"So Cammie, it's Grant. I hope you do remember," I heard him laugh from the speaker of my phone. "I'm holding a party tonight. Since we weren't able to really party last night…and I'm really expecting you. You're the reason why I even held this party. I actually had to bug everybody to set up this party. So I'll see you. If you want me to pick you up, just tell me. If you don't call me back, that just means you're going by yourself. I'll see you." then the speaker died.
I wished I hadn't fought with Zach so I wouldn't have to walk home alone. Although Zach and I were practically neighbors, it still felt bad having to walk home alone. I felt so friendless.
I wished Liz was here. I wished I hadn't even raised my voice at Zach and he probably wouldn't have kicked me out of his house. But I was not the only one who was wrong, right? He was so wrong too, and very rude. And he yelled at me.
I texted Grant telling him I could really use a good party tonight. Maybe that was what I needed after all. I needed to take a break from all the drama and the whole Zach-Cammie-Friendship-Over issue.
I immediately buried my face onto the couch, sniffing every dirt in it. I hated summer so much. Why was summer even difficult and stressful? It was supposed to be carefree and fun, but why was I stuck at home, at the brink of being friendless?
"You suck at walking home alone, you know that?" I heard Zach and I immediately glanced up to see if it really was him or just my imagination.
It was really him.
"I think I forgot to say sorry." Zach's eyes went away from me.
I rolled my eyes. "No use. It's cool."
It was funny how I could just forgive him without even thinking about it. Like I had no strength in me to ever take a grudge against him.
"I just don't want you nagging about what I should or should not do! I don't want being told what to do." He sat beside me, squeezing me to the other side.
"I can't help it. I always nag."
"Then hear me out, first."
I looked at him intently, waiting for his explanation.
"That college girl, I didn't sleep with her. We were just making out and all that stuff…not going beyond. And I know it's still wrong. But—"
I actually didn't get his point. The argument was not exactly about him giving everything to a girl he barely met. It was so much more than that. So much more than just making out.
"Can we just forget about that? It's a weird topic." I said.
He rolled his eyes and smiled. "So I'm guessing we're still friends?"
What the hell? Was that even a valid question? I didn't think one of us could even bear not being friends with each other even for a day. We did try and it sucked. It took the best out of us.
"What's up with your mom? She seems so frustrated about you having girlfriends." I asked as I got the remote. I started browsing through the lame channels. How could cable be this boring?
"Well…I guess she's upset that I still haven't found the girl."
I laughed a little too hard at this. The girl. The way it came out of Zach's mouth…it was so funny.
"Maybe because it's too early for you to meet the girl," I said, still laughing. "You're just seventeen. You won't be able to find the girl till you're around twenty five or thirty or something."
"She's saying I already met her."
I looked at him intently, waiting for him to go on.
"She's saying I've known her for years now."
My heart stopped here.
"She's saying it's you."
I just scratched my head, hoping that there was no hint of any redness on any of my cheeks. "Well you could remind her that we're actually best friends, we're off-limits like that."
He nodded. "Yeah I told her."
I just nodded.
When I reached Grant's house, the first few people I saw were Macey and her Circle of friends. They all waved in my direction and flashed me their sweetest smiles.
"So I was checking out some new outfits a while ago, and there was this guy who came up to me and smiled and I was like, why are you smiling at me like an idiot? And he still kept on smiling and I fi—" Courtney Bauer was cut off by Macey. Macey waved a dismissive hand, making Courtney shut up.
"Courtney," Macey said. "You are so shallow. Right, Cammie?" Macey turned to me, smiling sweetly than ever. I actually had no idea what this niceness skit was all about.
"Uh…" I couldn't even figure out the words to say.
"You're looking good, Cammie. Nice clothes." Bex said, checking me out from head to toe. Apparently, I was able to find proper clothes for this kind of party. Everybody was wearing tank tops and shorts, and I wore the same thing too. I just couldn't believe I was following the norm…I was never the person who followed the trend.
"Thanks, Bex. You too." I said.
"Enough with the lame compliments," Macey cut me off. "I know we're all excited for summer and now that's it's already summer, it seems to me that we're not really making the most of it. What do you think?" she looked at Courtney, who was still annoyed being cut off.
"What is your proposition, then?" Kim Lee asked, her lips twinkling under the bright lights.
"I suggest we spend a week or so in my cabin, it's just a couple of hours drive from here. It's beside a very beautiful beach and it's like a Beach Club, we're going to meet a lot of people there and you know—" Macey was catching for her own breath.
"You mean a place where you could meet college guys?" Bex crumpled her forehead, obviously not too pleased with Macey's suggestion.
"Yes, but that's not the best part," Macey smirked. "But of course that's a good thing."
Courtney looked up, waiting for her to be heard by everybody. I really hoped she was thinking of something really sensible. "We're going to invite Oliver, right?"
Kim's eyes lit up. "And Sam, too, of course. Right?"
