Chapter 27
Chapter twenty-seven
Cameron shut the door to his car and sighed. It was late in the day. Sunlight spilled across the Rosebank mansion, glinting off the white marble fountain gurgling at the center of the circular drive. There were a few cars already parked.
Earlier Gavin had texted him letting him know they were hosting a movie night at their house with an invite to just a handful of the seniors.
As much as he wasn’t in the mood to play nice with Gavin, he did want to see Ebony.
Ever since the semester started again it was a struggle to carve out time with her.
Between his swim schedule and her never ending activities as student council president it was damn near impossible.
Inside, he followed the voices coming from the den.
He couldn’t stop his eyes from traveling upward to the stairs that led to her bedroom.
He thought of her in his bedroom and how he had finally gotten her under him.
The soft feel of her breast still felt like an afterburn on his hand.
That was before fucking Gavin ruined everything.
Swallowing the rage from that memory he went down the curving stairs into the den where everyone else was.
There were about twenty people here, the maximum amount the small in-home theater would allow.
He smiled at a couple of girls that were huddled near the couches and made his way over to the kitchen area where the guys were. No sign of Ebony.
"Hey Cam," Ethan said as he came over.
Ethan was standing at the counter eating gummies out of a bowl while Gavin was leaning back against the counter talking to Zahir, Cameron’s swim teammate.
Seeing Cameron, Gavin nodded and gave him a knowing smirk. He waited until Cameron came over, taking Zahir's place next to him when he spoke. "Ebony is sick. A cold," he clarified. "She'll be down in a sec."
Cameron wasn’t sure what to think of that.
Ever since they all came back from the trip Cameron couldn't figure out the bastard's game. His possessive anger had all but disappeared. He didn’t care that he still tried to talk to Ebony; instead what Cameron got was his continuous presence. If he called her, Gavin was nearby. If he tried taking her out it somehow it became a group fucking outing. It didn’t matter when or where, Gavin was always there giving him that fucking unhinged smile.
Cameron nodded and looked past Gavin into the clear fridge hoping to see a beer or anything to dull his frustration.
He had been drinking a lot more lately more than he ever had but hell if he didn’t fucking need it.
He especially needed one now listening to the guys talk about nothing important while standing next to the cause of all his frustrations.
Cameron pinched the bridge of his nose and shut his eyes.
The last time he’d stood this close to Gavin, it had been in the gymnasium the other day.
It had been a pep rally for the upcoming basketball game.
Pep rallies weren’t his thing. Too much noise, too many people pretending to care.
Unless someone dragged him into it, he’d rather be anywhere else.
Except for that day. That day was something special.
That day Ebony was taking the floor. The school band was supposed to be performing but the drummer was out sick.
Desperate, the band had turned to the student council for help and now the whole school was being reminded of the small fact that their school president could play the drums. Both he and Gavin had stood side by side near the bleachers as she took the sticks from the student vice president, Taylor.
While the rest of the band was looking a little nervous and speaking in hushed tones away from the mics, no doubt finalizing some last few details, Ebony was speaking to Taylor and tapping away on her tablet.
"What do you want to bet she is doing something completely different right now?" Gavin spoke for the first time.
Cameron couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. "Yeah. She's probably confirming catering for prom and writing a welcome guide for next year's student council at the same time."
Ebony sat down and the band got into position as the vice principal ended their speech about the oncoming game.
There was a beat of silence and then she began.
The sharp snap of her sticks cracked through the stillness, followed by the deep thud of the bass drum as her foot hit the pedal in time with the beat.
The sound was steady and rhythmic. Each beat rolled out sharp, its building force reverberating through the gym.
Both he and Gavin groaned as they recognized the beat of the song. It was Masked Gods because of course it was. Her absolute favorite band. They probably only convinced her to cover their ass by dangling one of their songs in front of her like a tempting carrot.
As the guy began to sing into the mic, Cameron turned to Gavin with a confused look and was surprised at the annoyed look on his face. "Just how much does she like this band?"
