I'm pacing. No, it's more than that. I'm carving a whole valley into the kitchen floor.

What the actual hell happened?

Camden kissed me. Like, really kissed me. In the hall. In front of everyone.

He kissed me. And then he left, like he didn't just completely turn my world upside down.

Because he did.

He freaking flipped everything on its head with witnesses in tow without a single explanation, leaving me to finish out my school day in a complete cluster of confusion.

Why would he kiss me? Why would he do it in front of everyone? And why is he so freaking good at it? No. Nope, not one of the questions that needs an answer, especially not right now.

I spent the afternoon completely distracted at practice, which is not at all like me. And now I'm pacing my kitchen like a frenzied lunatic waiting for him to show up and explain himself.

My dad mentioned that Cam would be spending the next few nights with us while his uncle is away on business. It's nothing new. He's always crashed at our place when his uncle is gone, except, as he's gotten older, I started to chalk it up to him wanting to hangout with Jare. Now that it's just me and Dad, I couldn't help but wonder if he'd still come around.

When I hear the low rumble of his Jeep pulling into the driveway, I halt my quickened steps, glancing at the front door and changing my direction. I head straight down the entry hall, reaching for the handle and swinging it open before Cam even has a chance to finish his ascent up the stairs.

Those gentle emerald eyes meet mine, a sparkle dancing across them when he offers that smile he throws around like confetti. "Hey, Kenze," he casually says, nodding his head my way and sailing straight past me.

Hey, Kenze?

That's it? That's all he has to say?

Picking my jaw up off the ground, I spin on a heel, marching straight after him. He's made his way to the fridge, opening it up and pulling out a bottle of orange juice like he didn't just assault my mouth with his a few hours ago.

I wait, watching as he shuffles to the side, reaching up into the cupboard and pulls out a glass. Untwisting the cap, he proceeds to pour himself a tall glass of juice and immediately lifts it to his mouth, taking a large sip. It's not until he's downed half the glass when his eyes meet mine.

"Did you want some?" he asks, lifting his glass in the air to match his curiously raised brow.

"You're joking, right?" I drop my voice, waiting for him to break this whole innocent act and get to the point.

"You don't want one?" he asks again, holding out his glass to help clarify what he's talking about.

"You kissed me, Cam," I put the words out there, cutting the crap and forcing him to face what the hell happened.

He takes another sip, casually shrugging his shoulders and setting his glass on the counter. "I kiss lots of girls."

"Don't be an ignorant ass," I stop him, taking a step forward and making sure his eyes stay with mine. "You kissed me. In the hallway. Why?"

"You needed-"

"Try again," I cut him off. "I didn't need rescuing. I'm not one of your damsels."

He laughs, shaking his head in amusement. "No. You most certainly are not."

"Then why did you attack me with your mouth?"

"Attack you with my mouth?" He's still got a ridiculous smile across his face. "That's a bit dramatic, don't you think?"

"Cam." I step forward, lifting a hand. "You kissed me in front of the entire senior hall. Do you realize what you've just done?"

"Kenze, I clearly haven't a clue why this is such a big deal, so you're gonna have to spell this one out."

"Like it or not, you have a reputation. One that involves girls leaving undergarments behind as souvenirs."

He laughs, which only raises the heat flourishing my chest. "This isn't Disneyland," he jokes, the sly smirk dancing across his lips.

"Everyone is going to think I'm one of your random hookups!" I yell out, trying to make every word perfectly clear behind the veil of utter frustration. My outburst has that smile of his dropping. Part of me wants to apologize for losing my cool, but the other part, the part that knows what's waiting for me in the halls of our high school, is shaking in panic. I take a breath, calming myself before continuing in a cooler tone, "After everything I just went through, the last thing I need is to look like some charity case."

"No one is going to think that."

"No?" I question, lifting my brows. This is all so simple to him. He has no freaking clue what this all means for me. "One minute I have a boyfriend, the next he's cheating on me with my best friend, and now I'm making out with my brother's best friend? Not to mention that kissing you...the rumors won't stop at just kissing, Cam. You know that just as well as I do. And that's not what I want, to be the new flavor of the week, your charity case. It's not who I am."

