BELONGS TO ME

Chapter 18

Camila

"I don't feel like partying tonight. I'm fucking exhausted." Harry drops onto the tailgate of Shawn's truck, the game having ended a little over a half hour ago.

"Same dude," Carl agrees, tossing his bag in the bed. He turns to us. "What about you girls? How 'bout a night in, come to the house with us? We can order pizza or some shit. Camp out in mine and Shawn's room?"

A party I could talk my way out of but a chill night at their house, when the celebratory party tonight is elsewhere? Not so much, so, I shrug, nodding along with Hailee.

My phone vibrates, so I pull it from my back pocket.

Champion: You see me get laid out on my ass tonight?

I grin.

Me: I did. You got knocked down...

I wait a good ten seconds, letting her mind race, then send her the rest.

Me: But you got up again.

She sends back a laughing face emoji, and I chuckle.

Champion: In case you were wondering, this will never get old.

I stare at her text, a strange warmth washing over me, and I gnaw at my bottom lip.

"Earth to Mila!"

My head snaps up, and I'm met with four sets of narrowed eyes.

"Sorry." My face heats, but it's dark, so I don't think they see it. "Are we ready or... ?"

"Yeah, sister." Carl rolls his eyes. "We're ready."

The boys hop in the back to make the short drive around campus and Hailee and I slide into the main cab. If my attention wasn't half somewhere else, I would have realized I was the first to climb in, forcing me into the middle seat.

I can't help but think about the last time I road in his truck. It was during spring break, Senior year.

"You didn't have to come get me. I told Carl I had a ride."

Shawn scoffs, flipping a U-turn and heads for home. "If you think I would let that asshole bring you home, you're mistaken."

" Didn't you invite him to your New Year's party," I remind him as he rolls to a stop at the light.

"He became an asshole when he tried to get you at said party." He shoots me a quick glare. "I told him to stay away from you. Looks like I'm going to have to remind him of that on Monday."

"Okay, Carl." I roll my eyes, taken aback when his head snaps in my direction.

"I'm not your brother." His gaze narrows. "And I didn't tell him that for Carl's benefit."

I do my best to nod, attempting to breathe as air evades my lungs, the alcohol adding to the flush of my skin.

The light turns green, and Shawn faces forward, so I do the same, but my eyes, they refuse to stick to the road ahead.

I stare at his profile, at the way he pinches his lips together when he's annoyed or angry. At the rapid rise and fall of his chest as he works through whatever is running through his mind.

Is It me?

Am I on his mind?

My stomach flip-flops at the possibility.

"I can feel your eyes on me, Camila."

My giggle is low and slightly slurred. "I would have sworn I was being as stealthy as ever."