Tame

by India Marshall

  "I will never annoy you again?" Cameron tried.

  "Hmph." I rolled my eyes.

  "Farrah! Farrah Poppy freakin' Chambers!" Cameron caught my eye and we had a staring contest.

  "You know that wasn't my name." I said, not breaking eye contact.

  "Too bad." Cameron smirked, not breaking eye contact either.

  "Why do you want me to go so badly?" I moaned.

  "Because I'll be bored on my own, and I can come and beat your Dad up for you if he's still there?" Cameron proposed.

  "Thanks Mr. I. Hate. Violence." I rolled my eyes.

  "Ha, you lose!" Cameron cheered.

  "Dammit!" I cursed. "Damn you, Cammie-"

  "That's it!" Cameron growled, cutting me off completely. He lunged at me, and I screamed as he lifted me off of the ground.

  "Cameron!" I shrieked. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

  "If you won't walk, I'll carry you." Cameron replied simply.

  "You ass!" I pounded his back. "Put me down!"

  "No."

  "Yes!"

  "No."

  "Yes." I said through gritted teeth. "I am sure this is illegal through some law. Forcing someone to go somewhere, being carried, unwillingly."

  "Oh yes, very illegal. You know you love it really. You love me." I could practically feel his smirk.

  "I do not." I hit his back again.

  "So why do you keep feeling me up?" Cameron cracked.

  "Hitting you?" I puzzled.

  "Hitting on me." Cameron laughed.

  "Jerk."

  We were halfway to the mall-or so I thought, I was facing backwards- and had been in silence for a while. It wasn't an uncomfotable silence, it was actually quite nice. Except the fact I was being draped over Cameron's right shoulder, my body bent awkwardly, moving backwards. I felt sort of sick. Cameron struck up a conversation, distracting me from my thoughts of puking down Cameron's back- though it was tempting.

  "So...when's your date with Tanner?" Cameron asked.

  "How do you know I haven't already had it?" I snapped, slumping even more.

  "Woah, calm down. I was just asking. And besides, you've been with me all weekend." Cameron pointed out.

  "True. Well...whatever." I mentally slapped myself for being so stupid- never try to be clever with the school player-boy, smartass.

  "You know this is like the third weekend we've spent together." Cameron commented.

  "I know." I replied simply.

  "We've known each other nearly a month." Cameron tried again.

  "Hm."

  "So why are you going on a date with Tanner again?" Cameron asked, his voice kind of cold. What was his problem?

  "What do you mean, 'why'? I like him. He likes me. Even I know that's a necessity when dating." I rolled my eyes again.

  "Huh, dating." Cameron muttered, only just loud enough for me to hear.

  "What do you mean by that?" I wondered out loud.

  "Tanner doesn't date. He plays." Cameron explained with a sigh.

  "Put me down." I ordered, straightening up.

  "Nah, we're nearly there." Cameron brushed off my request.

  "Cameron." I said firmly, pushing away from his shoulder and squirming.

  "Do you want me to drop you?" He asked me, turning to face me. His face was literally right in front of mine. My breath caught in my throat for no apparent reason, and I stopped struggling. With me and Cameron Carter involved in it, he'd probably drop us both in the road.

  As soon as we reached the parking lot, I squirmed and struggled, forcing Cameron to put me down in front of him.

  "What did you mean by Tanner, 'plays'?" I demanded.

  "Exactly what it sounds like." Cameron shrugged, walking off to find his car, playing with his keys he just pulled out of his pocket.

  "Plays? Like...a player?" I quizzed.

  Cameron clapped his hands. "And America's smartest teenage girl award goes to- Farrah Poppy Chambers!"

  "Shu'up." I slapped his hands away. "And besides, that's rich coming from you."

  Cameron stopped walking. He spun on his heel, narrowing his eyes at me.

  "I'm not a player." He said coolly.

  I snorted.

  "I may have had a few girlfriends, but I'm not a player. Or a man-whore." Cameron told me, coming closer to me with every word. Soon, he was right in my face again.

  "I don't believe you."

  He bent down in front of me to be my height. God, I hated being short. His green eyes peered into my blue ones, not blinking once as he said, "I'm not a player."

  "Neither is Tanner." I crossed my arms across my chest. Cameron stood up straight again, running a hand through his blonde hair.

