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Chapter 48

Cameron Santiago POV

Kelley has been avoiding me since camp started this week. I'm roomed with Sonnet this time so it's weird not seeing Kelley as often as I was used to. Don't get me wrong, these past few days with Sonnet wasn't bad at all, I just missed my buddy. When I go to find her she's never in her room. I've texted her and it looks like she's ignoring them. When I go to sit next to her at meals, she manages to squeeze in between an already filled table. I have no idea what's going on.

"Hey, Kels. Kelley." I spot her in the hallway of the rooms and try to catch up to her after breakfast.

"Cameron." She says as she turns around.

"Are you okay?" I ask concerned.

"Yeah." She dryly replies.

"Then why are you actively avoiding me and my texts?" I don't beat around the bush.

"What do you mean?" She chuckles, but I see in her eyes she knows exactly what I am talking about.

"Don't play stupid, Kelley. Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt or offend you somehow?" I try to get some answers.

"It's nothing. I'm sorry if I am not giving you the attention I once gave you." She says and walks off. Where the fuck did that come from? I can feel my face contort into confusion and frustration from her words as I stood there as she disappeared.

I went to my room and changed into my training gear as we had to head to the pitch in 15 minutes. As I go and sit on the bus, I watch people walking on and taking their seat. Soon Kelley comes on and we've been bus buddies since I came here, so my heart breaks when I see her pass without a glance and sit a few seats behind.

What did I do? I don't understand how our friendship deteriorated within a few weeks of not seeing each other. It doesn't make any sense. The more I think of it, the angrier I become. Who does she think she is just ignoring me as if I'm nothing.

Soon training commenced and we ran a couple of drills after we did some conditioning. Coach Vlatko then split us into teams for 6 v 6. First up, me, Kelley, Pugh, Dunn, Lavelle, Ashlyn  against Krieger, Naeher, Tobin, Carli, Alex, and Sonnet.
I think everyone was expecting the Kelley and Cameron duo dynamic to shine today as we usually do but unfortunately that isn't the case.

"Kelley, pass the damn ball!" I shout at her as I'm open, but she's playing distractedly and the ball is stolen from her. Soon it's put in the back of our net by Tobin.

"Get it together O'Hara!" Ashlyn shouts from her line.

I decide to walk to Kelley and say, "Get your shit together. We are on the field. Whatever your thinking about, now is not the time."

She scoffs and walks away from me.     

"What the hell O'Hara?" I grab her arm and turn her around.  "What's your problem?"

"You're my problem!" She shoves me hard against my chest enough to send me stumbling a few steps back. I quickly recover and shove her back.

"Well tell me why I'm your problem." I see our teammates and coaches come over to our little fight match. She doesn't reply which frustrates me more so I shove her again. "Uh, tell me O'Hara, you have been avoiding me this entire camp so speak up."

"Hey let's take a water break." One of the coaches speaks up but me and Kelley stand our ground. Nobody else around us moves either wondering what our next move is going to be.

"Kelley wants to start shit, she's going to finish it. So what's your problem with me?" I take a step into her face.

"I wouldn't want to damage you more than you already are, sweetie." She smirks. I'm taken aback by her words, but I try to not let it show.

"That's enough everyone separate!" Vlatko comes and breaks the circle around us. Ash comes behind me and tries to guide me away as Alex pulls Kelley, but we don't budge.

"That's all you got, I know there's more in you." I instigate her to keep going.

"Cameron stop it and walk away." Ashlyn tries again but I don't move.

"Is the little orphan child triggered?" As the words left Kelley's mouth, things happened in slow motion.

Everyone just stopped and gasped, shaken by the words that left her mouth. I on the other hand become filled with rage. Before anyone could stop me, I connected my fist with her face and shoved her.

"Fight back!" I get frustrated when Kelley just takes it. I shove her again. There's this emotion in her eyes I cannot put into words.

"Cameron stop." I hear Ali's voice break through to me. She steps in between us and places her hand on my chin trying to get me to focus on her, but I shake my head and look over Ali's shoulder to make eye contact with Kelley.

"I don't understand why you won't fight back! At least as a damaged orphan I can still finish what I started you weak ass cunt!" My anger gets the best of me. All I want to do is cry, but the rage is burning inside of me. Someone I trusted and befriended has now become a bully, in lack of other words.