The afternoon sun was high in the sky, it's heat beating down on us. It was probably a hundred degrees out. I hardly had time to think about the weather when I was currently trying to knock Ariel off of Bobby's shoulders.

My attempts to win the game were weakened by my laughter caused by the commentary from both Julian and Bobby. I'd always wondered what the two of them had in common other than their job.

"You called my top pink when it was clearly salmon!" Julian squealed in what I think was meant to be my voice.

I couldn't tell which was making me laugh more; their voices or what the thought girls fought over.

"At least I complemented you," Bobby counter in an equally high pitched voice. "You haven't even mentioned my new haircut. I spent nearly thirty bucks on it. And does anyone take the time to tell me how nice it looks? No."

His girl voice was gone by the end of his rant. Ariel, Julian and I froze, our eyes darting to a red faced Bobby.

"You okay, man?"

He cleared his throat, nodding at Julian's question. "Yeah. No. I'm good," he said quickly. "Just would've been nice if someone had said something."

"Aw, baby," Ariel cooed kissing the top of his head.

Who knew he was so sensitive about his hair.

"Got room for two more?"

My stomach lurched at the sound of Melanie's voice. I turned my attention to her and Adam as they made their way to the water. The entire mood shifted. Playful to tense in a second. I'm sure it didn't go unnoticed by anyone.

Ariel seemed to be the most distressed and confused about how to handle her best friend. She reminded me of Kells, having to accept my relationship with Adam even though she didn't approve of it. Ariel held back the eye rolls and snarky comments, though.

"Yeah," I said before climbing down from Julian's shoulders. "I'm taking a snack break."

The awkwardness was too much for me. I couldn't get out of that water fast enough. Julian fell into step beside me as I made my way to seating area we set up.

"I take back what I said before." He glanced at me, eyebrows raised. "This isn't our first date. My ex can't be present on our first date."

+ + +

The sun was beginning to dip into the ocean, leaving the sky streaked with orange. I sat in the shade of umbrella with Tarah while the other's played touch football. Julian, Bobby and Ariel against Chris, Adam and Melanie. They tried to talk the two of us into playing, but Tarah and I have a strict no physical activity in million degree weather policy.

"Damn," Tarah whistled. "I love my Chris, but would you look at the physique on that Adam. Mel is lucky to know what those arms feel like."

My body went stiff at her words. Mel is lucky. Something burned in the pit of my stomach. It couldn't be jealousy. Why would it be? I was over Adam. Completely. Maybe it was the vegan hotdog Ariel talked me into eating.

Tuning out any more commentary from Tarah, I tried to focus on the game. I didn't know who was winning or if they were even keeping score. I did know that I couldn't keep my eyes off of Julian as he ran along the beach.

He caught me staring, a smile stretched across his face. I waved, feeling a smile of my own growing. What I felt in my chest only confirmed that I was definitely over my ex.

The moment was short lived when the football collided with Julian's face. I was on my feet and by his side before I could fully process what had happened. His nose was bleeding, but he insisted that he was fine. That didn't stop my worrying, though.

"My bad," Adam called out. I could practically hear the smirk in his voice. Asshole.

I glared at Adam as we walked by to get Julian something for nose. He tried to shield his amusement with an apologetic look. It wasn't working. He did it on purpose. I wasn't the only the one who noticed either. Melanie was beside him, watching him with sad eyes.

A part of me felt bad for her. Probably wondering if her new boyfriend was still stuck on his ex. I really hoped that he wasn't. I couldn't handle a jealous ex.

I sat with Julian by the fire pit, handing him tissue from my tote. "You're sure it's not broken or something?"

"Just a nose bleed," he assured me, his voice muffled under the tissue. A few beats of silence passes before he added, "I'm glad this isn't our first date."

+ + +

With little light left in the day we started packing up and getting ready to go. I struggled to get the beach umbrella to collapse, mostly because of the small bugs flying around my face.

"Here, let me do it." I let out an unmistakable groan at the sound of Adam's voice. When he reached for the umbrella I smacked his hand away.

"I got it."

Instead of taking that answer and leaving he grabbed the umbrella from me, getting it to fold down with ease. I started towards the boat where everyone else was trying to get everything to fit back in the small compartments.

"You really like that dude?"

I should've ignored him and kept walking, but I've never been good at that. "Why do you care?" I asked, turning to face him.

