"Ah, okay." I nodded. It did make sense for Riley to tell my Aunt. Anything he thought was something to do with me at school, he told her while he worked. It wasn't a good thing.
"Why did he get suspended?" Mom quizzed.
"Um..." I trailed off, finishing the last of my cereal. "I need to brush my teeth!"
"Farrah, wait!" Mom called after me. "What did he do?"
"He punched our French teacher." I mumbled. I expected her to shout at me for being friends with him, or tell me to stay away from him. Instead she smiled sadly.
"Stay safe, then."
School was about as exciting as watching an episode of So You Think You Can Dance? Everyone was talking about Cameron, and I was just about sick of hearing girls gush at how hot it was when he drove off. It made me feel really annoyed, especially when one girl with bright red hair was boasting about how they were 'perfect' for each other.
"He's hot, so am I, he's bad, so am I, he's-" She rattled on and on, I wanted to puke. We were in History, but our teacher was dealing with a kid outside, who really had puked. Maybe they listened to the girl's boasting.
"You two could sooo go out. He would so date you!" One of her friends giggled.
"Yeah, I know. Maybe next time I go to one of his parties," The red head sighed dreamily, twirling her hair around her finger. "He'll ask me."
"He so will! He hasn't been with anyone for like, ages! It must be because of you!" Her irritating friend pointed out. My gut dropped through the floor, right to the centre of the Earth, where it burned painfully.
"Oh my God, you're right!" She gasped. "I wish I had his number."
"He'd never go for a slut like you." I muttered under my breath. She didn't hear me, but her friend did.
"What did you say?"
"Cameron would so go for you!" I mimicked them, flicking my hair over my shoulder stupidly.
"Told you." The red head smirked. Somehow, despite my worry, I really didn't think he would.
It was finally the last bell, and I was walking home, when Jason stopped me.
"Farrah! Farrah! Come here! Farrah!" He panted, running over to me.
"J, what's up?" I asked, worry taking over. Jason looked really worried.
"Cameron." He breathed. "Cameron's in a holding cell."
"What?" I shrieked. "Why?"
"I don't know, he just called me from there though. He doesn't want his Mom to know yet, but I thought I should tell you. Will you come with me to see him?" Jason begged.
"Of course I will." A smile forming on my face.
***
An officer lead us to the cell Cameron was in. The blonde haired, green-eyed demon boy was standing against the bars, looking bored out his mind. He straightened up when he saw Jason, and frowned when he saw me.
"Why is she here?" He growled.
"Cameron why are you in here?" I asked, sounding hysterical.
"Why do you care?" He huffed.
"Of course I care, you stupid boy!" I cried. "What did you do?"
"It's none of your business." He muttered, though he seemed to be smiling a bit after I told him I cared. It made my heart beat go faster.
"Dude, seriously. What happened?" Jason quizzed him.
"Ugh, okay, okay. I was drunk, and maybe just, threw a bottle at a police car?" Cameron admitted.
"Idiot!" I breathed out. He scowled at me.
"That's so funny!" Jason laughed.
"You're so immature." I smacked his arm.
"Sorry, Mom." Jason chuckled. "Speaking of Moms, we need to call yours, dude."
"She's gonna kill me." Cameron groaned.
"Not if you explain." I mumbled. "Why have you been acting like this?"
"You don't need to know." Cameron snapped, turning away from me.
"Just tell her." Jason groaned.
"No. Can you just call my Mom please?" Cameron asked Jason. He nodded and walked away to call her. I felt annoyed he had left me with Cameron, but also kind of happy.
"Why are you being like this? What did I do?" I whispered, pushing myself up against the bars. He turned around and jumped a little at how close I was to him.
"Do you like Tanner?" Cameron asked me quietly.
I shook my head.
"Do you...do you think I'm a man whore?" He continued.
"I...no." I replied honestly. He hadn't been with a girl in ages, he had never cheated on anyone, and he didn't talk about girls like my brother used to.
"Farrah?" Cameron swallowed, almost nervously.
"Hm?" I bit my lip, wondering what he was going to say.
