Chapter 29
29
Bryce - 21 years old
Summer Break before Senior year of college for Bryce, Junior year of college for Haruki
I groan, feeling the throbbing pain inside my head and the dryness of my throat. It’s been a while since I’ve partied this hard. The last time I was this hungover was probably in high school. Funnily enough, it’s felt exactly like I’m back in high school ever since I came back from Germany. I’ve been sleeping in my old bedroom and having too much fun with my old football teammates who are back from college for the summer.
Another groan comes out of me as I grimace in pain the moment I hear a knock on my door. I’m not ready to meet another human being right now.
“Bryce!” my witch of a stepmother yells, accompanied by more knocks. “You have to wake up. The Johnsons have arrived!” When I don’t answer, her voice sounds more irritated by the second. “They’re an old family friend of ours and just came back from Japan. I want us to show a united front. Show them that we’re a happy family.” Although she can’t see me, I still roll my eyes for good measure. Ugh, united front. Are we in the army?
The mention of Japan causes a sinking feeling in my stomach. Ever since May, I’ve been trying to avoid everything that reminds me of Haruki. I can’t. Everything reminds me of her.
I miss her every day, but from what I see on social media, I’m happy that she seems to be enjoying her life more. I guess those flight tickets that she had to buy to visit me do add up. No wonder she was always working overtime.
Just as I am about to hop in the shower, I hear the sound of my bedroom door being opened. “Look, Astrid—” Lily walks in instead, her eyes judging how I look. I have no doubt I look like absolute crap. “Oh, hey, Lil. What’s up?”
“I hate to side with my mom on this one, Bryce, but you really should have brunch with us. When have you eaten something that didn’t come out of a takeout box since you came back?” When I don’t answer, she swipes a loose strand of hair away from her face and crosses her arms over her chest. “Scratch that, when have you consumed something not in the form of drugs and booze in the last week? Seriously, I’m worried about you. Heartbreak doesn’t look good on you.”
I roll my eyes, but deep down, I know Lily is right. If a seventeen-year-old feels the need to school me on how to deal with relationship woes, I probably have an even bigger problem than I thought. “I’m fine, Lil. It’s already been a month since she said we should focus on ourselves.” One month, one week, and two days, to be exact. If my brain wasn’t fried right now, I could also pinpoint the time down to the hour.
“Well, it doesn’t look like you’re focusing on yourself.” And she’s not wrong. “What happened, anyway? And please, don’t give me the bullshit version you told my mom and your dad. What does ‘ conflicting schedules’ even mean?” She uses her fingers to create air quotes. “I bet it was because of what Mom said, wasn’t it? If you want, I’ll talk to Haruki for you.”
I can see guilt all over her face. After blowing out a long breath, I calm my stepsister down. “No, Lil. Don’t worry about it, alright? We just need a little breather.”
Lily doesn’t know that I’m married and neither do our parents, for that matter. They don’t know the extent of my feelings for Haruki. So, I told them we broke up because our schedules were getting too complex to match up, which is partly true. And also ironic, considering the fact that shortly before the break, we fought about her visiting me in Berlin during my internship. The whole fucking thing got cancelled last minute because the founder, Jakob Ackermann, wasn’t ready to launch the product yet. I spent a total of one week in Berlin before flying back home.
“So who are the Johnsons, anyway?” I ask Lily, trying to change the topic.
“We used to be really close with them. My dad used to be best friends with Jeremy Johnson, and um…I used to date the son, Nick.”
I cocked an eyebrow at her statement. “Date? When was this?”
She looks really nervous. This is new. “Well, since I was five? Or maybe since I was twelve? Depending on what you count as the beginning of a relationship.”
For the first time in weeks, a genuine laugh cracks out of me. So this is her golden boy.
I park my car in front of Cameron’s house. I really did try to play the good stepson role before with the Johnsons, but I can’t be around people right now. I’m too irritable. Too grumpy. Too angry. I’m missing Haruki too much .
Not ready to get out of the car just yet, I go through my emails, missed calls, social media accounts, and messages to see if she has caved in yet. Nothing. Aside from the booking confirmation I got for our trip to Jamaica next spring break, there is nothing on my phone that has a Haruki tag on it. Fuck, what am I going to do about those?
Next year will be one of those magical years where our spring breaks overlap by several days. She was planning on visiting me in Radinger, and I wanted to surprise her with a vacation somewhere else. Will she even still come? Will our break be over by then? Or will we be over instead?
Before I talk myself out of it, I send her a text message.
Haruki, I know we’re hitting the pause button, but I just wanted to let you know that I booked us a trip to Jamaica. It was supposed to be a surprise for spring break. Your birthday present. I’m trying to respect your space, but what should I do with the flight tickets and hotel reservations?
I know exactly what I’m doing. This shit is refundable. The people who drafted the cancellation policy would laugh in my face if they knew this was how I was trying to coax her to talk to me again.
Fifteen minutes go by and there is still no reply from Haruki. I don’t want to torture myself further, so I open the car door and make my way to Cam’s house. To my surprise, Nick Johnson is also here on a skateboard, looking lost, like he doesn’t know where to go.
“Hey, Nick, right?” I call out to him. He stops in his tracks and looks around to see who’s calling him. When he spots me, he looks like he got busted taking a cookie from the cookie jar.
He carries his board and jogs toward me. “Bryce, what are you doing here?”
“I was about to ask you the same thing. I was just about to go see my buddy, Cameron.” I point to the house behind me.
Nick grabs the nape of his neck with his free hand and chuckles. “Funny you say that.” He looks at me, unsure, as if he’s deciding whether I can be trusted or not. “I’m here for a guy named Cameron as well.”
“Oh, you know him?”
“No. Not really. But I want to.” The humorless chuckle reappears. “I, umm, I want to umm…”
I give his shoulder a tap and decide to save this kid the embarrassment. “Nick, relax. I’m not your mother. Are you looking to buy weed, maybe?” He seems the type.
“That would be correct.” He seems relieved that he doesn’t have to spell it out for me. “An old friend of mine buys from Cameron and gave me his phone number, but he said I can just pop by in the summer since Cameron usually just chills on the front lawn.”
Cocking my head to the side, I gesture for him to follow me. “Not today, he’s not. He’s too hungover from the party we went to last night. Come, I’ll introduce you guys. But first, you have to answer a burning question I have.”
“Shoot,” he says, amused, looking me straight in the eye.
“What are your intentions with my sister?”
“Nothing bad. I give you my word.” He lets the next sentence out of his mouth like he’s chewing sandpaper at the same time. “I just want to be her friend.” Yeah right. Not after the ridiculous story I just heard during brunch.
While Nick is talking to Cameron, I check my phone again and see one notification pop up.
Haruki
What’s the cancellation policy? Let’s just turn it into your graduation trip.
My cheeks are hurting from the stupid grin on my face.
Maybe I’ll just go there alone during spring break to check out awesome spots to take you to in the summer :)
Haruki
Sounds like a plan!
Now shoo. Enjoy your last year before I come in full force.
Our time is coming soon. One more school year before my graduation.