Bookshop Encounters (Chris Kendall/Crabstickz) Bk 1: FF Series

Chapter Thirteen: Brighton & Board Games Pt.2

Chapter Thirteen: Brighton & Board Games Pt.2

RACHEL

The train ride was awkward to say the least, I made an excuse that I needed to edit my last video which allowed me to put in my headphones and block out the conversation the other three were having. I got a text off Dan stating that he knew I didn't have a video to edit, I shot him a look that all but said don't you dare tell or I'll make you hurt. He backed down after that.

DAN

Hopefully things would be better when we got to Brighton; Rachel was messing around on her laptop while Chris was engrossed with something on his phone. Phil glanced over at me and all I could do was shrug my shoulders, it wasn't my place to tell Phil what Rachel had told me because that would be breaking a promise. I hated knowing this information about Chris and Amber, but the one positive that came from all of this was the fact I wasn't weak and immune to Amber.

CHRIS

Rachel and Dan had been acting odd since the train station, were they up to something that they didn't want Phil and me to know? I tried to engross myself in my phone as to not think about it but it was hard not to think. I needed to tell Rachel everything, I didn't want to ruin Brighton but how could I be around her when I knew I was going to hurt her badly.  Hopefully PJ could pull off a big enough of a distraction for all four of us that I didn't have to think of the million ways Rachel would react to my devastating news.

PHIL

I had a sneaking suspicion that Rachel had told Dan something back at the station; they were acting odd around Chris which only strengthened my suspicions. What if Rachel already knew about Chris and Amber but was waiting for Chris to confess his wrong doing? It would take a weight off my shoulder but it also meant that the longer Chris waited that the more hurt Rachel would come out of the situation. She was like a little sister to me and I hated the idea of seeing her broken by one of my best friends, but Chris and Rachel needed to deal with this issue before it blew up in both of their faces. Dan and I could only do so much before the rest was down to those two.

PJ

The train pulled into the station and I was seconds away from being re-united with my four friends. I was always asked why I chose to live in Brighton instead of London like the others, but I preferred Brighton and the beach and the different pace of lifestyle that wasn't fast and hectic. Chris was the first person off the train and he helped Rachel with her bag, I was happy for them as a couple who could go the distance. Dan and Phil followed shortly and they made their way down the platform towards where I was waiting patiently. These couple of days were going to be great.

"Peej."

Chris dropped his bag and threw his arms around me, the other three laughed as Chris buried his head into my shoulder. I patted my friend on the back and looked over to a grinning Rachel.

"Do you want your boyfriend back?"

She shrugged her shoulders and her face turned serious for a few seconds before she composed herself.

"Nah you can keep him PJ, he's all yours."

Next to Rachel though they didn't think they'd done anything both Dan and Phil tensed up when Rachel turned serious. I quirked an eyebrow in Phil's direction and he shook his head. Had I missed something big?

"Let's take this lovefest back to your place PJ."

Chris released me and picked up his bag, other three did the same and we walked in silence to where I parked the car. You could cut the tension with a knife.

RACHEL

The rest of the night went smoothly, once we arrived at PJ's we got settled in and ordered pizza. Chris and I did the couple things such as sitting next to each other and messing around with each other to keep up the facade, if only Phil and PJ could see that my smile was fake. Dan kept a close eye on me all night which I was thankful for but I felt Chris getting worked up by it as the night unfolded. Did he think that there was something going on between Dan and me? He had no right to think that after he cheated on me.