Stand My Ground {EDITING}

Chapter 2 {EDITED}

I sat up in my bed and grabbed my phone. Five o'clock in the morning flashed in white numbers. I got out of my too comfortable of a bed and ran to my closet. Deciding on a pair of ripped jeans and a military green T-shirt. After showering, brushing my hair out, and putting on my clothes, I ran downstairs for breakfast only to find that no one was awake. I shrugged my shoulders and grabbed an apple and a water then went outside to go on my morning jog. There are just some habits you can't shake. I laughed as I continued to jog down the street.
Once I got back, two hours later, everyone was awake. I went into the kitchen to help mom out with everyone else's breakfast. After breakfast was eaten, I laid on the couch and watched tv with Aidan and Jack, who was still shooting me glares. Aidan let out a long sigh. "Well, not that I'm not having fun, but who wants to go to the mall?" he asked getting up from the couch to grab his keys.
"Who all is going?" Jack asked, looking at Aidan lazily.
"Let's see. I can get Zach, Jill, Caleb, and Lacy to come for sure. They just love me that much," he said jokingly, leaving me to shake my head.
"What about Greyson?" Jack suggested.
"He's hanging out with that fiance of his, so who's with me?."
"I'll pass," I said, turning my attention back to the tv. Aidan and Jack looked at me shocked.
"Cameron, you just got back to civilization, and you want to pass on a chance to socialize?" Jack asked astonished. I nodded my head.
"Jack, no one around here even likes me. I don't mind staying here. Besides, there's probably a chance I'll have a panic attack. I can't take that chance," I said, my eyes not leaving the tv. Jack huffed in annoyance, catching my attention.
"So this is what it's all about. The stupid mutt you had to leave behind," Jack said through clenched teeth. I snapped my head toward him.
"He's not a stupid mutt! He's more than that! He saved my life several times!" I yelled in his face with anger boiling inside of me.
"Look, Cameron, Apache is a dog. You can go buy a new one! Let it go. Just for one day, forget about Afghanistan and have a little fun. Can you do that for Aidan and me?" Jack asked, glaring a hole through me.
"It's not that easy. I wish it was otherwise we wouldn't be having this conversation, but yes, I will TRY to forget it for the day," I said, glaring back at him. Jack lightened up and hugged me. "Let me go grab my wallet and purse." I ran up the stairs and to my room. I grabbed my camo purse, my camo wallet, and my dog tags then ran back downstairs.
Within a few minutes, everyone was contacted and headed toward the mall. Aidan pulled into the parking lot and found Caleb and Jill, along with Lacy and Zach, in no time. "Well, if it isn't Miss America!" Zach exclaimed. I bit my tongue to keep from saying anything. Why can't Aidan and Jack see that these people hate me?
"When did you get back from vacation?" Lacy asked rudely.
"I got back yesterday, and for the record, it was no vacation. Unless you call getting shot at constantly a vacation." Lacy glared at me which caused me to smirk.
"What are you smiling at?" she asked with a touch of brattiness.
"Your attempt at scaring me." With that remark, Lacy tried to lunge herself at me but was caught by Caleb and Zach. Aidan stepped in between the two of us. Jack pulled me to the side.
"Cameron, I asked for just one day. You can't even give me that?" he asked in a hushed tone.
"All I did was correct her. That's it! She's the one that was about to throw the first punch," I said, daring him to fuss at me again.
"Fine. Just don't cause anymore trouble." He turned around and stomped off. Aidan walked my way with concern painted on his face.
"Are you okay? Did she hurt you? Where are you hurt at?" he asked all in one breath.
"I'm alright. She didn't hurt me. Now, let's follow the king inside," I said with annoyance. Aidan tilted his head in confusion until I pointed to Jack.
"I get you now." I laughed then walked with him inside. Lacy stayed far away from me while we walked around. I didn't mind though. I laughed and chatted with Aidan for most of the time.
"Where are we going to eat at? I'm getting hungry," Lacy whined after about two hours of shopping.
"Lacy, you're always hungry," Caleb laughed. I laughed too but stopped when I spotted someone walking with a dog that looked exactly like Apache. Memories of the horrid day slipped into my brain. The sounds of gunshots whizzing by my head, bombs exploding, and the cries of my comrades caused my breathing to increase. I could feel the panic attack from a mile away.
"Aidan, I'm going to sit down. Y'all go on," I said, heading toward a bench. I put my head in my hands to try to calm myself down before it got out of hand. When I was in the hospital, the attacks would become unbearable. Aidan ran to my side.
