Filed to story: That Campus Prince Is a Girl
Xander was surprisingly cooperative, apart from checking his phone every now and then.
*****
At noon, after two hours of tutoring, the butler knocked on the door. “Mr. Murphy, Mr. Wallace, lunch is ready. Would you like to eat now or wait a bit longer?”
“Now, please. I’m starving and my brain is fried,” Xander said, stretching his arms above his head.
Cameron glanced at her watch. “Two hours down. You still got 65 thousand dollars left.”
“Cut the crap. Let’s eat,” Xander said, getting up first.
Logan and Gwen still hadn’t returned by lunchtime.
*****
After eating, Xander played a couple rounds of his video game. When he failed to beat the level, he looked ready to smash his controller against the wall.
Xander glanced over at Cameron, who was absorbed in one of Logan’s books. “Hey. Play a couple rounds with me.”
Cameron didn’t even look up. “No thanks.”
“I’ll pay you,” Xander offered.
“Still no.” Cameron might need money, but that didn’t mean she’d take it for just anything. No matter how much she loved money, she had principles about how to earn it.
Xander was left speechless.
Cameron finally looked up, meeting his annoyed gaze. “Play by yourself for 10 more minutes, then we’re going back upstairs to study. Your choice. Either we continue the lessons or I head back to school.”
Xander tossed his controller aside. “Fine, you’re the boss. Let’s study.”
Cameron tutored him from 2 PM until 4 PM-another two solid hours.
“You’ve still got 150 thousand dollars left,” Cameron said.
Xander nodded absently. “Whatever.”
Xander led Cameron to the underground garage, past rows of luxury cars, finally stopping in front of his prize
He swung his leg over the seat and smirked. “Hop on. I’ll give you a ride back to campus.”
Cameron got onto the back seat without comment, but placed her messenger bag between them.
Xander frowned and looked over his shoulder, “What are you doing
“Nowhere else to put my bag,” Cameron said.
Successfully unlocked!
“Just wear it on your back.”
“Don’t want to.”
Xander sighed dramatically. “You’re impossible, you know that?” torcycle.
Somehow, whenever they disagreed, Xander always ended up being the one to give in despite looking like the tougher one. It was strange how that worked.
When they pulled up to the school entrance, Tyrell and the others were waiting. They froze when they spotted Cameron sitting behind Xander.
“Xan.” Tyrell’s eyes darted nervously toward Cameron before he stumbled through his greeting.
Xander, typically oblivious, didn’t notice anything off about Tyrell’s behavior. “Wait for me at the court. I’ll be there after I park.”
The group gave Cameron another glance before hurrying away. Cameron pretended not to notice them.
After Xander parked in the lot, Cameron hopped off and adjusted her bag. Thank
“Hey, Cam,” Xander called after her retreating figure. “Sure you don’t want to join our basketball team? Tournament’s in two weeks.”
Without turning around, Cameron replied, “Not interested.”
“Whatever.” Xander rolled his eyes and headed in the opposite direction.
Cameron went straight back to Room 316. It was only five o’clock, with evening study hall not starting until seven. She had plenty of time to kill.
As Cameron approached her door, she heard violin music drifting from inside. The melody was beautiful but heavy, as if the musician wasn’t in the best mood.
Cameron unlocked the door and immediately saw the blond boy sitting in a chair, completely absorbed in his playing. The late afternoon sunlight streamed in behind him, creating a halo effect.
Austin was undeniably handsome, and at this moment, he looked almost ethereal.
Hearing Cameron enter, Austin stopped playing. He looked up with a smile. “Cam, you’re back,” he said before breaking into a light cough.
Behind Austin’s smile lurked a hint of surprise when he noticed Cameron had returned without a scratch. Were those guys really no match for him?’ he thought.
Cameron glanced at Austin and gave a slight nod in acknowledgment. She had barely set down her backpack when Austin spoke up.
“Cam, remember what you promised me last night?” He coughed lightly.
Cameron turned to look at him. “To listen to your new song?”
“Yeah, you remembered, Austin smiled, followed by another cough.
“Is your body so weak that you need to cough after every sentence?” Cameron asked bluntly.
Austin’s eyes took on a desolate look. “I’m a dying man. It doesn’t matter anymore.” He punctuated his statement with a series of dramatic coughs.
Cameron fought the urge to roll her eyes. ‘Fine. Let him play his little game. It’s not my problem. I’ll just pretend I don’t know what he’s doing, she thought.
Austin stood up. “Cam, should we go to the music room now? I can play it for you.”
Since Cameron had nothing better to do, she nodded. “Sure.”
As they walked to the music room, their striking good looks caught the attention of girls passing by.
Austin gave a light cough. “Cam, a lot of girls are looking at you.”
“They’re looking at you, not me,” Cameron replied.
Austin wasn’t just handsome. He was distinctively so. His mixed-race features were immediately recognizable. His unnaturally pale skin gave him a sickly appearance, and something about a gorgeous guy looking so fragile seemed to make girls both swoon and worry over him.
“They really are looking at you, Cam,” Austin smiled. “Everyone calls me the campus heartthrob, but honestly, I think you’re better looking than I am.”
He meant it. Cameron’s features were delicately beautiful in an androgynous way. The only reason she hadn’t been labeled the most attractive on campus probably had to do with her height and ordinary background.
Speaking of background, Austin actually envier’ Cameron How nice it work! be to live such a normal life. Unlike him, carrying the title of the Ling family’s second si S Successfully unlocked! walking on eggshells. But he had no choice in the matter.
Cameron merely raised an eyebrow at Austin’s comment. Whether people looked at her or not made no difference to her.
When Cameron and Austin reached the music room, it was the time when most students were returning to campus. The spacious room was completely empty.
Austin sat down at the white piano and smiled at Cameron, “Make yourself comfortable anywhere, Cam.”
Cameron crossed her arms and leaned against the piano, her eyes shifting sideways to study Austin’s handsome face with its distinctive mixed-race features,
Austin slowly closed his eyes, and his fingers began to dance across the black and white keys. The music that emerged was cheerful and soothing.
Austin swayed gently with the music, his body moving naturally with the rhythm.
As he played, his sleeves slid up his arms from his exaggerated movements, revealing a large bruise on his right wrist. Cameron noticed it immediately but said nothing, turning her attention to the empty auditorium instead.
When the song ended, Cameron applauded genuinely. “That was really good. Beautiful melody, and the transitions were smooth. Did you write it yourself?”
Austin smiled at the compliment, nodding. “Yeah, I did.”
“Impressive,” Cameron said. “Is your dream to become a singer, Austin?”
“My dream?” Austin’s eyes flickered slightly. “Sure, I guess so.”
‘A singer?’ Austin thought. ‘What’s the point of being someone who just sings?
‘Don’t think I don’t know. That man has spies even here at school.’
The moment Austin made any suspicious moves, that man would know immediately. So Austin would just let him see exactly what he wanted to see.
“You’ll make it,” Cameron said simply.
Austin smiled warmly. “Thanks, Cam. You’re really nice. Thanks for listening to me play.”
