The Comeback Season

|chapter eighty-five|

Three weeks later

A lot has happened the past few weeks.

I was suspended for two days after fighting Rebecca.

Honestly, I expected more, but Principal Bell loves me. I moved on with life, while Cayden had a mini-stroke. He was questioning his actions as a "guardian" and everything. I busted out laughing when he broke out into a sweat. I eventually gave him some ice cream and he calmed down.

Bryce and I's relationship was going great. When I asked him to take it slow, he started moving at a snail's pace.

We go on dates almost every day of the week. You would think it would become exhausting, but it's the opposite. The more we go out, the more I learned about him.

❂❂❂❂❂❂❂❂❂❂❂❂

Flashback

"Aww, he looks so cute."

I flip through Bryce's baby photo album. "He was such a bubbly baby. In every picture, he is smiling." I grab the cup of tea from Mrs. O'Connor while turning through the album. She was completely right. Bryce is smiling in every baby picture.

Mrs. O'Connor tells me different childhood stories. When we come across a picture of Bryce with a girl, who appears a little bit older than him, I notice Mrs. O'Connor's body tense up.

"Is that one of Bryce's friends?" I've noticed she has been in a lot of these pictures.

"Umm, that's our oldest daughter, Brynn."

Bryce never mentioned anything about having a sister. From the delay of response, I know this is a difficult topic. The fact that she doesn't discuss her further and moves on, tells me something happened.

She talks about the pictures of him playing youth football and little league baseball. "I didn't want him to play football because of all the concussions. Clearly, he was very relentless." She told me that when Bryce was twelve, he did an entire presentation on the positive aspects of football. "His main point was that he was good." We both giggle at the picture of Bryce with his poster.

Mrs. O'Connor shows me pictures of Bryce's hometown friends. "These are two of his best friends," she says pointing at two boys in a picture with Bryce. The picture was taken at Bryce's sixteenth birthday party. "Jayden and Levi. They were actually born on the same day."

"Are you planning on going back anytime soon?" We get to the last page of the book. "Actually, in a few weeks. The Georgia football coach scheduled a personal tour." Bryce didn't tell me about the visit. I'm about to ask more questions, but Bryce comes into the house.

"Mom, please tell me that's not my baby photos." Bryce walks over to the living room and kisses his mom's cheek. "Yes, and you were so cute. What happened?" I teasingly raise my eyebrows at Bryce. He grabs my hand and pulls me to my feet. "We'll be back for dinner," Bryce yells, dragging me up the stairs.

The fresh gym scent originating from his body clouds my senses. This scent is soon replaced by a minty taste on my lips. He pulls me into his embrace, vibrantly kissing me. His body lands over mine on the bed.

Bryce's roaming hands travel all over my skin. One of his hands firmly holds my head to the side, giving him more access to the crease in my neck. "Oh-," I moan when I feel his teeth bite my skin slightly harder than usual. The fraction of pain is worth the intense pleasure.

The attack on my neck is disturbed by the TV turning on. "Damnit." I reach under me and get the remote. Soft airs tickle my neck from Bryce laughing. He pushes himself off the bed. With the distance, I'm finally able to think clearly.