Flipped Again

Chapter 12: The Secret Meeting Part 2

I hesitated after I jumped Bryce's back-fence. Does he know I'm coming?

Shelly said knocking from the back door would certainly frighten him, so I should just walk in. Does that mean he has no idea I'm coning? What if this is all a big joke, and he really does still hate me and I get cuffed and arrested for breaking and entering.

But I knew Bryce was alone, and I knew that however much he hated me, he wouldn't have me arrested. I was being ridiculous.

Before I could change my mind, I opened the door and stepped inside. I heard the faint sound of a television coming from the living room.

When I walked towards it I saw Bryce sitting on the sofa, bent down and leaning over, observing a glass in front of him.

"Bryce.." I said quietly.

He jumped, and turned to see me, bewildered as if questioning whether I was really there in front of him. He turned of the television and blinked hard.

He stood up. "...Juli?"

"Oh, Bryce!" I cried, flinging myself at him in a different way than yesterday, wrapping my hands around his neck and embracing him tight.

He staggered back slightly at first but then, clung onto me too, resting his head atop mine. He held up one of my braids and toyed with it in his fingers and then stroked my head softly.

"Juli" He murmured.

I stepped back, containing myself. "Bryce. I am so sorry. For everything."

He sat down, and I did too.

"So am I. Did you find out what my father did?"

I nodded, sadly.

"How did you figure out?" He asked.

There was no use in lying. "So I may have found myself in your house last night, and thennn, mayy have found myself in your father's study. And then I snooped around a little and found them." I finished, anxiously.

He laughed. "Juli, what the hell were you doing in my-" He paused. "The eggs!"

I clutched my hand to my mouth and then to my head, shaking it in shame.

"I didn't realise it was Shelly's room." I admitted.

"You really didn't think that mighty thrashing you gave me was enough punishment?" He laughed.

"God. I'm sorry about that too."

"It's alright, I did get on your nerves purposefully." He hesitated staring at the coffee table then back to me. "Drink?"

"Alcoholic?" I asked and he nodded. I shrugged my shoulders. "Why not."

After a moment of pouring he handed me the mostly empty glass. "What is it?" I asked.

"Rum" He answered "Just found it in my dad's cabinet."

I had always wondered what alcohol tasted like. Bryce sat down next to me, intertwining my arm with his and holding his glass to his lips. "How bout it?"

I nodded counting to three. On the count of three I started swigging the drink, feeling fine for the less than a second and then the warmth and the fire of the drink burnt inside me. I swallowed all that was left in my mouth, coughing furiously.

Bryce had a similar reaction.

"God that's awful! Why do adults drink this stuff?" He complained yet pouring us both a little bit more.

I could feel it inside me warm and bubbly, escaping in laughs.

After a while, we stopped spluttering after drinking, but still grimaced.