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The boys are already talking nonsense after a few drinks, and they are still responsible for supervising the freshmen all through today's community service. It will be fun to see how it will work out for them.

"She's coming, she's coming." Layton, positioned between Garrett and me, slaps our arms and recomposes himself as best he can.

I don't know what is his deal, but I shake the idea out of my head and take my eyes to Harper. She is walking over to where we are all lounging on a fallen tree. Her joy is evident from her expression, though she's barely wearing anything.

I hate this. Is all this to save my ass worth exposing herself to the creeps staring?

"And they score themselves a party at my place," she squeals, coming over with open arms to hug me.

I got up and slipped out of my jacket, covering her with it. She pouts but doesn't object.

"We did it," she says after a single twirl and she is facing me.

I know she's doing this for a good cause, and I'm grateful. It's the first time someone has done something for me in a while, letting me know I'm not alone. But I wish she didn't go overboard. I'm not paying this year's tuition; it's been a while since I attended any classes. My priorities are making a million to get my mother out of prison and paying Harper's tuition. It's the least I could do after everything I've done. They are the only way of making amends with myself.

I don't say that to her, though. "You did it," I smile at her, not wanting to make her feel down about the effort she put in.

Her smile widens. "It's already afternoon; let's move this to the neighborhood before everyone gets drunk," she remarks, her eyes crossing the boys behind me. "I'll start handing out task assignments to the freshmen, have fun, I will see you later," she lifted both palms and I high-fived them, before watching her leave, running to join her group of friends. It's then that my eyes catch a girl who exudes a feminine aura more than all the girls out here combined.

She's staring at me. It's a good thing, right?

But I catch the sharpness in her eyes. She's standing still amidst bustling students, her gaze filled with hatred, her hands by her sides, clenched into fists.

No!

I head after Amy, but at that moment, she takes a step forward, and she races away from me.

Is this about Harper? She's wrongly deciphering this. Although she doesn't deserve any explanation, she said it herself this morning. I don't know why it still bothers her if she really doesn't care about me.

"Hey, Princess?" I overtake her after a brisk race to the road path that I now win.

She pushes back her hair in frustration, looking up and down the empty road for a vehicle to get away from me.

The last time we did this, it ended up with her in a wrecked car. And what I felt that day. No words can express it.
Let's not do this again.

"Say something?" I press for a conversation, though she's not in the mood.

I will settle for her screaming at me and getting mad at me, but not her silence. It feels terrible because somehow, every time we talk or even fight, it's when I feel whole, because all those times, she is looking into my eyes. And she says hurtful things but it is because she feels them for me. And she only feels them for me because she cared enough to be upset about me.

She challenges me; no one ever does. She makes me go crazy; my blood runs hot. She makes me feel something; I don't know what it is. But I feel something that I learned when she's not near, I feel entirely numb. I feel nothing.

"Amy?" I grab her hand; she yanks away and steps to the other side, pulling out her phone from her pocket, and begins pressing the screen.

"Can't you just give me two minutes of your time?" I beg. It's not what I would normally do, but I want to draw her eyes to mine, even for a beat.

But is it so hard? Why is it so hard? I understand everything is hard, and that I can't get anything I want. That I've screwed up. But just to look in her eyes and see what's in her mind, even if she wouldn't talk, is all I'm asking for.

"Why are you being unfair?" I snatch the phone, and that does it. Although she's furious, she's paying attention to me now. She's looking into my eyes. I felt that warmth.

"I want you out of my life; why don't you get it?" She yells, hitting my chest to reach for her phone. "Cam, do not get on my nerves." She grits, her eyes flaring.

"I am on your nerves already, so you might as well just go on with it. Tell me what I did wrong as usual."

"Give me my phone?" she insists stubbornly.

"No." It's just the two of us; I want to talk.

She exhales an exasperated laugh and turns her back, ruffling her hair in frustration.

"I see Harper had gone above and beyond to please you." She mocks.

Of all the things between us that we can discuss, she chose this direction. But let's talk either way.

"Harper is a good girl. She just worries about me."

She nods, shrugging her lips and staring into the distance. When she turns a bit around, I can see her side profile. "I guess that's why she made your generous plan list," she laughs spitefully.

"What are you implying?" I don't understand.

"She comes over flaunting around; I didn't know she had you in the palm of her hands."

So she's saying Harper is bothering her. "You are jealous?"

She looks over, her nostrils flaring, her breath hitched. "Don't get it wrong. I don't care."

"So why are we talking about Harper? I don't understand when we have a lot to talk about."

"We don't. But I am just curious about why you pay for her school here and the cars she drives. Her clothes too, I am sure. Every single thing she owns." She probes. How did she know that? "Say I am lying." She urges, stepping toward me.

No one knows unless she's been going through my things while I'm away. This is what I really dislike.
"So you're snooping around my room," I say.

"I'm only returning the laundry I did for you," she retorts.

Just great. So great. This is why I hate having guests. I guess she saw everything, all those that aren't her business?