Bryce (Scandalous Boys #1)

by Natalie Decker

  “Oh.”

  He takes the spoon from me and scoops a spoonful of stuffing. He’s about to put it in his mouth when Mom comes over and snatches it from him. “Kyle! No taste testing! Get out of my kitchen.” She glares at me. “And you, I thought I taught you better.”

  I shrug. “He stole it out of my hand.”

  “Just go entertain yourself somewhere else.”

  I scowl at her and walk out of the room. I head up the stairs to my own room. Once I’m there, I sigh and call Em. “Happy Turkey Day,” I say when she answers.

  “Uh-huh. You too.”

  “Em, are you still mad at me?”

  She huffs. “I don’t know. Lately you’ve been a totally different person, Maddy. You aren’t applying to Florida like we planned. You’re falling for Bryce, the guy you couldn’t stand most of your life. What other stuff have you been holding out on me on?”

  “Nothing. Well … I don’t think you’ll have to worry about Bryce and me anymore.”

  “Why?” she gasps. “Listen, I’m sorry for being a total bitch lately. I don’t want you two to break up. Mads, you’re really happy.”

  I sniffle. “He hasn’t called me since he left. He told me he loved me, and he left, Em. He promised to call me, and he hasn’t.”

  “I’m coming over. This is like—wow—huge! He said he loved you? Maddy, I’m so excited for you.”

  “Um … Em, aren’t your parents going to go, like, crazy if you leave the house?”

  She grumbles, “I don’t care. I told you before, this is wow-huge shit!”

  We hang up, and I wait.

  She arrives at my house in ten minutes. My mom looks at me from the kitchen as I answer the door. “Madison?” she calls as I lead Emily inside.

  “She’s only staying for a little bit, Mom. Don’t start. Please.” I want to tell her I’m having boy issues, but I don’t want her butting in. The last time she gave me boy advice, the kid laughed at me. Never again.

  Em and I run up to my room, and I shut the door behind me. Sarah is sitting on the top bunk brushing her damp hair. Apparently she got a shower. Wish she was still there. I don’t want her listening to my conversation.

  “Um … Let’s go to Kyle’s room.”

  Em blushes but follows me out into the hall and into my brother’s room. It’s empty, well, aside from his suitcase, which is popped open on the bed. Em looks about his room like it’s a treasure chest. She has no idea that I know she has a major crush on my brother. Every girl does, except me, because that’s gross. Girls used to try to become friends with me just to get to my brother. And that’s just plain disturbing.

  Em hasn’t ever admitted to having a crush on Kyle, but I can tell. She gives off little hints, like asking, “When’s Kyle coming home?” Or whenever he had his latest girl toy over, Em would try to sabotage their alone time. And sometimes I would help because it was funny.

  I think she doesn’t tell me because she’s scared. I’m not weirded out by the idea of Em and Kyle; however, I would be really protective of Em. If he hurt her in anyway—not that he’d physically hurt her—but if he broke her heart, I’d hate him for it. And I don’t want that.

  Em takes a seat on the corner of his bed. “Does it feel weird when he’s gone?”

  “No. It’s quieter. I don’t hear the sound of this all day long.” I pick up the small plastic basketball and toss it at the tiny hoop hanging on the door. The ball hits the cardboard backboard with a thud while the plastic rim makes a blunggg sound. “Remember how he’d do this for hours before game nights? It used to drive me nuts. Especially on a Saturday morning. I mean, those are for sleeping in.”

  “Yeah.” She says it all dreamy, though.

  “Anyways … I want to talk to you about something.”

  She smiles. “About what you’re going to do when Bryce gets back?”

  “He told me—no, he promised—he’d call me.”

  “And he didn’t?”

  “No. Em, he was going to do something crazy. I tried to talk him out of it, but he was just so set on it. There was no talking him out of it. So I let him go. But he hasn’t contacted me once, and I’m worried. What if he’s hurt or something?”

  Emily shakes her head. “Did you call him?”

  “No because I didn’t want to sound needy,” I admit. “You know I’ve never had a boyfriend before. I’m scared I’m going to do all the wrong things and lose him.”

