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Not that I knew everyone, but I definitely was familiar with most of the people in the Performing Arts department, given my Costume Design degree and the time I’d spent in the Theater building. Which was alot, considering with my current project.
She looked down at her toes, suddenly shy. “I’m a freshman.”
“Ah. I’m a junior.” I remembered that year all too well. Trying to fit in, make new friends, all while navigating a completely unfamiliar landscape. “Sometimes the adjustment can be rough. What’s your major?”
She shook her head. “I’m still undecided. I wanted to do music, but my dad…” Arielle trailed off, shrugging her shoulders. “He doesn’t really approve of the arts as a career. I’m on the swim team, too, and he wants me to get serious with that, or to take over the family business, but…” The redhead was an open book, all of her emotions showing on her overly-expressive face.
“I totally get it.” There was a wince that crossed my face as I recalled some comments I had received regarding my degree. “My parents didn’t get it at first, either. I’m going into costume design.”
“Really?” Her eyes lit up. “That’s so cool.”
I grinned. “Maybe I’ll bring my sketchbook and show you sometime.”
“I’d like that.” Ari’s mouth curled up in her first genuine smile. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
She shook her head. “I haven’t really made a lot of friends yet.” She rubbed at her shoulder like it was bothering her. “My cousin goes here, too, but he’s the only person I really have.”
I laughed. “I only had my twin when I started.”
“She goes here too?” Her eyes were wide. “All of my older sisters have already graduated.”
“All of them? How many do you have?” I loved having a sister, but I couldn’t imagine growing up in a house with anyone other than Audrey. It had always been just the two of us—and sure, we fought, and often, but we were also best friends.
“Seven, but my parents adopted some of us.” She laughed. “It was never quiet, that’s for sure.”
“I can only imagine. Just my sister and I were a handful.”
Ari pulled her phone out of her jacket pocket. “I don’t know if this is weird, but… do you want to get dinner together sometime? I could really use more friends.”
“Absolutely,” I said, inputting my number into her phone and then texting myself so I could save hers into mine. “I should go, but it was nice to meet you.”
She beamed. “I should get in there. I really enjoyed talking to you as well.”
After waving goodbye, I headed back towards the sorority house, thinking about how excited I was about the semester. Instead of what awaited me.Judgement.
Because I believed in Cam, in what we had, but what if shewas right?What if he was going to make me fall in love with him and then break my heart?What if there was some part of me that had reacted that way because I’d had the same worries myself?
Maybe I should have told him how I was feeling, but I didn’t. I held it all inside, dreading the day it would finally spill out.
CHAPTER 28
Cam
It’s good to be back,” James said, stretching his arm over the back of the couch as the guys all assembled at the football house. We’d survived the first few days of classes, and clearly, we’d use any excuse to all hang out.
For once, it was just the four of us—Sutton had a project she was working on, a recipe she was trying to perfect, I was sure. Ella had an event with her sorority sisters, meaning I couldn’t invite her to hang out even if I’d wanted to.
And damn, I wished she was here.
“Some winter break trip, huh?” Forest asked, nudging me in the shoulder as he fiddled with the controls on the remote.
“Yeah, there were definitely some… interesting twists and turns,” James said, waggling his eyebrows at me.
I groaned. “Are we really doing this now?”
“You’re the one who went and got yourself a girlfriend,” Adam said with a grin. “We are at liberty to tease the shit out of you.”
