Against All Odds

CHAPTER - 6

ELLE

His pale complexion seemed to regain a touch of colors, and his chocolate brown eyes held a glimmer. The nurse carefully removed the IV. A sigh of relief escaped him as the nurse completed her task, offering a warm smile. I stood beside him, offering silent support. He turned his gaze towards me, a smile on his lips. "Thanks for sitting through that with me, Belle." He said, his voice was a soft murmur.

"Belle?"

His eyes met mine, a playful glint danced in them. "Belle means beautiful, and you're beautiful from inside out. That's why, Belle." A warm blush crept up my cheeks, caught off guard by his compliment. I smiled. The unexpected sweetness of his words made my heart race. Cameron chuckled softly. "It suits you." He said with a genuine smile.

The nurse finished her task and left the room, Cameron sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "Seriously, though, I appreciate you being here. It made the whole process a lot more bearable."

I offered a reassuring smile. "Of course, Cameron."

"Please call me Cam, only my father calls me Cameron." I nodded, agreeing to him.

The fluorescent lights flickered above our head. Cam looked a bit worn out but considerably better than before. We stepped out into the hallway. He had a smile across his face, and he turned to me. "Elle, would you like to grab some lunch? My treat." He suggested.

I hesitated for a moment, feeling a surge of nervousness. "Oh, I don't know. I mean, you don't have to thank me. It's what friends do, right?"

Cam chuckled, his eyes sparkling. "Friends it is then. Come on, give me the opportunity to treat you." He insisted, his chocolate brown eyes making it hard to refuse. I relented, the corners of my lips curling into a reluctant smile. "Alright, lunch it is."

We walked side by side and he led the way to a nearby restaurant, we found a comfortable spot to sit. The waiter handed us the menu.

"I'll have French fries, please."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really, Cam? You just had an IV and you're going for fries."

Cam pouted dramatically. "But fries are my soul food."

I sighed, shaking my head. "Fine, have your fries, but balance it out. Get something healthy, like a salad or a sandwich." I suggested.

Cam's eyes widened. "Healthy? You are trying to ruin my reputation, woman. Okay, I'll go for the spinach sandwich, but only because you asked."

"Good choice. I'll have an avocado toast, and let's throw in some milkshakes to wash it all down." I said, placing our orders.

As we waited for our food to arrive, Cam leaned back in his chair, a teasing smile playing on his lips. "So, is this our first date?" His piercing gaze met mine, and a sly smirk curled on his lips. There was an undeniable magnetism about him, a raw charisma that both intrigued and intimidated me. I couldn't help but laugh, rolling my eyes. "No, Cam, this is not a date. Trust me, I wouldn't willingly subject myself to that."

Cam feigned a hurt expression, placing a hand over his heart. "Ouch, that hurt." His charismatic smile returned.

As he carried on, I couldn't help but observe the revived energy in his attitude. The twinkle in his eyes and the confident smile was a return to his typical self.

I texted my friends about the unexpected lunch with Cam. Their replies flooded my phone, filled with teasing remarks and a generous use of emojis.

As our meals went on, I realized that I was actually enjoying his company more than I had expected. The walls of arrogance and flirtation seemed to disappear, and I discovered that he was surprisingly easy to have a conversation with. He leaned back, a satisfied grin on his face. "I must say, I had quite an entertaining time. Can we make it a regular thing?"

"You wish."

Despite my sarcastic replies, I couldn't deny the joy bubbling within me. The restaurant buzzed around us, but in that moment, it felt like we were the only two people in the world.