Chapter 19
CHAPTER 19
S eniors
Cameron
Three and a half years later …
“I can’t believe it. We’ve made it through four years of this shit,” I say as I sip at my beer.
This place is a hidden gem. About a year after Maribel and I became friends, we found this secret rooftop spot on campus. We meet up here at least once a week.
“We’ve made it through three and a half. We still have five more months. Don’t jinx it,” Maribel says.
“You have a point. God, these last few months are going to take a bite out of my ass. I can feel it.”
“At least you don’t have some sleazeball waiting to marry you the moment you graduate.”
I grind my teeth and work my jaw. I hate it when she mentions that guy. He doesn’t deserve her. If it were up to me, he would never have her.
I take the joint from her fingers and take a puff. After the day I’ve had with my mama, I need this smoke session. It’s my last semester, and more and more, I’m not sure I want to go to the majors, so I don’t give a fuck if I lose eligibility at this point.
Besides, Garrett was right. They never test the stars. They always find some way to keep us from having to take those random drug tests.
I’ve been smoking for the last two years and never have I had to take a random test. Maribel only started smoking after busting me up here once. I guess you can say I’ve corrupted my sweet northern friend.
“If only I could figure out how to stick around for another year. Heck, I’d take a semester or two.”
I chuckle. “You should talk to Dakota then. I still don’t know how she fucked her credits up and has to do another semester.”
“But she gets to walk with us, right?”
“Luckily.”
“I might have to talk to her. I’d do anything to buy myself some more time.”
“What would happen if you were already married?” I muse.
“Ha. What are the chances of that happening?”
“You never know. You have a whole five months. Anything could happen.”
“Bro, I would love to see the look on his face,” she snickers. Then she sobers up. “He’d probably try to kill me and my husband.”
I blow smoke out the side of my mouth and nod. “Right, Cuban Mafia and all that.”
“The corporation, actually. More cartel than Mafia, to be honest,” she replies.
“All the same shit to me. I play baseball, darlin’. I’m not trying to kill anyone or force women to marry me.”
“Speaking of which, are you going to enter the draft? Have you talked to Kay about it yet?”
I frown and hand her back the joint. Kay has been acting weird. We didn’t really hang out much during the break.
When we did, we didn’t talk much. She would initiate sex and then make up some excuse for why she had to take off. With the draft coming up, our daddy didn’t feel like we needed the time off. He shelled out a ton of money on trainers for the winter break, so I didn’t have time to give any of it much attention.
Instead of telling Maribel all of that, I shrug. “It’s my life, my decision. I’ll be fine either way. The only difference it makes to her is how big a trophy wife she gets to be.”
“I would hope she’s with you for more than the money.”
I wrap an arm around her neck and hug her to me. I then kiss her temple and inhale her sweet scent. She always smells so fucking good.
“You’re the only one who loves me for me. I could throw it all away and you’d still love my bum ass.”
“You sure about that?”
“No one knows me like you do. I’m pretty positive.”
“I mean, we can’t afford for you to be a bum. You’re up against a gangster. We’ll need money to evade him.”
We burst into laughter. “I sure as shit better not enter the draft in that case. I wouldn’t want to expose us.”
“I wish,” she pouts and rolls her pretty eyes.
“We have a few more months. Something will change for us.”
“Well, nothing has changed yet. I need to head home and answer the asshole when he calls.”
She stands and kisses me on the cheek. I look up into her eyes, eyes I’ve come to know so well. She smiles and pushes her hand through the front of my hair.
“Love you, Cam.”
“I love you too, sweetheart. Same time, same place?”
“I’ll be here. That shit was trash. I’m bringing the weed next time.”
I roar with laughter. “I miss Garrett and his guy.”
“Ugh, I know. Why did they both have to be seniors? I think you’re right. This year already bites. The next few months will probably be more of the same.”
“As long as we have each other, we’ll make it through. Maybe this semester, we won’t have to hide our friendship.”
“That shit must be kicking in, or the beer has soured your brain.”
I scowl and look away. I can’t help feeling like she’s ashamed to be my friend. I understood in the beginning, but it’s been three and a half years.
She cups my chin and turns my face back to her. “Why would I want to let the world in on our perfect bubble? You know I’d fight a bitch over you. Do you know the kind of ass whipping I’ll have to do if these girls on campus knew how close we are?
“Besides, you know I have a sneaking suspicion that Dez has me watched while I’m here. It would kill me if something were to happen to you because of me. It’s best if we keep things the way they are.”
“One of these days, the world will know how much you mean to me and I’m not going to deny it for another second.”
“ Cameron Perry ,” she drags out and bites her lip. “Good night. See you around campus.”
“See you around campus, Mina. Text me when you get home.”
The days of me walking her to her door had to end after freshman year. Cal and I broke out that first season and everyone knew our names and faces. We can’t even meet up at our favorite Chinese place anymore.
