Playing with Fire // Braddison

Seventeen.

~ bryce pov

"Dont quote me on it.. but I think it's her. But you have to act normal.. we need to catch her in the act. She has to be up to something." Addison said, having convinced me that it was Lilly who did all of this. She was the only person who would make sense.. she had a reason to be jealous of Addison. But it pissed me off to feel like I knew this girl when everything felt like a lie now.. had she been playing me this entire time?

"I don't know how I'm supposed to just act normal.. I can barely act like I'm into her anymore when all I think about is you.." I said, pulling her onto my lap as I longed for any physical touch with her. What I really missed though were her lips on mine as I stared at them, softly caressing them with my thumb.

"You have to Bryce.. what if it wasn't her, you're just going to ruin your relationship?" She asked, as if there was any relationship truly there.. I just shrugged, pulling her closer as I tried to kiss her, but Addison pulled away.

I pouted as I asked her why she wouldn't let me kiss her. "Because you are still with Lilly.. and we still have a deal." She said, holding too much power as she wrapped her legs and arms around me but wouldn't let me even kiss her. Addison always had me drooling over her and she absolutely loved it.

"Just once.. come on, I just miss the feeling of your lips on mine. I need you.." I said, letting my arms wrap around her waist as I held her close. "No, no, and no." She said as she kissed my cheek, jaw and neck.. but that was all I was getting. She giggled as she stood up in her room, telling me she had to head out for a meeting.

"I got this covered though babe.. we'll figure this out, I promise. You just keep her in love with you and fix whatever you need to fix. Remind her that I hate you and nothing could happen between us." She said as she smirked. She was underestimating Lilly though, she wasn't stupid and probably wouldn't believe it. But if she was hiding something, I needed to find out what.. so I'd stall her until then.

I kissed Addison's cheek as I let her get ready for her meeting and headed out. I drove back home, Blake messaging me that Lilly was there waiting for me. I groaned, not wanting to deal with her right now. But I knew I couldn't delay it any longer.

I sighed before entering my home, opening my door and seeing Lilly sitting in my living room. She stood up as soon as she saw me, yelling as she asked me where I had been and why I hadn't been answering my phone. "I needed time away." I said, being short with her. I tried to remind myself to listen to Addison, to act like everything was normal.. but nothing felt okay anymore.

"You didn't think to reach out to your girlfriend after that article that went out today?? What am I supposed to think Bryce?? Were you with Addison?" She asked hysterically, freaking out as she continued to raise her voice.

"No, I wasn't with Addison, Lilly. And I'm not entertaining that article. You know me and I would never do something like this." I said, lying right through my teeth but I didn't care at this point. I wanted to be the one to question her now but I just decided to keep my mouth shut.

"No, I don't know you apparently.. those messages came straight from your phone. How are you going to deny this??" She said as I shook my head. I excused myself, wanting to walk to my room to be done with this but she of course just followed.

"You can't just run away from this, Bryce. We need to talk about it!!" She yelled after me, walking straight up to my door. I stood by it, not wanting to let her in. "What do you want me to say.. it seems like you've already made up your mind." I was failing at this, sorry Addison, but my patience was running low.

"Tell me you weren't with Addison, tell me you don't care about her. You left an entire week with her and didn't even say one word about it to me when you got back.. what am I supposed to think Bryce. I feel like I'm fighting for us and you don't even care.." she said, her voice softening and Lilly now becoming emotional.

I sighed, beginning to feel bad for her. There was always the possibility that it wasn't her who leaked those pictures. And if it wasn't, she didn't deserve to be treated this way. I grabbed her hand and pulled her into a hug. "I wasn't with Addison and I promise nothing has been going on between us.. she's been going through it. And I've been trying to support her, but she knows I am with you.. you are the one I love." I said, wiping away the tears that had formed in Lilly's eyes.

"I love you, Bryce.. I am just afraid to lose you." She said in a gentle tone, burying her face in my neck. I sighed as I hugged her, telling her I wasn't going anywhere.. but I began to feel guilty having to live this lie.

We walked to my bed, Lilly cuddling into my arms. I rubbed her back as we just laid in silence, both of us seeming to not find any words until she said that she was planning a trip. "I was in a bad place earlier.. you weren't answering my calls and I called my mother freaking out. She booked a trip for me to go to Texas.." she said, asking me if that would be okay.

"Um yeah.. that's fine.." I said, not going to be the person to tell her she couldn't go visit her mother. She hugged me, thanking me and telling me she was flying out tonight.

Everything felt rushed and weird.. but with everything going on, I felt it was best that she go away anyways. It gave Addison and I time to figure everything out. So I drove her to her apartment, helped her pack and drove her to the airport. I hugged her goodbye as she would be gone for a week, telling her I'd be waiting for her.

~•~

~ addison pov

"She flew to Texas tonight? What.. that's weird, Bryce.. don't you think?" I asked him as he told me about what had happened with Lilly and how she had gotten on a flight tonight. Everything about this girl was already weird.. but how had she already gotten on a flight to leave?

"Her family is in Texas, i think that's just her comfort.." Bryce said as I pulled him to bed and we laid down together. With Lilly gone, he had offered to sleep over tonight and I had said yes because he was always my weakness. There was nothing wrong with some cuddles anyways..

"Have you ever met her family or gone to Texas?" I asked, resting my chin on his chest as I laid on him and his hands sat on my lower back. "I've spoken to her parents on the phone.. but I've never actually met them." He said, all of this seeming weird. How was it that they had been together for over a year and he hadn't met her family yet..

"Has she met Lisa?" I asked, Bryce shaking his head. "My mom hasn't met anyone since you.. she's still just a little attached." He said, making me blush. Lisa and I did have an amazing relationship but I was surprised to hear this.. even though it did make me happy.

But all of this just clarified that Lilly and Bryce weren't perfect and never even had a chance. I didn't feel bad at all for claiming my man back. However, she gave me terrible vibes and I needed to find out what her purpose was with him. I felt like her intentions were definitely in a wrong place and I would find out what they were.

"How about.. we take a little trip to Texas, baby?" I asked as my hands got lost in his hair and my eyes got lost in his. He just nodded, pulling me closer as he kissed my forehead, leaving kisses all over my face. "We can do whatever you want to do, baby.." he whispered, kissing my temple and then down my neck.

I couldn't help the moan that escaped my lips as he began to suck on my sweet spot on my neck. "Whatever you want.. baby..." he repeated as I felt his breath on my neck. Whatever...

There was so much that I wanted from him, but right now was not the time. With everything going on with Lilly and with everything that had happened with me, I didn't think we should jump into anything sexual yet.. I still needed more time to heal.

"Baby?" I whispered, pushing Bryce off slightly so he could face me. "I can't, I'm sorry.." I whispered, Bryce shaking his head as he kissed my cheek and asked me to not apologize. "I am the one who should apologize.. I don't ever want you to feel like I am pushing you." he said sweetly as I hugged him.

"I love you, you know that. And one day, I want to give you the world. But we need to close this chapter of your life right now.. We are going to Texas and we are going to figure out what is there for Lilly." I said, Bryce nodding. I didn't think he thought much of it, but I knew girls.. and I knew a bitch when I met one.

Something was going on and I was going to get to the bottom of it. It was time to get rid of Lilly once and for all.. I was tired of not having Bryce all to myself anymore anyways.

** howdy y'all 🤠 let's go to Texas