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As usual, Mack was making her way to the beach.
She had planned to meet up with Brady there. Only with him.
They really needed to talk.
Tanner and Lela couldn’t be there with them.
To distract them for a few hours, they recruited Brady’s friend Devon to take them to the movies and make sure they don’t get into any trouble. Though in hindsight, that was a moot point, seeing as Devon would definitely enable their wild behavior.
Oh, well. That was a problem for future Mack and Brady.
Current Mack and Brady were sitting in the lifeguard’s seat, taking in the breeze, the beautiful sunset, and feeling uncomfortable.
Really uncomfortable.
The silent tension, it was loud.
To say that their relationship was on the rocks wouldn’t be entirely accurate, but they were a lot more distant than they once were. They seemed to behave more like best friends and less like a couple in recent months. They couldn’t even remember the last time they’d kissed or held hands or anything.
However, unlike their stress surrounding their first relationship drama at the start of that one school year, here they were… passive. Letting it happen. Washing over them.
They could live with going on like this.
There were… outside factors, however. Ones that they needed to address to see where they went from here with each other.
“...So…”
Mack hugged her knees to her chest. “So…”
They could both tell what was going on between them.
So they talked.
In between words, sighs, some tears, and a big hug, they decided they were going to test out being just friends. Again, that’s practically what they’ve been for a while now, but to actually solidify that update? Huge. And pretty sad, but que sera sera.
But how did it get to this point? What was distracting them from each other so much?
“So, is there someone else, orrr?”
“Brady!” Mack lightly slapped his arm. “C’mon!”
“What?! I’m just wondering!”
“We just broke up. You think I’ve secretly been with someone else?”
“No! I’m just wondering if there’s a chance you got eyes on someone other than me, that’s all. We’ve even talked about maybe being poly that one time, I think it’s a fair assessment!”
“God, I forgot about that…”
“See? We discussed being with others-”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it…”
“And it was a disaster-”
“I know, jeez…” They didn’t even actually date others, but the concept of being in an open relationship was easier said than done for them.
Mack ran some thoughts in her head, wondering where to start.
See, Mack already knew she also liked girls, and Brady already knew he also liked guys. They already knew this about each other as well.
Something lately just made them yearn for more beyond their now-stale, long-term relationship. And they could tell it had to do with the same genders as their own.
Mack's recent thoughts regarding that area of mushyness involved sleepovers with lots of physical contact, well-used lipgloss, sharing clothes, and bursting out into songs as two girls twirled around together.
Blushing a little and hoping the blonde didn’t notice, she snapped herself out of her thoughts.
She needed a distraction.
“...Well, since you’re asking me… Did any guy in particular spark that, uh, interest of yours?” Mack couldn’t help but rip the bandaid off every now and then.
Noticeably stiffening up his posture, Brady’s voice was high pitched. “What? ...Nooo…”
Mack raised an eyebrow at him with a smile. He was so easy to read.
Brady couldn’t even pretend to lie anymore. He slumped his shoulders with a defeated exhale: “...Tanner…”
“Tanner...” She repeated, not holding back a shit-eating grin. “Tanner?”
“Can you blame me? Dude looks like a part-time model!”
“Only part-time?”
“He’d probably have to keep his normal job… but still…” While he barely tried to hide it, it was clear just how dreamy Brady apparently found him to be. “Man…”
Mack chuckled.
“What’s so funny?” He asked, sounding a bit more defensive than intending, only digging himself further into a hole. “...D-Don’t tell him anything! Got it?!”
“I should’ve known. You two’re veeery close, hah.”
Brady was quite flustered for a variety of reasons, but two could play that game.
“W-We’re as close as you and Lela are! If not, then you two are even closer!”
Fuck. He was onto her.
“Oh, yeah?” Pretending she wasn’t sweating, Mack crossed her arms. “And what makes you think that?”
“Uhhh, she’s, like, always hugging your arm and you always just let her? She’s constantly holding your hand, you put heart emojis next to each other’s contacts-”
Mack sputtered, face immediately warm. “O-Oh, the pink heart one? It’s just her favorite color, come on!”
“There are lots of other pink ones for her!” Brady prodded. “And is every single other heart emoji YOUR fave?! ‘Cuz that’s how you’re listed under hers!”
“...Wow.”
Hands on his hips, Brady nodded. “Yep! Wow indeed!”
“...Alright, maybe you have a point! …Also! I’m just gonna say it, or else I’ll explode! There was a moment where I swear Lela and I were gonna kiss,” Mack admitted, getting a load off her chest. “We were this close. It didn’t happen, but y’know.”
“Oh?” Brady chuckled, a little incredulously but overall supportive. “For real?! That’s crazy, man.”
Mack held her face, feeling like she would melt into a puddle of embarrassment and the sapphic yearning of a thousand suns. She could rip a pillow apart with her teeth right now. “I knowww…”
“Well, lemme be straight with you- or, gay… I guess… Same thing happened between me and Tanner. Maybe once, or twice… Or… six times…”
“...Hmm.” Recovering from her feelings, Mack smirked. “You’ve definitely put your lips on him. Don’t lie now.”
“...I believe in kissing the homies goodnight, yes.” Brady also admitted, but put his hands up defensively. “N-Not on his lips! Trust me!”
Mack chuckled at this delightfully strange conversation. “Got it. And hey, now you can kiss him goodnight on the lips all you want.”
“GOD, MACK!” Brady blushed a red so deep, even his sunburn couldn’t hide it. “Only if he’d want to, which I doubt…”
Seconds passed.
“Brady.”
“Yeah?”
“Brady…”
“Yeah?! What?”
Mack adjusted her sitting position. “You think that Tanner ‘Looks-At-You-Like-You’re-His-Whole-World’ McWhatshisname isn’t into you?!”
Now Brady felt like he was the one who was about to explode. “Okay, we’re talking about me a liiittle too much here-”
“Never thought I’d ever hear you say that,” she snorted. “Hah.”
“Shut up! Talk more about your undying love for Lela now!”
Mack nearly choked. “Wh- It’s not love , god. She’s just… cute, okay? There. I could see us finally having that kiss sometime, but that’s it.”
Brady mused on that thought a little. “And that’d be awesome. It’d be more than epic if you two became something more, y’know?” He affectionately hit her arm.
She laughed, feeling glad to have him in her life, even with their change in relationship status.
“I know. And it’d be cool if you and Tanner… y’know.” She rested her head against his side, with him eventually copying the same affection.
“Maybe… Maybe someday.”
“...Someday.