"so he's free?" eden asked, her eyes narrowed like she was uncertain if she should really be questioning this. i shrugged in response. technically he was, even though we were talking and acting like we were dating.

"yeah, i guess he is. and he thinks your super pretty and overall interesting." her eyes twinkled as i spilled out information i gathered from the horrible night that haunts me. "he's a really sweet guy. knows how to woo a woman. but also knows how to piss them off just right." she giggled and nodded her head.

"he seems to like you, audrey." she suggested, shoving me with her elbow.

"yeah, i know. but i'm not sure how i feel." i knew exactly how i felt, but i didn't want to have him pick me over her when i can't give what is needed in a relationship. "plus, he just pisses me off sometimes."

"really? how so?"

"well he just... he just doesn't listen. he wants to talk about himself a lot or he's always around. it just makes me so irritated. i wish i could have my alone time sometimes, ya know? but if it's not fitz it's swagger, or mason. i don't know. they are just always there." i wasn't aware of the bottled up enmity that gathered in my soul. did i really feel that way or was that just my mind trying to pick the bad out of the good? "and he pushed me off the bed."

"hmm. maybe you just aren't a clingy person. because some girls like that. they like having their boyfriends around all the time." eden laid beside me and watched as i pulled my sleeping bag over my arms. "besides, at least he shows a little bit of interest."

"i guess so. i just feel so overwhelmed with his presence sometimes."

"that's understandable. but don't take it for granted, some girls like me obsess over that kind of attention, yet don't receive it. so if you do, than take it as a blessing."

-

awaking the next morning, my eyelids peeled apart to reveal a sleeping eden. she must have fallen asleep last night whilst we were talking. she's really sweet and i don't see why the boys don't like her.

crawling out of the tent, i push on my nike slides and pad over to the coolers. "good morning, swagger." i groan, desperately trying to open the pop tart wrapper.

"hey, babe." sitting beside him, i munch down on the oreo pop tart. oh man i haven't had one in ages.

"morning, cameron." i smirked, watching him grab the same food i did. "you alright?" he hummed inside as he plopped down into a lawn chair on the opposite side of swagger.

"i'm fine and dandy, audrey." he was full of sarcasm. cam had bags under his eyes and his pallid complexion only increased to become more pale.

"how was sleeping with mason?" my voice was shallow, i didn't want to annoy him but i was desiring some sort of conversation between us. eden was right, i shouldn't be annoyed when he wants to constantly chatter, because now he's barely even responding.

"i'm going for a walk." he huffed. turning my gaze to swagger, my eyebrows furrowed as hard as they could. his head shook, showing he had no idea what had cam in such a sour mood. rising, i chase after him, already knowing it was going to go south.

"what did i do?" he shrugged in response. why was he being so difficult to talk to? why now? i seem to be asking that question a lot. but my head was being bombarded by that one word.

i stop walking, watching as he continued on without me. "cam, i'm completely clueless. you've said it before, i'm oblivious." he turned back to me, his fists clenched.

"i need some space, audrey. i can't right now. there's a lot of shit that is going through my mind and none of it is good." my heart jumped out of my chest, calling for him to turn around again.

i cursed to myself, knowing i fucked up. sprinting back to camp, i hid away in my tent and buried myself in my blankets. ugh i'm so predictable. i'm so gentle and so breakable. my eyes closed lightly, the morning drowsiness still attached to me.

it's just i'm not the type of girl that i see them hanging with. i see a beautiful woman who is strong and worthy of their time. a girl who liked video games or gets scuffed with them every time. and i guess that kind of resembles eden. even though i hate to admit it, she's exactly the type of person i see fitting in, not someone like me. not someone who is the perfect example of cinderella. who lets people walk all over them and still goes out of her way to help them. someone who allows people to boss her around and is completely clueless...

-

"audrey, wake up." swagger demanded, shaking my tent. kicking his leg, i sit up and clear my dried throat. "we have a situation..." he sits down on the air mattress and shakes his head. "man, i don't think you'll like this."

"what is it swagger? tell me?"

"mason went down to check on fitz... he was making out with eden. i'm so disappointed, audrey. this type of shit breaks up a group. so now we have to pretend like we know nothing-"

"bullshit! we don't have to pretend anything! if fitz wants to be a complete asshole to his friends than why not let him know?! and if a girl who posed as you friend steals away your only person you've only ever felt real butterflies with, than why should we not confront them? and-and if she steals away the only person who makes you stutter or takes your breath away or-or,"

"come here, babe." he pulled me in, resting my head on his shoulder as i sobbed out the pain and distraught that filled me. "i know, he's a total dick."

"but i can't be mad. i refused his offer on becoming a couple. i told him to be with who he wants and if that's not me i wouldn't be acting like i am now. so i just need to calm down and force my emotions on something more qualified. like how mason still has that fucking video of me and fitz sleeping in a cute embrace..." swagger was so confused with what to do at this point and it caused a little laugh to escape my lips as i realized how insane i seem. "i'm sorry. i seem like a wacko."

we both crawled out of the tent to see eden and cam sitting beside each other whilst he played a soft tune on his guitar. why did it hurt so badly? watching her beaming with happiness made my blood boil, but it wasn't my place. like matt said, if you truly adore someone you want their happiness to be your top priority.

"you frozen?" swags questioned. "hungry? i mean i really can't read you."

"i lost my one shot at happiness."