The first month of Josh being in Canada was bearable. Camille filled her days with school, her modeling gigs, and spending time with her friends. She stayed busy, counting down the days until Josh would come home. They texted constantly, video-called when they could, and Josh made sure to send her photos from the set to keep her included in his new world. 

But as the weeks turned into months, the cracks began to show. 

---
  Unanswered Calls

“Hey, Josh. Just checking in,” Camille said, her voice light, though the ache in her chest was undeniable. She hung up and stared at her phone, the missed call notification from earlier glaring back at her. 

She knew he was busy. Filming a movie wasn’t a nine-to-five job, and his schedule was packed. But lately, it felt like their conversations had become shorter and less frequent. 

That night, as Camille lay in bed, her phone buzzed. A text from Josh popped up. 

Josh: Sorry I missed your call. Long day on set. I’ll call tomorrow, promise. 

Camille stared at the screen, her heart sinking. She typed out a quick reply: It’s okay. Miss you.

She set the phone down, but sleep didn’t come easily. 

A few days later, Camille sat with Maya and Riley at Topanga’s café. They were laughing over something Zay had said earlier in class, but Camille’s mind was elsewhere. 

“Earth to Camille,” Maya teased, snapping her fingers in front of her friend’s face. “You’ve been zoning out for like ten minutes. What’s going on?” 

Camille sighed, stirring her iced latte with the straw. “It’s Josh. He’s so busy, and I feel like... I don’t know. Like I’m not part of his life anymore.” 

Riley frowned. “That’s not true, Camille. He loves you. You know that.” 

“Maybe,” Camille said. “But it’s hard. He’s out there chasing his dream, meeting all these new people, and I’m just... here. Waiting.” 

Maya leaned forward. “Okay, let’s get one thing straight. You’re not ‘just here.’ You’re Camille freaking Hunter. You’re gorgeous, talented, and you’ve got your own dreams to chase. Don’t let this long-distance thing make you forget who you are.” 

Camille smiled weakly. “Thanks, Maya. But it’s not just that. It’s the feeling that he doesn’t need me anymore. Like I’m a distraction.” 

Riley reached across the table, squeezing Camille’s hand. “Talk to him. Tell him how you’re feeling.” 

“I will,” Camille said, though doubt lingered in her voice. 

---

That weekend, Camille and Josh finally managed to video call after days of missed connections. Seeing his face on the screen made her heart ache with longing. 

“Hey, beautiful,” Josh said, smiling. “How’s everything?” 

Camille hesitated, unsure of how to put her feelings into words. “It’s... fine. I just miss you, Josh. A lot.” 

“I miss you too,” he said, though his tone was distracted. 

Camille noticed how tired he looked, the way his attention seemed to drift as she spoke. It was the same feeling she’d had for weeks now—that she was no longer his priority. 

“Do you?” she blurted out before she could stop herself. 

Josh blinked. “What kind of question is that? Of course I do.” 

“It doesn’t feel like it,” Camille admitted, her voice trembling. “You’re so busy, and I get it, I really do. But it’s like I don’t matter anymore.” 

Josh frowned. “Camille, that’s not fair. You know how crazy things are here. I’m trying to balance everything, but it’s hard.” 

“And it’s not hard for me?” she shot back, tears welling in her eyes. “I’m here, trying to hold this together, while you’re out there living this whole other life. I feel like I’m the only one fighting for us.” 

Josh ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident on his face. “That’s not true. I’m doing my best, Cam.” 

“Maybe your best isn’t enough,” Camille whispered. 

Her words hung in the air, heavy and final. Josh’s expression softened, but the damage was done. 

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” he said quietly before ending the call. 

---

The next day, Camille sat in the living room, her arms wrapped around her knees. Shawn walked in, immediately sensing something was wrong. 

“Kiddo, what’s up?” he asked, sitting beside her. 

Camille hesitated before pouring out everything—how the distance was straining her relationship with Josh, how she felt like she was losing him, and how powerless she felt to stop it. 

Shawn listened intently, his brow furrowed. When she finished, he placed a hand on her shoulder. “Cam, I get it. Long-distance relationships are tough. But you’ve got to ask yourself—what do you want? Is this worth fighting for?” 

“I don’t know,” Camille admitted, tears streaming down her face. “I love him, Dad. But it hurts so much.” 

Shawn pulled her into a hug. “Love isn’t supposed to be easy, but it’s also not supposed to make you miserable. If it’s meant to be, you’ll find a way. And if it’s not... well, you’re strong enough to let go.” 

---

Over the next few days, Camille thought hard about what her dad had said. She loved Josh more than anything, but she couldn’t keep pretending everything was okay when it wasn’t. 

One evening, as the sun set, she called him. 

“Hey,” she said softly when he answered. 

“Hey,” Josh replied, his voice cautious. 

“I’ve been thinking,” Camille said. “And I think we need to be honest with each other. This distance... it’s breaking me, Josh. I don’t know if I can keep doing this.” 

Josh was silent for a moment. “I don’t want to lose you, Camille.” 

“I don’t want to lose you either,” she said, her voice cracking. “But I also can’t keep waiting for you to come back and hoping things will get better. We need to figure out if this is something we can handle. Together.” 

Josh sighed. “You’re right. Let’s figure it out. I don’t want to give up on us, Cam.” 

---

Their conversation didn’t solve everything, but it was a start. Both Camille and Josh knew they had a long road ahead, but for now, they were willing to try. Because even when love was hard, it was still worth fighting for.