Page 23 of Just Try, Again and Again

“Did you get that for me?” I gasp.This guy is the sweetest.

“This and something else.” Bryce goes to his backpack and takes out a small, blue box. My heart thunders in my chest as he makes his way to the sofa where I’m sitting. “Don’t be nervous,I’m not proposing.” He winks before sitting next to me. “We’re already married, anyway; it beats the purpose.”

“If that’s a keychain, I will murder you.” I narrow my eyes at him.

“It’s not,” he says through his smile. He opens the box and reveals a golden wedding band looped on a chain. “We said no rings when we got married, but it just feels wrong to me. I know we got married on a whim and you don’t want to tell your dad about us just yet. But I’m really serious about us. So, I got this for you. You can wear it like a necklace until we’re ready and it’s finally our time. What do you think?”

I press my mouth onto his, not knowing what to say. Bryce Simmons has exceeded all my expectations. Every day since I returned, in the back of my mind, I always thought that he would leave me. Bryce is a stunner and college is a place where thousands of teenagers have nothing else to do but hang out and hook up, but he proves me wrong, again and again.

“And the tattoo?” I ask, remembering that my Christmas present is two-in-one.

A chuckle escapes his mouth.He’s more nervous about explaining this one than the ring.“Well, I thought we could match—you have Doraemon, so I could have the door. Plus, I always wish that I’m next to you.” Bryce pauses, his hand caressing my cheek. “I fucking love you, Haruki.”

“I love you, too, Bryce. Thank you.” I take the ring out of the box and put it around my neck as a necklace, wearing it like a badge of honor. “Now my present is going to look like shit.” I should have known that he was going to do something like this, over the top and ridiculously adorable.

“What did you get me?” he asks curiously.

“I…I got us tickets to go to Disneyland tomorrow. It’s silly.” I am expecting a disappointed look on his face. I could’ve gotten him anything else other than this. They also have Disneyland inthe US. Two, even. Looking at Bryce, I see an expression that I can’t quite make out.Is he disappointed?

“I’ve always wanted to go to Disneyland Tokyo.” Bryce breaks out into a boyish grin.

20

Bryce - 19 years old

Ican’t believe she got us tickets to Disneyland. Everything that happens with this girl feels like the universe is trying to tell me we’re soulmates. Either that, or I’m projecting issues onto her. But I’m a glass-half-full kind of guy, so I’m going to choose the former.

Haruki is eating her weight in Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups on the bed, with my laptop propped on a pillow next to her. Coming out of the bathroom, I can see that she’s streaming some tutorial video about Adobe Photoshop. I lay myself next to her, spooning her from behind and feeling her round ass on me.

“I’m thinking of dyeing my hair black,” she says, her eyes still glued to the screen, still holding a mini peanut butter cup.

“Completely black?”

“Yeah. I’m getting tired of the green. Maybe I’ll get purple highlights or something.”

I push her hair to the side and kiss her shoulder. My body feels warm the moment I see the necklace she’s wearing. The ring. I’m not an idiot, she hasn’t told her dad about us yet.It would only cause unnecessary drama and they just patched things up. I had no hard feelings when she said she wouldn’t be telling him anything unless there was something to tell. But this is my way of claiming her. Although I doubt guys will notice it, at least she will.As if putting it on a piece of paper wasn’t enough, you idiot.

“I bet you’ll look hot as fuck.”

She turns around to face me, one of her eyebrows raised. “Are you saying I’m not hot as fuck right now?” she asks in a playful tone.

I steal the peanut butter cup that’s pinched between her thumb and index finger, earning me a look. “You could be bald and you’d still look hot as fuck.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Both of us stay silent. I’m usually not that bad with chicks, always knowing what to say and what to do to propel the night forward, but this is my first round being in a serious relationship. Even though we got the sappy romantic part right, it’s been almost ten hours since my flight landed and we’re no closer to having sex. I want to fuck her so bad, but how do I do that? How do I move on from the I-love-yous and I-miss-yous to, although I really miss you, it’s time for us to bone?

“Bryce…” My name comes out of her mouth in a long stretch. “Why do you have that look?”

“What look?”

“Like you’re in pain, or disgusted, or something.”

I force out a throaty laugh. “It’s nothing,” I say while twirling a lock of her hair with my finger.God, this is so embarrassing. I feel like I’m fucking sixteen and about to lose my virginity. “I’m just really horny. And I’m waiting for you to finish watching that thing so I can finally start.”

“I think I’d like that.”Like music to my ears. “Let me wash my hands first, though. It’s covered in peanut butter and chocolate. I’m disgusting.” Before I get a chance to stop her, she jolts up and walks to her suitcase. She grabs something out of it and walks to the bathroom, locking the door behind her.

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