  “I don’t think that will happen. The boy worships you. Give him a call, Maddy; he’s probably just waiting to hear from you first. In case you’re pissed off at him. Guys are weird like that. And when you ask them, ‘Hey, why didn’t you call?’ You know what they say? ‘I thought you were mad at me so I waited for you to call.’”

  “That’s just ridiculous.”

  She shrugs. “I know. But that’s how they are.” She shoves me. “Call him.”

  I pull my phone from my back pocket and find Bryce’s name. Mentally counting down to three, and risking talking myself out of it, I double tap his name. Emily smiles and watches me the entire time the phone rings.

  Two long rings and then voice mail. Voice mail? Ugh!

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Bryce

  Hailey glares at me as she hands over my phone. “Bryce, honestly, I should hit you. I told you not to get into trouble.”

  “Was he or was he not stalking you?” I say it as calmly as possible. I pulled up to Hailey’s place Tuesday night, and that freaking asshole Darren was sitting in his car staring her place down. He was just waiting for her to come out. He tried telling the cops he had a date that lived in that building and he was waiting on her. He told them that he had no idea Hailey lived there.

  I got out of my car and stormed right up to his. I told him to get outta there before I busted him up so bad he couldn’t walk. Some nosy neighbor heard me shouting at that asshat, and the cops showed up. Of course, right before the boys in blue rolled in, that freaking jackass got out of his car and took a swing at me. I ducked, and he missed me by so much he actually punched out his own back window.

  Because it was a domestic disturbance in a residential area and the moron was bleeding from his own injury, I got hauled off to the police station too. I called Hailey as soon as I got a chance. And she’s pissed at me. She was pissed at me as soon as she got the call.

  “Ten minutes. You couldn’t even be in town ten minutes without getting arrested. Your mom is going to have my hide.”

  “Calm down. I didn’t lay a hand on him. He did it to himself. I ducked, and he took out his own window. End of story.”

  “Mrs. Gable says you threatened to pull off his limbs and beat him with them if he didn’t leave. She didn’t know who you were. And she also didn’t know why you were threatening him.” Hailey looks annoyed. “Madison called.”

  I glance down at my phone. “I can’t talk to her right now.”

  “Well, if you’re finished playing hero, I need your help on some stuff and then you’re calling her.”

  “I’ve been in jail for two days. I just want a shower and a change of clothes.”

  She shrugs. “Whatever.”

  She drives us back to her apartment. I head to my duffel bag and then to her shower.

  She shouts at the door while I step into the hot running water. “So are you and Madison a thing now? Last time we talked you were taking her to the ice show!”

  I squirt shampoo in my hand and rub it in my hair, yelling back, “Can’t you wait until I’m out of the shower?”

  “Nope! So are you dating?”

  “Yes!”

  “Yes what? You are dating?”

  I rinse the soap, lather the rest of my body with body wash for men, and then condition my hair before answering her again. Once everything is rinsed away and I’ve stopped feeling like a dirtball, I get out and dry myself off. I slip into my sweats and a T-shirt and hang the towel on the towel rack. I crack open the door to let out the steam. Hailey opens the door wide
r and glares at me. “Well, are you going to answer?”

  “Yes, we’re dating. Well … we were. We probably won’t be when I tell her why I haven’t called her.”

  Hailey shakes her head. “Stop with the drama stuff. She’ll talk to you. Just be honest. Don’t fib or skate around the reason. Because then she’ll be mad at you and probably will leave you.”

  I glower at her. “Thanks.” I squeeze toothpaste onto my toothbrush and wash the foulness from my mouth. How anyone can stand not brushing their teeth on the daily is beyond me. While I’m brushing, my cousin decides to plant herself right beside me, giving me very little space to move or rinse out my mouth. “Could you back up into the hall or something?”

  “You have to promise to call her.”

  “Why does it matter so much?” I ask, spraying a bit of toothpaste foam.