A seriousness falls over him when he takes a small step forward. I can see the weight of my words finally hitting him. "I didn't think—"

"No, you didn't. So, I'll ask you again. Why did you kiss me?"

He hesitates, the gentle orbs of his gaze fall to his feet as he runs a hand down his face. "I wanted to help," he says quietly, slowly bringing his eyes back up to mine. "They've been all over each other since you caught them together. And now they're nominated?" He throws a hand out, letting it slam against his thigh with a clap, the sound matches that drop in my gut. It's the same one I felt standing in that hall watching them celebrate the moment that should have been ours. "I don't know, Kenze. I guess I thought if you could show them you're over it, that you've truly moved on, that maybe everyone would stop looking at you like—"

He stops himself, his eyes searching mine as the words stay trapped behind that solemn gaze.

"Like I'm broken?" I ask, letting the realization cascade over my shoulders. It's within that very word that I've begun to find the shattered pieces of myself, scattered across the floor aching to stay hidden.

"You're not broken, Kenze." He quickly steps forward, reaching a hand for mine. I can feel the rough ends of his fingertips running along the back of my hand when he pulls me closer, lessening the space between us and bringing something unexpected to my chest. "And I'm sorry," he whispers, the gentle ease of his voice feathers its way across my lips. "I really didn't think past shoving it in Adam's smug face that you never needed him in the first place."

There's something beating rapidly between those gaps separating my ribcage, a ticklish flutter rattling everything that's supposed to be locked up tight.

"I get it," I relent, pushing a breath from my lungs and taking a small step back, pulling my hand from his and running it through my ponytail to feel something other than the pulse of his fingers against my skin. "I do. But kissing me once in the hall isn't going to make everything better."

He's watching me, a flurry of thoughts fluttering past his eyes. I don't know exactly where we put this. I don't know what the hell is waiting for us at school tomorrow. And I'm assuming the reality of what he did is beginning to hit him too.

"What if it's not once?" he asks.

Or not.

"Have you not been present for this entire conversation?"

"Hang on," he says, holding up a hand. "Hear me out for a sec. What if we pretend to date?"

He can't be serious. "You don't date."

"Exactly," he agrees, as if that answers all of my questions and explains his ridiculous idea. "Think about it," he continues. "If we make people believe we're a couple, then you won't just be some random hookup. And you sure as hell won't be a charity case if you become my girl."

"You realize you sound insane right now, right?"

"Maybe. But it might actually work."

He's not completely wrong. I hate that he's not wrong right now. And to show both Brittney and Adam that I've moved on, found someone better, there's nothing that can top that. But... "It's your senior year, Cam. You can't waste it fake dating me."

He takes a step forward, taking back the space I took a moment ago. There's determination sparkling across his eyes. "Listen. I'm the one who kissed you in the hall today. I'm the one that made this into something. Let me be the one to fix it." That look of his turns mischievous when the corner of his mouth tips up, that cocky smile fully intact. "Not to mention, I can't wait to see loverboy's face when I've got my arm around you in the hall."

This is absolutely ridiculous. And wrong on so many levels. This is Camden Beck. The boy I met at the Community Center when we were kids, bonding over tragedy. The same boy who has grown up spending nights at my house when he couldn't stay alone. The very boy who became best friends with my brother.

"I'm sorry," I finally speak up, shaking my head. "I can't do it. There's too many factors that make this far too messy. I'll figure something out that doesn't involve your mouth ambushing mine."

"Kenze-"

"Camden!" my dad interrupts, sauntering into the kitchen, effectively pushing that space back between us as we both take a step back. He walks in with a clueless smile, as if he didn't just cut into the craziest conversation I've ever had. When he steps closer, he slaps a hand on Cam's shoulder, smiling when he says, "I'm so glad you came to stay while your uncle is out of town. I got us some steaks for tonight. What do you say we fire up the grill, huh?"

Cam's eyes stay with mine for an added moment, that hazel glisten lighting up the room. There's more he's begging to say, more he's hoping I'll give in return. But when his eyes leave mine, shifting over to my dad with a smile, I know this topic is buried for tonight.

"Yeah," he says, nodding back at my dad and taking a step away. "Let's get to it."