"So Farrah," Jason broke into the silence, (with the exception of munching) "I have to know. Did you really stalk Cameron to his back yard?"
"No!" I groaned. I was trying to exagerate my voice to show that I hated even the idea, but my voice came out in pain. My mouth was so tired!
"Huh. So how did you two meet?" Jason wondered out loud.
"She obviously burst into my house, declared her love for me, and then we flew to the moon." Cameron rolled his eyes, sarcasm dripping off of his tongue. I was confused- why was sarcasm needed? But with Cameron, sarcasm seemed to be the key to getting his attention.
"All right, Mr Grump." I poked my tongue out at him. "I kinda did go into Cammie's garden-"
Cameron cringed.
"-but I was only looking for my cat, Milly." I finished.
"Yes, the mysterious cat, who disappeared." Jason laughed.
"She's real- surely you've seen her at my house?" I puzzled. "She likes laying in the window sill."
"Never seen her. I thought you only had the big bear dog." Jason told me.
"Rolo is a chow chow, not a bear dog." I giggled. I had an image of Rolo's head on a grizzly bear's body. "And I have two cats. Milly, and Cookie- though Cookie is a kitten."
"Aw, isn't that sweet?" Cameron cooed, still sarcastic. "The goody two-shoes has a kitten."
"What is your problem all of a sudden?" I snapped.
"Me? I don't have a problem. You have a problem." Cameron brushed me off. I sat up straight, placing my hands on my hips. Jason looked between me and Cameron, looking excited.
"I do not have any problem. Care to explain?" I cocked my head sideways, looking at him still.
"You can't admit that there is no cat, and you really did stalk me." Cameron said harshly.
"You...you-"
"Handsome devil?" Cameron interjected. "What can I say? It's the truth."
"Cocky, bad-mouthed, rude, arrogant, egoistic, jackass bastard!" I hmph-ed.
"Me? I'm rude? I'm bad-mouthed? Look who's talking." Cameron scoffed.
"This is getting good." Jason rubbed his hands together. "This would be even better with popcorn! MOM I NEED POPCORN!" He ran from the room, into the kitchen, demanding his poor mother for popcorn.
"Why does everything have to revolve around you?" I asked him, prodding his shoulder with every word. He winced angrily every time I did.
"It doesn't- but I know you like me." Cameron snarled.
"You're so full of yourself." I rolled my eyes, turning away from him. I heard a ding from the kitchen, and Jason yelling like a crazy person.
"I know you like me. Jason told me, Troy thinks you do, even Riley-"
"Riley? Troy?" I echoed. "Okay Mister, you leave them out of this. I've already damaged my friendship with Riles because of you, and Troy is my brother. He knows nothing about me."
"Sure he doesn't. He doesn't live in the same house as you, or grew up with you or anything." Cameron smirked.
"Not the point." I insisted. "I don't like you, and you need to get over that. You're used to girls dropping like flies to your feet- well not this time. The extent of our relationship? I just wanna be friends, Cameron."
"Relationship?" Cameron repeated.
"I heard relationship!" A grinning Jason interrupted, coming back into the room, carrying a bowl of...popcorn? Okay- that was quite funny.
"There is no relationship between us. We're not even friends now. We're just..."
"Acquaintances." Cameron nodded.
"Yeah, acquaintances." I agreed. I crossed my arms across my chest and faced away from the green-eyed demon boy.
"That's it?" Jason cried. "I went and got popcorn for nothing?"
I turned to look at him, trying not to laugh at his shocked expression. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cameron looking at him too. As if on cue, we all looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"Fine, we can be friends." Cameron was the first to speak, after we recovered from laughing. "But like I said before, you'll come around."
The boy was demented. Me liking Cameron...well. Taming a big, half bear, half lion with a beak would be easier.
"Um, how often do you speak out your thoughts?" Jason cut into my thinking.
"I did it again? Ugh!" I groaned. "I might just stop thinking all together."
"You do it quite a lot. Like that time when you said you'd never been kissed..." Jason looked into the corner of the ceiling, as if there was a cartoon bubble there with the memory inside, like they do on TV.
"Holy shit on toast!" I squeaked. "You remember that? Nooo!"
