Page 30 of Just Try, Again and Again

26

Haruki - 21 years old

Beginning of May, Bryce’s Junior year and Haruki’s Sophomore year

“Idon’t get why you can’t come to Berlin in the summer?” he asks, but I’m having trouble focusing on his words right now. All I can zone in on is the baby blue eyes staring at me on my screen, pleading with me. “My internship will run from mid-May until September. You can come any time.”

“Bryce,” I sigh out his name. “You know why. I’m really sorry. I’m saving up to buy a camcorder right now and a round-trip ticket to Berlin just isn’t in the budget.”

“I’ll buy it for you. It can be your second birthday present,” he pleads. As if he knows it would have an effect on me, he makes his eyes bigger and pouts. And I almost say yes.Almost.

“You know I can’t let you do that.”Damn you, ethics.“Even if I would let you do that, there is no way that my dad wouldn’tquestion where the money came from. He’s the one that pays my monthly salary. He knows that my equipment is not cheap.”

Bryce rubs his face with his hand and looks to the side. “Hear me out, okay,” he says, and I already know what he’s about to say. I really don’t want to shoot down his idea again for the third time in a span of fifteen minutes, but something tells me I might have to. “What if we tell your dad what we are?”

“I’m not going to do that just so I can go to Berlin, Bryce!” I’m yelling at him, but I don’t mean it, it’s just a sensitive topic. A sensitive topic that Bryce has been pushing more and more lately. The truth is, at this point, I’m just scared to tell my father about us. Our relationship is now back to the stage where it was before Mom died. It also helps that I’ve matured since my high school days and help out around the office now. But it’s not all on me, Dad has put a lot of effort into getting to know me, often going to art galleries and exhibits with me on the weekends. This revelation will set us back.Big time.

Another sigh from him, and sadly, I’m not surprised. I would be upset, too.Stuck between a rock and a hard place and all that.

“I’m going to go, okay?” he finally says.

“Oh, come on. I understand why you’re upset, but?—”

“Let’s talk tomorrow, Haruki. I really have to go. It’s Cameron’s birthday party tonight. I offered to throw it in the pool house, so I need to prepare everything.”

“I love you,” I say, but he already disconnected the call.

Hi, it’s me, Bryce. I’m busy right now, but shoot me a message and I’ll get back to you.

Hi, it’s me, Bryce. I’m busy right now, but shoot me a message and I’ll get back to you.

Hi, it’s me, Bryce. I’m busy right now, but shoot me a message and I’ll get back to you.

Hi, it’s me, Bryce. I’m busy right now, but shoot me a message and I’ll get back to you.

Hi, it’s me, Bryce. I’m busy right now, but shoot me a message and I’ll get back to you.

My heart thundersin my chest. Bryce told me he would call me at noon his time. It’s already two in the afternoon in Elsham Cove, so he can’t possibly be sleeping.

Hi, it’s me, Bryce. I’m busy right now, but shoot me a message and I’ll get back to you.

Hi, it’s me, Bryce. I’m busy right now, but shoot me a message and I’ll get back to you.

At the risk of appearing like a stage five clinger, I look for the messaging app and start typing.If something happened to him, would they inform me? They would, right? We’re legally married.

Bryce, do you want to call me later instead? Are you okay?

Hi, it’s me, Bryce. I’m busy right now, but shoot me a message and I’ll get back to you.

By some miracle, on the tenth try, my call goes through.

“Bryce, can we move to FaceTime instead? Otherwise this call is going to cost me a fortune,” I blurt out directly,remembering the last time I forgot to use FaceTime and called him using my carrier, instead.

“Hello, Haruki.” It’s a woman’s voice. “It’s me, Astrid. Astrid Simmons.”

“Oh, hello, Mrs. Simmons.” I try to hide my disappointment. The wheels in my brain are grinding, trying to figure out why she is the one who’s answering. As I ask her my question, I send a silent prayer that she’s not in a hospital somewhere and about to inform me that Bryce has been in an accident. “May I speak to Bryce, please?”

“Of course, I’ll get him in just a minute.” I can hear the smirk in the way she speaks. “I have to say, I’m very surprised that you’re still with Bryce. Especially since he was intimate with a girl last night.”

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