Truce?

I scribbled on a piece of paper before passing it to Camila. I know her and I know she's treating this like a game she has to win. She can't really be enjoying talking to Matt like that, she's trying to make me jealous.

And it's working.

She gave me a nod and a small smile and I silently sighed in relief.

The bell rang and we exchanged goodbyes before slipping out the classroom. "You need a ride?"

"Nah, Zoe's here, thanks."

"See you."

We parted and I spotted Joey's curly mop of hair in the crowded hallway and followed him. "Hey, Joey?"

"Yeah?"

"Leave Cami the fuck alone."

"Man, you too? I feel like I'm the only one not getting a taste of that-"

I didn't let him finish his sentence before kicking behind his knee, causing him to fall to the floor. I had to stop myself from beating him up there and then so I carried on walking and didn't look at anyone until I reached my car.

*

"Hey." I sat across from Matt on a bench beside the site. There were a few of the other builders, probably mid-twenties beside us in their own conversation. I've spend the last two hours bringing planks of wood upstairs and laying the floor so my back is aching like mad, but I'd rather do that for another six hours than take a break with Matthew.

I opened my bottle of water when Matt asked me, "How's Camila?"

Has he not been talking to her all day? "She's good... why?"

"Nah just wondering, I know you're friends so."

"Oh, yeah."

"Has she mentioned me at all?"

Shit. That's where this is going. Has she told him? Has she not told him anything?

"Briefly, why?"

"Just wanted to know. We've hung out a few times and I really like her but she's not very clear on how she feels."

"Mhm, she's like that." A part of me stung with a mix of defensiveness and jealousy. "She only opens up to people she's close to."

"Yeah she seems like quite a shy and innocent person."

Oops, not anymore man, sorry.

I smirked into my bottle of water, "she does seem it at first."

"She's changed this summer, she's gotten hotter."

I was surprised how openly he spoke about her, knowing I'll tell her everything later.

"Mhm." I muttered, not wanting to contribute to his statement, even though I completely agree. I wanted to grab him by his throat and smash his head off the table but the lad has no idea.

I drank my drink and completely zoned out of it thinking about her. God I shouldn't but I can't stop.

"Theo."

"Hm?" I broke out of my trance, her boobs still imprinted in my mind.

"Should I make a move?"

Shit, no. No fuck no. No one else has touched her, only me, and I don't want to change that. She wouldn't kiss him back though, would she? Fuck, that's why she kissed me. To practice for him. God you idiot she likes him, not you.

The jealousy burned like a cigarette on my skin. "Go for it man." I stood up and began to leave the table.

But no, I can't just leave like that, I'm too petty. I placed my hand on his shoulder and bent down to speak to him.

"She likes to be choked."

I sauntered away from a table of chuckling men and a confused Matt as I went to spend the rest of my break on the other side of the site, far from Matthew.

I pulled out my phone to text Camila. I should probably apologise before she hears it from him.

*hey, you busy?*

*just homework, why?*

*I need to talk to you.*

*about...?*

*Matt.*

Seconds later my phone was ringing.

"Look, Theo, I know what you're going to say because of today-"

"Shh, shh shh. Give me a second."

I left the building site and decided to do a lap of the estate so no one can hear me.

"He just confessed his feelings for you to me."

"Fuck! What did you tell him?"

"Well, I didn't say you liked him, I just told him to 'go for it'."

"Theo!"

"I'm sorry! I thought you wanted that! Do you like him? I mean you kissed me so you could practice for him."

"I swear to god if you're still sat beside him-"

"No, I left the site I'm on a walk. You didn't answer my question."

"Look, just don't talk to him-"

"I don't plan on, don't worry."

"Text me when you're home and I'll come over."

"I'll leave early, let me just finish up."

"Ok, see you then."

"See you."

I hung up the call and smushed my face into my fingers as I walked back to work.

I'm screwed.

*

I texted Cami the second I entered my house.

*home now.*

*On my way.*

Minutes later she was knocking on my bedroom window, standing on my desk as she climbed inside.

"Word for word what happened." She threw herself on my bed.

I lay down beside her and mentally prepared myself for an angry Camila.

"We sat down on break, he said 'how's Camila' so I said 'good' and asked 'why' because- well, just because and he said its 'cause he knows we're friends' and then he said 'has she mentioned me?' and I said 'briefly' because the only time you ever mention him is before we, you know, and that was when he said - 'we've hung out a few times and I really like her but she's not very clear on how she feels'."

"Fuck." She groaned, covering her face with my pillow. "And you told him...?"

"You only open up about your feelings to people you're close with. And then-" I began giggling, "he said 'she seems like quite a shy and innocent person'."

"Stop!" She began laughing too, "please tell me that was it?"

"Nope! Then he said 'She's changed this summer, she's gotten hotter'." I mimicked his voice.

"Oh my god."

"He said something else but I zoned out and then-"

"Zoned out? You're supposed to remember what he said so you can tell me!"

"I got- distracted, sorry, then he asked if he should make a move. But.... I'm not sure he will anymore."

"What did you tell him?"

"Don't kill me..."

"Theo!"

"I said you like to be choked and then I left the table-"

"Theodore! You didn't!?"

"I'm sorry!"

She hit me repeatedly with the pillow and I accepted defeat after three hits.

"You don't really like him, do you?" I gripped her wrist to stop her from attacking me.

"I don't know..." Her eyes veered off like she was deep in thought.

"You know we can't have 'benefits' if you go off and get a boyfriend."

"You've got Katie." She raised an accusing eyebrow.

"How many times do I have to tell you? I dropped her completely at the party, you know that."

"I didn't think you were serious, you still talk in school."

"We ended on good terms, and I couldn't carry on seeing her when you came back."

"Because of what we di- what we do?"

"Obviously."

"Do you want me to stop talking to Matt?"

"I think you should, for his sake, not mine."

"Ok, I'll talk to him."

"Does that mean I can have you all to myself?"

She rolled her eyes at my smirk before dropping the pillow and straddling me. "You always have, you just didn't know it."

"Good answer." I smiled up at the blonde girl sat on my lap before stretching up to kiss her plump lips. My lips.

Her hands gripped my hair and neck as our tongues battled, my hands gripping tightly on her ass. I moved her hair and slid my tongue down her jaw and to her neck, sucking on the tender skin and adding to her collection of hickeys.

"I need to talk to you about something..."

"What's up?" She gasped.

I pulled away and looked up at her. "I have to go somewhere this weekend- this business trip thing with Dad. It's just almost two hours away but I'm spending both days there so we've got a hotel for Saturday night."

"So I won't see you again until Monday?"

"You could always come with? Our own hotel room for a night..."

"You're working in the daytimes though, I'd have nothing to do."

"If not then I won't see you until Monday."

She gave me a quick kiss, "you go and spend time with your Dad. I can call you when you're not working and we'll make up for it when you get back."

"Fine." I complained, "Spend the night here at least?"

"You need to sleep."

"No I don't."

"You were yawning in class and you have a busy weekend."

"I promise I'll get all my eight hours."

"Ugh fine, I'll have to talk to Zoe though."

"Text her now."

"You know a text won't suffice for Zoe, and I just snook out so she didn't loose her shit again. I'll come back later, promise."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Ok."

I helped her climb back into the treehouse and closed the window behind her with a way-too-big smile plastered across my face.