"Yeah I do. It's weird, you're like, fairly pretty and everything." Jason rubbed the back of his neck and looked away awkwardly as he finished his sentence.
"You think I'm pretty?" I cooed.
"You think she's pretty?" Cameron echoed.
"I said, fairly pretty." Jason frowned stubbornly.
"Well, thanks." I grinned.
"You know you could just get your first kiss over and done with now." Cameron winked, wiggling his eyebrows. My mouth fell open in horror.
"Whaa?" I gawped at him.
"Yeah, test it on Jason."
A pillow flew across the room and hit Cameron full in the face. I looked at Jason who was scowling at his friend. "Dude, no."
"Hey, I thought I was pretty?" I teased.
"Yeah, but we're just friends. You and 'Cammie' are clearly made for each other." Jason retorted.
"Yeuch." Cameron and I shuddered at the same time.
"Puh-lease." Jason shook his head. "You like each other."
"Um, no."
"What she said." Cameron grunted.
"Besides, first kisses are meant to be with people you like." I told the boys. With a hurt look from Cameron I added, "Like like."
"Girly-ness! Gossip! Ahhh!" Jason covered his ears and fell to the floor, shrivelling up and quivering dramatically.
"Please, we don't need lectures." Cameron cringed.
"Yeah, you can go talk to Brody if you wanna give 'first-kiss' talks. Which is weird, because you haven't been kissed." Jason told me.
"Hey!" A voice called from the other side of the door. We looked at each other confused, and Jason opened the door to reveal a very sour looking Brody, his hand clamped over his mouth.
"Why were you listening, brat-face?" Cameron quizzed.
"Cameron!" I scolded. You couldn't tell off other people's siblings!
"Shut up you retard!" Brody threw back. I rolled my eyes. "And I have too kissed a girl."
"What?" A female voice, that certainly wasn't mine gasped. Helen bustled into the room, squeezing the life out of Brody. "My baby boy has all grown up!"
"He hasn't even started puberty yet." Jason cackled.
"Shut up!" Brody snapped. "I have too!"
He went a little pink when he saw I was watching the whole conversation.
"So Brody is only fourteen?" I asked Jason. He nodded. "Ugh, that makes me feel so much better about not kissing anyone."
"You could always kiss Jason..."
Another pillow was tossed at Cameron's head, before Jason came back at him with, "Or Cammie..."
I think around four pillows were chucked and lobbed that time.
"It doesn't matter who you kiss." Jason began. I opened my mouth to retaliate, but he waved a hand at me. "Girls make such a big deal about it. It's just a kiss."
"But girls have sense. They actually want to kiss someone they like." I responded.
"We don't even remember our first kisses." Cameron told me. Jason nodded and I pulled a disgusted face.
"Man whores." I wrinkled my nose. Cameron tensed up, and Jason let his eyes slide, not very discreetly, over to Cameron.
"Uh oh." Jason muttered.
"Why do you get so defensive when I say man whore? I know you've both kissed people, I know you've both had girlfriends. I'm stating the truth." I inquired.
"And we know you haven't kissed anyone, or had a boyfriend." Cameron said smugly, calming
down again.
"Yes, thank you." I replied childishly.
"So who do you want to kiss?" Jason asked, now looking interested. Cameron peered at me too.
"None of your earwax." I flicked them away.
"Earwax? You mean beeswax?" Jason chortled.
"Beeswax? Oh, that might make more sense." I frowned to myself.
"You thought people said earwax?" Cameron laughed.
"Leave me alone you meanies." I hugged myself. Why had I been so stupid? I remembered all the past memories of people looking at me weirdly when I said it. No one questioned it though- bastards let me think it was earwax.
"Seriously, who do you want to kiss?" Cameron pressed.
Tanner West.
"No one."
"Farrah Chambers."
"Cameron Carter."
"Not this again."
"Well then, stop bugging me." I nodded triumphantly. I looked at the clock ticking on the wall and sighed. "I have to go soon."
"But first, you need to tell us who you want to kiss." Jason insisted.
"No!" I laughed. "You won't get it out of me."
Only Hayley knew about Tanner. I just prayed she wouldn't tell Riley- or anyone else. Tanner was just so dreamy, with his blonde-brown hair, big, brown orbs, tall, muscular figure...
