by Mills, L. C.
I turned my head to face him, completely and utterly confused.
He smiled and placed his hand on my knee. “I'm sorry, I don't mean to be so intense! I just... It's just that you don't need to half starve yourself! You are beautiful as you are Evangeline!”
I left a breath go. He was making my head spin. “Cameron I don't starve myself! I'm just lazy! I had breakfast you saw proof of that!” I grinned reminding him about it.
“I did, yes! I just think it'd be better to have a sandwich or something that's real food!”
I rested my head on his shoulder exasperated with him. “I understand you have issues with them and I guess maybe there is a reason for that! Care to share?! Because right now you just make no sense!”
He took a breath in but didn't say anything.
“Whatever you tell me go's in the vault! I won't ever repeat it!”
He gave my leg a little squeeze. “I know, I'm just not used to being asked why I've said something! I will explain, though, it started two years ago when my little sister Georgia was 12, when she started at boarding school, she always had been a little on the chubby side as a child, I mean you burn that off when you hit like 13, but we started to notice her eating habits were a little off when she came home for a school holiday.”
I moved so I was able to look at him as he spoke, I listened intently not wanting to interrupt him.
“When I say we of course I mean me, because my mother is too far up her own backside to notice anything outside of her cake baking and local church group!” He huffed. “I saw her one morning, eat her breakfast and then make her excuses to go back to her room, you have to understand the family home is quite large, so I was able to go up the back steps and sneak to her room, I heard her making herself sick! At first I thought maybe she just hadn't felt very well, but over the course of that week I monitored her, she would binge on certain foods and then make herself sick. When I went to my parents about it, they said I was being overbearing and to go back to London!” He snorted slightly angrily.
“Of course she went back to school and I had little power there! But I spoke to the school about my concerns and they dismissed it! I had no choice but to go back to London and get on with my life, when she came home for the summer holidays she was half the child that had left!” His voice was thick with emotion.
I rested my arm on his back and stroked my fingers into the long hair that just came over his collar, in a way that I hoped he would find comforting. “Sounds like bulimia, that's so bad the school never noticed!” I understood what boarding school was like. There was always so much pressure to cope with. Some kids found eating was the only thing they were in control of.
“Bloody useless over paid cretins! So anyways, normally I'd spend a week at home, help keep her entertained but her eating got worse, she wouldn't eat anything but fucking meal bars and shakes! She couldn't see what she was doing! I mean what the fuck does a 12 year old girl want to be stick thin for?!”
He glanced at me, the hurt in his eyes made me want to cry. He quite clearly cared a lot for his sister.
“I lost it with her one day, after I'd been through her room and found her food diary! She was eating the bars and shakes because she could note how many calories she'd consumed and then throw them back up!” He pinched the bridge of his nose.
I licked my lips. “Cameron you only have to pick up a teen magazine these days to see why half the population of young girls all want to be slim!” I hated all of that, I had shied away from all types of magazines like that since I was 18!
“The bars and shakes are okay though if you don't abuse them!” I was trying to diplomatic.
“You have a point! Anyway, my Mother finally took notice of what I said after she caught her throwing up in the sink! She said she'd eat something bad, but we knew the truth! Evan, it was horrendous! She ended up in a specialist hospital and thankfully while she was in there, I took her music magazines because they were the only things suitable, she got into alternative music from reading them. I mean, aside from the fact the center helped retrain her thinking, she was 13 by the time she would eat a meal without crying! She's getting on okay now, she still sees a therapist and I still worry when she does stupid stuff, but now you understand why I detest the sight of meal bars!”
I ran my fingers right into his hair and ruffled it.
“I'm glad she's on the road to recovery now, but I am not a 12 year old girl! I'm a 20 year old woman that okay might have a very small issue with her weight but mostly I'm just lazy! I like food, but it's so much effort to make it from scratch!”
He rolled his eyes and shook his head. “You are impossible!”
I let my arm drape around his neck as I leant in and kissed his cheek. “Well yes, but guess what?!” I grinned.
He frowned, making a V shape with his eyebrows. “What?!”
I grinned. “I'm your impossible girl and you are stuck with me! If it means that much to you I will throw away the meal bars and buy pre packed food!” I grinned.
He shook his head. “Yes, you are mine and yes it would!”
I swallowed as he looked at me intensely. “So are we still going to the museum?!” I grinned as I held my other shoe. “Cause if we are I'm gonna need to be wearing both of these!”
His whole face lit up as he smiled. “You like shoes with flat wedges on?!” He kept his tone casual.
I nodded. “I'm only five foot 7! I like flat wedges cause I don't trip as much in these! It's a two inch wedge so doesn't make me too tall either.” I pulled it on and did up the laces.
“Hmm, what size are you?!” He stood up.
“As in shoe?! UK size 8 but only cause I cannot for the love of god find a 7.5!” I stood up, glancing around. I was confused by the way he asked random questions like it was a pop quiz.
“Sorry it's a little messy! I wasn't expecting company!”
