Filed to story: That Campus Prince Is a Girl
Cameron stared at the balance, expressionless. She knew it was only a matter of time before she and her parents fell out for good. When that happened, they’d definitely cut her off, so she had to figure out a way to earn her own money.
Elijah suddenly said, “If you can’t stick to it, I’ll ask Mr. Graham to move you to another dorm.”
Cameron was still staring at her phone when a sheet of paper appeared in front of her. The hand holding it was well-defined and elegant, clearly belonging to someone used to a life of comfort.
Elijah, sharp-featured and cool-eyed, stood in front of her. Cameron took the paper and quietly read the list out loud, muttering, “One:
Don’t bother me while I’m studying Two Don’t bother me while I’m studying Three: Don’t bother me while I’m studying Elijah had written the same line three times. When she finished reading, Cameron looked up at him.
Elijah shot Cameron a cold glance, then went back to his seat and resumed reading. He wasn’t negotiating with Cameron-he was informing her. He was cold and distant, but also bossy in that quiet, commanding way.
Cameron was speechless for a moment and thought. Don’t bother him while he’s studying? else just because he gets straight As
“Elijah” she said. “I’m taking your number one spot on the SATS. Mark my words.”
What, he thinks he’s better than everyone
She crumpled up the paper in one hand and, with a smooth flick of her wrist, sent it flying in a perfect arc straight into a black trash can ten feet away.
She raised an eyebrow slightly at Elijah, sitting there with his back straight. He didn’t move or say anything as if he hadn’t heard her at all. Or maybe he had and just thought she was delusional and not worth responding to.
Cameron thought, “Well, yeah. When the worst-ranked kid in class says she’s coming for the top spot, it does sound like a joke. She let out a small laugh, grabbed her phone and keys, and walked out of the room.
After she left. Elijah finally glanced toward the trash can a few feet away, frowning slightly as he pondered. Looks like I have to find a kay to get him kicked out.
After buying toiletries from the campus store, Cameron was on her way back to the dorm when her phone buzzed in her packet.
“Milena” Cameron said flatly as she read the caller ID. It was Milena Wallace her biological sister who was two years younger than her.
Cameron frowned a little, but still picked up the call. As soon as the call connected, Milena’s accusatory voice came through the receiver. “Cam, you ran out of the operating room? You even broke Dr. Jensen’s hand! What the hell were you thinking?
“You don’t want the gender reassignment surgery anymore? Why? Cam. I know it’s hard on you, but this is all for our family. You can’t be this selfish.
“When Mom and Dad found out you ran you ran out of the OR, they were furious. Mom even fainted. Cam, if you don’t go through with it, what happens to your engagement to Amelia?”
Milena sounded like she was on the verge of tears, like Cameron had committed some unforgivable crime-like it was Milena herself who had suffered because of it.
Cameron listened in silence, a cold smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “What happens?” she said flatly. “Did everyone in the Wallace family die or something?
“Cam?” Milena clearly froze. Even through the phone, she could feel how cold Carperon’s voice was.
She wondered, ‘Something’s off. Cameron never talked to me like that before. What’s going on?”
Cameron spoke, “Milena, don’t forget-you’re Mom and Dad’s daughter too. I won’t go through with the surgery. But you could. If you’re really that devoted, why don’t you go marry into the Chapman family? You can transition, become a man, and yourself.”
Amelia
“Me?” Milena’s voice shot up as she panicked. “Cam, I’m still young. I’m two years younger than Amelia. How could I possibly-“
Cameron cut in. Two years younger! That’s it? A two-year age gap is nothing. What, you don’t want to?”
Milena went quiet, gripping her phone tightly as she thought, Damn it. When did Cameron get so sharp-tongued? And why is she suddenly talking about me becoming a man and marrying Amelia! Going through all that pain and surgery? No way. I’m not doing that.”
Her voice dropped into a pitiful tone. “Cam, come on, don’t joke like that. You’re the one engaged to Amelia, not me
Cameron cut ber off again, her face full of mockery as she said, “You know damn well the only reason that engagement happened was because our parents lied and said I was a boy.
“My engagement to Amelia was never real in the first place, right? So why are you still wasting your breath?”
Milena was rendered speechless.
When she couldn’t out-talk Cameron, Milena resorted to her usual tactic-playing the victim. She choked up and said, “Cam, why are you being so mean to me? Did I do something wrong? Just tell me, okay? I’ll fix it”
Normally, the second Milena said something like that, Cameron would instantly go soft no
But this time, Cameron said, “Your whole existence is a mistake. Can you just drop dead?” matter what she’d done wrong
Milena was speechless, thinking, “What the hell is wrong with this wretch? How could she say that? Has she completely lost her mind?
She started crying, “Cam, how could you say that to me?”
