The Broken Billionaire

Together

"I like your table." He says.

I laugh. "Thank you, picking tables is a particular talent of mine."

He laughs. Like really laughs, and I am struck by how much I like the sound. So I laugh with him.

After that we settle into amiable conversation about The Bar and what we think the comedian will be like.

"I hope he is good." I say. "Not some quack."

"Agreed," he says. Bryce looks up at me, and something behind me catches his eye. His brow furrows and I can see him receded back into his shy-but-still-confident state.

I quickly look behind me to see what had caused the change. The Bar had grown quieter as all my friends had noticed who I was with.

They're eyes were big with shock, and I can't understand why. Sure, he is a beautiful human being. But surely that's not why the guys are gawking at us.

My eyebrows furrow, and I immediately get the feeling that this needs to stop. It strikes me that these attentions aren't good for Bryce. It will scare him. And then it strikes me that I care if he's uncomfortable. I don't want him to leave. After knowing this beautiful but shy boy sitting beside me for less than a day, I know that I couldn't bare him to leaving. And I know that should scare me, but it doesn't .

I send my friends a pointed look, and turn back to Bryce, grasping at something to talk to him about.

When I turn back I can see the anxiousness in his eyes. I don't even think about it. I reach out and touch his hand that's resting on the table. I hear him take a sharp breath and he freezes under me. I freak and go to pull my hand back, but before I can Bryce wraps his hand around mine, keeping it in place.

I look up at his eyes and see some of the anxiousness from his eyes fade. There is even a hint of a smile on his lips.

Behind me there is a small gasp, and I shoot a glare at my friends for ruining my special moment with Bryce.

Bryce shoots me a conspiratorial look and continues to stroke my hand with his fingers. I grin at him.

"I like when you smile." He says softly.

"Apparently, I can't stop smiling when you're around." I murmur.

Now, he smiles. A full-blown beautiful smile. Then is fades, just slightly. I turn to see what's going on.

Grace, Tori, and Lily are standing behind me expectantly. Tori is a junior at our school, the same grade as Bryce.

"We're going to the bathroom." Lily says matter-o-factly.

I shake my head. "I guess I'm going too." I reply, looking at Bryce apologetically. I reluctantly loosen my grip on him, as my friends drag me further into The Bar towards the bathroom.

Once safely inside Lily checks the bathroom for other occupants while Grace blocks the door.

"Do you know what you're doing!?" Lily demands.

"What are you freaking out about!?" I ask .

"You know what! Bryce Brecker!"

"What about him?" I ask, exasperated.

"Are you on a DATE?" Grace adds, looking absolutely confused.

"Umm...I don't know? I invited him out, and he came out."

"Oh Ashton you're lack of student body gossip knowledge is astounding." Grace admonishes me.

"What? Is he a leper? What am I missing?" At this point I just want go out and see Bryce again....Uh...I'll assess that later.

"Bryce Brecker is the only son of one of the most influential and wealthy men in the United States." Tori inputs. "So, when everyone heard he was coming, the girls took notice. Bryce has been on the cover of magazines, on the hot lists, he goes to the hottest social events, is on the most important red carpets. He was a catch. Though the story changed when he got here. Bryce was....withdrawn. He didn't talk to anyone. He didn't try to make friends. Some people would call him a womanizer...I don't think that's fair. Girls were throwing themselves at him left and right. I would worry about his sexual status if he hadn't abused that a little. But, the weird thing is, he never spoke. I had never heard him speak outside of class...until you. Though the weirdest part is that he didn't like to be touched. Our second week in school he got in a massive brawl with some senior who had just slapped him on the back. It was ugly, so when you touched him today, I kinda flipped out. I was worried, but Bryce with you....it's so different. It's like he's a different person."

Grace and Lily nod in the background and I let everything I settle in.

"I don't know how to react to that...."I say, huffing a sigh.

"You really didn't know?" Tori asks.

I slowly shake my head. I had no idea, but that explains some stuff.

"I don't really know how to react. I don't know how to feel about all this new information."

"Well, does that change anything?" Grace asks, as always level headed.

"....no....it really doesn't." I say, suddenly confident in myself. "It doesn't change anything." I say again. Even more confident.

Seeing me grow more relaxed, Grace moves away from blocking the door.

After hugging it out the girls and checking out our makeup and hair in the mirror, we head back out to the tables.

As we exit the restroom the girls just stop. I'm last and I would've run into Grace's back if I hadn't been paying attention. After clearing my throat the girls shuffle forward and reveal the reason that they've stopped. Bryce is standing outside the bathroom, and there is worry in his eyes again. When our eyes lock tension melts off his shoulders.

I shoo my friends forward and approach Bryce.

"Hi," I whisper, now within arms reach of him.

"Hi," he whispers back, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Fancy meeting you here," I joke, trying to lighten the mood, and shake some of my sudden nerves.

He chuckles and I watch more nervousness leak from him. Then, after all this information, he does something unexpected. Bryce reaches out and wraps his arms around my, pulling me into his chest. We're chest to chest, with him looking into my eyes and fingers tracing my back. I reach up and wrap my arms around his neck, playing with the baby hairs at the nape of his neck.

"So I guess you know all my secrets now?" he whispers and his breath dances across my lips.

"Yes," I breathe.

"And you're not running?"

"Why would I run?"

"Because I'm broken." he replies, his voice barely audible.

"You may be broken, but we all are. And, we can be broken together." I reply, my voice just as soft as his was.

"Together...."he says. "I like the sound of that."