Defamed: Book Three (bxb) ✔️

Chapter Four: Fate

Asher Adair
About nine years ago

When someone walks through a crowded place to reach their destination, they don't usually take the time to actually see the people that surrounded them. For me, my eyes stayed peeled. Ever since my little meeting with a certain Cameron Windsor.

Two nights ago, I went back to my dingy dorm room, and I wrote in the book. I wrote about myself. I told him I was poor; I gave him my sad backstory about how I didn't have any living family. I told him anything I could. Once I started writing, I couldn't stop.

It had to be the different way he wanted me to get to know him. It was almost like a challenge, but it wasn't. Being a pretty big name, I figured it was pretty difficult to meet genuine people. But I wasn't after the money I didn't know he had. I wasn't after his status. I wasn't after any of it. I was after him. I barely knew him, and I had to know more.

But currently, I was looking at a face that appeared as his, but it wasn't him. 

This particular triplet looked animated enough, but I noticed something I didn't believe his friends did. He ordered his food as a prop. In the five minutes I'd been sitting here, I watched him move food around his tray, give it disgusted looks, and then act like he got caught in conversation to avoid eating it. To be fair, the food here was subpar at best. I wasn't sure what his name was, I didn't do my research, but in him, I could see sadness. 

His friends didn't seem to care.

I turned my head when the sea of students seemed to part. I zeroed in on one of the other two triplets, smiling to myself. There he was in all his sunshine glory--excitedly rushing over to greet his brother, who seemed equally happy to see him. I knew it wasn't the best time to approach him, so I waited. I watched as Cameron and the brother he arrived with sat on either side of the one I'd already spotted. Cameron pointed to the toast on his tray, saying something in a low whisper.

I angled my head when I watched the one triplet take the toast and bite the corner out of it. Cameron smiled at him like he was proud, and the other one seemed to be equally thrilled. Cameron leaned in to whisper something into his ear, and it seemed to encourage him to eat another bite. Now that was curious. There was clearly a story there, but it wasn't any of my business. 

When Cameron leaned back, his gaze caught on me almost immediately. I picked up the notebook and waved it in the air. His smile was instantaneous. He whispered something to the brother in the middle, who was still nibbling on the toast and got up. God, they really were identical. 

Cameron arrived in front of my table and reached for the notebook, but I placed my hand on top to prevent him from taking it. "I didn't Google you past the picture." I nodded my head toward his brother's. "What are their names?"

He turned for a moment, glancing at his brother before facing me with a smile. "The one eating is Carter; the one next to him is Cade."

"I saw Carter when I sat down." 

"Still knew it wasn't me." His smile was indestructible. "Amazing."

"Mm." I kept my hand on the notebook. "Equal value. I gave you what you asked for and my sad backstory."

He arched a brow. "Sad?"

I shrugged. "It's life."

"Hmm." He hummed as I lifted my hand. "I suppose you'll want to know all about me, then?"

"And you're going to have to find me now." 

He clutched the notebook to his chest. "I know what you study, but I have a feeling you don't normally frequent this area."