One More Year

Chapter 10

My house isn't as fancy as Natalie's, but she doesn't seem to mind while we stuff our face with ice cream and I put a random movie on Netflix. I turn to her after taking a big spoonful of strawberry cheesecake-flavored ice cream.

"Okay, I have a confession to make."

She swallows her ice cream and nods, "Okay."

She almost looks scared, I laugh softly as I look down at my spoon. "Cam and I aren't a real couple." It actually hurts saying it out loud.

Her eyebrows pull down as she tilts her head, "What do you mean?"

I stab the ice cream with my spoon. Leaving it there and take a deep breath before meeting her light blue eyes, "Yeah. Thomas was kind of being persistent and Cam offered to be my fake boyfriend to get him off my back."

She stays silent for a bit with her mouth hanging open, then she starts blinking rapidly while softly chuckling, "Why didn't you tell Thomas he was annoying and leave you alone?"

"I'm not like that Natalie. I don't like confrontation and I've never been this social. I wanted this last year of high school to be different. I wanted to have fun and be normal like everyone else."

I get into further detail on my and Cam's agreement and how he's really into Zoey. Natalie drops the spoon in the bucket of ice cream and my heart is on my throat, waiting to hear her disappointment in me. I'm weak and desperate when it comes to Cam.

"He's the biggest asshole, you know that? He's taking advantage of a perfectly innocent girl. Getting to claim you as his and guys automatically back off. So no, Liv. This isn't something other normal teenagers do." She glowering over at me as she stands up from the bed and paces in my room as it looks like she's thinking. Finally turning back to me, more determined, "Don't you see how unfair this is? You like him, but once this is over, all the guys at school backed off because of Cam making his claim. And then what? He gets to happily be with Zoey after feeling you up and kissing you whenever he wanted?"

I open my mouth to protest that I'm okay with this. I tried putting boundaries and keeping him at arm's length, but I failed. And most importantly I don't want to stop it. She didn't give me any time to answer this as she jumps to sit next to me on the bed.

"You have to promise me something?" Her light blue eyes look icy in a winter storm.

I don't know Natalie all too well to know what she's up to so I frown, but ask as my curiosity has peeked, "What?"

"The next guy who tries to flirt with you or tries to show interest. You go along with it."

I gulp because I don't want to do that to Cam. I like my situation with Cam right now. I really enjoy his company and kisses.

"Please don't tell him you know or be obvious about it."

"Why not? He should feel stupid and he should feel like he doesn't have the right to kiss you whenever he wants."

I gulp, "Well we agreed to kiss and I've never had a boyfriend before and I really like it whether it's fake or not. I tried putting boundaries but it didn't work. I don't know how to do fake, but one thing I know for sure is I don't want it to end so soon. I really like him."

She finally sighs, "Fine. But, he better treat you like a fucking princess if you're going to be, going along with his stupid game."

I can only hope he keeps being nice and treating me as if I'm special the way he's been making me feel lately. 

*

I tried avoiding him all week at school the best that I could and met up with him when lunchtime was almost over claiming I was late. But really I was just nervous to see him and kiss him since we agreed to do it. I didn't want him to see that I really like him. At least, not yet. After dodging him for so long, he texted me in the middle of my last class to come out so I gave the teacher a lame excuse of needing to use the restroom.