AMELIA

Trickling down the stairs after getting ready, I meet up with Malia and Garrett there. They've packaged breakfast, which I'm grateful for because I haven't eaten since the tea and pastries I had at the teahouse yesterday evening.

The latte I take a sip of is sufficient to revive my system. It's so good mainly because it was made by the perfect machine in the kitchen. Only now, while approaching Garrett's car, does Malia notice its superiority.

"What is this?" Malia gasps shockingly, gaping at me.

"I know, right?" I laugh.

"Literally the best cappuccino I've ever had," she remarks, humming and nodding in satisfaction, and brings the cup to her chest after another sip.

Now I know I haven't been exaggerating it. It is just worth the hype.

Pulling the back door open to get in and let Malia take the passenger's side so she and Garrett could get more closer, she then looked over to me as though something had just dawned on her. "Hey, hey," She lets go of the door and comes snatching me by the arm.

I am confused.

"Where are you going?" Garrett wonders from his side of the car.

"Girls talk," Malia dismissively informs him, distancing us from the guards and Garrett, who keep their scrutiny fixed on us.

"What is it?" I ask, curious and dumbfounded.

"Don't let his flirting with me fool you," she says.

"Who?" I wonder, and her eyes signal toward Garrett, now focused on his phone.

Oh please. Now that's her greatest concern? Trying to convince me of this?

She's too cute. I don't buy it.

"I overheard him talking on the phone, and Cam was telling him to keep you close and find the woman who came."

No way.

Blinking, I watch her, frozen in my head, thinking about how to get out of this. Of course, he will have people watch my activities, and the best solution isn't to come off defensive by calling him and arguing. That's only going to exacerbate things. He will know something is wrong and that I was lying. All that needs to happen is for me to play ignorant and avoid Helen in any possible way now that I know he's at my tail watching.

"Just play cool. Thank you for telling me." I hug her, and we return to Garrett with prominent smiles on our faces that he couldn't suspect anything beyond normal.

He drives us towards school, Mateo and Adam following behind in their ride. While on our way, I saw the message Helen sent of the address. It says at the bottom for me to please consider going to Jake.

A lot of emotions are coming at me in mild force. I shove my phone into my bag and open the windows for fresh air, ignoring the stares of the two in the front row from the rearview mirror, wondering why I'm letting cold inside.

***

It's another usual day at school. Everyone is starting to get used to the actuality that Cam settled for me, but not coming to terms with it. The hateful glances are still there so is the constant whispering in my presence. I just mastered the ability to ignore them and concentrate on my studies, mostly when Malia and Isaac are in most of my classes and I don't have to feel isolated.

Historical research and writing is the second class for the day, and it has just started. The woman who's the professor was earlier talking about primary sources, but I don't know anymore. I'm between my friends, bored and lost in the class discussion, doodling in my new textbook the whole time.

I feel a pat on my lap. It pulls me back from my zone out. I sigh, looking at Isaac, who wants to tell me something.

"You okay?" He asks with care, and I smile. He must have thought I was emotionally disturbed and overthinking.

I nod an answer with a hint of a smile, assuring him it's nothing like that.

"Look at this." He says, and then I notice he's holding out his phone to me.

"What?"

Absent-mindedly receiving the phone, I could bet it was those comedies on YouTube shorts. He just wanted to boost up my mood.

Politely smiling at him, I take my eyes back to the screen only to identify Cam's side profile, incensed, towering, and being held back by securities, with purple eyes and Michael with a smirk on.

Fucking hell!

Then it pops up to my head the class isn't even quiet. Was the professor done? My eyes wander to find out, but they find her. She's right there, not speaking anymore.

Everyone is watching something on their phones, and I can swear it's the video in my hands.

Cam couldn't have involved himself in a physical altercation at the first press conference, could he?

It's not something impossible to happen. I just hope he didn't. There are rules for these things. Ufff Cameron.

"Fuck!" I'm terrified. I can't swallow. "Can I have your earphones?" I plead with Isaac, and he hands them over. My hands are shaking when I drill them into my ears.

The video was posted in less than fifteen minutes, but it has over a million interactions. I tap to play, and it begins playing from the beginning when Cam, dressed in casual but hot all-black outfits, comes in with his crew from the opposite side, and Michael in an elegant suit, flaunting his champion belt over his shoulder.

They sit on each side of their spaces behind the backdrop, a microphone in front of them for the conversation. The earlier questions start flowing smoothly, both the men answering about their preparations, until Michael is asked by the press what his strategy of defeating Cameron was and his answer comes off as mocking.

"I do not actually need a strategy to knock that little kid out cold. I don't even know how Rodriguez lost to him, but it's embarrassing. He left me in this situation with the kid who was dedicating his win to his high school sweetheart. You took her to prom yet?" He turns to Cam, waiting for a reaction.

With the spotlight sharpened on Cam, the crowds of press flood Cam with questions.

Cam's eyes are bore at his wriggling hands. He smirks to himself. "I heard it took you over six years to stand face to face with real men and fight for a title at the start of your career, but in the span of a couple of months, the little boy you say, is already doing what you couldn't."