Trapped in the Real World

Chapter 5 - Bryce's Girlfriend Struggle

Candace opened the extravagant front door to the old brick house as the wooden porch boards squealed with complaints. The scent of fresh bread wafted through to brush past her as her stomach growled with anticipation. Breathing in deeply, she ran through the kitchen and turned left before the living room to go upstairs to her bedroom. She whipped off her coat, hung it in her closet, flung her backpack on her bed, and ran back downstairs. Her mom, Kate, was taking the bread out of the oven. Candace could almost taste it on her tongue already.

"Is that going to be ready soon? I'm famished!" she inquired as she reached for a stray piece of bread that sat on the kitchen table. Her mom smacked her hand away with reflexes only an experienced mother would have.

"Don't even think about it, young lady. That's for Bryce. He's been diligently helping me with baking this bread since this morning. You, however, haven't done a thing," she stated as she protectively moved the bread to the top shelf of the cupboard though Candace could easily reach it there.

"Fine. Anything else to eat?" Candace opened the refrigerator to search for any edible food as her mother went back to her baking.

"Not unless you want coleslaw," her mother remarked sassily.

"Okay then..I'll just take these goldfish upstairs with me.." Candace muttered under her breath as she began to sneak towards the stairs. Her mom never let her take food upstairs. Now, Dad would let her. But not Mom. Never Mom. She would just get really irritated and complain about the fact that food in the bedrooms encourages over eating.

"Not another step, young lady," Mom said without even turning around to look at Candace.

Candace's mouth dropped in shock.

"....but...but...how??" She gasped, marveling at her mother's new super power.

"I have my ways," Mom smiled to herself as she discreetly watched Candace dejectedly put the goldfish back on the shelf and walk upstairs through the reflection in the window in front of her. "That should teach her.." She laughed to herself as she continued to work.

Candace shook her head in wonder at her mom as she walked slowly up the stairs, pondering the days events.

"HEY!! CANDACE!" The shout came from Bryce's room. She groaned as dragged her feet over to the opening of the door.

"What, Bryce?" She demanded, annoyed.

"I need help...Just a little and you can't tell Mom," he said from behind the closet door.

"Oh jeez. Okay. What is it?" Candace sighed.

"Promise you won't tell Mom?"

"Yes."

"No. Say you promise."

"I promise. Now would you hurry up? I have school work."

"Okay..." Bryce slowly hopped around the door as Candace desperately tried to keep herself from laughing. Yes, he hopped. His feet had somehow became duct taped together with bright pink tape with hearts printed all over it. Bryce's normally bleach blonde hair was now many different shades of neon colors and was pointing in all sorts of random directions. His hands were duct taped together in front of him with the same duct tape and the words "Bryce loves Dorie" were proudly printed on his forehead.

"I can explain," Bryce quietly muttered as Candace covered her mouth trying to hide the wide smile that was spreading across her face.

"Okay...?? Please. Explain. I'm curious," She sat down on Bryce’s bed, gestured for him to hop over to the bed, and attempt to sit. Bryce frailly lowered himself onto the bed next to her and began to talk as she started to cut the tape off of his ankles.

"So, there's this girl named Dorie that lives down the street. She's a 5th grader, so she's a year older and she's really popular. Well, I kind of had a major crush on her and I finally got the nerve to tell her today. I even made her this card," Bryce despairingly pulled a torn up red card that used to be shaped into a carefully preserved heart,"When I gave it to her, her boyfriend happened to show up."

"Wait. She's 10 years old and she has a boyfriend? Jeez..I'm 14 and I don't even have a boyfriend."

"Yeah. Well, I didn't know she had a boyfriend. But she does and he really doesn't like other guys giving his girlfriend heart shaped cards and asking her out. So, him and his goons decided I should be punished so they grabbed some sharpies and decided to color my hair..As if that wasn't enough, they duct taped my hands and feet together. I had to hop home from the park.." Bryce hung his head in shame as a single tear dropped down his cheek.

"Oh, Bryce! It's going to be okay! Dorie and her boyfriend are obviously jerks. Just steer clear of the two of them and I'll try to get this coloring out of your hair and I may just have a hat that will look adorable with your face," Candace smiled reassuringly as she wiped the tears from his eyes. Bryce may have been a mischievous, annoying, bratty little nuisance but he would never hurt anyone and he never deserved this. She hugged him once before she got up to go to her room and grab a small beret that she had worn for her 3rd grade musical. Longingly, she looked at the hat while the memories of her childhood flooded back. All the laughter and all the smiles. No tears. No struggles. It was perfect. Almost too perfect. But she was okay with it like that. She never had any of the struggles Bryce had or the struggles she had now. It was almost like she was slowly deteriorating away. Every moment she got older, the more chaotic her life became, making her leave behind the flawless childhood memories that she longed to keep and as she continued to ponder these things, she headed back down  the hall to Bryce's room.