Camden
I’ve just finished talking and drinking with Dante and I’m a little drunk and considering going into Kendall’s room when my sister bursts in the door, her eyes wild and angry.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she barks.
“Jesus, what’s gotten up your ass?” I mumble, and then Elora puts both hands on my chest and shoves me. I’m not prepared and I’m a little tipsy, so I stumble backwards, sitting down hard on the bed.
“Kendall Risi, that’s what,” she seethes. “You knocked her up?”
Oh shit. I knew that this was coming, but I didn’t expect it so soon.
“Fuck.”
“Fuck, indeed,” Elora agrees, clearly fuming and pacing around my bedroom. “How dare you take advantage of my best friend like that?”
“Take advantage of her? Elora , she was a very willing participant-”
“Ew!” Elora yells, covering her ears like a little kid. I roll my eyes.
“You asked,” I shoot back. “And you have no business coming in here and yelling at me-”
“You’re going to hurt her,” Elora says, and I sober, guilt rushing through me.
“You don’t know that,” I say softly.
“You’ve already hurt her,” she says. “I can see it in her eyes when she’s around you, Camden, she looks at you like…. like-”
“Like what?” I ask, curious.
“Oh, shut up,” Elora grumbles. “I’m not going to out my best friend’s deepest thoughts and feelings just because you want to stroke your ego.”
I’m genuinely curious as to what Kendall feels, but I keep my mouth shut, knowing that my sister will just get angrier and angrier.
“Look, we’re going to have the baby and co-parent,” I start, and Elora scoffs.
“You think that’s what she wants? You’re an idiot, Camden!” she says, raising her voice. “You don’t see her.”
“What the hell does that even mean?” I ask, exasperated and looking up at her, and Elora groans.
“See, you’re so stupid. I can’t believe she ever bothered to sleep with you.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I drawl, and Elora glares at me.
“You’re going to do right by her,” Elora says, pointing her finger into my chest.
“Who says I’m not? Like I said, I’m going to be there for her and the baby.”
“In what capacity?” Elora demands to know. “In between fucking your strippers and various bar girls?”
I take a deep breath through my nostrils, trying to stay calm. In a way, Elora is right, and I know it. It’s something I’ve been thinking about ever since we’ve returned home, but at the same time, it’s none of my sister’s fucking business.
“I’m going to handle it,” I say flatly, and Elora just stands there, staring at me like I’m the dumbest thing she’s ever seen.
“You’d better,” she mumbles. “If you don’t, I’ll kill you myself.”
“Good to know,” I say, rolling my eyes. Elora ‘s all bark and no bite. She always has been. I’m her big brother and she’s always deferred to me eventually, and she will about this. She just wants to be a brat about it first.
“I’m serious, Camden. That girl has a big heart, and if you break it-”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say quietly. “She’s just as much to blame for this baby as I am, and we agreed to stay casual.”
“Sure, she agreed to stay casual,” Elora says sarcastically.
“She did!” I insist, although in reality, I’m not sure she did. It was more like I said I didn’t do relationships and even though she was kind of angry about it, Kendall accepted it.
What else am I supposed to do? Give up my whole life? I don’t know if I can do that.
“She’s not that kind of girl, Camden, and you know it.”
“She’s never said that,” I mumble.
“I know it! She’s my best friend, like a sister to me, and you’ve probably already broken her heart!” Elora ‘s voice sounds impassioned, angry, and beseeching, as if she wants me to change my mind.
“What do you want me to do, Elora ?” I ask finally, and she sighs.
“I want you to leave her alone,” she says quietly. “Let her down easy, but leave her alone.”
“I can’t do that,” I say simply, and it’s not because she’s pregnant with my baby. It’s not because Elora wants me to. It’s because I simply don’t want to give her up. I don’t want to stop what I’m doing with Kendall because I like her. It’s not love, of course. It can’t be, but it’s something, and I think I want to explore it.
“You’re such a fucking asshole,” Elora mumbles, and walks right back out the door.