  "Farrah, he is. We're friends, remember? I will tell you the truth. And the truth is, he's a player and he will play you." Cameron told me slowly, as if I were an imbecile. I was definitely not an imbecile. I glared at him.

  "Well you are also Tanner's friend, and you're being a bad friend by bitching behind his back. Maybe you're lying to me." I indicated.

  "Oh for Christ's sake." Cameron stomped off to his car. I followed, having to run after him because I was so short, yet he was tall with long legs- taking very long strides.

  "Just trying to be a good friend." Cameron told me, unlocking his car and getting in.

  "Well I like him, and he said he likes me."

  "He said."

  "Cameron, what the hell is your problem with me going on one, one freakin' date with Tanner? Don't turn into Troy with an older, 'protective' brother thing. You're my friend, not my brother. Or my wife- though you sound like one." I cried.

  "Firstly, I'm not a girl." Cameron growled. "Secondly, I never said I had a problem-"

  "That's not what it sounds like." I huffed, folding my arms again.

  "Let me finish. Look, I know Tanner way better than you do. I know how he works with girls. You're just another girl to him, nothing special." Cameron snapped.

  I was silent for a moment. But just a moment. "Nothing special? Gee, thanks."

  He raked his hand through his hair again. "Farrah, I didn't mean..."

  "What did you mean? Specify!" I waved my arms around in frustration. I saw a smirk tugging on Cameron's lips. "Do not laugh!"

  "Look. Tanner isn't all he seems. Just a pretty face- not a nice guy."

  "Ugh." I grunted. "I see why you're friends with him then."

  "What?" Cameron looked shocked. "You know what, you can walk home."

  My mouth fell open. He forced me to come all this way with him- and he wasn't even going to drive me home? Jerk!

  He started his engine, and began to drive away. I raced after him. "Cameron, wait!"

  "Go home, Farrah." Cameron called to me through the window.

  "No! You're supposed to drive me home!" I screeched. He sped up, letting me stumble backwards. I landed in a bush, right in the mud, on my butt. I felt like crying. I was still quite wet from the fountain episode, and now my ass was smeared in mud that looked like shit. I stood up, brushed the dirt off as best I could, and started to go home. My life was the best.

  ***

  I opened the front door to my house, sighing. I was going to need a shower- and I'd have to use a lot of conditioner, my hair was really tangly.

  "Farrah!" My Mom gasped as soon as I stepped into the living room.

  "I know, I know. I'm a mess-" I started.

  "Where have you been?" Mom shrieked. She ran over to me and cradled me like a baby. "We've been so worried!"

  "We?" I echoed. I looked behind mom and Troy was sat on the couch, his eyes slightly red and puffy. He'd been crying.

  "Your Dad left, with her." Mom told me, her voice half apologetic, half bitter.

  "That's fine. I wouldn't even want him here." I blinked back tears because my Dad, who I had once loved with all my heart, now couldn't even be bothered to see if I was okay. I could have been dead, or knocked out in an alleyway somewhere! Well, I was knocked out, but he wouldn't have even
cared anyway.

  "After today...after Troy said...he, I...I can't love him. I don't love him anymore. I'm going to try and...move on, I guess." Mom swallowed. I smiled at her sadly, and she took in my appearance at last.

  "Honestly Farrah, where have you been? You're soaked and covered in dirt!" Mom exclaimed. I winced inwardly. Cameron was the cause of my appearance. It actually pained me to think we weren't friends anymore. Or, at least I didn't think we were.

  "I'll take a shower in a sec. I just wanna, yeah." I gestured to Troy, and Mom nodded. She went into the kitchen, leaving me with my brother alone.

  I sat down slowly next to Troy, putting an arm around him.

  "You okay?" I asked quietly.

  "Not really." He mumbled.

  "Why didn't you say anything?" I whispered.

  "What was I gonna say?" Troy shifted his position, so his head was on my shoulder. Because he was so much taller than me, this was kind of awkward for both of us. But I was too concerned to care. I wrapped my little arms around him and he sighed.

  "Love you Troy." I said simply, unsure of what else to say.

  "Love you too, sis." He smiled, despite the scene. "Now, where have you been? We were going crazy wondering where the hell you were."

