"Do you have everything?" Cameron asked as he took my suitcase and flung it into the back of his car atop the mountain of equipment.

"I think so." I scraped the asphalt with my shoe, feeling the thin layer of ice on the surface. The late afternoon sun hung low on the horizon, allowing the chill to spread its icy fingers. My excitement helped to keep me warm as I couldn't stand still for a second.

Cameron made sure that his gear was secure and closed the trunk. "Great, let's get going. I hate cutting it close to airports. Always makes me nervous."

I almost smiled at that. It was difficult to imagine Cameron being anything but calm. He'd always appeared laid back whenever I'd been around—all easy smiles and effortlessly kind. However, I was still subdued after my late night thoughts, and not yet ready to let go of my problems waiting in the red brick building behind me—I couldn't laugh, not when Gabriel might've been watching. He would misinterpret the situation.

Cameron revved the engine and steered the car toward the highway. "Did I drag you away from any important parties this weekend?" He reached for his sunglasses lying between the seats and placed them on the bridge of his nose.

"No. Didn't have any plans actually."

"Really?" He sounded surprised.

I gripped the handle beside me, clutching tightly. "Not much of a party person these days."

"Why not?"

We moved into heavier traffic, and I almost asked him to focus on his driving—not because he was a bad driver, but to prevent him from talking. He would see right through my strained smile if he continued.

When I didn't answer, he gave me an apologetic shrug. "I hope your boyfriend isn't too upset with me for stealing you away like this."

I closed my eyes and counted to five. "He's fine with it." Another lie. It tasted sour on my tongue—almost rancid.

"Good. Didn't seem like the guy to cross. Does he play football or something? I was surprised he got through the door with those shoulders that first time we met."

I swallowed down my unease. This was not a topic I wanted to delve deeper into. Even so, I had to answer something, otherwise my silence would worsen the situation.

"He's got a scholarship."

"Well done Adam's boyfriend." He paused. "What's his name again?"

"Gabriel." Saying his name was enough to tighten my chest. I wished I could ask him to change the topic. Anything would be better than this.

"So, what's he doing this weekend then?"

I knew he asked to be polite, and also perhaps to break my silence, but he wasn't helping.

I fumbled for the right words, or rather, the right kind of lie. "He's visiting his parents."

"Good timing."

It was a nonsense answer, but I was glad he'd ran out of questions about my boyfriend. I didn't even know if he was my boyfriend anymore. Forcing the thought away before it consumed all traces of happiness, I stared out of the window and watched the houses we sped past. They all looked alike—a typical suburbia sprawling at the outskirts of the city. I wondered if the wealthy residents had to keep up appearances sometimes, or if they lived their lives without complications.

Cameron moved on to other topics, and the farther we drove, the calmer I became. It was as if the added distance between me and the source of my problems helped to keep them at bay. Soon, we were talking as if nothing was wrong. Cameron had this talent for helping me to relax in his presence—as if hanging out with him was the most natural thing in the world. He didn't judge me, and he kept things light even if he seemed to care beyond what was required. He demanded nothing which was a stark contrast to Gabriel.

Cameron stared out of the car window and pointed, making me clutch the seat belt as he drove a bit too close to the car in front. "We'll go to a place that looks a bit like that one, but it's run-down rather than renovated."

When Cameron finally noticed his car's reflection in the bumper ahead, he slowed enough so I dared to have a look. Frowning, I wondered why anyone would want to pose in front of a factory.

"It's a pretty rough part of Chicago, so make sure to keep an eye out while we're there. The models will bring security, but I can't really afford extras while we're setting up."

"Okay." I eyed Cameron. He could definitely defend himself, but I was as scrawny as they came. Gym never agreed with me. "I won't be much help if something happens."

He laughed. "Don't worry. I'm sure we'll be fine. And, I didn't hire you to be my bodyguard."

I chuckled. "You don't say."

Judging by the grin on his face, he agreed.

