Charmed Life.

Chapter Twenty Four.

© All rights reserved. LittleThingsInLife

Cameron was silent for what seemed like an eternity and I instantly regretted telling him about the darkest part of my life. Panic surged through me; was he going to tell everyone? Kick me out? Tell me I'm disgusting or that I deserved it?

"Uhm..." I couldn't think of anything to say. It was his turn to speak.

"Alex." He nibbled on his lip ring nervously, his gaze never stayed on me for longer than a second before it flitted to another part of the room.

Finally I stood up, "I'm going. S-sorry, I t-told y-you. Jus-just forget i-it." I rushed to the door but before I could open in I was grabbed, Cameron's arms went around my stomach and held me against him, hugging me to him. I barely stopped myself from lashing out of instinct. He wasn't trying to hurt me.

"I'm sorry. Wait. Just... don't leave. I just mean.. it's a lot to take in. Don't go." He kept his arms around me and spoke to the back of my head before turning me around and touching his forehead to mine. Taking a deep breath his eyes connected with mine, emotions were swirling around and I could see him trying to keep them at bay.

"Alex, I'm so fucking sorry that happened to you, and to know that you were the same age as my sist- no one deserves what happened to you." He took another long deep breath.

"I kind of understand what you went through. Nothing to that extent believe me but my dad... he used to hit me and my mom... never Piper thank god... Becky hasn't got the same dad but he's not around anymore either so that's why I look after them while mom works. My father was a bastard who drank too and he took his anger out on my mom and then me when I tried to stick up for her. I just mean, I know a little of what you're going through. I hated Becky's dad, always afraid he was going to hit her or us. He was a gambler and a cheat but he never hurt any of us physically."

I was still in his arms while he explained his upbringing to me and I was close enough to feel his heart beat faster with every word. I couldn't believe we were so alike, he'd been the perfect person to tell as he knew what it was like to trust someone when you're younger and have them ruin it.

"I'm sorry too Cam." I whispered "where- where's your dad now?"

Cameron pulled me towards his bed and we finally sat next to each other. His hand entwined with mine as if we didn't want to lose the connection completely.

"No idea. He left years ago. He came back a few times when Becky was born and beat me and my mom up, calling her a cheat even though he'd left like 3 years before that. Not seen his for 5 years now and I'd like to keep it that way. What about you... where's Derek and Stephen."

"Dereks in prison... the case is still being l-looked into and I have to do a st-statement and stuff for the case, may-maybe even go on stand and talk." I shiver in horror at seeing Derek again and talking about what happened in front of all them people.

"Stephen... he's... uhm he's dead." Flashbacks of his dead body slumped on the wall, blood everywhere, me running and hiding in my closet, being found by the police later after the neighbours called hearing gunshots. Derek being arrested and me spending weeks in hospital to heal.

"How.. how did he die?" Cameron asked wide eyed.

"Derek, he found Stephen beating me up. I- I thought he was going to kill me and Derek tried to pull him off m-me. He'd gotten more possessive over me and I guess he d-didn't like Stephen using me anymore or something. Anyway he just grabbed his gun, and-... I had a lot of broken bones but, I guess the adrenaline gave me the strength to run to my room and hide. He didn't c-come after me, I think he was hiding the g-gun - the police found me a little later. Our downstairs neighbour called them."

"Shit. Alex... I can't believe the stuff you've been through and how you still go on and how you're actually such a nice fucking person. I'm a dickhead to most people and in my head I use my dad as an excuse, like him beating me up made it alright to be a shit to people, but you... you're so strong and you've had everything thrown at you. You're amazing." Cameron was looking at me in awe and it was making me uncomfortable.

"I'm not amazing." I shake my head, feeling my cheeks warm through embarrassment. A hand cups my face and lifts it so I'm looking him in the eyes.

"Yes. You really are. Now about the Spencer's, I know it's hard, believe me... but I really don't think they'd ever hurt you, I've seen them around you; I'm pretty sure they'd walk through fire for you... not that I'm blaming them, I'm pretty sure I would too," he winks, smirking at me and I let myself smile along with him. "Have a little faith in them. I'm guessing they don't know about your past?"

"Carl and Sandra do... they came to visit me at the h-hospital a few times... and Aiden, he knows a very small p-part of what I went through, no one else though. I don't want them looking at me differently, like I'm broken or r-ruined."

"Alex, I'm only going to say this once, but if I ever hear you say your broken or ruined again... well, I'll lock you in a room with Piper and let her annoy the crap out of you. That might not sound like a threat, but the more you'll get to know Piper, you'll realise I'm deadly serious." He kept his face stoic throughout his entire 'threat' and for a full minute afterwards before he bust out laughing.

He smiled softly at me "Okay! Enough serious talk, we need to start having a good time now because I don't want you leaving and not remembering something happy about this day, alright?"

Uncharacteristically of me I wrapped my arms around him, trying to convey how much the day had meant to me, how much he meant to me.

"Wooahh! Slow down Nerdy, you haven't even bought me dinner yet." Cameron chuckled before crushing me to him in a warm and comforting hug. I laughed and pushed him off me.

"Oh shush. Go see if your sisters are okay." I demanded under my breath.

"I'll grab us some snacks as well and we can watch a movie. Your choice." With that he left the room and I finally turned my phone back on....