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Todos los capítulos de Rival's Marriage Agreement : Capítulo 71 - Capítulo 80

128 Capítulos

71

BRANDON’S POVI used to think love was loud.Big gestures. Big promises. Big moments that felt like they belonged in a movie trailer.But being with Cameron taught me that love is quieter than that. Heavier. More intentional.It shows up when no one’s watching.Like now.I was sitting on the edge of his bed, scrolling aimlessly through my phone, while Cameron sat cross-legged on the floor, back against the mattress, reading something with that serious expression he always got when he was thinking too hard.“You’ve been staring at that page for five minutes,” I said.He didn’t look up. “I’m processing.”“You’re spiraling,” I corrected.He sighed and finally dropped the book onto his lap. “Okay, maybe a little.”I shifted closer, leaning down until my elbows rested on my knees. “Want to talk about it?”He hesitated. That tiny pause told me everything.“I got an email today,” he said slowly.My stomach tightened. “Good email or bad email?”“Complicated email,” he replied. “They want me t

72

CAMERON’S POVThe first time I actually broke down this semester, it happened in the campus library.Which felt rude, honestly. Libraries are supposed to be quiet and peaceful and not witness you realizing you might be doing too much all at once.I was sitting in the back corner, surrounded by books and printed research articles, staring at my laptop like it had personally betrayed me. My brain felt foggy. My chest felt tight. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking.And the worst part?I didn’t even know why.I closed my laptop slowly, like maybe if I moved gently enough, the spiral wouldn’t notice me.It noticed me anyway.I pressed my palms into my eyes, breathing in, out, trying to ground myself like my therapist taught me. Name five things you can see. Four you can feel. Three you can hear.But all I could hear was my own heartbeat, loud and fast, like it was panicking on my behalf.I texted Brandon without thinking.Me: Are you busy?The reply came almost immediately.Brandon: For you? N

73

CAMERON’S POVI didn’t realize healing could be inconvenient.Everyone talks about it like it’s this graceful, upward line. Like once you start getting better, things just… keep getting better.No one tells you about the days when you wake up okay and still feel like something is off. Like your body remembers things your mind has already forgiven.That was today.I noticed it when Brandon kissed my cheek before leaving for class and my first instinct was to hold on a second longer. Not because I was scared—but because my chest felt too full, like if I didn’t anchor myself, I might tip over.“You good?” he asked, pausing.“Yeah,” I said automatically.He didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t push either. He never did anymore. That was something we’d learned the hard way—how to give each other space without disappearing.Still, the moment the door shut behind him, the quiet rushed in.I tried to distract myself. Showered. Made coffee. Opened my laptop to work on my research notes.And th

74

BRANDON’S POVLeaving Cameron the second time was harder than the first.Not because it hurt more—but because I knew exactly what I was leaving behind.The way he said, “I’ll be okay,” hadn’t sounded like something he was convincing himself of. It sounded like a fact. Like something he’d earned.That should’ve made this easier.Instead, it made it heavier.The airport was loud and bright and full of people rushing toward somewhere else, but all I could think about was the way Cameron’s hands had lingered on mine before I let go. Like neither of us wanted to be the first to break the contact.“You’ll text me when you land,” he’d said.“I always do,” I replied.“And don’t pretend you’re fine if you’re not,” he added.I smiled. “You taught me that.”Now, sitting on the plane with my phone in airplane mode, I stared out the window and wondered when loving someone stopped being about missing them—and started being about trusting what you’d built.The internship was intense. Fast-paced. Dem

75

CAMERON’S POVIt’s weird how one honest conversation can fix something you didn’t even realize was cracking.After that call with Brandon, everything felt… lighter.Not perfect.Just less tight.Like I’d been clenching a muscle for weeks and finally let it relax.I didn’t know I’d been scared of outgrowing him.And I didn’t know he’d been scared of losing me.Which was kind of stupid, honestly.Because we were both just… two idiots trying really hard to love each other correctly.The next morning, I woke up to a text.Brandon:Good morning. Drink water. Don’t fight the world today. Love you.I smiled into my pillow like an absolute loser.Me:Bossy. But okay. Love you too.I stretched, staring at the ceiling.For once, my brain wasn’t loud.No overthinking.No what-ifs.No imaginary disasters.Just… quiet.I showered, got dressed, grabbed coffee, and walked to campus with music playing too loud in my headphones.Everything felt normal.Which used to terrify me.Now it just felt nice.

