For a moment, we stay like that, holding each other in the quiet safety of the living room.The weight of what’s ahead feels lighter, knowing he’s by my side.
45
Shattered Illusion
Fox’swordsechoinmy mind as I stand outside my mom’s bakery.The familiar smell of sugar and vanilla wafts through the air, conjuring memories of simpler times.Our small apartment is perched above the bakery, a testament to my parents’ hard work and resilience.It’s not much, but it’s ours—our home, our sanctuary, and the foundation of so many memories.
I glance at the “Closed” sign hanging in the window and sigh.My stomach twists with nerves as I think about what I’m about to do.Coming out to my parents feels monumental, terrifying, and oddly freeing all at once.I wonder if I should just turn around, head back to school, and pretend everything’s fine.
“Cameron?”
The sound of a male voice startles me, and I spin around, almost colliding with someone standing too close.My heart skips a beat when I recognize the face.
“Bryson.”
He looks different—bigger, older—but still carries that confident smile I remember all too well.My grip on the strap of my backpack tightens instinctively.
“Hi.Jeez, I thought I’d never see you again,” he says, his grin genuine.“How are you?I saw you standing here for, like, fifteen minutes.Didn’t think it was you at first.You look… good.”
I’m tongue-tied, unsure of what to say.Seeing him stirs up old wounds, memories of high school where he and his friends made my life hell.Bryson was my first crush, but he turned that affection into a source of pain.
He must sense my hesitation because his smile falters.“I’m sorry, Cameron,” he says abruptly, like he’s been waiting for the right moment to say it.
“For what?”I ask, my voice stiff.
“For everything,” he replies, rubbing the back of his neck.“What I did to you wasn’t fair.I panicked, overreacted, and acted like a total asshole.I didn’t realize how much of a jerk I was until after we graduated.I—” He exhales.“I shouldn’t have treated you that way.I’m really sorry.”
I stare at him, the words bouncing around in my head.He sounds sincere, but how do I respond to this?After everything, an apology feels too simple, too late.
“It’s fine,” I manage to say, though the words feel hollow.
“No, it’s not,” he insists.“You wrote me that letter, and it was… beautiful.I panicked because I didn’t know how to deal with it.I just…” He trails off, shaking his head.“You didn’t deserve any of what I did.”
I swallow hard and nod.“It’s okay, Bryson.It’s in the past now.I’ve moved on.”
“Thank you,” he says softly, his shoulders relaxing.“Are you visiting your parents?”
I glance at the bakery door and nod.“Something like that.”
Bryson smiles faintly.“I heard you got into college.That’s awesome.What are you studying?”
“Political science,” I say.“What about you?”
Bryson shrugs, shoving his hands into his pockets.“Didn’t get in.Lost my scholarship, and the college fund my parents saved up went to pay for my dad’s medical bills.He got sick last year.”He gestures down the street.“I work at the library now.”
I follow his gaze to the old library, a place I used to frequent.“I’m sorry to hear about your dad,” I say, meaning it.
“Don’t be.He’s… not the best person,” Bryson says with a wry smile.“Anyway, I should get going.It’s good to see you, Cameron.”
“You too,” I reply.
As he walks away, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding.The encounter feels surreal, like a piece of the past coming back to life.My phone buzzes in my pocket, pulling me back to reality.It’s my mom.
“Cameron?”she answers on the third ring.
“I’m outside,” I say, then hang up.
A moment later, the bakery door swings open, and my mom appears with her warm, familiar smile.“Cameron!”she exclaims, wrapping me in a hug.
