Cruel Summer| Cam Cameron (1)

Lies

I calmly walked out of the ballroom before running to the coat room. "Jeremiah?"

Nothing.

I frantically knocked on the bathroom door, "Jere?"

Nothing.

Damn it. Where is he? He's not the kind of person to just run away. He wouldn't do that to Belly. And he definitely wouldn't give Conrad an opportunity to swoop in and save the day like he always does. Something is wrong. Why am I the only one looking?

Who's to say he didn't pass out somewhere and hit his head? Who's to say he's not having a panic attack on a bathroom floor somewhere?

I threw the door to the guys' dressing room open, "Jere Bear?"

Nothing.

Shit.

I ran outside as a last-ditch effort. "Baby Bear?"

Nothing.

I noticed a light coming from one of the pool chairs. I picked up the phone and saw it Susannah Fisher, upcoming cancer treatment.

Damn it. No. He knows. But where is he?

I ran back inside and saw him talking to Conrad with tears in his eyes. Conrad gently placed a hand on his chest saying something I couldn't make out. Whatever he said earned a punch from Jeremiah.

Everyone, including myself, ran over to my brothers fighting on the ground. I bent down to pull Jeremiah off. He went to shove me then stopped himself, going back to Conrad.

"Boys!" Mom yelled. "Stop it. Both of you. Stop it!"

Jeremiah backed away and stood up. Cameron helped me to my feet. "Are you okay?" He asked.

I wiped my eyes, "Yeah. Always."

"What is going on?" Mom asked, in a voice, I've never heard her use.

"We know mom," Conrad whispered. "We all know."

Jeremiah turned his head to look at me. "You knew?" He whispered. "You fucking knew? Wow just another twin secret, huh Emilia?!"

I put my hand on his arm but he shook me off, "It's not like that, Bear. Let's just go home and we can talk. Please?"

"I'll walk home before I ride with either of you," he snapped, with tears in his eyes.

I shook my head, "Ride with Laurel, mom, Belly, and Stevie. I'll ride with Connie."

He rolled his eyes, "Of course, you will. It's always Conrad!"

I took a deep breath, "Jeremiah, you said you didn't want to be with us. I'm doing this for you."

"Whatever, Emilia. I hate you."

I nodded, "Okay, I love you."

I walked over to Cameron and put my hand on his chest. A big mistake. He put his hand on my back and looked down at me with eyes, ready to listen like he always does. I looked up at him with wet eyes.

Memories of Easton flashed through my brain. Getting screamed at or worse for bailing on him, putting anything before him, for 'taking sex away from him'.

"I can't come to your house tonight. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I'll make it up to you I swear..."

He cut me off by pulling me into a hug. I tensed up, bracing for the angry whisper disguised as kindness.

"Sweetheart, I'm not mad. I know you have so much going on. And I know so much has happened to you to make you struggle to believe a single word coming out of my mouth. But, I love you. I'm not mad," he rubbed my back softly.