December
Camelia, Sammy and Liam walked across campus in the chilly morning wearing jackets to ward off the cold. California was experiencing a unusual cold front, pushing itself south from the state of Oregon. The year was inching closer to an end and winter break was approaching quickly around the corner.
Camelia takes a sidelong glance at Sammy who walked beside her in a matching black leather jacket with fur lining. He couldn't contain himself and presented her with the early Christmas gift. He loved it so much he purchased nearly the same replica for himself.
The side of her lips lift in a half-smile.
Casually glancing around, she couldn't help but scan the faces of the students. Anyone one of them could be working for the enemy. She should have felt the fear and anxiety raging inside her like the first day she walked on campus, the discovery of the threat was still fresh and raw but now, Camelia felt nothing. She was completely numb and desensitized, the acceptance of her predicament soaked in her bones.
Camelia continued to trail her gaze around the preoccupied lovers scattered all around the campus holding hands, flirting, laughing, and kissing. The envy she once used to feel vanished like a cloud of smoke. It was a sign of giving up. It was the black negative, depressing hole eating at her insides. Sure, she put on a strong front, behaved as a normal person should but it was all a act.
Her eyes flicker to the street and she immediately notices a black, slow moving Jeep inching along the curb. It trickled slowly as if mimicking her movements. It was impossible to see the driver or passengers, the windows were darkly tinted. It didn't appear familiar nor was it a recent addition to the security detail, she was sure. She continues to walk beside Sammy, her eyes darting towards the car every few seconds. She was almost positive the SUV was following her movements.
The prickling feel of the eyes behind the dark windshield boring into her skin was her only confirmation. She was sure she was being watched closely.
Camelia takes an uneasy glance at Liam to see if he noticed. He casually walks, his eyes darting all around the campus. However, his relaxed expression and the easy set of his shoulders seemed to slightly elevate her growing worry. She thought again and decided to say something to him about her observation but held back because at that very moment, the vehicle stopped, turned on it's blinker and pressed on the gas rushing out of sight and into ongoing traffic.
The hair on her skin rose despite her thick jacket. Whoever was behind the steering wheel must have caught her staring. How disturbing, she thought. Camelia was ready to ask Liam if he recognized the vehicle, Sammy nudges her hand to catch her attention.
"What do ya have planned for winter break?" He asks as they continue to walk across campus.
It took Camelia a moment to gather her thoughts before answering him. "I-uh winter break? I'm staying at home."
"I'm going to Aspen with the family. I wish you could come with me, girl. We'd have a blast!"
"I wish I could too." She answers absentmindedly and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, eyeing the street again. No black jeep in sight. "You must be excited. How long will you be there?"
"We're going for a week. I'm trying to talk Ricky into tagging along. I don't want to be stuck with my parents and baby sister for that long...boring! Your brother and sister flying in for the holidays?"
"Yes, actually. They'll be arriving a couple days before Christmas and staying until the New Year. It'll be nice having them around for a change."
Camelia couldn't wait until the year ended. It's the worst year to ever pass for her.
"That's good to hear! Will Kivanç be there too?" He asks, wiggling his eyes brows.
Camelia nods.
"At least you won't be alone."
"True that." She says without much enthusiasm and looked up at the grey clouds with a sigh.
Sammy frowns. "Girl, you're killing me here. Stop moping over Superman, it's been nearly a month and a half! You look like a white girl going through unicorn Frappe withdrawals."
She takes a deep breath and releases it as if it would relieve the burden weighing heavily over her chest. She hated to be reminded of Stefan. But her heart squeezed tightly in her chest. The next thought passing through her head made her pause.
Could it be?
Stefan.
What if he was the one in the black Jeep?
"Camelia? Girl, you looked a thousand miles away. Talk to me. I know you want to avoid the subject but it's easier if you talk about it."
She shook the thought away.
"It's hard, Sammy. It's difficult to understand how someone you trusted with everything breaks you down the middle. I'm trying to pick up the pieces he left scattered around. Some days I'm fine, out of nowhere the reality hits me like a gust of wind." Camelia brushed a stray hair out of her eyes. "I think I'm depressed."
