Hard Boy ✔️

69

- She's No You; Jesse McCartney -

Aurora Holland

It was the end of the night. For some reason, Logan decided it would be a great idea to invite our giant group of 'friends' to his house, meaning yet again I'd be in the Jackson residence. I don't know how the party lasted as long as it did, nor why they insisted we keep going. But Bailey was having the time of her life - which was what truly mattered considering the whole night was dedicated to her.

However, unlike our earlier shenanigans where we were partying and drinking, most of us lounging around in random places. It was much calmer than it had been hours - even minutes - before, the party chilling to a point where it was just a casual hang out. I watched as everyone talked, unsure of where to go or what to do.

Standing in the kitchen, I watched as the ice melted in my cup. It was just water, my body basically screaming for it at this point from all of the work I'd done today. I'd helped set up, tended to every need of Bailey's, and even helped clean up some before coming over.

Part of me wished I would've just gone home, but since Miles had decided to come over, I did as well. He'd run off somewhere with Logan, who insisted they hang out a little bit more. It made me a little uneasy as Miles is one of my best friends and Logan and I still aren't talking, but I couldn't stop Miles from mingling with other people.

Hearing movement from somewhere next to me, I glanced over to see Cameron standing in the kitchen. His eyes were on something else, and when I looked to see what he was looking at - my heart filled with sadness for him. He was watching as Layla and Bailey seemed to be in a serious conversation, far too close for 'friends'.

Biting the inside of my lip, I sighed as I stepped closer to him. "It's going to be okay, you know?" I mumbled, reaching out to grab his hand.

He looked at our hands before at me, a sad smile covering his face. "How do you do it? Watch Carter with Ashley like that? This is killing me." He shook his head as he looked away.

My first instinct was to deny that I felt any type of way, that I wasn't into Carter the way he was assuming. But as I looked at him, and saw the pleading in his eyes - I just couldn't. "I don't know," I admitted. "I guess I just... I just keep myself distracted."

"How does it work? I do what I can but I can't keep my mind off of her," He told me.

"I don't know," I told him truthfully. "I want to tell you what you need to do - what helps. I want to say it's going to be okay and tell you everything people didn't tell me, to just fix it for you. But being completely honest here, I can't. I can't say anything that will make you feel any better, about fixing the problem you're having despite going through something similar. I can't just make the pain go away and stop you from hurting. But I am here, and if you ever need someone to distract you by kicking your ass at Just Dance, you know where I am, okay?"

Cameron let out a light laugh at my little attempt to make him smile, showing I had succeeded. I know it was only temporary, but it was still better than nothing. He just nodded in response, looking down at the counter.

I reached up and left a light kiss on his cheek as I squeezed his hand, leaving him alone for a while. He seemed to not be in the mood to want to talk too much, although I could be wrong as I've never been very good at reading people.

Deciding to go somewhere that I could be alone, I slowly made my way up the staircase. Part of me was curious whether Carter and Ashley were in Carter's room, but I pushed those thoughts to the side knowing I was only thinking them because of the things that Cameron was saying.