Chapter 34 Don’t Push It
Cameron made it back to Room 316 just before curfew. Elijah was already in bed, an eye mask pulled down over his face, looking like he was asleep.
Bradley, dressed in a black robe, was propped up against the headboard, still holding his copy of Essential Skills for Attorneys.
At the sound of the door, he lifted his gaze. Behind his gold–rimmed glasses, his deep–set eyes were cool and sharp. “You re back?”
“Yeah. You’re still up?” Cameron nodded.
Bradley said, “Cameron, you’re famous now.”
Cameron was confused. “Famous for what?”
Bradley replied, “That shooting match between you and Xander? Someone posted it on the school forum.”
Cameron didn’t react much. “I’m drenched. Gonna take a shower.”
Bradley chuckled to himself. This new roommate’s definitely something else, he thought.
He shut his book, pulled on an eye mask, and turned in for the night.
Xander had been chewed out by the school nurse and was ordered to stay in bed for three days. For once, he didn’t argue, because he’d lost to Cameron, which meant he had to move out of Room 316.
To him, that was humiliating. He didn’t even want to see Cameron right now. Three days of bed rest sounded like the perfect excuse to avoid her altogether.
Cameron really had become the talk of the school. The next day, a bunch of students showed up at Class 15, Senior Year, just to catch a glimpse of her.
“So that’s Cameron? He looks kinda delicate, but he actually ran Xander into the ground in the marathon?”
That’s him? He even outshot Xander in basketball?”
“Gotta admit, he’s pretty good–looking,”
Surrounded by a swarm of curious onlookers, Cameron remained stone–faced, completely unmoved. Not a flicker of emotion touched her features.
Zach, who sat in front of her, was practically green with envy. He sneered, his tone dripping with sarcasm, “Some people are so annoying.
“They suck at school but still cause a bunch of trouble, getting a whole crowd outside the classroom and messing up everyone else’s focus.”
“Shut it.” Cameron kicked the leg of his chair.
Zach shot her a glare but didn’t dare say another word.
Two days later, Xander had no choice but to return to Room 316.
Cameron, Bradley, and Elijah were all there. Cameron had stayed behind on purpose–she was waiting for him.
“Are you doing okay now?” Bradley asked.
Xander had felt awkward about coming back, but Bradley’s question gave him an easy out. He scratched his nose and sneaked a glance at Cameron. “Yeah. I’m good.”
Bradley just smiled and didn’t push further.
Elijah, meanwhile, was completely tuned out. He was deep in his math problems, focused on tracking down the mystery solver. That was all that mattered to him–everything else was just noise.
Cameron sat back in her chair, her eyes cold as she looked at Xander walking in. “You’ve got fifteen minutes. Pack up and go.”
Successfully unlocked!
Xander shot her a glare. “Cameron, don’t push, or
Cameron replied ftly, “What, can’t take the loss after making a bet?”
The fire in Xander’s eyes instantly fizzled out. He clenched his jaw. “Fine. I’ll move.” He thought, ‘A loss is a loss. Whatever. I‘ Il leave‘
1/2
Chapter 34 Don’t Push It
Xander grabbed his blanket off the bed, rolled it up, and stormed out with it in his arms. At the door, he turned back and looked at Cameron. “You played me from the start, didn’t you? All that fake weakness crap was on purpose.”
Cameron didn’t even bother looking at him.
Xander stood there, speechless, thinking, ‘Damn this smug little bastard.‘ He shut the door hard behind him.
Elijah frowned at the sound of the door slamming.
Bradley adjusted his gold–rimmed glasses and glanced at Cameron. “You hate him that much?”
Cameron answered calmly, “Hate’s a stretch. He picked the fight. I just cut the draina.” She figured that if they weren’t sharing a room, there wouldn’t be any mess to deal with.
Bradley chuckled in approval, “You might be the first person at this school to actually put Xander in his place.”
Cameron smiled faintly as she looked at him, asking, “Brad, does that even matter?”
Bradley nodded. “You’re right. It doesn’t.”
They were still talking when someone knocked on the door. Bradley and Cameron exchanged a glance.
Then he stood up to open it and froze when he saw who was standing outside.
