as briar and isla strolled through the charming streets of Riverside, basking in the warmth of the sun and the excitement of another day together, they suddenly bumped into briar's friends, evie, kaya, and grace.

"hey, look who it is!" evie exclaimed, her face lighting up with a bright smile as she hugged briar.

"long time no see," kaya added in a kiddingly tone, grinning as she joined in the group hug.

"right, this is isla" isla waved, before briar could continue "she's my best friend back in new york. and isla, these are evie, kaya and grace" they greeted each other with bright wide smiles.

grace laughed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "what are you two up to?"

briar and isla exchanged a glance before briar replied, "just enjoying the day. how about you guys?"

"we were just grabbing some lunch," grace answered, motioning towards a nearby café. "why don't you join us?"

briar and isla exchanged a look, silently agreeing that it sounded like a fantastic idea. as they walked together towards the café, the group chatted and laughed, catching up on everything that.

as the conversation flowed, isla couldn't help but feel a pang of concern for briar. with a cautious glance in her friend's direction, she posed the question, "do they also know about the guy who's been causing trouble for you?"

before briar could respond, evie, who had been discreetly eavesdropping on their conversation, chimed in with a reassuring smile. "yes, we do know," she said, her tone firm yet supportive.

isla felt a rush of gratitude towards evie for her unwavering support of briar. "thank you," she said softly, her appreciation evident in her voice.

feeling emboldened by evie's declaration, isla's protective instincts kicked in. "if he still hurts briar, i will go ahead and kick his ass," she declared, her voice laced with confidence.

a mischievous grin spread across grace's face as she nodded in agreement. "ooo, i like her already," she remarked, her eyes sparkling with admiration for isla's fierce loyalty to briar.

briar couldn't help but feel touched by her friends' unwavering support and solidarity. with allies like isla, evie, kaya, and grace by her side, she knew that she didn't have to face her challenges alone.

and as they continued their conversation, briar felt a renewed sense of strength and determination to overcome whatever obstacles lay ahead, knowing that she had an incredible support system standing beside her.

as the conversation continued, the girls shared stories and laughter, their bond growing stronger with each passing moment. suddenly, evie leaned in, her expression curious.

"so, briar," she began, a hint of mischief in her voice, "what's really going on with you and austin? he's been awfully nice to you lately."

briar felt her heart skip a beat at the mention of austin. she glanced around at her friends, all of whom were now looking at her with interest. "w-what?" she stammered, shaking her head as if to dispel the idea. "there's nothing going on."

"is that so?" kaya said, her tone skeptical. "come on, briar. we can tell something's changed. has he caught your eye?"

briar bit her lip, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside her. "no, really. i don't know what you're talking about," she insisted, though her voice lacked conviction.

"isla leaned in, her gaze supportive yet probing. "briar, it's okay to admit if you have feelings for him. we're just looking out for you."

briar sighed, knowing she couldn't keep her thoughts hidden from her friends forever. "i guess... i mean, he's been nicer lately, but it's confusing. one minute he's sweet, the next he's driving me crazy."

grace smirked, crossing her arms. "sounds like classic austin behavior. but seriously, do you think you might like him?"

briar hesitated, her thoughts a jumbled mess. "i don't know. maybe. it's just... complicated."

"isla placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "hey, whatever happens, we're here for you. just be honest with yourself and with him."

evie nodded, her expression softening. "yeah, briar. if he's being genuine, maybe it's worth giving him a chance. but if he ever hurts you again, he'll have to deal with all of us."

kaya added, her tone firm. "exactly. we won't let anyone mess with our girl."

briar felt a surge of warmth and gratitude for her friends. "thanks, guys. i really appreciate it. i guess i'll just see how things go."

"isla grinned. "that's the spirit. now, let's not dwell on it too much. we've got plenty of other things to talk about."

as they continued their conversation, the girls' laughter and chatter filled the air. briar felt a renewed sense of confidence, knowing that she had such a strong support system by her side. with isla, evie, kaya and grace by her side, she had the bestest friends she could ever had.

[...]

while the girls were deep in their conversation, the boys had gathered at their usual spot overlooking the ocean. austin, sam, jax, and jonathan leaned against the railing, enjoying the view and the cool breeze.

sam, always the instigator, broke the silence with a teasing grin. "so, austin, what's the latest with you and briar?"

austin groaned, running a hand through his hair. "not this again," he muttered, but there was no escaping it.

jax smirked, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "come on, man. you can't deny there's something going on. you've been acting different around her."

"yeah," jonathan added, his tone playful. "you've been nicer, almost... sweet."

austin rolled his eyes, trying to brush off their comments. "i'm just being decent. it's not a big deal."

sam wasn't letting him off the hook that easily. "decent, huh? sure sounds like someone's got a crush."

austin's cheeks reddened slightly, and he sighed in exasperation. "fine, maybe i do like her a little. but it's not—" he stopped abruptly, realizing what he'd just admitted.

the boys erupted in laughter, their teasing now reaching new heights. "oh, man, you actually admitted it!" jax exclaimed, clapping austin on the back.

