Tame
Page 30
I was too shocked to speak for a while. Seeing Jason so angry, so eager to fight for me, it scared me. He was a great friend, no doubt. But I knew I'd defintely never get on his bad side. I knew what was good for me.
My Aunt had Riley help her gather the hedgehogs into strange looking boxes. I sat with Jason, watching them, dabbing at his knuckles with a tissue Auntie Tessa gave me.
"How come you beat him up for me?" I asked Jason.
"Now I've been the superhero." Jason winked.
What an odd boy.
"Do you want to give the little things names?" Riley asked me, when we got back to SAVE-AN-ANIMAL. Jason had come with us, and he was going to take me to Cameron's straight after. My Aunt had gotten Linda, who looked less than impressed, to take the drunken man to the hospital.
"Sure." I nodded.
"I'll name this one, Cushion." Riley told me, pointing to the smallest one.
"Cushion?"
"Like a pin cushion!" Riley grinned. I shook my head, laughing. It made no sense- therefore to me, it made perfect sense.
"Okay, I'm gonna name that one," I pointed to the biggest one, "Sonic."
Riley laughed and we continued to name all of the hedgehogs. There were twelve of them. Cushion, Sonic, Tumbleweed, Brambles, Punk, Terrence, Arnold, Elvis, Spike, Hagrid, Rosalie and John. Hagrid looked like he had a beard, Rosalie looked like she had yellow eyes, like the vampire girl from Twilight, and she was also the only girl. Spike kept pricking Jason's finger, Arnold had huge eyes, (he looked like an owl), Elvis made strange noises, almost as if he were singing, Punk's eyes seemed to have heavy eyeliner around them, Brambles was found in a shrub, and we couldn't get one of the leaves off of his back, Terrence was cross-eyed, Tumbleweed kept rolling around like, well, tumbleweed. Sonic was the fastest and biggest, Cushion- the smallest and least prickly. John was named after my late Uncle, who had always loved hedgehogs.
"You're quite inventive." Jason chuckled as we left. I waved to Aunt Tessie, and got in Jason's car. He drove to Cameron's house, bursting my ear drums with loud music. He was playing- well, booming- a song called, 'Better Than Drugs' by Skillet. Jason sang along, nodding his head enthusiastically. I didn't know the words nor beat, so I looked out of the window, thinking.
Did Cameron actually want to see me? Or was Jason just taking me anyway? How would Cameron react when he saw me? Most importantly, where was Cameron? His house? Another holding cell? Prison?
Stop being dramatic Farrah.
"Yeah, Farrah!" An annoying voice in the back of my head told me.
"Ah shut up." I grumbled to myself.
"You really are dramatic though." Jason told me, turning down his music.
No wonder the voice in my head was male.
***
Cameron was at his house. I had no idea why, but I was as nervous as hell. The palms of my hands were sweaty as I waited for someone to answer the door to Cameron's house. When no one did, Jason dragged me around to the dreaded fence I had seen one too many times- so once.
"We're gonna get in there and see him." Jason told me, lifting himself up onto the fence.
"You sound like some crazy fangirl stalking Harry Styles." I told him.
"Why did you choose him, of all people?" Jason asked, raising his eyebrows at me, jumping onto the other side of the fence.
I shrugged. "Lots of girls love him and I'm sure loads of them have tried to break into his house."
"Well Cameron Carter can be your Harry Styles." Jason winked. I scowled at him, and proceeded to pull myself up onto the fence. I couldn't get my leg over, and I fell onto my butt. I got myself up, ready to try again, when a voice stopped me.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" A man shouted at me.
"Um, I'm um...this is my friend's house." I blurted out.
"I've never seen you around here before." The man narrowed his brown eyes at me.
"We've not been friends long." I mumbled, blushing. I looked at my feet, unsure what to do. Should I have just left? And where was Jason?
"Hmph." The man frowned. He peered at me, making me feel self concious, but then he grinned, clicking his fingers. "You're not Farrah Chambers, are you?"
"Yes..."
"I'm Joseph!" He announced, as if I were supposed to know who he was. When I didn't reply, he shook his head at himself, sticking out his right hand. "Joseph Carter, I'm Cameron's father."