76

Brandon’s POVI woke up before Cameron.Which literally never happens.He’s usually the annoying morning person who pretends he “doesn’t need sleep” like some overachieving robot.But today?He was dead asleep.Curled toward me.One arm thrown over my waist like he was subconsciously making sure I didn’t disappear overnight.My heart did that soft, stupid squeeze thing again.God.He looked so peaceful.No stress lines.No frown.No overthinking face.Just… Cameron.My Cameron.I brushed my thumb gently over his knuckles.He twitched.Then mumbled, “If you’re stealing the blanket again, I swear—”I laughed quietly. “Relax, grumpy.”His eyes blinked open slowly.Still half asleep.He stared at me for a second like his brain was buffering.Then softer.“… hi.”That quiet morning voice?Actual murder weapon.“Morning,” I said.We just stared at each other.Like idiots.Like we hadn’t seen each other in years even though it had been, what, eight hours?“You’re smiling,” he said.“You’re s

77

Cameron’s POV“I’m not dressing up.”“You are literally dressing up right now.”“I am literally not.”“You changed your shirt twice, Cameron.”“That does not count. The first one had a stain and the second one made me look like a substitute math teacher.”Brandon was sitting cross-legged on my bed like this was the most entertaining show he had ever watched, chin in his palm, smiling at me while I stood in front of my closet like it personally betrayed me.“I don’t get why you’re pretending you don’t care,” he continued, tilting his head. “It’s just me. You already pulled me. Mission accomplished.”I shot him a look. “Stop saying ‘pulled.’ I did not pull you. You’re not a chair.”“You totally pulled me. I was minding my business, being hot and mysterious, and then you—boom—stole my heart.”“That is the worst sentence you’ve ever spoken.”He grinned. “But you didn’t deny it.”I groaned and pulled on my black hoodie, which was safe and neutral and didn’t make me look like I was trying t

78

Brandon’s POVI didn’t mean to fall asleep on Cameron.It just… happened.One second we were sitting on his bed, still damp from the rain, arguing about whose turn it was to shower first, and the next second my head was on his chest and his hand was in my hair and everything felt stupidly warm and safe.Which is dangerous.Because whenever things feel too safe, life usually goes, lol nope.“You’re heavy,” Cameron muttered.“You literally dragged me down here,” I mumbled into his hoodie.“You attached yourself like a koala.”“Koalas are cute. Accept your blessing.”He snorted softly, and I felt it in his chest.God.I loved that sound.We stayed like that for a while, just talking about random stuff. Classes. That one professor who hated everyone. Whether cereal counted as soup.“It absolutely does not,” Cameron argued.“It’s ingredients in liquid,” I said. “That’s soup behavior.”“Milk is not broth, psycho.”“Says who? The dairy police?”He laughed again and I swear I would commit cri

79

Cameron’s POVThe night felt wrong the second we stepped outside.Not quiet.Not peaceful.Wrong.Like the air knew something we didn’t.Brandon’s hand was locked with mine, fingers tight, a little sweaty, but neither of us let go. The streetlights flickered above us and everything looked too yellow, too empty, like one of those horror movies where you yell at the characters not to go outside but they do anyway.“This is a bad idea,” Brandon muttered.“Probably,” I said.“And we’re still doing it.”“Yeah.”“… okay, just checking we’re both stupid.”We walked slowly down the sidewalk, scanning everything like paranoid idiots. Parked cars. Dark windows. That one trash can that looked suspicious for no reason.My heart wouldn’t calm down.Every tiny sound made me flinch.Then my phone buzzed.Both of us froze.I pulled it out.Unknown number again.A new message.Unknown: Turn around :)My stomach dropped so hard it felt physical.“Cam…” Brandon whispered.“I know.”Slowly, we turned.Ac

80

Cameron’s POVThe adrenaline didn’t leave.That was the worst part.Even after Peter disappeared down the street with that busted ego and stupid limp-walk, even after the sidewalk went quiet again, my heart was still slamming against my ribs like it was trying to escape my body.My hands wouldn’t stop shaking.Not cute shaking either.Full-on “I just got into a street fight like an idiot” shaking.Brandon noticed immediately.He always did.“Hey,” he said softly, catching my wrist. “Breathe.”“I am breathing.”“You’re hyperventilating, genius.”“I’m literally not—”My voice cracked mid-sentence.Oh.Okay.Cool.Love that for me.He didn’t tease me like usual. Didn’t make a joke. He just slid both hands onto my face and forced me to look at him.“Slow down,” he said quietly. “In and out. With me.”We stood there under the streetlight like idiots doing breathing exercises at midnight.“In,” he said.I inhaled.“Out.”Exhaled.Again.And again.Eventually my chest stopped feeling like it

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