A Player's First Choice // Stenbrough

098 / It's Bowers

It's not Richie. It's Bowers. Open the fucking door.

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I start to eat the cake. It's just a slice of chocolate and vanilla swirl cake with regular white frosting.

A piece of paper sticks out of the top of the box.

"Please forgive me? I don't know what was going through my head last night. I just wanna be able to I don't know. Be close to you? Something like that? I wanna hold your hand again. Or run my hands up and down your back...whatever. You get the point."

Near the top of the page is a couple of smudged places. Where tears fell. His handwriting is awfully shaky, not his best.

I open the box. A small little stuffed bear sits on top of a couple of new sweaters and one of his hoodies.

"I know this is cheesy as fuck but I want you back. You know what I mean, not in that way. I wanna be able to tease you and make you jealous and stuff I've never had to do this for someone. And honestly, that probably means something that I still don't know about."

My hands begin to shake.

At the bottom of the box is. A picture. A picture of us two. Someone took the picture without us knowing because it was at the restaurant the first time.

I get a text from him.

Bill✨

B: Please open the door.

S: Maybe I don't wanna.

B: I don't know how to apologize.

S: I don't know either. You can figure it out.

B: If you open the door maybe I can.

S: Putting hickeys on me won't help the problem Bill

B: Maybe it can? Maybe I do wanna kiss you.

S: But that doesn't mean you have feelings for me

B: I never said I don't.

S: Do you?

B: If you open the door maybe you can figure that out.

S: You're an idiot. I know you don't.

B: Do you want me to have feelings for you?

S: No.

B: You're a very bad liar.

S: We're texting.

B: I can still tell.

S: Whatever. Leave I'm not opening the door.

B: If Richie's sees me here he'll beat my ass

S: Then you most likely deserve it.

B: Why are you so stubborn?

S: Because when I thought of being your "first choice" you wouldn't treat me like shit.
S: Or leave me drunk by myself.

B: I wasn't thinking okay?

S: I also thought I would finally have someone to "like me" and actually drop everyone else for me.

B: You should've known.

S: What the fuck.

B: Richie is here... please open the door.

S: No. fuck off. Block my number.

B: Bunny, please?

S: Don't call me that.

B: Stan for real.

S: You'll be okay.

B: It's not Richie. It's Bowers. Open the fucking door.