Flawless

Theo dropped Jesse and I off at the Domestic Airport in Perth so we could go home to our parents for the Summer holidays. Jesse had two weeks holidays off from work and I didn't start my new job for another two weeks so it worked perfectly.

'I'll miss you,' said Theo as he helped me get my luggage out of his trunk.

'I told you to come with us,' I replied.

'I wish I could get time off work' Theo said with a sigh.

He kissed me and held it a bit longer than I expected and finally let go. I bid him farewell and followed Jesse through the crowd of people to our gate.

I hadn't been home since I had moved; not because I didn't want to, I just didn't have time. Things in Perth had worked out really well for me and Theo was a big part of that. We had even recently discussed moving in together.

When we got off the plane and towed our luggage to the pick up point, I was elated to see my eager parents waving at the both of us. Mum scooped me up in her arms while Dad wrapped his arm around Jesse.

'My boys!' exclaimed Mum, 'I'm so excited to see you!'

The car trip home was a non-stop conversation of our time in Perth, what it was like, how the weather was there and all sorts of Perth-related nonsense.

We rolled up at my old house and I breathed a sigh of relief as I stared up at the house I missed and didn't miss at the same time.

I had a few friends that I wanted to catch up with back here and made a mental note to message them, but for now, I was aching for a nap.

'Rayne,' Jesse approached me quietly after we ate breakfast the next morning, 'I need your help.'

Jesse and I were always close but living together at Perth had made our brotherly bond rocksolid.

'What's up?'

'I haven't told you one of the reasons why I wanted to come here for the holidays,' he began, 'Megan and I have been talking again and I really want to see her.'

Megan was Jesse's ex-girlfriend who I grew to be quite fond of while they were together. They broke up on good terms but couldn't find common ground on where they stood with each other.

'Are you going to see her?'

'I'm going to see her tonight; that's where you come in. I need help finding an outfit - this sort of thing is up your alley'. Jesse squirmed nervously as he talked about it.

I laughed and patted him on the back. 'Give me half an hour and we'll go shopping.'

Jesse was very much a casual man and his job allowed him to remain so, so when he stated that he needed a suit, I couldn't help but laugh.

We walked through the familiar mall as I looked around at the place I was so used to. We walked into a specialised mens fashion store as I began to look around for something I thought Jesse would look handsome in.

'No, Lisa, it's a bit too tight.'

I looked over my shoulder and spotted someone that I had been dreading to bump into. I was a second too late to look away and pretend as if I hadn't seen him as Brendan looked at me and froze.

I feigned a smile and looked away, pretending to be interested in the rack in front of me.

'Rayne?'

I looked over at him as he approached me in a suit, which was too tight for him. He looked a whole lot bigger than when I had last seen him but everything else still remained the same; his big brown eyes and his styled blonde hair.

'Hey Brendan, how are you?'

'I'm great! How've you been?'

A girl appeared and wrapped her arm around Brendan's.

'I've been good. Rayne, this is my friend Lisa' he said, hesitating a bit before introducing her as his "friend".

I smiled and shook her hand as a part of my heart sank, knowing that Lisa was more than a "friend".

'Brendan's told me a lot about you' said Lisa with an indecipherable look on her face. A tinge of jealousy, maybe?

'Good things, I would hope.'

Lisa smiled and walked off while Brendan opted to remain standing with me.

'What are you doing here? Have you moved back?'

'No, just on a holiday,' I replied.

'Oh.' Brendan looked disappointed. 'How's Perth?'

'It's good, Theo and I -' I stopped speaking and Brendan looked away. 'It's good,' I finished.

Jesse finally noticed where I was and saw Brendan. His eyes widened as he stared at me with an amused expression on his face. Brendan looked over his shoulder and waved at Jesse who waved back.

'How long are you here for?' asked Brendan.

'For two weeks.'

'We should catch up,' he suggested.

I loved the idea, I really did. But I didn't know what to think.

'Maybe,' I said with a smile.

I went to walk away but Brendan grabbed my wrist gently, his familiar touch sending a shiver up my spine.

'I missed you,' he mumbled.

I sighed and looked at him, the old feelings I felt for him all rushing back at the same time. I couldn't lie to myself. I missed him every day, but it was fading away. I had established a new, great life for me without him.

'Are you going to say something?' he said.

'I have to go.'

Brendan let go of my wrist and offered me a half-smile. I attempted a smile and left the store against Jesse's protests.