Despite all the emotions churning inside him, Austin eventually sent Cameron a one word reply fine.]


    A few minutester, Austin sent another message: [Cam, you stood me upst night, Could youe hear me y no after evening study hall tonight? Cameron was quiet for a moment before responding: [Sure I


    Austin: [Yeah. See youter]


    When afternoon sses ended, Cameron had barely gotten to his feet when Elijah stood up too. "Heading to the cafeteria together?" Elijah asked.


    "I''m meeting Brad," Cameron said.


    "Do you guys have something important to talk about? Eljah''s voice held a hint of something.


    Cameron nodded, "Yeah"


    A sh of disappointment crossed E Elijah''s face, almost too subtle to catch.


    "I''m going to hear Austin y after evening study hall,"


    hall," Cameron offered. "Want toe?"


    Elijah nodded. "Yeah, sounds good."


    Cameron had barely stepped out of the ssroom when someone lunged straight at him. "You little shit!"


    Cameron sidestepped with surprising agility.


    Kander nearly face-nted on the floor, grabbing the railing just in time to save him "Why''d you dodge? Xanderined.


    "What, should I have just stood there and let you crash into me?" Cameron shot back.


    Xander was left speechless.


    Cameron turned and walked away without another word.


    Xander rushed after her. "Where are you going? The cafeteria? I''lle with


    "I''ve got ns," Cameron said tly


    "With who?" Xander demanded, not bothering to hide his annoyance.


    "None of your business. Just don''t follow me, okay?"


    Xander stopped in his tracks. "Seriously, Cameron? After everything I''ve done for you? I was worried about you, you know."


    Cameron paused and looked back at


    at him. "Are you sure you''re not just being nice to me because of Milena?"


    That shut Xander up. ''Because of Milena?'' he thought ''Is that what she thinks?"


    Kander had to admit, at first, he''d been trying to get on Cameron''s good side because of Milena. But after that basketb him over. They were bros now.


    By the time Xander snapped out of his thoughts, Cameron was long gone.


    Cameron had totally won


    Cameron met Bradley in a private room on the second floor of the cafelera. As soon as the door closed behind them, Bradley shock "boy" sitting across from him. "Cameron, you''re holding up better than I expected," he said.


    Cameron smiled as she took her seat across from him, "Brad, I''m seriously fine. They weren''t my real parents. I''m actually relieved


    Bradley was taken aback. "Great, he thought. So much for my prepared pop talk


    "What do you need my help


    elp with? B


    ? Bradley asked instead.


    Cameron leaned forward. "Brad, I need you to help me put Martin and Heidi in prison.


    Bradley''s jaw dropped. "Wait, what? What did they do?"


    "They secretly brought me into the Wace family," Cameron said. "How is that any different from child trafficking?"


    Sure, Milena''s ont was the mastermind. But Martin and Heidi were aplices who benefited from it. They couldn''t dodge responsibility.


    Cameron gave Bradley a quick rundown of what happened back then.


    Bradley''s usually calm, schrly face darkened with anger. "They absolutely deserve prison time."


    He paused, frowning slightly. "The problem is, it happened over a decade ago, and one of the main perpetrators is already dead Getting justice won''t be simple."


    "Brad, I have a recording of them admitting they took me," Cameron said.


    Bradley was speechless for a moment. He gave Cameron a thumbs up. "Well, that makes things a whole lot easier.


    "Cameron, I''ll have my colleagues at the firm handle this. But right now, there''s something more urgent you need to deal with.""


    "What''s that?" Cameron asked.