Chapter 15: Everyone gets cranky when they're hungry
I felt as though I was a deer caught in headlights. Thing is, I have no idea why. It was as though I've been caught doing something illegal, when all I did was go on a walk with Cameron.
Sure I don't know much about him, but he doesn't seem like a rapist or kidnapper. He seems like a very cool person, and if I've known him for a really long time, I'd be happy to call him a best friend. Now he's just a friend though, or maybe an aquaintance.
Summer cleared her throat - thank god for her - and said, "hey there!"
"Hey," I croaked, wincing as my voice came out like so.
Vince raised his eyebrows at us and his knuckles turned white. He was gripping the steering wheel so hard I was afraid he might dent it.
"Uhm... Uhm this is Cameron," I gestured to Cameron and he gave both of them a little wave, "we're just talking a walk."
Vince was now glaring at Cameron and if looks could kill, Cameron would be six feet under.
"Well, Zak's just called Vince to remind us that we're going to the pizzaria for dinner. He wanted us to pick you up along the way," Summer explained.
"Oh," I said, turning to Cameron and looking at him awkwardly.
"Guess I'll get going then," he sighed, looking at his feet.
"I had a great time," I said.
"Me too," he gave me a boyish grin.
Then he did something that shocked me, and from what I could hear, Summer. She gasped as my jaw dropped as Cameron planted a kiss. On my cheek. But it was still a kiss.
Well that escalated quickly.
Placing my hand on his chest - completely ignoring the six pack I knew he had under his tee - I pushed him away.
"We're just friends, right?" I asked, hoping he'd say yes.
"Uhm... I gue-"
Vince honked which caused both of us to jump, and I stared at Vince in shock.
"We've got to go," he hissed.
"Okay," I turned to Cameron, "so we're friends then?"
My hand was now reached out to receive a handshake. He looked at my hand before sighing and shaking his head.
"We're friends," he gave me a small smile.
"Great," I mumbled and bidded him goodbye.
As he walked past me, he whispered into my ear.
"It's obvious he's jealous," then walked away with a small, sad smile plastered on his lips.
"C'mon in," Summer said softly, looking at me with big, glimmering eyes.
I climbed into the back seat and sighed. Cameron seemed really upset but I didn't feel anything for him.
And what he said about Vince being jealous made me wonder if he shared my indecisive feelings for Vince.
Hah, that's impossible.
Besides, he just broke up with Vanessa not long ago, surely he won't move on that fast.
Then the way he gripped the steering wheel before made me wonder why he did so. If he wasn't jealous, then why did he grip the steering wheel like a second Hulk? Perhaps he was annoyed by the fact we were taking forever and he was hungry.
Everyone gets cranky when they're hungry. Yeap, that's probably it.
"So, where's Zak?" I asked, trying to clear the awkward silence.
I had forgiven Zak a while back, after he explained that he didn't know how I'd react since I was ten. He was afraid I might not understand whatever Joseph had to say.
"He's meeting us there, says he's got some big news to tell you, or us," Summer shrugged.
"Oh okay."
---
"We're moving out!" Zak exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear.
We're moving out.
Summer looked at Vince. Vince looked at Zak. I looked at Summer. Vince looked at Summer. Summer looked at me. Zak looked at all of us.
We're moving out?
It had completely slipped my mind that we were just at the Waldorff's temporarily.
The thought of not living with Vince and Summer made my stomach church - not in the good way.
Summer was like the sister I never had, and after staying in her room for the past month or so, I've realized that she was a person that was hard to describe. And that was in a good way. Even supercalifragilisticexpialidocious wasn't able to describe her personality. Summer was... Summer was my sister.
Vince too. I couldn't imagine not bumping into him in the middle of the night as I hunt for Fruitloops.
"What?" I spoke without consent, which caused all eyes to look at me.
"We're moving out. I've found an apartment and it looks amazing. There are two levels with an amazing view. Besides, it's near your school and my workplace," he explained.
Would things stay the same? I had to wonder. What if this move would mean that we would break off all ties just like how mom and dad left us.
Would I be able to meet up with Summer and Vince without having to be awkward whatsoever?
It was only then did I realize that I did have romantic feelings for Vince. I did like him, maybe even more.
I turned my head quickly to look at Vince, would was sitting opposite of Zak and diagonal to me. He caught my gaze and we just looked into each other's eyes, really. Would he completely forget about me after we move out? Or will he bring me to The Sweet Tooth regularly as a casual meet up?
I don't want things to be casual with us, I want more than that. But I can't. I can't like him. I can't count on love. It doesn't last.
I'm like mom now, I'm stuck in middle.
"You guys are supposed to be excited," he said.
"Excited? No way! You guys should just move in with us forever. We could make the guest bedroom officially yours and I love Lyss staying over in my room. You just have to get another bed and we're good to go. C'mon! Didn't you guys enjoy the stay at ours?" Summer rambled.
Thoughout this whole time, Vince and I stayed quiet just staring at each other.
Should he know how I feel?
Should I tell him before I move out and lose the chance?
I can't like him. And he can't know that. He can't know that I like him because that'd just give me more hope in love. Happy endings were all in fairytales, but that wasn't real life, was it? It's given so many girls hopes that there is a Prince Charming for them. There isn't, is there?
Surely I've found out that my parents left because they ha dno choice and not because they didn't love me, but so much of my life I've been living with the fact that love doesn't last in my mind that nothing will change it.
"I'm going to go to the bathroom," I announced, cutting their conversation short, before swiftly standing up and running out of the restaurant to get some air.
The autumn wind brushed my hair in all sorts of directions, before finally bringing a shiver down my spine. This jumper was definitely not enough for autumn nights.
Geez, can't I ever have a break from problems.
"Hey."
I jumped as Vince appeared next to me. He was like a ninja, just creeping up on me without a sound.
Now that I've realized my feelings, being around Vince wasn't healthy. It shot electricity through my veins and bones and bloodstream, it was electrifying. It was horrifying.
"Hi," I turned to him, "why are you out here?"
"Why are you out here?" he asked, still looking out at the sky.
There weren't many stars out today, but I did spot one that shone as if blinking to get my attention.
"Do you believe when they say that stars in the sky are your loved ones that died or became angels but they're so far they look like stars?" I asked, staring out at the blinking star and completely ignoring Vince's previous question.
"Where'd you come up with that?" he asked, and from the corner of my eye I felt him look at me.
"Don't know, just thinking I guess," I shrugged.
"Are we not going to ever talk about the kiss?" he asked and my whole posture stiffened.
He remembers.
Even though I wanted to fail my hands in the air and do a little happy dance, this wasn't a topic I wanted to talk about especially since it was so awkward.
There is, no escaping though.
☻☻☻☻☻
Author's Note: i've got almost everything planned out for this book and i'm really excited for you guys to reach the end so updates will be a little more regular, i'll try.
okay, what are your thoughts on this chapter? :*