18

He never did eat up the limelight like the rest of us, and now he was with Hailee, he was even more inclined to linger in the background. I’d always given him shit for it. Back when we were kids and people began to take notice, I couldn’t understand why he rarely lapped up the attention. But now I wondered if Cam was onto something. If maybe he knew all along that if you stayed in the limelight for too long, it would eventually burn your soul until there was nothing left but ash.

Cameron was sporting a nice shiner underneath his left eye. I had to give him props, I didn’t know he had it in him. Because what they said was true: girls really did make you crazy. And my best friend was two screws loose over my step-sister.

“Fee, baby, you came.”

“I... Hailee insisted.” She kept her eyes on Asher, refusing to look at me.

It shouldn’t have bothered me so much, but it did.

“Well, let’s get you ladies a drink.” He leaped up and slung his arm round her shoulders. I followed him up.

“I’ll be at