𝐓𝐢𝐤𝐓𝐨𝐤 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩 || #𝟏

Chapter 41

Noen doesn't say anything and slips away like he was never here. I am left staring at the empty pages, clogs turning in my brain.

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Eva Trend P.O.V

"Everyone," Cash announces at dinner.

I'm picking the broccoli on my plate, barely looking at anyone.

"Paige and I are official," Cash smiles.

Sarah looks as if she's seen a ghost. Her fork clatters onto the table and she picks it up quickly.

"C-Cash," Sarah stutters, wiping her fork, "I thought you and me were—"

"We weren't anything," Cash frowns, "you don't even like me."

Sarah gasps and chugs down a big glass of water like it was alcohol.

"I-I do," Sarah reasons, "see? I'll prove it! I love you!"

I can see tears forming across her ocean blue eyes and her shoulders are shaking violently.

"Then why didn't you tell me that earlier?" Cash says harshly, "like three years earlier when I said I liked you?"

"Do you know how weird it is to have a girl who's two years older than her boyfriend?" Sarah says lamely, "Cash, I've always loved you, even before you hit it big."

"Are you sure about that?" Cash's voice wobbles for the first time.

"I love you!" Sarah sobs uncontrollably.

"As if!" Paige hisses quietly.

Sarah shoots her a dirty look and turns her attention back to the troubled boy.

"I love you," Sarah says again, clearer this time.

Cash frowns at her. Paige holds her breath. Sarah thinks she's won because a small smile starts to spread across her face.

"I think we both know you're fooling yourself." Cash says emotionlessly.

Sarah scrambles out of the room with her hand cupped over her mouth. Zoe shoots Cash a dirty look before running after her. Danielle rolls her eyes and walks out the door, annoyed she has to comfort her friend. Jacob follows Danielle while singing his 'break up with your boyfriend' song.

After a while, everyone leaves. I'm about to sulkily run out the door before Paige stops me with her arm. I turn to face her.

"I'm sorry," She says softly.

"What?" I mutter.

"I'm sorry," She says louder, "I'm really sorry for being such a brat the other day."

She offers me a smile but I can't smile back.

"What's wrong?" She asks, her face falling, "Did I do something wrong? If I did, please tell me—"

"It's fine," I grunt.

Her smile evaporates.

"Eva, I know what I did was inexcusable. I was angry and I took it out on you. I had no right. If it makes you feel better, I took your advice and I talked to him. It's all thanks to you that we sorted things out and..."

Paige stops when sees I'm not listening and looks at me worriedly.

"Eva," she says gently, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing," I seethe.

"Fine, if you don't want to ever be friends again I—"

"It's not you," I cut in, "it's just something that's really bothering me."

"Tell me."

"Leave it."

"Tell me."

I give what I hope is a loathing look. When she doesn't budge, I take a deep breath.

"Payton only dated me because of a bet." I say as casually as I can.

The waterworks have been activated.

"Eva," Paige hugs me, "I'm so sorry."

I want her to hug me and I want to push her off at the same time. At the end, I settle with a half, one-sided hug. Paige shoots a venomous look at the inconspicuous Payton.

"Why have you broken up with him yet?" she exclaims.

"I don't know, I just... I guess a part of me just hopes all this is a sick joke."

Paige gives me a calculating look.

"Is this why you've been moping?"

"Please don't do anything," I beg her, "I'm sorting it all out, I promise."

"Watch me," she frowns and stomps right up to him.

I watch in horror as she swings a punch at him. It would have hit him too if she wasn't distracted by the fact that Brooke and Noen were fighting viciously.

"I'm sorry!" Brooke screeches at the top of her lungs, her eyes blazing, "but it's in the past!"

"It doesn't matter if its in the fucking past!" Noen screams back, "I knew you were messed up back then, but seriously! That's low, even for you!"

"Everyone makes mistakes!" she yells, "I told you the truth! Would you rather I lie and say it wasn't me? Would you have the guts to do the same?"

"So this is about us now? Not about the lives of the people you could have ruined?"

"At least I tried to right a wrong! That's what counts! I said sorry!" Brooke booms.

"Sorrys don't fucking mean anything unless you can change what you did!"

"Tea," The guide watches happily with a bucket of popcorn in his hands.

Noen snatches the bucket and dumps it onto Brooke. He watches in satisfaction as bits of corn slide down her hair. Paige squeaks in horror. The guide takes one look at Brooke's thunderous face and runs off.

"You did not just do that." she hisses.

"We're done." Noen says, turning away.

Brooke catches his arm and looks him dead in the eye. The moment's so intense I shift uncomfortably.

"You take that back."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"What part of 'we're done' do you not understand?"

Brooke smiles sadly.

"Noen," she says softly, "I know you. You're not angry because of what I did. You're angry because you're scared, and you can't admit it. I know. I understand. I feel the same. So please stop trying to run away."

For the first time, a type of vulnerability and fear enters his eyes. Brooke's gaze softens. She lets her guard down too fast. Noen hardens again and he looks at her emptily.

"We're fucking done," Noen spits, leaving a popcorn covered Brooke in the middle of camp.

Paige gasps and tugs at my sleeve.

"You go help Brooke and I'll try to calm Noen." she says calmly.

We share a brief smile and I make my way to where Brooke is standing. She looks up and her clear blue eyes are rimmed with red and puffy. We just stand there staring at each other for a bit.

"Brooke—"

"Don't. I need to be alone."

She trudges away, leaving me truly alone.

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