One More Year

Chapter 7

"Maybe collect shoes and you'll find someone into shoes as much as you."

Penelope throws me a sharp look my way as Natalie scrunches her nose like she tasted something unpleasant, "I'm not so much into shoes like Penelope and Austin."

Penelope gasps and opens her mouth to say something and closes it right away making her look like a fish. Natalie and I giggle at her reaction as hers turn into a beet red.

"He's really nice." She lifts her knees and planting her forehead on them.

Natalie turns to me and places her elbow on the mattress and resting her chin on her hand, "Cam's nice too." I scoff, making her giggle, "He's not nice to me and he's barely nice to Penelope only because it's obvious she's shy and has Austin to protect her, but he's really nice to you, Liv. The times I've seen him with Zoey, he's not like how he is with you."

I want to blurt out that he has moments when he can be nasty and a part of me believes it's because he remembers that it's fake and he doesn't actually have to be nice to me. But I can't tell her that.

I sigh heavily, "He is nice."

She smirks now and lifts her eyebrows suggestively, "Have you thought of losing your V card to him yet?"

My eyes widen and I see Penelope do the same as I shake my head, but Natalie just lays on her belly and folds her arms in front of her, laying her cheek on them.

"He's known to be one of the boys at the parties to be fooling around with. When Zoey's there, he's typically off-limits, but when she's not, girls are throwing themselves at him and he doesn't stop them. He's really nice, if he's not getting some on the side then you found yourself a keeper, but I really hope he knows what he's got and doesn't break your heart, Liv." She says it so sad and I know it's because of how much she chased Zach, but it still hurts thinking about him doing anything to go out of his way to hurt me.

Penelope's eyes are still wide and she shakes her head disapprovingly. I wish I could just feel like I'm doing a nice deed for a friend and see Cam as a friend, but I just find him highly attractive. I can't, not while having him so close.

After having dinner at Natalie's with her parents, Penelope drives me home. I pass my parents who are cuddling on the couch watching a movie with pizza and wine on the coffee table. Apparently, they had a stay-in dinner date.

I go upstairs and take my dress out of its bag and smile, feeling jittery. I really hope Cam likes it. My phone vibrates in my pocket. I pull it out and I see Cam's name light up. My butterflies tend to fly around my belly and I answer it before it goes to voicemail.

"Hey," I say it in question because he never calls.

"Woah there. Don't get too excited." Humor and sarcasm lace his voice which only calms me a little.

"You just never call. Especially on weekends." I close my bedroom door and walk to sit on my big pink bean bag in the middle of the room.

"I just..." His voice sounds defeated and I get the feeling of wanting to hug him. He needs a hug, "It's been a long day. I like talking to you, even when you start talking about all the boring shit you learned in class."

A chuckle escapes me because when we're eating lunch, I tend to be more comfortable talking about things I actually know. I can always see how bored he is with the information I dump on him, but he listens anyway.

"Do you want to talk about your long day?"

He's silent on the other end, making me pull my phone away to see if he's still connected. "I'll feel like a little bitch."

I stifle another chuckle that wants to escape, "I promise not to tell anyone, Cameron Percy, talks about his feelings."

I sense his smile when I just get an, "Okay." For a second I think I'm going to have to tell him to talk to me, but he sighs heavily before he continues, "Mom found Nash's stash of weed in his room." I actually don't know what to say to that, but after a pause he continues, "She's a single mom. My dad's not so much in the picture so it takes a toll on her when she's doing her best to do good by us and we only keep disappointing her."

"Cam, she's your mom. Even after disappointing her, she will still love you both." I lay all the way back on my bean bag.

"She locked herself in her room, Livy. I heard her crying." His voice takes a turn as if scowling at himself.

"Cam..." I press my hand on my chest. It physically hurts to think of his situation. I'd hate to see or hear my mom cry. "If you want to change and stop feeling like a disappointment to her, then do something to help her. I'm sure she'll appreciate it."

He stays silent for a bit before his voice softens up, "Thanks, Livy. Tell me about your day."

He wants to know about my day? Should I think more of this?

"I went dress shopping and found the cutest dress for homecoming."

I hear rustling in the background and I close my eyes imagining him settling in his bed, "I'm excited to take you."

I actually pause for a bit. Am I hearing correctly? Can he actually like me?

"Yeah." I clear my throat, "Thanks for taking me. I don't think I would've gone after I quit cheer. The nice friendly girls I met on my first day of cheer have turned really nasty and mean."

"Don't pay too much attention to the popular kids at school. They're annoying and envious of each other. They don't even know what they want or like half of the time."

I bite my lip considering if I should ask, "How did you get all those girls to like you if you're not considered one of the popular boys?"

He laughs loudly on the other end of the phone call and I'm grateful he can't see me now that my cheeks are getting red from embarrassment. I shouldn't have asked.

"Am I not likable, Livy?" His tone is teasing, but there's something else laced there.

"Sometimes."

"Sometimes?" I hear more movement on his end before he adds, "What can I do so your answer can change to 'always likable'?"

I contemplate telling him to be nicer, but that would change how he really is.

"Just keep being yourself, Cam."

He stays quiet for a bit again before answering, "Thanks for talking to me, Livy. It was nice hearing your voice on the weekend. I'll see you at school?"

"Yeah."

We hang up and I'm immobile from my position on my bean bag. He really can be sweet when he wants to. Letting him go and be with Zoey is going to be the hardest thing I'll ever have to do. My heart is totally going to be broken when all of this is all over.