" Max shrugged.

"There isn't" I clarified, chuckling. "Jason is Liz's brother. There was a kiss cam and it so happened to point to us. When the crowd are jeering at you like that, it's kind of hard to ignore them" I said, but as I said it, I had to question, was that true?

"I get that. But what does that mean for us?"

"What about us?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.

"Where are we headed? I kind of thought maybe we felt the same way about each other and figured maybe we could take the next step and maybe get back together again?"

I sighed "Max, I've really enjoyed spending time with you, I really have, but I just need some more time to think this through. I mean, we already tried it once before, so I just want to make sure everything is perfect before jumping back into it again"

"I get that" Max nodded. "I just think our meeting again that day at the store was not a coincidence"

I chuckled "Liz said the same thing" Was it really a coincidence? Maybe it was but I couldn't figure out the reason why.

"Are you close with Liz's brother?" Max asked, circling back to the topic of Jason.

"I suppose so. I've known him for as long as I've known Liz"

Max nodded "And are you just friends?"

I raised my eyebrows at Max's question, finding his sudden fascination with Jason strange. "Yeah, we are" but as I said it, it made me think. Were we still 'just friends'? We had kissed, twice now, and both times had filled me with feelings I had never felt before. Thinking about it just now, my stomach tingled at the thought of his kisses.

I enjoyed being with Max but ever since the kiss with Jason, I couldn't help but compare it with Max. Did his kisses ever evoke the same spine-tingling feelings? I would be lying if I said yes. But Max made me feel special and made me feel like I was the only girl in the world.

Plus, Jason was Liz's brother, nothing could ever happen. It was only a kiss for crying out loud. So, why did those kisses leave me with so many questions? Why did his kisses take over my thoughts?

We were just friends, plain and simple. I had to get that through my mind. Sometimes, it was difficult to forget that he was my best friends' brother. Working with him at the office, I had gotten to know him so much more and I enjoyed our time together, which was something I never thought I would say.

Maybe a little time away from the Agreste household would clear my mind. I think I spent too much time there.

"Looks like I'll have to meet my competition" Max smirked, breaking me out of my thoughts.

I scoffed, rolling my eyes "There is no competition"

"There's obviously something or someone stopping you from jumping into my arms" Max laughed. "How about we all hang out one day. There's that new club that just opened, we could meet there sometime"

I nodded, not really paying much attention to what he was saying. One thing he did say, however, stuck out at me. Was there really someone stopping me from moving forward with Max?