Sammy looks behind him and both ways before bending his head closer, whispering close to her ear. "What if he's working on bringing that fücker down? No better person for the job than a Navy S.E.A.L."
"Yes, but am I not more important? Why would he leave me without saying goodbye or at least explain? Why leave me to think the worst if that's what he's really doing? Can't he trust me enough? Does our relationship mean nothing to him?"
"Questions, questions, questions. I don't have the answers, honey. I wish I did. Maybe he didn't want to worry you more. If you knew what he was planning you probably wouldn't have left him to do his job right."
"I don't know." She answers, the doubt evident in her tone. "What a shitty way of leaving things between us."
"Would you have given him the time of day after you were so upset with him? Maybe he's afraid of rejection. The man has nobody, no family, no nothing. Some people have a difficult time expressing themselves after having such a fücked up lonely life. Or maybe he's giving you time to blow off steam while desperately working to put a bullet in Diam's head."
"Too many maybe's for my taste. You know after I asked him to leave, I was praying he'd stay and make me understand." She confesses. "It's a girl's way of testing a guy's effort. The last thing I wanted was for him to leave me. I love–loved him."
Another gushing breeze passes flipping Camelia's long hair into Sammy's face. Swatting and spitting her hair out of his mouth, Sammy mutters a string of curses under his breath. Camelia laughed despite her melancholy and nostalgia watching him make some impressive Kung fu moves with his hands.
"I hate hair! I get every single inch of my fine body waxed. I can't stand it!" Camelia gathers her hair over her shoulder and wraps it around her fingers. "I must admit I'm jealous, it smells like strawberries!"
"I love my hair long. It's the only quality I have working in my favor."
"Trust me girlfriend, you're a gorgeous diva. And I ain't sayin' this cause we're besties. You got the skin, hair, body and features of a sexually seductive Goddess. You need lessons on how to work it!" He snaps his fingers in emphasis. "If you've seen some of the nastiest mother fückers I've come across, cause daaayum....they have some faces only a mother could love!"
Camelia smiles tenderly. "Sammy, you're the best. Thank you. You're going to make a great psychologist someday."
Sammy sighs heavily. He seemed bothered all of a sudden. "If I don't get this off my damn conscious, I'm gonna be sprouting chest hairs before my next waxing session."
"What is it?" She asks in concern.
"Girl, I feel like in need to apologize for last time. It makes me feel cheap to say sorry, but I am. I didn't mean to flip on you about the trench coat." It was a rare sight to see a guilty expression on Sammy's face.
"Sammy, I get it, seriously you don't need to explain."
"Nah, you need to understand my obsession. You see, I used to be fat as fück in high school and the only reason I lost the weight was so I can wear Chanel. She's my inspiration. Coco saved my life and I've sworn my undying loyalty to her since." His confession surprised Camelia, she never knew he was once overweight. It explained why he loved food so much.
Sammy's expression appeared so troubled, Camelia bit the inside of her cheek to keep her hidden smile from surfacing. Laying a comforting hand on his shoulders she squeezed it tenderly.
"She's my icon, too! I know you meant well. You never need to apologize." She gave him a side hug. "You never said anything about ever being overweight." She eyes him up and down. "It doesn't matter what size you are to me I'll always love you for who you are."
"It's just I couldn't handle it! A switch went off in my head." He continues. "And what the hell is up with your cousin. 'You know she can have it iron and pressed.' He mimicked her words and altered his voice, sounding exactly like a girl.
Camelia could only laugh.
"I don't remember asking for her opinion. But since it's only me and you, she can go and screw herself. Lord knows you can't press that vagina of hers. It's been used more than Google itself."
She gasped. "Sammy, that's disgusting. I'm surprised you never said that to her face, knowing how openly you express yourself. She'd be so upset if she ever heard you say those things!"
Sammy clasps his hands together, against his chest. "I wasn't insulting her, I'm simply describing her!"
They slow their walking and stop in the center of campus, the college buildings coming slowly into view across the distance.
