Filed to story: That Campus Prince Is a Girl
‘You’ve got to be kidding me, Cameron thought. ‘Is Viremont seriously this small of a town?’
Bradley couldn’t believe he’d run into Cameron at the fondue place. His initial surprise quickly turned into pleasure, but then his gaze landed on Elijah sitting at the table. “Elijah? Cameron, you’re meeting up with Elijah?”
“Brad,” Elijah cut in before Cameron could answer, standing up with a surprised look. “Didn’t expect to see you here.” Bradley’s eyes lingered on Cameron’s delicate face for a few seconds before he nodded. “Yeah, what a coincidence.” He slid into the seat across from Eddie.
Eddie grinned. “Hey Brad, isn’t this that roommate of yours? The one with all the personality? Why don’t we all sit together?” Bradley said nothing. ‘Did Cam reject me because she chose Elijah? Or has she already made plans with Elijah and that’s why she turned me down?’ he thought.
When Bradley didn’t say anything, Eddie had enough sense not to push it. He just slid the menu closer to Bradley. “Brad, I’ve already ordered. Wanna add anything else?”
“I’m good,” Bradley said, pushing the menu away.
Eddie’s brain short-circuited. ‘What the hell? Brad’s nieced? Just because he ran into his roommate? What kind of logic is that?’
Successfully unlocked!
Cameron took a seat across from Elijah. She hadn’t even had a chance to say a word to Bradley before he’d plopped down across from Eddie, his back now facing her. She gave Eddie a polite nod.
Eddie immediately beamed, waving enthusiastically. “Hey there, handsome. We meet again. Looking even better than last time, I see.”
“Thanks, Mr. Eddie Saunders. You’re looking sharp yourself,” Cameron replied.
“Mr. Saunders? So formal. Just call me Eddie like Brad does.”
Cameron didn’t know what to say to that. She just flashed an awkward but polite smile.
The typically aloof Elijah, now realizing the guy behind them was Bradley’s brother Eddie, stood up courteously. “Hey Eddie, I’m Brad’s roommate, Elijah.”
“Well hello there! Damn, you’re a looker too. I love hanging out with attractive people. Wanna join us for lunch?” Eddie was a serious sucker for good-looking people. His enthusiasm for both hot guys and beautiful women knew no bounds.
“Want to join them?” Elijah asked Cameron.
“You’re paying, so it’s your call,” Cameron replied with a shrug.
Just like that, the two tables were pushed together.
Bradley didn’t move a muscle. His eyes, unreadable behind those gold-rimmed glasses, gave nothing away. “Hey, handsome! Come sit next to me,” Eddie called out to Cameron, waving him over enthusiastically. Cameron slid into the seat beside Eddie, directly across from Bradley. Elijah took the spot next to Bradley.
Cameron glanced up and locked eyes with Bradley. The corners of Bradley’s eyes crinkled with amusement. “Cameron, are you tutoring Elijah now?” he asked.
Cameron shook his head. “Nope.”
“You tutor people?” Elijah’s eyebrows shot up.
Eddie leaned in. “Wow, handsome! Didn’t know you were a brain too. I thought only our family had the whole looks-and- brains package.”
“I’m tutoring Xander,” Cameron said with a nod.
Elijah’s jaw dropped. “Xander? Is there any hope for him academically?”
“He’s a sports scholarship kid,” Cameron explained. “The academic requirements aren’t as high for him. Even a small improvement could get him into a decent college.”
“True.” Elijah nodded.
Bradley smiled faintly, “So how did you and Elijah end up hanging out?”
“I asked him to meet up.” Elijah jumped in before Cameron could answer.
Bradley swirled his coffee absently. “When exactly did you make these plans?”
Cameron opened his mouth, trying to catch Elijah’s eye to signal him, but Elijah had already blurted out, “Around three this afternoon.”
Cameron could only sigh inwardly.
Bradley heard her silence, and while his lips kept that slight smile, the eyes behind his glasses darkened.
It was after three. Bradley had texted Cameron shortly after two. So she’d rejected him first.
‘He turned me down? But why?’ Bradley wondered.
