My eyes open and a pair of lips connect to my forehead.
Bryce.
"Hi," I whisper.
"Hi, babe."
"What time is it?"
"Eight."
"Gross."
"Do you want to go upstairs for a bit? We're the first ones up."
"Sure." I let out a yawn and pick my head up from his shoulder.
I look around and see Alyssa, Nick, and Jacob all still sleeping in their dark blue sleeping bags.
We carefully get up, trying to be as quiet as possible so we don't wake anyone. I grab Bryce's hand and follow him up the stairs. We sit down on the couch and I curl up next to him.
"Did you have fun last night?" I ask.
"Yeah. You?"
"Yeah. Alyssa seems great."
"She is."
"I kinda wish she lived up here."
"She's definitely considering a few colleges up here."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Her cousins live somewhere around here. She's actually visiting them for a few days after this."
"That's nice."
"Yeah. I think I'm gonna make some coffee."
"That's a good idea." I follow him into the kitchen and watch him put a coffee filter in and scoop some coffee grounds into it. He adds water to the coffee maker and presses the start button.
"What are you thinking about?" he asks.
"Did you mean it when you said you were falling in love with me last night?"
"Yeah." He smiles and tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear. "I did."
"Good." I stand on my toes and kiss him.
"Now what are you really thinking about, babe?"
"That obvious?"
"Yeah." He nods with a laugh.
"I think I want to meet my dad."
"Really?" He raises his eyebrows.
"This was your idea." I laugh. "Don't make me second guess it."
"I'm not, I'm just surprised. You seemed really against it yesterday."
"I was."
"Then what changed?"
"I just realized I've been angry at him my entire life and I don't even know who I'm angry at. It's kind of exhausting."
"I bet."
"I obviously have to talk to my mom about it before I can even try to go but if she lets me, can you go with me?"
"Of course. Wherever you need me to be is where I'll be."
I hear footsteps on the stairs and turn around and see Alyssa.
"Hey," I say.
"Hey."
"The boys up yet?" Bryce asks.
"No. It's only eight, they won't be up for another four hours."
"They'll be up as soon as the coffee is ready because I'll wake them."
"Good morning." Maggie smiles as she enters the kitchen.
"Morning," we say.
"Did you guys sleep okay?"
"The boys are sleeping a little too well." Bryce rolls his eyes.
"Smart decision to make coffee before waking them."
"Agreed." Alyssa laughs. "I do not want to be the one to go down there."
"I don't blame you." Maggie shakes her head.
"Is Layla around?" Alyssa asks.
"No, she spent the night at her grandparents."
"Aw, I was hoping to see her. How is she handling the move?"
"She's coming around."
"Coffee's ready," Bryce says and grabs a bunch of mugs from the cabinet next to the fridge. "Who's having?"
"Me," Alyssa and I say together.
"And me," Maggie says. "And definitely Nick and Jacob."
"Of course." Bryce pours some coffee into four of the six mugs. "There's all different flavors of creamer in the fridge, you guys can help yourselves."
Maggie sets the bottles on the counter and I grab the dark blue mug and pour some French vanilla creamer into my coffee. Bryce goes for the hazelnut and Alyssa uses the caramel. Once our coffee is prepared, we go into the living room and sit back down on the couch.
"The house looks amazing, Maggie," Alyssa says.
"Thanks. I got a lot done but the upstairs bathroom and the kitchen still need a lot of work."
"Which we could do faster if you'd hire someone." Bryce points out. "I get doing other stuff on your own, but kitchens are no joke."
"If I hire someone, I have to cut back the budget for the cabinets and appliances. I don't want to cut corners, I want to redo the kitchen once. It's just not the right time."
"Should we wake up the boys?" Alyssa asks.
"Be my guest," Bryce says.
"Not happening."
"I'll do it." Maggie laughs and goes downstairs. "Wish me luck."
"So you're looking at colleges up here?" I ask Alyssa.
"Yeah. I've got some family that lives here so I might stay with them and save money on dorming."
"That's a good idea. You're still getting the experience of going away to school and being away from your parents without having the price tag of it."
"Exactly."
"Do you know what you're gonna major in?"
"Sort of. I'm still trying to decide between either teaching or nursing."
"Cool."
"What about you?"
"I think I'm gonna start at community college. I don't have a clue what to major in."
"I'm glad I'm not going that route." Bryce laughs.
"You're not gonna go to college?" Alyssa asks.
"Nope. School's just not my thing."
"What are you gonna do?"
"Not sure yet. Maybe trade school for a bit."
There's stomping on the stairs so I look over and see the boys making their way up.
"Good morning," Alyssa says.
"Fuck off." Jacob flips us off and Nick lets out a yawn.
"Someone's cranky." I laugh.
"They're not morning people." Bryce laughs.
"Can you blame us?" Nick groans.
"There's coffee in the kitchen," Bryce says.
They wordlessly walk to where the coffee is.
"Wow." I laugh.
"They'll be nicer after their first cup."
"What's the plan for today?" Alyssa asks.
"Breakfast would be a good start," Bryce says.
"You guys want French toast, pancakes, or both?" Maggie asks.
"Probably both." Bryce shrugs.
"Give me half an hour."
"Do you want help?" I ask. "I don't mind."
"Sure."
I follow her into the kitchen and Alyssa does the same. The boys are still fixing their coffee, clearly extremely slow to get moving in the morning.
"How'd you guys sleep?" Maggie asks them.
"Great." Jacob groans as Nick sips his coffee.
