Page 20 of Love On Time

We are standing in Cooper’s kitchen, and he pulls two water bottles from the fridge, handing one over to me. His phone chimes on the counter.

“The guys are going out for pizza tonight, want to⁠—”

The doorbell cuts off his question. From where I’m standing, I have a clear view of the front entryway as Mrs. Benson walks over to open the door.

“Hi Anthony, you look nice!” she says, stepping aside to let him in. He’s holding a small bouquet of flowers. Is he taking Cami on a date? Jealousy starts to flood my chest.

“Thank you, Mrs. Benson. Is Cami ready?” He asks, looking way too comfortable in this house. My eyes start to narrow.

“Cami, Anthony’s here!” she calls from the bottom of the stairs.

I stay half hidden where I’m standing in the kitchen, gripping my water bottle so hard the plastic creaks.

“Did you hear me?” Cooper asks.

“Uh… Yeah, pizza sounds good!” I say, bringing my attention back to him.

A minute later, I can hear Cami’s footsteps coming down the stairs. She is looking down, adjusting the straps of her dress, her soft brown curls tumbling over her shoulders. She should bring a sweater, it's cold outside, Anthony better have one for her. Once she makes it to the bottom of the landing, she looks up, her gaze landing on mine. Her eyes go wide, utterly surprised to see me standing in her kitchen, all sweaty.

“Hey, Cami! You look beautiful.” Anthony says, handing her the bouquet of flowers. She looks away from my stare, offering him a sweet smile. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yeah, let me go put these in water real quick.” She says. I take a sip of water to disguise the scowl on my face.

Cami walks into the kitchen, trying to keep her eyes from straying in my direction. Cooper flashes her a big smile.

“Cami and Anthony are sitting in a tree. K-I-S…”

“Shut up.” She cuts him off, rolling her eyes. “Can you have Mom put these in water for me?”

“Sure thing, sis. Have fun!” He wiggles his eyebrows at her.

Her eyes fall to mine for a brief second, and I give her a small smile goodbye.

We meet our friends at a nearby pizza parlor. It's their usual hangout spot on the weekends. I’m trying to stay present, engaging in conversations with the guys, but my mind keeps wandering. I want to know where Cami is and when she will be home. Vanessa and her friends walk into the restaurant and head for our table, sliding into the booth between Cooper and me. He wraps his arm around Vanessa’s shoulders, whispering something in her ear, and she starts to giggle. They aren't dating, but they are constantly flirting.

“Drew, I was hoping we would see more of you after the season ended,” Hannah says, batting her eyelashes.

“I know, I’m sorry,” I say, giving her a small smile.

“You have my phone number, right? You should take me out sometime.” She says, biting her lip. A sinking feeling settles in my chest, Hannah is beautiful, but she’s not Cami. I seriously need to stop thinking about her, it’s never going to happen. Maybe I should take Hannah out on a date.

“Yeah, I do. I’ll text you.” I say.

Her eyes brighten, and she scoots in closer to me.

It’s 11 PM and I’m standing in my kitchen, the house is dark and my thoughts are overwhelming me. I keep picturing Cami walking down the stairs and the way Anthony touched her waist, guiding her out the door. Where are they? Why isn't she home yet?

Minutes later, headlights beam through my blinds, illuminating the room in a soft yellow glow. I walk over to the window, carefully peering out. Anthony’s car pulls up to the curb in front of her house. He cuts the engine, but the headlights stay on for a long, agonizing minute before they decide to open the doors. They are standing on the sidewalk talking closely. She is hugging her arms like she is cold. Anthony has a sweater on, why didn't he give it to her? Has she been cold all night?

He wraps his arms around her, pulling her into a hug. He is saying something in her ear, and she starts to giggle. My stomach feels sick, I need to look away. He pauses to look at her for a brief second, and then he pulls her into a kiss. My heart sinks, and I slam the blinds shut, no longer able to watch her with someone else, and walk up the stairs to my room.

I lie awake, tossing and turning. I kept a small opening in my blinds to see if Cami would escape to the roof. But she never did. The roof stays empty, and her room stays dark. Disappointment and jealousy settle in my bones. She wasn't looking for me tonight, she didn't need the roof.

CHAPTER 9

Camille

DAY 3: WINE & WIND DOWN