A/N: Sorry for delays. Work takes a lot out of me. Anyway, here's the straw that broke the Kamil's back.

Cam's small boost of self-confidence proved itself useful, not just fading away but spanning throughout the night and into the next morning. The smile that he wore was anything but forced while he sat at one of the tables in front of Bluebell's café, across from Laney. Though he wasn't born in the area, Bluebell and the café had been his home for almost longer than he could remember. Just getting to sit outside in the warm weather, and because of the events from the day prior, the day felt just a bit sunnier. He had a leather-clad book out, quietly pressing small flowers on the pages. It was a little hobby he did when he had free time, after finding wildflowers and plants he thought interesting. It was calming. Similarly, Laney also had a book out. However, she didn't seem as calm nor as happy as Cam. It was a new book from a series that Cam once tried to read but couldn't catch up with, and he couldn't help but feel amused from Laney's determined expression while reading the pages. She furrowed her brows and leaned back in her chair, sighing. Cam took that as his cue to intervene.

"What's wrong? Are you finally realizing how nerdy you are?" Cam asked, taking a break from pressing a small senjyu-ganpi to a blank page to look up at the girl. She gave him a nasty glare and formed an over-dramatic pout.

"Not yet, no," she admitted, "but that's not why this part is terrible."

Cam smirked. "I think you mean the whole book is terrible," he chirped. Laney gave him a death stare. But it dissipated as Laney gave a deep sigh, and with no indication that she'd start talking without being prodded again, Cam indulged her.

"Tell me about what's wrong with it," Cam told her, knowing that she'd oblige enthusiastically.

Of course, he was right.

"I just can't believe how the characters are acting! They're being shy and reclusive just because they like each other. Summer and Jean, the two idiots, they won't talk to each other about what's important, and all this drama could be solved so easily if they'd communicate. What's worse is, this other person, who is fully aware about Summer and Jean's mutual affections, is flirting so heavily with Jean..." Laney paused to breathe, scrunching up her nose and gritting her teeth. She looked seething with rage. A typical reaction for her, as Cam had learned. Laney, though a sweetheart, could get worked up over the smallest things.

"That sucks," Cam muttered, going back to pressing the flowers.

"It does," Laney sighed in reply. Some strands of blonde hair fell into her face during her passionate outburst, and he calmly fixed her hair, easily switching to a calm disposition after such a rage. Cam wondered if her anger was just for show. She'd be a good actress, he thought. "Summer and Jean should buck up," Laney mumbled.

"I know," hummed Cam.

"The other person doesn't deserve Jean."

"Nope," Cam agreed.

"The author shouldn't have made the relationship awkward."

"Nope."

"It doesn't make sense with their characters," the girl whined.

"Nope."

"You don't act like that with your crush, do you?"

"Nope-" Cam's breath hitched and he froze, tilting his head up enough to see the growing grin on Laney's face. "Don't," he warned.

"You DO have a heart!" Laney exclaimed, shutting her lame book with a thud and leaning over the table. "I knew it."

"I don't... I mean, have a crush, or whatever. I have a perfectly good heart," Cam informed the blonde, leaning back into his chair as Laney pushed forward.

"You like somebody. Are they from the city? Not from the other town, right? Right?"

"I do not like anybody. I don't." Cam fidgeted with the small flower between his fingers, and Laney noticed. She was wicked, probably some sort of witch, as Cam felt like he was shrinking under her cruel, cruel gaze.

"You're blushing, Cam," she stated matter-of-factly. Cam scowled. He wasn't the type to blush easily or often, but when he did, his face grew beet red. So much for subtlety. "Tell me who it is! You're as red as my tomato soup- which we're having tonight, by the way- and you can't hide everything from me forever! So what if we're not related-related, I am your sister, and I swear to the Goddess above if you do not tell me now I will find out soon enough. Your crush, and Lillian's." Laney's voice had gotten so low and quiet that it was almost like a growl, she loomed over Cam menacingly but he just kept noticing that she was putting all of her weight on the table.

"Lillian?" Cam felt sorry for Lillian if she had to experience what he was going through.

"Oh Goddess, it isn't actually Lillian, is it?" She asked in a whisper.

"No, but are you sure you're not going to break the glass by doing that?" Cam asked snarkily, looking down at her balled up hands on the glass surface of the table.

Laney paused for a moment. "Are you calling me HEAVY?" Laney accused. She snatched her hands away from the table as if the surface was made of hot coals. She then straightened herself up and placed her tense hands on her hips, staring Cam down. He felt cocky, seeing that he successfully made her distracted.

"It's not like you walk up and down the mountain every day," Cam replied slyly, he wondered how far he could do this..

"Kamil! How dare you..." Laney gaped at him, half considering giving him a slap with her book. Instead, she just paused in could see her face turn from tense to malicious as she thought up something, and if Cam knew her, it would be something particularly evil. A slap to the face with a book might be the least of his worries. Laney then tore her vision from the purple-outfitted boy and turned and looked around the south side of the town. Her eyes landed on one target in particular and she gave a little triumphant hum. Without a word, she skipped away from the table and down the stairs, leading to the lower area. Cam furrowed his brows and just stared at her walking away. As he calmed down, his flush faded away, but he didn't keep his eyes off of Laney. She was walking over to Ash's pasture. He was there working.

