Keegan and Bryce

Bryce was jolted awake, it felt like an earthquake. He quickly flew up at the sudden awakening shake, he felt himself lose balance and fall off, what he presumed, was his bed. He felt a hard thud, harder than the floor usually was. He opened his eyes to the bright sun breaking through green leaves, wait LEAVES?!

He looked down and let out a small gasp seeing the ground several feet below him. He tightly clenched his arms and legs around the branch he was laying on, shutting his eyes tightly in hopes of this being a dream.

"OH! BRYCEYYYYY!!!" he heard the high pitched voice of his little sister.

Bryce then sighed opening his dark hazel eyes, "what Misty?" He whispered, pretty used to being woken up this way...... But the tree, the tree was new.

Misty dropped the remaining rocks she had in her arms, "you're a heavy sleeper!!" She giggled with Ryuu coming up beside her, dropping a few rocks from one arm as he held his slingshot in his other hand.

"are you done lounging up there??" She giggled.

Bryce sighed, "just... Get me down"

Misty nodded and gave Ryuu a thumbs up. They both ran forward and climbed up the tree, Ryuu grabbed Misty's arm and swung her over to reach Bryce's branch. Misty wrapped her arms around the branch, hanging upside down. She grabbed Bryce's arm and pulled him off the branch, gently releasing him back to the ground. Bryce just sighed, neatly folding his blanket and walking back inside.

Misty pouted, "he never wants to have fun!"

Bryce walked into school with his backpack on his shoulders, tightly gripping the straps. He always got nervous in these sort of settings. He heard a loud slam and a giggle behind him. He looked back at the door and saw Ryuu running in with Misty on his shoulders laughing. She pointed to the side and Ryuu ran in that direction, both of them cheering and hollering.

Bryce frowned, he didn't mind their friendship, in fact he thought it was cute. The way they were always together, and only ever had each other, and each other was all they needed.

In fact, Bryce was a little jealous of their friendship. The one you could visibly tell they were in love with each other but neither understood their feelings, but everyone else knew.

Bryce knew the day would come when they finally just got together, but they basically already acted like they were, and to most people it would come to much of a shock when they would ask if the two were dating and they'd say no.

But Bryce wasn't exactly sure he wanted anything like that at all. Love, that is. Long ago Bryce had fallen in love.

Alexandrya Andrews was her name, man was she a bitch. But nonetheless Bryce thought she was the prettiest girl he had ever seen, and he had fallen in love. But Alex wasn't interested, at all. Bryce was seen as what was considered the geeky type, which he was, nerdy, geeky, a bookworm. And Alex didn't want that around, so she ignored him on a daily basis. After a few years he had confessed his love for her, to wish she only shoved him to the ground, and walked away laughing.

So from then on Bryce didn't know what to do. Could he ever look or hold another girl again after that? Probably not, looking at his own little sister made him nervous and uncomfortable. Maybe it was the thought of anyone having the same features as Alex, he'll looking at Aaron felt weird.

Bryce didn't know what the hell he was anymore. Straight? Gay? Bi? Asexual? Or was it just Alex that disgusted him?

After that, Bryce became really shy and secluded, like him and Misty had completely traded personalities. Then after sometime Bryce just became really discomforted by the thought of being with a woman, and just like that he found a particular interest in guys once meeting Ethan.

Bryce and Ethan dated for awhile, but they didn't last they were just too different. Bryce was a quiet bookworm, while Ethan was quiet too yes but he was a quiet athlete, on the cheerleading team with Vanity and Tiffani and also on the soccer team taking after his mother.

As Bryce walked down the hall, he frowned, thinking as Misty and Ryuu had each other always, and Bryce had no one. He was cold and quiet like he was a stone. And no one liked being around him for longer than they had to. But there was one boy that didn't mind him.

Keegan David, he was tall and handsome and constantly looking Bryce's way. Bryce just sighed, he had been avoiding Keegan, he didn't want it all to end up the same. He was scared to date anymore, it would be one night stands and that would be it. Ever since the Alex incident and the relationship with Ethan ending, Bryce was way more secluded than ever. Yes him and Ethan were still friends but it wasn't the same. Ethan now had his new boyfriend Issac, and Bryce was sure they were in love you could see it. But Bryce was still caught up on Ethan as he had been since before they were dating.

