And Then it Happened

5

When I reached my house, I opened the door, slamming it shut and stomped my way up to my room. Huffing, I threw my backpack to the floor and practically made a nose-dive for my bed. I curled myself up in my sheets while I closed my eyes, taking deep breaths to calm down. Earlier today I had promised Sydney I would try and give Cameron a chance and get along with them, which was a promise I was quickly regretting. Cameron and I have had a hate relationship – yep, you heard me right, a hate relationship, not a love-hate.. there was no love between us and there never would be – for as long as I could remember. He knew just how to get under my skin and bring out the worst side of me.

My mind was reeling, I remembered times in the past from when Cameron and I were 13 years old and in middle school. I had been peacefully minding my own business, doodling in my notebook while listening to the teacher drone on and on about the book that we had been assigned to read for homework over the course of the semester. I was sitting next to one of my friends, Makayla, who was the only reason I got through this class. It was easily one of my least favorite classes, and I honestly don't know how I would've gotten through it if I didn't have her next to me to make jokes with and write messages to during class.

I heard laughter from behind me, but I had learned by now to ignore it. Whatever those dipshits were laughing about was probably dumb anyway. I continued doodling until I felt a small weight hit the back of my calf. I froze, looking up from my paper. I swiftly turned around behind me just to meet eyes with none other than Cameron Sharpe. His cerulean blue orbs met my chocolate brown ones as a smirk graced his lips, a dimple showing. I squinted my eyes, glaring at him before looking down to the floor where I saw a piece of wadded up gum wrapper. One word: childish. My eyes flitted back up to see Cameron still had his gaze on me. I raised my eyebrows in question, unamused, in a bid to silently ask why he threw the gum wrapper at me. His smirk only grew before shaking his head and breaking eye contact with me as he turned to his friend he sat next to in class. I rolled my eyes, annoyed that he had thrown the rolled up gum wrappers at me for no apparent reason.

That was just one of the many memories I had had through the school years of Cameron annoying me just to be annoying. It had started off with small things like that, but somehow as we grew up and the years went by, his antics increased. Today though, he had crossed a line. I had a feeling that he didn't actually like Sydney at all; he was probably with her just to annoy me even more. Knowing this made my blood boil. How dare he use my best friend like this? Sydney and I had been friends since elementary school when she first moved to our school district. I was one of the first people she met and we instantly became friends, in the way that little kids make friends easily. Sydney and I had been through a lot through the years and she had the most pure soul of anyone I knew. The absolute last thing I wanted was for someone like Cameron to be taking advantage of her kind heart for some sick, sadistic vendetta he had.

My cellphone buzzed, indicating I had a notification. I grabbed my phone and looked at the screen to see that one of my other friends, Makayla, had texted me. Pressing my thumb to the home button to unlock my phone, the screen opens to reveal the text message thread between Makayla and I.

Makayla: SOS. homecoming is comin up. Need help finding dress, thx!

I shook my head, reading her text. Ah, homecoming. I was currently a high school senior and was happy to say I had never been to homecoming and never planned to. Buying dresses that cost easily over $100, spending money on a fancy dinner and limo with all you and your friends and dates just for one night didn't seem worth it to me. Besides, why go out when I have Netflix?

I began to type a response.

Me: ugh, don't remind me. Just another excuse for loved up couples to dry hump each other and make the rest of us want to gag x

Me: But of course mak, lemme know when and where and I'll meet you

I didn't plan on going to homecoming at all, but that doesn't mean I was about to stop my friends from going if they wanted. I watched as the three bubbles popped up on my screen, indicating Makayla was typing.

Makayla: lol 😂 bitter much? Who knows, maybe one day u will find a guy and you will be that couple

Makayla: And ok thx girl, you're the best. U free Friday?

I continued to type my text out:

Me: I mean... I did have Noah Centineo waiting for me on my tv screen buuuuttt... yeah for you, I suppose I can free up my schedule Friday after school

Me: and yeah no, I'm too awk for any guys to like me. I've never had a boyfriend, remember?

It was true, I had never had a boyfriend and I was 17 – almost 18 – years old. Most of my friends had boyfriend in the past, I was the lone one out. It's not like I didn't want a boyfriend, I had always just been so shy and awkward around boys and pretty much choked up around one anytime they attempted to talk to me. I had crushes in the past, but was just too nervous to ever make a move so I just never did. Just because I had always been single though, didn't mean I wasn't happy for my friends who had been in relationships; although sometimes I think they were weary to hang around me when they were with their boyfriends because they didn't want me to feel like the 3rd wheel or whatever around them.

I felt another buzz from my phone in my hand and my eyes averted back to the screen, expecting to have another text from Makayla. It wasn't. Sydney had snapchatted me and I wanted to groan. Now every time I thought about Sydney, I automatically associated her with Cameron which immediately put me in a bad mood. Opening Sydney's snap, I sighed. Sydney had sent a picture of what appeared to be her and Cameron eating ice cream at the local ice cream shop in town.

I rolled my eyes and exited out of the snapchat app, not responding to Sydney's snap. I was no longer in the mood to talk to anyone anymore. I had the image of Cameron's blue eyes engrained in my head and I hated it. His infiltration into my personal life by dating my best friend irked me.

Little did I know, he would do more infiltrating into my personal life in the future – and not just by dating Sydney.

-

Ah, this was such a filler chapter, I'm so sorry guys! The next one is kinda a filler too. But.. we gotta have chapters that lead us into the real action sometimes. Plus, I really want this book to mimic real life and you don't always have exciting things happen every day.

I also am trying to set the stage and develop my characters and make them seem like real people, but I promise we will be getting to the good stuff soon (hint: ch 8 & 9 are some good ones 😉)