"Oh!" I gasped, taking his hand and shaking it. "Hello!"
"Hey Joe." Jason waved.
"Joseph." Cameron's Dad emphasized his name. Jason grinned cheekily, and strolled into the house through the back door.
"Sorry about...um, that." I said awkwardly.
"It's quite all right. It makes sense now, as you were with Jason. You can come through the front door though, sweetie."
"Thanks." I mumbled, trying not to blush even more at my stupidity.
"Allie! Guess who's here? It's that Farrah girl Cameron likes!" Joseph's voice echoed through the house as soon as we stepped in the door.
Allie appeared in the door way, smirking. I definitely saw more of Cameron in her, than in her husband. He kissed her cheek, whistling. It was like a cheesy movie.
"I've already met her, Joseph." Allie informed her whistling husband. "She came by the other day with Jason while you were at work."
"Well it's nice to finally meet you!" Joseph cheered. "Cameron is always talking about you, it's actually-"
A throat was cleared and we all turned to see Cameron in the kitchen doorway, Jason laughing behind him. Cameron elbowed him in the stomach, only making Jason laugh more.
"Please stop talking about me when I'm not around." Cameron raised his eyebrows at his parents. Joseph pulled a guilty face, crossed with a smirk, and Allie was rolling her eyes at her son. "Nice hair, Farrah."
"Aren't you going to go and get her present, Cameron? Happy birthday, sweetie." Allie smiled.
"Thank you." I nodded. "You didn't have to get me anything."
"Of course we did!" Joseph interrupted. "After all Cameron really lik-"
"DAD! I CAN HEAR YOU!" Cameron yelled from upstairs.
"Sorry, son!" Joseph called back. "I'll just make some coffee."
Allie smiled at her husband, who I noticed was wearing odd socks. She turned back to me and Jason. "I helped choose your present, Cameron is awful when buying gifts. I like your top, Farrah."
"A present from me." Jason winked, slinging an arm around me.
"I can tell." Allie said, in that 'I-know-all' Mother tone.
"I got it!" Cameron called, thumping down the stairs. He came into the kitchen, throwing a white box at me. It had a small blue ribbon around it, tied messily. It had Cameron written all over it. I looked at the box intensely, as if trying to open it with just my eyes. It reminded me of the first day I met Cameron, when I was bathing Rolo. He had been staring at a bubble on his nose, trying to pop it.
"Well open it then!" Jason prodded me.
"Worried it'll be better than your present?" Cameron teased.
"Nothing can beat the awesome-ness that is, my face." Jason replied cockily.
"Except Jeremy Sumpter." I giggled.
Jason and Cameron both frowned.
"I'm joking."
But Jeremy Sumpter was good looking.
I carefully untied the ribbon, trying not to drop the box. It was fairly big- I knew it was some kind of item of clothing. Allie seemed to have a good dress sense, I just hoped she wasn't one of those women that thought old fashioned things looked good on teenage girls.
I shuddered at the thought of me wearing an eighties, poufy, polka-dot dress.
The open box revealed a beautiful black dress. It had blue flowers on it, making me smile. They were very pretty, and very realistic. I grinned from ear to ear, looking up at Cameron, who's cheeks were a faint pink.
"Mom chose it so if you hate it..." He started.
"Thank you!" I interrupted. "Thank you, thank you! I love it!"
I threw
my arms around him, handing the box to Jason- who wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at me and Cameron. I hugged Allie too, as she chose it, and even hugged Joseph for the hell of it.
"You like it, then?" Cameron smirked, regaining his cool.
"I do, thanks." I smiled, folding it up and putting it back in the box.
"You better wear it then." Cameron laughed.
"Cameron!" Allie scolded. But even she was smiling. I looked back at Cameron, and he looked straight back at me, his green eyes sparkling.
"Haven't you got something else to ask Farrah?" Joseph asked, raising a mug of coffee to his lips. Allie laughed at her son's face, and I froze. Ask me something?
I began to panic. What was he going to ask me? Why was everyone giving me weird looks? Why was Jason making kissy faces at Cameron?
