Authors Note- Okay guys, here's chapter 10, written by Abby Lockhart 2, we're in the beginning steps of teh relationship so here you go...
~*~
Bryce and I walked into the diner and sat down across from each other. The waitress came around, the same blonde that seemed to live there, and took our orders. I was in the mood for a cheeseburger with fries and just a big soda. Bryce was too, since he ordered the same thing I did. She brought our sodas quickly, and we both swapped drinks, a type of ritual we've both gotten into. I don't even know when it started. I saw him looking out the window toward the ER, he had this strange expression on his face.
"So, your birthday's coming up."
He looked back at me and smiled, nodding his head intently.
"Mom said I could have a party if I brought my grades up."
He better have pulled his grades up after all those study sessions we had.
"And have you?"
I saw the smile breaking through.
"Yeah. I got 2 A's and the rest of them are B's."
I was so proud of him. He was really a smart kid.
"Congratulations."
He nodded his head in happiness. Our food arrived a few seconds later and we casually chatted about the importance of having history as a part of the curriculum. I hated dates. I really wasn't great with them, and obviously neither was he, since neither one of us could name the year that the Mayflower hit Plymouth Rock. Pointless history. I gave in. It was pointless. Who cared about the past, I only looked toward the future. I finished the rest of my fries, and I also noticed he was growing a bit fidgety.
"Bryce, what's wrong?"
I watched him shake his head.
"Nothing."
I rolled my head around my neck, cracking it. I looked back at him.
"You know I'm always here if you need someone to talk to."
I saw him give me a smile, and I figured he was okay, except he was gearing up to ask something, he just couldn't get the words out.
"Umm.. Doctor Carter . . . "
I looked at him, trying to be casual, not to scare him into not saying anything, but I was also really curious about what he was going ask, since in the short time that I've known him, I've grown really close to him, much closer than I have to anyone before. And it was a great feeling. I genuinely cared for this boy.
"Yup?"
I sounded like a puppy. I wanted to laugh at myself. At least that eased the tension for a second.
"Are you, uhh... "
I was growing a bit worried now, since he was usually very open and said almost anything that came to mind.
"Am I what, Bryce?"
I looked at him, playing with my cup, trying to make him stop talking.
"Are you gonna go out with my mom?"
I breathed a sigh of relief, and actually laughed a bit. Bryce didn't find this too funny. Where did kids get these silly ideas? I hated the woman. Detested her. Okay maybe I was being a little extreme. But we could barely stand in the same room together without wanting to kill each other. Although I never avoided standing in the same room with her. What was I thinking? God I needed to shut up right now.
"I don't think so Bryce. You know we don't like each other."
I saw the dejected look on his face. He had probably had a lot riding on this. I don't exactly understand why. I needed something to cheer him up.
"You want ice-cream?"
I saw him shake his head no in response. So maybe I had destroyed him more than I had thought. He had never turned down ice cream before. I looked at him, he was leaning down on the table, his head lying on his arm. He had that same pouty face on that his mother had. It drove him insane.
"Listen to me, Bryce, I know you love your mother very much, but love is a complicated thing, and it's just never going to happen between the two of us. But that doesn't mean that I have to stop being friends with you and hanging out with you, okay?"
I saw the slight look of acceptance of the situation from him. I mean I'm not going to put all his hopes up, we'd never happen. Right? I mean she's smart, determined, beautiful, but she's also stubborn and annoying, and she can really drive someone up a wall. I didn't need her, or anyone like her in my life . . . ? I pulled out my wallet to pay the bill and started to get out of the booth, Bryce right behind me. We walked in silence toward the ER, and when we got there, we were greeted by who else but Dr. Lockhart, and she didn't look too happy. Bryce ran ahead of me, rushing past her, without saying anything to either one of us. I was heading after him, when I felt her cut in front of me, blocking my way.
"Would you just stay away from him, haven't you done enough damage for one day?"
I haven't done anything. It was all you. You're the one who took away his father figure away from him. You're the one who couldn't get your act together. So of course you can't blame yourself, and Bryce did nothing, so of course you're going to blame me. But being the person I am, I didn't say any of this to her. I just gave her this glare that probably said it all and more, with few curses in there for good measure. I walked away heading to the desk, grabbing a chart, and throwing my coat on the chair by the printer.