"You're daydreaming!" Jason picked up on my facial expression. "Who is it? Is it Cameron?"
"J." Cameron warned.
"You. Don't. Need. To. Know." I said slowly. Jason looked at Cameron, and back to me. They both nodded and then the screaming started.
"Stop! Stop! Ahhhhh! Guys!" I screamed. Cameron, Jason and Brody were tickling me as if it were their job. It started with just Cameron and Jason, but not before Brody heard my screaming, and his brother recruited him to help.
"Gonna tell us?" Jason asked fiendishly.
"Nooo!" I squealed. I heard Helen chuckle as she passed through the room. "Help me Helen!"
She laughed more, walking up the stairs.
"Don't leave me here with- AHHH!" I fell on the floor, squirming. "Okay, okay!"
As if by magic, the three boys froze.
"Who is it?"
"Bob." I grinned. They reached out to me again, fingers waving daringly. "Okay! Please don't tickle me again." I whimpered.
"Who do you like Farrah?" Brody asked me. He sounded a lot like Jason too. But more whiny and kid-like.
"Promise not to tell anyone?" I asked first.
They all saluted me. Did boys have mind reading powers? Or were they all in sync?
"Tanner West." I mumbled.
"What was that?" Jason cupped his ear.
"Tanner West." I said louder.
"He's a knob." Brody sighed, standing up. "Bad taste, Farrah."
"He is not!" I protested.
"Who was it? I didn't hear." Cameron asked.
"Yes you did. Leave me alone now." I stood up, brushing invisible dust off of me. "I need to go home anyway."
"I really didn't! J, who was it?" Cameron cried.
"This is never to be spoken of again." I narrowed my eyes at them.
"But-" Cameron started.
"No buts!" I wagged my finger at them. "I'm gonna go, and you are not to repeat this to anyone. Bye now."
"Later." Jason nodded, handing me my stuff.
"Nice to meet you." I said to Brody.
"Thanks, I know I'm pretty awesome." Brody winked. I cringed. "Okay, bye."
I didn't get a reply from Cameron, he just glared at me. He so did hear, he just wanted to make me shout it so he could make fun of me. Jerk.
I crunched along the stones on Jason and Brody's driveway, turning left and heading home. I saw a tall boy around my age across the street. I peered hard at him, to see if I knew him. Lots of people lived near Jason from our school.
"Tanner!" I gasped quietly. He seemed to have heard my whisper, which I guessed wasn't really a whisper. He looked across the street, and I dropped my books. He was looking at me! He pulled a confused face, and I bent down to pick up my stuff. Tanner West looked at me!
I suddenly realised what a goon I must've looked. I turned on my heel, returning to Jason's house. I knocked on the front door loudly.
"Let me in!" I hissed to the door.
"What do you want?" Cameron greeted me at the door.
"Let me in!" I pushed him out of the way.
"Woah, wait why?" Cameron asked, baffled.
"Tanner!" I half screamed, half whispered, pointing across the street. Cameron smirked and called him over.
Holy shit on toast.
Chapter 13
"Taaanner!" Cameron yelled again. "Come here dude!"
Tanner lifted an arm high into the air and gave the tiniest wave of his hand.
"Come here! Come inside with us!" Cameron called to him. I giggled as it sounded kind of perverted. I hid behind Cameron, grabbing a fist full of his shirt in comfort. Cameron shifted and I realised it was sort of weird to do that- but we were friends, right?
"I can't! I've got stuff to do!" Tanner shouted back. I sighed in relief, but wasn't sure why. Why would I not be happy that Tanner was coming over? I'd get to talk to him!
Cameron, that's why.
He'd embarrass me, or make fun of me, or bring up something stupid.
Like the picture.
Ugh.
"Do it some other time!" Cameron roared.
"The neighbours are looking at you." I mumbled from behind him.
"Shu'up." He shoved me backwards roughly with his shoulder, and I stumbled on to the floor. "Come on!"
"Nah, I can't!" Tanner yelled back. Why did they have to yell? I went to get up and my butt clicked. Ow ow ow!
