Chapter 9: Simplicity
752 Words
Chapter 9
Lunch was over.
And somehow, Camille didn’t feel like it had ended.
Cameron paid for everything—despite her insisting she could pay for her own meal at least once. He didn’t even argue with her properly. He just did it, like it was already decided.
“Thanks for the lunch,” she said as they stepped out of the café.
She checked the time.
One hour left before her next class.
They ended up walking together toward a small park near the university, shaded with tall trees and scattered benches where students lounged between classes.
A light breeze moved through the leaves, soft enough to make everything feel slower than it actually was.
“Your next class is 2 PM, right?” Cameron asked.
Camille blinked. “How did you know that?”
He didn’t answer.
Just kept walking.
She frowned slightly, glancing at him. “That’s kind of creepy, you know.”
“I pay attention,” he said simply.
Then, after a pause, he added, “This is one of the problems when you have too much break and nothing to do. Some people go to the library and study. You should enjoy this time… because once everything gets serious, it gets a bit too much.”
Camille listened quietly.
“I know,” she said softly. “You’re in third year. That’s when all the pressure starts.”
Cameron nodded once.
Then, more casually than expected, he said, “I’m not a full-time student. I work after class.”
Camille’s eyes widened slightly. “Oh wow. Are you a drop out?”
He stopped walking for half a second.
“Hey,” he said, offended but amused. “I’m top of my class, you know.”
She laughed. “Okay, okay. But why are you irregular then?”
That time, he didn’t joke right away.
“I’m not like you guys,” he said more quietly. “I’m a scholar. I worked hard to get where I wanted to be.”
The tone shifted.
Subtle, but real.
Camille looked at him more carefully now.
She noticed things she hadn’t paid attention to before.
No flashy logos.
No designer branding.
Just simple clothes—rugged pants, plain white shirt.
But somehow…
He still looked like he belonged in a magazine.
Like even simplicity couldn’t make him ordinary.
“You’ll get there,” she said gently, smiling at him. “I know you will.”
Without thinking too much, she reached for his hand and pulled him toward a small ice cream stall near the path.
“Come on,” she said. “What’s yours?”
Cameron let himself be dragged, not resisting at all.
“Hmmm,” he said, pretending to think. “Soft cone vanilla.”
“I’ll have strawberry in a hard cone,” she said.
They walked side by side afterward, ice cream in hand, the afternoon sun filtering through the trees.
Camille noticed something she immediately regretted noticing.
The way he licked his ice cream.
Slow. Casual.
Somehow… distracting.
She looked away quickly.
Why am I even thinking that?
Cameron glanced at her. “Do you want to try mine?”
She almost choked. “Uh—no, I’m good.”
Too fast.
Too obvious.
She cleared her throat and focused on her ice cream instead, hoping he didn’t notice anything.
But of course—
he probably did.
Time passed easily after that.
Too easily.
Before she realized it, Cameron was walking her back toward her next class building, like it was already something he naturally did.
People around them noticed.
She could feel it.
The stares. The whispers. The curiosity.
But she ignored it.
Mostly.
Until she bumped into someone.
“Hey!” Jasmine’s voice cut through immediately.
Camille turned. “Oh—hey.”
Jasmine’s eyes shifted instantly.
From Camille…
to Cameron.
And then back again.
A slow, knowing smile formed.
Camille felt her stomach drop.
Cameron stepped slightly back, polite as ever.
“I’ll see you later,” he said simply, then gave a small nod before walking away.
Jasmine waited until he was out of earshot.
Then she grabbed Camille’s arm.
“Omg,” she whispered loudly. “Did you just spend your whole break with him?!”
Camille immediately pressed a finger to her lips. “Shhh.”
But her face gave her away.
And Jasmine grinned wider.
“I knew it,” she said. “Dating on the first week!" She smirked and give her a pinch.
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