im really sorry for another long update. anyway im loving this chapter. bc hey you get to know more a bit about cam and shawn's background and all that. haha happy reading!

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I'm not blaming her. I blame Cameron. I blame him for brainwashing Mila and for everything that has happened between us. He's nothing but a player and he's responsible for all this. And to add to the problem, no matter how hard I try to convince Mila he's not the one for her and that she deserves better, she'd defend him anyway. And that, in a way, had offended me somehow. Cheating on her once seemed at least a bit rational but cheating on her three times with three different women? I quote Hailee: "Damn straight ridiculous!" Plus, he was sober on two of them. Now, what the hell? All I hear is: "But Shawn, he really has changed. But Shawn, he treats me better now. But Shawn's he's really sorry. But everything."

Lies. Everything Cameron has said has been nothing but lies. And the problem is that Camila believes every single one of them. And that frustrates me even more.

"People were created to be loved," I heard Aaliyah reading John Green's Looking For Alaska. She had finally come home from Canada after crashing on her friend's house for almost two weeks. "Things were created to be used. The reason why the world is in chaos, is because things are being loved, and people are being used."

"Stop." I said interrupting her loud reading.

Literally.

She gave me a questioned look before I realized that she didn't know about my thoughts. "Do me a favor and silent read like normal people, okay?" It turned out to sound more like a command.

"Why? Does it hurt your heart?" she smirked asking the sly question. "What if it does?" I smirked back. "What will you do?"

"I'm gonna tell Mila she has something to get jealous over."

Oh yeah, did I mention they always had those "girl talks"? They were like sisters. "Go ahead," I said. "It's about her anyway." I heard an 'ooh' escape from her giggling lips before leaving me alone in my room to think.

After cooking dinner, the door rang. "Shawn," Aaliyah called out from downstairs, "someone's here to see you."

I quickly went to see who it was only to find a smiling Cameron.

Cocking his [abnormaly large] head, he greeted me. "Hey, Shawn."

"Cam." A long pause followed. "What can I help you with?" I asked, eager to close the damn door.

"The thing is, it's about Mila." he said bluntly, even shrugging.

"Mila?" I repeated.

"Yeah, Camila, Mila." he replied casually and walked past by me and into my house. "So," he said slumping on my couch. "how can I win her back? You know she's upset with me for the chea-"

"Can you even hear yourself right now?" I interrupted. Is he provoking me on purpose?

"What, bro?" he acted as if he didn't know what he just did. Him calling me bro infuriated me even more.

"No. I'm not helping you." I said firmly, gritting my teeth.

"Come on bro, help a bro out. What about the bro code-"

"Shut up. We're not bros." my fists tightened.

You were the one who broke the bro code in the first place and now you're expecting me to help you by calling out the bro code?

"Bro," he stood up chuckling, "is this about us? That was two years ago. Two. Get over it man."

"Get out." I said, trying to calm myself down.

"What?"

"What do you mean what? What's your deal with Camila? You have some nerve coming here." I felt my knuckles turn white.

"Those other three women, I can explain." Cameron tried to argue. I grabbed him by the collar, angry, "Oh yeah? I don't care. Get out before I punch the life out of you." I said raising my voice.

"Shawn?" Aaliyah interrupted. "What's all the noise?"

Someone's being an asshole. I wanted to say. I let go of Cameron and faked a smile to my sister. "Nothing. Cam here was just about to leave."

"Y-yeah, I was." he chuckled at my sister and even pretended to rub the back of his neck before looking at me and giving me a 'what-the-hell' look. I slammed the door right after he set foot out.

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I woke up the next day with a really bad headache. My head was throbbing and I was freezing. I had put on my warmest socks, the warmest jacket I could find, and burrito-wrapped myself with my blanket yet I was still freezing. I stumbled out of my bed, dizzy because of the headache, to the bathroom where the medicines were kept in the cupboard.

Halfway stumbling to the bathroom, my head throbbed even more and the pain worsened. I think I fell down to the floor, hearing the loud and painful might I add thump that ensued. Aaliyah quickly went to check on me and was horrified to see me pale and lying on the floor half-conscious.

"Shawn!" she quickly knelt down by my side to feel my forehead. "Shit. You're hot." Her forehead creased with wrinkles (at such a young age not to mention.)

I couldn't help but laugh. "How hot?" I joked.

She rolled her eyes before turning serious. "Stop joking around but your temperature is really up high. I think you could be burning up to a hundred and three degrees. It's so hot it burns my palms just by touching it, Shawn...Shawn? Can you hear me? Shawn!"

Everything was blurry and distorted. I think I managed to mumble something before everything went pitch-black.

"Differentiate an isotonic, hypertonic, and hypertonic solution from blah blah blah." Ms. Houten continued to interrogate us with questions. I started to drift to sleep just about 10 minutes into her class. It was chilly today and I was wearing my favourite sweater today. I started drifting to sleep again.

"Mr. Mendes." I heard an irritated Ms. Houten called out.

I tried to act as innocently as possible and stood up from my seat. "Yes, ma'am?"

"Were you sleeping in my class?" she eyed me with one eyebrow raised, showing her wrinkles that made her look her age.

"No ma'am." I replied casually with a grin spread on my face.

"Really? What is an isotonic solution then, Mr. Mendes?" she challenged me.

Thing is, this was our review for the prelims-which I had already studied. I racked my brain to find the correct answer. My face lit up as I remembered that the isotonic part was my favorite. "An isotonic solution is when the solutes in and out of the cell are both equal." I grinned even wider, knowing that I had nailed my answer.

"What happens after? Will there be any reaction, or event that will happen? Will any changes occur? Please explain to your fellow classmates, Mr. Mendes."

Challenging me, eh? I smirked before giving my witty reply. "Nothing will happen because both solutes in and out of the cell are already equal. They won't need osmosis or diffusion to occur. May I now take my seat, ma'am?"

"Very well," she gave up, quite satisfied with my answer. "Now class, turn to Chapter VI, Section I, Number 12..."

"Pst,", a girl from behind called out, handing a piece of paper to me. I opened it up to see her number with a note below it.

'for being hot and smart. call me. xx'

I smiled politely back at her before shoving the paper into my pocket.

"Shawn!" a familiar voice kept burning my ears and shaking me.

I groaned and painfully opened my eyes. The headache was still there—it got worst, even. I was greeted by a concerned looking Camila as I noticed I wasn't laying on the floor anymore but on my bed instead.

Feeling the sudden urge to puke, I shot up and quickly ran to the bathroom sink. I felt the gentlest hands pat my back softly. "You okay?"

I stayed silent before slowly nodding. I had no strength to talk.

"Are you hungry?"

I nodded. That was just when I realized that I was practically starving. "How long was I out?" I managed to croak.

"A day and a half." Camila smirked, "Like an hour or so. I'm getting you the chicken soup Aaliyah and I made. Get some rest for the meanwhile." she said, tiptoeing as if she were aiming to kiss my forehead. For some reason I bowed my head down to meet her lips. My body tensed at the slightest touch of her lips. My cheeks reddened and my eyes widened. I lay there, frozen, with the widest grin I've ever grinned.