Filed to story: That Campus Prince Is a Girl
Cameron glared at him.
Xander shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. My place has plenty of staff. No need for you to cook.”
Cameron rolled her eyes at him. She thought irritably, ‘What does it have to do with me? If he hadn’t barged in, would I have burned the pizza?
“Xander, you’re not staying overnight,” she said flatly.
Xander knew it was inappropriate. Cameron was a girl, after all. He had only suggested it, thinking Elijah was staying too, but her repeated rejections stung.
“Then where am I supposed to sleep tonight?” Xander watched Cameron closely for any softening.
But Cameron didn’t even look at him. “The sidewalk.”
Xander felt genuinely upset.
Elijah stood quietly nearby. Seeing Cameron’s obvious impatience with Xander eased his worries.
Xander wasn’t right for Cameron. Not that Elijah thought Xander was a bad person. He just wanted Cameron to have a normal, happy life.
Ignoring Xander, Cameron turned to Elijah. “Let’s go out for dinner?”
Elijah nodded. “Sure.”
“Wait!” Xander cut in. “I’m starving too. I’m coming.” No way would he let them be alone together, even if Cameron found him annoying.
Helplessly, Cameron ended up dining with both of them.
Back at Noble Vista, Elijah paused. “Cameron, my place should be ready by now. I’ll head back.” He then glanced at Xander. “You could stay with me tonight.”
Xander scoffed, “As if.”
“Elijah, just ignore him,” Cameron said. In her view, Xander was just being dramatic.
Xander froze.
As Elijah walked away, Cameron headed back to her house, but Xander trailed her.
She spun around. “I said no sleepovers. Stop following me.”
Xander blinked innocently. “I didn’t say I was staying.”
“Then why are you following me?”
“I just… want to hang out.”
“It’s late. Go home.”
Xander’s expression crumpled at her hostility. “Cameron, why are you so harsh with me? What did I even do to deserve this?”
Cameron paused upon hearing this question. Truthfully, she wasn’t entirely sure. Her very first meeting with Xander in the dorm had been unpleasant. That was probably the “first impression effect” And afterward, she had always thought him too noisy. She simply replied, “You’re too noisy.”
Xander looked at her. “Cameron, I can be quiet. Just don’t be so mean to me, okay?”
Even in her masculine disguise, Cameron looked unfairly beautiful at night.
Sun 8 Jun
Xander’s heartbeat raced uncontrollably whenever he looked at her, yet he couldn’t bring himself to glance away.
Cameron wondered, ‘Am I really mean to him? I don’t think so.’
Trying to brush him off, she said, “Fine, I won’t be mean to you. Now go home.”
Xander’s face lit up like a child given candy. “Okay! But…” He hesitated. “Can I come over tomorrow? It’s Sunday.”
Cameron sighed.
“Please?” Without getting an answer, Xander pressed gently.
Cameron shook her head. “No.” She had plans. Tomorrow was her day to visit Pearl at the castle. If not for Elijah’s unexpected visit today, she would have been there already. She missed the adorable tiger she had bought for 30 dollars.
Xander’s smile shattered. He thought, ‘Another rejection. How many is that now?’
Remembering her complaint, Xander swallowed his frustration. “Why? Are you busy tomorrow?”
“Very. I won’t even be here tomorrow.” Cameron nodded.
“Hmm.”
“Go home, Xander.”
Xander lingered, eyes brimming with unspoken protests before finally turning away.
“Xander.” Cameron’s voice suddenly turned solemn.
“Huh?” Xander’s feet stayed planted. He had never intended to leave anyway. After days apart, this brief time together, with Elijah as the third wheel, was all he had gotten.
Cameron’s gaze was calm. “Do you like me?”
Her bluntness stunned him. Xander’s ears burned crimson. “I… I…” His heart was pounding, and the stutter worsened.
Xander thought, ‘Should I confess now? But it’s too plain like this-without roses and grand arrangements.’
What Xander had imagined was something different. He wanted to slowly win Cameron over and then surprise her with a grand confession, sweeping her off her feet and making her his girlfriend.
However, Cameron’s sudden question shattered his plan. His mind went blank in an instant.
Cameron narrowed her eyes slightly. “Stop stammering. Yes or
Past incidents flashed through Cameron’s mind. Xander’s behavior around Milena had made her suspect his intentions. Finally, Cameron realized that she had been the object all along.
The dress rejection should’ve been an explanation enough, yet tonight proved Xander still didn’t get it. It was time for absolute
Xander hesitated for a few seconds, then nodded firmly. “Yes. I like you, Cameron!”
When confronted point-blank, denial was impossible. Even if this wasn’t the romantic confession he had imagined, he could only confess his feelings.
Cameron simply nodded. “Just give up. You’re wasting your time.”
Xander froze. He thought, ‘She rejected me again? Why? What’s wrong with me? Family status, looks-I’m top-tier! Who else could be better than me?” As Xander stood shell-shocked, Cameron turned away. She had made her position clear. There was no need to say anymore. Now, for a long time to
Sun, 8 Jun come, he probably wouldn’t even want to see her again.
Fortunately, the SATs were over. They wouldn’t have to see each other every day. In a city of millions, they would rarely cross paths unless intentional.
“Cameron!” Xander suddenly caught up. “This is your first rejection. Next time, you might change your mind.”
Cameron blinked, puzzled.
Cameron stared after Xander in bewilderment. She thought, ‘Am I not clear enough? There’s no point in him wasting his time on me!
Before she could say anything more, Xander suddenly turned and ran away, as if fearing hearing another rejection.
Cameron was speechless, thinking, ‘Alright then. Nothing more to say. We’ll barely see each other anyway. Once I get my driver’s license, I’ll move. He’ll never find me.’
Xander sprinted all the way to Noble Vista’s entrance before stopping. Though Cameron was long out of sight, he still turned to stare down the empty path, his usually bright features shadowed with uncharacteristic melancholy.
Cameron rejected him again. It was the first time in his 18 years of life that someone had ever outrightly turned Xander down.
Xander thought, ‘Am I really that lacking in her eyes? Many girls adore me, yet the one person I like remains indifferent.’
He lingered until the night grew still, the stream of passing cars thinning to nothing. Eventually, he turned and walked away.
Early the next morning, Cameron headed back to Silvermoss Castle.
Elijah messaged her after waking up, asking about her plans for the day.
Cameron replied that she wasn’t at Noble Vista.
Elijah hesitated. Though curiosity gnawed at him, he resisted pressing further. No one liked being interrogated.
Elijah knew when to hold back. He did wonder why Xander hadn’t harassed Cameron today. He noted with quiet relief. The reason didn’t matter.
The following day, Cameron and Elijah commuted to work together as usual.
Elijah had managed his emotions perfectly. Their interactions held the same easy rhythm as before. And Cameron remained none the wiser about his feelings.
Bradley had been swamped with work lately, leaving early and returning late. He hadn’t even realized Elijah had moved back to Noble Vista.
