My best friend's brother and my brother's best friend (2016)

A conflict of interests

*Picture of Jeremy*

"Do you miss America then?" I ask Alex as we sit at a safe distance from the party, though still close enough to feel the irresistible heat from the bonfire.

"Yeah, I mean I've lived there my whole life but I think I would have left anyway. Sooner or later." He replies thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?" I respond, letting my eyes flutter across his defined face.

"I'm not the kind of guy that wants to stay in one place," he laughs staring ahead intently.

I follow his gaze to the bonfire and watch all the illuminated, dark figures.

"Yeah, my thoughts exactly," I agree, "I think I have fear of waking up one day and being full of regrets."

I must have sounded somewhat sad because he turns and gazes at me before smiling and shaking his head.

"You know it's weird, I haven't even known you twenty four hours but it seems so much longer, you're so easy to talk to." He says and I laugh in response, realising how oddly profound I must have sounded.

"Yeah, you too." I reply, gently smiling back, this does seem like a boy I've known my whole life.

I cross my legs and accept another dark fruit cider off Alex. Snapping it open I check on Cara across the beach laughing and joking with at least a dozen people. I swear she has too many friends.

"You know," Alex starts, snapping open his own cider and taking a swig, "I'm surprised you haven't already been snapped up by another guy."

I smile thinking back on my very bland dating history. I've been on a few dates before but nothing serious, hell I've barely even kissed a guy before. Not properly. Alex looks surprised when I tell him this, obviously I don't tell him that the reason why is that I've been holding out for some ridiculous fantasy, with a guy I'll probably never even have.

We spend the rest of the night getting to know everything about each other, even the little things. Like how when I was seven I'd stay up all night every night just to see a shooting star. I tell him how in the end I never saw one and ended up getting caught by my mum when I fell asleep in class at school.

Alex tells me about the time, on the way to the beach, he twirled his towel in the air and it got caught under the front wheel of his bike. Needless to say, he ended up needing several stitches.

"I didn't realise the time," I gasp as I reply to my mum's text and sneakily check my appearance in the front camera. "I probably shouldn't stay out much longer," I continue smiling up at him from my phone.

At just the same time, Cara appears above me, steady as a rock. It's not fair she could have drunk all the alcohol here and it probably wouldn't affect her coordination.

"Well well, what's going on here?" She says smiling.

"Cara this is Alex, Alex this is my best friend Cara," I retort widening my eyes at her, warning her not to be embarrassing.

"It's nice to meet you," Alex replies charmingly "hope you're enjoying the party."

"Yeah, it's pretty impressive." she nods looking around and tucking a lose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Mum just text me asking what time we'll be back." I state looking up at her.

"Yeah, Eli just text and offered to pick us up so he'll be here in about fifteen." She remarks calmly, inspecting her silver acrylic nails.