As soon as Cameron let go of Lance, Gavin immediately spread his arms wide. "Cam, can I get a hug?"


    Cameron hesitated. "Uh, Gavin, we see each other all the time. Is that really necessary?".


    Gavin''s heart sank at the obvious favoritism from his beloved sister. He shot Lance a re. Lance just grinned triumphantly.


    "Hi, Dad, Mom," Cameron beamed as she threw herself into Levi and Jacqueline''s arms.


    "Your dad''s been worried about you all night," Jacqueline said with augh. "He wasining about you going out for dinner with your friends instead ofing straight home."


    Levi quickly interjected, "Sweetheart, don''t listen to your mom. I''d wait for you forever without a singleint."


    ''My heart feels so warm,'' Cameron thought. "I know, Dad."


    As soon as she stepped through the door, she felt herselfpletely rx, every


    bit of tension melting away. This was a wonderful feeling she''d never


    had before.


    It just felt so good to be back with her family again.


    It was gettingte. After the whole family spent some time chatting andughing together, Cameron finally went back to her room to call it a night.


    As she plugged her phone in to charge, she noticed a WhatsApp message from Elijah that hade through an hour ago.


    Elijah: [Cameron, I saw on L''s Instagram that you guys have already finished your finals. What are your ns for winter break? Are you going to work at Aurevia Biotech?]


    Cameron replied: [Sorry, Elijah, I just saw your message. I''ll probably be spending the break with my family.]


    Cameron saw herself first and foremost as a drug developer. Once she graduated from college, she nned to start bringing her own products to market.


    As for running Aurevia Biotech, she left it all to David. For the past six months, David had kept everything at Aurevia running smoothly. Cameron was more than satisfied.


    She hardly ever got to spend time with her family. So for the holidays, she figured she''d just hole up at home.


    Elijah replied almost instantly: [Do you want toe along? L and Calder are nning a trip to Seasouth-it''s super warm there this time of year. Want to join us?]


    Cameron: [I don''t want to be the third wheel.]


    Elijah: [Well, what if it''s just the two of us? I''ve always wanted to hike mount. You up for it?]


    Cameron thought for a moment and replied: [Sorry, Elijah. I don''t think I''ll have the time.]


    Elijah couldn''t help but look disappointed, the feeling in on his handsome face.


    It had been two months since he''d confessed his feelings to Cameron. But after all this time, they were still stuck in the same ce.


    Elijah wanted to get closer to her, but Cameron Kept turning him down. He didn''t dare do anything reckless, afraid he''d get himself in troue like Austin


    did.


    He stared at his phone screen for a long moment, but in the end, all he could do was reply: [Alright. Get some rest.]


    Elijah stood quietly by the window, gazing out into the pitch-ck night. Chapter 644


    Loving someone was at once blissful and bittersweet. But right now, what Elijah felt most was the bitterness.


    ''It''s fine, I can wait for her, Elijah told himself. Honestly, they were both still young. Maybe Cameron just didn''t want to date anyone right now. Hevesen in a hurry anyway.


    Just before she fell asleep, Cameron got another message,


    this time from Bradley.


    Bradley: [Cameron, are you asleep? I was honestly shocked-and pretty happy-to find out you''re a girl today. Oh, and just a friendly heads-up. You''ve


    got three days to decide if you want to say yes to me


    Cameron thought about it for a moment, but didn''t reply. She decided to just pretend she was already asleep. Shey there, her arm under her head, staring up at the ceiling.


    ''If I turn Brad down, will I lose him as a friend?'' Cameron wondered to herself. Bradley was the first person who''d shown her kindness since she time-


    traveled.


    Cameron reached out and switched off the light in her room. ''Three days left. No need to hurry,'' she reassured herself.


    Xandery in his dorm room. All around him, his roommates were busy whispering sweet nothings to their girlfriends over the phone.


    Xander sat up, annoyed. "Seriously, can you guys keep it down? It''s the middle of the night."


    All three of his roommates shot him a look. Then they all shook their heads together. "ssic single guy jealousy."


    They burst outughing, totally merciless. Xander was the only single guy in their dorm.


    He scoffed, "Man, it''s not that I can''t get a girlfriend-I just don''t feel like dating. If I


    so much as snapped my fingers, half the girls on campus would be lining up for


    me."


    "Seriously, Xan, you mean to tell me not a single hottie in the whole sports college


    is good enough for you?" one of his roommates teased.


    Xander smirked, "I''ve already got my eye on someone."


    "Bet the girl you like turned you down," the guy across from him


    mercilessly mocked.


    Xander, hit right where it hurt, grabbed his pillow and hurled it at him.


    "Look at him, all worked up now," the man said.


    "Come on, Xan, what kind of girl would actually say no to you?" one of his roommates teased, genuinely curious.


    Xander just scowled and kept his mouth shut.


    Ever since he''d roped Cameron into meeting up by pretending it was Gwen''s idea, Gwen had refused to help him set up another meeting.


    She even told him not to force things. But Xander just couldn''t let it go. Cameron was his first love. Even though she''d turned him down more than once, he still couldn''t give up on her.


    Xander had actually made several trips to Stenford University just to


    see Cameron.


    Cameron didn''t go out of her way to avoid him-she even gave him a little tour of the campus


    she''d always tell him not toe again.


    But like that was going to stop Xander. He just kept showing up anyway.


    and took him to eat at the cafeteria. But before he left,


    He was at Stenford University almost every week, practically making it his second home. Sometimes he''d go see Cameron


    Since he knew she found him annoying, sometimes he''d just keep his distance and watch her from afar. He just didn''t know what to do about Cameron.


    ''Am I really that bad? If I was, then why did so many girls like me? So I couldn''t be that bad. Why couldn''t Cameron just be one of them?'' he thought. feeling a little frustrated.


    His roommates knew when to quit, so when Xander stopped responding, they dropped the teasing.


    One of them even helpfully tossed the pillow Xander had thrown right back to him. Xander yanked the nket over his head, hiding his face.


    ''It''s fine.'' Xander reassured himself.


    Even though Cameron hadn''t epted him, at least she hadn''t said yes to anyone else either. If she ever did, he honestly had no idea how he''d handle it.


    Ever since that day on the ind when he''d been kicked out, Austin had gone to Stenford University a few times to see Cameron on the sly. But he didn''t get nearly as lucky as Xander did.


    Cameron acted like he didn''t even exist. Austin could only walk away quietly.


    He''d go to ss if he felt like it, and if he didn''t, he''d just stay at the house he''d


    bought outside the music school.


    Helen had stopped talking to him, too.


    Austin felt like his life had suddenly be incredibly dull.


    Cameron was the only thing he could hold on to.


    Before, it had been his mom. Back then, he thought getting revenge for his mom


    was enough. Now, that anchor was Cameron.


    But Cameron wouldn''t even look his way anymore.


    Austin honestly didn''t even know what the point of his life was anymore.


    His heart felt unbearably empty. But he was powerless to do anything about it. In


    the end, Austin ended up going to see Helen.