Bryce shook his head.
I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye. My laughter began to fade, but it left a smile behind.
“Okay, Adrian clearly isn’t shit; we can both agree on that,” I said, glancing at him, ready to shift topics. “But are you done so we can talk about Isis?”
With the mug to his lips, Bryce lifted one hand, palm out, basically saying, “go ahead.”
“So… Isis,” I started, loosening my neck as if preparing for a fight. “For starters, let me just say, that girl changed clothesfivetimes yesterday,andshe complained about the coldnonstop! Do you know she even asked me if there was almond milk here? For her tea. Mind you, I haven't seen her drink a single drop of water since we’ve been here, but she had the nerve to ask if the tea kettle was BPA-free.” I couldn’t finish the thought without erupting into giggles. "Like, girl, just say you scared of theairand go."
Bryce snorted into his cup.
“Then... she wrapped herself in two throw blankets, talking ’bout, ‘This aesthetic is very rustic.’ No, this is survival! Oh… and she sprayed perfume before bed, like she was headed to a dream gala. I’m talkin’, full mist—neck, wrists, and ankles! Like, sis, who you trying to seduce? Freddy Krueger?”
That did it. Bryce lost it, laughing into his mug.
“She probably put on lip gloss too, just in case the sleep paralysis demon was cute,” I added.
We both snickered like kids, trying to keep our voices down in the still of the night. And for just a moment, the chaos of the trip, the awkwardness of exes and strangers under one roof… all of it faded. It was justus, again.
A pause settled.
Bryce glanced at me. The corner of his mouth twitched like he was fighting a smile.
“You always could get a laugh outta me… even when I was trying real hard to stay pissed.”
The words landed heavier than he probably intended, stirring a mix of nostalgia and a pang of vulnerability deep within me.
Bryce’s voice dropped, warm and certain. “But enough about them. I never got to tell you how beautiful youstilllook.”
Heat rushed up my throat and bloomed across my cheeks before I could stop it.
“Thank you,” I expressed, a small smile tugging at my lips, feeling both shy and flattered by his words. “And not much has changed with you either. You’re still smooth, stillannoyinglyhandsome, and still walking around like you own every room you step in.”
Bryce let out a quiet laugh, head tilting back slightly, revealing the strong line of his jaw and that playful glimmer in his eyes. “You always did know how to humble me with a compliment. Can’t ever let me get too full of myself.”
“I try,” I replied with a small smirk, sipping my coffee again, the rich warmth grounding me. “But how is your mom doing? And Davion’s silly self?”
“Everybody’s good. You know they both know you here, right? Mama told me to tell you hey and that she’ll be praying over this trip. Davion said the same… minus the prayer, of course. He said, and I quote, ‘TellProfessor HollisI said hey and to remember I was trying to wife her first.’”
“Davion always been a damn fool,” I remarked, shaking my head with a smile.
“Always.”
“But tell them both I said hello.”
Bryce raised an eyebrow. “But how has work been, though,Professor Hollis? Them young boys still flirting with you between lectures?”
I rolled my eyes, chuckling at the thought. “I don’t think that’ll ever stop. I swear, these kids will shoot their shot in the middle of a discussion on systemic racism. It’s wild. But work is good, though… heavy sometimes, but rewarding. I get to actuallyseegrowth. I love that part.” The fulfillment I derived from teaching always made the late nights and early mornings worth it.
Bryce smiled thoughtfully, his expression momentarily drifting back in time. “I remember back when we were in college, every time I turned around, you were talking about becoming a professor. Like, you’d be sitting on my floor, surrounded by books and notes, grading fake ass essays for fun.”
I chuckled at the memory. “I really did do that, huh? That had to be annoying.”
“Nah,” he said, shaking his head. “You was just determined. You always had that ‘I know what I want, and I’m gonna get it’ energy. That used to scare the hell outta me sometimes too.”
I looked down, smiling at the mug in my hands. “Well… thank you for remembering that.”
We sat with that for a second. My heart swelled with nostalgia and something deeper. Then, I glanced over, drawn back to the present.
