Something There

Chapter Fifty-One

I feel like I'm floating as I leap up from my bed, a sudden extra spring to my step.

I go to examine myself in the mirror, wondering if I look presentable enough to be hanging out with him. I know that he'll promise me that I look nice no matter what I'm wearing or what I've done with my hair but I still want him to like it.

The black dress that I wore to the mall earlier is simple, but I like it enough to not bother changing.

I do want to adjust my hair though, and so I grab a scrunchie off the top of my desk, pulling my hair up into a high ponytail.

I smile at my reflection for a moment before grabbing a denim jacket from off the back of my desk chair, heading into the hallway and skipping downstairs.

It's only been a couple minutes, so I don't know what I was expecting as I peaked out the window by the front door.

Of course, Bryce's truck isn't there yet, but I slip my feet into a pair of flats nonetheless.

Doing so felt like one step closer to leaving the house, and it seemed to cause me to recognize that I should still probably ask my parents for permission to ditch whatever dinner plans they had for us tonight.

I'm sure they were just going to cook something here, but I still walk into the living room to double-check.

There, I find Charlie and both of my parents sitting down and watching a football game.

When I enter the room, I feel all three sets of eyes on me.

To my surprise, my mom is actually the first one to speak, asking, "Where are you off to, Lexi?"

I cross my arms, feeling a little timid now. I take a deep breath to build confidence before responding, "Bryce's house, if that's okay. I was going to stay for dinner."

My mom's immediate reaction is to turn to my brother.

"Are you going as well, Charlie?" she asks him, and he laughs, taking a sip out of the can of beer in his hand.

"Nah. I wasn't invited, but I wouldn't want to ruin their alone time anyway," Charlie says with a small, cocky smile on his face.

I snap my head around to look at him, narrowing my eyes as a way to silently demand that he shuts up.

My dad's eyebrows shoot up at this, and he doesn't even attempt to hide it.

As if on cue, the doorbell rings, and he stands up from his seat, walking straight past me and into the foyer.

"It's just Bryce, Dad," I tell him, following him as he walks quickly down the hall.

He's fast to unlock the door and pull it open, revealing Bryce standing there with his hands in his pockets.

He's wearing a white T-shirt and black jeans, and I catch how my dad's eyes dart straight to Bryce's tattoos.

"Your parents let you do that to your body?" my dad asks, and Bryce blinks a few times before nodding his head slowly.

"Yes, sir. He did," Bryce replies cautiously, and my dad seems confused by how calmly he's reacting.

They stare at each other for a minute, my dad's eyes squinting a tad bit, but he's the one to break the ice.

"Have her back by ten," he instructs Bryce, who smiles in response.

I move forward to stand beside my dad now, directly in Bryce's line of vision.

His eyes light up the instant he sees me, and I give him a shy smile in response.

"Will do, Mr. Brooks," he says, and in one swift motion, he grabs my hand, tugs me out onto the front porch after him, and then slams the door shut behind us.