Second Chances [Lesbian]

Chapter 32

I shut the door after Whitney and Eliza left and heard Cameron shifting in her seat behind me.

"So, are you ready to talk about what's going on or are you going to keep saying everything is 'great' when we both know you're not being honest."

I turned around slowly, leaning back against the door.

"Cam, I-"

"Stop," she said gently. Her gaze was soft, but intense at the same time. "Talk to me. Especially because I'm fairly certain this has a lot to do with me."

She tilted her head and a small smile pulled at the corner of my lips at the familiar gesture.

"The communication between Whitney and I is still a struggle."

"Okay.." she raised a brow expectantly.

"And she just said some.. not very nice things. I think she maybe feels threatened by you."

"What did she say?"

"Why does it matter?" I snapped back, slightly defensive.

"It has to do with me, so it matters to me." She said it calmly and firmly.

"She just made some stupid comments about why you're with me. Whitney just likes to push my buttons."

I pushed off the door, feeling fidgety under her scrutiny. I started fluffing the couch pillows.

"Ren."

"What?" I meant to sound casual, but the word sounded tense and strange, even to me.

"Stop," she said slightly more forcefully. Her hand reached out to rest over mine. "Just sit and talk to me. Were you not the one who told me that we would figure things out together?"

In that moment I resented her using my own words against me. My heart skittered like a caged animal in my chest and there was a hollow echo in my head.

Frigid. Gave me nothing. She must get it so good.

"Why do we have to keep talking about Whitney? It just pisses me off." I snatched my hand away from her and started picking up the cups that littered the coffee table.

"Maybe you need to be."

"You're one to talk." I slung at her, a ribbon of adrenaline winding its way around me.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

I slammed the cups on the table and turned to her.

"You! And your damn cool-as-a-cucumber exterior. Why are you always so fucking calm and levelheaded? Half the time I'm a mess and you- you're just-"

"I'm what?"

"She said I must be fucking you so good that it has to be the only reason you're sticking around." The fire in my veins made me sound hysterical even to my own ears.

"Why would she- wow, she's something else." She sat back, a contemplative look on her face.

"Maybe she's right." I clamped my teeth over my lower lip as soon as the words left my mouth.

The flash of hurt in her eyes was enough to snuff out the flame inside me and I instantly regretted my words.

"Cam, I didn't-"

"I'm going to go." She stood and grabbed her coat from the armchair, her face blank.

"Please, let's ta-"

She interrupted by raising her hand slowly, silencing me. I swallowed my words and watched as she walked to the door and then left, slamming it behind her.