Date Me, Bryson Keller(57)

    Crystal takes a seat and sits cross-legged, analyzing us. The smile has not left her face.

“Uh, Crystal, this is Kai. Kai, this is Crystal.” Unlike Bryson, Crystal has flaming-red hair and green eyes.

“Charmed,” Crystal says. Her arm is in a cast, but she offers me a small waggle of her fingers in greeting. “I’m so very charmed to meet you.”

“Uh…” I look from her to Bryson and then back at her. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”

“What do you need?” Bryson asks. It’s the most embarrassed I’ve ever seen him. I’m pretty sure he’s blushing as much as I am.

“That’s not important,” Crystal says. She readjusts her injured arm. “What is, is this scene before me. One”—she holds up a finger on her other hand—“we have two boys, one shirtless and the other very flustered. Two, they were just minutes ago rolling around on a bed.” She holds up a third and final finger. “And three, my baby brother is incredibly embarrassed right now, so there must be something going on.”

It’s clear from Crystal’s face that she’s enjoying this—a bit too much, if you ask me. Bryson must agree, because he exhales, casts me a glance, and then smirks. It’s the smirk that tells me we’re in danger.

He reaches for my hand then and interlocks our fingers. At first I’m too shocked to react, but then I try to pull free. Bryson isn’t having any of it. He doesn’t let go.

    Bryson raises our hands for Crystal to see.

“Kai is my boyfriend.” He says it so casually that I gasp. I wait for the fallout to follow, but Crystal laughs. She tries to clap but the cast stops her.

“I’m impressed.” Crystal makes a show of uncrossing her legs and stands. “He’s cute,” she says, looking at me. The lightheartedness disappears. “Kai, did your parents do this to you?”

That she even needs to ask such a question breaks my heart.

Gay or straight, everyone has heard the horrors that some kids endure when they come out. It isn’t just warmth and acceptance for everyone. Sometimes it’s a real goddamn nightmare. It’s the reason the closet exists. And why it will keep existing.

“No,” I say. “I got in a fight.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” Bryson runs a hand through his hair. “I was there. Don’t tell Mom.”

“You might have to. Mom called to say she’s almost home. Her flight arrived early, so she’ll be home for brunch. It’s why I came here in the first place.” Crystal sighs. “I came with nothing but leave with so much.” She smiles and then leaves.

And that’s it.

Bryson has just announced our relationship to his sister, and yet it all ends not with a bang but with a fizzle.

I finally remember to breathe.

“What just happened?” I ask. We’re standing, holding hands, staring at the spot where Crystal just stood.

    “I think we’re now official official,” Bryson says. He looks at me. “You okay?”

“I’m okay.” I turn to him. “But are you okay? Isn’t this too fast? I mean, you just came out to your sister.”

Bryson smiles. It’s the tight-lipped one that means he’s nervous. “It feels weird how sure I am about you.”

I blush. “No pressure.”

Bryson laughs. “Not to add to that, but it’s almost time for you to meet my mother.”

And suddenly I’m not okay anymore.





26


We’re all currently seated in the family room. Bryson and I are sitting on the two-seater. All morning he hasn’t left my side. His presence is calming, especially considering that I am about to meet his mother—I am about to meet my boyfriend’s mother.

The unbelievability of the thought does not escape my notice. I steal a glance at him. Even his profile looks sculpted by the gods. We’re sitting so close that our thighs are touching. We’re both silent, me from nerves and him…I don’t know. Is he worried about his mom finding out about us? That thought takes me back to my own mother and the mess that awaits me at home.

I sigh. I wish this day could last forever and I would never need to go home.

“There’s no pressure,” Bryson says to me. He gives me a smile. “You can relax.”

“Are you going to tell her?” I ask.

    Bryson shrugs. “I don’t know.” He chews at his lip and runs a hand through his hair. “This coming-out business is weird.”

I snort. “Tell me about it.”

Crystal lounges across one of the large leather couches. She’s watching some reality program on TV. The front door opens and Bryson’s mother saunters in a handful of panicked heartbeats later.

She is the picture of elegance. Wearing a casual blouse and faded jeans, she has her red hair piled up into a messy bun. She looks just like an older version of Crystal. Bryson’s mother smiles. My breath catches because it’s one that I recognize. Her son has the exact same smile. It’s the type of smile that can make a heart race, or even stop it altogether.

“Hello, everybody.”

“Mom, this is Kai,” Bryson says.