"Better watch out for that one, I don't give a shit if she's your cousin. She's trouble." He says in a hushed whisper. Liam stopped a few yards away from them, checking his surrounding before taking out his phone. They both watch him momentarily before looking back at each other.
Camelia frowned. "What makes you think that? Gloriana is harmless. She's just a outspoken girl that likes to have fun, she means well."
Sammy rolls his eyes at her expression of doubt. "She acts all innocent and quiet sometimes but it's all a show. Those kind of hoe's keep their crazy and jealous side hidden."
"I'm quiet and shy. I'm nothing like that."
"Of course you're not, Camelia. Gory-anna," he said, with a pointed emphasis on her altered name, "Is just a woman that needs a man. You are a woman a man needs. Trust me, I can tell the difference. I'm the psychologist major here. That bitch has taken in more loads than a freakin' washing machine."
Her expression turned into one of disgust. "I don't even want to imagine what you just said."
Sammy who had his arm wrapped around her elbow squeezed tightly in warning. "Talk about bitches and they shall appear." He nudges his head. A certain group of girls started their way as Camelia focuses straight ahead.
It was Kelly and her minions. Camelia managed for avoid confrontations with her for weeks until now.
"Ignore the bitch." Sammy warned in her ear. "Keep walking. I'm in no mood to deal with her this morning. I haven't had time to drink my morning coffee. No coffee for me, equals major bitch fit!"
"Haven't seen your other guard dog around much anymore? What? He catch your disease?" Kelly and her friends laugh at her joke as she sneers meanly, stopping as Camelia and Sammy pass. She directs her attention to Liam, who was following closely behind them again. "Better leave while you can. Who knows what she gave the last guy!" She warns him with a fake concerned eyes and a fake gasp.
However, Camelia's body doesn't stiffen from shock or embarrassment at hearing Kelly's words. The intense shot of anger coursing through her blood jolted her into a standstill.
Sammy inhales sharply and stops walking too. "Ah, fück it!" He exclaims, advancing towards Kelly and stopping directly in her face. "Bitch please, hating her won't make you pretty. It's people like you, is the reason I have middle fingers." He proudly flips her off with his head held up high. "Take this and shove it, hooker!"
"Ohhhh, I'm shaking." Kelly and her friends laugh. "Get lost loser and drag the coward behind you away from me. She's polluting the air I'm breathing!" She sneers.
Sammy looks ready to spit in her face, as the two of them have a staring contest. "You're not worth it." He mutters, looking his nose down at her. "I don't look good in orange."
He straightens the lapels of his jacket, turns, grabs Camelia's hand and starts to drag her away. Camelia glanced back over her shoulder sending Kelly a hatful glare. Kelly caught the look, a slight mocking smile of a winner curving her perfectly formed mouth.
"What, too afraid to stand up to me by yourself?" Kelly calls out, daring Camelia. "No wonder that hot guy ditched you. You are so pathetic."
Camelia straightened her spine as though she was hit with bolt of lightening. She took a deep breath and released it slowly. The hatred electrified and consumed her and she couldn't think straight. No thoughts passed as the last shreds of Camelia's patience ultimately snapped–giving way to cold fury.
Stemming purely from instinct, her body and mind worked on two different wavelengths for the first time in her life.
The anger was the fuel.
The hurt was the fire.
The pain was the torch that filled the flames reflecting in her eyes.
She turns, advances towards Kelly, stretches her arm out like a striking cobra, and snatches Kelly by the hair at the nape of her neck, pulling her roughly forward. Kelly let out a ladylike scream of agony as her body twisted and bowed in pain.
"Let me go!" She shouts, struggling to rip free of Camelia's hold. "You're c-crazy!"
Her hands desperately pulled at Camelia's arm but had no success. The surprising strength pulsed hotly in her muscles ready for release. Ever since Stefan left, she took her frustrations out on the punching bag in their in-home gym until she collapsed.
She wasn't hiding behind anyone. She was spoiling for a fight and finally ready to extract her revenge.
The people she called friends, raised a hand to their mouths, backed away with fear and shock in their eyes and split into a run as if a madman was after them.
