I stepped into the Art Room, leaning against the doorway as I observed the scene before me.

The kids were all falling over one another as they tried to show their final pieces for the day to Steven, who was laughing as he tried to tell them to wait at their seats and he'd come around to look.

The kids all loved Steven for reasons that Kylie and I couldn't figure out. Probably because he was just an overgrown child himself.

Steven glanced over at me, raising an eyebrow.

"Just came in here to remind you that you have five minutes before lunch," I said, with a smile.

"We're finishing cleaning up now," Steven informed me, gesturing around the tidy art room. "The kids just have to hang up their pieces to dry."

"Ms. Sophie, do you like mine?" Zane called out, holding up his painting.

I nodded.

Steven stopped at the first table, resting his elbows on the edge as the kids all shoved their pieces in his face.

As Steven was making his rounds, the backdoor to the Art Room opened, the one that led outside.

Steven immediately rose up as we waited to see who was coming inside.

And then Bryce stepped inside, letting the door close behind him.

"Bryce!" over half of the kids screeched, clambering to their feet.

A facemask was secured around the bottom half of Bryce's face, but his eyes immediately widened, as though he wasn't expecting to see the kids.

"Hang up your pictures guys," Steven said to the kids that hadn't run over to see Bryce, the ones that didn't know who he was.

Bryce was carrying something in his hand, but he dropped it over to the side so he could wrap up all of the kids in a group hug.

"Alright guys," I said, uncomfortable with that many people being around Bryce. Especially since they were kids, they were bound to be swimming with germs.

And he wasn't even supposed to be in public.

"Go hang up your paintings and then wash up for lunch," Steven instructed.

The kids did as they were told, filing out of the Art Room to the supervision of Kylie.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, washing my hands before wrapping my arms around Bryce.

Bryce unhooked the face mask from around his face. "Brought you lunch. But I thought I was a little later."

I rolled my eyes, giving him a quick kiss.

"Yeah, I'm still here!" Steven called out from behind us. "And I really don't want to see the Bryce and Sophie show, thanks."

"Then leave," Bryce stated.

I rolled my eyes, lightly swatting him on the bicep before turning to face Steven.

He was seated up on one of the Art counters.

"I eat lunch in here," he informed Bryce. "My hour of solitude."

"I'm already regretting my single act of kindness," Bryce said, with a long sigh.

My jaw dropped.

"Not you," he said, the edges of his lips twisting back into a smile. "I brought Anderson lunch too."

"Wait, you did?" Steven asked, jumping back off of the counter.

"And Kylie."

"Fair trade then," Steven said.

Bryce raised his eyebrows at him.

"You can have the Art Room for lunch."

Bryce nodded, tossing Steven his takeout box and Steven left.

"Tell Kylie!" I called after him.

Steven waved me off.

"I'll text her," I said to Bryce, as we took a seat on the couch. "So why did you bring me lunch?"

"Why not?"

"Because you're supposed to be keeping healthy," I reminded him. "You can't afford getting sick right now, your trial starts next week."

"I can't stay cooped up in my house," Bryce whined. "I'm so bored."

I laughed, taking my takeout box from him.

It was a fresh-to-order salad from my favorite place up the street.

"I love you," I said, with a bright smile.

"I sure would hope so. I waited fifteen minutes for that salad."

~*~

"It's kind of depressing in here," I said to Bryce, with a pout.

"Agreed."

I hopped up off his bed, walking across the hospital room and opening the curtains.

"Better," he said, with a half-smile.

"Now all we need are some candles," I teased, retaking my seat on the end of his bed.

He shook his head at me. "Never going to happen."

"We'll see about that."

Regina walked in, her nose buried in her phone.

"What'd the doctor say?" Bryce asked her.

"The first dose was successfully administered," Regina informed him, tucking her phone away in her pocket. "So they're going to monitor any possible side effects and see how you react."

"So I'm a guinea pig," Bryce said, with a slight frown.

"Essentially," she agreed, taking a seat in the armchair next to the hospital bed.

I was sitting on his hospital bed, my back against the foot of the bed.

When I'd gotten here after work, Bryce was asleep. I guess that one of the side effects to this trial medication was drowsiness, which Bryce was already experiencing.

He was currently wearing his glasses as he fiddled with a phone, a frown on his face. He'd been complaining of a headache earlier, and the doctor suggested that he wear them to lessen the strain on his eyes.

"So while I was talking to the doctor, your dad called," Regina informed Bryce.

Bryce glanced over at her, his jaw shifting.

"I, of course, informed him of the situation a few weeks ago after we saw your oncologist."

"Why?" Bryce asked.

"Because it was serious Bryce and he deserves to know."

"Why?"