"I...I've never, you know...I've never had..." He struggled with his words, but I knew what he was trying to say. It shocked me. He was a virgin.
"Really?" I gasped.
"Why do you act so surprised?" Cameron snapped suddenly.
"Sorry it's just...you're you. Everyone loves you." I shrugged.
"Loves me? No they don't." Cameron scoffed.
They do. They really do.
"I called your Mom and she's...well, well, well." Jason came back into the room, smirking. I pulled myself away from the bars, banging my head on them.
"Ouch! J, you ass." I rubbed my head.
"My Mom's on her way?" Cameron asked quickly, his eyes darting to me.
"Yeah. Do you want us to stay or...?"
"You better go." Cameron sighed irritably. "Thanks for coming, though."
I smiled at him, and for the first time in three and a half weeks, he smiled back.
***
Saturday came around much too quickly for my liking. I was awoken early by my Mom, who appeared at my bedroom door, carrying a huge white cake, laced with blue icing, singing 'Happy Birthday' out of key.
"Thanks, Mom." I laughed as she dabbed my nose with cake. It had jam in it, and I licked it off of my face.
"Eighteen! My baby girl is eighteen!" Mom gushed. "Next thing you know, you'll be moving out like Troy."
She looked like she was about to cry, so I hugged her. She sniffed, before handing me a small box.
"It's not much. I didn't know what to get you!" Mom worried. I opened the box and saw a small, square, cell phone.
"Aw, Mom thanks!" I cried, hugging her again. I turned on the phone, which was a smartphone. It was fantastic, I could already tell I'd be spending loads of time on it.
"That's all right, sweetie. I didn't know what else you would want, so I organised a party for you, it's next Saturday though. It's at a club and everything!" Mom grinned.
"Mom! Oh my gosh, thank you- again!" I laughed. I wondered who would go. I didn't ask, because Mom disappeared and then re-appeared with waffles. Oh, she knew exactly how to make me happy.
The rest of my day consisted of seeing my friends, including Hayley, who gave me a really nice ring, with a real little ruby in it. It must have cost her loads, but she was happy to give it to me- as long as I made sure to give her something equally as sentimental on her birthday.
"I sure will." I laughed, hugging her.
"You better." She winked.
Riley got me an engraved bracelet, with the words, 'Happy 18th Farrah, love Riley x' on it. He spent most of the day with me, and I took hundreds of photos of me and my friends on my new phone. I carried it with me all day.
Finally out of my friends, was Jason. I was really nervous about his present, I didn't think he'd actually get me anything. I arrived at his house, because he said his Mom made me another cake, and wanted to give it to me in person. I rang his doorbell, and Brody answered.
"Hi, Farrah. Happy birthday." He grinned. He dragged me inside, and threw a pillow at me. I laughed and went to throw it back, when I saw it was no ordinary pillow. It had my face on it, next to Brody's, with some writing on it.
'Happy birthday Farrah from Brody'.
I laughed and turned to Jason's little brother. "Thank you Brody! This is great!"
"You're welcome." He grinned.
"He so copied my idea." Jason scoffed, coming into the room from upst
airs. He threw an item of clothing at me- a t-shirt. It had my face on it again, but this time with Jason. On the back it had a message.
'Happy birthday Farrah, I know you'll love this gift, you'll want to wear it all the time! Love Jason'.
I was touched he put, 'love Jason' rather than just 'from Jason'. It was sweet and I hugged him.
"I'll put it on now." I chuckled, going into the bathroom. When I came out, Jason took a photo of me on my phone, and Helen came into the room, gave me a huge, bone-crushing hug, and handed me a chocolate cake.
"Happy birthday, honey!" Helen beamed, clapping her hands together as I, along with her sons, dug into the cake.
"Rankroo." I tried to say.
"You're so very welcome! So how does it feel to be eighteen?" She asked.
"Freedom!" I punched the air, laughing.
I was on my feet nearly all day. After I had been to Jason's, I was off to Troy's. I was planning to get my hair cut from Rayne too. I decided I wanted it shoulder length, and my bangs to be cut a little shorter. When I got there, Troy was all ready in the driveway, cleaning his car.
"Hey, big brother!" I grinned when I saw him.
