Cruel Summer| Cam Cameron (1)

Sixteen

"Can we do Belly's presents before breakfast?" I asked, stealing a bite of Conrad's cereal. "I have to be to work in an hour."

Mom raised her eyebrow, "Why didn't you take off? Don't you think Belly would like to spend the day with you?"

I smiled and shook my head, "No... I wanted to but they needed me to stay and I have taken off so many days for the Deb stuff. Jeremiah is off though and Conrad doesn't work so I'm sure she will find at least one Fisher to hang out with."

I looked down at my phone to see a text from Brie, talk to that Cameron boy. Step out of your comfort zone... find your summer love! I shook my head and put my phone down.

"No way," I whispered.

"What?" Conrad asked.

I shook my head, "Nothing... so what did you get Belly for her birthday?"

Before he could answer, Belly ran down the stairs. "Happy sweet sixteen, Bells!" Jere yelled, running to hug her.

I spun her out of his hug, after twirling her around the kitchen and laughing together I gave her the biggest hug I could, "Happy happy birthday beautiful girl."

"Little Belly Button is all grown up," Steven laughed.

I nudged Conrad so he would say anything. "Happy birthday, Belly," he said with his half smile.

She looked between all of us and smiled, "Thank you all."

"Let's get this button some presents," I sang, running to the living room.

Laurel gave her a present first. It was a book of poems with Mom's favorite poem bookmarked.

"Oh, I remember Susannah teaching us to recite this." Belly laughed, reading the poem. "For whatever we lose."

The boys and I looked at each other before repeating the rest of the poem with her, "Like a you or a me it's always ourselves we find in the sea."

"Me next!" Mom said excitedly handing Belly a little black box. "My mom gave me these on my sixteenth birthday," she said, helping her put the pearls around her neck.

"Shouldn't you have given them to Emilia?" She asked, looking at me with big eyes. She always said she wished she had our mom, but got stressed when she felt like she was taking anything from me.

I smiled and walked over to, putting my hand on hers, "On our sixteenth birthday mom gave me my ring and Glasses his matching cuff links. They were grandma and grandpas...mom knew I wouldn't wear the pearls."

"Yeah but it's still she's your mom," she whispered.

Mom shook her head, "She and Conrad got their sweet sixteen gifts, don't stress."

Nothing I said was a lie, I wouldn't wear pearls for anything other than the Deb ball. And I love my ring. It's an opal with little blue gemstones around it. Conrad has matching cuff links that we both wear to any special occasion.

"Open my gift next!" Jere said, cutting the tension away in a way only he could. He handed her a small little box to reveal a key charm for her bracelet, "It's a good luck charm," he smiled.

She quickly put it on her bracelet and shook it for all of us to see, "I love it."

I reached under my chair and pulled out the set of To All The Boys I Loved Before books I had gotten for her. "I'm sorry they aren't as sentimental as everything else. It just felt fitting now that you are sixteen."

"Are you kidding?" She laughed. "This was the first movie you met me stay up with you to watch. It was the first movie the moms didn't put on that I was allowed to watch. I still don't know how you got them to watch it," she said, pointing between the boys.

Conrad laughed, "Because Jeremiah will do anything mom junior says and Steven had...has a massive crush on her."

"That doesn't explain why you watched it." Steven accused in an attempt to change the subject. "Did you just like it?"

Conrad nodded, "I did. It was a cool story, I'll admit it. I don't have the toxic masculinity holding me back like you do."

I shook my head, "Give her your gift, Connie. I don't wanna have to dip out before she gets everything."

"Steven still hasn't given her anything," he snapped.

Steven threw her a present, earning glares from the moms and laughs from the boys. "Wow, you spent money on me?" She asked, holding up a Princeton sweatshirt.

He rolled his eyes, "only so you don't steal mine."

"What's that like?" Jere laughed. "I swear she wears our clothes more than we do."

I shrugged, "you can borrow mine if you want. You just choose not to."

Belly stuck her tongue out at Steven, "Why can't you be nice to me like they are to her?"

"Because she's not annoying," Steven said.

"Conrad... present!"

He looked at me, then mom, his eyes finally landing on Belly, "I'm sorry I forgot."

We had talked about her birthday for weeks. He asked me what I was getting her to avoid is getting the same thing. He told me what he had planned to get her, a silver infinity necklace. I opened my mouth to speak but Conrad gave me a look saying 'don't even speak. Please.'

We all sat in silence for what felt like an hour. Looking down at my phone, it was only a few minutes. "Hey... I'm sorry. I have to go to work. I will see you tonight, Belly Button. I'll bring you ice cream home. Happy birthday, pretty."

She smiled, hugging me before I left. Conrad muttered something about having to go see Cleveland. When we met by the cars outside I put my hand on his car door to stop him.

"Aren't you going to be late?" He asked in a bland voice, refusing to look at me.

I rolled my eyes, "what was that in there?"

He didn't look at me, didn't speak, didn't even react. "Hello?" I said louder. "What was that? You don't forget anything and I went with you to get her present."

"Drop it, Emilia," he spat, softly pushing me away and getting in his car and driving away.

I stood there for a moment. I could push it, I could get it out of him when no one else could, but then he would shut down. And this family doesn't have time for anyone to shut down.

When I got to work I saw Cam sitting at the bar of the ice shack. I felt like a bitch for rolling my eyes. For being upset that he was there. I didn't have time to try and figure him out. I don't have time to try and figure out the way he makes me feel.

When I got behind the counter I tried to ignore him. It was a short shift, only five hours. How hard can it be?

"Emilia!" He smiled, calling me over.

I took a deep breath and walked over to him with a smile, "Cam... what can I get for you?"

He thought for a moment, "Surprise me."

I grabbed peach and strawberry syrup, "It doesn't have a name, but it is one of my favorites."

"It's really good," he said, taking a bite. "Hey, are you going to Nicole's party tonight...she's a deb sister with you, right?"

I shook my head, happy to have a reason to skip, "No... it's Belly's birthday so I can't go."

That's when someone, I don't know who, looked down from heaven and saved me, "Emilia," my boss said. "I need you to head to the kids-only pool and lifeguard for the day, we are short."

I hid a smile and looked at Cam, "Sorry, I have to go. I'll see you around though." I quickly turned and walked to change into my swimsuit, happy that I wouldn't have to deal with anyone else my age until Belly's party.