Camelia pulls Kelly's head up close and looks her directly in the eye. She could hear Sammy jumping up and down in excitement slightly behind her. Out of the corner of her eyes she spotted Liam, who only observed with his eyes, his features collected and hands clasped behind his back patiently.
"You're nothing but a little pathetic slut." Every word was as cold as a shard of ice. It was finally time to put her demons to rest. One by one. "It's pretty stupid on your part to mistake my silence for weakness."
"Oh my lord...hallelujah!" Sammy exclaims behind her, clapping his hands in excitement.
Kelly whimpers and tears continue to run down her face when Camelia roughly shakes her head of thick blonde hair.
"What? Didn't think I would eventually snap, did you, you ugly bitch." Camelia was nearly seething in anger.
The hate boiling inside her was ready to explode.
"Slay, girl, slaaaaay. . . !" Sammy encourages
"You are one of the most disgusting, the most vile human beings to walk on this campus, strutting around here like you own the place. And I am so sick and tired of hearing your dick-sucking mouth disrespect me at every turn." Camelia tugs Kelly's hair sharply once again.
Kelly cries out.
"You unleashed the monster now, didn't you bitch." Sammy taunts Kelly's twisted face. He walks around in a strut with one arm folded, helping elevate the other which his chin was leaning on. For someone who was excited seconds ago he spoke and appeared thoughtful for but a moment. "Not so powerful are you, skank!"
Camelia continues to ignore him.
"Don't even breathe when I pass you. Don't even look at me." The tone of her voice was lethal enough to melt iron, and it sounded nothing like her. "I come one way you better walk another. I'm done. Get a life and leave mine the hell alone. Because if you don't, I swear on everything I hold dear, I'll disfigure your face so badly, no plastic surgeon would be able to help you. This is the first and only warning I will ever give you. You got it?"
Kelly's only response was to sob as her lower lip quivered. "Y-you won't get a-away with this."
"I have nothing else to lose." Camelia jerks her blonde hair roughly again. "I can't hear you." She whispers between clenched teeth. "Do I make myself clear?"
Sammy cups the back of his ear and leans toward Kelly's face. "I didn't hear no bitch either. We waitin'..." He encourages with the most smug filled voice Camelia has ever heard. It almost sounded like he won the lottery.
Camelia pulled her hair back tighter and Kelly's body was forced to arch backwards.
"Yeeeeees! I-I won't d-do it a-again!" Kelly stutters in between crying and the pain.
Just before Camelia releases her hold, she spits in Kelly's face and instantly lets go in the next second. Kelly had no choice but to stagger and fall backwards without any means of balance. She lay there sprawled on her back, hair in disarray. The make-up running down her face made her look like a run down clown.
Camelia shakes her own hand, releasing the loose stands of hair caught in her fingers. They fall lifelessly down into the stiff grass.
Sammy kicks some dirt on Kelly's back and takes a step over her body as if he was avoiding a piece of trash. "See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya!" He says in a high pitched lisp and snaps his fingers as he wraps his arm around Camelia's shoulders.
The accumulation of people who came to watch the humiliation and bring down of the college's queen attracted at least twenty students. Some of which were laughing, pointing fingers at Kelly or snickering behind their hands.
"I would high-five everybody and give out autographs but we all need to get to class. Show's over people!" Sammy's voice rose and dispersed over them and like robots they obeyed.
"Girl, you make crazy look good. I'm so proud of you!" Although Sammy was smiling, something hateful and hard lingered in Camelia's eyes. Once upon a time the bruising force of defeat, vulnerability and sadness nearly drowned her and now the strings holding her down broke free.
She was a good girl gone bad.
And it felt good.
"We've accumulated too much attention. Let's get you both to class." Liam murmurs, guiding Camelia and Sammy as they continue walking, never looking back at Kelly who was still on the ground weeping.
Nor did they notice the black Jeep parked on the corner watching their retreating backs...
___________________________________________________________________________________
Camelia finally overcame a obstacle in her life. One down, several more to go.
I'm planning Stefan's POV several chapters down the road. Just be patient, it'll be worth it.
Until next Friday.
Thanks for reading, voting, and commenting!
-Shaz