• My Best Friend's Brother • { Cameron Dallas }

t h i r t y - f o u r

I didn't want to think about Cameron. But as much as I tried, the thought of him wouldn't leave my mind.

The door opened and Alex walked in carrying a box of pizza and his car keys. He tossed the box on the counter and flashed me a huge smile.

"Hey beautiful." He said as he sat down beside me kissing my cheek. "I brought pizza."

"Thanks." I replied dully. I didn't really feel up to having an appetite at the moment.

"What's up? Everything okay?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Cameron called today." I replied.

"Oh really? What did he say?" I could hear the excitement in his voice, and it broke my heart to tell him what our conversation had been about.

"But I don't understand." Alex said. "Why wouldn't he tell you? You guys tell each other everything."

Alex was right. How was it that Cameron couldn't notice that? We indeed always told each other everything, so what made this time any different? I shook my head at the situation. I couldn't understand why this girl had become so important to him, and why he felt the need to shut us out.

"He called me baby, before he hung up." I blurted out. I felt the need to tell Alex.

"Maybe he's still into you Mack. You really were his first true love." He remained calm at the topic, despite the trouble he'd had with Cameron in the past.

"He told you?" I asked innocently.

"He showed it." A small smile crept across his face. "How about you call him back, fix things with him, and we'll have some pizza. Better yet, Skype him."

Alex's enthusiasm made me slightly uncomfortable. It was as if he knew something I didn't, and that bothered me. I gave him a small smile, and grabbed my laptop setting it carefully onto the bar.

I clicked on Cameron's contact name, an listened to the ringing of Skype waiting for an answer. Alex seemed to be in his own little world, grabbing plates and throwing slices of pizza onto them.

"Mack?" I glanced down to see Cameron's face, and was startled. He seemed to have been asleep.

"Did I wake you? I'm sorry." I immediately replied. He ran his fingers through his tousled hair. "No no, you're fine, I wanted to talk to you anyway."

I smiled at him. I had suddenly forgotten about being mad at him, until Alex walked around to the side facing the camera. He waved towards Cameron, and he gave Alex a nervous look.

"Why don't you tell her your news Cameron?" Alex laughed to himself. I gave him a blank stare, confused. He did know something. But why hadn't he told me?

I looked back at Cameron. He let out a huge sigh before buying his lip, and staring back into my eyes.

"What news cam?" I asked curiously. He looked at me with a blank stare.

"Go on." Alex's voice had knowingness all in it. He was pressuring Cameron to tell me as if he wanted me to be upset at what I was going to hear.

"Mack, you know the girl you spoke with earlier?" He cleared his throat, and then continued. "Well, first off, she's my girlfriend."

I didn't say anything. I had expected that.

"Keep going." Alex said his tone deepening. Cameron looked down, and then his eyes met mine again.

"She's also... The uh..." I could see tears in his eyes. "She's the mother of my child."

"Your... Your child?" I repeated. I couldn't believe what he was saying. He's gone for 3 months, and already he has a child?

"Yeah, my girlfriend, she's pregnant." I sat in shock staring back at Cameron for the longest time. I then realized Alex stood behind me, waiting for my answer.

"You knew this, and you didn't tell me either?" I asked angrily.

"Look, I just found out yesterday. And he wanted to tell you." Alex pointed to Cameron, who now had tears streaming down his face.

"I wanted to tell you sooner Mack.. I did. I just didn't know how. I'm sorry." He rubbed his eyes. He seemed miserably tired, and miserably upset. I wanted to wrap my arms around him, and tell him that everything would be okay.

But I couldn't.

All I could do was stare at him through a computer screen. I felt all of the anger drain from me. Seeing him so upset, killed my heart more than anything.

And I know. I shouldn't just let him off that easy, but he's my bestfriend, and he needed comfort.

"Cam." I said sweetly. "It's okay. I'm happy for you. You get to be a dad."

He glanced up to the camera. But the sadness didn't fade. I could tell he was disappointed in himself.

"Look you made a mistake, but you have to own up to it now cam.. You're gonna have to be there for that little girl or boy." I said trying to convince him.
He rubbed his eyes.

I seen him not as a father, not as an adult, but rather a teenager. Still a kid. Still a child. Still someone who loved to eat the dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets. Still someone who wanted the last cookie out of the package. Still someone who wanted to play on the play grounds. Still someone who likes amusement parks, and rides. Still someone who wasn't ready to be a grown up yet. Someone who was still a kid himself.

And I felt pain for him. I felt sorrow. I felt that feeling he had of the world crashing down on him.

But now no matter what I did to try and save him, only he could fix the mess he had created. He'd have to live with it. But he had to know he wouldn't be living it alone.

"Hey. I love you." I said smiling at him. He smiled  back at me. "You can do this."

Alex placed his hands on my shoulders, telling me I did the right thing. Sometimes we can't shut someone out because of our own petty and selfish reasons. Sometimes they truly need us. And sometimes, just sometimes, we have to be there for them.