Since the beginning of this one-room journey, one of us always snuck out early before the other woke up, but it was 9 AM, and we were still in bed. I slowly pushed the duvet off me and dangled my legs down the bed. I stretched and twisted my body to my left, then halted when my eyes tugged at Cameron's sleeping figure.

At that moment, my inner voice said something I'd feared for so long.

You're getting attached.

I inhaled a breath. Maybe it wasn't attachment, it was a habit. If you do the same thing regularly, you make a habit. Cameron was starting to be a habit. Seeing him every day. Waking up and going to sleep in the same room. These things didn't necessarily have to be emotional.

What about you staring at his lips all the time? The inner voice snapped. Is it also a habit?

I stormed up from the bed angrily, wanting to punch that stupid, annoying inner voice. I didn't stare at his lips all the time—only sometimes. I huffed, running a hand through my hair.

"I'm not attached," I whispered. "I'm not."

I jumped with Cam's morning voice. "You're not what?"

When I swirled around, his eyelids were half open with a lazy smile on his face. "You scared me," I said. "I'm not...going to swim today."

Cam shot up his eyebrows as his lips took an 'oh' shape—I'm not looking at his fucking lips.

Oh, God.

"I think I should—" Then, I stopped mid-sentence, realizing I didn't have to report to him what I was about to do. I grabbed fresh clothes and headed straight to the bathroom in a haste.

"Morning to you, too, Amberoni," Cam yelled after me with a laugh. He mumbled something under his breath next, but I didn't catch it because of my high pulse.

After tucking myself safely inside, I leaned against the door and slapped my forehead several times. What was wrong with me?

I didn't get attached to Marcus like this after three years. I was always proud to be independent, keep my personal space, and maintain a healthy relationship. It turned out our relationship was far from healthy, but I always managed to tick off the first two like two pillars of a relationship in my book.

Why did I feel like Cameron Wright was ivy growing around my heart?

I took a cold shower to come to my freaking senses, put on my jean shorts and a baby blue crop top with straps, did a bit of makeup, and freshened my nail polish to match my top.

Out of the bathroom, Cam was still lying on the bed, scrolling on his phone with an arm underneath his head. He darted a glance at me, then switched back to his phone with a soft grin. "You look cute."

Did he just compliment me? I turned to look at myself in the mirror to see if there was something weird or wrong with my look, but I looked fine. I glanced back at him suspiciously and found him watching me with a laugh.

Then, Cam swiftly got up from the bed and walked up to me. I shoved my hands into my pockets when he stood so close to me with a mischievous grin. "From now on, I'm changing my method."

"What method?"

"Kill you with kindness," he said with a wink and sauntered to the bathroom door. "I'll be ready in ten," he added, standing by the door.

"Ready for what?"

"To take your pictures, of course."

"I don't remember agreeing to be your model."

"You didn't disagree with it, either."

"I do," I said, rushing to wear my flip-flops. "I don't have time."

"Right, your hands are full with my website," Cam replied, still watching me in amusement while I probably looked like a freak trying to walk out of this room before I agreed to be his model.

"Don't make me regret it, Cammybear." I pulled the door open with one last look.

"I'll be a good boy for you."

Please don't. I shut the door and sprinted down the stairs as if he would emerge from the door any minute to drag me to his photo-shooting session.

What I didn't expect was to find Riley, Tuesday, Lilith, and Olivia in the tavern, seemingly preparing for some event. Olivia and Riley were talking by the bar, pointing at several points of the place like they were planning the changes, while Tuesday and Lilith were placing colorful cupcakes on cake salvers.

Tuesday was the first to notice me across the room. "Bestie."

Everyone's look was turned on me as I walked into the hall. "Hey. Are we having a party?"

"It's Uncle Joe's birthday, so we are organizing a surprise party for him," Tuesday explained enthusiastically. "Olivia and Riley are handling the decorations, and we are bringing the birthday cake and side dishes."

