The Golden Couple

Chap. 63

I felt something cold being pressed against my hand.

I slipped off my sunglasses, looking up to see Clayton handing me an iced coffee from Dunkin Donuts.

I pushed myself vertical, raising my eyebrows at him.

He didn't say anything, instead just leaving my coffee on the side of my lounge chair before taking a chair next to me, laying out for himself.

I knew that's the most of an apology I was going to get from him, so I took my coffee and took a long slurp, enjoying the refreshing taste against the Florida heat.

Bryce had to report out to the fields early this morning, so I'd taken to lying out by the pool to enjoy some of Florida's summer sun before heading down to the baseball fields myself.

It being the weekend, Clayton didn't have practice. So he'd stayed the night in the hotel last night, but I hadn't heard heads or tails from him. Which wasn't unusual, it's not like we were best friends or anything. But I figured he'd be down at the fields with the team, not lying out by the pool.

"Why aren't you out at the fields?" I asked Clayton, glancing over at him.

"Overslept," he answered, before taking another sip of his coffee.

He was wearing a tank top and a pair of shorts, clearly not dressed for the pool.

Silence settled between us, and I took another sip of my coffee before lying back down, resting my cup on the floor next to me.

"I'm sorry, okay?" Clayton muttered, after a few more minutes of silence.

I glanced over at him in surprise.

Those were the last words I expected to hear from Clayton Johnson.

"I know you were childishly excited over Disney yesterday, for whatever reason, and I'm sorry that I ruined that for you," Clayton continued, a pensive expression on his face. "So are we good?"

I pushed myself vertical again, the shock wearing off.

Clayton Johnson just apologized to me.

"Um, yeah. Okay I guess."

"Great," he said, pushing himself up out of the lounge chair. "Glad we could have this talk."

"Did Bryce ask you to apologize to me?" I questioned.

"Uh, no," Clayton said, stopping to stare at me. "I'm not apathetic, despite what you may think. I do feel regret for ruining your day yesterday."

I slowly nodded.

He took another long sip of his coffee. "Disney's just my own personal hellhole. So if you don't mind, I'd rather stop talking about it."

"But why go?" I pressed. "If you hate it so much."

He shifted uncomfortably, clearing his throat. "Because Bryce is my best friend."

Okay?

He cleared his throat again. "Because yesterday was the only day I got to spend with Bryce, even if it was at Disney. I thought I could get through it, clearly I was wrong. Sorry." And then he turned and briskly walked away.