Tragic

Chapter Thirty-Five: Negotiations

Elliot

I cross my arms over my chest and glare at my best friend. My best friend—yeah right. I should have seen this coming.

"What do you want Cam?"

She taps her finger against her lips, and all I see is that horrible shade of nail polish she insists on wearing. "I want to be Juliet. It's not fair I'm stuck being her fucking mother who has like four lines in the entire play."

I laugh. "Done. I don't give a shit."

"Elle, do you really think it'll be that easy?"

My glare deepens, and Hunter's hands circle my waist from behind me. Cameron flares her nostrils. "Don't you even care about Judah?"

"Why do you care so much? Judah's a dick, remember?"

Those words are actually hard to say considering how he's been acting lately, but she doesn't know that.

"Not anymore. You've completely ruined him. He used to be this tough, no nonsense player, and now he's just a pussy-whipped puppy that falls at your feet every time you call."

Hunter gives my hip a squeeze, and I lean back into him. Even though I want to commit murder right now, just his presence is calming to me.

I cock my head to her. "Again, why do you care? You have Dylan like you wanted."

She scoffs. "Yeah, I have Dylan all right. All he ever talks about is that stupid fucking play and how cool it is you two get to hang out so much." She presses her fingertips to her temples. "If I have to hear your name one more time, I'm going to fucking scream."

"Elliot!" Oliver calls from the side porch. "Is that you?"

Cameron's eyes widen, and I stifle a laugh.

Oliver strolls over to us and shoots me a look at our position in front of the enemy.

"It's okay, Ollie," I say quickly. "Cam knows."

He slings his arm over her shoulder, and I swear she blushes. "Risky, but if you trust her who am I to argue?"

Cameron's body visibly stiffens as Oliver continues to stand beside her. My mind drifts back to the comment she made about him being attractive. Oliver does owe me a favor—or twelve.

"I was just about to catch the highlights from the game." He nods to Hunter pointedly. "Care to join me?"

Hunter nods. "Yeah, sounds good." He leans into my ear. "Come get me when she leaves."

Hunter steps forward to follow Oliver as he pulls his arm from Cameron. "Later, Red."

I wait until the side door closes before I speak again. "Okay, what else do you want?"

"You were always a terrible friend," she sneers.

I pull my hands into my chest. "I was a terrible friend? I'm not the one doing the blackmailing right now."

"You don't understand because you already have everything. You're always first, never second." She angrily brushes away a tear. "It sucks always being second."

I sigh. "Cam, I don't want any of this. That guy in there," I point my finger toward the house, "that's what I want. I love him and I'm tired of fighting it. I don't care how much it terrifies me or how much trouble we could be in, he's worth it to me. You can have whatever you want as long as I get him."