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Chapter 11

"Can I sit with you?" – Embry asked.

I gestured to the empty space on the bench next to me.

"Of course."

The situation was a little awkward. At least for me.

I've been interested in guys before. But it has been more of a 'secretly wishing we could talk for the first time' or 'will he ever notice me?' kind of way. I've never connected with someone who actually wanted to be in my presence.

Embry didn't make me nervous in the sense that I was afraid of saying the wrong thing, because even if I did, I knew he probably wouldn't care. He made me nervous because he made me giddy.

It was a new feeling for me.

"How was your day? Everything went okay?"

He was genuinely curious to know things about me, not just making conversation. I could tell.

I smiled.

"It's been a great day. Everyone is so nice! Nessie has a great family."

Embry nodded. "They are nice. Anyone you bonded with?"

I shrugged.

"I wouldn't say bond, exactly. I barely know them." – I looked at everyone around me.

Nessie seemed to be having fun with her boyfriend and her brother Emmett. Everyone else seemed to be having a good time.

I noticed Bella had taken Embry's spot and was now in the middle of Edward's arms. She looked like she was made to be there.

"I guess Bella has made me feel the most welcome. I like her attitude." – I told him.

He nods.

"She pays attention to the people around her. She saw me in the entryway earlier, not sure about how welcome I would be, and just told me that I didn't need to second guess anything. That I was welcome anytime, especially if Nessie had invited me."

I frowned. "Why would you not be welcome?"

An uneasy expression crossed his features.

"Maybe I didn't use the best words." - he tries to explain - "I'm just not used to hanging out with Nessie's siblings. There was a time, before Nessie and Jacob were an item, that things between Jacob and Bella were a bit rocky. And I wasn't always as supportive as I should have been."

"Oh." – I hadn't been expecting that.

"But that has nothing to do with what I said to you yesterday. I never should have said that I didn't think it was a good idea for you to come here. I swear I was only worried about it being overwhelming. It never crossed my mind that you would take from that, that I was implying they wouldn't like you, or that you weren't good enough. God, never that. You are good enough. You are way better than good, you are amazing. I'm so sorry I misspoke."

His words were coming out at the speed of light and I was in dismay and delighted at the same time.

I put my hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, calm down." – I tried to sound soothing – "Embry, you've already apologized to me yesterday. You didn't even need to; I was the one who misunderstood."

"I just don't ever want you to feel like you're a burden or anything like that. It's not true." – he said, his eyes concerned.

I looked down at my hands and sighed.

I hadn't planned on spilling my guts to Embry, it was too personal a story. But the way he was looking at me made me want to confide in him.

"Can I tell you something personal?" – I asked.

He nodded.

"Of course. You can tell me anything."

I took a deep breath.

"I have issues with insecurity." – I said, looking straight at him – "I've always been a little shy as a kid. My father had lots of books around the house when I was growing up, and they'd make me feel safe, in a way. When I got to middle school, kids were not used to hanging out with someone who carried books with them, or that knew all these random facts about science, which was what I enjoyed reading about the most. So, they reacted like most people do when confronted with the unknown. They treat it like it doesn't matter. Like it shouldn't be there, taking up space."

I took a deep breath, trying to be calm.

Embry took both my hands in his and squeezed.

His eyes were blazing.

"Go on." – he said, his words a whisper.

"All through middle school I was treated like the nerd. No one wanted to be friends with me, no one wanted to do group projects with me, and when they did, it was only because they thought I could help improve their grade. I never made a single friend, until I finally started high school and I met Megan. She lived in the building in front of mine, and we were in the same class in tenth grade. She approached me one day, saying she'd noticed we lived close to one another, and she simply started talking to me. Like I wasn't different from anyone else. Soon, she introduced me to her twin, Justin, and her other friends. We met two other people in class and all became very close. And I've never valued anything in this life more than my friends."

I pulled one of my hands from his, cleaning a stupid tear that had fallen.

"Even though I know they are over there, and still care about me, I'm always going to be second guessing if people want to genuinely be my friends, or if I'm going to be treated like a pariah. That's why your words hit the way they did, because, for a split second, I automatically assumed you didn't feel like I was good enough to be around."

I exhaled.

There.

I'd put it all out of me. To this person I've known for three days. That is now allowed to run for the hills.

