The Tomboy And The Captain (#wattys2021)

~3

Bryce's POV:

"How was your first day son?" Mom greets me when I enter the house.

"Alright, met a few people", I shrug.

"Are you hungry?" 

"Do you need help with dinner? I am sure dad will be late as always", I roll my eyes.

"Your father is trying Bryce, maybe you should try forgiving him", she pleads.

"Not going to happen, not after what he did to you, to us, I'll eat elsewhere", I got my car keys and leave the house.

I can't forgive my father after what he did, I thought moving here might have make him see that he does have a family and not just work. Since we got here all he ever did was work, mom told me everyone grieve in a different way, but maybe his guilt was eating him alive.

I can't believe my mother would forgive him just like that, what he did hurt her so much.

Ever since I was small all I wanted was my father's attention, I even became the greatest high school footballer in France but that still wasn't enough, my father probably came less than 20 times to all my games since I entered high school.

After middle school he just kept being busy with work and missed my important games and family dinners then last year when he hurt mom, things went down a spiral for a while. Then out of the blue a few months later, mom forgave him; he came back and after a few weeks he got back to working late and business trip.

I got the news in September when I just started my junior year that we were moving to Australia because of a big project he had but I knew there was more to it.

I drove around for about ten minutes before parking and entering a diner, there were lots of people here mostly teenagers.

I spot Donovan and Felix in a booth with soda in front of them on the table.

"King, come over here man", Donovan waved me over, a few girls watches me.

"He's so hot."

"He's the new guy everyone been talking about?"

"I can't wait to see those mad skills on the field everyone been talking about."

I slip into the booth next to Felix.

"How you like the city so far?" Donovan asks me.

"It's alright, but does it make this hot all the time? I feel like I am on summer vacation back in France all over again", I laugh.

"Get use to it dude, you're lucky you weren't here last month during the heat wave", Felix states.

"Oh yeah, I heard about those heat waves", I nod.

"Hey blondie, bring a drink for my buddy Bryce, he's single also", Donovan winks at the blonde waitress who blushes, she wears glasses.

"I'm not looking for a girlfriend", I tell him.

"Are you sure? It's the girls with the glasses you got to keep an eye on, they seem to be the one that surprises me", he chuckles.

"Whatever, I am not staying, I just came for dinner to go home."

"Boring, I am sure you don't know anyone else around here so just chill with Felix and I for the while, also party at my place on Friday", he adds.

The waitress brings a soda for me and I gave her a $5 tip.

"What can you tell me about Avalon West?" I inquire.

"She's the total opposite of Avery", Felix laughs.