Stella
I hear the door to our dorm creak open, the sound of Bree's laughter breaking through the silence of the night. It's late, later than I expected her to be back. I turn over, my eyes still heavy with sleep. I hear Bree's footsteps coming closer, her voice a little slurred, but she's trying to be quiet.
"Stella, you up?" she calls softly, poking her head into the room.
"Mm," I groan, pulling the blanket tighter around me as I try to ignore the steady thrum in my head.
"I'm back," she announces. There's a small giggle in her voice, and I can tell she's had more than a couple drinks.
"Yeah, I can tell," I mutter, pushing myself up to sit against the headboard, wiping sleep from my eyes. Bree stumbles into the room and immediately starts pulling off her shoes. I watch as she struggles to balance, then sits on the edge of the bed, her face flushed.
"Okay, okay," she says, giggling again. "You gotta tell me what happened with Cameron. I know you're not sleeping yet. I can hear you breathing all slow and dramatic."
I groan, running a hand through my hair, not ready for this conversation. Not yet.
"It's not a big deal, Bree. We just... we talked. That's all."
She leans over, eyeing me with a knowing smirk, and I feel the flush creep up my neck. I've never been able to hide things from Bree, especially not when she's had a drink or two.
"You know," she starts, leaning closer, "it was really sweet of him to offer you a ride home. He could've stayed at the party, but instead was here, with you. That's gotta mean something."
I shake my head, trying to block out the thoughts swirling in my mind. "It's not like that. He just promised you that he will take me home. That's all."
Bree gives me an exaggerated eye roll. "Uh-huh. Sure. Right."
She pauses for a moment, her expression softening as she looks at me, her face still a little flushed. "Honestly though, you looked really good in his sweatshirt. I mean, you were glowing, Stella."
I blink, caught off guard by her comment.
"Thanks," I mumble, looking at Cameron's gray hoodie lying on the chair near my bed. "I didn't really want to wear it, but he insisted."
"You should've worn it longer," she teases, a sly grin on her face. "Maybe you should wear it again sometime... like, when you see him again."
I just shake my head, trying to ignore the nonsense she's telling me. "Whatever, Bree."
But she's not done. I can see her swaying a little, clearly tipsy, but she's still got that spark in her eyes—the one that says she's about to say something I'm not ready for.
"I really think," she starts, her words a little slower now, "that Cameron likes you. Like, likes you likes you. I can see it."
I freeze at the sound of her words. My heart skips a beat, and the thought lingers in my mind for a moment longer than I care to admit.
But no. That's impossible. Cameron is the captain of the basketball team. He's always surrounded by people—always flirting with someone new, always with a different girl hanging off his arm every week. I don't fit into that world. I can't.
I pull the blanket tighter around me, avoiding Bree's knowing gaze. "He's just... being nice. That's it. You've had too much to drink."
She yawns, clearly starting to drift off. "Maybe... but that doesn't mean I'm wrong, Stella. You'll see."
Before I can respond, she's already curled up, her breathing slow and steady as she falls asleep. I sit there for a moment, the room completely silent now, the only sound coming from the quiet hum of the air conditioning.
Bree's words replay in my head.
I glance at the sweatshirt once again, and for a moment, I have to admit that I was comfortable in it, too comfortable for my own good.
But then, the reality of who Cameron is creeps back in. He's too... carefree and cocky and arrogant. He moves from one girl to the next without a second thought, leaving a trail of broken hearts in his wake. And I'm just... not like those girls.
I let out a quiet sigh, running a hand through my hair, and I shake my head as I settle back against the pillow. No, I don't want to get caught up in whatever this is. I'm not some easy target for his charm.
Bree's wrong. Cameron's just playing the game, and I'm not going to fall for it.