Filed to story: That Campus Prince Is a Girl
Elijah called after her. “Cam, you heading back alone again?”
“Yeah.” Cameron nodded.
Elijah grabbed his backpack and caught up with him. “Let me send you.”
“I can send you too, Cam,” Austin quickly added as he coughed. But this time, he actually meant it.
Austin thought he and Cameron were the same type of people, and they should hang out more.
But Cameron turned them both down. “It’s fine, I’m cycling back.”
The early spring weather made the ride home pretty ideal anyway.
Cameron had just reached the school gate when she got a call from Bradley.
“Where are you?” Bradley asked.
“I’m about to head home. What’s up, Brad?” Cameron replied.
“I’m heading back too. Want to go together?”
“If it doesn’t inconvenience you,” Cameron replied. Since they were going the same way, she didn’t mind catching a ride with him.
But Elijah and Austin had to go out of their way to send her back, so she definitely wouldn’t accept their offer.
Cameron waited by the street for Bradley to pull up. Just then, Elijah’s black Rolls- Royce slowly pulled up in front of her.
The window rolled down, revealing his cool, handsome face. “Get in. I’ll give you a ride,” he said.
Cameron waved him off. “No thanks, I’m going back with Brad.”
Elijah thought, ‘He’d ride with Brad, but not with me?’
He didn’t move right away, so she added, “You should go, Elijah. This street’s already jammed enough.”
“See you tomorrow,” Elijah said.
Cameron nodded. “See you tomorrow.”
With that, Elijah drove off.
Next, a flashy motorcycle screeched to a halt right in front of her.
Xander ripped off his helmet, flashing his usual cocky grin. “Hey, brat. You’ve been grinding all week. Got time tonight? Let’s go celebrate.”
Tyrell, sitting on the back, chimed in, “Come on, Cam. Everyone on the team is super grateful to you, seriously.”
Cameron shook her head.
Xander frowned. “You’re still busy? What could you possibly be up to all day? You’re just a student!”
Cameron said, “Xander, I’m treating my roommates to lunch tomorrow. Want to come? Since you used to live in Room 316, I’ll let you join.”
Xander froze for a second, then slapped his thigh. “Of course I’m coming.”
Tyrell got anxious. “Cam, what about me?”
Xander elbowed Tyrell. “What about you? Are you even from Room 316? You’ve got some nerve to ask him that.”
Tyrell had no words.
Xander grinned from ear to ear. “So, brat, where’s lunch tomorrow?”
Cameron said, “Still deciding.”
Just as she finished, a soft car horn sounded behind her. She turned and saw Bradley’ s sleek black Mercedes pulling up to the curb.
Cameron looked at Xander. “I’ll text you tomorrow.”
With that, she got into the passenger seat of Bradley’s car.
Xander was speechless.
Tyrell asked, curious, “Xan, did Cam just get into Mr. Saunders’ car? Are they that close or something?”
At that, Xander’s face instantly dropped, and he glared at Tyrell. “You talk way too much.”
Tyrell was rendered speechless.
With that, Xander put on his helmet, twisted the throttle, and the motorcycle flew off like a rocket.
“Whoa!” Tyrell yelped, nearly flying off the back.
Austin had just stepped out of the school gates when he spotted Cameron getting into Bradley’s car.
A playful smirk appeared on his striking face as he thought, ‘He turned me and Elijah down, but got into Bradley’s car. So, out of all the roommates, he’s the closest to Bradley?
‘He’s got it all wrong. We’re the same king, and the person he should be the closest to is me.’
Cameron buckled her seatbelt and said, “Brad, I got my reward. I want to treat everyone to lunch tomorrow. Are you free?”
Bradley smiled at her. “What time tomorrow?”
“Noon,” Cameron replied.
He nodded. “Alright, I’ll clear my schedule for noon.”
Cameron asked, “Are you super busy tomorrow?”
Bradley smiled. “The firm’s picked up a few big cases lately, so I’ve been helping out. But hey, I’ve still got time for lunch.”
Cameron nodded. So, they had a deal.
They drove out of Academy Avenue and cruised smoothly back to Noble Vista.
Cameron hadn’t even unbuckled her seatbelt when her phone rang. It was Xander. ” Hey.”
“You little brat.” Xander barked. “Where are you? Get over to my place and tutor me right now.”
“Right now?” Cameron asked, a little thrown off.
Honestly, she had nothing else going on, and it wouldn’t hurt to go. But seriously, could he have asked any later?
Xander insisted. “Yeah, right now. Get over here quickly.”
“Cameron’s with me. He’s busy,” Bradley chimed in.
Xander was so loud that even Bradley, who was in the driver’s seat, could hear every word he said. That bossy tone Xander had rubbed Bradley the wrong way.
Cameron wasn’t the Murphy family’s servant, but Xander’s classmates. That meant they were equals.
“Brad?” Xander asked coldly. “What, Cameron can’t speak for himself? You gotta answer for him now?”
He had gunned the engine all the way home, his irritation boiling over. Halfway there, he just dumped Tyrell at the side of the road. The more he thought about it, the madder he got.
She was always busy whenever he tried to get a hold of Cameron. But she somehow had time to hang out with Bradley.
Xander thought, ‘What’s that supposed to mean? He’s doing this on purpose, isn’t he?’
Looking seriously annoyed, Xander didn’t even let Bradley get a word in before saying, ” Brad, Cameron already took my money for tutoring. I want him to come over now, so he has to come.”
Bradley asked flatly, “How much is it?”
Xander choked, “It’s not about the money. He took the cash, so he’s gotta do the job. That’s the rule, get it?”
Bradley replied, “If he took the money but didn’t do the job, he could just give the money back and call it even. That’s the rule too.”
Xander shouted, “I don’t want the money! I want him to tutor me! Brat, are you deaf? Speak! Get over now.”
All he got was a busy tone.
Cameron looked at her phone in Bradley’s hand, confused. “Brad, you don’t want me to tutor Xander?”
Bradley handed the phone back to her. “His attitude’s the problem.”
Cameron shrugged. “That’s just how he is.”
Bradley looked at her. “Cameron, you’re not struggling for money anymore, are you?”
