Cruel Summer| Cam Cameron (1)

The 'not so' Good Ole Days

"She looks hot," Jere said when we saw John's new girlfriend.

Conrad laughed, "You know... that could be their future stepmom."

His statement caused Brie, Cameron, and I to laugh. We quickly had to run away from our spying when we saw her and John walking towards the door. I pulled Brie and Cameron to my room while the boys ran to the kitchen.

"So, Cammie Cameron," Brie laughed. "You care about her?"

He nodded and put his hand on the small of my back, "More than I ever knew it was possible to care about another human."

Brie looked at him then back at me, "He's not real."

"What?" I asked, leaning into Cameron's touch.

She shook her head, "Thoughts on book shopping...go."

He looked at her confused, "I'm sorry?"

She rolled her eyes, annoyed that he couldn't read her mind in the way I can, "If Emilia asked you to go book shopping right now, what would you say?"

He moved around to the front of my body, not taking his hand off my back, "Did you want to go book shopping, gorgeous? You don't want to stay at the party?" Brie laughed at his confusion. "What's so funny?" He questioned.

I stood on my toes and placed a small kiss on his cheek, "She is just being extra. I think she's just asking your thoughts on bookstore shopping trips."

"Oh," he laughed. "No, yeah... it's cool. If you two wanna go while you are here, Brie, we can."

Her mouth fell slack, "Yep, he's fake. He's too good to be real."

A smug smile found Cameron's lips, "So that means you like me?"

She thought for a moment, "For now."

"Oh-kay, you two. Let's go back downstairs."

When we got downstairs the boys and Belly were making something in the big blender.

"What are you idiots doing?" I asked, my eyes landing on a bottle of vodka.

A smirk formed on Conrad's face, "Making pomegranate margaritas with a Kool-Aid twist. Want some baby sister?"

I rolled my eyes, "Button, since when are you drinking?"

She shrugged, "I just am."

"You know what this reminds me of?" I asked, with a laugh.

Jeremiah's eyes widened, "The slushy incident of 2011."

Conrad and I were ten, Steven was nine, Jere was eight, and Belly was seven. The older kids went with the dads to get ice cream.  The moms had to run a quick errand so it was just Belly and Jere at the house. When the older kid crew made it back to the house all we saw was purple ice all over the kitchen, all over the little siblings, and all over dad's briefcase.

2011

Conrad and I shared worried glances as dad looked down at his briefcase. I quickly brushed chocolate ice cream off of his cheek,  and to our luck,  the moms came back.

"What the hell?!" Dad yelled, grabbing the case out of Belly's hand. His eyes shot to Jeremiah. "What the hell is wrong with you? Did I or did I not tell you not to touch my blender."

I watched his eyes well with tears. All I wanted to do was hug him and tell him it was all going to be okay. To shield him from the hornet's nest of anger inside of dad.

"Answer me when I'm speaking to you!" He yelled.

The tears that were holding strong in his eyes started to fall. Conrad grabbed my hand and linked his pinky with mine, shaking his head so I wouldn't run over and take Jeremiah far away from our idiot father.

Mom did though, mom saved him. She wrapped her arms around him and wiped his eyes.

Dad rolled his eyes, "Stop babying him Suze, if you keep babying him, he will stay just that. A baby. Jeremiah. Did I or did I not tell you to never touch my blender."

Conrad tightened his grip on my pinky, "Dad...you never did."

"What?" He snapped, his eyes landing on Conrad instead of Jeremiah.

I tried to speak but Conrad beat me to it, "You never told us not to. We just knew we shouldn't. But you never told us not to touch it."

Dad's face fell. He looked almost embarrassed. It felt like no one knew what to do next, but of course, Laurel did.

"Steven," she commanded. "Go help your sister get cleaned up. Emilia, Conrad, go help, Jeremiah. Now."

We all ran upstairs, Conrad pulling Jeremiah into one bathroom and Steven pulling Belly into the other. I didn't know where to go or what to do. No one needed me. I watched dad put his briefcase on Jeremiah's bed and decided that he would be allowed to sleep in Conrad and I's room. No matter what Conrad said.

Present Day

"What happened in 2011?" Cameron asked.

I shook my head, "Just some classic Adam Fisher bullshit."

Conrad laughed, "You know what I miss? Laurel calling him out. She'd be all Adam!"

It's like Conrad spoke him into existence. He walked into the kitchen and without a word, Conrad and I quickly linked our pinkies. Comfort, safety, togetherness.

"You guys ready to go to the beach?" Conrad asked as Jere hugged dad.

We all agreed and packed up the bags to make our way to the beach.

Once the onslaught of drinking started Cam looked and Brie and I, "Do you two wanna go on a walk?"

Jere shook his head and wrapped an arm around Brie, "Not her. She's mine... and I get all her snuggles tonight."

She wiggled out of his touch, "Not if you keep acting like this. I'm going with Emmy Lu and Cammie Cameron. Let's go guys."

Cameron and Brie walked ahead of me for a brief moment and I let them so I could mouth an I love you behind Cameron's back. I caught up with them and stood next to Brie so she was in the middle of Cameon and I so she didn't feel like the third wheel to what she claims to be 'the cutest couple in the world'.

Cameron looked over at me and winked with a little smile, "So... Brie, you and Jeremiah?" He asked.

I stiffled a laugh and Brie shot her eyes at him, "It's nothing, we are just friends."

I scoffed at her, "Oh please, you've all but kissed."

"Say's you. Remember when he was that cute and annoying guy who you said you would never fall for? Now you're obsessed."

I felt my cheeks turn pink as Cameron smiled, "I am not obsessed with him."

She shook her head, "Tell that to the texts you send me."

"Go back to flirting with my brother."

Cameon walked around her and wrapped his arm around my waist, "Obsessed, are we?"

I froze, "No. I promise, please don't be freaked out."

He brushed his thumb on my cheek, "I'm not freaking out, it's cute, Emilia."