Fatal Obsession (BxB)

S3:C20; Criminal's Mind

A smile tugged at my lips and I shrugged even though I knew the psychology teacher couldn't see me. "I'm manifesting, Bryan. Speaking what I want into existence," I said honestly. "I've been meditating, praying, and I've been begging the universe for him. He'll become mine again. Soon."

"And what if he doesn't?"

"He will."

"Why are you so sure?"

"Because I know he cares about me. He fought with Erin and myself everyday because he hated how manipulative she was with me. He didn't like how she said or did certain things to keep me wrapped around her finger. He cared about me enough to try to get me out of my toxic relationship."

"Cared," Professor Davis repeated. "Past tense. He doesn't care about you anymore, Cooper. And didn't you tell me that you realized he was manipulating you, shortly after being locked up? Guilt tripping? Using certain words and doing certain things to keep you focused on him?"

"But it's okay that he was doing it because his intentions were good. He wanted me to be happy and move on from my mom."

Bryan merely sighed again and I could tell he had scratched his beard from the dry, rustling sound it made through the phone. "You and Cameron are not dating."

He left a long, silent pause after that.

"You never were. You didn't cheat on him, he didn't cheat on you. You need to stop talking about him as if you two are currently a couple, or were ever one."

My face balled up into a frown but my lips stretched into a wide grin. "Why does it matter to you so much how I talk about him? He's just another one of your students, isn't he? You don't have any special kind of relationship with him, do you?"

"Although it's not any of your business, I do prefer talking to Cameron more than any of my other students. He's smart, he pays attention to my lessons, and he can keep up with my notes... And I like his clothing style... He bounces from business, casual, cozy, street, and some combinations of them all... It's always a surprise. I think it's very nice." The Professor said as if he were imagining Cameron and admiring the memories of his past outfits.

I felt slightly agitated and jealous that so many people were getting to see Cameron's style while I couldn't, but I reeled in my angry feelings upon reminding myself that he only wore thick sweaters that covered all of his scars. Nobody saw those, I had bet myself. Cameron was probably still super self-conscious about them. There was no reason for me to get so upset; his scars still belonged to me.

"What, you mean all the turtlenecks that he styles? He just wears them to cover up his failed attempts of suicide."

"I'm not talking about his turtlenecks at all, actually. He hardly wears them anymore—even as it gets colder," Bryan said as a matter of fact. "He wears more of his boyfriend's clothing than his own, really, as the year gets colder. Warmer days, he wears short sleeves, flannels, ripped jeans, and whatever clothes he likes from his boyfriend's closet."

"He..." I inhaled sharply and sighed, rubbing my forehead with the bottom of my palm. "He hates how he looks. He doesn't wear short sleeves. Why are you lying to me?"

"Two years you've been locked up," Bryan said simply. "Cameron's found freedom in your imprisonment. He's found himself, he's found love, and he's found a real best friend that cares about him, Cooper."

"Giorgi doesn't give a fuck about Cameron, Bryan. He's only pretending to like him because Cameron wanted me first. Giorgi's a whiny, sensitive little bitch with neglect problems. Because his parents never gave him the attention he wanted, he feels that he needs to get it from any and everybody else—and so he stole Cameron's attention and affection from me."