My One and Only

BRYCE

The Prescotts. They are the founding family of Aquilos, the northernmost state of Pyrmond.

Pyrmond is a country in the North Sea. To its east is the UK, to its south is the Netherlands, to its west are Germany and Denmark, and to its north is Norway. Pyrmond has eight states namely: (1) Aquilos, the northernmost and the coldest state; (2) Riotamia, the state of rivers, where most of the country's river systems pass through; (3) Piedramonte, the highest state in terms of altitude, with most of its cities and towns being located up in the mountains; (4) Sylva, the most fertile state, where it grew more than half of the country's produce; (5) Corona Tierra, the capital state, where the country's seat of power is located; (6) Aeolis, the typhoon state, where typhoons and earthquakes are frequent; (7) Zephyria, the golden state, where the country’s minerals and precious metals are mined; and (8) Austeria, the southernmost and the hottest state.

Bryson "Bryce" James Prescott is the fourth-born child of Harrison "Harry" Prescott and Evelyn "Evie" Faust-Prescott. His family lived in the Prescott Manor in Gallenburg, the capital city of the state of Aquilos.

The Prescott household consisted of six kids in total. With the eldest child and firstborn son, Trevor; second-eldest and firstborn daughter, Olivia or Liv; third-eldest and youngest daughter, also the middle child, Alexandra a.k.a. Alex; then Bryce himself; and their youngest sibling, Tyler. The sixth kid was Liam, he's the son of their Dad, Harrison's younger sister, Elyse, adopted into the family after his Mom died at childbirth. Nevertheless, he's like a brother to them.

Trevor and Liam are the same age and are both currently 19, with Liam being three months younger than Trevor. Olivia is 18, a year younger than Trevor and Liam, and Alex is 16, two years younger than Liv. Bryce is 15, a year younger than Alex, while Tyler is 11, four years younger than Bryce.

Also, Trevor, Olivia, Bryce, and Tyler take after their Mom's Faust genes, with their auburn hair and blue eyes; while Alex took after their Dad, with their dark hair and grey eyes. That goes the same for Liam, as he has strong Prescott genes. But unlike his siblings and cousin, Bryce was near-sighted and always wore glasses to see. As for how tall they were: Trevor and Liam are 5'10", Olivia is 5'7", Alex is 5'2", Bryce himself was 5'11", and Tyler was 5'5"－he hadn't had his growth spurt yet.

But despite growing up privileged in a mansion surrounded by staff, Bryce and his siblings were raised humbly. Their parents had made sure of that, saying they shouldn't rely on their staff to do things and to always remember Confucius' golden rule. They were also exposed to different extra curricular activities so as for them to experience the world outside the tall gates of the Prescott Manor.

But sometimes their Mom, Evelyn, can be a little bit overprotective. Sometimes, too overprotective.

Exhibit A: Camping. Trevor and Liam had just graduated high school and were heading out to college in the Fall. But before they go, they had decided to go camping in the Stonebridge National Park, a natural park southwest of Gallanberg.

Their Dad, Harrison had agreed almost immediately when his brother Trevor proposed the idea to them, but their Mom had said an instant no.

Trevor and Liam went overboard with maps explaining the safety of them if they go out camping. They actually printed out a map of the entire Stonebridge National Park to prove their point.

"Come on, Mom," Trevor pleaded. "It's still in Aquilos. It's not far."

"Yeah, Aunt Evie," Liam added. "It's only a few kilometers from Marshfield."

Marshfield is the southernmost town of Aquilos.

"Yeah, and if we need any help," Trevor chimed. "We'll just call Brooke's dad since Marshfield is closer to Stonebridge than Gallanberg is."

Their Mom, Evelyn was silent, until their Dad, Harrison finally spoke up. "Evie, honey," He said. "Just let the boys go. They'll be off to college in three weeks. Let them have their fun."

Evelyn took a deep breath. "Alright," She said. "You boys have fun."

"Yes!" Trevor and Liam said in unison before giving each other high fives.

"Thanks, Mom," Trevor smiled. "We'll be careful, I promise."

But their Mom's great mood was ruined when his sister Alexandra spoke up. "Can I come with you guys?" She asked.

"No, Alex," Evelyn answered immediately. "You're not going."

