The Tomboy And The Captain (#wattys2021)

~17

Bryce's POV:

When I get home, both my parents are there.

"Evening son, did you had a good day at school?" Mom asks as always.

"Yes."

"When is your next game?" Dad questions.

Why are they all of a sudden being caring parents? They weren't like that before.

Is it because of what happened?

"Friday."

"We'll be there."

"Why? Don't you have a date night?"

"We can always go Saturday Bryce, we want to be there", mom says.

"Why are you interested all of a sudden? Back in France you barely bother to even ask me about my day much less come to my games", I snap, "are you doing this to feel better? To get rid of the guilt? Newsflash, he's gone and nothing you do for me now will bring him back!"

Mom gasps and starts to cry.

"Apologize now!" Dad demands.

"There's my real father I know, it was all an act so do me a favor and drop the act and don't bother to come to my games if it to earn my forgiveness because it can't be bought by fake love", I go up to my room and slam my door.

This is the reason why we moved so my parents can get rid of the guilt, staying in France will make their guilt worst so moving was the better option for them.

I throw my both bags in the corner and fall on my bed, I glance over at the framed picture on the nightstand, it was a photo of me and my older brother in Paris when I was 13. 

My brother was 3 years younger than me, he died a year and a half after that photo was taken and it was all our parents' fault. They want to be there for me since they weren't there for him, he had a bright future and was a pro soccer player like me, he thought me everything he knew about soccer that was why I want to go play professionally after high school in France and make it to the world cup.

"I miss you Blake and I will become a famous football player just like you dreamt us to be together as kids", I say.

Someone knocks on the door waking me up from my nap.

"Can I come in?" Mom calls.

I sigh, "come in." 

I sit up on the bed and she enters, "it's dark", she turns on the light.

"I'm sorry about your father, you know everyone grief in their own way, the news about Blake hit him the hardest out of all of us", she begins.

"How? He acted as nothing happened."

"At night he would cry then the next day bury himself with work to block off the pain, he loved Blake so much", she wipes a tear quickly, "I missed him too, he was my baby boy and you looked so much like him."

I did, we shared mom's black hair and caramel brown eyes but looked like the exact duplicate of dad

"I missed him."

She hugs me, "I know and we didn't move here because of the guilt, your father got a job promotion and Australia has some good universities you can get a scholarship into."

"I am going back to France when I graduate next year", I state.

"Oh, Bryce."

"A scout has eyes on me remember? I can get a draft if I'm lucky."