Page 103 of Trust Me Always

Better question…

Why do I feel like he should?

Ari walks into the kitchen, smiling tightly as she squeezes past Alister, who moves back to where his bag is. He starts to put his computer away, and Ari’s eyes snap my way, eyebrows lifting in question.

“Want me to go?” she whispers.

“No. We just finished,” I whisper back, my attention moving to Alister just as he steps this way.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” he asks with an unmistakable hopefulness that makes my stomach clench with unease. “I could get you coffee, and we could walk over together?”

“No, I’ll be out already. I’ll see you in class.”

With a final nod, he slips out the door, and I groan loudly, dropping my head onto the counter.

“I can feel you staring at me,” I mumble into my arms.

“Do you have anything you want to share with me?” she says slowly. “Maybe something you need a little help working out?”

Do I?

I shake my head no.

“Are you sure, Cameron?” There’s worry in her tone, and something tells me it’s not all for me.

I stand, nodding again, and avoid her gaze as I move into my room.

I crawl into bed, hitting my pillows and flipping them over several times to try to find a comfortable position, but apparently there isn’t one.

Maybe I need a heated blanket.

Maybe you need a warm chest to sleep on.

The thought stops me cold, and I moan, throwing all the pillows onto the floor.

I tug the blanket over my head and sigh.

Yeah, okay.

Sleeping alone suddenly sucks.

And the next few days don’t get any fucking better.

I’m sicker than a fucking dog.

I frown at my word choice.

I know it’s something I’ve heard my family say a thousand times over, but what does it mean?

“Jesus, Cameron,” I groan. “You’re clearly bored to shit.”

I sigh, kicking my covers off and flipping onto my back.

I hate feeling like shit.

To make matters worse, Ari and the others followed the team bus out of town yesterday; they’re playing a team that’s only a six-hour drive up north. It was a morning game today, but Ari, Paige, and Payton decided to stay one more night so they could take Deaton to the zoo tomorrow. The boys should get back in later tonight sometime, though.

Picking up my phone, my finger hovers over Brady’s name, but I’m not sure why.

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