Chapter 23

Andy's POV

I leaned against the kitchen’s counter, watching Bree’s face carefully. She chewed on her bottom lip, which was always a sign that she was deep in thought. I had been begging and trying to convince her to come for the barbecue. I mean it was her father that was inviting us and even if she was not on good terms with him, the least we could do was acknowledge the invitation.

“Fine,” Bree finally said with a sigh, crossing her arms. “I’ll go, but only if I can invite Emily and Tyler.”

A sly grin tugged at my lips. Bree had played right into my plan. “Deal,” I said. To be honest, as long as she showed there, I didn't mind who she brought. She had been withdrawing from everyone lately, and all I wanted was for her to relax, even if it was only for a few hours.

It was late afternoon and the barbeque was going strong. There was undoubtedly tension hanging over our small gathering, even though the air was heavy with the hum of conversation and the scent of roasted meat. Bree, Emily, Tyler, Jason, and I were gathered around the picnic table, and it felt like no one exactly knew how to act around each other. Especially with Bree and Jason. Jason kept glancing at Bree every chance he had and then looking away quickly before anyone could catch him.

"Give me the ketchup," Emily nudged Tyler, who had been zoning out.

“You could ask nicely,” he teased, a half smile on his face.

Emily rolled her eyes, but there was light humor in them. “Don’t push your luck.”

Bree, who was sitting directly across from Jason stared at her burger as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. “I think I would skip the ketchup,” she muttered.

Jason smirked, raising an eyebrow at her. “You always do. Too good for it?”

Bree looked up, her eyes sharp but not unkind. “I just prefer not to drown my food, unlike some people.”

There was a brief pause before Tyler laughed. “I don’t know, Bree, you could stand to loosen up a bit. It’s just ketchup.”

Emily elbowed him. “Don’t start.”

Bree seemed to be getting a little uncomfortable, so I tried to break the awkward silence by jumping right in. "Speaking of loosening up, I think it's time for us to go on a swim." I looked at Tyler and Emily. “You two want to help me grab the stuffs we’ll need from inside?”

Jason's eyes were following Bree as I stood, and she seemed relieved to be out of the spotlight for a bit. Jason leaned over to me and whispered to me before we went inside, his voice barely heard above the din of the barbeque. “Thank you.”

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, and a tiny smile appeared on my lips. He clearly enjoyed having Bree all to himself, even if it was only for a short while.

Inside the house, Tyler and Emily helped me gather towels, sunscreen and a few pool floats. Tyler was making small talks with Emily but I didn’t know what it was about, and my thoughts kept drifting to Bree. Something about the way she had been acting today was off- more than just her usual dislike for spending time with her father.

When we stepped back outside, my eyes immediately found Bree. She was not sitting anymore. In fact, she was running towards us, her expression masked with a forced smile.

“Bree, what is wrong?” I asked, concern lacing my voice as I dropped the towels on the nearby lounge chair.

She waved me off, shaking her head. “Nothing. Let’s go swim,” she said, her voice tight. She was trying too hard to sound cheerful.

I narrowed my eyes at her. “Bree, do not give me that. Something’s obviously up.”

She hesitated, looking around briefly before meeting my eyes. “It’s nothing, Andy. Just… it’s nothing, okay? Let’s go swim.”

However, I didn't buy it. It was hard to ignore the strain in her shoulders, and her smile did not reach eyes. Something had happened between her and her father while we were inside. I could feel it. Was it something Jason had said?

Emily must have sensed it too because she djot me a look, silently asking if she should press Bree further. I shook my head slightly. No was not the time to dig. If Bree wanted to talk about it, she would. Eventually.

“Fine,” I said, trying to sound casual. “But don’t think I’m letting this go later.”

Bree let out a nervous laugh. “I would not expect anything other than that from you.”

With the late afternoon sun glistening on the cold blue water, we all made our way to the pool. Bree jumped right in, perhaps wanting to avoid answering any more questions. Jason followed after her, but he gave off the impression that he wasn't sure how near to approach.

It felt good to splash around in the water, and for a little moment, the uneasiness appeared to vanish. Bree was floating on her back, staring up at the sky, while Emily and Tyler were engaged in some absurd race across the pool.

However, I couldn't get rid of the feeling that something wasn't quite right. Bree would subtly move away from Jason whenever he approached her, he putting a distance between them. Usually, I wouldn't have given it a second thought, but today... today it felt weird.

After a while, I eventually went to Bree, who was sitting on the pool's edge with her feet hanging in the water. Beside her, I put my arms up on the edge.

“You sure you’re okay?” I asked softly, not wanting to draw any attention from the others.

She paused one more before nodding. “Yes, I'm alright. Just tired, I guess.”

I didn't push her, but I scowled. There wasn't much I could do if she wasn't ready to talk. Nevertheless, I couldn't resist taking a quick peek at Jason, who was standing on the other side of the pool and observing us with a thoughtful look.

Something had definitely happened between them.