I reached over and took Bryce's hand in mine, playing with his fingers to try and calm his anger.

"He has some time off of work," Regina stated. "And he's going to come down here."

"No."

"It's not negotiable Bryce."

"It is for me. He's not coming down here."

"He's already boarded his flight. It's a done deal."

"Why are you so insistent that he spends time with me?" Bryce demanded, his voice raising a few notches. "Is this one of those fly in the family because this is the end type of situations?"

My eyes immediately widened and Regina quickly shook her head.

"That's not what this is at all Bryce, don't start," Regina warned. "Kayla and Josh aren't coming, just your dad. I told you, he has some time off of work and he wanted to spend it with you."

"He wanted to spend it in the hospital?" Bryce deadpanned. "I'm having a hard time believing that."

"With you," Regina reiterated.

The conversation sort of fizzled out there, Bryce glancing towards the window and Regina falling back in her seat.

~*~

"Get her!"

I let out a scream as I was suddenly sprayed with water from at least ten different directions, water soaking me from head to toe.

"Anderson!" I shrieked.

I heard him cackling, like the evil mastermind that he is.

"Good job guys," Steven said, going around high-fiving the kids that he'd roped into his prank.

I glanced down at my outfit. My white t-shirt and blue jean shorts were now soaked, my pink bra seeping through.

Great.

"Nothing better than a wet t-shirt contest on a hot summer day, wouldn't you agree?" Steven asked, a wicked smile spreading across his face.

I smacked my wet hair in his face as I marched past him, heading inside to find Kylie.

I was dripping water, which I felt terrible about because the custodians were going to have to clean it up. Maybe I could find a mop or a towel in the meantime and clean it myself.

"What happened?" Kylie asked, her jaw dropping open as I stepped into the gym.

The kids in the gym busted out into giggles at the sight of me.

"Steven happened," I growled. "Where did we put the towels?"

"Supply closet, second floor."

I turned on my heel, heading up to the second floor and securing a towel around me. I grabbed a second one for my hair, drying up the excess water before throwing it up in a messy bun.

I found an old track hoodie in the lost and found, but no luck on pants.

I ditched my wet shirt, running my bra under the hand dryer before pulling on the dry track hoodie.

My wet, jean shorts were going to start chafing if I didn't find a replacement. Fast.

I placed my white converse outside in the Sun, hoping that they'd dry out.

"Anderson!" I bellowed, storming into the Art Room.

He offered me a smile.

He was leaning against the counter, his group of art kids around him all giggling like maniacs.

"I have protection on them," he warned me. "They were with me."

"How old are you?"

"16," he informed me, cautiously.

"Do you have a car?"

He cleared his throat. "It's my dad's car, so I guess it's mine."

Oh.

"Car keys," I demanded.

"Absolutely not."

"You owe me pants."

He busted out into laughter again, and the group of kids followed suit.

"So if you're not going to let me go out to your car, you go," I ordered. "I know you have baseball this afternoon, so find me pants."

"You want to wear my baseball pants?"

"Sweatpants would be preferable."

He let out a long sigh, drawing up to his full height. "I don't think they'll fit you."

"Yeah, funny how I wear my clothes to work which happen to fit me perfectly. But since those were ruined, go get me clothes."

He chuckled, producing his keys from the pocket of his gym shorts. "Since you're my favorite."

I rolled my eyes, Steven's flirting another part of my daily routine at this point.

"And since your boyfriend would kill me if I let you walk around in wet clothes," he added, his smirk widening. "Surprised you didn't just call him and have him bring you clothes."

I would. Except he's in the hospital.

"Clothes Anderson."

He left the Art Room, leaving me with his little minions.

"I'm going to get payback," I warned them, with a smile. "And you guys are going to get it."

They all laughed, and I couldn't help but laugh as well.

I could be pissed at Steven, but not at the kids. They were just under his influence. Under mine, they'd do the exact same thing.

Steven returned a few minutes later with a pair of sweatpants, his baseball number monogrammed on them. "These are my favorite," he warned. "Take good care of them."

I rolled my eyes, heading off to the bathroom and ditching my jean shorts.

I, of course, had to run my underwear under the hand dryer, before slipping them back on and the sweatpants over top.

I hated to admit that they were ridiculously comfortable. Not as comfortable as Bryce's of course, but still cozy.

I placed both my wet shirt and shorts out next to my Converse, laying them out to dry in the Sun, before heading back inside.

"I'd love to see your boyfriend's reaction when he sees those on you," Steven said, with a wink.

"He's never going to," I said, with a sarcastic smile.

And then Steven whipped out his phone, snapping a picture of me.

"Anderson," I warned, in a deep voice.

"Relax," he said, with a laugh. "Just proof. I don't even have Harrison's number."

