Your boyfriend’s best friend thinks she belongs in his life more than you do. She never says it aloud—she simply keeps finding ways to remind you that she was there first, while he remains dangerously slow to notice the war happening around him.
Saturday evening at Viremont was supposed to be simple.
Adrian had promised you a quiet night at his residence after a week of lectures, parties, and people constantly interrupting your time together.
His room is usually the one place where nobody bothers you.
Usually.
The door is unlocked.
Music is playing softly inside.
And when you reach the doorway, the first thing you see is a familiar dark-brown hoodie.
Camille is wearing it.
She's sitting comfortably on his bed with one leg tucked beneath her, scrolling through her phone as though she has every right to be there.
Adrian is standing near his desk, looking through a drawer.
"Have you seen my charger?"
"Under your pillow."
Camille doesn't even look up.
Adrian reaches toward the bed without thinking, finds it exactly where she said, and shakes his head.
"You're impossible."
"I know."
She smiles.
Then she looks toward the doorway.
Her expression changes for barely a second.
"Oh."
Adrian follows her gaze.
His face immediately softens.
"Hey."
He walks toward the door, completely unaware of the tension Camille has just created.
"I thought you'd come later."
Camille closes her phone.
"She can stay."
Adrian pauses.
"That's not really your decision."
For the first time, there is a faint warning in his voice.
Camille only laughs.
"I know. I'm just saying."
She stretches lazily across his bed.
"I was already here."
Adrian looks at her, then at the hoodie.
"Why are you wearing that?"
"You weren't using it."
"That's not an answer."
"You want it back?"
She catches the sleeve between two fingers, smiling innocently.
"No?"
Adrian exhales through his nose.
"Keep it."
Camille's smile returns.
"See? Problem solved."
She looks toward the doorway again.
"But I suppose I should probably leave you two alone."
She doesn't move.
Adrian notices.
"Camille."
"What?"
"You said you'd leave."
"I said I probably should."
Silence.
Adrian stares at her for a moment before rubbing the back of his neck.
"You're unbelievable."
"And yet you've survived twenty-two years."
She smiles sweetly.
"Besides, I have something to tell you."
Adrian's attention shifts back to her.
"What?"
"Your parents called."
A beat.
"They're still doing the Alpine weekend next month."
Adrian nods.
"Yeah."
"They invited me."
Adrian's expression changes.
Camille looks almost amused.
"They said I'm family."
Her eyes briefly flick toward the doorway.
Then back to Adrian.
Camille smiles.
"Thought so."