"Farrah!" He called. "Happy birthday!"
"Thank y-ew! You just got me covered in bubbles!" I groaned, brushing the bubbles off of myself. "This is a new top!"
Troy laughed at it. "You have Jason Evans on your top? Sad girl."
"Ah, go away. Come on, I want Rayne to cut my hair! Is she in?" I asked.
"Yeah just go on in. I just gotta quickly finish washing the car." He pointed at the open front door.
I stepped inside and saw Rayne instantly, dressed in blue jeans similar to mine, and a pale pink top.
"Hey Farrah!" She smiled when she saw me. "Happy birthday."
"Thank you! Can you cut my hair as a present?" I asked hopefully.
"Yes! Oooh yay! Of course I can, sit on the couch, I'll get my stuff!"
Nearly forty-five minutes later, I had a pretty necklace with a locket on it from Troy, with me and him inside, and a new hair cut. My hair felt really light on my shoulders- and I loved it. Rayne had also crimped it for me, and it looked wonderful, if I did say it myself. My final visit of the day was to see Aunt Tessie.
"Farrah, thank God you're here." My Aunt breathed as soon as I stepped through the door. "I'm sorry I haven't got you a present yet, I've had no time. I really need your help today, though."
"Sure, what's happening?" I asked, taking in my Aunt's serious expression.
"Someone has been keeping hedgehogs up in the woods. First they were pets, now they're been killing them. It's disgusting. We got a call from someone who saw them injured, they're up there now. We've got to go now!" My Aunt rushed. My eyes widended and I followed her out of the door, into the car. Hedgehogs? Who would kill hedgehogs?
We got out of the car, right in the middle of the forest. For some unknown reason, my Aunt drove right into the forest, driving off of the road. She was like a mad woman when someone hurt animals. She was a good person.
"Okay, we need to split up. Riley will go that way-" My Aunt ordered. Since when did Riley work Saturdays? "I'll go this way, Farrah go left."
I was stumped I had to go alone, but I was not going to let these hedgehogs die. I set off looking for them, trying to avoid tripping over things. Being me, I fell over anyway. Multiple times.
After half an hour I tried to make my way back to the car. But I couldn't find the right way. I was beginning to get chilly, I felt odd. Almost as if someone was watching me. I sped up, only to fall over a large tree root. I groaned as I got up, when a hand grabbed mine.
"Riley!" I gasped. "You scared me out of my wits!"
"The hedgehogs are that way." He told me firmly. "Tessie found them."
I nodded, following him. He began to run, and I found it hard to keep up.
"Riley!" I called. "Riley!"
I had lost him. I kicked myself mentally, and made my way to the edge of the forest, by the main road. I tried to find a tree I recognised, but they were all similar. I saw a car slowing down near me, and panicked. I quickly ran back into the woods, hiding behind a tree. I heard a twig snap as someone walked over it. Oh Jesus! They were following me!
I tried to edge away slowly, but backed into something. My newly cut hair got caught up in a branch, and I squealed. Footsteps were coming closer and closer. I tried to move, but the branch tugged me back, sending me flying into the thick tree. I hit my head, and my vision began to get blurry. Trust me-it would only be me and my clumsiness. I saw a pair of black converse make their way over to me as my vision clouded. The last thing I saw was a pair of green eyes.
"Jason...?"
Chapter 28
Boots.
Not a pair of black converse.
Boots. Big, black, boots.
My vision began to return to focus, and I sat up, tugging at my hair, which was caught on an irritating, little branch. Jason was crouched in front of me, his head cocked to one side.
"What are you doing stuck in a tree?" Jason asked, looking amused. "Are you a cat?"
"A cat?" I blinked.
"Superheroes always rescue people's cats from trees. You're not a cat." Jason shook his head, chuckling at my confused expression.
"You're not a superhero." I pointed out.
Jason clutched at his heart, gasping dramatically. "I am offended! I came to save you, caught in a tree like that, passing out-"
"But I'm fine." I cut him off.
"Gee, thanks." Jason rolled his eyes. "You make me sound so heroic."
"Well, why do you want to sound heroic?"