"That's a lie."

"Okay, yeah that's a lie," Steven relented. "But I'm not going to send him the picture or anything. As I said, it's just proof."

"Proof of what exactly?"

"Proof of the day that I finally bested you," Steven said, with a smirk.

~*~

"How're you feeling?" I asked, my lips brushing across Bryce's forehead.

"They're pumping me full of a foreign substance and monitoring my reaction to it," Bryce muttered, his eyes closed. "How am I supposed to feel?"

I chuckled, taking a seat in the armchair next to his bed. "You're supposed to feel elated that you got into this trial in the first place."

"Can you close the curtains?"

"Sure."

I stood up, crossing the room and pulling the curtains shut. "Any particular reason?"

"I have this raging headache and I don't necessarily want the Sun shining on my face."

"You still have that headache?" I asked, retaking my seat next to him.

"They said it could be a side effect," he said, his eyes fluttering open. "Or it could be my brain alien. They're not exactly sure."

"I'm rooting for side effect."

"We'll root together," Bryce said, with a half-smile.

I could tell that only three days of this trial drug had really taken a toll on him. The drowsiness in his eyes, the stress lines on his face. I hated seeing him like this.

But I had to believe that this was going to be the key to success for us.

The hospital door opened, and Mr. Harrison himself came in.

I haven't seen him since he came to South Carolina. His flight landed late, and he opted to wait until the following day to come and see Bryce.

And I guess he was here while I was at work.

"Hello Sophie, nice to see you again," Mr. Harrison said, with a small smile.

"Hi," I said, with a smile of my own.

"What happened to the curtains?" he asked, with a slight frown.

"I wanted them closed," Bryce said, his tone shutting down the conversation.

"Your mother is still asleep at the house," Mr. Harrison informed Bryce. "She hasn't been sleeping much, so I didn't want to-"

"It's fine," Bryce stated.

Judging by the tension between the two, I'm guessing that Regina's been gone a majority of the day.

"So you got time off?" I asked Mr. Harrison. "That must be nice."

I didn't miss the look that Bryce gave me.

"Yeah, a week and a half," Mr. Harrison said, taking a seat in one of the chairs across the room. "It's nice to not have to worry about dealing with cases or people for a little while."

"Do you ever get to see Kayla on the job?" I asked him.

I mean they're both lawyers, is there some type of Lawyer Club?

"Not really," he declined. "We're in different fields."

"He's an ambulance chaser," Bryce deadpanned.

I shot Bryce a look, and Bryce just shrugged.

"Kayla deals more with the corporate side of things," Mr. Harrison explained, brushing over Bryce's comment. "And it's true, I deal with a lot of personal injury cases. But I'm not an ambulance chaser. That's just what my firm specializes in."

"I always thought lawyers had fascinating jobs," I said, with a smile. "Do you enjoy it?"

"I do."

"Well that's what's important."

"Are you feeling any better Bryce?" Mr. Harrison asked him.

"I guess."

"The nurse said you could have the pain pills every four hours, so you should be due for another dose within the next hour here."

"For your headache?" I questioned.

Mr. Harrison raised his eyebrows at me, shooting Bryce a questioning look.

"Do you have a headache now too?" Mr. Harrison asked him.

"Too?" I asked. "What else is going on?"

Bryce let out an audible sigh. "I always have a headache, since I got my head rung on the baseball field a couple weeks ago."

"Those concussion symptoms are a pain in the ass to shake," Mr. Harrison agreed.

Bryce's gaze flickered over to meet mine. "And it's nothing really, just some side effects to this foreign stuff I guess."

"What side effects?" I pressed. "You told me it was just a headache."

"No, I was just complaining about the headache," Bryce corrected. "You didn't ask if there was anything else."

I lowered my eyes at him. "I shouldn't have to."

He should've talked to me if he was experiencing excess symptoms, if he was uncomfortable.

"I'm going to get a coffee," Mr. Harrison informed us, rising up to his feet. "Sophie, want anything?"

I shook my head and he left.

"It's some joint stiffness and muscle pain," Bryce informed me. "Nothing to worry about, it just causes me to be uncomfortable at most."

"For how long?"

"Today's the first day it's taken precedence, that I've really noticed it. I've noticed some aches and pains, but nothing like today."

I took his hand in mine, kissing the back of his palm. "I'm so sorry."

"It's just something I'll have to get through," Bryce said, with a half-smile. "Hopefully the drug does what it's supposed to, so all of this is worth it in the end."

So what did you guys think about Bryce getting accepted into a trial? Do you think it'll work out in his favor? What about Steven's antics? Would you get him back?

Teaser: It's a pretty intense one. So gear up for it. (I don't want to spoil anything, so that's all I have to say.)