The moment the call connected, Bradley was hit with a wave of loud music and Eddie yelling over it, "Hey, Brad! Missed me already?"


    Eddie''s nightlife had only just begun. He was clearly partying hard at a bar.


    Bradley frowned. "Eddie, find somewhere quiet. I need to talk."


    "Huh? What''d you say? Brad, speak up-I can''t hear you!" Eddie shouted back.


    Bradley hung up without another word.


    A minuteter, Eddie called him back.


    He''d ducked into a restroom. It was a lot quieter now.


    "What''s up, Brad? You need something?" Eddie asked.


    Bradley got straight to the point. "You on break right now?"


    "It''s summer vacation. Of course I''m taking time to have some fun," Eddie said.


    "You don''t exactly hold back even when school''s in session."


    "Wow,ing in swinging already? Who pissed in your coffee?"


    "No one. I just need a small favor."


    "What kind of favor?"


    "It''s about Cameron. He''s dealing with something," Bradley said.


    "Cam again? Brad, you''re way too invested in him," Eddie teased.


    "Is caring about a friend a problem?"


    "Not at all. Go on, what''s going on with Cam?"


    "Not something I can exin over the phone. Juste see me, we''ll talk then." Cameron hadn''t said outright that she needed counseling, and Bradley wasn''t about to air her business to Eddie. Better to wait till Eddie got to Viremont.


    "Alright, I''ll head over tomorrow. That it? I''m going back to party. Later!" Eddie said, and hung up.


    Bradley stared at the phone in silence.


    ‘Eddie''s gonna fall hard for a girl one day.''


    Xander was gaming with Tyrell when he got a message from Austin.


    Back in the day, Xander used to fill every break with excitement-traveling abroad, racing with friends, extreme sports, diving...


    Now, none of it felt worth it.


    This summer, he hadn''t gone anywhere. Most of his time was spent gaming with Tyrell.


    Every few days, he''d drop by Cameron''s ce. Not too often-he didn''t want to overdo it. And every visit had a pretext-dropping off that three milioi dor check she still hadn''t epted.


    Austin''s message lit up his screen mid-game.


    Austin: (Xan, long time no see. Just left Cam''s ce. Brad was there too. They were acting weird, like there''s something going on between them. Told me to leave so they could talk in private. We just graduated, but man... feels like everyone''s changed.]


    Xander nced at the message and then immediately tapped in.


    "Xan! What are you doing just standing there? You died!" Tyrell''s voice came through his headset.


    "Shut up!" Xander snapped.


    His eyes were locked on the screen.


    ''Bradley? Bradley and Cameron... sharing secrets? Does Bradley already know Cameron''s a girl?''


    Xander had always thought Bradley treated her differently. From day one, when Cameron had shed with him in the dorm, Bradley took her side without hesitation.


    Every time after that, whenever he butted heads with Cameron, Bradley was always stepping in to defend her.


    ''Don''t tell me Bradley''s liked her this whole time? Damn it. Now I''ve got another rival?''


    His expression darkened.


    Xander had gone out of his way to guard Cameron''s secret-that she was a girl-


    just to keep the guys in Room 316 from getting any funny ideas.


    And now Bradley? He couldn''t even be trusted?


    ''What the hell is he doing at her house?''


    His mind spiraled, painting a thousand scenes of Cameron and Bradley... together.


    "No freaking way!" he shouted, his chest rising with rage.


    "Xan? What''s going on?" Tyrell asked.


    Xander exited the game without a word.


    Storm-faced, he headed straight for the underground garage, hopped on his bike,


    and gunned it out of the lot, heading for Noble Vista.


    It was ten by the time he reached Cameron''s door.


    Cameron, not feeling well, had already gone to bed. Half-asleep, she thought at


    first she was dreaming. But the knocking grew louder and more persistent.


    She turned on the bedsidemp, sat up groggily, and realized-this wasn''t a dream.


    The knocking continued.


    She threw off the covers and padded to the door.


    Standing outside, face dark as thunder, was Xander.


    "What are you doing here?" Cameron frowned..


    Her peaceful sleep was ruined.


    215


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    Thu, 12 Jun


    But Xander''s eyes went wide the moment he saw her in pajamas.


    "You..." He practically growled, his breathing heavy. "You two-what the hell are you doing?"


    Cameron looked at him, baffled. "What do you mean, ''you two''? What are you even doing here at this hour?"


    "You think I''m here to ruin your fun?" Xander snapped, face flushed with anger.


    Cameron blinked.


    ''Is he seriously losing it?''