~*~
Bryce and I walked into the diner and sat down across from each other. The waitress came around, the same blonde that seemed to live there, and took our orders. I was in the mood for a cheeseburger with fries and just a big soda. Bryce was too, since he ordered the same thing I did. She brought our sodas quickly, and we both swapped drinks, a type of ritual we've both gotten into. I don't even know when it started. I saw him looking out the window toward the ER, he had this strange expression on his face.
"So, your birthday's coming up."
He looked back at me and smiled, nodding his head intently.
"Mom said I could have a party if I brought my grades up."
He better have pulled his grades up after all those study sessions we had.
"And have you?"
I saw the smile breaking through.
"Yeah. I got 2 A's and the rest of them are B's."
I was so proud of him. He was really a smart kid.
"Congratulations."
He nodded his head in happiness. Our food arrived a few seconds later and we casually chatted about the importance of having history as a part of the curriculum. I hated dates. I really wasn't great with them, and obviously neither was he, since neither one of us could name the year that the Mayflower hit Plymouth Rock. Pointless history. I gave in. It was pointless. Who cared about the past, I only looked toward the future. I finished the rest of my fries, and I also noticed he was growing a bit fidgety.
"Bryce, what's wrong?"
I watched him shake his head.
"Nothing."
I rolled my head around my neck, cracking it. I looked back at him.
"You know I'm always here if you need someone to talk to."
I saw him give me a smile, and I figured he was okay, except he was gearing up to ask something, he just couldn't get the words out.
"Umm.. Doctor Carter . . . "
I looked at him, trying to be casual, not to scare him into not saying anything, but I was also really curious about what he was going ask, since in the short time that I've known him, I've grown really close to him, much closer than I have to anyone before. And it was a great feeling. I genuinely cared for this boy.
"Yup?"
I sounded like a puppy. I wanted to laugh at myself. At least that eased the tension for a second.
"Are you, uhh... "
I was growing a bit worried now, since he was usually very open and said almost anything that came to mind.
"Am I what, Bryce?"
I looked at him, playing with my cup, trying to make him stop talking.
"Are you gonna go out with my mom?"
I breathed a sigh of relief, and actually laughed a bit. Bryce didn't find this too funny. Where did kids get these silly ideas? I hated the woman. Detested her. Okay maybe I was being a little extreme. But we could barely stand in the same room together without wanting to kill each other. Although I never avoided standing in the same room with her. What was I thinking? God I needed to shut up right now.
"I don't think so Bryce. You know we don't like each other."
I saw the dejected look on his face. He had probably had a lot riding on this. I don't exactly understand why. I needed something to cheer him up.
"You want ice-cream?"
I saw him shake his head no in response. So maybe I had destroyed him more than I had thought. He had never turned down ice cream before. I looked at him, he was leaning down on the table, his head lying on his arm. He had that same pouty face on that his mother had. It drove him insane.
"Listen to me, Bryce, I know you love your mother very much, but love is a complicated thing, and it's just never going to happen between the two of us. But that doesn't mean that I have to stop being friends with you and hanging out with you, okay?"
I saw the slight look of acceptance of the situation from him. I mean I'm not going to put all his hopes up, we'd never happen. Right? I mean she's smart, determined, beautiful, but she's also stubborn and annoying, and she can really drive someone up a wall. I didn't need her, or anyone like her in my life . . . ? I pulled out my wallet to pay the bill and started to get out of the booth, Bryce right behind me. We walked in silence toward the ER, and when we got there, we were greeted by who else but Dr. Lockhart, and she didn't look too happy. Bryce ran ahead of me, rushing past her, without saying anything to either one of us. I was heading after him, when I felt her cut in front of me, blocking my way.
"Would you just stay away from him, haven't you done enough damage for one day?"
I haven't done anything. It was all you. You're the one who took away his father figure away from him. You're the one who couldn't get your act together. So of course you can't blame yourself, and Bryce did nothing, so of course you're going to blame me. But being the person I am, I didn't say any of this to her. I just gave her this glare that probably said it all and more, with few curses in there for good measure. I walked away heading to the desk, grabbing a chart, and throwing my coat on the chair by the printer.