Against All Odds

CHAPTER - 21

ELLE

C: Hey, do you want to grab something to eat? I can swing by and pick you up!

E: Sure, that sounds great! I'm at the library.

I turned off my phone and kept on reading. Shortly after, my phone began to ring. It was my mom, I quickly reached for my phone and accepted the video call from her. Her face appeared on the screen, her warm smile instantly putting me at ease. Despite the distance between us, technology allowed us to connect and share moments as if we were in the same room.

"Hi mom! How are you?"

Mom smiled widely from the screen. "Oh, honey, I'm doing well. I just had to see your face."

"Aww, I miss you mom. And I've been very happy recently."

Mom raised an eyebrow. "Oh really!"

I couldn't help but giggle. Before I could say more, I spotted Cam entering the library. While I was looking at my mom through the screen, he tiptoed behind me and suddenly reached out and tickled my sides, causing me to jump and yell out in surprise. I turned around to see charming grin and couldn't help but laugh even harder. Cam always knew how to brighten my day with his playful antics. "Cam!" I exclaimed. Meanwhile, mom watched the scene through the call.

"Oh! Who's that dear? Don't tell me you have a secret boyfriend you haven't told me about!"

My face turned a deep shade of red, embarrassment flooding my senses as my mom teased. "No, mom, it's not like that!"

Cam took a step backward. "I hope I'm not interrupting something."

I sighed, still flustered from the surprise. "No no."

"Mom, I'll give you a call back later. Bye, I love you." I ended the call right away. It was too soon to talk to mom about Cam and me. After I packed my bag with my essentials, Cam and I headed towards a new food struck that had just opened and it claimed to serve the best fries and soft ice.

We got into Cam's car, and we drove, he turned to face me. "That was your mother you were having a conversation with." 

"Yes, that's my mom."

"So, she is at the top of my list for approval?"

A rush of warmth enveloped me, and a soft smile formed on my lips. The idea of him appreciating my mother's opinion as highly as I did strike a chord within me, sparking a strong feeling. I looked at him, my smile fading a bit. My brother was also on the list of approval.

"Well, before my mother's approval, I need my brother's approval too." I replied cautiously, trying to gauge his reaction. His eye's widened, a flicker of discomfort crossed his face. We both knew the tension that existed between them, and it weighed heavily on our relationship.

He nodded, his features hardened. "I know. Have you ever asked your brother about our... situation?"

I shook my head, feeling guilty for not approaching Liam about this matter. "I-I have never brought up that topic in front of him."

Cam sighed, his eyes fixed on the road. "There's a reason behind everything. It's complicated and difficult to explain."

Curiosity overwhelmed me. I wanted to know the truth, to understand the root cause of their animosity. "Cam, please. I need to know the real reason. I promise I'll understand."

"We are here."

And he abruptly cut me off mid-sentence. We were finally talking about something very important, something that has been bothering me a lot for weeks. I was hoping that we could finally talk about it and maybe find a solution together. But now, I can't help but feel like my concerns are being ignored.