Part 5
Wil sat on the beach again, his thoughts once again on Paul. But he was now even more confused than before. He'd wanted to know how Paul felt about him, and that question had been answered. But he hadn't expected Corinne to show up, and he certainly hadn't expected to learn that she'd slept with Paul.
"Wil?"
He looked up to see Corinne standing next to him.
"Can I sit down?"
"Yeah sure."
Corinne sat down on the sand next to Wil, and for a few minutes they sat there together in silence, staring out at the surf. It was Corinne who first broke the silence.
"So are you going to tell me what's up with you and Paul?"
"If you tell me the same thing."
Corinne sighed. She knew she owed it to Wil to tell him the truth.
"You know Paul and I have always been close. Well last year Paul was in Melbourne for the comedy festival and he'd just broken up with Jo and I was feeling lonely as well and one thing just led to another."
"So it was just a one-time thing?"
"It was on and off for a little while. We never had a real relationship it was just a sex thing. But we're still friends and we still love each other, which will never change. And I know that you love him too."
"Of course I love him, he's my best friend."
"I know you better than that Wil. You don't just love him as a friend, you're in love with him aren't you?"
Wil kept his gaze fixed on the water as he spoke.
"I love him more than anything in this world. I love him so much it hurts."
Corinne placed a hand on Wil's arm and he turned to look at her. She smiled.
"I've known you both for a long time. I've seen the way you've been looking at Paul; he's been looking the same way at you. It's obvious that you both love each other, I'm just surprised it's taken you this long to figure it out.
"I've known I loved him for a long time Corinne. But that's not much good if he doesn't love me too."
"Didn't you hear what I just said? He loves you too, why can't you see that?"
"He doesn't love me. I'd just be another notch on his belt."
"You don't believe that anymore than I do."
Wil didn't answer, he just continued staring out at the ocean. Corinne sighed. She saw the deep feelings between Paul and Wil, they were in love with each other and she knew it. But it was up to them to figure it out. She couldn't do anymore. She got to her feet and placed a gentle hand on Wil's shoulder.
"I'm obviously not the one you need to be talking to Wil."
She turned and walked back up the beach, leaving Wil alone with his thoughts once more. He knew that she was right, that he needed to talk to Paul, but he was just afraid. Deep down he knew that Paul loved him and wanted him, but there was still that doubt lurking in the back his mind.
Wil stood up and walked back up the beach to the apartment once more, wanting to erase that doubt from his mind once and for all.
part 6