MATEO || bxb

- 21 -

| Mateo |

"Talk to me Cam," I said as Cam kept stuttering and struggling to get his words out. "There was a guy?" I didn't want to assume the worst because Cam had said himself that it wasn't that bad, but I was worried that it wasbad, and he just couldn't recognise that due to the severity at which he was hurt before.

He took a deep breath. "Umm me and Adrian met this guy earlier and we'd been hanging out with him today," Cam began. "And then I got tired and went for a nap and when I woke up it was literally bloody night-time and I didn't want to have wasted my whole day so I went to the pool for a swim cos it was still open and then he showed up."

I hoped Cam hadn't been accosted alone at night and made uncomfortable by 'this guy' so I asked him, "Were you alone?"

"N...not really. There were a few others in the pool and a lifeguard. Just umm, he didn't do anything just talked."

"Talked about what mi amor?" I asked gently letting him know it was okay to tell me.

"Umm... he like asked for my number."

Now I wasn't usually the jealous type. I understood that regardless of whether you're in a relationship you can find other people attractive and it's not acting on those feelings that matter. I also understood that there would be people that may like your partner and again it was your partner's actions that mattered in such situations. "Did you give it to him?" I asked tentatively wondering if he was upset because he had given away his number despite us having agreed to start something between us. I will admit, the thought upset me more than I expected. I worried my fears of him meeting someone else on holiday had come true and I would be forgotten about, but if that were the case Cam would not be calling me now and telling me about this whole situation.

"No, I told him I had a boyfriend," he said without hesitation that the confidence in which he called me his boyfriend made me a little flustered.

"Oh yeah?"

"Well... just... I didn't really want to explain our whole situation to him. I just wanted to make sure he backed off," Cam said. He still seemed a little anxious but his initial panic and upset seemed to have subsided a little bit.

"Was he not backing off?" I asked.

"No, he backed off immediately. He really didn't do anything wrong. It's just... I got worried. Still a bit worried..."

"About what mi amor?"

"Just, if he liked me how far would he go to get me? I don't really know the guy and what he's capable off. I wasn't sure if he would try and get me somewhere where we were actually alone and... and do something. I was scared he'd follow me back to my room," Cam said explaining his worries. "I'm sorry, I'm being stupid, and I woke you up for nothing. I'm back in my room now and pretty sure he didn't follow me and I'm such an idiot. Even if he had followed me Adrian's literally in the room with me. What would he have even done with someone else here?"

"Hey, you're not an idiot. You're just trying to protect yourself and you were scared. There's nothing wrong with being scared Cam. I'm just so glad you called me to talk about it instead of letting your feelings fester," I told him.

I could imagine him now lying in his bed on the phone to me. I wondered if he was shirtless from being at the pool. Wondered if he were staring at the ceiling listening to my voice as I did listening to his voice and staring at my own ceiling. I wanted nothing more than to hold him just then and take all his worries away. I knew I had a certain... power over him, in regard to how he felt so protected by me, and I only hoped that I would never abuse that power.