Cam didn't know what she was doing, but he didn't like whatever her plans were anyway.

Cam hurried from his seat, abandoning the books and the wildflowers left on the table, and sped down the stairs to follow the blonde. He wouldn't let her get away with anything mischievous if he could help it. She called the rancher boy over and she started talking to him.

As he got closer, he started to hear their conversation.

"...Really? No clue?" Ash asked the girl with a forced laugh, an incredulous look on his face as he leaned over the fence.

"Nope! That's why I need you to help me." Laney looked proud, she swayed back and forth on her feet until they both noticed Cam.

"Hi, Cam," Ash started as Cam got closer, his face was questioning and he looked at Cam as if the quieter of the two grew a second head. "So, who is it?" He asked.

Cam's brows furrowed further, he was sure he looked like an old man from all the wrinkles he was giving himself. "Who's who?" He asked, admittedly in small voice, hoping for clarification. Ash just gave him a sympathetic smile, flicking his eyes to Laney. Did she… mention...

She gave a dragged-on sigh. "The object of your affections, twit."

Cam couldn't believe it. Of course Laney just had to make that an issue.

"I'm just… kinda curious now, since Laney, she kind of told me about… y'know." Ash told him as if it'd justify the situation. He fixed his red hat and looked back to Laney, though she was looking… staring? Glaring at Cam.

This was her sweet revenge.

And Goddess, how he hated all things saccharine and sweet.

"I don't have a crush." Cam stated, though his voice sounded even smaller than before.

"You do though," Laney shot back, crossing her arms, "you admitted it!"

"You caught me off-guard," Cam defended, "I wasn't even paying attention to what you were saying."

"You wouldn't be so edgy right now if you were telling the truth!"

Cam glared at Laney with shaky eyes. From the corner of his vision he could see Ash looking back and forth at the two. And now he was caught up in this mess too, of course Laney had to get everyone involved including the one person he trusted the most- "It's none of your concern." Cam spat out his words, trying to lay them down with force.

"Tell me who you like! You and Lilly are so- so stubborn!"

"You shouldn't meddle in either of our affairs." So Laney had been prodding Lillian too. But now the focus was on him, and he- it made him feel-

He felt really warm, he tried wiping at his brow, something to distract himself.

"It's been the best news I've heard in ages! I just want to help or something."

"Well, uh," Ash cleared his throat, whatever Cam was about to say was interrupted by the male rancher speaking up, causing both Cam and Laney looked at him. The hummed before continuing, "I know how annoying little girls can be, trust me," he started carefully, making Laney give an offended tut, "so, maybe it'd be better if Laney left, and, you know we're best buds, Cam, you can tell me, right? Ash gave a small shrug accompanied with a smile and ignored Laney's pout as he looked expectantly at Cam, who was mostly just trying not to collapse from the sudden scorching heat he felt. He really needed a glass of water or something, he wasn't sure if he could- "Is that okay?" Ash asked after only getting Cam's silence as a response.

Laney looked back to the florist, still wearing a pout. "You can't keep a secret forever," she commented. "We'll tear it out of you somehow."

Cam stood still.

He felt like Ash's expectant gaze and Laney's glare were burning straight through him, he looked between the two, his hands gripping at the fabric of his pants and releasing and repeating again and again with a slight tremble as he tried to regain his composure.. Something inside of him was triggered and when he opened his dry mouth to speak, he only found it harder to breathe.

He couldn't do it.

The two others noticed, obviously, and their looks went from annoyed and sympathetic to worried. For some reason, this made it even worse for Cam, and he tried taking a step back. He almost tripped, but he regained his footing and found words.

"I forgot the- the flowers, I-," he tried to spit out, before finally giving up on talking and turning away from his two friends and rushing back, needing to get back to the café. He heard Ash call out for him, but his calls were ignored, Cam only focusing on getting back. He didn't know if either of them followed him, but Laney was probably trailing behind him. He didn't want her to. He couldn't have her helping right now. He finally got to the café, and he ignored his stuff on the table and went right inside. Cam went to his room and shut the door behind him with an accidental bam, and he just felt thankful to be alone, though he still struggled to regain composure. He stumbled to his bed and collapsed on it, trying to remember how to breathe.

He hated when those things happened. Sudden heaviness on his chest and his lungs filling with something hot and viscous… Cam's brooding about that day's attack was interrupted maybe a minute later, or it could have been a second or an hour, Cam wasn't sure, there were soft knocks on his door. Still trying to calm down, Cam ignored the muffled voice and the knocking. Whoever it was, the person left soon after, and Cam sat up on his bed. Breathing in, breathing out. In and out.

He needed some time alone.

A/N: Anxiety and stuff is hard for me to write, sorry, but I hope I did okay.