The Otherworlders Academy - An Original Teen Fantasy

S2-Ep. 5.5 (R) - So What You're Saying Is...

Previously on "The Otherworlders":  On her way to meet with Cameron and Patrick about Master Liu's assignment, Fiona stumbles upon Ava and Farid having an intimate chat in the Academy's courtyard. Feeling hurt, she turns away, finally accepting their budding relationship.

But before she can move on, Cameron interrupts her attempted escape with an awkward but flirtatious comment. Unfortunately, it's met with scorn, Fiona being in no mood to deal with Cameron's bad-boy ways.

Their conversation veers from humorous to heartfelt when Cameron -- commenting on Fiona's appearance at a ball -- leads to a misunderstanding. She thinks he's being superficial, but he's actually sincere, which leaves him hurt and Fiona feeling a mix of regret and unresolved tension.

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Fiona exits the cafeteria and sees Cameron sitting at a table in the courtyard, working on the assignment Master Liu gave them for the weekend.

Before he can spot her, Fiona quickly turns and begins to mutter to herself, "Okay, now," she says quietly. "Just go over there and apologize to him. Seriously! It can't be that hard!"

But alas, her feet don't move. "Ugh!" She throws her hands up in exasperation.

"All right." She sucks in another breath. "Let's try this again." She straightens her back and clears her throat. "Cameron," she mutters to herself. "About that really, really stupid thing I said to you earlier, well..." She winces and shakes her head. "No, no, no. That's no good!"

Propping her fists on her hips, she tries, "'Cameron, perhaps, I was a bit hasty in concluding that you were a... a... a what?'"

"Arghhhhh!" She balls her fists at her sides. "Why is this so hard?!" Her shoulders sag as she thumps her forehead with the heel of her palm .

Then, on impulse, she gives up, whips around, and marches over to Cameron's table, her mind devoid of any strategy.

And the minute Cameron looks up at her, she blurts out, "I'm an idiot!"

Cameron blinks.

He stares at her for a long time, then slowly, a smile creeps across his lips.

Oh no, she's not getting off that easily!

He suddenly remembers that he's still kinda pissed at her for implying that he was shallow the last time they met, so he forcibly suppresses his smile and squints at her instead.

They stare at each other for what seems like forever, before Cameron finally says, "What? You want me to disagree with you?"

Fiona gasps. Did he just...? No! No, he didn't! The cheeky bastard! "It's not like I'm an idiot ALL of the time you know!" she protests.

With a chuckle, Cameron leans back in his chair.

"Look, I wouldn't know," Cameron gives her a casual shrug. "Maybe you are, maybe you aren't. Clearly, we don't know each other well," he says, alluding to their prior meeting. "But while I appreciate the apology, if you haven't noticed..." He taps his notebook with his pen and plasters on a tauntingly fake smile. "I'm kinda busy right now, you know, doing research. You do realize we've got a paper due on Monday, don't you?"

"Of course I do!" Fiona grits out. "Patrick sent out a text." She shifts her backpack from one shoulder to the other. "He said he wanted to meet in the library after Master Achebe's Ancient Languages class."

"Yeah, I know. I got Patrick's text too," Cameron says cooly. "But I just wanted to get a head start on the paper. I mean," His smirk slowly widens. "Even geniuses need a little bit of prep work."