Page 14 of His Team

Kayleen was my childhood friend. I don’t want to end things badly. I need to figure that shit out before I explore something else. I smile as those pretty brown eyes fill my head.

“Hey, Cam, can we talk?”

I come out of my thoughts and find Kay standing nervously in front of my building. I frown but I already know we need to deal with this sometime. I gesture with my head for her to follow me.

“How is he?” she asks as we walk together.

“He’ll be home tomorrow. They just wanted to keep him for observation for one more night.”

We’re silent until we get up to the apartment and I unlock the door. We push inside and I take my food to the island to sit and eat. I spread the containers out.

Kay usually eats off whatever I have, so I grab two forks so she can tuck in with me. I bought enough as if Caleb were home to share with me, so there’s plenty. Kay tucks her hair behind her ear then grabs the shrimp fried rice.

“Thanks.”

“No problem,” I reply as I tear into my own food.

“Cam, you know I didn’t mean for anything to happen to Caleb. Your mama wanted to throw the party and asked me for a list of our friends. I didn’t know she was going to make it such a big deal.”

I stop eating and glare at her. That’s bullshit and she knows it. As much as she knows me, sometimes I wonder if she knows me at all.

“I’m having a hard time believing that. You and my mama are joined at the hip when it comes to me. I explained to you how I felt. This wasn’t and still isn’t about us.

“He was already overwhelmed with starting college. This should have been his time to focus on that and adjust. You went behind my back, trying to get her on your side and now look.”

My voice is rising as I become angrier with each word. I’m not a dummy. I’ve been stewing on this since last night.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen. I just talked to your mama and told her about how I felt?—”

“Howyoufelt?” I bite out, cutting her off. “Do you hear yourself? Dakota, Thomas, and I are all doing this for my brother. You say you’re upset because you can’t help him because you don’t feel like a part of his team, but you’re not acting like you give a fuck about him.

“You totally made this about you. I call you as much as I can. Before you started this, we were together all the time. The craziest part is that this isn’t my fucking fault.

“I warned you to study. I told you to listen to your guidance counselor. You blew us all off, thinking my daddy and yours were just going to drop some cash and get you into any college you wanted.

“This is on you. No one else,you,” I bellow.

Her lower lip wobbles as her eyes fill with tears. I’m not falling for that. I see my mama do it too often for it to work on me now.

“I’m here because I want to fix what I’ve done. I get it. I see what I was doing was wrong. I don’t want to lose you, and I freaked out.

“I fucked up. I know that. I can still help out and be a part of his team. I’ll just have to be there for him in another way.”

“This is what I was trying to tell you from the start.”

“I know. Can we fix us? Do you forgive me?”

“I don’t know what I want to do. Is this really what you want? Maybe we’re not good for each other.”

She stands from her seat and places her hand on my arm. I turn on my stool to face her and she steps between my legs. Lifting her hand to my cheek, she searches my gaze with her green eyes.

“I have always wanted you. Yeah, we fight, but we always make up in the end. I love you, Cam.

“The next four years are going to be hard on us. I know we’ll probably fight a lot, but I’ll be fighting for us. If you need some time … let’s take a break for a bit.

“Focus on what Caleb needs and then we can get back to us. I’m here. I want us.”

I pause to think her words over. We do make up after arguing. We always end up together.

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