The Game ✔

Chapter thirty four

The day at school passes way too slowly to my taste and needless to say I had to stay all day long after the warnings from my mother last night. Oh, when she heard I had missed school, she had gone crazy.

''Are sure now is the right time to tell him?'' Lizzy asks beside me as we walk toward the exit.

''I've got to do this now or I'll never do it.'' She nods.

''It'll be alright.'' She tries to reassure me, ''He doesn't deserve you any other way.''

I hug her before getting in my mother's car. She had let me borrow it since she was working late. I drive directly toward Cameron's. As soon as I park in front of his house, I feel myself shake from head to toe.

I gather up my courage and get out of the car and walk to his house. His father opens the door to me and smiles, telling me he's upstairs in his room.

''Hey.'' I greet him when I get in his room.

''Hey.'' He smiles up from his bed, his phone in one hand. He sits up.

''I have a question for you.'' I start off scratching my head. He frowns and gets up.

''Is something wrong?'' He demands.

''No just... why did you start playing the Game? Why would you do this?'' I get it out, my voice pleading more than asking.

Cameron stands there in front of me, his eyes searching the room, searching for something to say. He breathes out, his hand in his hair.

''I didn't get the chance to choose my family, or how I could live my life. I never could say anything or I would get beaten up by this man I call my father. My brother was the only one who got my back every single time, he's the one who protected me.'' He breathes out again, ''In a sick way, the game gave me the choice, it gave me the chance to choose what I could and couldn't have. Because I finally feel like I'm good at something.''

''Please, you have so much more to offer,'' I tell him as I get closer. My hands find his face so he can finally look me in the eyes, ''Maybe you don't realize it right now but you are worth everything.''

''I just don't feel it.'' He takes my hands off gently from his face and then brushes a loose strand of my hair behind my ear. ''But you keep on making me better. I don't know how you manage it, but you are the only thing in my world worth living for.''

It's like someone poured me into a hot bath, my limbs slowly becoming weak, a warm wave going through my body. ''What about Dimitry?''

''Of course Dimitry as well.'' He gives me a small smile but his eyes keep on analyzing my face. ''I don't know what I would do without you. You're the one who's opening my eyes to the world and I couldn't be more grateful for that. You're the one.'' His hands cup my face, his thumbs rubbing my cheeks.

''Cameron,'' I whisper and look down as the feeling courses through my body again. I know how I feel about him, I guess I've known for a while. And now, today was the day to know if he did as well for real. My eyes come back up to meet his and I smile slightly, scared of the words, scared of that feeling so foreign. ''I love you.''

His face changes instantly and he looks away, his hands leaving my face when a voice reaches me from behind.

''Nice speech little bro, want to say hi to the camera Alexa?'' I turn to see Owen there, his hands holding a camera that looks back at me. I shake my head and laugh bitterly. He turns it off. ''I thought you'd know better, loser.'' 

I look over at Cameron who's still staring at the floor, guilt ravaging his face. ''How long have you been practicing this speech?'' I ask, pain and sorrow filling me.