Of course, Bradley hadn''t actually forgotten that Pearl was already staying with Cameron. That was just the excuse he used to strike up a conversation.


    After sending the message, he didn''t get a response for quite a while.


    ''Maybe he fell asleep already.''


    Just as he was about to put his phone down, a new message came in.


    It was a photo from Cameron.


    In the dim lighting, Pearl was curled up fast asleep in his new room.


    Cameron: [Pearl really likes his new home.]


    A faint smile tugged at the corner of Bradley''s lips.


    He''d only casually mentioned Pearl, but Cameron had gone out of his way to take


    a photo and send it. That had to mean something. He mattered to him, at least a little, right?


    They chatted a bit more about Pearl before he shifted the topic.


    Bradley: [I''ve had a bit of free timetely. Started reading some fiction and came across a novel that''s actually pretty good. Do you read much?]


    He sent her the link.


    Cameron clicked it out of curiosity, only to freeze a secondter.


    She remembered that the kinds of books Bradley usually read were eitherw- rted orputer science texts. She''d genuinely been curious about what kind of fiction he was into.


    What she didn''t expect... was a boys'' love novel.


    BL?


    Bradley was into this genre?


    Cameron had read a little bit of everything over the years, BL included, but she never thought Bradley would rmend something like this to her.


    She stared at the screen for a long moment before finally replying. Cameron: [It looks interesting. I''ll check it out when I have time.]


    ?????


    Bradley: [Do you usually read this kind of thing?]


    Cameron: [Now and then.]


    Bradley: [So, how do you feel about same-sex rtionships?]


    Cameron paused and thought, ''How do I feel about it?'' She didn''t really "feel" anything specific.


    Everyone had the right to choose how they lived. It wasn''t anyone else''s ce to interfere.


    Cameron: [It''s just a personal choice.]


    Bradley: (So it doesn''t bother you?]


    Cameron: [Not at all.)


    13:36 Wed, 18 Jun G88


    She wasn''t the type to stick her nose into other people''s lives. Their rtionships


    were none of her business, let alone something to be bothered by.


    Bradley read her message, and his smile widened again.


    No difort. That was all he needed to know.


    Which meant... it was time to make his move.


    He felt good, light even. He typed again.


    Bradley: [Cameron, are you at home right now?]


    Cameron: [Yeah, I am.]


    Bradley: [You guys don''t have night sses, right?]


    Cameron: [Nope.]


    Though most students still headed to the library after dinner to study. Getting into college didn''t mean cking off. Especially not for students in technical majors like Cameron''s. The things they were learning now would matter for the rest of their careers.


    Bradley: [I found a great little bar recently. Want to check it out with me tomorrow night?]


    Cameron blinked. "A bar?"


    She hadn''t been to many bars before. But if Bradley was inviting her, she didn''t mind going.


    Cameron: [Can''t do tomorrow. I have ns with a friend. How about Monday night?]


    She had a dinner with Xander''s mom tomorrow.


    Bradley: [Monday works. I''lle pick you up.]Cameron: [Sounds good.]


    Cameron: [Sounds good.]


    It was alreadyte. After a bit more small talk, they said goodnight.


    Bradley stayed lying in bed, scrolling back through the chat. The smile on his face refused to fade.


    He''d made up his mind—he was going to pursue Cameron.


    But not all at once. No sudden moves. No bold derations.


    Just slow and steady.


    And Bradley had all the time in the world.