Wonderland

25. Bryce Heathman

Mum bitch me out, leaving alone in the Italian restaurant. Yeah, I totally said that. She said she's in Milan for the Fashion week and everything in it is hectic.

"Mum what about grandpa? I thought I'll be meeting him?" I asked in annoyance. I've been here in the Italian Restaurant for thirty minutes and this Bryce Heathman was supposed to be here one hour ago.

"And this Bryce you say is nowhere to be found." I added.

"Honey, Bryce is taking you to Dad which happens to be there in New York. It also shocked me, he says he'll be back from Rio Janeiro next week." she trailed on.

"And Bryce will be your buddy for today, he's a great guy."

"Mum, where did you even meet Bryce?" I sighed.

"He's your aunt Hellen's child, remember her? My bestfriend? Well, Dad was impressed by his horseback riding skills and it just so happened that you came back earlier than expected." she chuckled.

In the corner of my eye, I saw someone searching in the restaurant, "Mum is this Bryce Heathman happens to be tall, curly and always have a beanie on? And oh, tatoos. This guy smells trouble mum."

"Don't worry he's not trouble I can assure you that. And he is an artist, you might have something in common."

"Yeah, whatever mum. Bye." I rolled my eyes.

Bryce Heathman found me at last as he spoke over to someone in the phone. He stare at me for a while then averted his gaze through his phone which he keeps on scrolling.

"You know, I've been here for one hour and forty-five minutes." I said to him that made him looked at me, "And you are so late."

"Sorry miss. I got a meeting before this and your mum texted me thirty minites ago." he said sitting down.

I studied him as he looked around the restaurant, he has the look of a player. Trust me, he is handsome.

Bryce clears his throat, "Are you gonna continue staring at me or would you rather order your food?" he chuckles.

I narrowed my eyes at him, "I'm staring because I'm trying to remember you of something happens to me." I spat.

"What are you having?" he asked still chuckling.

He has great dimples by the way.

"I'm having whatever it is your having." I said still narrowing my eyes at him.

He chuckled, "Okay maam." he turned to the waiter, "Make that two."

"Wine sir?" the waiter asked.

Bryce turned to me, "Red please." I said.

"As what the lady said." he says.

In every minute that passes by while we waited for our order, I tore my gaze towards Bryce and pulled out my phone and decided to scroll down my feeds.

Bryce was looking at me, I can sense it. He would laugh when I would caught him looking at me, and he would just smile when he would caught me looking at him.

No, in all honesty he can be a face of Calvin Kleins. The guy has some muscles in him which makes it more interesting.

I'm only seventeen yet I had this thought on my mind. Geez, what is this guy doing to me?

Our food arrived just when I was about to say something, thank God I caught it in before I spit it out. We ate in silence as we listen to other people in the room having a conversation.

"I-I heard that you are an artist Sir." I said to Bryce not looking at him but in the meat I am eating. Surprisingly, what he ordered was delicious.

Bryce chuckles, "I am, maam. I also heard that you are also one."

I nodded, "Yeah but not really no." I chuckled.

"I saw your drawings- well, aunt Dianne showed it to me once when mum and I decided to visit here six months ago." he says casually.

My eyes snapped open, "W-what kind of drawings did she showed?" I try to act civil with my embarrassed position right now.

He laughs, "Well. The faces you've been sketching was pretty good. And the dresses. Mom said, you were just like me, but I said you're a girl and I'm a boy."

I laughed as we continue to have our civil conversation that made me close to realization that I may or may not have developed a crush to him. I don't even know if he has a girlfriend, but a face like him? Sure enough, a hundred woman would swoon over him and would kill to be his girlfriend.

"Are you in college?" he asks.

I shook my head, "No, I'm still a senior, but I was before when I move to the Philippines.""

"Oh, well. I am to." he chuckled, "I thought, how about we go to the same school? It would be cool right?"

My head snapped over to his direction, "I'm already enrolled in Drenc Ari School.."
His eyes sparked, "Yeah? Well good thing I go there too."

My soul was dancing inside me.

"I-We better go to grandpa now, I bet he's waiting." I said. I pulled out my wallet, but Bryce stopped me.

"Now, if I let you pay for your food- where's the gentleman in me?" he smiled.

And they say, chivalry is dead.

I flip my head to my right side, "Well you were late earlier, that made you not so a gentleman."

He laughed, "Well. That was the past. We should let that go."

And as his words crept into my mind. I let it wander my deepest fears-

Being broken by the same reason again.