The Way With You (The Way #2) (2 page)

I nod but the jerking of my head is a dead giveaway that I'm not.

"Calm down, Liv. She's likely more bark than her bite now. I mean, we're not high school kids anymore," he reasons.

"M-maybe. B-but she w-was so cruel."

Cam pulls me into a hug. "I'll make sure she stays away."

I lean into him. He might think he can influence her, but I know better. If Alison wants to bully or hurt me, nothing and no one will stand in her way—not even the starting running back for Prospect University.

I'm walking back to the dorm after class when someone bumps into me—hard. I look over, biting back a curse, and when I see it's Alison, I wish I'd let it out.

"What's your problem?" I bark.

"
You
. You're my problem," she sneers.

I roll my eyes. "Why is that? Because you want to screw Cam but he's with me? Because Cam made
me
his girlfriend when all you were to him was a piece of ass? Both of you," I correct when I see Brittany standing beside her.

"You little bitch. I'm going to ruin you," Brittany shouts.

I'm so afraid right now. I know what Alison is capable of—but with Brittany by her side? I can't even imagine. I swallow that fear and pretend. I'm good at that—pretending I'm okay.

"Could you be any more dramatic?"

Alison steps closer. "Watch yourself, Muppet. You're overstepping."

"No. I'm not. I'm minding my own business, living my life, and you nut jobs start with your threatening and bullying. What are you—twelve?" I mock.

Alison's nostrils flare. It reminds me of a bull in a Bugs Bunny cartoon. You know the one? Where the steam comes out of the bull's nostrils because Bugs keeps taunting it? That's the one. I smirk at the thought and Alison's hand comes flying at my face before I can even think.

She slaps me and she slaps me hard—not just once, but twice. The burn, the sting of the slaps hurts like a mofo. I won't cry, but I can't stop the tears that fill my eyes. Damn it. I hate showing her any signs of weakness.

"Feel better now?" I ask, lifting my chin.

She hides the shock well, but I still get a glimpse. I am
not
the same girl I once was. I'm not sure who I am, exactly, but I'm no longer weak.

She cocks out a hip. "A little. But Muppet? There's a lot worse coming."

She walks away in her tight skirt and high-heeled boots, Brittany following behind with a grin telling me she thinks they won that round.

Sorry girls. Not this round.

"You're going to need ice," Sebastian says as he walks up beside me, touching my face but not my cheek directly, taking in the wound. "Motherfucker. It's already bruising."

"Lovely."

"Let me guess—Alison?" he asks.

I nod. "Yup. But I gave as good as I got." I tell him what happened and he smiles.

"Atta girl. Don't put up with their bullshit and next time, hit back—but use your fist," he instructs as we head to the elevator. When I just look at him, he continues. "She won't be expecting it."

I lift my brows. "That's true."

"Of course it is," he replies. "Where's your boyfriend? Doesn't he usually walk you home?"

"They've started practice so he's not around," I tell him.

"Ah, yeah. That's right. The
real
practices since the season has officially begun."

"Yeah," I say with a sigh. "How much do you think this is going to cut into our time?"

"Honestly?" he asks, looking at me sideways.

I nod.

"A lot—most. He's really amped up because the scouts are here. He wants to get noticed so he's going to be working out more, practicing harder, watching films with coach. Basically whatever he was doing before, times that by at least two," he informs me.

I let out a sigh. "Phone calls and texts. That's what I'm going to be getting from my boyfriend for who knows how long."

"Pretty much."

"Great."

My phone beeps
at one in the morning. I groan, rolling over. The light from the screen has me blinking.

Cam:
Sorry I didn't get to call. Sleep well.

That's it? That's all I get? Gah. I'm totally not texting him back after that. I knew it was coming—and this is just the beginning.

Three days later
I give in and send him a text. The silence sucks.

Olivia:
Hey, babe. I hope football's going good. Don't forget to stretch.

I press send.

Don't forget to stretch?
I'm a moron, but I've got nothing new going on here and no clue what's going on there.

Later that night
I get a message back.

Cam
: Things are good. I'm exhausted. Our first game is this weekend. You going?

Olivia:
Yep. I'll be there with Lex and Sebastian.

