“Hi,” he says, stepping up to me.
“Hey Cameron,” I reply. I can’t see his eyes but I know he’s staring straight at me. An awkward silence travels between us and I nibble on the inside of my cheek.
After a few minutes, Cameron speaks. “You headed to class?” he asks.
“Yeah, I’m headed that way,” I reply, stupidly pointing in the direction Cameron was walking.
“I’ll walk you,” he says. He adjusts his bag that rests across his chest and we start walking.
I decide to make small talk in the hopes that it will squelch the awkwardness. Or maybe it’s nervousness. But why would I be nervous around Cameron, or him around me? “How did the rest of the swim meet go?”
Cameron grins triumphantly. “We won of course, it was a no-brainer.”
“Congrats,” I reply, smiling.
“Of course you’d know that if you were at the party on Friday night, but you weren’t.”
He sounds disappointed? No, he can’t be. Could he?
“Uh, yeah, sorry about that. I had other plans. But I’m sure you had just as much fun though.”
We stop outside my class and I notice that Cameron looks nervous for some reason. He turns to face me, rubbing the back of his neck. I’m about to say goodbye when he speaks first. “Hayley, I…” he hesitates. “I wanted to know if you’d like to go out with me?”
I stare at him, a little taken aback. I did not see that coming, that’s for sure. “Uh.”
He chuckles, “Not quite the reaction I was hoping for.”
Shaking my head, I reply, “Cameron, I don’t know. I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
Instead of asking me why he simply grins. It’s confident. “Well, that’s never happened before.”
“What?” I ask. “A girl’s never said no to you before?”
“No,” he laughs. “But that’s fine. I can be pretty persistent when I see something I want.”
I fold my arms over my chest. “Oh, really?”
“Yes ma’am,” he replies. He starts walking away from me, turning to face me as he walks backwards.
“I’ll just ask you again tomorrow.”
“And what if I say no?”
He laughs again, saying, “I’ll keep asking you until you want me so bad you’ll say yes.”
I shake my head, watching him walk away, and just when I think the conversation is over, he shouts, “I will get you to go on a date with me, Hayley Tanner, even if I have to ask you every day for a month.”
Heads turn and I blush from the attention. It’s the girls who stop and stare at him, looking back and forth between us. I walk into class, an idiotic grin on my face. There’s no way he’d ask me out every day for an entire month, and even if he did, I doubt I can say yes. I would have to tell him about Ari and I’m not sure if I want to. Not out of shame, but out of fear. It would take someone special to want to be with me, because I have Ari, and I’m just not sure Cameron is that guy.
Chapter 7
~ October, 2013 ~
~ Hayley ~
We’re sitting in the cafeteria. Hannah and Noah are arguing, while Cameron and I watch, amused. Over the last four weeks, I’ve become close friends with them. We spend every free moment together when we’re on campus and my days are more interesting with them around. I’ve also spent more and more time with Cameron and I’ve found that there’s more to him than the cocky facade he hides behind. He’s also delivered on his promise to ask me out every day and he hasn’t been subtle about it either. Every time he’s asked me he’s done something a little more ridiculous than the time before and more often that not, I’ve turned beet red from embarrassment. I thought it would stop, that he’d get tired or give up, but he wasn’t kidding when said he’s persistent. After the first two weeks, people started whispering, spreading rumors about us. I soon realized that Cameron had never done this with another girl before and this made me somewhat unpopular amongst the female student population.
“Seriously, Noah, you’re such a pig,” Hannah chides, smacking her brother on the arm.
Noah shrugs, a smug look on his face. “What?” he asks. “I can’t help it if the girls find me irresistible.”
Hannah rolls her eyes. “I don’t know why. You eat like a pig, you’re a complete slob and you’re a total man whore.”
Noah squares his shoulders, grinning arrogantly at his sister who is clearly very exasperated with him. “You see sis,” he says, putting his arm around her shoulders. “Girls don’t want me for my personality. They want me for my body and what I can do to theirs. Because let’s face it, I’m a great lay.”
Cameron snorts, choking on a piece of his burger, and Hannah looks at Noah with disgust. “I hope you get checked regularly. God knows what you catch with the amount of ‘holes you plug’. I’m surprised your ‘mini-me’ hasn’t fallen off yet, especially after seeing the type of girls that leave your room in the mornings. And let’s hope you don’t knock anyone up.”
Noah sits back, and looks his sister in the eye as he says, “That’s where I’m smart. I have a rule about that.”
“And what’s that?” Hannah asks, skepticism written all over her face. Noah’s dark hair, matching Hannah’s, falls into his eyes and he brushes it away.
“Well, it’s quite simple,” he replies. “Up the bum, no babies.”
Hannah’s mouth drops open and Cameron howls with laughter. I start laughing next to Cameron but cover my mouth when Hannah glares at me.
“Ugh, you really are gross. I can’t believe we are even related.”
Noah pats Hannah on the back. “You still love me sis.”
“Well played dude,” Cameron says next to me, giving Noah a high-five.
“Thanks,” Noah smirks.
I glance down at my watch. “C’mon, Han, we have to go,” I tell Hannah.
I stand up but Cameron grabs my hand and pulls me onto his lap. His one hand stays wrapped around my wrist, while the other rests on my hip. His closeness is wreaking havoc on all of my senses. My yellow sundress rides up my thighs and my skin tingles where it makes contact with the rough material of Cameron’s jeans. His hot breath hits my neck and I have to clench my muscles to stop the shiver that wants to run down my spine. His stormy eyes meet mine and I see a smile playing at his mouth.
“Go out with me,” he whispers. “Put me out of my misery.”
Out of all the ways he’s asked me out, this has to be the best. He lifts a finger, tracing it from the soft spot below my ear down to the hollow of my neck. He seems oblivious to the eyes that have now fallen on us, and it feels like the cafeteria has grown completely quiet. Everyone’s watching us.
Deciding to be brave, and play Cameron at his own game, I lean in close, our lips almost touching.
“No,” I breathe.
He grins and I can see the challenge swirling in the depth of his eyes.
I climb from his lap, feeling my head swim. He drives me crazy and I’m sure he knows it. I accidentally knock my bag over, causing him to chuckle. Bastard.