I get home around lunch time. Cameron didn't come inside, I thought it'd be best if he just dropped me off after what happened yesterday and this morning. Still running on the high, it would definitely be obvious about what had went on between us.

My mom is busy making dinner for tonight in the kitchen, a random country song quietly playing through the speaker. It smells like meatloaf, and even though I just ate breakfast I'm already hungry again.

Probably from the workout with Cam in the shower.

My cheeks turn bright red just as my mother whips her head around when the front door closes. "Oh, thank god." She drops the spatula down onto the counter and races over to pull me into a warm embrace. "I thought you were dead!"

"I'm fine." I tell her, completely smothered by her sweater.

"Your father is going to have a conversation with that Mark boy." She warns, but I immediately shake my head.

"Mom, that's not necessary..." I start, but Ethan enters into the kitchen now, his eyes narrowing at my clothes.

"Are those Cameron's?" He asks.

I forgot I was wearing them, but I clumsily hold the plastic bag up in my hand and say, "Yeah. I didn't want to wear my dress and heels back home so he let me borrow something of his."

"Oh, right." He nods as if he was overthinking, and internally it makes me want to scream. He's so close to figuring it out. Cam and I have to be more careful next time. "But mom, you don't have to worry about Mark. Tell dad I've got that covered."

"Nobody has to do anything." I straighten my shoulders and stand up taller, letting them know I'm serious. "I can handle myself. Yes, what he did sucked, but it's over with. I'm honestly okay now, alright? So rather than everyone beat him up I'd just like it to end. I want to forget about it."

My mom purses her lips together, clearly disagreeing with me, but she doesn't protest. Instead she picks the spatula back up and heads back over to the stove. "I think we all need a bit of a break." She admits. "With the run in with Mark, and your brother stressing about states, I just want us to have a little family time. You know?"

Ethan and I exchange glances, knowing where this is going.

"I say we go away for a weekend." She smiles. "I think next weekend will be perfect, don't you? If you boys win the game this Saturday then states won't be for another two weeks."

"Okay, but we'll probably still have practice." Ethan says to try and get himself out of it, but my mother just wags a finger in his face.

"Not so fast." She says. "I already spoke with coach about it."

"You what?" His face gets red, clearly embarrassed. "Mom, why would you do that?"

"He thought it was a good idea too!" She exclaims. "If you win this weekend he thinks a few days off will get you and Cameron in the right head space for States."

"Cameron?" I ask. "He's going too?"

I didn't mean to say it, it just came out, and my mother glances at me questionably like I've lost my mind. "Of course he's going. That boy doesn't have a family right now, Maddie. We're all he's got. I'm not going to leave him out."

I stare down at my feet, and the guilt starts to creep in.

"Plus, I know you two don't always see eye to eye, but he really looked out for you last night. Taking him with us is the least we can do. If you'd like you can bring Maya so that you have a friend there too."

"Maya?" Ethan hisses, and I can visibly see his jaw clench.

After I caught Ethan staring at her like that the night of the homecoming dance, I think it'll be fun to mess with him. He clearly wants something with her. He may just want to fuck her, it wouldn't surprise me, but teasing him about it will be fun.

"I think inviting Maya is a fabulous idea, mom." I say with a wide grin. "I'll go call her right now actually."

Ethan mumbles a couple of things under his breath as he storms off to his room, and just from his reaction I can tell something is going on.

If he's into her then why wouldn't he tell me? Well, I guess before the whole Cameron situation I probably would have been pissed about it, but I'm doing the same thing with his best friend now, so I'd actually be relieved if he admitted he had feelings for her.

Maybe then I'd actually be able to grow a pair and tell him about my feelings for Cam.

————-

"And he said he loved you?" Maya is on the edge of my bed, her eyes completely glued to me as I tell her everything. I knew she would be invested, but never this much. "Cameron Holden said he loved you?"

"Yes!" I exclaim, wiggling my toes to try and get them to air dry faster. The baby pink I chose just seemed perfect now under the light, and I swear nothing could bring my mood down. I've got an incredible secret boyfriend, my toe color is perfect, and I've got the most amazing best friend anyone could ask for.

"Are we in an alternate universe?" She jokes.

"That's not even the best part." I bite on my lip, letting out a laugh when she rapidly moves her hand in front of her for me to finish. "I lost my virginity."

"You what?!" She shrieks, and I have to throw my pillow at her to get her to be quiet. Ethan's room is only a few doors down.

"Last night." I gush. "He took me back to his house. It was the most amazing experience, Maya. He was so caring, and gentle, and just... god. He's amazing."

"Well now I know why Ethan was blowing up my phone." She nods. "I answered at like three in the morning. He asked where you were and I said I didn't know. I was sleeping."

I slowly nod, and since she brought Ethan up, I decide to do some digging.

"So, Ethan..." I trail off, and she arches her brow up. "Do you think he's cute?"

"Ethan?" She asks, but something about her statement is off. "Your brother? No. Absolutely not."

Her cheeks are growing red underneath her tan skin, and my jaw drops open in shock. "Oh my god." I laugh in disbelief. "You totally have the hots for him, don't you?"

"No!" She lies, but I give her a knowing look and she finally lets out a sigh. "I can't."

"And why is that?"

"Well, for one, I don't want our friendship to be ruined, and two..." she lets out another sigh and stares down at the floor. "He's into cheerleaders, Maddie. I'm not like that. I'm... boring."

"You are not boring." I say defensively. "You are far from that."

"Still. You know Ethan better than anyone. He's with a new girl every week. I don't want to get wrapped up in that and get myself hurt. He wouldn't even give me the time of day."

She's so wrong, but I'm also loyal to my brother, and I don't want to give his feelings away. That's something he needs to share with her when he's ready to because I don't want Maya getting hurt either.

"Why are you asking me about him anyways?" She asks. "Weren't we just getting to the good parts about your night with Cam?"

My cheeks flush again as the memories come back. His tongue all over my body, his moans, the way he felt inside of me.

"There's nothing to tell." I shrug.

"Oh, come on." She rolls her eyes and grabs onto the remote by my bedside table. "Is it true what everyone says? Is he really that big?"

"Maya!" I shriek, and we both erupt into another fit of laughter.

"You think I'm joking but I'm being dead serious." She adds. "Is he?"

I bite on my lip to keep my laughter inside, but it's useless. I eagerly nod my head. "Girl, I can hardly fucking walk!"

Her eyes grow wide, and she slaps me on my shoulder, and then we're laughing so hard that neither of us can catch our breath.

"I can't believe you aren't a virgin anymore!" She finally is able to say. "I'm so proud of you. I will fully take credit for hooking you two up. If it weren't for me then you would never have made up with him after he slept with Sadie."

I wrinkle my nose up in disgust at the mention of her name, but Maya keeps talking.

"So, what does this mean for you both now? Are you like officially together? Friends with benefits?"

"Together." I reply. "Well... I don't know. I mean, I think we are. We said we loved each other so I'm going to assume so? But nobody knows, and nobody can know. Especially not Ethan."

Reaching over my lap to grab a dorito from the bag, she sends me a wink as she pops one into her mouth. "You know my lips are sealed."