Filed to story: That Campus Prince Is a Girl
“You’re out of money again? Where are you eating?” Gwen asked.
Xander gave her the name of the restaurant.
“You’re here too?” Gwen blinked.
“You are?” Xander sounded just as surprised. “Who’re you with?”
“I’m having dinner with a friend,” Gwen replied, glancing at Cameron.
“I’ll swing by your table,” Xander said. “We can settle the bill together. What room are you in?”
Gwen hesitated for a second. Then, covering the speaker, she turned to Cameron and whispered, “Cam, Xander wants to stop by. Would that be alright?”
Cameron slowly set down her fork. She couldn’t exactly leave now, not when she still owed Gwen a return gift. So, she nodded.
A smile returned to Gwen’s face. She brought the phone back to her ear. “Alright. Come on over.”
A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door.
Xander and Tyrell stepped inside.
Xander was dressed in a crisp white tracksuit, the clean color popping against his sun-kissed skin. His looks and casual confidence made him stand out the moment he walked in.
When he spotted Cameron sitting across from Gwen, he pulled off his best performance yet, feigning genuine surprise. “Cameron? Mom, the friend you mentioned is actually Cameron?”
“Whoa… Cam?” Tyrell’s shock, at least, was real.
Gwen laughed. “I asked Cam out for a meal. What a coincidence that you two are here too.”
A server followed behind Xander and Tyrell.
Xander turned back. “We’ll just settle up together later.”
The server, seeing that they clearly knew each other, left without a word.
Meanwhile, Cameron was already on her phone, sending a message to Amelia. Cameron: [Call me. Now.]
Her phone rang the next second. She stood up and picked it up.
“Excuse me, I need to take this.”
She stepped out with the call.
“Hello?” she said.
“What’s up?” Amelia asked.
“I’m out having dinner. I’ll be back soon. Want me to bring you guys anything?”
“I’m good. Hold on… nope, everyone’s fine.”
“Alright.”
Cameron ended the call and took the elevator down, heading straight for the exit.
Xander frowned. He hadn’t expected her to leave the moment he arrived.
‘That timing’s just a little too perfect.
“Did she just leave?” he asked, looking toward the door.
Gwen waved him off and pointed to the seat across from her. “Her bag is still here.”
Xander exhaled, relieved.
Tyrell was glancing around the room in confusion.
Xander shot him a look. “What are you staring at?”
“Where’s your girlfriend, Xan? I just want to meet her!” Tyrell said. “Isn’t that what this was all about?”
Xander rolled his eyes.
“Relax,” Gwen said, laughing. “Nothing’s official yet.”
“But I haven’t even seen her!” Tyrell insisted. He was hoping to get a glimpse of this mysterious beauty.
Gwen chuckled. “She just stepped out for a second.”
“What do you mean ‘just’-” Tyrell suddenly stopped mid-sentence.
His eyes went wide. He covered his mouth like something had just clicked. “Cam?” he whispered, staring at Xander. “Wait, no way. Cam is the one you like? But… he’s a guy!”
Xander rolled his eyes. “Cameron’s a girl.”
“What?!” Tyrell nearly shouted.
Before he could fully recover from the shock, there was another knock at the door.
Xander hurried over to answer it, hoping it was Cameron coming back.
But instead, it was a delivery guy.
“Good evening,” the runner said. “This gift is from Mr. Wallace to Mrs. Murphy. Also, I was told to pick up Mr. Wallace’s belongings and bring them to his dorm.”
Xander’s eyes widened.
His expression turned instantly stormy as he glared at the delivery guy.
‘She left. She actually left. The moment he arrived, she was gone,
Did she really hate seeing him that much?
It had been nearly two months since they last saw each other. And now, after all that time, she didn’t even want to stay for a few minutes?
Right then, Gwen’s phone rang.
“It’s Cam,” Gwen said.
Xander immediately leaned closer as she answered the call on speaker.
“Hi, Cam,” Gwen said gently.
“Sorry, Mrs. Murphy,” Cameron replied, her voice calm. “Something came up at school. I had to head back early. I called a courier to pick up my things. Do you mind handing them over for me?”
Gwen glanced at Xander before replying, “Of course, Cam. Let’s have dinner another time.”
“Sounds good.”
Cameron hung up first.
Xander’s face was tight with frustration.
Gwen handed Cameron’s bag and the clothes she’d gifted her to the courier, along with a generous tip.
Tyrell, sensing the growing tension in the room, wisely kept his mouth shut.
Gwen patted Xander’s shoulder. “Xander, Cam’s a remarkable girl. I like down to timing and fate.” her a lot too. But love isn’t something you can force. Sometimes it just comes
At her age, Gwen could see it clearly. Cameron wasn’t interested in Xander. And there was
Still, it felt like such a pity.
Xander lowered his head, dejected.
Gwen turned to Tyrell. “Stay with him, alright?”
Right now, what Xander needed most wasn’t a parent/it was a friend.
“You got it,” Tyrell said, patting his chest. “I’ve got him.” nothing anyone could do about that.
Gwen gave a final nod, shot one last worried glance at her son, then picked up her purse, and left.
‘Kids grow up.’
As much as it pained her to see him hurt, this wasn’t something she could fix for him.
Once Gwen was gone, Tyrell paced a slow circle around Xander before launching into his best attempt at comfort.
