Chapter 2 - Meet Bryce (Bryce’s POV)
1218 Words
*WHISTLE BLOWS*
“Good work today, boys. I know tomorrow is the first day of classes for some of you, so I’m gonna cut practice short.”
The team erupted before Coach could finish.
“EXCUSE ME!”
The cheering immediately died down.
“And,” Coach continued with a smirk, “I’m only requiring one workout tomorrow at your own discretion. You’ve earned it after the grind we’ve put in during camp. Get some rest, recover, and I’ll see you all in two days.”
This time the celebration couldn’t be stopped.
The second Coach disappeared around the corner, the entire team exploded. Pads hit the floor, lockers slammed open, and everyone rushed toward the showers.
Finally.
A break.
Camp had been brutal.
“Aye, bro. You coming to the party tonight or what?”
I looked over my shoulder to find Damon leaning against the locker beside mine.
“Man, I don’t know.”
I sat down and started unlacing my cleats.
“Coach been working us like dogs since camp started. I kinda just wanna chill.”
Damon scoffed.
“That’s exactly why you need to come.”
He shoved my shoulder.
“You need a drink, some music, and a woman.”
I rolled my eyes.
“See, that’s where we different.”
“Here we go.”
“You know the deal. I’m not worried about women until I get to the league.”
Damon groaned dramatically.
“And even then,” I continued, “they’ll probably just want my money.”
“Bryce, that mindset is exactly why you’re single.”
I laughed.
“And look where your relationship got you.”
Damon narrowed his eyes.
“Watch yourself.”
“Nah, I’m serious. Lexie spent your entire NIL check at Smoothie King and had you putting on twenty pounds. Coach was on your ass for a month.”
“Aye!”
Damon threw a towel at me.
“Not too much on my woman.”
The locker room burst out laughing.
“You just mad because you’ve never had a girl worth acting stupid over.”
I shook my head.
“Never will.”
“Man, when you find the right one, it’s over for you.”
He started singing dramatically.
“Loveeeee… never knew what I was missin’…”
I immediately shoved him away.
“Bro, shut up.”
The i***t only sang louder.
“One day you’re gonna be down bad.”
“I don’t believe in love.”
“Cap.”
“I don’t.”
I stood up and grabbed my towel.
“Love makes people stupid.. what time is it at?”
Damon grinned.
“Nine.”
“Fine. I’ll go.”
“That’s what I’m talking about.”
“But if you start singing again, I’m staying home.”
The locker room erupted again as I headed toward the showers.
A few minutes later, we were leaving the football facility, laughing and shoving each other as we headed across campus.
Life felt simple.
Football.
Friends.
The future.
Nothing else mattered.
Then I saw her.
And suddenly none of it felt simple anymore.
The sunlight wrapped around her like it belonged there.
Golden skin.
Long black hair.
A smile that looked effortless.
The kind of beautiful that made people stare before they realized they were staring.
Including me.
Especially me.
I slowed without even realizing it.
The guys kept talking around me, but their voices faded into background noise.
All I could focus on was her.
The way she laughed.
The way she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
The way she looked completely unaware of the effect she was having on everyone around her.
I hated it instantly.
Not her.
The feeling.
Because I don’t get caught up.
I don’t chase girls.
I definitely don’t believe in love.
Love is a distraction.
A weakness.
A good way to lose focus on everything that actually matters.
But for the first time in my life, those beliefs felt a little shaky.
Just for a second.
Just long enough to make me wonder who she was.
And why I couldn’t look away.
Wait…
Is she looking at me?
“BRO.”
A shove nearly knocked me sideways.
I blinked.
Damon was standing there grinning like an i***t.
“You good?”
“What?”
“You been staring in one direction for like thirty seconds.”
I looked away immediately.
“Nah.”
Damon followed my line of sight.
“Ohhh.”
“Don’t.”
“Ohhhhhh.”
“Shut up.”
He started laughing.
“Bryce got a crush.”
“I don’t even know her.”
“Exactly.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Man, I’ll meet y’all at the dorm. I forgot something inside.”
Damon smirked.
“You forgot something or somebody?”
I ignored him and headed back toward the building.
The second I got enough distance from the guys, I turned around.
My eyes scanned the courtyard.
Nothing.
She was gone.
“Damn.”
I looked around one more time.
Then I froze.
Wait.
Was she with Lexie?
Nah.
Maybe.
I couldn’t be sure.
By the time I got back to Bullhorn Hall, Damon was already sprawled across his bed.
“Aye,” I said casually.
He immediately looked suspicious.
“What?”
“Lexie got a new friend or something?”
Damon raised an eyebrow.
“Not that I know of.”
He sat up.
“Why?”
I shrugged.
“No reason.”
“Liar.”
“I thought I saw her with some girl I’ve never seen before.”
“Maybe a transfer?”
“Maybe.”
The conversation needed to die immediately.
“Anyway, enough of that.”
I grabbed a controller.
“Time for you to get your ass kicked.”
Six games later, I was undefeated.
As usual.
Then Lexie called and Damon practically threw me out of his room.
Which left me alone.
Lying in bed.
Staring at the ceiling.
Trying not to think about a girl whose name I didn’t even know.
*RING. RING. RING*
My 8:30 alarm blared.
I grabbed my phone.
One text.
Damon: Yo bro, heading over early to help set up. Don’t be late.
Me: Bet.
I tossed my phone onto the bed.
No rush.
By the time I finally showed up, it was almost 9:30.
Music rattled the walls the second I opened the front door.
Smoke hung in the air.
Bass shook the floor.
The party was already packed.
Immediately people started calling my name.
“Yo Bryce!”
“Take a shot with us!”
“National Championship this year!”
“There he is!”
“The man of the hour!”
Normally I’d eat that up.
The attention.
The popularity.
The feeling that everyone knew who I was.
But tonight?
None of it mattered.
Because the second I stepped into the room…
I saw her.
The same girl from earlier.
Standing right there.
And just like before, everything else disappeared.
The music.
The people.
The noise.
The entire damn room.
For the first time all day, I finally got a good look at her.
And for the first time in my life…
I forgot every reason I’d ever had for not believing in love.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD