AMELIA

My phone keeps ringing in my hand ever since Isaac and Malia gave me a ride home, and I drag my legs into the quiet house, pour myself a drink, and sit on the couch, my head preoccupied.

The twentieth time Cam calls, I muster the ability to accept.

"Hey, Princess, where are you? Why aren't you picking up my calls?" He speaks worriedly.

"I got home."

"You left?" He confusingly asks. "We planned to leave together."

Yes, we also planned to stay honest with each other, but I guess we both lied.

"Are you okay?" He presses curiously when I delay responding.

"Uhm...Yeah."

"Okay, uhm..." He drawls warily, he likely feels something is wrong, "I will be there in some minutes."

The call ended and I remained seated, unable to stop the tears streaming down my face. I'm not sure if it's guilt weighing on me for what I did to Harper because it's completely out of character for me. Back in high school, even though I wasn't part of big groups, I never would have betrayed my schoolmates. We had an unspoken understanding; regardless of our personal feelings, we handled our own affairs without involving adults. But now, I've shattered that principle ingrained in me, and it hurts so bad. Then there's Cam, whose betrayal hurts even worse.

For a while now, I've thought I could trust him. He said I should, he made me feel at ease like this day wouldn't come. We'd lay together and it would feel like nothing would ever go wrong. But thinking now, I realize I am a fool. I am the one who fell in love. I am the one who handed out her heart; he never put his for me on the table. Of course, he will cheat.

Fucking idiot me!
I hate how naive I am.

Ten minutes pass, and another ten come around too. I am sightlessly staring into the distance, my mouth dry, and my body weak when the front door makes a clicking sound, signaling the arrival of someone, Cam to be precise, since he's the one with the key and who I was expecting to be here.

He comes in sounding like he cares, but now I do not believe anything that will come out of his mouth. He's proven his silver-tongued, he'd sweet-talk a person into believing him easily. He played me.

What was I thinking? That a person like him will change for me?

What if Erica and Ivy weren't really lying but Cam deceived me into turning a blind eye to the truth set in front of me? Because now with all that I learned, I feel like the possibility of those girls saying the truth could be a lot higher.

"Princess?" He calls, rushing in and looking around the place. It isn't hard for him to notice me. The lamp is on beside me. I'm curled up on the couch, swaddled in a crochet blanket, with a drink in my hand, looking like a mess.

"Amy?" He says again, sounding befuddled now that he is staring at me. I could feel the intensity of that stare.

Breathing, I turn to him, attentive so I can study his reaction. "I will ask you a question, and you will answer me honestly because I know the answer, Cameron, I just want to give you the chance to come clean to me now." I want to hear him say it, but if he lies to my face this time, then I know he's not any better than Jake.

"What happened?" He asks, his brows furrowing.

"Cameron, have you been cheating on me?" I spill out the question burning in my chest, and more tears drop from my eyes.

"What? What's this?" He exhales, his eyes dissembling cluelessness and bewilderment.

Liar, he is pretending.

"Answer me, Cameron," I yell, yet he maintains his fake demeanor, making me look like I am crazy and attacking him for no reason. "I will not tolerate being your pawn. I've been in the same situation before. You of all people should understand. Why will you treat me exactly the same? Do you really have to make me your next victim?"

"No! No no no." He scoffs, his eyes wild, he dashes toward me, but I do not want his fake embrace. I held out my hand at him, and he stopped immediately at it. "Do not come near me."

"What are you talking about?" He retorts, frustratedly, looking sad. That too, I believe is fake. He's probably getting satisfaction from my pain.

"You know what I mean." He should just admit he has been seeing her behind my back, making a fool of me, who thought I was his only one like he is to me.

He rubs his face, his hands going up into his hair. "Amy, if someone has tried getting into your head like before, you should know by now that they're just trying to break us apart, but there is no way I will cheat on you. I hate that we are talking about it because you don't trust me enough to realize it." Veins are popping up around his neck.

I've known him well enough to recognize that he's acting.

"Oh really?"

"It's only been you ever since we met."

Oh, more lies!

"That's what you said, but you also saw Harper today so you are lying. I don't believe anything you say because you'll only defend yourself." I grumble with so much anger. My heart hurts, throbbing in my chest.

"Amy, I-" He has nothing to say now that he knows I am not wrong. He looks away without finishing his reply, clenching his jaws.

Yeah! That's what I thought.

I am right all along. He is cheating on me.

Fuming, I sink back on the couch, swallowing bitterly as I watch him looking remorseful over there.
"But do not stress, I've handled it for us. You said it is me you want, isn't it? I thought, why let another woman be deceived, so I helped Harper as any woman would." I smirk at him and his eyes come back to me, blinking as he tries to comprehend.

"What does that mean?" He curiously asks and I shrug my shoulders and lips. "Amy, what did you do?" His breathing is getting erratic, his chest rising and falling as he eyes me strangely. I don't understand.

"Why are you all worked up?" I confusedly ask.

Is Harper worthy of all these emotions?

"I am not kidding with you, tell me now." He yells psychotically, kicking at the end table, causing the lamp to crash off balance. I am too angry to be scared of his behavior, so I rise up, challengingly instead.

"What? You scared for your mistress?" I mock, feeling more tears burning in the back of my eyes.

"AMELIA." His hands fly up, but I know he can't touch, so I watch him shudder like he's been punished, and turn over, banging the wall repeatedly instead.

He's such a waste of time. I wasted my time on an asshole. All this reaction for Harper, and he dares to do it right in front of me.

To hurt him more as I am feeling, I wipe my tears, fold my arms, and grumble spitefully, "Chill, I just went to her house, and talked to her parents. I guess from now on she's out of our way."

"You what?" He breathes, turning to face me. For the first time, tears fill his eyes.

It is scary.

"You heard me." I slowly say, feeling the agony in my core like I am losing my life.

"No!" Cam rubs his chest, then his neck, and finally his eyes before the tears can fall. He is breathing laboriously.

"Why are you looking all distressed? Aren't you ashamed? You are crying for her?" I cry, my voice breaking.
He never cried for me.

"I-I have to go get her." He speaks to himself thoughtfully.

"What?"

"I-I have to go before they take her away." He looks up to me, telling me this time.

What?

I am not able to utter anything next when he spins on his heels.

"Cam? Cameron, where are you going?" I confusingly follow him for he is not stopping.

He is taking long steps towards the door, rushing out of the house, and approaching his car.

"Cameron, stop it." I chase after him but he is not waiting for me. It is like he is another person, he is a stranger to me now. He hops into the car and takes off, recklessly.

His tires screech against the ground as he drives away, the sound gradually fading until the night resumes its quietness.

I need to follow him.

"What the fuck?"