In Search of Tomorrow ✓

Eighteen

I didn't know why I was so shocked. I should have known this perfect fairytale I'd been living was impossible. Why hadn't I picked up any signs? Why hadn't I said something before everything had blown up in my face?

I didn't say anything. Instead, I brought my knees up to my chest and curled up in a little ball, as if hoping I could ward off whatever had happened and whatever was coming next. But that was a childish fantasy-just like I'd thought I could trust someone again.

"Evelyn?" Cameron asked softly, placing a hand gently on my shoulder. I automatically recoiled and pulled back, and I could feel his frustrated exhale on the back of my neck. "Evelyn, please, it's not that big of a deal."

Lifting my head, I glared at him, my vision blurred by the threat of tears. "Yes, Cameron, it is a big deal," I said. "You have no idea how much of a big deal this is. I thought I could trust you, and you've lied to me. I've had enough of that without you adding to the mix."

My last sentence clearly surprised Cameron, but he didn't respond. Instead, he stretched out his legs and raised his eyes to glance up at the sky above us.

"Excuse me?" I demanded. "Are you going to answer me?"

"There doesn't seem to be anything to say," he said coolly, still not meeting my gaze. "I'd say we're even now. You did lie to me for most of our friendship, you know."

I stood up suddenly, almost as if I'd been electrocuted. "That's all it is to you, then?" I asked shrilly. "Friendship?"

"Calm down, Evelyn." He stood, too, and sat me back down beside him-then went back to staring at the sky annoyingly. "I was just bringing up the point that you lied to me when we were friends, before you became my girlfriend and all that. Please just stop overreacting."

Huffing, I crossed my arms and stared off into the distance, where the sky was quickly growing dark. Tears were threatening to spill out of my eyes any minute, and for some reason I didn't feel like breaking down in front of Cameron.

We were quiet for a few minutes, and finally, Cameron said, "I guess you don't want to hear poor Cameron Maddox's sob story now, do you?"

"If it explains all your lies, it would be nice," I seethed. I knew it wasn't fair that I was so angry with Cameron, especially after I'd lied-and still was lying-to him. But I'd trusted him so completely, against my better judgment becoming closer and closer to him, until he'd taken all my trust and broken it.

I betrayed myself by sniffing, a signal of my weakness, and before I knew it Cameron had scooted over so that he was sitting beside me and had wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

"Evelyn, I'm so sorry," he said, pressing his forehead against the top of my head and speaking into my hair. "I didn't mean to lie just to you-it was everyone. I didn't want anyone to know."

"That makes it a lot better," I snapped back croakily.

He leaned forward and kissed my nose, then asked, "Will you please let me explain? I swear I won't lie to you anymore."

Somewhere deep inside me, I felt a twinge of guilt, but I pushed it back and settled for smoothing down my tangled hair. "I guess."

Keeping his arms firmly around me, he leaned towards me so that he was almost whispering in my ear and said, "I'm an orphan, Evelyn. There. Now the big secret's out. You're the only person who knows except for my adopted parents."