“Is it still visiting hour?” Cameron steps into the room, and my mom lets out a low whistle.
My face flames, and Dad slaps Mom’s leg playfully.
“Hello, young man. I’m Violet’s father.” He holds his hand out, tilting his neck further back the closer Cameron comes. He gives him a firm shake.
“And I’m Violet’s mother. What’s your relationship with my daughter?” She crosses her arms.
“MOM!”
Cameron smiles, his eyes flashing to me before refocusing on my mother.
“Hello, ma’am. My name is Cameron Jones. Violet and I are dating.”
I gasp, then immediately regret it. Pain shoots through me.
Mom’s eyes widen, and Dad frowns.
“I brought flowers… I hope that’s all right. I didn’t know what kind you liked.” He pulls a small bouquet of daisies out from behind his back and gives me a shy smile.
I return it with a bright one of my own. “Thank you, Cameron.”
“Violet, will you be all right if we go home for a few supplies?” Dad asks, raising his eyebrow at me. “We can bring back a vase for your flowers.”
“I’ll be fine, Dad.” I give him a grateful smile.
Dad was always good at reading me. He knows that I’m glad he and Mom are there. But he can tell that I’d like to talk to Cameron without Mom eavesdropping and embarrassing me with what I’m sure would be a memoir of my life up until this point.
“Fine.” Mom huffs. “We’ll be back. But there’s one thing I’d like to know.” She crosses her arms, fixing Cameron with the patented mom glare.
“Where were you when this happened to Violet?”
A pained look crosses Cameron’s face, but he schools his expression and answers firmly. “Not where I needed to be.”
That answer seems to placate my mother well enough.
She nods at him, and my father wraps his arm through hers.
“We’ll be back, baby,” she calls as Dad leads her out of the room.
That definitely could have gone worse.
Cameron
I don’t really remember much of the end of the game. But I must have taken over because Coach couldn’t quit praising me in the locker room.
After the game was over, I went back to my room and typed up an anonymous letter to the dean, telling him my suspicions surrounding the events that happened tonight.
I also told him to check the security cameras for the whereabouts of the cheerleaders on the day that the “smelly” incident happened in the library.
After sliding the letter under his office door, I went to find Allyson.
She and the rest of her squad went out to a popular diner in town after the game, and she was sitting in the lap of the guy she’s been making a show of being with lately.
As soon as she saw me, she jumped up and rushed over, flinging herself at me.
“Cam, baby, you did so good tonight!”
“Get off of me, Allyson Hart.” I pull her arms away from me and slide out of her reach.