Filed to story: That Campus Prince Is a Girl
Cameron added, “Oh, and Austin, I think I should correct something. Even if you hadn’t pulled all that drama with Xander, I still wouldn’t be your bes? bro.””
Austin’s voice dropped. “Why? Because I’m not good enough?”
‘Just one mistake, and he’s erasing me completely?’
His heart ached.
It physically hurt.
Cameron looked him in the eye. “Because I’m a girl.”
Austin froze.
His amber eyes, still heavy with emotion, flew open in disbelief. “Cam, what did you just say?”
‘Did I hear that right? Cameron… is a girl? No way. That can’t be right. Cam looks like a guy-maybe a little pretty, a little delicate, but still… Wasn’t he even engaged to Amelia?’
“I think you heard me clearly,” Cameron said.
Austin’s eyes went wide.
She wasn’t joking. Her expression was dead serious.
‘That’s real? Cameron… is a girl? So all this time… I wasn’t crazy? I wasn’t broken? I thought about him every day-a million times a day-and now it actually makes sense? I’m not confused. I’m in love.’
“That’s all I have to say.” Her tone was flat, unreadable.
And the screen went black.
Austin stared at the chat window, lips parting slightly.
‘She’s a girl.’
Austin had doubted himself before.
When he realized he was thinking about Cameron more and more-smiling at photos, zoning out during meetings-he knew something was off.
It was Vincent who finally made him face it-the feelings weren’t just platonic.
But even then, he couldn’t bring himself to admit it.
It felt wrong. nat
So he buried it. Locked it down. Told himself it was just because Cameron was kind to him. Just because he mattered. He had tried to be ‘But it wasn’t wrong. I’m not broken. I’m not confused. I can like him-I mean her. I can want her. We could be together. Forever. We could even have kids.’
But-
The joy drained from his face.
Because now, Cameron had decided to cut ties with him.
He stared at the call screen, lip’s tightening into a line.
‘Cut me off, huh?
Austin gripped his phone tightly, eyes lowering.
Everyone he loved-his mother, now Cameron-they all left him.
‘No.’
He wouldn’t let that happen again.
He wouldn’t let her walk away.
If it came to it, he’d use whatever means necessary.
Because now that he knew Cameron was a girl, there was no reason to hold back.
Now, they could be together for real and forever.
That evening, Lance stood outside Cameron’s door, knocking for a long time without a response.
“Still at work?” he muttered under his breath.
After a moment’s hesitation, he called her.
Cameron was in the car with Bradley, on their way back to Silvermoss Castle. She hesitated for a few seconds before answering.
“Hello?”
“Cameron, you’re not home?” Lance glanced down at the four gift boxes by his feet.
Cameron had refused to return to Yates Manor.
But the Yates family already knew about her.
All four of them-her parents, Gavin, and Lance-had prepared individual welcome gifts. And since Lance was the only one who had met her, the task of delivering them naturally fell to him.
“I’m not at Noble Vista,” Cameron replied. “Is something going on?”
“I brought a few small gifts,” Lance said. “They’re from my parents, Gavin, and me. Just something to say hello.”
“That’s not necessary,” Cameron said flatly. “Take them back.”
Lance frowned. “Cameron, I came all this way. I’m not taking them back. If you don’t want them, toss them. That’s your choice.”
Cameron didn’t respond.
Lance continued, “Look, we’re all victims here. None of this has been easy on you or our parents. You don’t want to come home, we won’t force you. I’ll just leave the gifts at your door.”
Still, she kept silent,
He didn’t wait for her response. He hung up.
Lance didn’t want to push her further. Right now, he was the only one in the Yates family who could still talk to her.
Cameron stared at the screen after the call ended and let out a sigh.
Lance had a way of cornering her without raising his voice.
She couldn’t just toss the gifts.
“Do you want to go back?” Bradley asked, glancing at her from the driver’s seat. He’d caught most of the conversation.
Cameron thought for a second and then nodded. “Brad, can you turn around?”
He did.
They headed back, pulling into the underground garage at Noble Vista.
Bradley accompanied her upstairs.
As the elevator doors opened, they saw the gift boxes neatly arranged in front of her apartment door.
Cameron walked up, gave them a brief glance, then picked them up, and carried them inside. Bradley followed.
She set the boxes down on the coffee table.
Bradley gave a slight smile. “Four gifts. One from each-your dad, mom, and two brothers. Aren’t you curious?”
“You want me to open them now?” she asked.
He adjusted his glasses. “Aren’t you the least bit curious?”
Cameron didn’t answer, but of course she was.
She opened the topmost box.
Inside was a house key and a handwritten note.
Levi: [Cam, I’m your father. I heard you got a perfect SAT score and were accepted to Stellanford University. I’m so proud of you.]
Levi: [This is the key to an apartment we own right across from campus. I thought it might make your life a little easier once school starts. Whenever you’re ready, we can transfer the ownership. I really hope I get to meet you soon.]
After reading it, Cameron quietly handed the note to Bradley.
He took it, glancing over the message with a slight smile. “If you went back to Yates Manor, your dad would probably spoil you rotten.”
