"Elijah, you already treated me to dinner. This bracelet is too much. I can''t keep it," Cameron insisted.


    "Cameron..." Elijah''s voice faltered. He had thought that would be enough to convince her, but she still refused. For a moment, he was at a loss for words.


    "We were desk mates, roommates, and bros. You don''t need to be so formal," Cameron added casually.


    Elijah''s grip tightened on his phone. He thought, ''Bros? Does she forget she''s a girl?


    Truthfully, Elijah didn''t want to take the bracelet back. He switched tactics. "Fine. Just keep it for now. I''ll pick it upter."


    "Sure." Cameron agreed.


    As she moved to hang up, Elijah suddenly blurted, "Cameron."


    "Huh?"


    "You looked... beautiful today."


    The line went dead before Cameron could respond.


    Elijah mmed his phone onto hisp, ears burning. His heart was pounding so wildly he worried the taxi driver might hear. It was the first time he had everplimented a girl. His palms were even sweating.


    The dial tone buzzed in Cameron''s ear. She chuckled and then tucked the jewelry box into the glovepartment.


    When she got back to campus, she made her way toward the dormitory.


    All along the way, she drew plenty of admiring nces. "Wow, what a stunning girl. Howe I''ve never seen her before?"


    "She''s not from our school, is she?"


    "She outshines Amelia, the new campus belle."


    "Which department is she in? Could she actually be one of us?"


    Cameron ignored all the whispers and exims, heading straight to her dorm.


    L, Amelia, and Sienna were still awake when she returned.


    The moment the door opened, L practicallyunched herself across the room. "How was the date, Cam? That outfit was killer. Did you wreck your ssmate''s heart?"


    Cameron rolled her eyes. "L, it wasn''t a date. Just helping a friend."


    "Just a friend?" Amelia''s face was covered with a face mask. “Sure. In your mind maybe."


    Sienna nodded. "Cam, be real. You''re so beautiful tonight. Your friend is definitely into you."


    Cameron gave them a deadpan look and then headed straight into the bathroom to shower. She was going back to Yates Manor tomorrow.


    Elijah had barely stepped into his dorm when Xander''s call shed on his screen. His brows furrowed. They hadn''t spoken since graduation. After all. their


    roommate rtionship had been more a ceasefire than friendship.


    Still, Elijah answered the call. "Hello?" His tone was icy.


    13:35 Wed, 18 Jun GRA


    Xander''s voice came through. "Hey, Elijah. What''ve you been up totely?"


    "Nothing. State your business."


    "Uh... Have you been in touch with Cameron recently?"


    Xander hadn''t contacted Cameron since that rejection in front of her brothers two months ago. But absence hadn''t dulled Xander''s obsession. No amount of sports academy beauties couldpare.


    Tonight, desperation overrode pride, but he still held himself back from calling Cameron. Instead, he chose to ask Elijah for any updates.


    Elijah didn''t answer. Instead, he asked, "Xander, when did you learn Cameron was a girl? Before the SATS?"


    Xander''s gasp crackled through the speaker. "You know?"