But when I looked at him, there were no signs of running.

He actually looked upset, and angry, and devastated. All in one look.

I blinked.

"Cameron-" – his voice came out rough – "I need to hug you right now. Can I please do that?"

My eyes widened.

I nodded. "You can-"

I gasped.

He pulled me to him so fast. His arms came around me and held me close to his chest.

He smelled so good.

I could feel his heart, and mine, racing.

I closed my arms around him too, and closed my eyes.

A warm feeling swept right through me.

"I hate them so much, for putting you through all that." – he murmured, his lips touching the side of my head – "No wonder you reacted the way you did. But Cameron, I need you to know, that I'm not ever faking anything. I genuinely want to be your friend. In case it wasn't obvious for the two times I've asked to hangout with you, right after we met." – he joked.

I chuckled, but my chest was warm.

"And Renesmee is genuinely your friend too. She told me about how you met, about how you defended her when you didn't even know her. And down at La Push? Everybody loved you! Claire thought you were so cool when you took that splinter off my finger. So did I, by the way." – I smiled – "Jacob is so happy that Renesmee has a girl friend at school instead of only hanging out with Nahuel. Everyone thought you were nice, and the more you come over there, the more they will get to know you. I want to get to know you too, and show you that what happened to you was just some idiotic kids who didn't appreciate how incredible you are."

I closed my hands around his shirt and held him closer to me.

"Thank you." – I whispered – "Thank you so much for that."

"I'm only telling you the truth. I swear."

After a few seconds, we pulled away.

I blushed a little and saw that no one was outside anymore. They must have gone inside the house.

It was getting late; I should get back to my place soon.

"Penny for your thoughts?" – Embry asked.

"Just thinking that it's getting late. Everyone has gone inside and I hadn't even noticed."

"You want to go home?"

I nodded.

"It's been a big day."

"Okay. Cameron, can I take you home?"

I laughed.

"You do want to be in my presence, don't you?" – I joked, but I was secretly delighted.

He nodded.

"I really do."

.

"You drive a motorcycle?" – I asked.

We'd said our goodbyes to the others, and then Embry led me towards his vehicle, which I thought would be a car.

"I do." – he said, taking a helmet out from the handle, and handing it to me.

I took the helmet while he climbed into the motorcycle, starting it.

"C'mon, climb in."

I blinked.

When he didn't see me move, he climbed back out.

"What's the matter?" – he asked, concerned.

"I just, never ridden a motorcycle before."

He looked surprised.

"No? Well, that's okay. I'll go slow, you don't need to be scared."

"I'm not!"

He grinned, and took the helmet from me.

He put it on my head and closed the clasp.

"Okay, you can climb in now."

"Hum…" - I hesitated for a bit. I didn't have any idea how to climb into that thing.

He seemed to read my thoughts.

"Come on, hold my hand, put your feet on the pedal and I'll help you up."

I did what he told me and held his very warm hand and climbed in.

"Oh, that wasn't so difficult." – I said.

"Next time let's see it without my help." – he laughed

His laughter was really enjoyable, especially after the heavy conversation we'd had. But what got to me most was when he said "next time". It would never get old to realize how he genuinely wanted to spend time with me.

He got into the bike again, the weight of it shifting.

"Now hold on tight." – he said to me.

I looked around me, confused.

"There are no handles on this thing!" – I yelled, over the loud noise of the bike.

He laughed again.

"Give me your hands."

He extended his hands behind him, and I placed mine in his.

He then proceeded to put my hands on his hips.

I gulped.

"Hold right here." – he murmured.

His hands were on top of mine for a moment before he put them back on the handlebar. I could feel his muscles trough his t-shirt.

"Are you warm enough? Because it can get a little cold when the wind picks up on the bike."

Involuntarily my hands held tightly to him. To his warmth.

I was so relieved to be standing behind him, at least that way he couldn't see my face as I was about to blush with my answer.

"I'm quite warm, actually."

I saw him smile on the review mirror.

"Well, you ready to go?"

"Yes." – I said – "I'm ready."

"Hold on tight."

I did as he asked.

Embry then pulled up the side stand of the bike and we went on our way.

Author's note

Hey guys! Here is another chapter for you, where you get a bit more about Cameron's backstory and some Cameron x Embry closeness.

Hope you like it! :)