Always There

Chapter Ninety

Songs for this chapter:
• 2002 - Anne-Marie

Chapter Ninety:

Lexi's POV

As I'm straightening one of the pillows on my bed, Bryce walks into my bedroom with a cardboard box in his arms.

I turn around to find him setting the box down on the floor where it joins the pile of other cardboard boxes next to my dresser. Once he pushes the box into place, he straightens up, turns around to face me, and gives me that perfectly charming smile of his.

"That was the last box, habibti. Everything is moved in now. Would you like take a little bit of break, or do you want to unpack your clothes and shoes and just get it over with?" he asks me softly.

I watch as he runs a hand through his hair, pushing it back from his forehead in the most adorable way.

And then I have to avert my eyes down to where my hands are folded in my lap so that Bryce can't see my face as I try my very best to blink back the tears that are suddenly filling my eyes.

A moment passes as I try to steady my breathing and banish the tears from my eyes where Bryce says absolutely nothing, and instead simply stands by the stack of boxes next to my dresser.

But, he's Bryce, and so of course it only takes him a few moments to notice that there's something wrong with me.

He immediately hurries across the room to take a seat beside me on my bed. His large hands reach down to cover mine where they're still resting on my lap, and he then leans in to kiss me on the cheek.

"Hey, sweetheart. How are you? I know this is overwhelming, and I'm so terribly sorry that this is making you upset. Would you like to talk about it, my love?" he whispers to me, giving my hands a gentle squeeze.

This prompts me to look up at Bryce's face. I immediately notice the genuine concern in his eyes, and this combined with the fact that he just referred to me as "my love" makes my heart beat erratically in my chest.

"I'm okay," I lie, because I'm really anything other than okay right now. "Don't worry about me. You're right; it's just a little overwhelming. I'll be fine, though. I know that you probably have better things to do this evening than helping your ex-girlfriend unpack clothes. You've already been so very helpful today, Bryce, and so you're welcome to leave now if that's what you'd like."

Truthfully, that's such an understatement. Bryce has been so beyond helpful today. For starters, he helped coax me out of bed this morning even though I was completely breaking down mentally. He then made me pancakes and helped me pack up all of my clothes, which was definitely not a quick process, all while being so incredibly supportive even though I could tell that today has been hard for him too.

Bryce's eyebrows immediately furrow, and the crease between his brows paired with the messy state of his hair makes him appear even more adorable right now.

"I can tell that you aren't okay," he says gently. "There's no need to hide your feelings from me, Blossom. I don't like that very much. And I also don't like that you think there's anywhere else in the world I would rather be right now than here, with you. Of course I'm going to stay to help you finish unpacking. I just wanted to know when you'd like to do that."

I blink.

"Oh," I respond in a whisper.

Bryce's eyebrows raise slightly, no longer furrowed, and his slight frown turns up into a little smile. "Oh."

I sigh, pinch him in the arm, and then lean in to him until my head is resting comfortably on his shoulder.

"You're the worst. But you're wonderful, Bryce. You really are. Thank you so much for today. I don't think that I could've done it without you," I say.