Meet Cameron Smith, a charismatic and talented athlete, the captain of the university's basketball team. With an arrogant demeanor driven by his success, he exudes confidence both on and off court. On the other hand, there's Elle Davis, determined t...
I woke up that morning with a heavy heart, the kind that makes you want to pull the covers over your head and stay hidden from the world. It had been five days since Cam and I had that argument, and five days since I had last set foot in college. I couldn't afford to miss any more classes, not with exams right around the corner. The thought of failing because of low attendance was terrifying, but the idea of facing Cam was even worse.
As I reluctantly rolled out of bed, I glanced at the clock. It was early, but I needed all the time I could get to mentally prepare myself. The only thing I was looking forward to was seeing my friends. They had been my rock.
I got dressed quickly, choosing my outfit with little care. My mind was too preoccupied to bother with clothes. As I came out of my room, I noticed that Liam had already left. He usually waited for me, but lately, even he seemed distant. Not that I blamed him, but - "Guess I'm on my own." I muttered to myself.
My next option was Olivia. I grabbed my phone and dialed her number, but it went straight to voicemail.
"Hey, Liv, it's Elle. Just wondering if you could give me a ride to college today. Call me back when you get this."
I hung up and sighed, feeling a fresh wave of loneliness wash over me. Was everyone abandoning me now? I couldn't help but feel all emotional again, like I was truly alone in this. Taking a deep breath, I decided to walk to college. It was about a twenty-five-minute walk, and I figured the fresh air might do me some good.
As I started walking, I realized I was running late. I flagged down a cab and slid into the backseat, my mind still spinning with thoughts of Cam. I hadn't seen him since our fight, and the thought of facing him today made my stomach churn.
"Should I ignore him?" I wondered aloud, then quickly glanced at the cab driver, who seemed uninterested in my musings. "Or should I try to talk to him?"
I knew that if Cam wanted to talk, he would. He was never one to shy away from confrontation, but what if he didn't want to talk to me? What if he was done with us?
I shook my head, trying to clear away the negative thoughts. It wasn't like me to be so pessimistic. I was usually the optimistic one, the one who believed that everything would work out in the end. But this situation had thrown me off balance. I had never felt so uncertain, so unsure of myself.
The cab ride seemed to drag on forever, each passing minute filled with a mix of anxiety and anticipation. When we finally arrived at the college, I paid the driver and stepped out, taking a deep breath to steady my nerves.
"Okay, Elle," I whispered to myself, "you can do this. Just get through today."
As I reached the college gate, I paused, my eyes catching a glimpse of someone familiar. My heart skipped a beat—was it him? Or was my mind just playing tricks on me, projecting his image because, deep down, I wanted to see him, to talk to him, to clear up this huge mess? But something held me back from reaching out first. Fear? Pride? Maybe both.
Shaking off the feeling, I quickly started walking towards my class, trying to push him out of my mind. But just as I was about to slip through the doors, I heard a voice behind me.
"Belle, you finally came."
That voice. I'd recognize it, even among thousands of others.
My heart ached at the sight of him, but I steeled myself, avoiding his gaze and any eye contact. I didn't trust myself to speak, not without letting the emotions welling up inside me spill over.
He took a step closer, his voice softer. "I've been waiting every morning near the gate, hoping to see you. I stay until the first class starts, and then I go. And during break time, I ask the guard about you, but..." He trailed off, his expression pained. "It's been disappointing every day." I swallowed hard, feeling a lump in my throat. I couldn't let him see how much his words affected me, how much I wanted to believe him, to forgive him.
Without saying a word, I turned and started walking away, my pace quickening as I fought back tears."Elle, please!" Cam called after me, desperation in his voice. He caught up to me, blocking my path. "Just give me two minutes. That's all I ask. Please."
I hesitated. There was so much I wanted to say, so many questions I needed answers to. But I couldn't face them now, not when I was so close to breaking down. "Fine," I muttered, not meeting his eyes. "During break time. Not now." I turned to leave, but something made me look back at him. "And Cam," I added, my voice low, "be careful. Liam knows about us."
His eyes widened slightly, a flicker of recognition passing over his face. "I know." he said, his voice soft.
There was a brief, tense silence between us. It was then that the realization hit me like a ton of bricks. How did he know? The only way he could have known was if someone told him. And the only someone I could think of was Liam. But Liam would never tell him about us unless..."You told him, didn't you?" My voice rising. "You ratted us out to my brother!" He looked taken aback, guilt flashing in his eyes.
"Elle, I—"
I cut him off, my voice trembling with anger. "Do you have any idea how disappointed I am in you? You didn't just avoid me, you didn't call or text, and then you go and tell my brother about us? That was the last thing I wanted, Cameron! You knew how he feels about you, about us. How could you?"
He opened his mouth to speak, but I didn't give him the chance. "I can't believe you," I said, my voice choked with tears. "I trusted you, and you betrayed me."
With that, I turned and walked away, my heart pounding in my chest. I could hear him calling after me, but I didn't stop. I couldn't. The pain, the betrayal, it was all too much. I needed to get away, to think, to process everything. As I walked, tears streamed down my face. How could Cam do this? How could he be so careless? Everything felt like it was falling apart, and I didn't know how to fix it. All I knew was that I needed to get through the day, somehow, and then figure out what to do next.
But as I headed towards my class, one thing was clear: nothing would ever be the same between us again.
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