Camp Where The Hell Are We? | ✓

38

He knew her name.

Those four words pounded in Marley's skull as the silence dragged on between the two people in front of her. She had many urges, two of which were to run or puke all over the expensive marble floors at their feet. Marley could feel Gabby's eyes on her as her best friend also understood what was going on.

And then the whole thing worsened. Of course, it did. The dark haired girl — Celeste — finally seemed to get over her shock, launching herself in Aiden's arms.

His hand was ripped brutally from Marley's as he nearly lost his footing. For a second, she hoped he wouldn't return the hug. But he knew her name, so she means something to him.

He hugged her back.

He held her tightly, temple against temple. Marley felt physically nauseous at her hands curled into his back. Her eyes were closed in content, a fat grin stretching from cheek to cheek.

"Aiden. Oh my god." she let out a musical laugh, perfect like everything else above her.

Marley wanted to move but she couldn't with her feet suddenly glued to the floor. Her hands were shaking, and Gabby felt it.

"Let's go." she urged, trying to move Marley along with their clasped arms.

But it was as if Aiden had a sixth sense attuned to her. He let go of Celeste immediately, turning around and instantly looking relieved as he set his eyes on her. Like he forgot about her, for a few seconds.

He circled his arm over her shoulders, but his eyes belonged to Celeste again as she gripped his free arm, "How are you here right now?!"

"You know I'm at camp for the next three months."

Celeste seemed to notice Marley was there, but she shot her gaze to the floor so she wouldn't look like this affected her as much as it did.

"Who are you and how on earth did you manage to worm your way into the heartless Aiden Matthews' life?"

Aiden's eyes bored into the side of her head then, but she didn't look up — her shoulders hunched like she was a scolded puppy. She was no competitor against this gorgeous girl. She barely held a candle to her beauty.

"Somehow she managed." he chuckled deeply, "Celeste, this is Marley. Marley, this is my cousin Celeste."

Cousin.

Gabby's tense body relaxed from beside her, while Marley felt like she could cry with relief. Her head shot up, the glee spreading to all of her when she finally began to notice that they had physical similarities, especially with their nose and cheekbones.

Celeste's grin was as wide as Marley's, grabbing her hand from her side and squeezing it, "Super nice to meet a girl around Aiden who isn't doing the walk of shame and whose name he knows."

Her cheeks flamed a critical red while they both laughed at her expense. Definitely related.

Since they had been shouting to hear each other over the crowds and the music, Celeste gestured for the three of them to follow her. She was quickly disappearing in the throes of people, but Aiden still paused for a moment to lean down, his soft lips brushing against Marley's ear.

Her arm tightened around Gabby's, and her body slumped into his. Everything spun. It was as if her heart wanted to jump out of her chest. She squeezed her eyes shut, too overwhelmed by his breathy exhale to find it in her to pull away.

"Even if we weren't related, Spitfire, she would have nothing on you. Act a little less jealous next time if you don't want to give me ideas about what you want. Because I can take Gabby to your friends and have you in one of the empty rooms of this house in the next two minutes."