Starting Position

Chapter 34

When I found Cambrie in the main building the next morning, she and Jake were leaning up against the wall gazing into the other's eyes, and while he fingered her glossy hair, she was running her hand up and down the curve of his shoulder. I couldn't help but smile at their obvious bliss.

"Well, well, well."

Cambrie and Jake halted all displays of affection and turned to me. I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes, trying my best to feign suspicion.

"Look who finally came to their senses," I said playfully.

A huge smile erupted on Jake's mouth as Cambrie's eyes slanted.

"I always have my senses, thank you very much," she sniffed, and then planted a kiss on Jake's cheek.

"You just choose to ignore them sometimes," Jake said.

I laughed as Cambrie nudged him. They shared another look, both smiling endearingly. 

"When did this happen?" I asked.

"Yesterday," Cambrie said and leaned herself against the wall alongside Jake. "It was straight out of a movie, Ell. I dropped all of my books coming out of Psych and Dreams, and Jake was right behind me – helped me pick up everything and we – well – talked."

I raised my eyebrow.

"Well, talked at first, and then, you know." Cambrie returned her gaze to Jake, her cheeks deepening slightly . I could count on two hands the number of times I had seen Cambrie blush. 

"You can stop there," I said with my hands extended in front me, warding off any information not suitable for my ears. I, unlike Cambrie, blushed quite easily.

"I did want to tell you thanks, Elliot, for the other day – when we talked." Jake looked remarkably sincere. 

Through a grin, I said, "It was nothing."

Cambrie narrowed her eyes once more, attempting to solve some great mystery.

"Wait – what? You guys talked about me?"

"Who said it was about you?" Jake said, crossing his arms in an attempt to be serious. 

As I looked at Cambrie and Jake, who were now knitted together and laughing, it was as though everything was right at this moment in time. Cambrie and I had managed to overcome our disagreement, and I felt we were stronger because of it. She let let go of her past and found happiness, and I suddenly felt the desire to do the same. 

The air changed suddenly. The next few moments happened fast, and I tried to process them as quickly as I could, but it was like trying to focus and follow a flittering bug in the wind.

Tyson, who had appeared out of nowhere, had someone cornered against the wall and was yelling obscenities. And when I found who the person was, all the air was swept from my lungs. Ben was behind Tyson and the distance separating them was shrinking. The people around them were scattering like someone had a weapon. 

Everything pieced together, and my eyes focused on the pair of them.

"Finally, you want to talk back, eh? Gonna stand your ground – that is, if standing isn't too much work for you." Tyson's chest was puffed and heaving, his face plastered with an evil sneer.

"Just leave her out of it," Ben said, meeting Tyson's stare.

"I saw you two at the party, fumbling around with each other. So, what is it – she taken a soft spot to you after your little get togethers at the library? Or does she just feel sorry for you?"