Date Me, Bryson Keller(32)

We go our separate ways. I pull my phone from my pocket and open up the three musketeers group chat.

Where are you guys?

At school, Priya replies. Where are you?

Me too. I’m heading into block A.

Meet us in purgatory.

It takes me five minutes to reach them.

“What’s wrong?” I ask as I approach. Priya is standing with her arms folded and her mouth pursed, whereas Donny’s ears are redder than our ties—a sure sign of his emotions. “Are you guys fighting?”

Ever since they started dating, I’ve been trying to figure out my place in their relationship. As their mutual best friend, do I involve myself? Do I pick a side, or do I stay neutral? This isn’t their first argument, and this isn’t the first time that I’ve felt this way.

“Donald’s being ridiculous,” Priya says.

“What did he do?”

“Leave it, Kai.” I turn to Donny and swallow whatever I was going to say next. I nod. I’m not sure what happened but I don’t think I can help. They need to work this out on their own. I’m starting to have my own relationship woes—like the fact that I think I’m starting to like Bryson Keller for real. This is how crushes start: first you can’t stop thinking about the person, then you just can’t wait to see them, and finally you want to spend all your time with them.

    “Uh, I just remembered I need to do…something,” I say. “I’ll see you guys later.”

I hurry away from them and enter the auditorium to find Bryson already seated. He has his bag and blazer occupying the space next to him. When he sees me, he smiles and waves me over. Bryson moves his belongings to make room for me and I feel a warm glow in my chest.

While I wait for Mrs. Henning to arrive, I lean back and support myself with my hands behind me. I look up at the stage lights.

Bryson leans back, too, almost mimicking my pose. He positions his hands to support him, and his finger touches one of mine. I inhale sharply. I look at him out of the corner of my eye, but Bryson is talking to Isaac. He isn’t paying me any mind and he certainly isn’t obsessing over something as small as our fingers touching.

What’s wrong with me? This shouldn’t bother me. That I’m paying such close attention to Bryson means I’m starting to like him…for real. Mrs. Henning climbs to the stage and I sit up straight. Bryson remains in his position. Us touching definitely wasn’t intentional, but my foolish heart doesn’t seem to care about that.

I’m not assigned a role to perform today, but both Bryson and Isaac are. I try to listen to the boy I’ve liked for the better part of a year, but my attention keeps getting pulled to Bryson. Bryson is every bit the distraught Romeo in Friar Laurence’s cell. When he pleads with the Nurse for news of Juliet—the girl he loves—our eyes meet. Is this him embodying his character or is it something else? Bryson smiles, and it is dazzling.

    The bell rings, and Bryson and I head toward English. As I study the boy next to me, I know that I need Bryson to believe that this is all fake. I can’t let on that I’m starting to like him. This wasn’t part of the rules.

God, who knew a fake relationship could be so complicated?

By the time the lunch bell rings, I’m confident that I can practice with him without any problems. I’ve liked other straight boys in secret before, and it’s never been a big deal. I know I can do it with Bryson, too.

As I take my seat at our regular table, I notice that both Priya and Donny are still sulking messes. We sit and eat awkwardly.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Who died?” Bryson asks as he slides into place next to me. He looks from me to Donny and then to Priya. “Seriously, what’s up with you guys? Did you guys fight?”

“Why are you here?” Priya asks.

“Kai and I have the auditorium booked to rehearse our scene.” He looks from me to Priya and then to Donny, and then to me once more. A frown crosses his face and he asks me a pointed question with his eyes.

I shrug. I don’t know what’s going on, either. They’ll tell me when they’re ready. We sit in heavy silence for a moment longer before Bryson speaks.

    “C’mon, Kai, let’s go. These two clearly need to figure some stuff out,” he says.

I nod and stand. Bryson and I exit stage left. We push through the hustle and bustle of the Fairvale Academy cafeteria.

When we’re in the hallway, Bryson says to me, “Weird. They were so confident about high school relationships lasting.”

“I mean, every couple fights. It’s what happens afterward that matters. I’m pretty sure that by the end of school, they’ll be A-okay.” We walk in silence for a bit before I ask, “Do you still believe they’re a waste of time? High school relationships, I mean.”

“Why do you ask?”

“Just curious,” I say. “Isn’t that the whole reason you agreed to the dare in the first place?”

“Well, partly. But also because it provided the perfect distraction from the mess of my home life. When the dare first started, I’d just found out that my dad was planning to get remarried. So it happened at the right time. I guess these past few weeks I’ve been glad to have something certain. It’s been sort of a comfort. Exhausting at times, yes. But also, I really liked that there would be no hurt feelings, no expectations—nothing. After one school week, I’d be able to move on.” We stop outside the auditorium door. “I guess I’m starting to see the appeal of having something real,” Bryson says. “Especially with the right person.”