The Black Tangled Heart

The Over Protective Brother

Camila sat at  her dressing table and felt her hand shake every time she tried to lift it to apply mascara

Dinner tonight was destined to be the absolute worst, Roger and Maria were her dates but now, somehow, and she didn't know how it had happened but Shawn and Cassie were coming along too

By the end of the night there would be no secrets, she knew that, knew the way Shawn operated, the way his brain latched on to things and never let go. He had proved that by the way he had treated her after only a couple of nights of sex

Looking in to the mirror, Camila let her gaze fall on the black and grey check design of her dress and fought the urge to rip it from her body and present herself exactly as she felt, naked, exposed, vulnerable and nude

Picking up her phone she pressed call and waited for the voice to answer "Don't come tonight"

"Too late, Shawn's picking me up at 7"

"Cassie please..."

"I'm not giving up the opportunity to spend the evening with Shawn, just a couple of drinks and he won't be able to resist me, I mean look how easy he made himself for you"

"He isn't interested in you Cassie and you know that, he's only coming because he wants to ruin my date but it's not like that, it's not a romantic date, it's a family dinner, please Cassie. I'm begging you not to bring him"

"Sorry" was he friends reply as she hung up the phone and Camila had to fight the urge to scream out in frustration.

Scrolling to Shawns number, she paused for a second and then realised there was no point calling him. If she even tried to ask him to cancel he would wonder why and that would only make this whole situation ten times worse

"Are you ready to go?" Asked Maria, suddenly appearing behind her daughter, oblivious to the personal boundaries of Camilas bedroom

"I don't want to go, please don't make me"

"You're wearing the dress I see"

"I hate it. I hate him and I hate you too"

"Please don't make a scene when we're out to dinner, Roger's taking us somewhere very up market and it won't reflect well on him if there's a teenager in a mood sat at the table, best behaviour Camila, got it?"

Camila turned to look at Maria for the first time and the tiny, silky red mini dress she was wearing made Camilas stomach turn

"The boy that was here last week and last night" Maria said in a way that let Camila know she had heard them "I don't like him"

"Neither do I" huffed Camila as she reached for a red lipstick

"I don't want him in the house"

"He'll never be back" Camila replied, her heart contracting just a little and making her want to punch herself in the chest so her heart took the warning not to get involved

"I never want to see him again Camila, I mean it. If he steps foot in this house again I will tell Papá all about it" Camila gave her mother a tiny smile, not brave enough to admit to her that in just a few hours time they would all be sat around the same table

**********

"Where are you going?" Asked Ethan Mendes as he sat up straight in his chair and observed his younger brother with a frown

"Out"

"Done up like a dog's dinner?"

"What the fuck does that mean?"

"I'm just not used to seeing you with at gunk in your hair and your shoes all shined up. Who's the girl? Not the same one we were talking about way back I hope"

Shawns eyes dropped to the button on his shirt as he tried to decide whether to fasten one more or not, he knew Camila loved to look at his chest but he didn't want the blond pawing him all night in front of her and eliminating his chances of a hook up

"So is it?"

"I told you I wasn't done with her yet" Shawn answered whilst looking through his wallet, money, cards, condom... although he had some work to do if he was to convince Camila to come home with him

"You also told me it was just sex which means taking clothes off not putting fancy clothes on"

"Yeah well it's not that simple, okay?"

"Explain it to me" Ethan leaned forward in his seat, his face menacing and Shawn knew he wouldn't like any reason he gave him as to why he was still involved with Camila

"She was hurt" Shawn said quietly, as he picked up his phone and turned towards the front door "I was with her one night and she was black and blue. Her mom said she'd done it but I know it was a lie... I'm not letting her get hurt Ethan, I can't"

"No" Was the only word Ethan needed to say to cause Shawn to stop in his tracks

"Eth..."

"No!" His brother jumped to his feet and headed across the carpet towards Shawn "Do not get involved in this Shawn"

"Too late"

"I'm warning you, keep out of it"

"No Ethan, I'm involved now and I'm not walking away. Camila and I it's... it's not that easy"

"Shawn..."

"Don't tell me what to do, I'm a big boy now and I know what I'm doing, I know what I'm getting involved in and I'm not walking away"

"Haven't you learnt anything?!"

"Sure, I learnt what happens when everyone walks away. That is not happening to Camila, not of o can do anything about it and I'm pretty sure I can"

"So where exactly are you going? So I know where you are just in case something goes wrong"

"Just dinner"

"With?"

"Camila and her date oh and some blond that seems determined to make my life as difficult as possible"

"You're going to dinner with the girl you're fuckin and her date?"

"Her date who I assume is the guy that hurt her"

"Fuck!" Said Ethan as he ran his fingers through his chin length dark brown curls and then turned and headed out of the room

"Where are you going?" Shawn called behind him

"To get dressed, obviously I have to come with you"

"Why? You know I can take care of myself"

"That's not the problem little brother, keeping you out of jail for murder is the problem"

*a wee bit more info on Shawn. Let me know your thoughts x