this.”
“Excuse me?” Hunter asked, and I could see
things were quickly going from bad to worse.
“I’m here because I want to be. Why are you
here, Clay?” I scooted over, sitting at the end of the mattress.
“Why? Because someone needs to
protect you, and it’s obviously not going to be him. You are aware half
the school can see the two of you canoodling here together, aren’t you?” He
waved his hand in the direction of the heavily windowed buildings before
turning back to Hunter. “You moved in for the kill pretty fast. I told her you
were only after one thing.”
I thought my eyes were going to bug out of my
head, I was so incredible angry.
Hunter folded his arms casually and studied
Clay. “You have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said rather calmly. “But
this is my advice—walk away before you make things any worse.”
Clay was livid, his face almost purple with
rage. “And leave you to pick up where you left off? I don’t think so.”
“Actually, I was referring to the damage you’re
doing to your friendship with her right now.” He looked at me. “Cami, was I
forcing you to do anything?”
I blushed and shook my head. “No. It was
probably more the other way around—me forcing you to do something you
didn’t want.”
Hunter placed his hand on my arm. “You weren’t
forcing me. I’m going to leave you here so you can discuss things with your
friend. Are you okay with that? I’ll stay if you need me.”
I blew out an exasperated sigh. I didn’t want
him to go, but I knew Clay and I needed to have this out. “I’ll be fine.”
Hunter stood and grabbed his camera off the
ground, glancing between Clay and me. “Text me later, okay?”
I nodded, watching him as he walked away. I
waited until he was out of earshot before I spoke up.
“You have the worst timing ever. What possessed
you to come barging out here like that?”
He joined me on the mat, hunching over
dejectedly. “I didn’t like what I was seeing. I was running something to
another teacher, and I saw you two walking together, emerging from a hidden
corner, him wrapping his arms around you, taking pictures. I knew he was after
you. Do you see it now?”
“What you saw, Clay, was me trying to coerce him, not the other way around. I wanted him to kiss
me.”
“Why?”
I gave a choked laugh. “Because I like him. I
thought that was obvious.”
“He’s a player, Cami.”
“No, he’s not. You’re the one who’s placing
that label on him.”
“The whole school says the same thing.” He
looked at me incredulously.
“And what does the whole school say about you?
Does that mean it’s true?”
His face fell as he considered my words.
“Do you know why I’ve been friends with you all
these years?” I asked.
He shook his head.
“Because I like you . I don’t care what anyone else thinks about you, I think you’re
fabulous. I don’t care what anyone else thinks about me , either.”
“You care what he thinks about you,” he
replied, loosely gesturing to where we could still see Hunter’s retreating
figure walking across campus.
“I do, but only because I like him. I can tell
you right now that yes, he has his hang ups. I know he’s not perfect, but I
like him, and I don’t care what anyone else says about him. I’m going to form
my own opinions.”
He stood up and faced me. “I don’t understand.
You claim to like me and know me, then why can’t you see what’s right in front
of you?”
“What do you mean?” I knew where this was
heading, and I wished there was some way I could correct the course.
“Have you really been that blind? I’m crazy
about you, Cami. I have been for years.” He stalked away.
“What about Marcy?” I asked grasping at straws.
He snorted. “You want to know about Marcy?
Fine, I’ll tell you. She isn’t real! Just a figment of my imagination made up
with the hopes of making you see me in a new light!”
My head was spinning. “What?
“Excuse me?” Hunter asked, and I could see
things were quickly going from bad to worse.
“I’m here because I want to be. Why are you
here, Clay?” I scooted over, sitting at the end of the mattress.
“Why? Because someone needs to
protect you, and it’s obviously not going to be him. You are aware half
the school can see the two of you canoodling here together, aren’t you?” He
waved his hand in the direction of the heavily windowed buildings before
turning back to Hunter. “You moved in for the kill pretty fast. I told her you
were only after one thing.”
I thought my eyes were going to bug out of my
head, I was so incredible angry.
Hunter folded his arms casually and studied
Clay. “You have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said rather calmly. “But
this is my advice—walk away before you make things any worse.”
Clay was livid, his face almost purple with
rage. “And leave you to pick up where you left off? I don’t think so.”
“Actually, I was referring to the damage you’re
doing to your friendship with her right now.” He looked at me. “Cami, was I
forcing you to do anything?”
I blushed and shook my head. “No. It was
probably more the other way around—me forcing you to do something you
didn’t want.”
Hunter placed his hand on my arm. “You weren’t
forcing me. I’m going to leave you here so you can discuss things with your
friend. Are you okay with that? I’ll stay if you need me.”
I blew out an exasperated sigh. I didn’t want
him to go, but I knew Clay and I needed to have this out. “I’ll be fine.”
Hunter stood and grabbed his camera off the
ground, glancing between Clay and me. “Text me later, okay?”
I nodded, watching him as he walked away. I
waited until he was out of earshot before I spoke up.
“You have the worst timing ever. What possessed
you to come barging out here like that?”
He joined me on the mat, hunching over
dejectedly. “I didn’t like what I was seeing. I was running something to
another teacher, and I saw you two walking together, emerging from a hidden
corner, him wrapping his arms around you, taking pictures. I knew he was after
you. Do you see it now?”
“What you saw, Clay, was me trying to coerce him, not the other way around. I wanted him to kiss
me.”
“Why?”
I gave a choked laugh. “Because I like him. I
thought that was obvious.”
“He’s a player, Cami.”
“No, he’s not. You’re the one who’s placing
that label on him.”
“The whole school says the same thing.” He
looked at me incredulously.
“And what does the whole school say about you?
Does that mean it’s true?”
His face fell as he considered my words.
“Do you know why I’ve been friends with you all
these years?” I asked.
He shook his head.
“Because I like you . I don’t care what anyone else thinks about you, I think you’re
fabulous. I don’t care what anyone else thinks about me , either.”
“You care what he thinks about you,” he
replied, loosely gesturing to where we could still see Hunter’s retreating
figure walking across campus.
“I do, but only because I like him. I can tell
you right now that yes, he has his hang ups. I know he’s not perfect, but I
like him, and I don’t care what anyone else says about him. I’m going to form
my own opinions.”
He stood up and faced me. “I don’t understand.
You claim to like me and know me, then why can’t you see what’s right in front
of you?”
“What do you mean?” I knew where this was
heading, and I wished there was some way I could correct the course.
“Have you really been that blind? I’m crazy
about you, Cami. I have been for years.” He stalked away.
“What about Marcy?” I asked grasping at straws.
He snorted. “You want to know about Marcy?
Fine, I’ll tell you. She isn’t real! Just a figment of my imagination made up
with the hopes of making you see me in a new light!”
My head was spinning. “What?
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