"Sounds awesome. Anything I can help with?" I asked. I was initially planning to write some code, but I forgot my laptop upstairs because of the prank Cam pulled on me, so I didn't have anything better to do. Plus, I loved Uncle Joe and wanted to participate in his birthday party.

"Can you help me with hanging the decorations?" Olivia said with a smile. "Since you're the tallest among us, we should put your height to use."

I knew I shouldn't have anything against her, but it was so hard to look into her eyes after yesterday. Tuesday worked me up against her, putting it like I was losing a battle against Olivia. Maybe this was an excellent chance for me to get rid of my prejudice and extend an olive branch.

"Sure," I replied. "Where should we begin?"

I hung wall decorations written Happy Birthday with tape on a wooden chair all around the place, and Olivia was there to help me give the decorations and the tape. We didn't converse in the meantime, but I appreciated her silence more than a small chitchat.

I was in the middle of hanging the last piece when Olivia's voice echoed in the hall. "Look who's here, our beloved photographer!" Beloved? I didn't turn to look toward Cam and took my extra sweet moment to hang this piece as Olivia put the tape on the chair beside me and went to greet him.

"What's going on here?" Cam said cheerfully.

"My grandpa's birthday. You're coming, right?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world. Uncle Joe is my man."

I slowly stepped down from the chair and wiped my forehead with the back of my hand. The place was a bit humid, and climbing up and down the chair made me sweat. My eyes landed on Olivia and Cam as I sat on the chair to catch my breath.

Cam was sitting on a bar stool, and Olivia was standing beside him, almost eye to eye. She ducked her head to his ear and whispered something, then started chuckling. Tuesday looked between them and me like a deer in headlights, but it was okay. Cameron was a single, independent, totally available guy, right?

"Amber," Olivia said next, looking above me at the decoration. "I think the last one needs extra tape."

I looked above, wondering what she was talking about. It looked pretty solid to me, but I knew better than arguing with Olivia about a stupid tape—no matter how much I wanted to.

"Seems solid to me," Cam said beside her, voicing my thoughts.

"It's okay," I said, rising to my feet. I'm going to apply that damn tape. "She's right." I smiled softly at Olivia, who kept staring at me with a weird look and grabbed the tape.

Cam climbed down from the stool and walked to me. "Let me do it."

"I got this," I told him, looking at Olivia. "I'm tall, and I should put my height to use."

Though Cam didn't understand the meaning of my word, I could tell Olivia did because of her mild grimace. Cam took the tape from me with a huff and climbed up the chair. "I'm taller."

"You're such a hero, Cam," Olivia said, still in her place. "Thank you."

Fuck the olive branch.

I walked away from Cam and went to help Tuesday with putting side dishes on plates. I was boiling with anger; if I didn't channel my energy into something useful, I could explode. I hung the decoration all around the place, and she didn't thank me. One tape, and Cameron got the thanks.

"Calm down, bestie. You're fuming."

I tilted my gaze to Tues. "You see what I see?" I hissed. "She's coming at me."

"She's trying to stay on Cam's good side, and she doesn't care about how she does it."

"Leave your deep insights for another day, Tues," I replied with a low sigh. "I want to hate on her right now."

"Are you angry or jealous? Admit it, and I'll let you."

"I'm angry because she first objectified me, then ordered me around."

"You're tall, bestie," Tues said with a laugh. "This is a fact. I mean, if one of us had to hang the decorations, it would be you. But yeah, she shouldn't have ordered you around." Then, she shrugged. "Still sounds jealous to me, by the way."

"She can try her chance at Cam all she wants, he's not my type."

Then, I tilted my gaze from the plate and saw them. The way she looked at him like he was her handsome knight and the way he smiled at her. A pang of pain hit my chest, but I moaned in surprise when Tues tucked a mini sandwich into my mouth.

"Don't stare at them," she whispered, "or he'll know how jealous you are."

I chewed on the sandwich, delightful from how it filled my empty stomach and my hungry soul, and closed my eyes. I wasn't jealous—I couldn't be. All I had to do was shake my head and focus on the moment. Tuesday, this delicious sandwich in my mouth and preparations for tonight's party. I couldn't afford more with so many unresolved feelings and disordered thoughts.