  She wrinkles her nose and wipes her cheek with the back of her hand. “Because I like her. She’s good for you. Maybe this one can keep you on a straight path. I want to see you go far, Bryce. You’re a good person. You just do dumb shit.”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence.” I shake my head and rinse out my mouth. After I spit and turn off the water, I ask, “You really think we’re good for each other?”

  “I don’t know about you for her,” she teases.

  I shove her. “Shut up.”

  “I’m joking. I don’t know her very well, but I think you could be good for a lot of people. Just have to pick the right people.”

  I tip my head back and then walk out of the bathroom. I take a seat on her couch and sigh. My phone sits on the coffee table, silent, screen black, and it is so haunting. I pick it up and call Madison.

  It rings four times, and then her voice comes through the phone. “Hey, you’ve reached Madison. I’m not able to take your call at the moment. Leave me a message at the beep. Or text me.”

  Her damn phone beeps at me, and I hang up. I text her.

  Me: Hi. Call me.

  Madison: No.

  Me: Why?

  Madison: Ignoring my calls is an asshole move. I know ignored calls. It rings twice and then you get a voice mail.

  Me: Madison I’m not saying this shit through txt.

  Madison: Happy Thanksgiving. I’ve gotta go.

  Me: Madison I was in jail.

  My phone rings, and I answer it because it’s her. “Hi.”

  “What the hell do you mean you were in jail? What did you do?”

  “Nothing. Okay … Not technically nothing. I threatened him. He was stalking her house.”

  Silence.

  “Madison?”

  “I can’t. Bryce, I swear, I thought I could, but I can’t. I worried so much. Really worried. I haven’t slept but a couple of hours. My stomach is in knots. I’ve been waiting to hear your voice. You were in jail. Not that this is really surprising, I just thought … God, Bryce, I thought if you were with me you’d make more of an effort to not get yourself into trouble. Clearly I was mistaken.”

  I grip my hair and sigh. “I love you. I am making an effort.”

  “Really? Then why are you there and not here? Why didn’t you do something like, I don’t know, take Hailey to your house? Graham was right; no matter what, you just always want to play the superhero. And that’s fine, but I’m not the right person for this. I can’t support you and try to figure out my future.”

  Tears start to form. I’m not a crier by any means, but this girl is busting my heart into a thousand pieces. I swipe away at a few tears and swallow hard. “Fine.”

  “I’ve gotta go,” she says. “Bye.”

  “Bye,” I choke out.

  I slam my phone against the coffee table and weave my fingers through my hair. Tears fall, and I don’t care to wipe them away. Hailey clears her throat, but I refuse to look at her. I know one thing: I’m never doing this again. Love is for idiots. Lust is fine. It’s not dangerous. It doesn’t make your heart feel like a train hit it at full speed.

  “Bry?”

  “I don’t … want … to talk.”

  “Okay.” I hear the floorboards creak. Her feet stamp the hardwood floor, and the creaking drifts farther and farther away.

  I sniffle and look around the room. Pale yellow walls surround me. I hate the sun and anything bright. Why? Because brightness reminds me of Madison’s smile, her freaking laugh, and the way the sun would bring out the secret things about her. Like her hair. It turns from a dark brown to a reddish brown in certain parts in the sunlight. I knew I’d lose her eventually.

  She’s not the first to tell me she loved me. But she is the first I said the words to. It doesn’t matter much now, though. I lean back on the couch and stare up at the ceiling. I curl my upper lip and then look back at my phone.

  After a couple of minutes, I get off the couch, swipe under my eyes, and then search my cousin’s stash of liquor. The cabinets are empty, and the freezer is tapped out too, but the fridge has a twelve-pack of Corona. Score. A few of these and I’ll be saying, “Madison who?”

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Madison

  I want to call him back immediately. But my brain is yelling at me not to. Everything else is begging me to. I can’t, though. I won’t.

  There is enough drama and bullshit that I still need to deal with in my already crazy life. I can’t have a boyfriend who’s in jail. I can’t be one of those girls. Having a boyfriend this late in high school is just stupid anyway. Isn’t it? I mean, yeah, there are a few school dances coming up, like the winter formal, sweetheart dance, and prom. But none of that really matters.