  "I was at Jason's..." I trailed off. Troy raised his eyebrows at me.

  "You are so bad."

  "Blame Cameron Carter- he's such a bad influence on me." I laughed.

  "Oh God, have you spent the day with him too? I swear I heard you screaming at him outside." Troy puzzled.

  "I did. And then we made friends again and now we're not. And I don't have his number to explain. Do you have it?" I explained.

  "Phone's not charged, and I don't have it memorised." Troy shrugged. "Try Facebook."

  I perked up, that was a good idea.

  "I will, thanks!" I grinned. I got up and started up the stairs to my room.

  "Oh and Farrah?" Troy called.

  "Yeah?" I popped my head back into the living room.

  "Take a shower, you stink."

  "Thanks, Troy."

  "Don't mention it." He saluted me, making me laugh.

  Once upstairs, I pulled out my phone, collapsing on my bed. I pressed the Facebook app, checking my notifications before going onto Cameron's page to find his number. Luckily for me, it was displayed right on his page. I quickly typed it in to my contacts, naming him, 'Cammie Carter'.

  I began to text him, my thumbs doing a little dance as I thought about what to put.

  HEY CAMERON. ITS FARRAH. I AM SORRY ABOUT EARLIER. BUT PLEASE STOP CRUSHING MY DREAMS OF DATING TANNER. TEXT BACK IF WERE STILL FRIENDS.

  He didn't reply within five minutes, and I lay back on my bed, upset. As much of an ass as he was, I liked being friends with Cameron. I decided to go back onto Facebook, maybe it would give me some clues to see if he was ignoring me or not. After realising he really wasn't online, I went on to Jason's page. He had a rather interesting status.

  CAMERON AND FARRAH NOT FRIENDS- AGAIN. :/

  Silly boy. I hoped he was wrong.

  ***

  I was curled up in my pajamas at home, watching The Simpsons with Troy when my phone buzzed loudly on the arm of the couch. I earned a glare from Troy because it had interrupted a joke that Homer was telling. When I saw it was a text, I sat up, holding my phone tightly. Was it Cameron?

  No. It wasn't. It wasn't Cameron.

  It was Tanner.

  HEY I GOT UR NO. FROM J WANNA GO OUT 2NITE???

  I cringed at how he typed it, but it was just for a second because the next second I was screaming.

  "Woo hoo!" I squealed, jumping up and doing a happy dance.

  "What now?" Troy asked irritably.

  I shoved my phone in his face. "I'm going on a date with Tanner! I'm going on a date with Tanner! I AM GOING ON A DATE WITH TANNER WEST!" I screamed.

  "Ugh, bad taste." Troy grumbled.

  "You sound like Brody!" I laughed.

  "Brody?"

  "You don't know him, never mind. More importantly, I am going on a date with Tanner West!" I jumped up and down in excitment.

  "That's if Mom lets you out." Troy reminded me.

  "Why are you going out?" The woman herself interrupted. She had her hair tied back and she smelt like cooking. I made a mental note to get her and Helen to be friends. Maybe Helen could teach Mom to cook nice brownies.

  "Tanner West." Was my reply.

  "He asked you out?" Mom squealed like a teenage girl.

  "Yes!" I cried, waving my arms around, nearly dropping my phone.

  "Ahh! Yay for you! Aw, my baby girl is going on another date!" Mom cheered. "Let's go get you ready!"

  "I have to look perfect." I told my mom. She nodded eagerly. She understood, unlike my brother, who was grunting and groaning on the couch.

  "It's not too much is it?" I asked mom, twirling around. After taking a l-o-n-g shower and washing my hair twice, I texted Tanner back, telling him to pick me up in an hour. I had only just got ready in time. My long brown hair was put up in a bun, with curly ringlets dangling down by my ears. I had tiny blue earrings in, and pumps the exact same color. The pumps had heels on, and I never wore heels except for special occasions. I was much too clumsy, but I was on my best behavior that night.

  I wore long black leggings, that covered the heel of my foot. On my top half I wore a floaty, blue, dress-top. It came to just above my knees, and it swirled everytime I moved. I felt pretty for once. Especially after the mess I had looked earlier.