"Why don't you boys go sit with Bryce and we'll let you know when breakfast is ready." Maggie pulls the carton of eggs from the fridge along with the milk and sets them on the counter. She grabs a box of pancake mix and brings that over next. "Alex, can you take about six eggs and make some scrambled eggs?"
"Sure."
"Great. There's a pan in the cabinet next to the oven you can use and there's cooking spray in the cabinet to the right of the microwave."
I grab the pan and spray it with some of the cooking spray before cracking the eggs into it. Alyssa is putting a pan of cinnamon rolls in the oven while Maggie pours pancake batter onto the griddle in small circles. Next, Alyssa tosses some sausage links into a frying pan with some water before cutting up some fruit.
"Is it ready yet?" Jacob asks with a groan.
"Not yet," Maggie says.
"What's taking so long?"
"Leave them alone!" Bryce calls.
"I'm hungry!"
"You're being an ass!"
Jacob groans and leaves the kitchen.
Someone hasn't finished his coffee.
I scoop the eggs into a serving bowl and bring them to the table as Alyssa brings a bowl of fruit over. Maggie lays the first batch of French toast out on a platter before doing the same with the first of the pancakes on a separate platter. Alyssa pulls the cinnamon rolls from the oven and starts pouring the icing onto them while I pull the sausage links from their pan and put them into a tiny bowl. I bring them to the table before Alyssa brings the cinnamon rolls over. Maggie fills the platters with French toast and pancakes and sets those on the table before putting out plates and silverware.
"Okay," Maggie says. "Now breakfast is ready."
The boys come in and take their seats at the table.
"We've got milk and orange juice if anyone wants something other than coffee," Maggie says as she sets a glass out for each of us. "I'll be tidying up Layla's room if anyone needs anything."
"Mom, you should eat with us."
"Oh, no, you guys want to be able to gossip and fill each other in on your lives without me around."
"Mom, come on."
"You should," Alyssa says. "Besides, there's nothing we'd say without you here that we wouldn't also say in front of you."
"That's true." Bryce nods.
"Are you guys sure?"
"Yes. Sit down."
Maggie thinks for a second before grabbing herself a plate and silverware and pulling out the only empty chair and taking a seat.
"The pancakes are really good," Bryce says.
"Everything is." Alyssa nods.
"Agreed."
"So Alyssa, are you seeing anyone?" Maggie asks.
"No. I think I'm gonna wait until I leave for college next year to start dating again."
"That's smart. It wouldn't be fun to get attached to someone new right before everyone leaves."
"Exactly."
"How's your sister doing?"
"She's good. Still planning to move out by September."
"Did she hear back about the interview she had or not yet?"
"She did. She got the job so she's set to start teaching for the upcoming school year."
"What grade?" I ask.
"High school math."
"Oh, wow."
"Yeah."
"Good for her." Maggie smiles.
"Yeah, she's excited."
"What about you two?" Maggie nods at the boys. "Any girls in the picture?"
"Nick is flirting with Chloe," Jacob says.
"Bryce's Chloe?" Alyssa asks.
Bryce's Chloe?
"Yeah." Jacob nods.
"When did that start?" Bryce asks.
"A few days after you left." Nick admits.
"Oh. Okay."
"Okay?"
"Okay. She's my ex. And that's a stretch because it was a middle school relationship."
"You're not mad?" Nick asks.
"Dude, look at her and then look at Alex. I think I have the ten and you have the two."
Damn.
"Wow." Nick laughs.
"Not wrong." Jacob shrugs.
So Bryce upgraded since middle school.
"Let's maybe take it easy." Maggie laughs. "Are you seeing anyone, Jacob?"
"No. Why, you interested?" He smirks.
"Oh my gosh." She laughs. "You haven't changed a bit."
All the memories they have must be amazing.
I'll never know Bryce's friends like he does. Sure, seeing them for the party was fun, but I'll never have memories with them like he does. Never as many, never as deep.
We finish eating and help Maggie clean up. When the dishwasher is loaded and all the pans have been cleaned, everyone starts planning their day.
"What time are you guys heading out?" Alyssa asks the boys.
"As soon as we're dressed," Nick says. "I have to work the dinner shift."
"You're still at the restaurant?" Bryce asks.
"Yeah. It's not the same without you."
"I bet." He smiles and the boys go downstairs to change.
"Alex, you should give me your number," Alyssa says. "I'll definitely be back up to visit family and I might end up here for college. We could hang out."
"Definitely." I smile.
She hands me her phone and I type my number in.
Alyssa goes downstairs as the boys return and give Bryce a hug.
"It was good seeing you," Nick says. "Keep in touch."
"Will do. Thanks for coming."
Jacob whispers something to Bryce and follows Nick out the front door.
Alyssa comes back up the stairs and hugs me and then Bryce. "This was really fun. It was great meeting you, Alex."
"Same here." I smile.
"Have a safe drive home whenever that is." Maggie laughs.
"Will do." She picks up her bag and leaves the house.
"Do you need help cleaning anything else up?" I ask.
"No, everything has been taken care of."
"Are you sure?" Bryce asks.
"Yeah. Everything has already been cleaned and put away."
"Okay," Bryce says. "If you find something else, let us know."
"Will do."
Bryce and I go down to his room and flop down on his bed.
"Well, my friends love you." He smiles.
"Really?"
"Definitely. Alyssa wouldn't have asked for your number if she didn't like you. And Nick thinks you're really good for me."
"And Jacob?"
"He told me to put a ring on your finger before someone else does." He laughs.
"They really liked me?"
"They did."
"Good." I lean in and kiss him.
•What do you think of Alex's decision about her dad? Do you think her mom will let her meet him? I hope you loved this chapter!
~SS💘