* * * *

Two hours later, the plane took off with a deafening roar. When it finally leveled thousands of feet above the ground, I relaxed in my seat and gazed out of the small window. It was a cloud-free sky, and despite the setting sun, I could see the landscape spread out beneath us. It was a clear reminder that it was too late to change my mind. I was going to Chicago, and I would have to make the best of our trip.

Cameron leaned over me and stared through the thick glass. "I love flying," he commented. "I think I was a bird in my old life. I'm like a little kid each time I'm in an airplane"

I pressed back to allow him more space. He was close. Very close. I inhaled the subtle scents of pine and sandal wood that I'd grown accustomed to during our evenings together. It was a nice cologne, I had to admit. It suited him well—it was calming and not too heavy, much like he was.

When he didn't pull back straight away, my nerves began to twist with apprehension at his proximity until my heart beat a little faster inside my chest. It didn't settle down until he'd reclined into his own seat. Only seconds had passed by, but it was enough to make me confused.

"Have you been on any long flights?" Cameron asked. He appeared completely unaware of having crowded my space. I was pretty sure he hadn't meant anything by it, but still.

"No, not really. Never been outside the States."

"That's a shame. Good thing about being a photographer is that you travel to odd places."

The plane hit some turbulence, and as we dropped, I wondered if long flights were for me. "Where have you been?"

"Probably can't list all of them. My favorite is New Zealand, though. Pretty amazing place."

I resisted the urge to bump his shoulder. "Stop the name-dropping. You're making me jealous. I've always wanted to visit." I imagined the dramatic landscape depicted in too many movies to count. Going there would definitely be a dream come true.

"Not too late. You still have a long life in front of you." He smiled and took a swig of orange juice.

"I don't know if that made me sound young, or if it made you sound old."

Cameron chuckled. It was a sweet sound. I'd noticed it from day one, but every now and then it struck me how good it made me feel.

"Definitely the former."

I scoffed. "I'm not that young."

"Maybe not, but I'm definitely not old." He gave me a quick smile and began to leaf through a magazine full of photographs and far too many ads.

I wondered if anyone ever bought stuff while they were flying. It seemed strange, but then, people had quirky habits sometimes.

When the plane finally touched ground, the situation with Gabriel appeared to be hundreds of miles away.

We got a couple of odd looks as we unloaded item after item from the baggage claim, but while I felt embarrassment creep up my cheeks, Cameron appeared unruffled.

"Think we're almost done." He checked his phone as well as the equipment. I had a feeling he kept a list, considering his tendency to misplace and forget things. "Yeah, we're just missing a tripod."

"That one?" I pointed behind him.

"Definitely that one. I hope we can get a cab to drive us with all this stuff."

Cameron had been right to worry. None of the cabs standing outside the airport seemed willing to take us. Some ignored us completely while others shook their heads. After a while, Cameron's calm demeanor was long gone. "This is ridiculous." The light scrunch of his nose begged for a smile. I felt it tug at the corner of my mouth until I gave in and let it spread wide.

"Why don't we call for an Uber. I'm sure they're more cooperative."

He shrugged. "Worth a try."

* * * *

We arrived at the hotel far later than we'd anticipated, but the central heating in the spacious lobby worked to lighten my mood. The young woman behind the large counter eyed Cameron like most women did. It was always strange to watch even if I couldn't fault them. He was attractive, after all.

We gave her our names as she tapped away on her computer. Her smile sank and a frown settled on her brow. "I'm sorry, sir." She looked at Cameron, clearly uncomfortable. "There seems to be something wrong. I only have one room listed. We're a bit crowded tonight since we have a conference over the weekend. You're listed as having a double room, though. It's easy to separate the beds." She seemed ready to take a hit, but straightened her shoulders in faked confidence. Her formerly pink cheeks had paled.

Cameron glanced at me, shrugging with a tiny smile on his lips. He clearly wasn't overly bothered by the situation.

I was definitely bothered, but I didn't want to cause a scene. If he was fine with it, then I would be too. I just found it a bit too convenient for Chris' theory. Surely, Cameron had booked two rooms. I was about to ask but changed my mind.

