Always There

Chapter Eighty-Seven

Chapter Eighty-Seven:

Lexi's POV

I wake up alone in Bryce's bed the next morning.

I'm still naked, but he's tucked me in under the covers so that my entire body is covered up with the thick, cozy duvet. I must've reached out to grab him in my sleep while he got out of bed because I find myself clutching a pillow to my chest as though it's Bryce's body.

Thinking about Bryce tucking me in and giving me a pillow to cuddle makes my heart flutter.

I sit up in bed, setting the pillow back down in its place on the bed. I then look towards the bedside table, where I find a small piece a paper with a note scrawled on it in Bryce's freakishly-neat handwriting.

Seriously. His handwriting is so neat and beautiful that I sometimes can't believe a computer doesn't write it for him.

I reach over to the table, picking up the note so that I can read whatever Bryce has written for me:

My Blossom,

Good morning, beautiful. I'm sorry I left you alone, but I wanted to get in a workout this morning as I didn't have a chance yesterday. Matt wakes up pretty early, so you'll probably be able to find him in the kitchen if you get lonely.

I hope you slept well. I know we were up late last night, and so you're welcome to go back to sleep if you're still tired. I just want to warn you that a lot of my family is coming over around lunch time, and so I'm assuming you'd like to be awake before then.

(If you don't want to be here for that, I can drive you home whenever you'd like. I would really love it if you stayed, though.)

You're welcome to borrow whatever clothes you'd like. I'll come find you as soon as I'm done. I promise.

I miss you already.

Yours always,

Bryce

I find myself smiling like an idiot as I fold up Bryce's note, tucking it underneath where my phone is resting on his bedside table so that I can keep it for later.

God, he's such a dork. But he's my dork, and that's all that matters.

I pull the covers back and crawl out of bed, which takes a surprising amount of effort because I'm just so warm and cozy. The sheets smell like Bryce too, which is definitely a huge bonus.

Nonetheless, I manage to leave the bed with a groan. I head into the bathroom to brush my teeth with the spare toothbrush Bryce had given me to use last night before freeing my hair from the scrunchie I had tied it back with before bed. I run my fingers through the long strands of hair, doing my best to brush out any tangles before finally exiting the bathroom.

I set the scrunchie down on Bryce's bedside table for him to hold on to again before heading into his closet. I end up pulling on a pair of black sweatpants and a baby blue T-shirt that I've never even seen Bryce wear.

When I leave the closet, I locate where I had placed all my jewelry last night before grabbing my cherry blossom necklace. I fasten it around my neck and then slip my ring on my finger, the one that says Bryce's name on it.

I then spot my promise ring, still attached to Bryce's chain. I gently run my fingertip along the edge of it, reliving the memories that came along with this ring even just for a moment.

It's just that the night Bryce gave me this ring was so damn magical. It was the best birthday ever, and those memories will be ingrained in my head forever and ever. Even though Bryce and I are no longer together, our relationship will always be the happiest time of my life.