"I just turn up out of no where, people are gonna ask why I'm here. I could have said I saved you from a harsh black out." Jason grinned. He was messing with me.
"Shut up, J." I swatted at him, taking his outstretched hand and pulling myself up. "What are you doing here?"
"I was driving up here, to get you. That blonde lady at the place your Aunt runs told me you were up in the forest." Jason explained.
"Why did you come to get me? We need to save the hedgehogs!" I cried, darting off in the direction Riley had gone. Jason was running to catch up with me, panting. Even though he was quite an athletic guy, he was heavy.
"I came to take you," Pant. "to see Cameron."
"Cameron?" I asked incredulously. "Really? That is not important right now."
"Okay, fair enough. Let's go find these hedgehogs and then I'll take you-"
"You're not taking her anywhere. It's her birthday." Riley interrupted.
"You ran off and left me." I frowned, pointing a finger at him accusingly.
"I'm sorry." Riley apologised, looking guilty. "Tessie told me to get back to her as soon as I found you."
"Ugh, fine." I rolled my eyes. "Come on, let's go."
"Where was Jason going to take you?" Riley muttered to me.
"I can hear you." Jason butted in. "And I'm taking her to visit Cameron."
"Why can't he come to her? It's her birthday after all." Riley raised his eyebrows.
"Her has a name." I laughed. Riley chuckled at me, and Jason rolled his eyes.
"That makes no sense, Farrah. And what's your answer, Jason?" Riley asked.
"Cameron's grounded." Jason answered.
"He's eighteen." Riley reminded us.
"Are you gonna try and get past Allie Carter?" Jason cackled, holding his sides.
"Allie's sweet!" I cried in disbelief.
Jason shook his head, smiling. "You haven't met the real Allie Carter then."
"God, you make her sound like a murderer." I punched his shoulder playfully.
Riley cleared his throat. "Let's just get back to your Aunt, shall we?"
It took us three and a half minutes to get back to Aunt Tessie, and some more random recruits she had assembled. My Aunt had more people on speed dial than I did- and she was forty one. When we did find my Aunt, she was standing, her hands on her big hips, frowning and wagging her finger at a man with a
bushy moustache.
"Don't ya go tellin' me what I can an' can't do, Missy!" He was yelling.
"It's disgusting that you are shooting hedgehogs for no good reason! You should be arrested!" Aunt Tessie screeched.
"Well e'cuse me but I should be allowed to shoot the damn t'ings eatin' away at my front door!" The man barked, his voice slurring.
"You are drunk." My Aunt accused, narrowing her eyes. "And your front door is perfectly fine."
My eyes swept to the front door, which looked very new.
"Well I had to 'ave it replaced, di'n't I?" The man slurred. "'Cause they were eatin' it."
"Where are the hedgehogs now?" Aunt Tessie demanded.
"I ain't tellin' you nothin' lady! Get the hell off my land!" He yelled. Yep, this guy was beyond drunk.
"Don't talk to her that way! It's not even your land! This is a forest!" I exclaimed. The man glared at me, blundering over. He raised a fist at me, making my eyes buldge. I took a step away from him, but he grabbed a fistful of my top, the one with mine and Jason's face on it, and dragged me close to his face. His disgusting breath floated around my nose, making me want to barf. I hoped I hadn't smelt that bad when I was drunk.
"This is my land and I'll do what I-"
"Get the hell off of her!" I heard someone yell. In a flash, the man was pulled, well, yanked, away from me, slammed to the ground, and being punched multiple times in the gut- by Jason.
"Jason!" I screamed. "Stop it!"
"Farrah stand back!" My Aunt ordered. She grabbed Jason's arms, with her big hands and tugged at him to come away. His knuckles were bleeding heavily, and the man, I noticed, had a black eye now.
"You cannot go around hitting people!" My Aunt scolded Jason.
"He was going to hurt Farrah!" Jason raged, running a hand through his shaggy hair.
"Are you okay?" Riley asked me.
"I-I'm fine. Jason, your knuckles." I pointed to the blood, trying not to gag. I hated blood.
"They're fine." Jason dismissed me. "But I don't think he is."
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