Even with questions swirling in his mind, Bradley knew better than to voice them right now.
Eddie casually studied Bradley’s micro-expressions. ‘What’s going on? Why is Brad even more pissed off now?’ he thought. “Food’s ready,” Eddie said with a cheerful smile. “Let’s eat while we chat.”
The atmosphere turned weird as hell. Both Cameron and Bradley ate in complete silence.
Elijah had only planned to meet with Cameron. y with Bradley and Edu here, he didn’t have much to say.
Successfully unlocked!
Eddie scrambled to fill the awkward silence. “Ts place is eriously good. Brad, why haven’t you brought me here before?” “You’ve been too busy with your girlfriend to hang out,” Bradley shot back. “Remember?”
Eddie was speechless. ‘What the actual fuck? That was uncalled for. It’s not like I was the one who made you angry. Why come at him like that?’ he thought.
Eddie wasn’t the only one confused by the sudden hostility. Elijah stared at Bradley in surprise, wondering what had gotten into him
He’d never seen Bradley so blunt before. Bradley was always so gentle, but apparently, he could throw shade just like anyone else.
Only Cameron knew why Bradley was pissed off. He’d turned down the bike she’ded to give him, and she didn’t want to owe him any more favors. That was why she’d been deliberately keeping her distance.
But of course, Bradley caught her in the act right away. Cameron didn’t feel like explaining herself, so she just silently ate her fondue.
Elijah had originally planned to meet Cameron alone to apologize. He hadn’t realized asking her for homework help would cause her so much trouble.
But with Bradley and Eddie there too, it was clearly not the time for that conversation. Maybe next time; Elijah thought. Elijah was naturally quiet anyway, and with the weird vibe at the table, he just focused on his food.
Eddie didn’t want to get snapped at, so he kept his mouth shut too.
Bradley placed a plate of shrimp in front of Cameron. “Last time we had fondue, you seemned to really like these.”
Cameron looked up, meeting Bradley’s handsome, smiling face. ‘So he’s not mad anymore? she wondered.
Cameron felt the tension drain from her shoulders. This whole thing was definitely her bad. Thank goodness Bradley wasn’ t holding a grudge.
“Thanks, Brad, Cameron said with a small smile.
“Last time?” Elijah asked curiously. “When was that?”
Bradley responded with a faint smile, “Elijah, that’s private between Cameron and me. Not something I can share.”
Elijah was instantly speechless. ‘Since when is eating fondue together some big secret?’ he thought.
Cameron shot Bradley a look. His comment definitely had some suggestive undertones. Still, she didn’t bother to correct him.
Eddie glanced between Cameron and Bradley with a thoughtful look. ‘Interesting. Brad seems to really care about this Cameron guy, he thought.
Eddie tried throwing out a few jokes to lighten the mood, and thankfully, Bradley stopped shutting him down. The atmosphere at the table finally improved a bit.
*****
After dinner, when Elijah went to pay, Bradley swooped in and covered the bill first.
“Next time, I’ll take you out properly, just the two of us,” Elijah told Cameron.
Bradley’s eyes lingered on Elijah’s face for a few seconds before quickly looking away.
Eddie threw his arm around Bradley’s shoulders. “Brad, mind if I crash at your place tonight? I’m so sick of hotels.”
“Eddie, I don’t have any extra rooms,” Bradley said flatly. “If you’re tired of your hotel, find another one.”
Eddie was left speechless.
Cameron overheard this and shot Bradley a curious look. His mansion had to have at least seven or eight bedrooms, yet he claimed to have no extra space. But it wasn’t her business, so she kept quiet.
“Can I give you a ride home?” Elijah asked Cameron.
“That won’t be necessary, Bradley cut in before Cameron could answer. “Elijah, Cameron and I are headed in the same direction. I’ll take him.”
Cameron blinked in surprise.
“You two live near each other?” Elijah asked, his eyebrows raised.
Before Bradley could say anything else, Cameron jumped in. “Yeah, Brad and I are headed the same way. See you tomorrow at school, Elijah.”
Elijah nodded. “Sounds good. See you then.”
Cameron waved Elijah off.
Successfully unlocked!