"Too fucking much. Trust me." His expression was harsh and his bright demon eyes were somehow a little colder as he said that.
Was he jealous? Of a band?
As the music hit a fever pitch and her curls bounced wildly around her face, her hands moved in precise, calculated chaos.
The lead singer had no choice but to put his all into the song, chasing the punishing rhythm she’d set.
The band might have signed up to play for a pep rally but now they were pouring every last ounce of their souls into every note.
The effect was contagious, the massive crowd in the stands roaring with approval. Cameron wasn't sure if it was because of the music or the fact that their school's usually reserved princess was displaying a rare and chaotic talent. Regardless, pulses were racing and excitement was overflowing.
But Cameron barely heard it. He was no longer watching her. He was watching Gavin.
His friend. His enemy. Normally so cool, controlled, and always five steps ahead, was just standing there, stunned. The kind of stunned, wide-eyed expression that slipped past every wall Gavin usually kept in place.
Cameron's pulse still spiked at the memory and his gut churned. Gavin had looked at her like he’d forgotten how to look at anything else. He looked at her like a man who would move heaven and earth just for her.
He looked at her like a man in love.
"Hey, Ebbs," Ethan's greeting pulled him out of his memory and back to the present.
Cameron looked up to see Ebony walk into the room.
Cameron wasn’t sure whether to laugh or go over to her in worry.
He had never seen her look so…small. Dressed in baggy sweatpants and a t-shirt, her curls were thrown up into a messy ball and her face was partially hidden by a medical mask.
Her eyes, the only thing he could properly see, were tired.
Like a light that had been turned onto its dimmest setting.
"Hey," came her tired reply as she shuffled into the room with Taylor close at her side.
Not caring what anyone said, Cameron went over to her, flanking her other side. "Oh shit, you really are sick."
Swallowed up by the baggy clothes,her eyes scrunched in a wan smile. "Yeah, it’s just a little cold."
"Tell them how you got the cold." Gavin came over, wearing a grim smile as he looked at her.
Everyone in the room turned to look at Ebony expectantly.
Ebony sighed, waving him off and continued walking toward the theater room while everyone slowly followed. "It's no big deal."
Gavin made a noise in his throat as everyone filed into the room.
Just like a mini movie theatre, the room had stadium seating and plush reclining couches.
"Seems like a big deal to me. Maybe working two food drives back-to-back out in the rain and hardly getting any sleep wasn't such a good idea.
" And this time Cameron could hear the tightness of anger in his words.
Even though people were talking around them while Taylor was setting up the movie it was all just theater. Every person was listening to the exchange with rapt attention.
Ebony ignored Gavin and sat heavily down in the closest seat.
Looking up to Cameron her eyes lit up over her mask in a wordless invitation.
Cameron didn’t hesitate. He had told himself on the drive over he was going to find a way to sit with her no matter what.
Now the opportunity was being handed to him.
He slid into the seat, casual like he belonged there.
He wasn't going to look at Gavin but he couldn’t stop himself.
Would there be that violent shift of jealousy in the air of?
Would he say something? Bracing himself, he looked at him.
But Gavin didn’t say anything to him, he wasn’t even looking at him.
His unnaturally bright eyes were still glaring at her from their exchange.
Finally, he looked over to Cameron and handed him a bottle of water and a bag of cough drops.
Something in his gut twisted as he took the items. The silent request to look after her.
His forethought. His consideration. All of it.
It all hit him like little needles piercing his confidence from every direction.
The lights dimmed and everyone hushed as the speakers in the walls vibrated with the cinematic music.
Cameron looked over to her. From the small portion of her face visible above the mask, he could see her fatigue.
This wasn't what he had wanted. He wanted to put his arm around her, to remind her of the chemistry they had.
And if that meant making Gavin jealous as fuck in the process so be it.
The movie, a space horror movie that was still in theaters, played across the screen but he could hardly focus on it. Next to him Ebony had sunk deep in her seat and was drifting in and out of sleep but for her occasional coughing.