"Don't worry, we'll arrange for the beds to be separated. Have a few drinks at the bar while we sort this out. Free of charge." She smiled again, but it didn't reach her eyes. Poor girl, she was nervous.

"It's fine," I said, and as I did, she released a small sigh. Cameron continued to smile but didn't comment.

A porter took our bags while we strode over to the dimly lit bar overlooking the lake. I knew it was a lake, but it was large enough to resemble the sea.

"So, sharing a room. Way to start our first overnighter," Cameron said, taking a seat next to the panoramic window.

"Yeah. Guess it's a good thing we're not total strangers." I winced at the awkward line.

"And, we're getting drinks. Props for that." He raised his glass and waited for me to clink mine with his.

I decided to let my strange worries rest for tonight and took a swig of the bitter tonic. The truth was that I didn't mind sharing a room with Cameron. I was comfortable enough around him, but this was definitely something that Chris would never know about. I had a feeling this wasn't something Gabriel should know either, which made it all rather strange. I would never cheat, but where should we draw the line? If I knew that Gabriel likely wouldn't approve of the arrangement, did that make it wrong?

When we had finished our drinks, the young woman from the reception desk smiled and waved for us. "We had a small misunderstanding with housekeeping. There is, in fact, another room available. I'm very sorry for the inconvenience, but here are the room keys. You're right across the hall from each other." She gave us our keys with a much brighter smile than before. Relief washed over me with soothing warmth. I wouldn't have to lie to anyone. Not Chris. Not Gabriel. Everything would be fine.

With one light bag each, we entered the elevator and soared up to the fourth floor. The staff would get a golden review from me after taking care of all the equipment without Cameron asking them to. I'd carried the numerous cases and tripods more than enough to know that the gear was heavy and inconvenient to lug around.

The sleek hotel room I entered was definitely big enough for two, but it was for the best that I had my own. I dropped my bag onto the bed and began to rifle through it to find my phone charger. I winced when I realized that I'd taken the old one that hadn't worked for two weeks. Through the open door behind me, I saw how Cameron settled in to sort through his equipment. Maybe he had a charger, but most of all, he appeared to need some assistance.

"Do you want any help?" I asked from the doorway.

He craned his neck. "Sure, might as well prepare what we can for tomorrow. It's going to be a long day."

I ventured into his room and got distracted by the view. The lake was in turmoil outside, gray, wild, and daunting. The atmosphere seemed fitting.

Cameron joined me, pushing the thick curtain aside. "I love this city, always have."

"Isn't it supposed to be too windy?"

"It is definitely windy, but I like water. And there's just a certain pulse to this city that I enjoy. We should go out tomorrow night, then you'll see what I mean."

I tried to smile. I really did, but I wondered if it was a good idea to get drunk and let loose in front of my teacher.

"Anyway," he seemed to sense my reluctance, "let's get this stuff done so we can get some food before we sleep."

We got to work, making sure that everything we needed was working correctly and had enough battery to get us through the following day. When I wasn't paying attention, Cameron snapped a picture. The flash went off and made me jump in my seat.

"What was that for?" I asked, not knowing how to respond.

"Your focused face is intriguing. You get this wrinkle between your eyebrows."

I rubbed my brow, not the least interested in getting wrinkles before my time.

He shifted in his seat, picking at his camera. "You've seemed a bit lost in thought this week. I hope you're all right?" He set the lens down and scratched his hair. "I don't mean to pry. But if something's up, I want you to know that it's okay to share."

My movements ceased. Time appeared to slow as I weighed my choices. I desperately wanted to talk to someone, and Cameron already knew about Gabriel. The problem was that I wasn't allowed to talk.

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" His gaze drifted to mine, asking for honesty.

I chewed my lip, hoping that he would look away. He didn't. "Gabriel and I had a fight. But I'm sure it's nothing." There. I had said it. Strangely enough, it was a relief to finally say it out loud.

Cameron tilted his head and leaned forward. "I'm sure you'll sort it out, and if not, life is too short to pull dead weight around."

I smiled in thanks. Gabriel was far from dead weight, and yes, we would sort it out somehow.