"You can do better that," he said, simply. "He's not right for you."

"Why?" I challenged, folding my arms over my chest. "Because he's from the other side of the freeway?"

"It's not about where he's from. It's what he does on his free time," he said. "I don't want to see you get caught up in all that."

My brow creased. The genuine concern in his voice had me thrown. I glanced back at Julian who was, as usual, looking down at his phone. He was always on it, mostly watching anime. Sometimes I'd catch him texting with a look on his face that made me think that in at any moment he'd throw the device across the room.

A familiar, completely unwelcome, feeling filled my gut. Doubt. No. I wasn't letting him get into my head like that. He just doesn't want to see me with anyone. He's jealous and trying to hide it under false concern.

My gaze darted back to Adam, fist clenching at my sides. I folded my arms across my torso to hide them. I knew he wouldn't give me a straight answer, but I asked anyway, "Why are you telling me this?"

"Why do you think?" He almost sounded annoyed by my question. "I still care about you. I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Oh." A dry laugh spilled from my lips. "Is that task only reserved for you?"

He had nothing to say to that and it felt good. Back on the boat Julian pocketed his phone when I claimed the seat next to him. An easy smile was on his face and it was contagious and soothing.

"What?"

His smile turned into a teasing smirk. "You'll find out"

Clearly, he missed the memo that I am the most impatient person on the planet and teasing me like that would drive me crazy. Or maybe he did and just didn't care.

+ + +

When Bobby dropped my off at home Julian walked me to the front door. It was dark now, the moon casting a pale blue light over everything. It was the perfect end to our not-first-date.

"How's your nose?" I asked, remembering the reason we decided this outing wouldn't be an official date.

He shrugged, lightly touching it. "Sore."

My dislike for my ex simmered through once more. I kept it contained. "Sorry."

"For what?"

"Dating a football player."

He let out a breath of laughter, rubbing the back of his neck. "First date," he said, stacking his fist together. "The real first date. I think I have an idea for it."

This must've been what he was hinting at on the boat. "You going to tell me what it is?"

"No."

My bottom lip poked out. "It's not polite to tease."

"Tuesday. After work." He leaned in to kiss me and I turned away. His warm, slightly chapped lips brushed against my cheek. He pulled away, brow furrowed.

"I don't kiss before the first date."

"I know for a fact that's a lie."

A satisfied smirk pulled across my lips. "Teasing sucks, doesn't it?" I opened the front door behind me, keeping my eyes trained on the boy in front of me. "Goodnight, Julian."

After closing the door between us I practically went limp. The sturdy door being the only keeping me up right. Everything is different with him. More intense. Moving faster than I could keep up with.

Maybe Adam was just being a jealous ex earlier, but he did make me realize that there was a lot I didn't know about Julian. Stuff I needed to learn before I allowed this, whatever I'm feeling, to get any deeper.

"Who's Julian?"

Snapping back to reality, I find my mom and brother standing in front of me. She watched me curious eyes as I pushed away from the door, regaining the feeling in my legs. Jaiden was too focused on his phone. My neck felt hot with embarrassment. Like I'd been caught doing something I wasn't supposed to.

Do I tell her about Julian? Do I keep him a secret until I knew for sure what was going on between us? I didn't get a chance to make up my mind. Jaiden answered for me.

"That's her boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" Mom echoed, tone unreadable.

"Co-worker." It wasn't a lie, but wasn't the complete truth. We were more like kissing co-workers at the moment.

She didn't say anything and I couldn't sense what she felt about it. Was she happy I was moving on? Thinking I was moving too fast? She told me she was going to pick up something for dinner and left, Jaiden following her out. I discreetly smacked him in the back of the head as he passed by me.

When I get up the stairs I could hear movement in the baby's room. I paused at the door to listen as my dad swore under his breath. He must've be in there trying to put something together.

I stop in the bathroom to start the shower. There was sand in places sand shouldn't be. As I picked out pajamas to change into my phone chimes with a message. It was from Julian. Just one word but sending an array of emotions through me all at once.

Goodnight

+ + +

Hi. Hello. This chapter is extremely late because I felt like death these last couple of weeks. 

ANYWHO, do you think Adam is being jealous?

Do you think Julian is doing something shady on his phone??

Do you think Julian and Elisa's relationship is moving to fast???

Do you think that I will update in a reasonable amount of time next time???? (i don't)

THANKS FOR READING <3