  The doorbell rang and Mom and I grabbed hands, squeaking with excitement. I took a deep breath and opened the door, letting go of my Mother. Tanner stood there, in black jeans and a red dress-shirt. His beautiful, streaked hair was perfectly gelled back and I wanted to pass out.

  "H-hi." I breathed.

  "Hey. You look great. Ready to go?" He replied smoothly. I was melting.

  "Yes, yes I am." I nodded.

  "Be back by eleven?" Mom told us, though it came out more like a question.

  "Sure thing, Ma'am." Tanner bowed. "Let's go, Farrah."

  "Uh huh." I was oggling him like a stereo-typical chubby kid looked at cake. Or sweets. Or...any type of food.

  "Awesome." Tanner winked at me, taking my hand and leading me to his flashy silver car.

  We got in the car, Mom waving like a mad woman at me. I heard Troy calling to her from inside Tanner's car.

  "I was thinking we could go to a movie theatre, then a real nice restuarant down town." Tanner told me.

  "Sounds great." I smiled. It sounded like an opposite way round date like the one I had with Riley, but better. No offence to Riles.

  We were just pulling out of my street when my phone buzzed inside my purse. I pulled it out, and saw I had a text...from Cameron.

  IM SORRY 2. JUST BE CAREFUL WHEN U GO OUT WITH TANNER. -CAMERON :)

  "Everything okay?" Tanner asked me. I swallowed, and nodded.

  Be careful?

  Chapter 21

  You know that jittery feeling in your leg, when it bounces up and down? The one that makes you look like you need to pee? Yeah, that's the one. That's the thing that was running through my right leg right now. I tried my best to keep it still, pressing down on my knee with my hand. But my leg shook uncontrollably. Thank you so much, Cameron.

  "Sure you're okay?" Tanner asked, looking at me with concern. What a sweetheart. Too bad I couldn't focus on that, because of the text Cameron had sent me. What did, 'be careful' mean? Tanner wouldn't do anything. Tanner was a great guy- my dream guy. My dream guy that I was on a date with.

  "Uh huh." I nodded, smiling. "So...which movie theatre are we going to?"

  "I was thinking we go uptown, the one where you went on your date with what's-his-face, downtown has a bad vibe, yeah?" Tanner told me.

  "Uh huh." I nodded again, feeling a bit stupid.

  "Um...is that all you can say?" Tanner laughed. I blushed furiously, looking away.

  "No." I said quietly.
>
  "Don't look away, Farrah, it's fine." Tanner poked me. I looked at him from under my bangs, smiling slightly.

  "I'm so embarrassing." I mumbled.

  "Nah, you're not. You just set yourself up too easily." Tanner informed me.

  Was that supposed to make me feel better?

  "Um...okay." I puzzled. "So, what restuarant?"

  "I'm trying to surprise you here." Tanner chuckled.

  "Oh right. Sorry." I muttered, looking away again.

  "Farrah, don't be sorry. It's fine, like I said." Tanner repeated. I felt extra stupid then, I was doing everything wrong. I didn't know how to act! Tanner was so dreamy and perfect...and I was me. Clumsy, loud, dramatic, and worst of all, innocent. If I had been a normal teenager, not a goody-goody, for longer, then maybe, just maybe, I would have already had my first kiss, been on more than just one date, and then I wouldn't be so freaked out on my date with Tanner!

  We drove for what seemed hours. How long did it take to get uptown? I thought Tanner had taken a longer route or something. My Mom loved to drive me uptown and we'd shop endlessly. When I said, 'shop' I meant we'd walk around, pointing at things we liked and if we had the money, would buy. It only took us fifteen minutes from my house to get there. I checked the clock in Tanner's car.

  Thirty minutes.

  "Are we nearly there?" I asked like a little kid.

  "Nearly." Tanner replied, keeping his eyes focused on the road.

  ***

  "Are we lost?" I squeaked. We had just passed a sign telling us we had left town. I was beyond worried. I kept fingering my phone, wondering whether to text Hayley.

  No. This was my date with Tanner.

  My only chance.

  "No." Tanner growled through his clenched teeth, firmly holding onto the steering wheel. His knuckles were going white. I reached over and put my hand on one of his.

  "Don't worry." I whispered. Tanner's mouth curved into a smile. He looked at me, flicking his blonde-brown hair out of his face.