"this is gold," jonathan said, shaking his head in disbelief. "you, of all people, falling for briar."

austin glared at them, but there was a hint of a smile on his face. "yeah, yeah, laugh it up. but if you guys tell anyone, you're dead."

sam grinned, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "our lips are sealed. but seriously, it's about time you admitted it."

austin sighed, leaning back against the railing. "yeah, well, she's different. i don't know. i just... like her."

jax's smirk softened into a genuine smile. "it's cool, man. just be yourself and see where it goes. we're here for you."

jonathan nodded in agreement. "yeah, and if she makes you happy, that's all that matters."

austin felt a wave of relief at his friends' support. "thanks, guys. i appreciate it."

sam, unable to resist one last tease, added, "just don't mess it up, romeo."

the boys shared another round of laughter, the camaraderie and teasing a comforting constant. as they continued to chat, austin felt a renewed sense of confidence. with his friends by his side, he felt ready to navigate his feelings for briar and whatever challenges lay ahead.

( aww, finally our boy austin admitted he has a crush on briar, aww how adorbs! anyway— ) - cory

as the laughter died down, the boys leaned against the railing, the ocean's rhythmic waves providing a soothing backdrop to their conversation. austin stared out at the horizon, his thoughts drifting to briar.

"so," jax said, breaking the silence, "what's your plan, austin? you gonna tell her how you feel?"

austin shrugged, a hint of uncertainty in his eyes. "i don't know. she's complicated, you know? one minute we're getting along, and the next she looks like she wants to punch me."

jonathan chuckled. "sounds like you've got your work cut out for you. but hey, nothing worth having comes easy, right?"

sam nodded in agreement. "true that. but you've got to make a move at some point. sitting around won't get you anywhere."

austin sighed, running a hand through his hair. "yeah, i know. it's just... i don't want to mess things up. she's got this wall up, and i don't want to make things worse."

jax gave him a reassuring pat on the back. "you've already made progress by not being a jerk to her anymore. just be honest. girls appreciate that."

austin laughed, though there was a hint of nervousness in it. "easier said than done, man."

jonathan leaned back, crossing his arms. "you'll figure it out. and if she sees the real you, she'll come around."

sam couldn't resist one last jab. "just make sure you don't do anything stupid, like confessing your love in the middle of a football game or something."

austin smirked. "yeah, thanks for the tip, sam. i'll try to avoid that."

they fell into a comfortable silence, each of them lost in their own thoughts. the sun was beginning to set, casting a golden glow over the ocean, and for a moment, they all simply enjoyed the beauty of the scene.

eventually, jax broke the silence. "alright, enough with the heavy stuff. let's head to the store and grab some snacks. i'm starving."

the boys agreed, their mood lightening as they started down the path towards the local store. as they walked, they joked and teased each other, their friendship providing a steady source of comfort and support.

austin felt a renewed sense of determination. with his friends' encouragement, he was ready to face whatever came next. he didn't have all the answers yet, but he knew he could count on his buddies to have his back, no matter what. and as they reached the store, laughing and joking, austin couldn't help but feel optimistic about the future.

as the boys continued to settled into their usual spots, enjoying the snacks they'd picked up from the store. the air was filled with the scent of freshly cut grass and the distant sound of waves crashing against the shore.

sam, munching on a bag of chips, suddenly decided to share his wisdom. "you know, relationships are like... roller coasters. you just have to hold on tight and scream your head off when things get crazy."

austin, jax, and jonathan exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of disbelief and amusement.

"seriously, sam?" jax said, raising an eyebrow. "that's your analogy for relationships?"

jonathan shook his head, trying to suppress a laugh. "man, that's probably the dumbest thing i've ever heard."

austin couldn't help but chuckle. "yeah, because screaming your head off is really going to solve all your problems."

sam shrugged, unfazed by their reactions. "hey, it works for me. you just have to ride it out and hope you don't throw up."

jax snorted, leaning back in his chair. "well, remind me never to take relationship advice from you."

jonathan nodded, grinning. "no kidding. i'd end up single in a week if i followed your tips."

sam rolled his eyes, but he couldn't hide his grin. "you guys are just jealous of my wisdom."

austin shook his head, still smiling. "or maybe we just have common sense."

they all laughed, the easy camaraderie between them evident. despite the teasing, the bond they shared was unbreakable, built on years of friendship and shared experiences.

as the conversation shifted to lighter topics, the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the courtyard. austin glanced at his friends, feeling grateful for their presence in his life. even when they were poking fun at him or each other, their support was unwavering.

jax leaned forward, his tone more serious. "all jokes aside, austin, if you ever need advice that's not insane, you know we're here for you, right?"

austin nodded, his expression sincere. "yeah, i know. thanks, guys."

jonathan raised his soda can in a mock toast. "to friendship and not listening to sam's relationship advice."

"dude, you don't have to mention it" he scoffed.

they all clinked their cans together, laughing as they did. the evening continued with more jokes, stories, and laughter, the bond between them growing stronger with each passing moment.

and as the stars began to twinkle in the night sky, austin felt a sense of peace. no matter what challenges lay ahead, he knew he wasn't facing them alone. with his friends by his side, he felt ready to tackle anything, even the complicated feelings he had for briar.