The next day Brian and AJ met the girls at the beach. When AJ saw Trisha his mouth gapped. Brian laughed at the response. Trisha was also a little star struck which would explain why she was so excited.

"Oh my gosh! AJ! Hi!" Trisha immediately gave AJ a huge hug and AJ showed Brian a thumbs up behind her back. Brian laughed. He turned to Jennifer and suddenly he became a little shy.

"Jennifer, hi." he said quietly. His cheeks turned bright red.

Jennifer thought he was so adorable the way he blushed. She knew he wasn't wanting a relationship just yet. She knew this because she felt the same way when she and Brad broke up.

"Brian, hey, great to see you again." she smiled and he barely looked her in the eyes.

Jennifer was beginning to think Brian wasn't really interested in her but he had been the one to call. She stared at him, but Brian just stared at the ground. She looked around for her best friend. Trisha was off walking down the beach with AJ. They seemed to have really hit it off, because AJ was trying to push her into the water.

"AJ!" she squealed when she felt the water come flooding into her shoes.

"What?" he asked innocently. Then a smile spread across his face. He picked her up and ran into the ocean clothes and all. Waves crashed over them and soaked the two. AJ's bright red hair was soaking wet. All of a sudden red stuff started running down his neck.

Trisha started laughing, "Your hair... your... hair!"

AJ put her down on her feet.

"Huh?" AJ put his hand to his hair and when he pulled it away his hand was red, "Shit, it's washing out. I forgot not to wash my hair for three days!"

Trisha covered her mouth trying not to laugh.

"Oh, you think that's funny?" AJ asked.

Trisha shook her head but was giggling so hard her face was turning purple. AJ scooped her up again and ran further into the ocean. The waves soaked them and the hair dye continued to wash out only this time it was getting all over Trisha. Trisha struggled to get out of AJ's arms. When she did, she started splashing him with the bluish-green salt water.

"You wanna play like that, eh?" AJ began to splash her more forcefully than she had splashed him.

Meanwhile Brian and Jennifer were still on the beach. Jennifer took Brian by his hand. She took him to the part of the beach where the ocean shore met the sand slightly. She sat down in the sand pulling Brian down with her.

When he sat next to her, she pulled his tennis shoes and socks off, and she removed her shoes as well. They sat silently as they let the water run over their bare feet.

"Brian, I know you really don't consider this a date." Jennifer blurted.

Brian looked a bit surprised, "Well, no... I don't I think it is too soon to be dating again. Nikki really did a lot of damage to me. The pain is still fresh."

Jenny looked a little hurt but she tried not to let it be noticeable.

Brian took her hand, "Don't feel hurt, you are really sweet and all but Jennifer, I'm not going to date for a very long time. I really am bitter towards women right now."

"I understand." Jennifer said softly.

Letting go of her hand Brian said, "We can be really good friends with no romance involved. That is if it's okay with you."

Jennifer just stared at the ocean and then she looked at Brian, "Yeah, that is fine Brian. Just friends. So, if we are just friends then you should confide in me."

Brian didn't want to tell her anything, but maybe she could give him a fresh point of view. He was sick of AJ, Nick, Howie, and Kevin's opinion.

"How long did you date?"

"Two and a half years." Brian said his voice cracking.

"Oh, really? Let me ask you something?"

"Yeah?"

Jennifer began to play with the sand nervously, "What was worse about the Nikki thing. Her cheating on you period? Or her cheating on you with your COUSIN?"

"I think if it hadn't been Chad it wouldn't be so bad. But I grew up with him in Kentucky. We were best friends like you and Trisha."

Jennifer was stunned. She didn't know why, but she was. Brian looked at her with his blue eyes and said," How about you? You had any bad relationships?"

Tears came to Jennifer's eyes as she remembered the things she had gone through with Brad. She turned away from Brian to wipe her tears. Brian knew she was crying.

"Oh, gosh. I am so sorry." he said putting an arm around her and pulling her close for a hug. If there was one thing in the world Brian didn't like to see, it was a girl crying.

"I'm fine. I feel so stupid crying in front of you." she forced a smile.

He kind of laughed, "That is nothing to be embarrassed about. You're a girl it's okay," he joked, "So, at least tell me his name."

Jennifer took a deep breath, "Brad."

Brian could see the hurt in her eyes. It was the same feeling that he had for Nikki, "I wouldn't mind listening, if you would like to tell me."

"No." she said bluntly. She quickly stood up and began walking away from Brian. He jumped up and grabbed both their shoes as he chased after her. When he caught up with her he grabbed her arm causing him to drop the shoes.

"Look, Jen, I told you about me and Nikki. Tell me about Brad." his blue eyes pleaded.

"Brian, it's nothing that I want to talk about. At least not yet." with that she took her shoes and walked into the direction of where AJ and Trisha were.

"Trish, I'm ready." she called out.

Jennifer left with Trisha without saying good bye to Brian.

"Did you tell him about Brad?" Trisha asked when they were driving down the road. Jennifer didn't respond she just gripped the steering wheel and turned the radio on. The first song that came on was, "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely." Jennifer could relate.