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Story: Neighbors

“Well, that’s why you’re dating any of those guys anymore. They didn’t take the time to understand you. They couldn’t hack it as your boyfriend.” Bryce shrugs.
“Yea, except it wasn’t me doing the leaving. Every single one of them left me. I didn’t date any of them very long, but it still hurt being abandoned like that. It was like a tease of a relationship. Like I got to be normal for a minute and then the rug’s pulled out from under me. And I’ve had so many of those, I just can’t read people anymore.” I stir the sauce and get ready to drain the pasta once the time dings.
“What do you mean?” Bryce moves around me to grab the pot with the pasta and drains it for me while I purse my lips, considering my next words.
“Bryce, there’s still so much you don’t know about me.” I frown.
“Okay, well, tell me. It’s not like I’m going anywhere. We have twenty Christmas movies to watch on the Hallmark Channel. Spill it, Kat.” He flips off the heat for the sauce and starts prepping our bowls. Naturally, he doesn’t forget the most important ingredient, the parmesan cheese. Bryce soon hands me my food and we make our way into the living room.
“Dating for me has been a nightmare. I didn’t date anyone till I was in college. They made me fun of me so much in high school that no boy wanted to be seen with me. Well … sort of. Long story. Honestly, after homecoming, I didn’t trust the guys in my school, anyway.”
I wipe a tear from the corner of my eye.
“Bryce, when I started dating in college, it was so nice. I felt normal. I didn’t feel so different from everyone. Until they realized I couldn’t be in social situations. I always had my own apartment, my own space. I never stayed in dorms, never went to parties. They just couldn’t deal with it. I don’t know if they all thought I was joking about the social anxiety, but when they got a glimpse, they ran.
“With each guy I tried to make a better choice than the last. I would be upfront about my social anxiety. I would tell them I didn’t really enjoy going out. They were fine with it, for like a minute. Then, well, it would be over. Eventually, I just stopped dating. I didn’t even want to deal with it.”
Bryce puts down his pasta and takes out his phone. He puts on Brett Young’s,In Case You Didn’t Know. He holds out his hand to me.
“Come on.” He gestures for me to get up.
I stare at his hand, confused. “What are you doing?”
“Dance with me, Kitty Kat.”
I hesitantly take his hand, and he brings me around the coffee table. One arm goes around my waist while the other takes my hand. He pulls me close as he sways me to the song.
“What is going on? Why?” I ask cautiously.
“Because I want to dance with you. Right here, right now, I want to dance with you.” He leans forward and places his forehead on mine, meeting my gaze.
Our noses touch, and our lips are close. The air between us thick. His hand on my hip is setting my skin on fire. There’s desire in his eyes while he dances with me. My heart is beating fast. My lips tingle. This is the moment. The moment I know I’ll never be the same after. Silently, I beg him to kiss me.
Suddenly, he pulls me into him, and his arms wrap around me even tighter. He sways with me up against him. His cheek rests on my head. My eyes close as I follow his lead, and I take a deep breath. I listen to the lyrics of the song he picked, and I feel like he picked this song for a reason.
“I’ll always be here for you, Kat. I promise. You’ll always have me. Nothing and no one will ever tear me from your side.” He speaks softly against me. I simply shake my head. My eyes spill with tears. There are so many emotions I’m feeling right now, I can’t contain them.
When the song ends, he pulls me away slightly and wipes the tears from my face with his thumbs. He leans in and kisses my forehead, holding his lips there. When he breaks away, he brings me back to the couch and we lie down next to each other, spooning.
We turn our attention to the movie, but I can’t concentrate on that. My mind is racing through a million thoughts. The song, the dance. Everything. Bryce filled a hole inside my heart I never knew I had. I was fine with being alone until I met Bryce. Now, I can’t picture my life without him.
I am completely in love with Bryce.
Chapter 13
Katrina
Today,I’m both excited and insanely nervous. First, it’s Christmas. Finally! But that’s also why I’m nervous. Bryce might not his gift. I don’t know if I crossed a line or not. I just know he’s done so much for me and it means the world to me how he cares for me, so I had to do something in return. But my plan could backfire. I inhale deep, trying to calm myself.
Bryce can sense that I’m on edge when he comes in from loading the gifts in his truck for the Christmas party with my family. He’s going to hate me. I shouldn’t have done this. There’s no way this can go well.
“Kat … You ready to go?” He snaps me out of my daze. Bryce puts his hands on my shoulders.
“Um, yeah.” Rubbing the palms of my hands against my forehead, I try to release some tension. Totally doesn’t work. At any moment, I feel like I could burst with tears. I shake out my hands, grab my things, and Bryce and I head out to my parent’s house.
We are driving along when he turns to me and asks, “Are you going to tell me what’s bothering you? You’ve been really off all day. Like you’re worried about something. So, talk to me, Kat.”
“No.” My answer is quick. I know it probably sounds like I’m mad at him. He’ll realize I’m not once we get there. At least, I pray he won’t hate me.