Another super short one. I'm kinda trying to stretch the story out, because as it is, it would only be 5 or 6 chapters. Attempting to make it at least 8. So like I said, they're gonna be short. :.( Thanks as usual, to all who reviewed that last chapter. I just have a quick shout-out to one of the people who reviewed chapters 1 and 2.
OK, I think that's it. Chapter 3 is up!
James stood there, his mouth still hanging slightly open, as he watched Camille and Logan walk away. Together. He had been so sure she was kidding. Just joking around, fantasizing about what she wished she and Logan had. Well, she very obviously didn't need to fantasize anymore.
Why hadn't anyone TOLD him? I mean, not that it was any of his business. He couldn't care less what Logan did or who he dated. It didn't matter either way to James. Or at least that's the way it had always been.
Now, he wasn't sure.
He walked desolately to the pool and plopped down on one of the lounge chairs. He really didn't know what to think about all of this. About Logan and Camille, about him NOT being told, and especially about why the heck he was reacting like this.
Why, in the name of all things Cuda, should he give a single care about what Logan and Camille did? Why should he care that they were a "couple" now? They could get married, and he still wouldn't care.
Right?
Because he had tried unsuccessfully to tell himself he was just shocked. He had tried to convince his mind that he had just never thought Logan would give in to her pleading. Because EVERYONE knew that Camille liked Logan.
Another thing James was trying to figure out was why it took Logan so long to give to her pleading, or why she would even have had to plead. Why should a girl as sweet and funny and talented and, he was finding it easier to admit, totally beautiful as Camille NOT get whichever guy she wanted? Why should Logan have been made so darn blind? But more importantly, why should Logan get Camille, and not him?
He rubbed his temples tiredly. OK, he was more than sure that last thought had not been his own.
Camille's face popped up in his mind. Her hair loose and flowing, her eyes shining, and a huge wart. Right on her nose.
He remembered that day so well, he was sure if there had been a quiz, he would've gotten an A+. Which was usually quite rare.
He had watched an interview online the other day for the guy they had eventually chosen to play Mednock, you know, the warlock with great abs? The part HE had gone out for? Witches of Rodeo Drive? Yeah. That part. The part that he could have had. Right now. It could have been him in that interview. But it wasn't.
Certainly the part had a lot of pros to it. He would get to be on the big screen, the other big dream in his life, besides being an international pop-star. He would probably be adored by millions of girls, and right now, he would probably be a whole lot richer, with all the designer clothes he could ever dream of. So why wasn't he?
Because the moment Camille had told him she didn't get the part, his giant balloon of confidence and joy had deflated rapidly. He had heard the phone ring and picked it up. He listened to the strange woman say "congratulations, you got the part, blah blah blah Mednock blah blah great abs." But he had kinda gotten this really weird feeling in the pit of his stomach. The little voices in his head were having an all-out war. He knew he wanted the part. He knew all he had to say was one tiny three letter word. But when he looked at Camille, and thought of how crushed she'd be to know looks did trump dedication in show-biz, he realized the part really wouldn't be any fun without his acting coach there to support him. The war was won. And he still couldn't believe he actually said no.
She had looked confidently at him again, assuring him it was normal to not get the part your first time round. He wondered how rare it would have been if he actually had agreed to it his first time round. But he knew, no matter how ignorant she had been, or no matter how she'd never know of his act of selflessness, it had all been worth it.
All for one smile. Psh. What was wrong with him?
Of course, James may still have not believed his turn down of the role of his dreams, but that didn't mean he regretted it. In fact, he couldn't have been more happy with his decision.
He had genuinely made her happy in that moment. And that was worth any amount of time on the silver screen.
And he knew then why he gave it up. He gave it up for Camille.
Why would he even DO that? For someone he barely knew, and hadn't even cared about before now.
Which meant that he knew he did care about her now. Urp. No, he really didn't know anything anymore.
So as he sat there by the pool, he tried to identify the feeling that was making him burn with anger, and feel quite hopeless, at the same time, the image of Camille and Logan's hands intertwined so infuriatingly. For a moment, he imagined him walking away with Camille, holding her hand. Oh yeah. This was definitely not shock.
Because, shock was when you lost your lucky comb, and then found out in the week it was missing, that Katie had used it as a teething toy when you accidentally left it after you spent the night. Shock was when you find out that jello is really ground up horses hooves. Shock was finding out that you're not as good of a singer as you thought, being crushed along with your dreams by Satan in buckeye sunglasses, and then being picked up again not a day later.
That was shock. This was definitely worse that having slobbery hair, horses hooves in your tummy, or a severe mental breakdown.
The only other time in his memory he had had this exact feeling, was back in third grade when he saw Carlos give a peck on the cheek to the girl James had a crush on at the time.
He had been jealous then. But that would mean...
He was jealous of Camille? For what? Being a better actor that him? No. Definitely not. Or maybe... he was jealous of Logan? No... It wasn't just Logan. He had never felt that before just looking at Logan alone. It was when he saw Logan and Camille. Together. Well, that would either mean he was gay for Logan, really had been breathing in too much hairspray, or he was totally, completely, utterly, hopelessly in love with Camille.
Those words had a nice ring to them. "In love with Camille...", he said out loud, by accident. But what he didn't know was that Jo had been waving and saying "Hi James! James! HI!" for the past twelve minutes, taking minor breaks to whip out her cell-phone and reply to a text. At this out loud thought though, Jo stopped her waving, and pondered what she thought he just said.
Ponder, ponder, ponder, ponder. Major confusion.
She stood there for a moment, getting her thoughts in order, before she finally walked over to him and whacked him on the shoulder.
"OW!" His hand flew instinctively up to his hair to make sure it wasn't messed up. Finding nothing out of place, he looked up at Jo, and said, rather annoyed, "Oh. Hi. I don't know where Kendall is, if he's not with you." He had learned to parrot these words whenever he met up with the blonde because it prevented her from going on a thirty-minute long gush-fest on how amazing Kendall was. He knew Kendall was a great guy, but he really hadn't needed or wanted to know his best friend was a great kisser.
"No." Jo said. "That's not what I wanted to know." It actually had been, but she had forgotten all about it after she had heard what he said.
"Who's in love with Camille?" she asked curiously. "Logan? Well, we ALL knew that." She laughed lightly, throwing her French braid over her shoulder.
James just stared at her, feeling a sudden urge to throw her in the pool, French braid and all. He felt like he was going to explode any minute he was so mad. At Jo, for telling him so lightly. At Kendall, for not having the decency to tell him in the first place. At Logan, for taking away any chance he had with Camille.
OK, that thought... had been all him. So...
WHAT?
Reading it and rereading it I realize just how short it is. Oh well. Can't be helped right now. Another reason why there may not be updates every week is because I 'm having ENORMOUS writers block trying to write the next chapter. I'll keep trying though. :) For all the wonderful people out there.
Till chapter 4.
~Starbucks
