Filed to story: That Campus Prince Is a Girl
Austin whipped his head around, eyes wide. He’d guessed Cameron’s move out meant a family blowup, but a full-on disownment? That was next level. He thought, ‘Cam truly deserves to be my idol.
Austin: (Okay, crisis averted then.]
Cameron fired back an emoji. She yanked her bed curtain shut and flopped down to sleep.
Bradley emerged from the shower to find the curtain drawn tight. He climbed into his own bunk and texted Cameron: (Still up?)
Cameron: [Barely.]
Bradley: [Got a sec?]
Cameron: [Shoot.]
Bradley: [Feels like I missed a whole drama these past few days.]
Cameron: [Not really.] She’d already filled him in on what had happened in Fraser Villa.
Bradley: [So, do you mind spilling why you knocked Xander out?]
Cameron honestly gave the rundown.
Bradley was at a loss for words. He couldn’t care less about the Wallaces. As long as Samuel left Cameron alone, who cared?
Bradley: [Why’d Xander push so hard for you to go home?]
Cameron: [He’s got too much heart.]
Bradley was speechless. [He’ll probably throw a fit when he wakes up.]/
Cameron: [Knockout round two, then.] She wasn’t in the mood to deal.
Bradley: [Use Ms. Murphy to put him in line.]
Cameron: [If it comes to that.]
Bradley: [Time to crash. Night.]
Cameron: [Night.]
The next morning, a sharp pain jolted Xander awake, His eyes fluttered open to find Tiana glaring down at him, nostrils flaring with rage. Before he could react, she’d twisted his ear into a knot.
“Ow! Aunt Tiana, cut it out! Let go, it’s killing me! Xander yelped, thrashing.
She released him with a huff. “Hurts, huh? What part of my orders did you not understand?” she snapped. “I told you a million times-stay Cameron until after the SATS. But no, you had to keep pestering her!
“If she bombs the SATs because of you, you’re out of Langford Academy. Pack your bags.”
Xander’s eyes bulged, and he roared, “That little troublemaker Cameron must’ve fed you lies!” from
Tiana scoffed, “Do you really think Cameron has time to tattle?”
It was Elijah who’d ratted him out, figuring Xander would cause chaos once awake. He might as well strike first.
“Then who snitched?” Xander demanded.
“Does it matter?” Tiana shot back. “You broke the rules. Now grab your stuff. We’re going to the principal’s office for your transfer papers.
“Wait, you’re actually serious?” Xander gaped.
Her icy stare said it all.
“Come on, Aunt Tiana. I’m not transferring,” he pleaded, thinking, ‘The SATs are coming soon. I can’t transfer now!
“You should’ve thought of that before ignoring my words. Move it.”
Xander threw his hands up. “You’re choosing Cameron over your own nephew?”
“Looks like it.”
“Fine. I’m telling Mom and Dad!”
“Go ahead. They coddle you, but I won’t. I’ll beat you up right in front of them if I have to.”
Xander slumped back, speechless.
Xander never thought Tiana would brush off both his pleas and excuses. She was royally pissed.
Time to put on a pitiful act.
“Aunt Tiana, I messed up big time. Cross my heart, I won’t go near Cameron again. Just cut me some slack, okay? The SATs are two months away. Transferring now would be a total nightmare.” He clung to her arm, batting his eyes.
“Not happening.” Tiana’s tone brooked no argument.
“Please, please, please! Just this once?” He gave his best puppy-dog act.
Tiana arched an eyebrow. “Swear on your life you’ll leave Cameron alone?”
Xander raised his hand. “Scout’s honor.”
“Fine. You’re out of the dorm.”
His brief relief vanished. “Where am I supposed to live then?”
“My staff apartment’s a three-bedroom. I’ll clear out a room.”
Xander’s jaw dropped.
“One more thing. No more setting foot in the boys’ dorm. I’ll have the dorm manager tail you 24/7.”
Xander was at a loss for words.
When he stood there gaping, Tiana flicked his forehead. “Chop-chop! Pack your junk and move it.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Xander slunk off, grumbling.
‘Better than transferring,’ he supposed. But if he found out who ratted him out, that person was in for it.
After the second period that morning, Cameron’s phone pinged with a bank alert. Her eyes widened at the message-a 600 thousand dollars deposit had just landed in her account.
“Seriously?” she muttered, staring at the screen.
With 20 minutes until the next class, she stepped into the hallway, quickly dialing Ryan from the Municipal Criminal Police Brigade.
“Hey, Cam! Cash hit your account yet?” Ryan’s voice crackled cheerfully through the line.
Cameron’s lips pressed into a thin line. ‘So they are behind this,’ she thought.
“Ryan, I got the money, but I can’t keep it,” she said
“Are you kidding? You earned every cent. Tuck it away,” he replied. “Oh, and one more thing-where’d you learn to shoot like that?”
The shootout had been such a blur that he’d only just thought to ask.
Cameron froze. Ryan didn’t fall for half-baked excuses like Elijah and Austin did.
“Ryan, do I have to answer that?” Cameron asked.
Ryan paused, then chuckled, “No sweat. Keep it under wraps if you want, say, are you sure you don’t want to join the force? You’d bet loc
“Thanks, but it’s really not my thing,” she replied.
Ryan shrugged it off. “Fair enough. Your call.”
Before Cameron could say more, the bell shrilled,fher to end the call.
Right before the fourth period, Bradley’s message popped up: [Lunch today? Just us.)
Cameron: [Just the two of us?)
Bradley: [Yup.]
Cameron: [Sure.]
This was his first on-campus lunch invite.
She wondered, ‘He’s been swamped lately. Has he finally wrapped up his stuff?’
As the teacher stepped into the room, Cameron stashed her phone and flipped open her textbook.
