In Five Years

Chapter 12

Cameron

After my run the following morning I find myself still fuming from the conversation with Maddie. Not even exercising could relieve my stress, and normally it does.

I think I'm madder at myself than I'm mad at her. I'm the one that stopped reaching out. Granted, she didn't reply to me, but what if I had kept trying? Would we be together right now? Would we still be on track to be together with her five-year plan?

Katie is doing her makeup when I come into my bedroom. Her legs are crossed on top of my bed, and a bunch of different products are sprawled out around her. Normally she's on her run at this hour, but maybe she's taking a rest day.

"Did you have a good workout?" She asks, but something about her tone seems off.

"Uh, yeah," I reply warily. "I was just about to hop in the shower."

"Okay." She nods as she applies another layer of mascara to her eyelashes. "I just think it's odd that you went for a run this morning after you went for a run last night too. Unless you left the house at midnight for another reason?"

Oh, fuck.

"Ethan," I splutter. "He wanted to play video games last night."

"And you couldn't hop on the game here? There's a PlayStation literally right in front of your television."

"You were sleeping, Katie. I wasn't going to wake you up."

"Right," she replies sarcastically, clearly not believing me, "because that hasn't stopped you before."

I take a step closer to her and let out a frustrated sigh. "I'm telling you the truth," I lie, and my stomach twists into knots. "I went over to play video games with Ethan. You can text him if you want to verify."

I remind myself to text Ethan as soon as I get into the bathroom.

Katie's stare hardens over me, almost like she's waiting for me to crack. Eventually, she rolls her eyes and picks up what looks to be lipstick. "Whatever," she mutters, then gets a smile on her face. "You'll be pleased to know we have plans tonight though."

"With who?"

"A triple date." She grins wider, and I know she has something up her sleeve. "With Ethan and Maya, and I told her to invite Maddie and the new guy she's with. Doesn't that sound like fun?"

She definitely knows I wasn't with Ethan last night, and she's trying to break me. The last thing I want to do is go on a fucking date and have to be around Maddie and her new boyfriend, but if I say no then Katie will know that I was with her. It'll be too obvious.

I shrug as if it means nothing to me. "I don't care. That's fine."

"I'm surprised Ethan didn't tell you about this since you were with him last night." She laughs. "Too involved in video games, huh?"

"Right." I gulp, quickly trying to escape to the bathroom. "I'm gonna go take that shower."

***

Five hours later we're at some fancy restaurant that Katie wanted us to go to. I'm not in the mood to be here whatsoever, but I got dressed up anyways in an outfit that Katie picked out for me. Jeans and a nice cashmere sweater. I feel stupid, but this is what she likes me best in.

There are twinkling lights hung up everywhere in here, and as soon as I step foot on the expensive hardwood flooring I quickly realize that I might be underdressed. Everyone around us is either in a suit or a dress shirt, the ladies in designer dresses.