"What?" Alex complained. "That's not fair! Brooke's going with them. Why can't I?"

Evelyn turned to Trevor. "Is Brooke really going with you?" She asked.

Trevor nodded in confirmation. "Yeah, I mean, the whole camping trip was her idea," He said. "She's bringing Connor with her. And Hunter's coming too."

Hunter Beckett and Brooke Rachford and were Trevor and Liam's bestfriends since pre-school. They mostly became friends because their Dads were friends were their Dad. Hunter is the eldest child among the four children of Lewis Beckett, the president of the Pyrmond and his wife Clara Thompson-Beckett (Yes, his brothers were bffs with the president's son.). Brooke Rachford was the only girl in their clique. She was the daughter of Gregory Rachford, their Dad's good friend from Marshfield.

Because of their eldest kids being bffs, the friendships carried on to the younger siblings as well. Brooke's younger brother, Connor was Bryce's bestfriend together with Jewel Beckett, Hunter's younger sister.

Also, like the Prescotts, the Rachfords were also from the Aquilos state of Pyrmond. Even before Bryce and his siblings were born, the two families lived quite close to one another.

But despite being Aquilosi, they were all enrolled in Braswell Institute a private school in Braswell, the country's capital city.

Trevor, Liam, Hunter and Brooke had just graduated high school and were off to college in three weeks. Olivia will be a senior; Alex, a sophomore; Bryce along with Connor and Jewel, will be freshmen and their youngest brother Tyler will be moving on to fifth grade.

According to what Trevor had told him, they were attending the Xavier Von Kingsley University in Penethon Island in Corona Tierra, except for Liam, as he will be attending Pyrmond Military Academy or the PMA in the state of Piedramonte just like their Dad’s brother, their Uncle Bentley.

When Evelyn heard that the Rachfords were coming, she had allowed Alex and Bryce to go with their brothers, Trevor and Liam, much to Tyler's dismay since he would be stuck spending the weekend with Olivia in the Prescott Manor. She allowed them to go with the condition that they bring their dogs with them.

Their Siberian Husky dogs were only puppies, but you can hardly tell since they were already as large as two-year-old hounds despite being only four-months old. It was about a month into summer vacation, their Dad had been in a business meeting in Avarel, a ski town and northernmost town of Aquilos, he had been walking back to his hotel when he came across six pups in the light snowfall. Harrison then brought the pups back with him to Gallanberg and gave them to his children.

Their mother had been convinced that the dogs had been gifts of god to them to stand as their protectors. She had thought that when Tyler had gotten lost in a sketchy neighborhood in downtown Gallanberg with his husky, Shadow. Apparently, his dog drove away a would-be robber with its loud bark.

Their parents had them use the family SUV, not Trevor's car since there were four of them, plus their supplies, their own sleeping bags, paper plates and plastic utensils, toilet paper and rechargeable lamps, which were fully charged before they left home. Trevor and Liam had agreed to bring the three tents, one big one and two small ones. And they're also bringing their dogs with them. Hunter was bringing the raw food, grilling pan and the cooler with drinks, and he was going to pick up the Rachfords on the way to Stonebridge.

They left Gallanberg an hour after lunch and drove for about thirty minutes, with Trevor on the wheel, Liam on the shotgun, and Alex and Bryce himself in the middle row of seats. Most of their stuff was in the back row. Their dogs weren't placed in cages. Alex's dog, Artemis sat on his sister's lap, where she was caressing the dog's pelt; Bryce's dog, Oddy was also sitting on his lap, looking out the car window; Trevor's dog, Bullseye was quietly sleeping on the space between Alex and Bryce; and Liam's dog, Winter was with him on the shotgun, doing the same thing Oddy was doing.

Their car went through an arch gateway that said, Stonebridge National Park.

"Here we are," Trevor said as they drove through the entrance arch. He glanced at the rear mirror to the backseat where Alex and Bryce were sitting. "Well, Little brother and sister, Welcome to Stonebridge National Park, where it covers one-third of Aquilos' entire land area and—"

"Trevor, shut up." Alex interrupted. "You're not the freakin' park ranger."

"Sheesh," Liam said. "Why so grumpy, Alex?"

"Just park this thing so I can run to the bathroom." Alex replied. "I've been holding it in for like fifteen minutes."