Filed to story: That Campus Prince Is a Girl
Meanwhile, back at his own villa, Bradley walked through the front door without a hint of tension.
Austin didn’t matter.
Because Bradley knew, with certainty, that he was different to Cameron.
Whatever “life-and-death” drama Austin wanted to boast about, none of it changed the fact that Cameron had chosen to message him. If that kind of bond was so deep, then why wasn’t Austin the one she called back?
Bradley pulled out his phone and dialed Eddie’s number.
The moment the call connected, Bradley was hit with a wave of loud music and Eddie yelling over it, “Hey, Brad! Missed me already?”
Eddie’s nightlife had only just begun. He was clearly partying hard at a bar.
Bradley frowned. “Eddie, find somewhere quiet. I need to talk.”
“Huh? What’d you say? Brad, speak up-I can’t hear you!” Eddie shouted back.
Bradley hung up without another word.
A minute later, Eddie called him back.
He’d ducked into a restroom. It was a lot quieter now.
“What’s up, Brad? You need something?” Eddie asked.
Bradley got straight to the point. “You on break right now?”
“It’s summer vacation. Of course I’m taking time to have some fun,” Eddie said.
“You don’t exactly hold back even when school’s in session.”
“Wow, coming in swinging already? Who pissed in your coffee?”
“No one. I just need a small favor.”
“What kind of favor?”
“It’s about Cameron. He’s dealing with something,” Bradley said.
“Cam again? Brad, you’re way too invested in him,” Eddie teased.
“Is caring about a friend a problem?”
“Not at all. Go on, what’s going on with Cam?”
“Not something I can explain over the phone. Just come see me, we’ll talk then.”
Cameron hadn’t said outright that she needed counseling, and Bradley wasn’t about to air her business to Eddie. Better to wait till Eddie got to Viremont.
“Alright, I’ll head over tomorrow. That it? I’m going back to party. Later!” Eddie said, and hung up.
Bradley stared at the phone in silence.
‘Eddie’s gonna fall hard for a girl one day.’
Xander was gaming with Tyrell when he got a message from Austin.
Back in the day, Xander used to fill every break with excitement-traveling abroad, racing with friends, extreme sports, diving…
Now, none of it felt worth it.
This summer, he hadn’t gone anywhere. Most of his time was spent gaming with Tyrell.
Every few days, he’d drop by Cameron’s place. Not too often-he didn’t want to overdo it. And every visit had a pretext-dropping off that three milioi dollar check she still hadn’t accepted.
Austin’s message lit up his screen mid-game.
Austin: (Xan, long time no see. Just left Cam’s place. Brad was there too. They were acting weird, like there’s something going on between them. Told me to leave so they could talk in private. We just graduated, but man… feels like everyone’s changed.]
Xander glanced at the message and then immediately tapped in.
“Xan! What are you doing just standing there? You died!” Tyrell’s voice came through his headset.
“Shut up!” Xander snapped.
His eyes were locked on the screen.
‘Bradley? Bradley and Cameron… sharing secrets? Does Bradley already know Cameron’s a girl?’
Xander had always thought Bradley treated her differently. From day one, when Cameron had clashed with him in the dorm, Bradley took her side without hesitation.
Every time after that, whenever he butted heads with Cameron, Bradley was always stepping in to defend her.
‘Don’t tell me Bradley’s liked her this whole time? Damn it. Now I’ve got another rival?’
His expression darkened.
Xander had gone out of his way to guard Cameron’s secret-that she was a girl-just to keep the guys in Room 316 from getting any funny ideas.
And now Bradley? He couldn’t even be trusted?
‘What the hell is he doing at her house?’
His mind spiraled, painting a thousand scenes of Cameron and Bradley… together.
“No freaking way!” he shouted, his chest rising with rage.
“Xan? What’s going on?” Tyrell asked.
Xander exited the game without a word.
Storm-faced, he headed straight for the underground garage, hopped on his bike, and gunned it out of the lot, heading for Noble Vista.
It was ten by the time he reached Cameron’s door.
Cameron, not feeling well, had already gone to bed. Half-asleep, she thought at first she was dreaming. But the knocking grew louder and more persistent.
She turned on the bedside lamp, sat up groggily, and realized-this wasn’t a dream.
The knocking continued.
She threw off the covers and padded to the door.
Standing outside, face dark as thunder, was Xander.
“What are you doing here?” Cameron frowned..
Her peaceful sleep was ruined.
Thu, 12 Jun
But Xander’s eyes went wide the moment he saw her in pajamas.
“You…” He practically growled, his breathing heavy. “You two-what the hell are you doing?”
Cameron looked at him, baffled. “What do you mean, ‘you two’? What are you even doing here at this hour?”
“You think I’m here to ruin your fun?” Xander snapped, face flushed with anger.
Cameron blinked.
‘Is he seriously losing it?’
“You’ve lost your damn mind,” she said sharply.
Now she was wide awake and annoyed.
But at least the stomach cramps had eased a little after resting.
“I’ve lost it?” Xanderjabbed a finger at himself, voice rising. “Cameron, really? You turn me down, and then go straight for Bradley? And things are already moving this fast? You two actually-“
He choked on the last part.
He was legally an adult, sure. But still very much a wide-eyed, pure-hearted boy.
“What the hell are you even talking about?” Cameron burst out, furious now. “Me and Bradley? Since when? I don’t even know what fantasy you’ve cooked up in that brain of yours, but you need to leave.”
“Don’t you try to manipulate me!”
