Filed to story: That Campus Prince Is a Girl
The doorbell woke her.
She dragged herself up to answer it.
Elijah stood outside, concern etched into every line of his face.
“Cameron, I went to look for you after work. They said you weren’t feeling well and came home early. Are you okay? Did you see a doctor? Did you take anything for it?”
His barrage of worry made Cameron smile faintly. “I’m fine. Really. But thank you.”
Elijah let out a breath. “Good. That’s all I needed to hear.”
On the cab ride over, he’d kept urging the driver to go faster. He couldn’t relax until he saw Cameron with his own eyes.
She stepped back. “Come in.”
He followed her into the apartment.
“Oh, by the way,” Elijah said with a grin, “I heard back from Viremont Medical. I’m in. Did you get yours yet?”
Cameron nodded. “Yeah, I got my offer from Stellanford a few days ago.”
Elijah froze. “Wait, what? Stellanford?”
“Yeah,” she said, hugging a pillow to her stomach. “That’s the school I applied to. Something wrong with that?”
I thought you said you were going into pharmacology” Elijah sand slowly,
Stellanford has a pharmacology program,” she replied,
He just stood there, stunned.
She was going to Stellanford.
Elijah had assumed she’d applied to Viremont Medical University-so that was what he applied for too.
With his scores, getting into Stellanford wouldn’t have been a problem.
The school had even called personally, offering him a full scholarship and to waive all fees. But none of that had mattered to him.
What mattered was being in the same school as Cameron.
That way, he could see her every day.
He hadn’t expected this.
Cameron finally put the pieces together. “Wait… so you applied to Viremont because you thought I was going there?”
Elijah nodded.
“Sorry,” she said, feeling a twinge of guilt. “I should’ve told you more clearly.”
Elijah looked down, brushing it off. “No. I should’ve asked.”
It wasn’t her fault.
He’d made assumptions.
They’d still be in the same city, technically.
But in reality? They might go weeks without seeing each other.
His lips tightened into a thin, straight line.
Cameron looked at his face and felt a sudden urge to say something comforting-but for once, she didn’t know what to say.
“Elijah,” Cameron finally asked, “why did you want to go to the same university as me?”
Elijah froze.
His eyes instinctively flicked to her face, but the second he met her questioning gaze, he looked away.
His heart started racing-hard and fast.
‘Does he know? Have I somehow let it slip? If he really understands how I feel… what will he do? Will he push me away? Get uncomfortable? Cut ties completely?’
The thought alone made his palms damp.
“Cameron, I…” Elijah’s voice faltered. He looked completely lost.
Cameron tilted her head, concerned. “Elijah, are you okay? Do you feel sick or something?”
Elijah froze.
‘He is just worried about my health. His voice is calm and unbothered. He hasn’t noticed anything. God, I overthought everything’
Elijah forced himself to relax, the knot in his chest slowly uncoiling. His heartbeat, which had been pounding out of rhythm, finally steadied.
Cameron, still watching him, asked again, “Did you get heatstroke or something?”
He pulled himself together and met her eyes with a smile. “Probably. It’s been insanely hot lately.”
Cameron stood up. “I have some meds in the closet. Hold on.”
She came back a minute later with the bottle and handed it over.
“Thanks,” Elijah said, taking it with a small smile.
They chatted for a while after that, moving on to lighter topics.
There was no undoing what had happened. Cameron was going to Stellanford, and Elijah was headed to Viremont Medical University.
All he could do now was accept it.
-Elijah stayed for dinner.
Cameron wasn’t feeling well-her period cramps had left her drained-so she didn’t bother cooking. They ordered takeout instead.
After the meal, Elijah noticed how tired she looked and offered to head out early.
Around nine o’clock, Cameron’s phone rang-predictably, it was Lance.
His voice was brighter than usual, tinged with excitement. “Cameron! The DNA results are in. You are my brother! This is amazing!”
Came stood by the window, looking out into the night. “Didn’t you already suspect that?”
“Suspecting it is one thing,” Lance said, “but having proof- that’s different. Cameron, I’m coming to pick you up. Let’s go home. To Yates Manor
“I don’t think so, Lance,” Cameron said flatly.
“Lance?” he echoed, annoyed. “I’m your brother.”
“If this call was just to confirm the test results,” Cameron said, still calm, “I got the message. I’m hanging up.”
“Wait,” Lance cut in, his tone tightening. “You really don’t want to come back with me?”
“Not right now,” Cameron replied.
Lance was silent.
It felt like someone had flipped a switch and drained all the warmth out of him.
The joy he’d felt when he saw the test results-gone in an instant.
Cameron wasn’t coming home.
He knew what kind of life she’d endured..It was nobody’s fault.
Their mother had given birth alone. No one had been there to protect her. Someone had taken advantage of the chaos, and Cameron had suffered for it The family bore some of that responsibility.
But still… couldn’t she give them a chance to make things right?
If she kept shutting them out, what were they supposed to do?
Lance sat frozen in his thoughts, the dial tone already echoing in his ear.
‘He really doesn’t waste words,’ Lance thought as he stared at his phone, sighing heavily.
Cameron had been quick and blunt-no pleasantries, no hesitation, just a clean break.