    "You''ve lost your damn mind," she said sharply.


    Now she was wide awake and annoyed.


    But at least the stomach cramps had eased a little after resting.


    "I''ve lost it?" Xanderjabbed a finger at himself, voice rising. "Cameron, really? You turn me down, and then go straight for Bradley? And things are already moving this fast? You two actually-"


    He choked on thest part.


    He was legally an adult, sure. But still very much a wide-eyed, pure-hearted boy.


    "What the hell are you even talking about?" Cameron burst out, furious now. "Me and Bradley? Since when? I don''t even know what fantasy you''ve cooked up in that brain of yours, but you need to leave."


    "Don''t you try to manipte me!"


    Xander had a temper, and it was ring.


    He shoved past Cameron and stormed inside, yelling, “Bradley! Get out here!” Cameron blinked.


    Cameron followed behind him, expression sour. "What the hell are you trying to do?"


    Xander looked around frantically but didn''t see Bradley.


    "Where is he? Hiding somewhere?" he muttered and then started opening doors, checking rooms.


    He even checked the bathroom, the closet, under the bed.


    Cameron trailed behind him, arms crossed, watching the circus unfold.


    Finally, only the master bedroom was left.


    Xander pointed at it usingly. "He''s in your room, isn''t he? Cameron, you''re a


    girl-still so young-and you''re already... already sleeping with him?!"


    That was it.


    Cameron snapped.


    She pped him, hard.


    ''Enough''s enough. Bradley? In my bed? What kind of crap is that?"


    Xander froze.


    The p turned his head ny degrees, a ted handprint blooming across his


    cheek, blood starting to well up at the corner of his mouth.


    He slowly turned to face her, stunned. "You


    you hit me?"


    "You''re lucky that''s all I did," Cameron said coldly. "Keep spouting crap and I''ll


    really give you something to cry about."


    "So now you''re denying it?" Xander huffed. "Afra


    of the truth getting out?"


    "Truth?" Cameron let out a sharpugh. "You really think I slept with Bradley? Are you dumb? He still thinks I''m á guy. Exin to me how that would even work." Xander''s eyes lit up. "Seriously?" A grin spread across his face. "Bradley still has


    no idea you''re a girl?"


    Cameron stayed silent.


    Xander nced toward the master bedroom. "You''re serious?"


    Without a word, Cameron shoved him through the door. "Go. Look for yourself.


    Find your precious Bradley."


    Xander didn''t argue.


    Face half swollen and Cameron fuming, he still made sure to check every corner


    of the room, including the bathroom.


    Cameron leaned against the wall, arms still crossed. "So? Find anything?"


    Xander scratched his head, wincing. "He''s not here."


    "Then tell me," Cameron said, her tone like ice, "why exactly did youe banging on my door at 10 PM, swearing Bradley was in my bed?"


    Xander mumbled, "Austin messaged me."


    Cameron''s eyes narrowed. "Show me."


    Xander quickly unlocked his phone and handed it to her.


    She scrolled through the messages from Austin, and sure enough, there it was.


    That, and the message Austin had sent during herst game session


    with Elijah.


    So that was why Xander had stormed over that time too.


    Same pattern. Same y.


    Austin had done this on purpose.


    ''What the hell is his problem?''


    Cameron thought she''d always treated Austin decently. But this? This felt like a


    knife in the back.


    It left a bitter taste in her mouth.


    She needed to confront him,


    Friends were great-until they weren''t. If he couldn''t act like one, then she''d be


    just fine cutting ties.


    Xander, noticing how dark her expression had grown, mumbled, "I really thought you were with Bradley. That''s why I..."


    Cameron stared at him like he was a toddler. "You''re like a damn flower that''s


    never seen real weather."


    Logan and Gwen had coddled him too much.


    One whisper from Austin and he came running.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Xander asked.


    "It means nothing. Just go home. I''m going to sleep."


    "You sleep this early?" he asked.


    "I''m not feeling well."


    "What''s wrong?" he asked, a little concerned.


    "Girl stuff... Monthly kind."


    Xander didn''t argue.


    His ears turned bright red.


    He bolted out the door and even made sure to shut it behind him.


    Cameron just stood there in silence.


    It was already half past ten.


    Sleep? No chance.


    She picked up her phone and texted Austin. Cameron: [You awake?]


    Austin replied instantly. Austin: [Still up. You feeling better?]


    Cameron: [Where are you?]


    Austin: [At home. Noble Vista.]


    Cameron: [I''ming over.]


    Austin immediately sensed something was off.


    ''Did that idiot Xander screw everything up?''


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