Page 23 of Love On Time

“Okay.” The room falls into a heavy silence. “Goodnight, Cami.” His voice is barely audible, tangled in his emotions.

I squeeze my eyes shut, using my pillow to help drown out the sound of my tears. “Goodnight,” I whisper back after catching my breath.

CHAPTER 10

Drew

7 YEARS AGO

It’s the last week of school before summer begins. I just finished my final exam of the year when the bell starts to ring, echoing through the classroom. Instant relief floods my system. I've managed to keep up my 4.0 grade point average all year. Now that I'm about to be a senior, it's my number one priority to keep my grades up and lock in a football scholarship from UCLA. I swing my backpack over my shoulders and navigate my way towards the student parking lot.

“Drew!” a voice calls from behind, catching my attention. I slowly turn to find Cami, emerging from the crowd of teenagers.

“Hey,” I say as she catches up to me, slowing my pace to match hers. “Everything okay?”

“Do you mind if I catch a ride home?” She asks.

I haven't driven Cami home in weeks, she usually just goes to the library after school with Anthony.

“Of course, Cami, always.”

We walk the rest of the way to the student parking lot together, talking about our finals and how ready we are for summer break. She has gotten more comfortable talking to me over the past couple of months, and it's nice to see her come out of her shell a little more.

When we reach my car, Cooper is already leaning against the hood, waiting for us.

“Well, look who it is.” Cooper teases, grinning as he sees Cami approaching the car.

“Decided to skip the library today?” he asks as we all climb into our seats. I slide into the driver's seat, twist the key in the ignition, and pull out of the school lot.

“It’s the end of the school year, Cooper, why would I need to go to the library?’ Cami’s voice fires back from the backseat.

“Oh, I don't know, maybe to make out with your boyfriend behind the bookshelves.” He laughs. I shoot him a glare from across the console, silently telling him to cut it out.

“I don't have a boyfriend,” she whispers.

Cooper’s head snaps around to face the backseat in pure shock. I mimic his reaction, my eyes darting up to find her in the rearview mirror. Cami is turning bright pink, but she holds my gaze through the mirror for a second.

“What did he do?” Cooper demands, his brotherly instincts kicking in.

“I broke up with him,” she says casually, shrugging her shoulders.

A massive smile forms on Cooper's face. “About time!” he says happily, spinning back around in his seat. “What made you finally do it?”

“I didn't really like him.” She says, looking out the window. “We are better off as friends, and he agrees.”

“He was a bad kisser, huh?” Cooper teases, laughing at his own joke.

I reach over and smack Cooper across the chest. “Be nice.”

“I don't have anything to compare it to, so I wouldn't know.” She says quietly. My eyes shoot up to the mirror again.

“Don't worry, sis, one day you’ll know what it feels like to be really kissed.” He gives her a playful grin. My stomach does a flip at that statement, a vivid image of my own lips pressed against hers flashing through my mind. I quickly shake off the thought.

“Whatever,” she says, entirely annoyed by her brother. I don't blame her, he’s annoying me at the moment too.

We turn onto our street, and our conversation halts at the sight of a moving truck. Finally, the empty house in the cul-de-sac has been sold. We all look out our windows, trying to catch a glimpse of the new neighbors. Right as we begin to pass the driveway, a blonde emerges from behind the ramp, holding a heavy brown moving box. She looks to be about our age.

“Holy shit, who is that?” Cooper shouts, practically jumping out the window, trying to catch a better look.