He smiled. “It's fine! It's you! And just out of interest what clothes size do you take?!” He used his casual tone and looked me up and down.
“US size 8 which is like a UK size 12! What is with the sizes here?! It's like voodoo or something!” I took his hand and led him towards the bathroom. “I'll give you a quick tour!”
“Oh, okay! I've always wondered what these looked like!” He adjusted his hand in mine, so his fingers laced through mine. I glanced down and grinned, it made my hand look so small.
“So welcome to the main bathroom!”
He looked around taking it all in. “There is no privacy glass in that widow!” He looked horrified.
I groaned. “Yeah, when I moved in I made a blind that I can roll down, cause this is only like 6 floors up! It's not that high.”
“You did that by yourself?!” He studied me.
“Yeah! I've got a sewing machine! I'll show you!” I led him out of the room and back out into the little corridor area and into my craft/music room.
“This is my craft and music room!”
“Very good use of space! Are the photos yours?!” He indicated the photos up on the walls of New York of various scenes. I grinned.
“They sure are! I like black and white photography!”
He smiled at me. “You are quite extraordinary!”
I blushed. He was looking at me in that odd way he did that meant he was trying to work me out.
“Onwards to the spare bedroom! Not that I ever have any guests!” I huffed.
“Have none of your friends come over to see you yet?!”
I pushed open the door and led us in. “No! The only friend that would is Jess, but she's just got a new job so... All my so called famous friends don't wanna know me now I'm not in L.A!” I shook my head.
He sighed. “Then if they don't make the effort they aren't your friends! I'm sure your other friend will come visit you when she can!”
I smiled at him. “Yeah, we Skype a fair bit and text, she's like the sister I never had!” I didn't feel sad talking to him about
her like I would have anybody else.
“I never knew these apartments were so big inside! There is quite a bit of outside space too!”
“Yeah, it's why I choose it! Plus, it's central too! Cause I don't have a car here so I use the tube a lot!”
He pulled a face. “You drive?!”
I nodded. “I do! I passed when I was 18! I think I just need to sort out a license for here!”
“I can look into that for you?! I have connections at the DVLA, that's where the licenses are sorted out!” He looked at the far wall.
“I have that exact same chair only mines red!” He smiled. “You have an interesting book collection! Did you bring them with you?!” He was busy glancing over.
“I shipped a load of stuff before I left America so I'd be here to collect them!” I smiled. “How strange we should have the same chair! It's a comfortable reading chair! I did see the red, but I liked the tweed patched look better!” I grinned. He had a strange way of firing off one comment after another like his brain just worked faster than mine did.
“Also that would be cool if you could find out what I need to do! My apartment comes with two private parking bays so I can park a car! I quite fancy one of those little smart cars!” I grinned.
“No! Absolutely not!” His whole face radiated what he was thinking.
“Excuse me?!” I wasn't sure what he was saying no to.
“Over my dead body will you drive one of them, I will help you choose a car!” He glanced around the room. “Time to go!” He started for the door, dragging me along with him.
The fuck was his problem?! “Don't tell me what I can and can't have! Who the hell do you think you are?!” My voice shot up an octave.
He stopped walking. “I'm your overbearing boyfriend! May I suggest you get used to it?” He started walking again.
I followed him, shocked into silence. He'd just said he was my boyfriend! I wanted to stop him and ask him a million questions, but he was dragging me towards the door.
“Wait!” I shouted at him.
He stopped dead and turned around letting go of my hand. “Now what's the matter?!” He looked confused.
“Overbearing yes! But are you my boyfriend?! Because if that's true that makes me your girlfriend!” I hadn't even thought about calling him my boyfriend! He had been my friend and I suppose after this morning he was going the right way to be my boyfriend, but to just announce it like it was just another thing to say left me confused.
He smiled, tilting my chin up with his thumb. “I think it rather does make you my girlfriend! After this morning, I just assumed! I'm sorry I shouldn't have done that it would seem!” He studied me.
“It's not that I mind or that you were wrong to assume, but more that you fire off all this information at me and then walk away like I am meant to be able I keep up!”
He sighed. “It's just how I am! I forget that not everybody's minds are as fast as mine!” He flashed me a smile.
I stared at him. “Now I know that wasn't meant to come across as rude, so I'll let that slide for now! So from now on if someone asks me about me and you, you won't mind if I say we are dating?!” I fixed him with a serious look.
He blinked at me. “Well, that's the truth so why would I mind?!” He looked perplexed.
I shook my head. “Never mind! Let's just go! Your brilliant mind can tell my average mind the lowdown on the place on the journey!” I smirked.
“Your mind is far from average Evan and you know that!” He took my hand again and started to lead me to the door.
“I need my bag and jacket!” I smiled. He was right. I was actually quite intelligent and used it to my advantage most of the time.
“Of course sorry!” He picked up my jacket from the peg and held it for me to put on.
“Thank you!” I smiled and pulled my bag over my shoulder grabbing the keys to my door. “I'm so glad you like art because it's such an interesting subject and I love to learn from it!” I locked the door and dropped the keys into my bag. “I've brought a mini sketch pad with me! I love drawing I'm just not great at it! I need to improve! I tend to naturally abstract things!” I grinned as we walked to the lifts.
