Lilliana
“And then what happened?”Cameron asks me, sipping her glass of wine.
She’s curled up on the opposite end of the couch from me, and it hits me then just how much I missed this and her.I had a few friends in college, but design is a cutthroat industry.We’re all trying to stand out, to be seen.That didn’t really make for a friendly environment.
It’s nice to be relaxed with Cameron.I know that she only wants me to be happy, that she’s always rooting for me, just like I am for her.
“Then Ford called and told him about his dad.”
“I was sorry to hear about him being in the hospital.I’m glad that he’s on the mend.”
“Me too.I don’t know what they would have done if he wasn’t.”
“I was thinking about asking Ford if he needed any help at the diner.I could use the money, and he would be able to spend more time with his dad then.”
I notice that she looks a little tired.There are dark circles under her eyes that concealer isn’t covering, and when I glance at her hands, I can see that she’s been chewing on her fingernails.She used to do that before our exams when she was worried that she wouldn’t do well.
“I think that’s a great idea!”I encourage her.
I’m guessing that money must be tighter than she let on if she’s trying to work as a waitress.She tried that in high school, we both did.We didn’t last very long.Both of us would get inspired by something and end up in the back room sketching instead of working.
“Hopefully he thinks so too.I’m pretty sure that he knows about us being fired from Fireside Café our senior year,” she says, and I giggle.
“Maybe not,” I lie.
I want to tell her that I think that Ford would say yes to anything she asked, but I’ve never been great about reading people and I’d hate to be wrong.I don’t want to tell her that Ford is in love with her and then have it turn out that he was just being nice to her.Besides, if Ford hasn’t told Cameron that he wants her yet, then maybe he doesn’t.Maybe he really is just being friendly with her.
Maybe I could ask Foster.He might know how Ford feels about Cameron.
“What did you say about your night together then?”She asks me.
She came over tonight with a bottle of cheap wine and the town gossip that she promised me that first night that I moved in here.Things got delayed with Mr.Miller being in the hospital.When she had shown up, I had blurted out that I slept with Foster and we’ve pretty much been talking about that ever since.
“Nothing.We were at the hospital and then he was worried about his dad.Asking if he wanted to do it again didn’t seem appropriate,” I tell her, and she sighs.
“Okay, but what about now?”She presses.
“Now… I’m worried that he regrets it,” I admit.
“He doesn’t.”
“He might.Things are kind of awkward between us lately.”
“Because you’re all in your head and making a big deal out of nothing?”She asks, and I shrug.
“Maybe.Or maybe he regrets sleeping with me, and now he’s worried about having to break that news to me when his dad is still recovering.”
“When are you going to talk to him next?”
“I don’t know.His dad went home today, so maybe I’ll see him tomorrow.”
“Okay, ask him then.”
I take a sip of my wine, and she groans.
“Promise that you’ll ask him the next time that you see him,” she demands.
“I promise.”