Cam:
You hanging around Smith again?

Olivia:
Uh, yeah. Why wouldn't I?

Cam:
He was a dick to you.

Olivia:
So were you for a lot of years but I'm talking to you, too.

I shouldn't have sent that.

Cam
: Touché.

Olivia:
Can you call next time?

Cam:
I'll try. Sleep good.

Olivia:
You too.

The next night I don't hear from him at all.

My phone rings
and I rush to answer hoping it's Cam. It's not and I'm not in the mood to chat.

Sebastian gives me a look. "What's going on?"

"Nothing."

"Literally," Lex adds.

I shoot her a glare.

"What? My brother's a dick. This isn't news."

Sebastian's eyes narrow. "He's not calling you?"

"Not really," I answer, looking down at my phone that never rings with the calls I want.

"Sometimes he doesn't text either," Alexa informs Sebastian.

"Please, continue. Make my humiliation complete," I snark.

She lifts her hands. "No need for you to be humiliated but there's a real good reason for my big brother to be ashamed of himself."

"Whatever. It's just until the season's over," I mutter, then look to Sebastian. "Right?"

"Probably not," he answers. I asked because I knew he'd tell me the truth and now I have it.

I let out a sigh and lean into Sebastian who wraps an arm around my shoulders.

"You've still got us," Lex says, trying to make light of a shitty situation.

"And I'm really grateful for that," I admit. They're my best friends and without them I'd be lonely—way too lonely.

Our team won the game
, which means the frat party will be out of control tonight. As me, Lex, and Sebastian walk up the sidewalk, I can't help but hope I'll be able to spend some time with Cam.

We barely get through the door when Cam bellows out my name. I feel all happy and giddy about it—but the warm fuzzies fade fast when I see him swaying from side to side.

"Come shelebrate," he slurs.

"Lovely," I say under my breath and head over to Cam. How did he drink so much so fast? I thought for sure he'd have interviews to do. Next time I'll get here earlier.

Cam pulls me into his giant frame, hugging me so tight I can't breathe.

"Have you met everyone?" he asks, then takes a huge gulp of beer before letting out a disgustingly loud—and smelly—burp. Gah.

"I've met everyone that matters," I answer.

He leans down and with his lips right next to my ear he asks, "Wanna go up to my room? I've missed you."

I nod. I've missed him too. So much.

We get to his room and it's messy—so very un-Cam-like, but I don't care. I just want to spend some time with him.

The minute he closes the door, he pounces on me. His mouth smashes down onto mine, his tongue dipping into my mouth. I wasn't expecting him to do that, but I recover quickly, returning the kiss as he backs me toward his bed.

"Mmm," he says against my neck. "You smell so fucking good."

Next thing I know we're laying on the bed, he's on top of me, sucking on my breast through my shirt. Need grows and I get wet and aroused. I lift my hips and rub against him.

We're moving at warp speed and later on I'll let myself think about why we're so desperate, but now? Now I'm going to just go with it.

He groans, thrusting back against me. He keeps dry humping me and if he doesn't stop, I'm going to come. I want to come while we fuck.

"Cam," I breathe. "I want you inside me."

"Baby, I don't want to stop. Feels too good," he growls, so I give in to the sensations and let him rock us both to orgasm. Mine is sharp and short, not at all satisfying, but from the groan and grunts he lets out, it sounds like Cam's is.

He collapses on top of me, breathing heavily.

I'm panting, trying to catch my breath and figure out just what the hell happened, when he lets out a snore.

"Are you kidding me?" I bite out, giving him a shove, but he doesn't move. He snores some more and anger rises to new proportions. I roll to the side and Cam flops off of me. He lets out a snuffle-snore, then goes back to sleep.

The tears come hard and fast and there's no stopping them. When I get this angry, I cry. I can't help it. I'm not just angry—I'm disappointed, hurt, and feel cheap and used…by my boyfriend.

I leave his room, going to the bathroom to pee and splash some water on my face. I stare at myself in the mirror and wonder what is happening with my life. It's messy, chaotic, disorganized—and I'm unhappy.

If this is how football is going to go, I'm going to be unhappy for a long time. I guess it's time to figure out my life without Cam in it.