"You're awfully cocky lately, Olivia. I think something needs to be done about that."
"Oh yeah? What are you going to do? Steal my clothes? Nope, you can't get into my room. Put dye in my shampoo and 'Smurf' me? Nope, you can't do that either. Tell me I'm worthless? Let me know you think I should be dead along with my friends? You've already told me that multiple times and, honestly, it's getting old. You need some new material," I spout off, knowing it's a mistake but too pissy to care.
Alison leans in close, pointing her perfectly-manicured nail into my chest. "You've forgotten your place, Muppet. I'm going to have to remind you and I can assure you it won't be anything like high school. It's going to be much, much worse."
Oh hell. Why not go for broke?
"I look forward to it." I want to take it back. I'm shaking in my Chucks but I amnotgoing to let Alison get the best of me. Not this time.
"You better watch your back, Muppet. It'll happen when you least expect it and when it does, you'll rememberexactlywhere you belong," she tells me, standing up when Brittany walks up.
"What are you doing talking toher?" Brittany asks.
"Just giving her a little reminder," Alison replies, her smirk as evil as it gets, and in that moment I know that whatever Alison has planned, it's going to be bad—very, very bad.
Walking back to the dorm, I'm thinking back to what Alison said, my mind a flurry of motion, thinking of all the horrible things that could happen, when I slam into a very hard, very large chest.
"Steady there," Cam says, gripping my shoulders to stop me from falling on my ass. He's like walking into a brick wall.
I look up into those heart-stopping green eyes and try to tamp down my temper. He treated me like a whore last night and then humiliated me in front of everyone at the party. Asshole.
"What do you want, Cameron?" I ask, knowing he hates when I call him Cameron.
He looks down, dropping his hands when I try to shrug them off. After a few seconds, he lifts his gaze back to mine. "I want to apologize, Olivia. I'm so sorry for the shit things I said to you last night. I have no excuse and I'm not going to try to make one. You deserve better and I want you to know I am truly,trulysorry."
I look away and sigh. "Cam, I don't even know what's going on with us right now, but what you said last night, it reminded me of high school, you backing me into a corner and humiliating me. When you love someone, you don't treat them like a whore and then accuse them offuckinganother guy—and all in front of the people who are supposed to beourfriends."
"I know. I do, and I really am sorry," he says, having the decency to at least look sheepish and ashamed.
"Do you know how that made me feel?"
His eyes lift back up and I stare into them, the shame clear as day.
"And then you're withAlison? How can you do that to me? I've told you time and again the things she's done, and while they aren't criminal, sheisbullying me—again. Last night made it look like you supported her instead of me—it made it look likeshewas your girlfriend instead of me. If that's what you want, then you need to tell me now. I won't go through that again. I can't," I tell him, not holding back.
"I don't want Alison, Liv. I wantyou. I won't make excuses. I'll admit to being stressed out with all the shit going on with football and I'd had way too many tequila shots."
I shrug and step back when he reaches for me. "Sounds like excuses to me."
He runs a hand through his hair and all I see now when he does that is frustration—at me.Welcome to my life.
"I get you're busy and you're stressed with football and working your ass off to get noticed, but as your girlfriend I shouldn’t have to work just as hard to get a few minutes of your time. You make it seem like a chore. I don't want to be a chore or an obligation. If you don't have the time for me right now, just say it and we'll take that break I mentioned," I offer.
"I don't want a break, Liv. I'm sorry I haven't made time for you." When I give him a look he adds, "I'm serious. I am sorry. I don't have a lot of spare time, but what I do have will be yours."
I sigh. "Cam, I don't expect that. Like I said, I know you don’t have a whole lot of time, but it doesn't take much to call me." I hold up my hand when he starts to speak. "Yes, you called meoncethis past week and texted the other days—very short texts I might add, but I deserve more than that. I want to know what's going on with football, how your day was, if it was better than the day before, if the coach said anything about your performance, if you're hurting and need to ice your body—and that's just for starters. I want to know aboutyou—about what's going on in your life. That's what couples do. They share their lives."
"I know. I've been an asshole."
"Yeah, you have."
He lifts a brow. "Not giving an inch are you?"
"No," I reply, shaking my head.
He nods. "Will you give me another chance, Liv? I just need to learn to manage my time better."
"You also need to start listening to me when I tell you about Alison. She's a veryrealthreat to me, Cam. You may not think so, but you aren't on the receiving end of her actions and words. I don't appreciate you brushing me off like this whole situation doesn't matter or isn't important enough to help me through," I tell him, a bit of my temper showing.