  Emily is into all that stuff, not me. And besides, we were eventually going to call it quits, right? He’s dead set on Michigan State. He made his choice, and now it’s my turn to make mine.

  I sluggishly make my way into the dining room and do one of my Thanksgiving chores, which is to set the table. Might I add I do this rather slowly too. It’s like my body just doesn’t want to get anything done. Mom slaps her spoon against a pot. “Maddy? Are you feeling okay?”

  I shrug. “I’m fine.”

  “You don’t look fine. You look like you’ve been crying.”

  “I broke up with Bryce.” I set the last of the silverware down and look up at my mom. She stares at me like I’m a lunatic.

  “What do you mean, honey?”

  What do I mean? What does she mean what do I mean? Hello, I was dating the bad boy next door. Dur. I fell in love with him, but he broke my heart when he decided to go against my wishes and get himself into trouble. Well, worse than that, he got thrown into jail. I can’t tell her any of this, though, because she’ll start in with the “I told you so” crap. And who is ever in the mood to hear that? No one is ever in the mood to hear that.

  I give her an eye roll. “Never mind. I’m going to my room.”

  “Dinner’s almost ready.”

  “I’m not hungry. Can I eat later?”

  Her eyes widen, and she closes the space between us. She places a hand on my forehead. “Oh, you feel kind of warm, and you are looking flushed. Are you feeling okay?”

  “I don’t know.”

  She kisses my forehead and tells me to go up to my room and lie down. So I do. I’m thankful the room is empty and everyone is downstairs. This way, I can cry without feeling like someone might see or walk in on me. I locked the door just in case. If Sarah needs to get in here, too bad. Mom won’t yell at me too much for it. Of course, I honestly don’t care if she does. It’ll just be the icing on this horrible day.

  It’s midnight when I wake up. Yeah, apparently I cried myself to sleep. I didn’t think that was a real thing—apart from babies, that is. I check my phone and see I’ve got three missed calls. Two from Bryce, one from Graham. The last two were ten minutes ago. There are a few voice mails, too, but I ignore them.

  I have twenty unread text messages. I don’t even read them; I just call Graham first. He answers after the first ring. “Hey.”

  “Hi,” I say. “You called?�
��

  “Yeah, um … Were you sleeping?”

  “Eh. I kind of went to bed at six. Don’t ask. What’s up?”

  I hear him huff. “So you haven’t talked to Bryce?”

  “Earlier. He said he got out of jail.”

  “Yeah, well, you might want to call him. He’s completely lit. And that’s when he does really stupid crap.”

  I groan. “Did you talk to him?”

  “For about twenty minutes. He kept saying how I was right. That you were a train wreck and he never should have gotten involved.”

  What kind of response could I possibly have for that? Nothing. I sigh, and eventually we hang up, and then I rummage through some of the text messages. Some are Happy Thanksgiving texts from teammates and friends. But then I have a few from Bryce.

  Bryce: I hate this.

  Bryce: I was Fine without u.

  Bryce: I Love U!

  Bryce: Fine Don’t Answer!

  Bryce: Madison, I’m better with u. Please Madison, talk 2 me. I love u. I just … fuck. I don’t know. I’m stupid babe.

  God, he probably thinks I hate him. I don’t. I love him. Too much, apparently. Enough to make me cry and miss Thanksgiving dinner and dessert. I exhale sharply and tap his name twice. It rings a few times and then, “Hiiiii!”

  “Hey. I was sleeping when you called and texted.”

  “Suuure you were.”

  “What? Are you drunk?” I know he is, but I want him to confirm it.

  “Why you car?”

  “Um, because I do. Bryce, listen to me. Please don’t do anything stupid.”

  Something breaks. He curses and then says, “I dow need you to tal me wha to do.”

  “I know. But I love you, and I’ll be really sad if you hurt yourself.”

  “Na you dow.”

  “Yes, I do. I cried myself to sleep. I really don’t want us to be over. You just … Bryce, you doing this kind of stuff and getting into trouble is what worries me. It makes me think this is nothing more than a passing good time for you.”