Crush

Chapter Twelve

Clay was livid, his face almost purple with rage. "And leave you to pick up where you left off? I don't think so."

"Actually, I was referring to the damage you're doing to your friendship with her right now." He looked at me. "Cami, was I forcing you to do anything?"

I blushed and shook my head. "No. It was probably more the other way around—me forcing you to do something you didn't want."

Hunter placed his hand on my arm. "You weren't forcing me. I'm going to leave you here so you can discuss things with your friend. Are you okay with that? I'll stay if you need me."

I blew out an exasperated sigh. I didn't want him to go, but I knew Clay and I needed to have this out. "I'll be fine."

Hunter stood and grabbed his camera off the ground, glancing between Clay and me. "Text me later, okay?"

I nodded, watching him as he walked away. I waited until he was out of earshot before I spoke up.

"You have the worst timing ever. What possessed you to come barging out here like that?"

He joined me on the mat, hunching over dejectedly. "I didn't like what I was seeing. I was running something to another teacher, and I saw you two walking together, emerging from a hidden corner, him wrapping his arms around you, taking pictures. I knew he was after you. Do you see it now?"

"What you saw, Clay, was me trying to coerce him, not the other way around. I wanted him to kiss me."

"Why?"

I gave a choked laugh. "Because I like him. I thought that was obvious."

"He's a player, Cami."

"No, he's not. You're the one who's placing that label on him."

"The whole school says the same thing." He looked at me incredulously.

"And what does the whole school say about you? Does that mean it's true?"

His face fell as he considered my words.

"Do you know why I've been friends with you all these years?" I asked.

He shook his head.

"Because I like you. I don't care what anyone else thinks about you, I think you're fabulous. I don't care what anyone else thinks about me, either."

"You care what he thinks about you," he replied, loosely gesturing to where we could still see Hunter's retreating figure walking across campus.

"I do, but only because I like him. I can tell you right now that yes, he has his hang ups. I know he's not perfect, but I like him, and I don't care what anyone else says about him. I'm going to form my own opinions."

He stood up and faced me. "I don't understand. You claim to like me and know me, then why can't you see what's right in front of you?"

"What do you mean?" I knew where this was heading, and I wished there was some way I could correct the course.

"Have you really been that blind? I'm crazy about you, Cami. I have been for years." He stalked away.

"What about Marcy?" I asked grasping at straws.

He snorted. "You want to know about Marcy? Fine, I'll tell you. She isn't real! Just a figment of my imagination made up with the hopes of making you see me in a new light!"

My head was spinning. "What? That's not true. I've seen the texts she sends you. You were talking to a real person!"

"Yeah, my cousin, Shannon, agreed to play the part to help me out. Nothing like getting a little lovin' from a relative, is there?"

I was going to be sick. "Why would you do that? Why not just tell me how you felt?"

"So I could go through the humiliation I'm experiencing right now? Gee, I don't know . . . let me think!" He shook his head in frustration. "You claim you know me, but you couldn't even see what was most important to me—you! I've done everything I could think of to make you notice. Just when I thought I was finally getting through, then Hunter comes riding up on his white horse and snatches you up and carries you off into the sunset. I waited too long."

He dropped back down mournfully beside me, sliding his hand up my arm, over my shoulder, until he slipped it around behind my neck. "Please, pick me instead, Cami. Let me be the one who holds you in his arms and stares at you like that. I love you. I have for a long, long time."

I was frozen by his declaration, glancing at my clasped hands as I fumbled with what I should say. I looked up just in time to see his lips before they pressed against mine. He slipped his hands to both sides of my face, holding me there until I pushed him away.

"Please, Cami," he pleaded with tears in his eyes. "I've wanted you for so long."

I looked at him, feeling tears of my own and wishing there was something I could say to make him feel better. "I can't, Clay. You've been my very best friend, but I don't feel that way about you. I'd still like you in my life, but I think maybe it would be best if we spent some time apart from each other for a while. There's a girl out there for you somewhere. It's just not me." I stood, my heart twisting in knots. "Sorry. I'll call you if I want to talk."

I walked away, unable to look back and see the devastation I knew was written on his face.

"I don't want another girl, Cami!" he called after me.

I burst into tears and started running.