“Right.”I huff into my coffee as if it’s the cause of my problems.
“Stop it,” Nat says.“And forget about Elias; he’s old news.But… any word from your roommate?”Landon raises an eyebrow.
I shake my head.“Nope.”
“Why’s he avoiding you?”Nat asks.
I groan.“Fox doesn’t need a reason to do anything, least of all skip out on his own apartment.”
“Maybe he’s avoiding you specifically,” Landon points out, his voice thick with implication.
Tell me something I don’t know already.
“Come on, you two are like secret lovers, constantly pushing and pulling.Why don’t you just sort it out?”Nat presses.
“Sort what out?We were never a thing.Fox doesn’t like me; he barely tolerates me.He’s a narcissist, a jerk, a cocky, arrogant bastard… and the worst part is, he’s possessive even when he has no right to be.”
Nat and Landon exchange a look, both of them staring at me, wide-eyed.
“Words from a guy clearly in love,” Nat murmurs.
I scowl at her.“He’s possessive,” I say, almost daring her to challenge it.
Landon speaks up.“Oh, he is.Fox tells Cam he doesn’t want him dating anyone, yet he refuses to admit any real feelings.He just wants to keep Cam all to himself.”
“Exactly.”I sigh.“It’s like I’m his project—his experiment for whatever he’s trying to figure out.It drives me insane.”
Nat smirks.“You know what?Maybe you should just tell him how you feel.Clear the air.”
“I already did.”
“What?”Both Nat and Landon stare at me in shock.
“The night I went out with Elias, Fox told me not to go.He couldn’t even explain why.One thing led to another, and I told him I had feelings for him.”I exhale, feeling the sting of that memory.
“And what happened?”Nat asks, eyes wide.
“Well, you can see the results—he’s been avoiding me ever since.”
“God, he’s such a pussy,” Landon mutters.
“And a complete jerk,” Nat adds.“Why can’t he just admit it?It’s like he’s terrified of his own feelings.”
I pull my sleeves over my fingers again, wishing I could bury my feelings as easily.I’m tired of giving him the power to hurt me, tired of being yanked around.He can’t keep kissing me, making me feel everything I’ve been trying to bury, and then avoiding me the next day.It’s like he’s only brave enough to show he cares when no one else is watching.And I can’t keep doing this—letting him control my emotions just to end up feeling alone.
It’s been a week since Fox and I last spoke, and while I keep telling myself I’m doing okay, that’s far from the truth.Dealing with both him and Elias back-to-back is worse than any breakup.First, my roommate, who I’ve liked forever, treats me like dirt.Then, just as I thought I’d found someone decent, Elias, he friend-zones me.It’s been brutal.
I spent the whole week avoiding everyone, even calling in sick a couple of times.I dodged Nat at work, let all of Elias’s apology texts go unanswered, and steered clear of my friends.Instead, I’d come home to sulk, stuck with thoughts of not being good enough for anyone.
But today, Landon and Nat dragged me out to class.Apparently, Leanne’s idea—they’d had enough of my excuses to be alone.
“You should think about coming to this gay bar outside the city with me,” Landon says.
“What’s with you and gay bars?”Nat rolls her eyes at him.I laugh quietly.
“Aren’t you supposed to be steering clear of those places since you’re with Andrew?”I smirk.
“I’m just trying to help a friend,” Landon says, shrugging.“Your self-esteem has dropped to a critical level, and you need a boost.”
