Page 31 of Effortless

“First, I had a big test today, a class discussion on the impact of workplace accidents, and a lab due. I needed to get the lab done, and I wanted to make sure it was perfect,” Camilla said. “And you know, everything else, too.”

“Liar,” August said under her breath.

“Okay, well, I brought you Chinese food like you demanded when you sent me a text this afternoon. But hey, if you’re going to bark at me about shit I don’t even understand, then I’ll just drop it and go.”

Camilla eyed Cross from the side. “Close the fucking door. I give my neighbors enough of a show as it is.”

August snorted. “Right, I bet.”

“Shut up.”

“You said it!”

“Nobody else gets to, though,” Camilla replied.

August glared.

Camilla looked away.

So maybe she was in a mood.

Maybe she had been in a mood for a while.

She neither wanted to talk about it, or admit why it was still lingering in the back of her mind like a sickness she couldn’t kick. This was stupid. This was not what she did—it was not her deal.

Camilla Emma Donati did not get heartsick over a fucking guy.

Wordlessly, her brother crossed the room, and took a seat beside her on the couch. He passed over the bag of Chinese. She dug through it to find what she wanted, and then handed the bag over to her friend for August to do the same.

Camilla was half way through the rice and chicken before she spoke again. “He’s leaving in two weeks.”

Cross glanced over at her. “Tommaso, you mean?”

“Yep.”

“You didn’t know that, or what? He was only here to visit, Cam.”

“I ignored it.”

“I don’t get—”

“He made me like him, Cross.”

Her brother sighed. “Huh.”

“And now he’s leaving.”

“That makes you …”

“Pissed off, Cross. It pisses me off!”

“Saying it lightly,” August put in.

Cross ignored the other girl, and Camilla knew she had all of his attention. Her brother was good like that. Her second best friend—her very first best friend.

“Not sure what the problem is, Cam.”

“The problem is that now I might like to see Tom again. Not see him like a relationship, but he’s going. So I can’t do that at all.”