Maribel usually grabs our order when we want to eat together. She has become my greatest secret. In another life, I would shout from this rooftop that she’s one of the most important people in my life.
Maribel
I swipe at my tears as I text Cam that I’m home safely. It’s getting harder and harder to spend so much time with him. I’m completely in love with him and yet I’ll be leaving to marry someone else soon.
I didn’t mean for that to happen, but we’ve been best friends for the last three and a half years. It’s kind of hard not to fall for someone who completely has your back when you don’t have anyone else.
Taylor is still a good friend, but I’ve never shared my deepest, darkest secrets with her. She moved into the dorms full time sophomore year when she got a roommate who was much kinder than her first one.
I hope she gets that lucky again this time. Her roommate from the fall semester dropped out. She’s been stressed all break about her replacement.
I’m too attached to my privacy and have continued to live at my cousin’s place. Ximena’s apartment might as well be mine. She’s never home and even allowed me to change some things around.
My cousin has become a friend when she is here. I will forever be grateful to her. She lends a listening ear when she’s around, but that’s not often.
“Hey,” Ximena says as I walk into the apartment.
I jump, startled out of my thoughts. She laughs and shakes her head. I sigh and kick my shoes off.
“Hey, I didn’t know you were going to be home. I didn’t get your text,” I say.
“I forgot to text. My flight was canceled at the last minute. I couldn’t find another to work, so I came home to hang with my little cousin.
“You’re graduating soon. I’m going to miss having you here. I’m thinking about getting rid of the place,” she says.
“I’m going to miss it here. I wish I could stay.”
“You’re welcome to as long as you want. Just let me know and I’ll hold onto the place.”
“I wouldn’t want to put you out any more than I already have. Thanks for the offer though.”
“You haven’t put me out one bit. You actually did me a favor. The offer stands. I got pizza and wine. You in?” she says with a smile.
“Yeah, I’m going to hop in the shower first, if you don’t mind.”
“Take your time. I promise not to polish off the bottle.”
I laugh and wave her off as I head for my room to strip and gather my things to take my shower. I’m moving slowly as I think over my conversation with Cam. We tell each other that we love each other all the time, but I don’t think he means it like I do or knows how much I mean it.
I’ve never disrespected his relationship with Kay. Although I’ve always thought he could do better. She just sounds like everything is about her.
He loves her, but I don’t think he’s in love with her. If not for the pressure from his mother and hers, I don’t think he would still be with her. However, I read something in his face tonight when I asked about her.
It could be my stupid heart wanting something I can’t have, but Cam just sounded over it. I do my best to stay out of their relationship. It’s not like I can offer him what he needs.
Not that the chemistry between us is gone. We have plenty of that. Cam and I could light a city with the electricity that runs between us.
That’s what’s been making things so hard lately. I’ll be leaving to return home and Dez is there waiting. These feelings I have for Cam are only making my future seem more bleak.
“Why can’t you just stay away from him?” I say as I stand under the spray in the shower.
I have a ton of reasons to stay away, Dez being only one. I know Cam better than he knows himself and yet I know he’s still keeping secrets from me.
I’ve never pushed because I have no right to all his thoughts or his life. When it comes to Cam, I’m happy to have a friend I can talk to on those days when I feel alone in all of this.
I step from the shower and wrap myself in a towel. Before I can get my clothes on, my phone rings. I know right away it’s Dez. I don’t fight him on these mandatory nightly calls because he did back off some after freshman year.
“Hello,” I answer the phone.
“Good evening, Maribel. How is my fiancée doing? How was your day?”
I roll my eyes. I don’t get what the act is for. I already know who he is.
“It was fine. I’m getting ready for bed.”
“Did you receive my email? What do you think about the venues I sent over?”
“I didn’t get a chance to look them over. Today was busy. I had to get all my books and things for class.”
“Um, I want to hear your thoughts. I thought we could use one for the engagement party and the other for the wedding.”
“I’ll have a look before I go to bed. Hey, my pizza is getting cold. Can I talk to you tomorrow?”
“You’re eating pizza before bed? Careful, Maribel. I remember that tight body from when we met. I hope you haven’t ruined it in the last three years. I would hate to have to push the wedding back for you to go on a diet.”
Gah . I silently scream into the mirror. He’s such a fucking asshole.
I have to bite my tongue to keep from saying something smart. Maybe if I return a hundred pounds heavier, he’ll leave me the fuck alone. That’s it, I’m going on a beer and pizza diet.
“I’ll be fine,” I mutter into the phone instead of telling him off.
“Circumstances have afforded you time to get this all out of your system. However, I look forward to claiming all that is mine. I count down the days until you’re with me.
“I trust you’ve remained my good girl. Sleep well, Maribel. We will be together soon.”
I hang up and make a gagging sound. There isn’t enough pot for me to smoke to make me okay with calling that man my husband. Cam is right; I have at least four more months to figure this out. If I can figure out how Dakota pulled another semester, I might be able to swing at least a summer session.
There has to be a way out.