Cameron scratched the back of his head, swallowing. That only made me more nervous.
Cameron Carter nervous?
I thought it would rain Smarties first.
"I was wondering on Saturday..." He began. I waited anxiously for the rest. "Well, I was wondering if...you'd go camping with me?"
"Camping?" I wondered out loud.
"Yes." Cameron nodded eagerly. "N-not just me! Jason, and Hayley and...Riley too."
My grin reappeared and stretched so wide, my mouth hurt. Not only was Cameron asking me, me, Farrah Chambers, loser, nerdy, geek, goody two-shoes, to go camping with him, him, bad-ass, hottie, Cameron Carter, but he was letting Jason, Hayley and even Riley come along!
There was one problem.
"I really, really, really want to!" I cried. "But..."
"But. Right. But." Cameron turned away from me, biting his lip. It was kind of cute- it made me wonder what he was thinking.
"My Mom has arranged for me and loads of people to go to some club." I told him.
"Oh. Right. Well, you know, it's fine. We could always go another time or something." Cameron muttered. I looked at him, but he wasn't looking at me. Instead he was looking at his feet. Jason pleaded with me silently. I wanted to change my plans, I did. I'd have to talk to my Mom.
"I could talk to my Mom, though?" I choked out. "Get it...changed?"
"No, it's fine. Don't worry about it. It's um...yeah." Cameron nodded.
"Is that a 'yeah' to Farrah talking to her Mom?" Jason nudged him.
"I will do it." I said.
"Are you sure, Farrah?" Allie asked worriedly. "We don't want to upset your Mom."
"It's fine. I don't even know most of the people going, to be honest. I'll work something out and get back to you." I promised them. "I'll...call you."
I hugged Cameron again, who was stiff. He patted my back awkwardly, and let me go. I walked to the front door, waving at the family, and Jason. He was going to stay, and I was going to walk home.
"Okay, sweetie." Allie smiled. "Bye! Hope to see you soon!"
"And you." I replied. "Nice meeting you, Joseph."
"And you!"
I got to the front door, when I remembered something.
"I got a new phone for my birthday." I told Cameron and Jason. "You guys need my new number."
They nodded and pulled their phones out. Jason entered my new number into his phone, and then wandered off to find some food. Cameron took his time typing the digits into his phone, concentrating hard, frowning.
"Thanks." He nodded. His hand brushed against mine and my breath caught in my throat. Cameron noticed this and gave me a puzzled look.
I cleared my throat and hastily tried to leave. But Cameron slammed the door in front of me, stopping me leaving.
"Why don't you hang out here?" He asked.
"I-I can't." I stammered, trying not to focus on how close he was to me. "I need to ask my Mom about this Saturday."
Cameron smiled warmly. "I can't wait."
I returned his smile, my eyes on his lips. "Neither can I."
Chapter 29
"I don't want to seem greedy, or unappreciative, but Cameron has asked me to go camping with him and some other friends this Saturday...yes this Saturday...I know it's when the club is booked...ugh, no." I shook my head. I was going over what I was going to say to my Mom about Cameron's request. I knew she'd be offended, but I really wanted to go camping with Cameron. Just to see what would happen.
"Farrah, kiss me." Cameron said.
"Okay." I nodded eagerly. I pressed my lips to his, instantly feeling the warmth, and tasting mint. It tasted good.
"Farrah, I love you." Cameron declared, pulling away slightly, resting his forehead on mine.
"Love?" I choked. "Aw! I...love you too!"
I shook my self out of my daydream. I realised I was stood in the middle of the road, staring at the sky. I was also aware of a red car to my left, with two very angry looking parents, and a giggling toddler sat inside, watching me. I swallowed my embarrassment and continued to cross the road, still thinking. I didn't love Cameron, no way. But I did like him- a lot. Perhaps too much for my health. I had never felt that way about Tanner...
What the heck was I thinking?
I wandered around one last corner, coming face to face with my house. I gulped. I didn't want to upset my Mom, but I was putting all my hope in her saying yes and letting me go. If she didn't, I'd just pull the Troy card, saying I was eighteen and could do what I wanted. Walking up our path, I unlocked the door, muttering my argument under my breath as I closed it again.