"You asshole!" I shrieked, groaning in pain. "You caused my," How ironic. "ass, to bruise. Can butts bruise?"
"What?" Cameron laughed, closing the door. "I don't know."
"Why did you shove me over?" I whined.
"I didn't mean for you to fall on the floor." Cameron shrugged. He offered a hand and pulled me up. I slammed straight into his chest, banging my forhead on his chin. I hated how short I was compared to him.
"Sorry!" Cameron put his hands up as if in defence.
"I'm not going to hit you." I frowned.
"Good." Cameron smiled. He turned to go back into the living room. I took this opportunity to kick him up the ass. "Ow! What was that for?"
"I said I wouldn't hit you. Not that I wouldn't kick you." I grinned, pushing past him.
"I thought you left." Jason scratched his head as I walked in.
"Gee, thanks J." I laughed, trying out his nickname.
"You're calling me 'J' now too?" He asked me. Oh no. Was I not meant to? Was it an all guys thing? Had I ruined it? Were they gonna make fun of me again? Why was I panicking so much anyway? I could brush it off...maybe.
"Yeah, I did. Why? Something wrong with that?" I wondered out loud, speaking fast and worriedly.
"Nothin'." Jason shrugged. "It's cool."
"Are you crushing on my brother or something?" Brody inquired.
"What? No!" I yelped.
"You just heard her say, like, ten minutes ago, that she likes Tanner West." Jason rolled his eyes.
"You commented, telling me Tanner was a bad choice." I reminded him.
"What? Oh yeah." Brody puzzled. "Well you could have been one of those sluts that go out with loads of people at once."
"Did you just call me a slut?" I gasped.
"No, I just said you could have been. I don't know you that well." Brody pointed out.
"Well..." Cameron trailed off. I hit his arm and sank onto the couch.
DING DONG!
"You have such a classic doorbell." I shook my head at Jason.
"I'll get it!" Brody cried.
"Nah, I'll get it. I'm leaving anyway." I said, getting up.
"Good, less work for me." Brody sunk into his couch, playing on his phone again.
"So why did you offer in the first place?" I mused, wondering over to the living roo
m door.
"Hoping someone else would go." Brody answered, confusing me completely.
"That makes...uh, sense." I nodded slowly. I opened the door and walked out into the hall.
"I'll walk you home." I heard someone offer. I looked over my shoulder and saw Cameron getting up.
"Aww." I cooed.
DING DONG!
"I'm coming, I'm coming." I grumbled. I opened the front door and I swear, I died of a heart attack, floated out of my body, sank back in, and died again.
"Oh hey- you're Farrah, right?" Tanner West asked me.
HE KNEW MY NAME!
"Yes!" I cried, happy he knew my name. "I mean, yes I am."
"You dating Jason or Cameron or summit?" Tanner asked me. "This is Jason's house and-"
"I'm here too." A cool voice interrupted. Cameron. Why did he suddenly sound so...annoyed? Too bad- right now, I was having my first conversation with Tanner West! My dream guy Tanner West! That needed a reply...
"Oh hell to the no!" I laughed shakily, hoping I sounded okay and not stupid, or desperate. "We're all just friends. I'm single, yeah."
"Cool." Tanner nodded, passing me to talk to Jason. He was so dreamy! I just wanted to kiss his face off. Ew. That sounded grosser in my head than I had intended it too.
Suddenly, breaking me apart from my day-dreamy thoughts, Cameron tugged my arm and yanked me outside.
"You like Tanner?" He asked, as if in disbelief.
"Yes, but you heard it the first time." I replied stubbornly.
"I did not!" Cameron protested. "But it doesn't matter now, I know anyway."
"Nosy."
"Stupid."
"How am I stupid?" I asked, hands on my hips.
"You want me to list all of that?" Cameron raised an eyebrow, trying not to splutter.
I hit his arm. "I'm serious."
"He's not a good guy." Cameron lowered his voice. "He's a man whore. And before you say anything, don't call me one."
I shut my open mouth and sighed in frustration.
"I've been crushing on him since, like, forever, and I finally get to talk to him, and people warn him away from me?!" I cried.
"Ssh!" Cameron hushed me. "Look, just trust me. He has no respect for girls."
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