Just friends - Owen Joyner

Chapter 16

Maui, HI
November 27th, 2019

It's now the day before Thanksgiving, and we're on the beach eating lunch.

It's around 1 in the after, the hot sun beating down on us.

"It's so hot" I mumble, wiping the sweat off my forehead with the back off my hand.

Charlie nods, "nothing like Vancouver in late November I'll tell you that".

"Anyone want to go in the water?" I ask, standing up and brushing sand off of me.

"I'll go" Charlie speaks up, grabbing his shirts and pulling it up over his head.

I turn around to face Owen, trying to read his facial expression.

He just waves in, showing that it's okay for me to go in with out him.

"Come on, come in with us" I ask him.

"It's okay, I'll come in later" he says smiling, but I can tell it's forced.

"If you're sure.." I quietly, and he nods.

Charlie runs ahead of me, jumping in head first.

"Slow down!" I yell, walking through the water.

He splashes water in my face, making me even more pissed.

"Charlie, I swear to god" I scream, trying to put him in a headlock but he's too slippery.

He just laughs and tries to shove me away, but I shove back.

After our overly dramatic water fight, I decided to get out of the water and dry off.

"You and Charlie seem to be really getting along, huh?" Owen asks, handing me a towel.

"He was being a dick!" I yell, trying to defend myself.

I grab his red hat that he was wearing backwards, and put it on my head.

"Mine now" I tell him, sticking out my tongue.

"Nope" he tries to grab it back, but I swat his hand away.

"Oh come on" he complains, trying to get it back again.

"Please" I beg, turning it backwards.

"Fine" he mumbles, handing it back to me.

I flash him a innocent smile and grab my phone from my bag.

I text my mom, and then put my back in my bag and lie down on my chase.

I turn my head to the side and try to take a nap, still since I was still a little jet lagged.

About 30 minutes later, I feel someone assuming it's Charlie who just got out of the water, reach over me to grab a towel.

"Do you need to stand right over me, you're dripping wet" I ask him, shifting my position, sitting up now.

"Well, considering my towel is right next to you, yes" he replies, warping the towel around him and sitting down in the chase next to me.

I just ignore him and lie back down.

"Hey, you got Owen's hat" he points out.

"Yes, she did in fact steal it" Owen adds turning his head to look at us.

"I like the way you think" Charlie whispers in my ear making me laugh.

"Why do you guys always whisper?" Owen asks, raising his sunglasses so we can see his eyes.

"Nothing bro, don't worry about it" Charlie says, hitting his shoulder softly.

He doesn't seem convinced, and his eyes flicker back and forth from Charlie and I.

"Is someone jealous?" I say sarcastically, making him annoyed.

"No way, why would I be?" He says quietly, his voice stern.

"Because Charlie and I are getting closer?" I say to him, but it comes out more like a question.

"I am not jealous" he repeats, a little louder this time.

I put my hands up, surrendering, and then put my sunglasses back on and close my eyes.

Charlie gets up to get get a drink and Owen comes and sits on my chair, our thighs touching now but he doesn't move.

"You know I'm not jealous right?" He says leaning over me, our noses practically touching,his chain dangling in my face.

"I know, Owen. I was just making sure that you're okay" I tell him quietly, slowly pushing him away.

"I'm okay" he says softly sitting down next to me, our bodies touching.

"Hey guys!" Charlie yells from behind, hearing his footsteps come closer.

I keep forgetting he can legally drink.

"Hi Charlie" I speak up, reaching over to take a sip of my water.

"Well, aren't you two just the cutest!" He says, pointing between the two of us.

I feel my face get hot as I scoot a little bit away farther from Owen so our bodies aren't touching anymore.

I see his facial expression drop at our loss of contact, but it changes within a second.

"Charles, I can't do this today, not again" I tell him as I stand up to stretch.

He just laughs and takes a sip of his drink, sitting on the farther chair away from Owen and I.

"You ready to go in?" I ask Owen, and he stands up.

"You are" he says and see him coming closer to me and picking me up: a hand wrapped around my waist and the other wrapped around my legs (bridal style).

"No way. No fucking way, put me down!" I scream but starts running faster towards the water.

"I hate you" I tell him coldly, making him roll his eyes.

"No you don't, trust me" he says quietly before throwing me in to the water.

"You fucking bitch!" I yell once I come up from the water.

He just laughs from the shore, a amused smile on his face.

"I'm gonna get you back!" I scream, walking out of the water.

"I wanted to go in, not be thrown in" I say walking up to him, and looking up.

"It's what you get for stealing my hat" he says, shrugging.

"Oh ya speaking of your hat, it's some where in the water no-" I tell him, smiling.

"What?!" He yells running towards the water, diving in head first.

"Good luck finding it!" I yell, turning my back towards him and walking back to dry off again.

"I can't believe you" he says, out of breath.

"It's what you deserve" I say, a mischievous smirk on my face.

He flips me off, and grabs the towel I was using.

"Hey!" I say, trying to grab it back.

"They argue like a married couple. I should know" I hear Jeremy mumble to Charlie.

"I heard that!" I tell Jeremy, not even turning my head to look at him.

"So about your hat..?" I ask him.

"It's gone" he mumbles, putting his shirt on.

"Hmm" is all I say, feeling kind of bad that it was actually gone.

"I'm sorry" I tell him sincerely.

"You bitch" he says to me, laughing.

"Well, fuck you too" I say, making him smile.