Always There

Chapter Twenty-Five

Songs for this chapter:
• Baby It's Cold Outside - Idina Menzel & Michael Bublé
• Winter Things - Ariana Grande

Chapter Twenty-Five:

Lexi's POV

I wake up to the sound of my phone buzzing from my bedside table.

Bryce:
Good morning, beautiful.
Baby?
Are you still asleep?
Oh.
I'm sorry.
Get some rest, baby girl.
I love you.

I feel my lips tug up into a wide smile as I read the several messages that Bryce had sent me over and over again as I sit up in bed. I let out a yawn as I stretch, attempting to work out some of the stiffness in my neck before I type back a message to my boyfriend.

Lexi:
I'm awake now, Bryce.
Do you need something?
I love you too.

Bryce is speedy to type out a reply to me.

Bryce:
I'm on my way to your house to pick you up.
I was about to turn around and drive back home because you seemed to still be asleep, but if you're awake, I should probably let you know that I'll be there in five minutes.

At this, my eyes widen in horror as I shoot out of bed.

Five minutes? How the heck am I supposed to be ready in five minutes?

Examining my current attire, a hoodie and pair of sweatpants that I'd taken from Bryce. The clothes are obviously extremely baggy on me, and not wanting to hear any criticism about my attire from Adriana and Addison, I figure that I should probably get dressed before I even leave the room anyway.

I quickly type out a reply to Bryce as I hurry to my bathroom with a groan, grabbing my hairbrush off of my vanity along the way.

Lexi:
You're only giving me a five-minute warning?

Bryce:
It's four minutes now, darling.

I can't help but to let out an agitated huff as I drop my phone down onto the bathroom counter, grabbing my toothbrush and tube of toothpaste. I brush my teeth in a rush before moving on to wash my face, then finishing up in the bathroom before exiting the room while running my brush through my hair.

I set my phone and hairbrush down on my desk, then taking a moment to examine myself in the mirror. Although I'm undoubtedly exhausted, you wouldn't be able to tell whatsoever by my appearance as I have a twinkle in my eye that makes me look alert and awake as well as a slight flush to my cheeks that makes me look . . . happy.

Surprisingly enough, Bryce hasn't texted me again with another time warning, and so I hurry to my dresser to dig around to find an outfit for today.

I decide on a thin white turtleneck and a pair of light wash denim jeans. I find a matching white lace bra and underwear set to throw on—just in case today goes exceptionally well.

And it's when I've completely stripped out of my pajamas and am only wearing the white lace underwear set that the door to my bedroom comes flying open.

I immediately throw my hands over my body to try and cover myself at least a little bit, spinning around to face the door. "Could you please at least knock?"

Bryce swiftly closes the door behind himself. "What's the point? This is nothing that I haven't seen before."

Relief washes over me to see that he's the intruder and that it's not one of my family members. I slowly lower my hands from my body as Bryce makes his way across the room and towards me.