Ethan was just so cute, being the quiet athletic type. He was sweet and kind to everyone, and the queen of all that is sassy but Bryce knew he would've only held Ethan back, as Ethan had a promising future in soccer. And Bryce, Bryce had nothing as of now.

Bryce decided that maybe that was the reason he wouldn't give Keegan a chance, he was scared he'd hold him back too. Like he thought he would with everyone. That's why he stayed clear of Misty's paths and adventures, he'd only get in the way and mess her up.

He also knew Misty had a bright future in SOMETHING, if she would just apply herself more at school.

Bryce frowned, remembering that feeling of rejection he got from Alex. He hated that feeling. Feeling like a worthless piece of shit. Then he remembered how he rejected Keegan, just slamming the window on him. Not letting him go any further. Maybe he made Keegan feel the way he did when Alex turned from him. The feeling of being hated and an annoyance.

Bryce got up, he hated that feeling he had, he didn't want anyone else to feel that way. So Bryce began walking over to where he saw Keegan and his group at their usual table. On the way over he saw a flash of long curly black hair, he looked over to see Alex speed walking by with the click of her heels, not taking notice to Bryce. She was trying to catch up to Payton walking in front of her. Bryce looked at the look in her eyes, she only had absolute love for Payton. But Payton only noticed Dillon. Bryce rolled his eyes, now she knew how he felt. For years all he wanted was her, he was only stuck on HER but she only had eyes for Payton. Then Payton had been her first time, and she really fell hard, caught up on that fact. Now they weren't exactly friends with benefits, seeing as Alex wanted more but they were more of a continuous one night stand. When Payton needed to relieve stress or just forget about Dillon for a little while, he'd go to Alex and she'd gladly help him forget. He was more using her than anything, and Alex knew this. But she accepted it because she was too caught up on the fact that of all people he'd choose her for this. She'd do anything and everything he asked hoping to get him to notice her like he noticed Dillon. To know notice how she loved him and wanting to give him everything, and everyone knew this but they knew it was highly unlikely for Payton to feel the same about her.

Bryce continued on to Keegan's table, Keegan looked back making eye contact with Bryce. Bryce smiled and a confused look washed over Keegan's face.

Bryce just walked up and sat down next to him, "h-hello Keegan" Bryce whispered.

"..hey" Keegan looked away.

Bryce chuckled to himself a bit, "okay you can stop avoiding me now"

Keegan looked at him, "but you said-"

"Forget what I said." Bryce fumbled with his fingers "I'm here to take it back" Keegan smiled and opened his mouth to speak, but Bryce cut him off "but no this doesn't mean I will go on a date with you" he smirked.

Keegan frowned, "why not?"

"Gotta work a little harder than that champ" Bryce smiled sweetly and got up ruffling Keegan's hair and walking away.

Keegan watched him walk away and he blushed, "OOOOO" Jasmine yelled.

"SO Bryce theeeen?" Ella commented nudging his side.

"UNF HOT DAMN!" Claire shouted for everyone to hear and ran over hugging Keegan's arm, "how does it feel to almost be getting the booty??"

"Shut up......" Keegan said looking away still with rosy cheeks.

Bryce was walking back to his friends after the conversation he just had with Keegan. He smiled, he only wanted to see Keegan try harder, because in Bryce's eyes Keegan got everything handed to him on a golden platter with his good looks and charm. Bryce thought Keegan didn't know what the word no was, with the way he continuously asked Bryce out.

Bryce walked up on Aaron holding Dillon in his lap like he was a baby, yelling "I will never drop my baby Dilly!!!" and everyone else not even questioning at this point. Really they stopped questioning it when they were kids. Like Misty and Ryuu no one questioned WHY they were weird.... They just were. And that was the normal thing.

"5... 4... 3... 2..." Ethan whispered looking up, right then Misty and Ryuu came crashing from the vent.

Misty landed on Ryuu's lap and threw her arms around his shoulders, "UNF Ryuu you are best"

"Noo you're best!" Ryuu grinned widely.

"Did you two just?" Austin laughed.

"YUP!!" Ryuu and Misty yelled at once.