“Don't put yourself down!” He pressed the button for the lift. “I've seen your art work you are very talented. Why do you consider yourself to be ordinary Evangeline?!”
I could feel him staring at me as the lift doors opened and we both stepped in. “Because I am ordinary Cameron!” I didn't consider myself to be anything extraordinary.
He sighed. “Okay, well you play the piano, cello and violin to concert standard! You play guitar at a professional level! You draw and paint above the level of good! You quickly work things out and aren't afraid to make waves! Now are you still ordinary?!”
I looked at him with my mouth open. I should have guessed he'd have known all there was to know about me. “Well, all of that just says I possess some kinda talent! I'm nothing special!” I shrugged. I was distinctly average next to him! He was brilliant!
He tilted my chin up with his fingers so I had no choice but to look at him. “Your IQ grade at school at the age of 18 was over that of average! You are a bright young women and don't ever call yourself ordinary because it's an insult to yourself.” His eyes burned into mine.
I couldn't believe he knew that. Just how much about me did he know already?! I was at an unfair disadvantage because I knew very little about him. “Okay, keep your hair on!” I grinned at him.
“I think you're developing an obsession with my hair!” He winked at me.
I reached up with my hand and stroked his curly mass of hair. “I can't help it! It's like it has a life of its own! It suits you though! I like it!”
He blushed ever so slightly. “Thanks! My hair likes yours too! I'm sure they'll get on just fine!” He let go of my hand as the lift indicator said level 1.
“Jones is waiting around the corner! He'll drive us there and then I have a surprise for how we're getting back to mine!” He smirked at me and then placed his hand on my lower back and guided me out of the lift as the doors rolled open.
“Okay, that sounds intriguing!” I had several ideas about how we'd get back to his though only two were actually likely.
We headed outside and around the corner to the waiting black SUV.
“How do you get away with that level of tinting all over?!” I asked out of interest as we climbed in.
“I know people that know people, but mostly Jones got a special license!” He grinned.
I pulled my seat belt around me and remembered my manners. “Good afternoon... Uh Jones.” I felt it a little odd to just call him Jones, it was a little impersonal.
He smiled into the rear view mirror. “Good afternoon, Miss Watson.” His eyes flicked back to the road.
I'd have to ask Cameron what Jones’s real name was.
I glanced sideways at Cameron, who was glancing at me already. I grinned to myself.
“I meant to say before, but you distracted me, I took your advice about blocking a certain number!” I wanted him to know I'd done it though I wasn't sure why.
He placed his hand over mine on the leather seat. “Good I'm glad! Sometimes it hurts but you have to cut poison out of your life to move forward!” He was back to using his slightly cold tone now he was back in the presence of Jones.
“That is true! It's gonna sound silly, but I feel better for it already!” If was true, I did. Although I still felt something for Sean it wasn't like it had been. I missed Jess more than I did him.
“I'm glad!” His thumb stroked over my knuckles softly as if he was saying it was okay.
“So I was going to give you the low down on the Victoria and Albert while we drove there! Do you still want to hear it?!” He smiled.
“Yes, please! I've been to both Tate’s but didn't get around to the others yet so any info would be cool!” I smiled at him.
He licked his lips clearly pleased I st
ill wanted to hear him. “Well, it's the world’s largest museum of decorative arts, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects!” He rattled the facts off like he knew them off by heart.
“It covers 12.5 acres and has 145 galleries! Its collections spans 5,000 years of art right from ancient times to present day! Founded in 1852! It's also in the same area as The National History Museum and the Science Museum!”
I made did a low whistle. “Wow, you really did your research! Maybe one day we can go to the science museum?!” I was a total geek, I loved all of that.
His eyes lit up. “I am sure that can be arranged! We have a lot more in common than you thought!”
I grinned with a slight roll of my eyes. “Yes, it would appear we do!” I watched as the city whipped past the window.
“Mr. Ballard, there is a set down bay just around the corner, I'll drop you and Miss Watson there! I'll see you later, but ring if there is a change of plans!” He always had a quite a level voice, like you'd heard solders talking to their officers with. I wondered if he was ex-military?!
I blushed as he caught me staring at him in the rear view mirror.
“That's fine, I'm sure all will go to plan!” He let go of my hand and undid his seatbelt as the SUV slowed as Jones pulled it into the set down bay.
“I'll come open your door! Stay there you’re on the main road!” He gave me a look as he got out and shut his door.
I sighed. “Anyone would think I wasn't able to open a door!”
Jones chuckled. “It's just his way Miss Watson! Trust me, he doesn't do that for just anybody!” He raised a brow.
I frowned. “Oh, I see.” I wasn't sure what to make of that and I didn't have time to guess either as my door opened.
“It's clear now!” He said as he glanced up the road.
I slipped out and let him lead me around to the safety of the pavement.
“Thank you.” I grinned at him.