Filed to story: That Campus Prince Is a Girl
Once Cameron finished her first skewer, Bradley raised his glass. “Cameron, congratulations.*
She quickly lifted her own glass. “Thank you, Bradley”
They clinked glasses. Bradley then wiped his hands clean, picked up a carving tool, and sliced a piece of lamb rib.
After sprinkling some cumin on it, he placed it gently on Cameron’s plate. “Try it. I think you’ll like it.”
“Thanks” Cameron replied.
Behind his gold rimmed glasses, Bradley’s gaze so polite with me.”
=0
Successfully unlocked! ked beautiful. “Cameron, you don’t have to be
Cameron smiled and cut him a generous piece of lamb leg. “Alright then.”
Bradley’s lips curled into a soft smirk
Meanwhile, the Wallace family of three was also having dinner. But the atmosphere at their table was completely different, cold and silent. The only sound in the room was the faint clinking of silverware against porcelain.
That silence was broken when Milena’s phone rang. “Hello?” she answered.
“Good evening. May I speak to Ms. Wallace from Langford Academy?” a woman’s voice asked politely from the other end.
“Yes, this is she. Who’s calling, please?” Milena replied.
“This is Noir ?clat. There’s something we’d like to confirm with you,” the woman said.
Milena’s jaw dropped in delight when she heard her own scheme casually exposed like that. A broad smile instantly it up her face, and her voice grew warmer
“Hi there. If you have any questions, feel free to ask, Mena said enthusiastically
Seeing her all bubbly and excited, both Martin and Heidi turned to glance at her curiously.
“Ms. Wallace, we’ve received your submission, the woman on the other end said dry. “I just need to confirm one thing Did you write this piece yourself?
Milena froze. ‘What? Did they find out? I used Cameron’s work. Could it be that Cameron submitted it too? But I sent it in right after Xander forwarded me the photos. I must have submitted it before she did, right?
A storm of thoughts churned in her mind as she replied, “Of course, I wrote it myself. Is there a problem?
“Your piece is excellent, which is why I wanted to double check with you personally. So just to confirm one thing. This really is your original work, Ms. Wallace?” she repeated.
All Milena could focus on was the compliment. Her heart swelled with pride.
“Yes, it’s mine,” she said happily. ‘Cameron’s work is mine; she wondered.
“Understood. Thank you. Goodbye,” the voice on the other end said, hanging up immediately.
Milena’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction, her whole expression bearing.
“What’s up, Millie?” Heidi asked with curiosity.
Milena grinned. “Mom, I’m about to make 300 thousand dollars. And that’s just the beginning. I’ll be making way more than that down the line. So don’t worry. Without the Chapman family, you still have me. We’ll be just fine.”
Heidi smiled warmly. “Sweetheart, you’re amazing.”
Martin, though, looked puzzled. “How exactly are you making this money?”
Milena teased, “Dad, you’ll find out soon enough.”
That got Martin hopeful. “You really are ahead of Cameron.”
Milena scoffed, “Please. Cameron isn’t even in my league.”
Heidi nodded in agreement. “Exactly.”
*****
Meanwhile, the cruise ship drifted slowly along the river. Cameron, enjoying the night breeze and savoring the roasted lamb, looked perfectly content.
She put down her fork. “Brad, I’m done eating. Take your time.”
“Sure.” Bradley nodded.
Cameron got up to use the restroom and decided to pay the bill on the way. But when she reached the counter, she paused in surprise.
“Sir, the bill’s already been taken care of by the gentleman who’s with you,” the server said.
‘Brad paid already? But we agreed that I’d cover this meal, she thought.
Back at the table, Cameron sat down with a helpless smile. “Brad, we said I’d pay tonight.”
Bradley didn’t seem fazed, “Same difference.”
Cameron blinked. “Bradley, how about I transfer you the money?”
Bradley leaned back. “How about you write me an IOU instead?”
Cameron was stunned. Bradley had just finished eating as well. He calmly wiped his hands with a towel. “Cameron, how about I give you a house? You can just write me an IOU for it.”
Graduation was around the corner, and Bradley had been thinking. Cameron was still living in a dorm. Once she graduated, she could not very well go find a place to rent.
Cameron was silent for a while. Then she said, “them
‘The Wallace family is just too much trouble. It
Successfully unlocked! or all, she wondered.
Bradley added, “It’s a small place, worth about two million dollars. Just write me an IOU.”
They asked a server for a pen and paper, Cameron wrote it out carefully, then pressed her fingerprint onto the page.
Bradley took it and said, “We’ll go finalize the paperwork tomorrow at noon.”
“Alright” Cameron was deeply grateful, unsure how to even begin thanking him.
Bradley stood up, holding the 100. “I’m heading to the restroom.”
Once inside, he tore the note into pieces and flushed it down the toilet.
He smiled to himself ‘Cameron really is a stubborn, sweet boy, he wondered.
The next morning, Langford Academy rolled out a red carpet starting right at the school gate. It stretched all the way down Academy Avenue, passed by the library, wound around the basketball court, up and down countless steps, and finally came to a stop at the door of Class 15, Senior Year.
The early reading class began at 6:50 a.m.
One by one, students filed into the classroom. When they spotted the red carpet aside, everyone was taken aback.
“Whoa, that thing’s long. Like, no joke-it feels like it never ends. What’s going on?”
“Is someone important transferring into our class or something? That’s wild. I mean, we’re right on the edge of the SATS, and someone’s switching schools now?”
“Gotta be someone seriously connected. I mean, look at all this. That’s not just red carpet-that’s a statement.”
“I’m kinda hyped. Is it a guy or a girl?”
“Please let it be a girl. We’re so outnumbered. Elijah already has the handsome guy role locked down. We don’t need another dude.”
Speculation buzzed around the room.
At ten in the morning, the whole school took a break. Normally, seniors only got a short pause; they were in the thick of SAT prep, after all, and every minute counted. But that day, the Student Affairs Office made it mandatory for all seniors to gather on the school’s biggest field.
Oddly, no bell or break music played. Instead, under hundreds of curious gazes, William stepped onto the platform. He stood behind a standing microphone.
“Today, we’re doing something truly special,” he announced. “Let’s give a warm welcome to Cameron from Class 15, Senior Year-she’s officially rejoining us today.”
The moment he finished, William clapped loudly. And the crowd followed suit.
Applause thundered across the field.
Down Academy Avenue, large poster boards stood every few feet, each one boldly declaring: [Welcome Back, Cameron. Langford Academy is Proud to Have You.]
It was a full-blown spectacle.
“No way. Wasn’t Cameron expelled? And now she’s coming back?”
“Mr. Drake himself is welcoming her? Who even gets that kind of treatment?”
