Page 33

“Make a wish, Cami!” Ivy beams, leaning over the counter.

Cami takes a few seconds, closing her eyes tight to think of her wish before she finally blows out the candles. My mind is desperate to know what she could possibly be wishing for.

After a while, the rest of our friends arrive, and the house fills with noise. Feeling overwhelmed by the crowd, Cami runs off to the safety of her bedroom upstairs. I stay downstairs, trying to play it cool and keep things casual by hanging out with the guys, but I'm checked out, and I keep looking up toward the place she disappeared to. I wish I could just climb up those stairs, knock on her door, and hide out with her.

But I keep telling myself to be patient. I’ll get my turn soon.

A little later, Cami comes back down the stairs to grab a bottle of water from the kitchen. Her hair is thrown up in a messy bun, her black-rimmed glasses rest on her nose, and she’s wearing an oversized gray hoodie with tiny black gym shorts. My heart does a violent flip in my chest. I’ve never seen her look so relaxed, just walking around the comfort of her own home. My mouth goes dry.

“Hey Cam!” Cooper shouts over the music.

She looks over at him, her glasses catching a small glare from the kitchen lights.

“Do you mind if I leave to go to the beach for a while?” He asks.

“No, go ahead.” She says softly, leaning against the counter.

Cooper turns around, locking eyes with me. “Drew, you coming?”

A sudden spike of anxiety rises in my chest. I can't go to the beach, I already made secret plans with his sister.

“Uhh...” I reach up and rub at the back of my neck. “I wish I could, man, but I promised to take my mom out to breakfast tomorrow morning before her shift, so I think I'm going to call it a night.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a small smile lift at the corners of Cami's lips. I press my jaw tight, trying my hardest to keep my expression neutral.

“All good, man. I'll see you tomorrow then.” Cooper says. He wraps his arm around Ivy’s shoulders, leading the remaining group of friends out the front door. Ivy glances from behind Cooper’s shoulder, looking between the two of us.

The heavy click of the door shutting echoes through the house, leaving Cami and me completely alone in the quiet of the kitchen.

She turns her head to look at me, her smile falling just a fraction. “You could have gone with them, you know?”

“I know,” I say, stepping closer to her and letting a smile take over my face. “But I'd much rather be on the roof with you. Give me about twenty minutes, and I'll meet you out there.”

Cami is already waiting for me on the roof by the time I crawl out my window, carefully navigating the narrow ledge. I can't help but smile as I settle into my usual spot beside her.

“So, tell me…” I say, nudging her shoulder. “How was your birthday?”

“It was actually really good,” she says, smiling as she pulls her knees up to her chest.

“Good, I’m glad,” I reply. “Hey, did you happen to bring your earbuds?”

She digs into the front pocket of her hoodie and pulls out the small charging case. “I always have them.”

I smile, pulling my phone from my jeans. “I, um… I made you something for your birthday.”

Her expression turns soft. “You did?”

My thumbs are shaking slightly as I open the custom playlist I spent the last week agonizing over, then hit the share button to AirDrop it directly to her phone. A wave of intense nerves floods my chest.

“You made me a playlist?” she asks quietly, her blue eyes widening behind her glasses as she opens up the link and looks at the long list of tracks.

“Yeah. I know how much you love music, so I put together some songs that remind me of you. Or just… songs I think you’d really like.” I stammer, feeling a flush of heat rush through my skin.

She looks over at me, the biggest smile stretching across her face. “This is amazing, Drew,” she says, her thumb scrolling down the screen. Suddenly, she stops. “Mr. Brightside?” she asks, her brows furrowing in amusement.

I look away immediately, debating whether I should tell her the truth. That I’ve had feelings for her for over a year, and watching her date someone else for a few months was pure torture. But I can’t tell her that. “It’s one of my favorites to listen to before a game,” I say regretfully.

“Oh,” she says softly. “Good choice.”