Page 66 of Spring Awakening

“How sweaty are you?” Cam asks, her eyes roaming his body. Mali is basically out of her seat trying to see this interaction. Ezra Adebayo is smitten.

“Not…not very,” he replies, and Cam narrows her eyes at him.

“Better not be lying to me, Ez.” But Cam moves, her eyes softening as she pulls Ezra into a hug. Mali has never seen Ezra hug anyone before, but she knows it would never be like this. His hand cups the back of her neck. God, he’s never looked as big as he does now, as he holds Cam like she might disappear.

“Oh my God,” Mali whispers, finally sitting back down. “Ezra’s in love?!”

Zach snorts. “Did you not know?”

“How was I supposed to know?”

“He looks like that and he’s not dating anyone,” Zach replies. God.Fuck.Every other day Zach reminds her how he fancies Ezra. If she were a better person, she’d be rooting for them.

“You look like that and you’re not dating anyone.” Smooth. Desperate. Lame. She changes tactic before Zach realises what she said. “How can he be so openly in love with her and she appears to not know at all?”

Zach looks at her. His eyes fly around her face before he smiles at her. “Few love to hear the sins they love to act.”

Mali frowns. “Pericles?”

Zach hums.

“How did I not know you were a Shakespeare fan?” she asks, but before he can reply, Cam walks over with a large, intimidating shadow. He’s so cute.

“Oh my God, hi!” she says.

Mali waves. “Hi.”

“I’m so rude. I just strolled in here and didn’t introduce myself. I’m Cameron.”

“Mali.”

“You’re Mali? I should have known,” she replies, looking between her and Zach. “Hey Zach.”

“You alright, Cam?” he replies, spinning in his chair so he can talk to her better. Or so he can exchange looks with Ezra, who wouldn’t see him anyway because that would mean he has to look away from Cam.

“Frank says you’re doing the Fun Day?” Cam says, talking to Mali now.

“Yeah. I’m helping these two, which really means I took over because it was a disaster.”

“We had great plans,” Zach replies, pulling himself closer to her desk.

“Uh-huh.”

Cam smiles. “Well, if you want any cakes or whatever, let me know. I do a great friends discount.”

“We’re not taking a discount,” Ezra replies.

Mali ignores him. “Sure! Thanks. I haven’t even looked at food yet. Oh my God. Do you have a card, or I can get your number from Ez? If I can get him to answer a single question…”

Cam riffles through her bag, giving things to Ezra to hold, until she pulls out a light pink business card.

“Sweet Tooth? I love that place!”

“Aw, thanks!” she replies. “It’s my baby. Let me know what you want and when. I just dropped some samples off in the kitchen. Get them before this one does.” She pokes Ezra in the stomach, and Mali watches his fingers trail over the spot. “Oh, and we just got this super cute trolley so we can do outside catering. I’m obsessed, and I need a place to use it.”

Mali smiles. “Well, this isn’t for a while, but we’re doing a family game day next week. Is that enough time to prepare? I haven’t had the double-stuffed cookies in so long.”

Cam laughs and perches on the edge of the wall. “Yeah! What day?”

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