Cameron’s face stayed blank. “I say whatever the hell I want.” She pondered, ‘Is she seriously trying to play the victim now? I’ve dealt with more conniving bitches in my world-hopping lives than I can count. Milena is nothing.
Milena stayed silent for a long time. When the emotional guilt trip didn’t work, she finally got to the point. “Cam, Mom and Dad are really upset. Come home after school tonight and apologize to them, and we’ll reschedule the surgery.
Cameron didn’t answer. Instead, she asked, “Milena, sweetheart, do you happen to remember what today is?”
Milena blurted out, “Isn’t today the day of your surgery?”
Cameron let out a cold laugh and thought, I should’ve seen that coming. My bad for expecting anything else.”
Milena didn’t want to keep arguing. She reminded her, “Cam, seriously, come home early tonight. We’ll be waiting.”
She sneered silently. Like hell she’d dare skip the surgery. Just wait till she gets home-Mom and Dad will set her straight
Cameron snorted. “Sorry, I’m living on campus now. I’m busy.”
Milena was stunned. “Living on campus? Cam, why would you suddenly move into the dorms-
Cameron couldn’t b be bothered to keep talking. She ended the call and blocked Milena’s number without hesitation.
Cameron stopped by the dorm to drop her stuff off. Elijah was already gone, and the other three roommates hadn’t come back yet. The room was empty. She pulled the curtain across her bed.
The evening study period was coming up. Since she had nothing better to do, she figured she’d head to the classroom and get familiar with it first
The last time she’d walked into a classroom was over a thousand years ago. It had been so long that, hugging her textbooks, Cameron ended up going the wrong way. Somehow, she wandered into the Math Lab,
Langford Academy wasn’t just some fancy prep school. It was known for its intense academic focus. It ranked first in the entire country for college admissions. Each subject had its own dedicated building.
Cameron stood there, one hand holding her books, silently staring at the unsolved problem on the chalkboard.
This room was a challenge room. The board was always filled with tough math problems. Every time someone solved one, a new one would be added.
Elijah was a math genius. He consistently scored near-perfect marks on every test. Most of the problems on this board had been solved by hum
But this one had been up for almost a month and it was still sitting there, which meant Elijah hadn’t cracked it either.
Gumeron stood with one hand in her pocket, her textbooks balanced in the other, her whole posture laid-back and effortlessly cool.
She stared at the board, then gave a lazy, confident smile. She walked straight up, picked up a piece of chalk, and started writing out the solution.
Just as she finished and set the chalk down, voices drifted in from the hallway. Someone said, “Come on, Amy, just come with me for a bit. Elijah loves coming here. If we hang around, we might run into him.”
Cameron turned around and caught sight of the two girls standing by the door. Her eyes, which had been calm and distant a second ago, instantly turned cold.
There were two of them. One tall, one slightly shorter. The tall girl was stunning. She wore the blur Langford Academy uniform, but the hem of her oversized shirt had been tied into a neat knot at her small waist, accentuating her petite figure.
Her skirt was pulled up just enough to show off a pair of elegant, slender legs that were hard not to notice,
The other girl wasn’t bad-looking, but standing next to the tall one, she faded into the background almost immediately.
Those two were none other than Cameron’s so-called “fianc?e”, the school’s it-girl Amelia, and her best friend, Skyler Young
“Cameron? What are you doing here?” Skyler’s eyes landed on Cameron and instantly filled with disdain.
She thought. Look at him-crappy background, no skills to speak of, total bottom-feeder in class. He’s not even tall and his looks are passable, at best.
And he actually thinks he has a shot at marrying someone like Amelia, a rich and beautiful heiress? What a joke
Cameron didn’t even look at Skyler. She barely glanced at Amelia, then turned to leave with her textbooks in her arms.
“Stop right there. Skyler stepped in her way. “Did you take those pictures or not?”
“Pictures” Cameron raised an eyebrow and looked at Amelia.
Amelia’s pretty face stayed blank, but when Cameron’s gaze landed on her, she frowned slightly. y time Cameron
Amelia, like Skyler, was sick of Cameron. She never acknowledged the so-called engagement between them. And every looked at her with that eager-to-please expression, practically throwing herself at her, it made Amelia feel completely grossed our
Still, she wasn’t Skyler. She had manners. Even if she didn’t like Cameron, she wouldn’t make it obvious or try to humiliate her on the spot. She just stuck to her polished in-girl persona and kept her distance with a cold, detached gaze.
“You didn’t get the message!” Skyler stared at Cameron with ? patronizing look. “All you have to do is take a hundred photos of Elijah and Amy will go on a date with you. That’s doable, right?”
Cameron glanced at Amelia with a half-smile, then turned her eyes to Skyler. “I’m sharing a dorm room with Elijah now.
“For real? Then you can take as many as you want.” Skyler lit up.
“You’re right.” Cameron nodded in agreement.