"What are you wearing tonight?" I asked Tues, hoping to change the subject.

"A dress, obviously," she said. "I don't like wearing dresses, but mom makes me, and I guess I can do this much for Uncle Joe."

"I'll keep you company with mine, then," I said with a wink. "I have a wild dress for the occasion."

"How wild?"

"Surprise."

After we were done with Tuesday, I went to the bar to ask Riley about the playlist. "Tuesday said she has an appropriate playlist on Spotify."

"Oh, cool. I could give it a hand if it weren't ready."

"Thanks, Amber," Riley said with a soft grin, a bit too kind for her nature. Then, she opened a soda bottle and set it on the counter. "Freshen up."

"Thank you," I said, taking a sip and letting the fuzzy liquid fill my mouth. "It feels great." She offered me another grin and walked to the other edge of the bar to stock the new beverages.

I sat on a bar stool and nursed my soda, listening to the noise of party preparations behind me. The place really looked different from the dim-lit, lonely hall I saw every morning. I had no doubt Uncle Joe would be surprised and happy about this surprise. He was lucky to collect so many lovely people in his life, willing to spend an entire day preparing a surprise party for his birthday.

I wondered what kind of a person I was going to be when I was his age—would I have anyone by my side to remember my birthday and care that much about me? Would I have kids? Grandchildren? Or would I be all by myself, nursing a non-alcoholic drink at home?

"Hey," Cam said, making me jump at his sudden call for the second time today. He sat beside me, placing a hand on the metal back of my stool. "You look lost in thoughts."

I took another sip of my soda. "I was enjoying my solitude."

"Sorry for ruining your solitude, then," Cam replied, but he didn't seem offended. "Ready for the photoshoot?"

I huffed a breath, shaking my head. "Give the fuck up."

He laughed at my response. "Come on, just a few poses."

"I'm all sweaty." I put my arm on the counter and scooted my chair closer to him. "Why don't you ask her instead?" I nodded toward Olivia. "She's on board."

"Maybe I like to pick a fight with you," he replied, his eyes burning into me.

"I thought you were going to kill me with kindness." I held his gaze back, playing with the fire in my heart.

"You used my kindness and didn't even thank me back there," he said painfully slow and quiet that I felt his voice in the most intimate places of my body.

"You're not my hero," I replied back, looking straight into his eyes. "You got your thanks from your damsel in distress."

He ducked his head with a laugh, his arm stretching with the movement and his hair shampoo filling the air. I wish he had just walked away and made it easier for me to hate him. I desperately wanted to keep hating him. Or not to like him. Or the sound of his laugh, the scent of his shampoo, or his eyes.

"I know you're into petite girls, Cam," I said to clear the air. He lifted his head and pulled back with a hint of a smile on his face. "I'm a bit too tall."

He nodded affirmatively. "Right, you are a bit too tall."

After downing the last bit of my soda, I descended from the seat, but his arm against my bar stool blocked my way and sandwiched me between the empty stool and his legs hanging from his seat.

I grabbed his arm to yank him away when his breath fanned my ear. "You're a bit too much of everything for me, Amberoni."

Though his words made me shiver, I used the last bit of my energy to push his arm off and walk away to get prepared for tonight. I didn't know how long we would keep this push-and-pull or where we stood now with banter and subtle flirting, but I was done pretending it meant nothing to me.

If he thought he could flirt with me like that and still keep Olivia wrapped around his finger, he had no fucking idea who he was waltzing with.

...hello, it's Friday.

I'm excited about the next chapter so much. 👀 Still, this one is also important for the development of Amber's feelings because she's finally getting something that is shifting in the air, and she will not ignore it. Definitely a milestone.

Oh, and Olivia definitely smashed the olive branch.

Do you think Amber is right about Cam giving her mixed signals?

Drop here a heart if you love Tues. I do.

See you next,

Sev xx