“We did. He said it was a mistake and I absorbed his words like charcoal does gas. There is nothing more to be said. Things almost feel like they’re back to normal again between us, so don’t stand here and try to tell me that the little fit he just threw over a pass that wasn’t sent his way had anything to do with me. Trust me, it didn’t.”
She tries but is unable to hold her thoughts in. “I just think this is, or that it might be, a little hard for him is all.”
“What exactly is hard for him, Cameron?” I step up to the counter, quickly ordering a drink, and she does the same. We pay and step into the little corner to get away from the others waiting.
“The fact that I cried over him for months or the fact that I’m not anymore?”
Her shoulders fall. “Ari, that’s not fair.”
“Not fair is being the one who skipped out on first college experiences with her twin because she knew his best friend would be there sharing those times with him, and she couldn’t stomach the thought of being so close to him. Or how about leaving her own best friend to do those same things, things they talked about doing together for years for the same damn reason?”
Tears brim in her eyes, and I shake my head, gripping her hand. “I’m not upset, Cameron. I made the choice. It was all on me, and I didn’t want to drag you through it with me. I was fucked up for a good minute, and I didn’t know when I’d feel better, but—”
“But now you do.”
My lips curve to one side, and I nod. “Yeah. I do. My brother isn’t mad at me anymore, or at least he’s not acting like it, and Chase and I can be in the same room without a giant ball of tension circling us. Everything feels good. I just want to focus on that.”
Cameron blinks rapidly to hold back her tears, but this time, they’re not sad ones.
She laughs lightly, looking up at the sky as she sticks her tongue out. “Uh, I hate when you’re smart and logical and shit.” She smiles, throwing her arms around me.
The barista calls our order. We grab it and head out the door.
“Let’s blow off the trip to the pub with the boys, eat ice cream for dinner, and watch some trashy TV, what do you say?”
I throw my arm around her, and hers falls over my shoulder. “I say it sounds like a solid plan.”
“Fuck yeah, it does.”
So, that’s exactly what we do.
“So these little FaceTime calls” —Noah grins into the screen, whispering— “you might not want to tease me like before.”
“Oh yeah, and why is that?”
Noah holds in a laugh and his eyes lift over his screen. In the next second, a very familiar voice shouts from somewhere, “That better be my sister you’re smiling at, dick.”
I drop back on my bed with a laugh and a dramatic eye roll. “Of course, he’s your roommate.”
“He’s playing most of the first quarter tomorrow, so I wanted to try and run over some more things with him without everyone else around.”
I fly up, my mouth agape. “He’s starting?”
Noah grins. “Yeah. We’ve got a game plan we think will trip them up, so we’re running with it.”
“My brother is starting in a college game tomorrow?!” I jump to my feet, running for Cameron’s room and stubbing my toe on the way.
“Owe, shit!” I laugh, pounding on her door, barging in a second later.
She tears her headphones off her head, her eyes wide in panic.
“Mason’s starting tomorrow!”
“What!” She jumps up, fumbling and falling to the floor, but pops up instantly.
“I know!”
We squeal, hugging.
“Ah shit, you told her, didn’t you?” Mason’s voice fills the line, and I quickly look back to my screen in time to see his head pop up beside Noah’s.
“Holy shit!” I smile, stomping my feet.
“I know.” A proud chuckle slips from him.
Tears find my eyes and a playful glare blankets his face. “Knock it off.”
We laugh, and I inhale deeply.
“Oh my god, Mase. You’re going to rock it.”
“Love you, girls.” He beams.
“Love you.”
Mase disappears and I squeal at Noah, whose soft eyes are glued on mine.
“I’ll let you go to sleep now,” he says quietly.
“After this news? Yeah, right! I’m going to try and reach my parents. I think it’s daytime in Germany, but I failed history twice, so I could be wrong.”