Chapter 14

“Have you seen my sweatshirt anywhere?” Cameron dug through her closet one more time in hope to see her beloved varsity cheerleader sweater with her last name imprinted in the back. It was the best piece of clothing she had gotten from four years of cheerleading and although she still kept most of her uniform, she doesn’t wear them anymore.

Cameron turned around again, to see Lizzie standing in the middle of the room trying to look innocent, the navy blue sweater reaching down to cover her hands. And she looks too adorable for Cameron to take that away from her. “You borrowed it from me last time I was cold at that party and I never got to give it back.”

“Forgot or didn’t want to,” Cameron raised an eyebrow teasingly, and Lizzie reached up to cover her face with the sleeves.

“It still smells like you so…”

Cameron reached forward to pull the girl into her arms, leaning up to press her lips against her girlfriend’s. Which is another new development after freshman year. They started dating on Valentine’s day when Evelyn (now one of Cameron’s best friends, Taylor still trumps all of them, of course), dared her to finally do something about her hopeless crush on the blonde actress. Apparently everyone else could tell that they like each other because the second they walked into the restaurant for a friend gathering the following days, money was exchanged and winks were sent.

“Just for that, I’ll let you keep it,” Cameron pecks Lizzie’s lips again before rummaging through her closet for another sweater, finding her fearless merch from Taylor’s first tour. It was a gift from her best friend, and she treasures the sweater like her life depends on it.

A knock sounded from their bedroom, and Evelyn poke her head in with both hands covering her eyes. “Are we all decent?”

Cameron rolled her eyes as Lizzie blushed. “Get your mind out of the gutter. It was one time.”

“One time too many!” Aaron poke his head into the room.

And the last development was when the four of them decided to get an apartment outside of NYU. Evelyn Carter carried the rent, having come from an old money family and on the road to take over her father’s company. The rest of them still pay rent, obviously, but Evelyn had offered to pay the bulk of it. And having three roommates certainly lessens the price for an apartment in the heart of New York City.

Both Aaron and Lizzie were inspiring actors, and got better pay from their occasional gig then Cameron’s cliche coffee shop job. But she was working on her debut novel with the help of her professor and Taylor’s inspirational words, so she hopes that sometime soon she won’t feel like such a burden in the household.

“Are you ready? This is turning from a dinner to a midnight snack,” Aaron whined. He shoved Evelyn out of the way in order to get into the room. “What’s with girls and taking forever to get ready?”

“Hey! Don’t generalize girls, it took me less than five minutes,” Evelyn protested, shoving Aaron in response.

“It was all Cameron, she takes forever to put on makeup,” Lizzie gave her girlfriend a side eye, and Cameron gasped in offense.

“Excuse me, I took a perfectly reasonable time to get ready, but it would all go to waste if we spent all of our time over here, arguing,” Cameron gave both Evelyn and Aaron a pointed look, and they stopped their pointless slaps and had the nerve to look sheepish. Cameron raised an eyebrow and grabbed her purse off the nightstand before shoving both Aaron and Evelyn out of the way. “Are you guys coming or what?”

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The Christmas of sophomore year, Cameron went back home with Lizzie in her arms.

Her mother greeted her excitedly and joked about moving to the city if it means she gets to see her daughter more. Cameron laughed it off, but promised to visit more often. But she took a quick liking to Lizzie, and Cameron found herself letting out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. Mama Swift and Scott greeted Cameron cheerfully, but there was a distance between them that wouldn’t be noticeable if Cameron didn’t know them so well.

“You had a nice glow up,” Cameron gasped the first time she saw Austin. Gone was the skinny kid, and in front of her stood a fucking giant. She had to look up at him to talk to him now. “Care to lend a poor girl some of that height?”

Austin slap her playfully, and Cameron feigns falling over. “But be so dramatic, Cameron. I’m not that tall.”

“Your family clearly won the genetics lottery in heights,” Cameron found her eyes drawn to Taylor the second the blonde walked out. Her glow up was insane too, and if Cameron was still love struck over her best friend, she would definitely be proposing right now.

“And how might you be?” Austin eyed Lizzie with a look that made Cameron throw an arm around Lizzie’s waist.

“My girlfriend, find your own,” Cameron stuck her tongue out, and Lizzie pecked Cameron’s lips.

“I’m Elizabeth, but you can call me Lizzie,” she smiled softly, and Austin took her hand.

“Austin, nice to make your acquaintance, my lady,” he bowed teasingly, and it was Cameron’s turn to slap him. Taylor reached them then, and Cameron smiled at her best friend. Taylor gestured to Lizzie with a smirk on her face, but there was something in her eyes that Cameron’s couldn’t quite read.

“Hey, I’m Taylor, it’s nice to finally meet the girl Cameron wouldn’t stop talking my ears off about,” Taylor extended an arm, and Lizzie froze on the spot. Cameron hid her smile behind her hands.

“You’re Taylor Swift,” Lizzie took Taylor’s hand numbly, her eyes still wide. “I love your music. I heard your first album and I swear it’s like you took a page out of my diaries. Not that I’m accusing you of stalking, I just love the songs.”

Lizzie blushed and Cameron laughed at her girlfriend’s adorable antics to ramble when she’s nervous.

“Thank you, I appreciate it,” Taylor grinned. “And I swear I’ve never read your diaries. I guess it’s just what every teengers goes through at that time.”

“You know what I don’t understand?” Cameron suddenly butt in. “Why I’m the bad guy in your song.”

Taylor gasps in offense. “And where did that idea come from?”

“Umm hello? You belong with me? You literally said ‘she’s cheer captain and I’m on the bleachers’ and then proceeded to talk about stealing my boyfriend,” Cameron pointed an accusing finger at her best friend. “Did you and Drew have a secret thing going on without me?”

Lizzie giggled and pulled Cameron back from hitting Taylor. “It’s story writing through songs, babe. You of all people should know that! You are working towards a creative writing degree, are you not?”

Cameron pouted and crossed her arms as Taylor nodded along to Lizzie’s words. “Listen to your girlfriend, Cammy.”

“I knew the two of you would be against me,” Cameron huffed and crossed her arms. Maybe her best friend and girlfriend should never meet. They had too much black mail materials to be in the same place. “Come on Lizzie, let’s go back to New York.”

Taylor pulled the other blonde into her arms, and Lizzie looked ready to melt. “Nope, I’m kidnapping your girlfriend now. We have so much stuff to talk about regarding you!”

“I consent to the kidnapping!” Lizzie grinned cheekily at Cameron as the three of them walked into Taylor’s house.

“Hey, want to hear a sneak peak of some of my songs?”

That was when Cameron knew she lost Lizzie to her best friend for good.