Between Four of Us - Chapter #4 - Free To Read

Sitting in the backseat were none other than Leo and Noah, the twins from the airport. Their identical, piercing blue eyes widened in surprise, mirroring Camille's shock.

"What a coincidence," Leo said with a grin that was both charming and mischievous.

"It's like fate," Noah added, smirking.

Camille felt her cheeks flush, her stomach a bundle of nerves and excitement. "Great, just what I need," she thought sarcastically, though she found herself smiling despite her annoyance.

"How do you guys know Camille?" Matthew asked, his voice tinged with annoyance as he started the car, his smooth, deep timbre sending shivers down her spine.

"So, your name is Camille?" Noah exclaimed, eyes lighting up. "Oh yeah, we know each other. This girl tried to fight my muscled chest at the airport when pushing through the crowd," Leo laughed, a smirk playing on his lips.

"You were in my way, idiot," Camille shot back, feeling her embarrassment deepen.

"Nothing new, those two are always messing with the girls," Matthew said arrogantly, looking at his brothers.

"And you’re the most serious man in the family—we know, we know," Noah replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

The ride to school was filled with playful banter, mostly from the twins, while Camille tried to keep her composure. Leo’s eyes sparkled with mischief as he recounted funny stories, while Noah’s calm demeanor provided a balancing contrast. Matthew’s occasional interjections only added to the lively atmosphere, making Camille oscillate between irritation and amusement.

"About that bump at the airport," Leo started, leaning forward, "I was hoping we’d run into you again, but I didn’t think it would be this soon!"

"Or this literal," Noah quipped, making Camille laugh despite herself.

As they arrived at the school, Camille's anxiety returned, overshadowed by the twins' overwhelming presence. She turned to Matthew, whose calm, steel-eyed gaze seemed to reassure her.

"Good luck today, Camille," Matthew said, his voice softening, eyes locking onto hers for a moment longer than necessary.

"Thanks," she mumbled, stepping out of the car. As she walked toward the school entrance, nerves tingled in her fingertips. Little did she know, her life was about to take twists and turns she couldn’t have imagined.

As Camille entered the school grounds, she couldn’t help but feel the weight of curious stares. People whispered, and she felt like she was under a spotlight. Feeling out of place, she walked through the hallways, trying to get her bearings.

In her first class, the teacher made her stand up and introduce herself. "Bonjour, my name is Camille Rousseau. I just moved here from Paris." The class whispered and giggled, making her skin crawl with discomfort.

During lunch, as she searched for an empty spot in the cafeteria, she caught sight of Leo and Noah sitting at a table, obviously popular and surrounded by friends. Leo waved her over, his grin making her heart rate spike. Reluctantly, she walked over.

"We saved you a spot," Leo said, patting the seat next to him.

As she sat, she felt eyes on her from every direction. "Is this some prank?" she thought nervously.

She wasn’t sure if they all were looking at her or at the twins who seemed to be the only people who knew her. Anyway, those eyes and blond heads gave her some comfort. They might be goofy boys, but they were kind and funny, so sitting with them was better than sitting somewhere alone in the corner and waiting for the lunch break to be over.

Suddenly, a girl with strawberry-blonde hair and sharp green eyes approached the table. “Who’s this?” she asked, eyeing Camille up and down.

“This is Camille. She’s new here, just moved from Paris,” Noah explained.

“I’m Ava," the girl said, her tone icy. "Welcome to our table."

"Thank you," Camille replied, feeling Ava's eyes bore into her.

As the lunch continued, Camille found herself gradually relaxing. Noah's calm demeanor and Leo’s jokes made it hard to stay tense. Those two were obviously interested in her, but she couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like if Matthew was here. Is he interested? He seemed so distant during the ride and barely spoke to her.

As she left the cafeteria and headed to her next class, someone grabbed her hand and pulled her into an empty classroom. There was no light, so she couldn’t tell who it was right away, but the touch was warm and somehow familiar. When she got used to the darkness, she saw Leo standing just in front of her.

“What’s going on?” she asked angrily.

“Didn’t you want me to follow you when you left the cafeteria?” he answered mysteriously.

“No, why?” Camille couldn’t wrap her mind around all of this. “What’s going on?” she repeated, making her voice sound rigid.

Leo stepped towards her so that she could hear his heartbeat and feel the warmth radiating from his body. It was terrifying to be that close, but Camille couldn’t help feeling intrigued by what would happen next. Leo didn’t expect her to resist; he hoped she wouldn’t be able to stand such a close distance. He wasn’t sure about his next move, but he reached out, his hand grazing her nose before trailing down to her neck.

“What are you doing? What’s the point of all this?” Camille demanded, her voice shaky.

“I thought you might like it. I think it’s not just me. I think you can feel it too,” Leo insisted, emphasizing the last word as his hand settled on her waist.

Camille couldn’t stand it any longer. “You’re terribly wrong. There is nothing but anger that I feel right now,” she pushed him away, feeling a surge of fury.

Leo was taken aback, clearly offended by her reaction. He knew he had crossed the line, but her rejection stung more than he expected. “So you’re into him, then? He’s weak; he’ll never give you what I can give you. He’ll never make you satisfied,” Leo spat out, his eyes darkening with jealousy.

Camille wasn’t sure if he was talking about Matthew or Noah, but his words hit a nerve. She didn’t want to admit that Matthew had been on her mind. Without another word, she turned and left the classroom, leaving Leo to wonder what the real reason for her rejection was.

As she hurried to her next class, Camille felt a whirlwind of emotions—anger, confusion, a strange fluttering sensation in her chest. “How did my life get so complicated so fast?” she thought as she bumped into somebody’s chest. She didn’t expect it, and she fell. This was the last straw for her. She closed her face with her hands and started crying. The chest moved down, and it appeared to be Noah, with a gentle smile on his face.

“Did somebody hurt you? Don’t tell me it was me; I won’t believe it,” he giggled, radiating comfort and being the opposite of Leo while looking exactly the same.