The Return of the Bad boy

Chapter 14: Cam

PAST

"So what are you getting, Summer, for the big monthaversary?" Vance asked randomly. We were at lunch waiting for the girls to join us at their usual table.

Our first date a few weeks ago was a hit. I took Summer to an obstacle course. Not a conventional first date, but I knew how she would feel about having an adventure instead of going out for a movie and etc. After that, we grabbed some Chinese take-out and watched the sunset.

"Wait, that's actually a thing?" I took a stressful bite out of my chicken wrap.

Summer hadn't mentioned anything about that. Or maybe she was waiting for me too. I wondered if she had something planned? I would look like an idiot if I didn't have anything. Even if this wasn't a big deal to Summer, now that Vance had put it into my head, I wanted to do something for her.

I needed to think long and hard for the perfect gift. Those generic gifts seemed kind of cringey.

"Yes, it's a thing, dude. Girls love that stuff." Vance shook his head disappointingly. "What would you do without me. That girl would have probably dumped your ass already."

I scoffed, giving him a dirty side-eye. "Why are you still single yet, O wise one?"

Vance snapped his fingers. "Good question, my star pupil. Let me elaborate. I think love is for chums."

It was my turn to shake my head.

"But not you though." Vance patted my shoulder. "You're definitely not a chum. More like a love-sick puppy." He grinned, thinking he was funny.

I threw my discarded onion at him, and it landed on his head. He glared at me, and I smirked. That'll teach you.

I moved on from Vance's cynicism. "You know we still haven't had that talk yet?" I admitted while watching Summer grab another slice of pizza, but it was the buffalo chicken one this time.

"Uhhh..." Vance's brows did that confused wiggle thing. "What 'talk' are we talking about?"

"We haven't labeled us." I wasn't worried about it. But I wanted to have that talk.

"But everyone knows she's your girl, and no guy would be stupid enough to look in her direction." Vance paused, then blew out a breath. "Except for that idiot." He pointed to the guy, whose presence irritated my entire being. Summer's ex-boyfriend Drake has taken an interest in her again, but Summer being Summer, flipped him off every time.

That thought brought a smile to my face. My girl was fierce.

Vance continued. "He's been trying to cause trouble since he's seen that Summer has clearly moved on and leveled up."

I gasped, palming both of my cheeks. "Best friend, did you just refer to me as an 'upgrade'?" I wiped away an imaginary tear. "I didn't know you thought so highly of me."

Vance looked unamused. "In all seriousness, you have more going for you than he ever did. That is all."

"That is everything, including one of the best compliments you ever gave me." A smug grin took over my face.

"Is this what I'm like when I'm gloating and being egotistical?" Vance scratched his head.

I opened my mouth to answer, but he cut me off.

"It was a rhetorical question. Don't answer that."

"Sure thing, dude." I finished off my wrap. Summer was out of the line, but the girls had stopped at another table to talk with a classmate.

I felt a chill go up to my spine and turned around to look behind me.

Vance mimicked the movement.

It was Abigail, staring right at me. Her clique surrounded her, and her boyfriend, my friend Jason had his arm draped around her shoulders as he spoke with our other teammates.

Abigail gave me a flirty smile and wiggled her manicured fingers at me.

No thanks. I didn't give her the satisfaction of a reaction. I ignored her.

"Add her to the list of trouble too. She can't take a hint." Vance wasn't in the same predicament as me, but even he was tired of her trying to force her way where she doesn't belong.

"Worse than that, she's unloyal and petty." I snickered.

Jason came off as a player, and he didn't have the best track record for treating girls well. But at the end of the day, he stayed with the same girl.

"Bro code aside, I still wouldn't want her." Vance said.

"I know. Kenny is more your speed anyway." I mumbled, riling him up.

"What? No, she's not!" I've never heard him so quickly deny something. He couldn't even look me in the eye as he told that lie.

"If you say so."

"Look, I could go for a lot of girls. But not Kenny!"

"Not Kenny what?" Kenny slid in the seat across from him, with Summer to the left and Rosie to the right.

Vance's eyes grew wide, and he looked like he could've made a run for it. Instead, he chose to play it off. "Nothing!" Vance answered fast enough to cause suspicion. His tone of voice was a little too high as well.

Kenny looked to me for answers.

"I'd tell you, but bro code and all. Sorry, Ken."

"Okay then. Whatever." She took a bite of her pizza.

Vance cleared his throat, forcing his gaze away from hers.

But enough about those two.

Summer was smiling over at me, and I loved to see it.

"Date night Friday?" I asked her. That left me with four and a half days to come up with a gift idea.

"Your place or mine?"

"I thought we could go for a drive, and... I'll surprise you with the rest."

"AWE!" The girls said, falling in love with the idea already.

"Okay," Summer replied, and my brain started to form a plan.