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“I was doing a workout with Cameron, okay?” The minute his name leaves my mouth, Morgan’s eyes light up. Lily actually claps.
“Oh, my God, you were right,” Lily says.
“See? I told you!” Morgan says.
I move from the sink’s edge and head into our shared closet to change out of my clothes and slip into my oversized sweatpants and Bruins jersey.
“Great. You two were speculating about me. That feels awesome,” I deadpan.
“Only because you have been keeping secrets,” Morgan fires back.
I turn to face her, hands on my hips.
“I haven’t been hiding anything. Cameron and I are friends. He’s helping me out. I don’t want to be lazy anymore with my leg, and—”
“And you like spending time with him,” Morgan cuts in.
My mouth hangs open, but I don’t really have a retort for that, so I promptly snap it shut and move to my bed. I leap into the center, drawing my legs in and pulling one of my pillows into my lap. I pick at the seam on the pillowcase, a lose string begging to be tugged and unraveled.
“I do,” I mutter.
I’m hit with one of Morgan’s pillows and I promptly shove it away, refusing to look up and meet their eyes. Lily throws one at me next, and I discard it in the same way. Pretty soon, we are all throwing pillows at one another, my corner of the room quickly becoming as messy as theirs as we overturn hampers and slingshot stuffed animals at each other. The laughter feels good. And when it ends, we clean up our mess—mostly—and finish up our studies for the next day.
Once our lights are out, I wrap myself tightly in my blanket and stare at Morgan’s silhouette across the room. There are a lot of unsaid things in the atmosphere. We both know that if Anika were still alive, I would have told her the truth about tonight. And I know that stings. I wish it weren’t the case.
Lily is the first to fall asleep, her breathing a soft wisp of air that has been putting me to sleep since we moved in together. I’m too wired to sleep anytime soon, though. My mind won’t quit racing from worry to worry. I don’t know how I’m supposed to behave tomorrow with Cameron. More than that, however, I’m anxious about Morgan’s thoughts about him.
“Hey, Brook?” she whispers. I wonder if she senses the tension.
“Yeah,” I respond, shoving my palm under my cheek.
She doesn’t speak for several seconds, and the more time that passes, the tighter the vice gets around my stomach.
“You deserve someone better, is all.”
My eyes close slowly, and the tear I’ve been anticipating slides down my cheek, hitting the back of my hand. I don’t know how to respond to her backhanded compliment. I don’t want to saythank youbecause I’m not grateful for it at all. Maybe a month ago I would have agreed. What does that say about me?
Cameron Hass is a lot more than some class clown who smokes a little pot.A lot of pot.He’s got depth. I’ve glimpsed it. It makes me curious.What if it turns out I don’t deserve him?
“Good night, Morgan,” I finally say. When she doesn’t answer back, I assume she’s either asleep or understood my curt response. We’re done talking about Cameron in this room.
Chapter6
Cameron
For the first time in, well . . . actually, for the first time ever, I woke with the sun and went for a run. I didn’t roll out of bed with minutes to spare, squeak in a hit off my joint, and race to first hour. I woke up alive, ready to go. Ready to see what this day had in store for me because yesterday was one for the record books.
I don’t realize I’m whistling until Theo points it out.
“Damn, you’re jolly,” he says, working his tie through his button collar, redoing his first failed attempt.
“Huh. I guess I slept well for once. Kinda felt like maybe I should start some better habits,” I say, slipping into my shirt with my tie still intact.
“Ha, ya think?” Theo jokes. I straighten my tie in place and laugh when he has to start his over a third time.
“Karma,” I say, pointing at his neck.
He scowls.