Bex turned to me and rolled her eyes. "Of course Macey's going to invite the whole football team."
"You're not going to invite Zach, are you?" I asked, I felt my lips trembling. If Zach would be there, I was sure I wouldn't go.
"Of course," Macey said proudly. "And Grant, too."
I felt my cheeks flush. Why did I always have to react when Grant's name would be mentioned? Ugh.
"So?" Bex frowned.
"SO? Our summer is going to be really fun! And I don't want Cammie to think that I'm discriminating, so my beach house will be open to everybody in our year who'd want to come." Macey said, again, too proudly.
"How big is your beach house anyway?" Kim snorted.
"Trust me," Courtney sighed. "It's way bigger than you think it is."
"And you should really come—" Macey stopped when she noticed the football players coming inside, wearing identical varsity jackets. "Speaking of…"
"Cool. I'm gonna talk to Oliver." Courtney bit her lip anxiously and started moving towards the bunch of guys circling the snack corner. "See ya." She mouthed.
"So?" Macey turned to me, with an expression showing that she was annoyed already. "You're coming with us, right?"
So much for the pressure…
"I don't think so…" I said with so much hesitation going on in my head. I wanted to come with them because I wanted to bond with everybody, and it was our last year together, right? But I still couldn't remove the fact that these things were not actually the things I usually did.
"What do you think are you doing bullying her?" I heard Grant's voice behind me, he smiled at me and I just nodded.
"I am not bullying your girlfriend. I was just asking her to come to my beach house." Macey creased her forehead, crossing her arms to her chest as if to tell everybody she wasn't in the mood to converse with anybody.
"Well, I guess Cammie is well convinced," he grinned sarcastically. "Let's go Cammie, I've been looking for you everywhere."
NEXT~TO~YOU
"Tell me exactly why you're talking to those girls," Grant said when we finally found unoccupied, and clean seats. Apparently, all the chairs in his house had drink spills on them and if not, snacks stains.
"I'm not sure," I shrugged as I grabbed for the bag of chips lying on the table, exposed to the air. I stuffed a handful into my mouth. "They usually just talk to me when they want to spread rumors or gather them."
"You know that girl," he was pointing to Bex, who was pushing people out of her way. "We went out for a while last summer."
Game over.
Dead end.
So that was why he wanted to spend time with me…to get close to Bex again. What was I thinking? This was Grant, a totally gorgeous and cool guy. Why the hell in the world would a guy like him like me for real?
And Bex was really pretty tonight…
Damn. I should've worn something lacey…
Ugh!
"Okay.." I just hoped badly that no disappointment was visible in my face. "Bex, I think she's the most normal of those girls."
And I wasn't lying. Bex was the only one who didn't speak dumb and clothes. She was practically the outcast in Macey's Circle. I wondered why she even put up with those girls.
"So we went out," he cleared his throat. "She's really nice and cool."
AND YOU HAD TO RUB IT IN!
I grinned, trying to act all calm when the truth was my insides were practically having a riot already. How could he talk about another girl with me? Wasn't that very unethical?
"Yeah," I laughed anxiously. I was so stupid, damn it. "She is."
"So…have you dated someone I know?" he turned to me so eagerly, the look on his eyes made me feel like he wanted to squeeze all the information out of me.
"Umm," I swallowed. "No, I don't think so."
"What about Zach?" his eyes lit up. I was having the feeling like I was talking to a ten year-old kid asking for candy.
"Zach? Well…he's like my brother," that didn't sound right. "He's like more than a brother. We're really close. I mean, really close…"
He sighed. "Obviously, you are close. What I'm asking is…have you ever dated or something? Well, I'd be leaving you here if you're going to tell me you never went out or kissed or even tried."
"You can leave me alone here now." I grinned.
"Come on!" he whined. "Tell me. I won't spread about it, I won't react, won't laugh. I just want to know if he's a competition."
What the?
"Well, if Zach's your problem…he's not into me and I'm not into him. And you don't have any competition or whatever." I said, totally getting uncomfortable now.
"So when did you decide it wasn't going to work?" he pursed his lips.
"What do you mean?"
"When did you date and realize it wasn't going to work? That you're better off as friends?"
I felt droplets of sweat fall from my neck to my backbone. So much for the tension… "We never dated. That's because we've always been just friends."
He frowned. "So you never really tried it?"
"What for? We're best friends. More than best friends, actually."
"Cammie!" his tone was rising. "You'll never know until you try. What if you just wake up one day and realize you're into Zach? And he's unavailable…are you serious? The two of you never dated or anything…never kissed or..?"
I wanted to laugh, but that would just make him think I was hiding something. "Kissed? Nah," I said casually. "We're good friends. Friends don't kiss each other. And besides, he's not my type. And I'm not his type."
"Are you sure?"
Game over.
NEXT~TO~YOU
I am so sleepppy….but I really want to upload at least one chapter per day so here it is…I really hope you'll write a review. Even a few words would really be appreciated.
Thanks!
