In Five Years

Chapter 18

Cameron

"Oh, now this is comical." Ethan holds back laughter, and honestly, I don't blame him. There's a smile tugging against my lips as I lean against the entry of his room, my come stain evident against my khaki pants. "Can't deny it now, can you?"

"Shut the hell up." I laugh and pick up a water bottle to chuck at him. "I need to borrow a pair of pants."

"Clearly." He laughs, and Maya's face is beat red as she tries to avoid looking at the stain. "Third drawer." He points to his dresser and I rummage through it until I find a pair of sweatpants. "I would kick your ass, but to be honest this is just too good of a story. Did you honestly come in your pants?"

"I would really not like to talk about this right now," I say and glance at Maya, who quickly looks back down at her phone.

"But you guys are together, right?" He asks.

We didn't exactly clarify it, but I think so, right? I don't know. I don't want to tell Ethan something before I talk to her.

"Just stay out of our business! I don't harp on you about you and Maya."

"That's because we've been dating for like, four years." He protests. "This is big news, and as much as I want to kill you for doing whatever the hell it is you did in there with her, I'll admit that I'm relieved. You look happy as hell now, and maybe we can actually play a game without you looking like you're about to cry every five seconds."

Maya giggles, and I pick up another water bottle to toss at his head. "I don't know why you stay with him," I tell her. "Especially in this messy ass room."

She shrugs. "Eh, I got used to it. I love the boy more than I hate the mess."

Maddie appears in the doorway again, her hair messed up and her cheeks still red from minutes ago. She looks beautiful.

"Aren't you guys coming down for dessert?" She asks.

"Yeah, but why are you going?" Maya cocks her head to the side. "Didn't you just have some?"

"Oh!" Ethan turns to high-five her and then gives her a quick kiss. "See? This is why I'm dating her."

Maddie looks about as red as a tomato, but rather than get embarrassed she straightens her shoulders and shrugs. "That was good too, but I'm starving now. Let's go."

So she's not hiding it. She wants this. She doesn't regret it.

I can't wipe the smile off my face, and after I change in the upstairs bathroom, I follow her to the kitchen to be with our parents, her hand tightly in mine. I give it a squeeze and roll my eyes when my Dad acts surprised. He knew I was going to give her the gift card for the plane tickets. He helped me buy it.

"Well isn't this a lovely surprise?" He says. "I take it she liked the Christmas gift?"

"What gift?" Mary turns around from the sink and sees us holding hands. "Oh!" She shouts with excitement. "Oh, I'm so happy for you both. What did he get you?"

Maddie smiles. "A gift card for Continental Airlines so that we can continue to see each other after the break."

Or during.

I have to leave in two days to go back for football. As much as I want to stay here the whole break, I can't. I wish I had told Maddie my feelings sooner. We could have had these entire two weeks to just be with each other instead of trying to hide our feelings.

There's no way in hell I'm going to be able to go without seeing her for more than two weeks. I'll drive the three hours if I have to for a weekend. I'll do it.