Bryce sighed and sat down taking his book out.

Then he felt legs drape across his lap, he looked up and saw Misty smiling, still on Ryuu's lap.

"Hi Brycey!!" Misty waved.

"Hi Misty" Bryce mumbled.

"SOOOO I saw you were talking to Keegaaaaaan" she teased.

Bryce blushed, "how did yo-"

Misty just cut him off but pointing up at the vent her and Ryuu had just crashed through. Bryce looked away still blushing, Misty smiled and started to get up to go sit on Bryce's lap, but Ryuu pulled her back down on his.

"Cuddles" he whispered with his face buried in her bare shoulder.

Misty patted his head smiling wider. Bryce frowned a little, that's what he wanted. But anymore he wasn't so sure it was. The way Ryuu clung to Misty was cute to Bryce, especially since he was the only one that ever took the time to get to know his little sister. Not even Bryce took that time. He also found it quite adorable that Misty dropped anything and everything for Ryuu, and to do what he wanted, and to go along with any wild plan he created. Bryce just loved their friendship altogether, and whether he showed it or not he was happy for Misty having found someone that will love her, so that she could learn to love herself.

"Can Chip and I come over after school?" Misty asked as she cuddled close on Ryuu's lap.

"I think that would be great!!" Ryuu grinned.

Bryce watched at the two laughed and smiled with each other, he didn't know if he was happy for them or envious. He looked back over across the cafeteria at the back of Keegan's head.

Bryce noticed how he really didn't appear to be trying with his clothes today, he wondered why. Then he smiled, imagining if Keegan succeeded in trying harder. Of him maybe having a potential relationship with the handsome boy.

Bryce shook his head, the likelihood of that was one in a million. Keegan would find someone else he didn't have to try so hard with before then.

But it would be nice just to a civil conversation with the boy once in awhile.

~~~

Throughout the week, Keegan did everything he could to prove to Bryce he would try, not that he wasn't before, but because Bryce was the only one oblivious as to what keegan did for him.

Keegan had left flowers in Bryce's locker, he had wrote a love note to him on the back of one of his shirts, he had brought him a basket of fruit arranged all nice and neat and pretty, and he had left a new stock of comic books on Bryce's doorstep, somehow knowing they were Bryce's guilty pleasure.

Bryce felt arms wrap around him from behind and he blushed, "hi Keegan" he whispered.

"Hey" Keegan said breathily in his ear.

Bryce turned to him lightly placing his hands on his chest, "so you got the comics?" Keegan asked wrapping his arms around Bryce's waist.

Bryce blushed even harder, "y-yeah"

"Do you like them?" He smiled.

"Y-y-yes...." Bryce looked away, "I hardly got any sleep last night reading them"

"Good" Keegan kissed the tip of his nose.

Bryce continued looking away blushing, they almost acted like they were dating, but they weren't.

Then Bryce looked over to see Ryuu cradling a sleeping Misty bridal style in his arms. Ryuu smiled and Willy hoped out of his pocket and curled up in a ball on Misty's chest.

Ryuu gently nuzzled his face into Misty's, rubbing their noses together. Misty's different colored eyes fluttered open, she looked at Ryuu and smiled. Then she looked down at Willy and cuddled him close. Misty looked back up at Ryuu and quickly kissed his cheek then snuggled her head into the crook of his neck.

Bryce smiled, realizing he finally had what he had wanted, a relationship like theirs. Bryce looked back up at Keegan still looking down at Bryce, infatuated with him.

Bryce had just about decided he wanted something more, he wanted to at least try with Keegan, even if it were just for a little while.

Keegan pushed Bryce's glasses up on his face and smiled, "ya know you never let me finish my song to yoooou..." He chuckled.

Bryce quickly wrapped his arms around Keegan's neck and blushed madly. Keegan looked at him and Bryce just gave him a small, sweet smile, "one"

"One what?"

"One date. You get one. One chance to make me fall for you" Bryce told the other boy.

Keegan looked at him, "really?!"

"Really" Bryce nodded with a smile.

Keegan lifted Bryce up a little spinning him around, "I'll show you!!" He yelled with the biggest smile "I promise I'll show you!"

Bryce smiled and blushed, accepting being lifted up just this once, "I know you will"