On the rare days Cameron has off, she still had the routine of drinking herself into oblivion when she was by herself with no one to stop her. She had only gotten a few mind numbing swigs in before she saw her phone light up with a slight vibration that followed it. Rosalie shouldn't be off work yet, so Cameron couldn't predict who it was from. She picks up her phone, finally revealing the answer.
Cameron blinked at the screen, her brain sluggish in processing the words. The unknown number. The name attached to it. The casual greeting, like it hadn't been over a year. Like everything between them had been left in a place where this would make sense.
Jasmine.
Cameron set her phone down, stomach twisting. Maybe she read it wrong. Maybe it wasn't her. But the moment she turned her screen over, the text remained the same, unchanging and real. The words stared back at her, waiting.
???: [Hey, it's Jasmine! How have you been?]
A simple message. Nothing dramatic. Nothing that should make her feel this sick.
Cameron squeezed her eyes shut and ran a hand down her face. The alcohol wasn't hitting her enough for this. She took another sip of the whiskey she had been nursing, hoping the burn would distract her. It didn't.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard. She could ignore it. Pretend she never saw it. But the longer she stared at the empty reply box, the more she felt the pressure build in her chest, like an itch she couldn't reach.
She typed out a response.
[Hey. I've been alright. You?]
Then deleted it.
[I'm good. Didn't expect to hear from you.]
Deleted.
She exhaled sharply, heart pounding with frustration. Why did she care how she responded? Why did she suddenly feel like she was back at that party, standing in front of Jasmine and her boyfriend, feeling like an idiot for ever thinking—
She shook her head. That was the past. This was nothing.
Cameron forced her hands steady and typed out the simplest thing she could manage.
Cameron: [Hey! I'm fine, you?]
She hit send before she could overthink it.
The response came quickly, and it made her jump. Her heartbeat sped up again for a reason she didn't want to acknowledge.
Jasmine: [I'm good! It's been so long, I wanted to reach out. Actually, I was wondering if you'd be up for catching up?]
Cameron swallowed. Of course. That was the only reason Jasmine would text her after all this time. Just a friendly reconnection. Just casual small talk.
Her thumbs hovered over the keyboard. She could say no. She could tell Jasmine she was busy, that she wasn't interested. But the thought of closing this door completely made her stomach churn.
Before she could talk herself out of it, she typed:
Cameron: [Yeah, sure. When were you thinking?]
Another response almost immediately.
Jasmine: [Well… this is kind of random, but I'm moving to a new apartment soon. I could use some help packing if you're free. I'll buy you food in return lol.]
Cameron stared at the message.
Her first instinct was to say no. To ignore the ridiculous pull she felt, the way her body responded before her mind could keep up. It was just packing. It wasn't some grand invitation into Jasmine's life. It was a favor. It was nothing.
But the temptation settled into her bones, a familiar weight she thought she had gotten rid of.
She let her head fall back against the couch, staring at the ceiling.
This was a mistake. She knew it. She felt it.
And yet, against all reason, her fingers moved on their own.
Cameron: [Yeah, I can help. Just tell me when.]
The second she sent it, she regretted it.
Jasmine sent a happy emoji and a "Thank you! I'll text you the details soon."
Cameron locked her phone, setting it face down on the table. She closed her eyes, exhaling slowly.
She was an idiot. A fool. A moth flying into a flame, even after it had been burned before.
Maybe this time, she told herself, she wouldn't get burned.
But she knew that was a lie.