Warning: RWB spoilers ahead.
Some say the best love stories often take time.
Emery Chernychevsky has had a crush on Cameron Brooks since he can remember. Watching him date different girls all throughout high school was nothing if not pure torture...
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For some deranged reason, Cameron found himself going after Lucas in the guise of going to the bathroom.
"Lucas!" Cameron yelled, not thinking about what he would do if Lucas actually turned around, the drink in his hand spilling as he carelessly ran after the man.
"Yeah?" Lucas uttered, confused, as if Cameron's voice was the last thing he expected to hear.
"Where are you going?"
The question hung in the air. It wasn't like Cameron to ask, let alone talk to Lucas, and just a moment ago, he was wishing the guy wouldn't even show up, so why would he care?
Lucas seemed apprehensive as he bowed his head down a little. "I was just about to leave," he mumbled, eyes flicking away. "I don't know, it's just... seeing you with Em and hearing those things, I... I felt like I was imposing."
That was when Cameron realized it. He felt guilty. It was a basic human response, and he couldn't justify it as much as he could come up with what to say next.
"Oh. I—I don't really know what to say," Cameron admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.
He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, eyes darting everywhere but at Lucas. Why did he have to run after him? Cameron wanted to punch himself in the neck.
"Shit, this is so awkward, I'm sorry," he added with a half-laugh, the words tumbling out before he could stop them.
That was when Lucas burst out laughing, snapping the tension like a rubber band, and Cameron let out a huge breath.
"Are you normally this honest?"
Cameron looked up at him, surprised. "What?"
"I'm just messing with you," Lucas said, grinning. "I was gonna go and get my friends some food."
"Your friends?"
"Yes..." he replied, stretching the word with mock seriousness. "I have friends from around here..." he drawled. "In this place... where I live..."
Lucas pointed to himself when Cameron just stared at him, confused. "My name is Lucas."
He'd never spent enough time with Lucas to get a real sense of his humor, and it wasn't one he was particularly used to. Nevertheless, a soft laugh slipped out, the kind that would've been swallowed whole by the music blaring around them.
Lucas held his hand out. "Congratulations. He seems happy with you," he said after a quick moment of awkward silence, gesturing in Emery's direction.
It felt wrong to leave him hanging, so Cameron shook his hand, the gesture weighted with something he couldn't quite name.
"I hope you're right," Cameron paused. "And I hope you're okay. You know, with all this."
"Do you?"
Cameron chuckled awkwardly. "What does that mean?"
