Filed to story: That Campus Prince Is a Girl
“Me? No.” She shook her head. “What about you, Elijah? Anyone caught your eye?”
Elijah tensed up upon hearing this. He thought, ‘Why did ask that?
Did he know something? No. It’s impossible. I only figured it out myself
There was no way he could’ve known.’
His fingers dug into the couch cushions as he fought for composure. He kept reminding himself that he was overthinking it.
Still, he couldn’t bring himself to meet her eyes. His feeling for Cameron stole even that simple courage.
“No,” Elijah muttered, staring at Cameron’s phone.
Cameron’s brow furrowed. She thought, ‘No? But the butler went out of his way wrong?” to call and tell me that Elijah had someone he liked. Did the butler get it
Cameron could tell Elijah was off today. Since he wouldn’t admit it, she would offer some encouragement.
“Guess neither of us has a crush right now,” she mused. “But if I ever like someone, I’ll go for it, no regrets. Even if it doesn’t work out, at least I tried. What if it does?”
Elijah’s head snapped up. He stared at Cameron, eyes wide. He thought, ‘What did that mean? Was Cameron… nudging me to be brave? Could I? If he knew my feelings, would he see me as a freak and cut me off forever?’
The risk silenced Elijah. He couldn’t dare hope for Cameron’s response. Right now, they were still friends, If he confessed, they wouldn’t even be that anymore. Worse yet, Cameron might come to hate him.
Cameron tilted her head slightly, watching him.
Elijah had always been quiet, but today felt different.
A moment later, Cameron added thoughtfully, “Love is worth experiencing, even if it ends in heartbreak. We’re almost in college. Dating is part of the deal.”
Elijah finally met her eyes. “You sound eager for it.”
Cameron almost laughed. She thought, ‘Eager for love?’
In her previous life, Cameron had forced herself to love Amelia and failed. She had spent thousands of years world-hopping, and she had been little more than an emotionless task-completing machine. Love? It was irrelevant to her.
Yet Cameron nodded. “Sure. Who isn’t?”
Elijah asked cautiously, “You… What kind of girl do you like?”
Cameron hesitated. What kind of girl did she like? Truth be told, she probably didn’t like girls at all.
“It’s hard to describe a specific type,” she answered vaguely. “I haven’t met the right one yet. I guess I’ll know when I do.”
Elijah gazed at her intently.
Cameron turned the question back on him. “What about you, Elijah? What’s your ideal type?”
Elijah immediately lowered his eyes, even turning his face slightly away. He stammered, “I… I haven’t met my ideal type either.”
Cameron was puzzled, thinking, ‘Huh? That doesn’t match what the butler said. He said Elijah was lovesick, but now Elijah claims he hasn’t even met his ideal type yet.
‘Clearly, Elijah isn’t ready to share with me. Well, that’s understandable. Matters of the heart are deeply personal.
‘Forget it. I’ve already tried to counsel him. If he wasn’t receptive to my advice, I’ve done all I could. It’s difficult for outsiders to influence!
Cameron smoothly changed the subject. “William called me the other day asking me to estimate my SAT scores. Elijah, have you calculated yours?”
Elijah shook his head. “I haven’t yet, but they should be decent.
They fell into an easy conversation. Only then did Elijah’s tense nerves finally relax.
He told himself, ‘Nothing will change. As long as I keep my feelings buried deep inside, everything can remain exactly as it was. We’ll still be friends.'”
It was nearly eleven o’clock. Cameron said, “Elijah, your place hasn’t been cleaned yet. Just stay here for a while. I’ve got a lunch appointment later.”
“You’re meeting someone? Who?” Elijah blurted out. Normally, he wouldn’t ask such a direct question. But lately, he found himself wanting to know every little thing about Cameron, uncontrollably so.
Cameron replied, “Amelia.”
Elijah frowned, “Amelia? Did you invite her?”
He was puzzled, thinking, ‘Didn’t Cameron dislike Amelia? Why would he suddenly date her?’
Cameron shook her head. “No, she wanted to meet me. I helped her a few days ago, and she insisted on treating me to lunch. I couldn’t keep turning her down, so I agreed.”
Elijah fell silent.
Cameron checked her phone. Amelia had already sent the address.
The address looked familiar. Cameron soon remembered. She thought, ‘Wasn’t this the steakhouse Xander had tried to take me to? That couple’s place? Why would Amelia pick there?’
Then again, the venue hardly mattered. Cameron replied: [Got it.]
She stood up. “Elijah, I’m heading out now.”
“Cameron.” Elijah rose too.
“Hmm?” Cameron turned.
Elijah asked, “Would you mind if I came?”/
Cameron blinked, puzzled,
At her expression, Elijah backpedaled. “You two aren’t discussing anything private?”
“Not really, but…” The memory of Amelia’s disastrous encounter with Bradley flashed through her mind. Cameron declined. “Sorry, It’s probably not good idea.”
Elijah looked down. “Sorry. I overstepped.” It was the first time he had ever been so improper.
Cameron simply waved a hand in response and left with the phone in hand.
Alone, Elijah sank back onto the sofa. Every corner was filled with traces of Cameron’s life. He turned on the TV and flipped through a randomi program He was content enough to be in this space that carried her presence.
A few minutes past noon, Cameron arrived at the steakhouse. At first glance, she spotted Amelia waiting by the entrance.
Amelia wore a crimson floor-length gown. The eye-catching color accentuated her striking features, drawing admiring glances from every passerby,
“You look exquisite today, Ms. Chapman,” Cameron smiled, offering a genuine compliment.
Amelia’s cheeks colored slightly. “Come in.” At five feet five tall in her three-inch heels, she stood nearly eye-to-eye with Cameron in flats.
“I reserved a private room,” Amelia said softly.
“That’s quite extravagant,” Cameron remarked.
Amelia hesitated, then remembered the Wallace family’s financial situation. “My treat today.”
Cameron chuckled, “I never imagined you would be treating me to lunch.”
Amelia murmured, almost too low to be heard, “Cameron, I’m sorry for how I treated you before.”
Cameron blinked. “Huh?” Amelia’s voice had been too low. For a moment, she thought she might have imagined it.
She thought, ‘Amelia apologized to me? No way. I must have misheard.’
Cameron dismissed the thought with a shrug and entered the private room with Amelia.
The waiter entered with an iPad and handed it to Amelia. But Amelia gestured across the table. “Cameron, you order first.”
Without ceremony, Cameron took the iPad and selected a medium-well filet mignon, a pasta, a cream of mushroom soup, a garden salad, and a tiramisu for dessert.
Amelia said, “I’ll have the same as him.”
“Sure. Your orders will be ready shortly,” the waiter replied before exiting, closing the private room door behind him.
In the intimate space, Amelia fidgeted slightly. Her nervousness was palpable. Cameron, however, remained perfectly at ease.
Cameron inquired casually, “Has your injury healed from that fall?”
Amelia’s eyes brightened with surprise that Cameron had remembered it. “Almost,” she smiled.
The knee injury had scabbed over, leaving an unsightly purple bruise. So she wore a floor-length gown today.
Cameron nodded in response.
Amelia looked at Cameron with sudden admiration. “You don’t look it, but you’re remarkably strong the way you subdued 7ach is coat
Cameron shrugged. “He is big frame with zero fighting skills.”