"Farrah?" Mom called.
I was tempted to shout back that I was a burglar, but that would be sarcastic, and I needed to be on my best behavior for Mom to agree to me going camping.
"Yes, it's me, Mom!" I called, dropping my keys into the little basket.
"I've got someone in here for you to meet!" Mom informed me. I was confused at first, then guessed who it would be. I slipped into the living room, and saw a man around forty sat on our couch, next to my Mom, a cup of coffee in his hand. He smiled at me warmly.
"Hello." I nodded politely, sitting down opposite the two of them.
"Hi." The man greeted. "I'm David. David Brown."
"Hey, I'm Farrah." I replied, genuinely smiling. He seemed okay so far. Even though all I knew was his name...
"David is my...um-" Mom started, blushing like a school girl.
"Boyfriend?" I supplied. "I guessed so. Nice to meet you, David."
"And you, Farrah." He grinned, bobbing his head slightly. My Mom was peering at the two of anxiously, and she smiled when I gave her a mini thumbs-up.
We sat and talked for about ten minutes, when I decided I couldn't hold it in any longer.
"Mom?" I burst out, while she was mid-conversation with David about her car, which had a broken light on the back.
"Yes, sweetie?" She asked, looking a little irritated I interrupted her.
"Can I go camping this Saturday? Please? Cameron's asked me to go with him...not just him, Jason, Riley and Hayley are going too...hopefully..." I gabbled, using up half of my reasons already.
"Camping?" She asked, looking taken aback.
"Um, yeah." I answered, looking at my hands.
"I thought you didn't like camping?" Mom asked. I looked at her in confusion, then realised what she was talking about.
When I was nine, and Troy was ten, our Dad took us camping with his brother and some of his friends. Mom was away with Aunt Tessie and my Grandma, and we didn't really want to go with them to some festival. My Dad, uncle, and their friends were drunk, and Troy and I couldn't sleep. So we snuck out to the lake, practising skimming stones. Unfortunately for us, Dad went to bed early, but saw us missing. He searched the whole campsite for us, before coming to the lake. When he found us, he carried us both back to the tents, zipped it up, and didn't let us out for the rest of the weekend. He said we were grounded. It was okay, I had brought a book, Troy brought his old PSP. But we were bored when I finished my book and Troy's PSP ran out of battery, which was halfway through the first day. We vowed to never go camping again if it was that boring.
"T
hat was years and years ago!" I cried, forcing in a laugh. "I really want to go this time."
"When is it again?" Mom asked, frowning.
"This Saturday." I repeated.
"You are going to the club, this Saturday." Mom told me.
"The thing is Mom..." I trailed off, hoping she'd cut me off so I could think of more excuses.
"Hm?" She prompted.
"Well, me and Cameron have only just got back to being friends and...um...it's the only time all my friends will be in the same place! I mean, at this club, it's a bunch of people I used to know. I haven't seen them in years. It would be nice to meet up with them for my eighteenth, but that was last week..." I babbled on desperately, wondering if she'd change her mind.
"The whole reason for me arranging it was so you could have a nice time." Mom told me, her face falling.
"And I will- but when I'm camping." I added the last bit in more of a mumble.
"I've already arranged it now, Farrah. I'm sorry. You guys can go camping another weekend, maybe? Ask Cameron." Mom told me.
"Is this the famous Cameron Carter you like so much?" David butted in.
"Um, yeah." I nodded, barely audible. David looked at my Mom and he appeared to be having a mind conversation with her. Damn adults.
"I also wanted to spend some time alone with David this weekend." Mom finally said, after breaking a staring competition with him.
"You still can if I go camping!" I exclaimed.
"I'm sorry honey, but you will have to re-arrange it. There's about fifty people I've called to come to this club for you." Mom sighed.
"Oh." I was at a loss for words. My hopes were so high- I should have known she'd say no. "Okay. I guess, yeah. Um, I'm gonna go upstairs."
"No, stay!" Mom begged, as I got up. "I want you guys to spend some time together, get to know each other. Troy and Rayne are coming over soon, too."