"Cameron, what happened?" he asked with worry in his voice. I pointed toward where the dog was. Aidan pulled me into a hug and held me for a few minutes. I could hear Lacy and Jill whispering to each other.
"She's such a crybaby," Lacy said with laugh.
"I know! She does it for the attention," Jill said snobbily.
"Are you done crying? I'm hungry!" Lacy whined again. I looked up at Aidan.
"Y'all go on. I'll have mom to pick me up. I don't need to be in public just in case another attack hits," I whispered to him once I was calmed back down enough to be aware of my surroundings. Aidan looked at me in the eye and searched for something.
"Will you be alright?" he asked as if I was a two year old.
"Aidan, I'll be alright. I think I can handle myself by now," I said with a snicker.
"Just remember the throat punch," he joked. I shook my head at him, hugged him, and then left for the door. Once outside, I pulled out my phone to call mom. I accidentally left my purse with my wallet in Aidan's Mustang. No money for taxi? Call the mom taxi!
"Are you lost, miss?" a younger looking man asked as I was typing in mom's number.
"No, sir, I'm just calling my mom," I replied kindly.
"The name's Tyler," he said with a foreign accent that I couldn't put my finger on as to where.
"Cameron." I held my hand out for him to shake. He just looked at me with a smirk.
"I know who you are. I would suggest for you to come quietly," he said, grabbing my wrist tightly.
"What do you want with me?" I asked in a serious tone.
"Information that you have on a certain prisoner," he whispered into my ear. I tried to pull my arm away from his grip, but he tightened it causing me to cry out in pain. I used the tight hold as an advantage and pulled him over my head only to slam him on the ground. He released my wrist to which I turned and started to run back into the mall but didn't get far since he grabbed my ankle and tripped me. I fell to the ground into a fetal position.
He kicked me in the stomach multiple times then pulled me up by my hair and threw me into the glass door of the mall, busting my lip in the process. My dog tags jingled around my neck as I tried to get up. My head was spinning and my vision was blurry. I saw that he was glaring back at me in pure ferocity. I kicked him in the groin as hard as I could then ran inside the mall to find Aidan and Jack. Blood dripped from my lip and my ribs were begging me to stop running as I ran around the mall frantically to find my brothers.
"Cameron, what happened?" I heard from behind me. I spun on my heel to see Aidan looking at me with concern.
"Aidan, I need help. Some people are trying to kill me. They want information that I can't give out!" I heard Tyler yelling from behind Aidan and the rest of the group.
"Thompson, you can't hide forever!" Tyler taunted. Aidan grabbed my arm and pulled me away from Tyler and into a store.
"Tell me what is going on," he demanded with worry growing.
"Aidan, these people want me becau-" I started before someone yanked my hair again. I looked up to see Tyler staring back down at me. I brought my foot up kicked him in the stomach then punched his face. Aidan joined in and started to wrestle with Tyler.
"You keep your crummy hands off of my sister!" he yelled, trying to choke him. Security came and pulled Aidan off of Tyler.
"Y'all are coming with us," one guard said with authority.
"Gladly," Aidan said through clenched teeth. Once in the security office, I stood at attention to wait for the other guards to come in. This is going to be one very long explanation.
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Mom wasn't too pleased that the head security guard at the mall called her to tell her that she needed to pick her children up at the hospital since I wasn't allowed to drive and Aidan left his car at the mall with Jack. I suffered from a concussion, busted lip, and a cracked rib. Aidan suffered from a black eye and a few cuts and bruises. Aidan and I sat in the car silently to wait for mom while she signed us out. "Cameron, Aidan, explain everything, now," she ordered once she got in the car.
"Mom, this is sorta my fault, yet it's also the Army's fault," I said from the backseat. Mom looked at me with a confused expression through the rear view mirror. I sighed. "When I was on patrol in Afghanistan, my platoon had to go hunt for a man that was threatening to attack a schoolhouse. The man was an acquaintance of the guy that attacked me today. I can't tell you anymore because it was a top secret mission." Mom nodded then reversed the car and sped off into a direction away from home.
"Mom, the house is that way," Aidan said as he pointed behind him.
"I know."
"Then why are we going this way?"
"We are going to talk to Cameron's Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, whoever, and get this mess sorted out. Cameron is at home. She shouldn't still have to be fighting with this crap," mom said, tightening her grip on the wheel which caused her knuckles to turn white.
"That's why you're my favorite mother," Aidan joked.
"I better be since I'm the only one you got."