Blood Pearls
VI
His vibrant blue eyes struggled to focus on his own reflection in the mirror. His head was throbbing. What the hell happened? Iden opened the medicine cabinet of the bathroom and fiddled with a bottle of aspirin. He shook the pill bottle and three tablets came out. He popped the lid back on, tossed them in his mouth and grabbed a vacant cup neatly sat beside the faucet. He only put enough water in it to wash the aspirin down.
He didn't struggle once as he swallowed three decently sized tablets. He set the cup back down and sighed. Today was the day he was going to rock bed-head. Although he really didn't look that bad, he thought about having a quick shower to freshen up. He moved the shower curtains back and screamed when he saw a couple passed out in his shower/tub combination.
Iden shut the curtains and exited the bathroom, nearly tripping on someone else who decided to sleep on the floor. Or maybe they landed there? "What the fuck?!" He could feel his blood boiling. "Everyone get the fuck out except for my elite crew, you know who you are!"
No one could sleep any longer with Iden screaming orders like the queen he was.
Phoebe, the usual Bratz-pack along with Dylan and Cameron were part of Iden's elite crew. Although he didn't mind if Phoebe brought her boyfriend along, he was a nice piece of eye candy. And Eitan was too good looking for Iden to be slightly annoyed by his girlfriend, Geneva.
After everyone, whom wasn't deemed 'elite' was gone, he sighed dramatically. As if he battled and won an entire war on his own. "Now, my darlings… if I, and I mean you, don't get this place cleaned up my parents will have an absolute conniption fit. We don't want that."
Jade folded her arms over her chest. He was so rude sometimes! Alright… he was rude most of the time. "Listen Iden, stop being your usual dickhead self and pay attention," the others were overjoyed to hear Jade dish some of Iden's own medicine back at him. "we, and I mean you, are going to be fucking nice or we'll just walk out without helping you because it wasn't our, and I don't mean collectively but singularly, idea to throw a 'ditch prom' after party like a spoiled little bitch." Iden just stood there dumbfounded. She was the only woman that could put him in his place. "Now, if you'd like our help tidying up, we're gonna have to hear you ask us nicely."
"Woo, damn Kool Kat!" Sasha sipped a bottle of water as she leaned against the counter for support. She wasn't too steady on her feet after last night. "You're a feisty bitch before coffee, aren't you?"
Jade smirked as she shook her head, trying to will away the headache that had formed. Although she was sure the headache had a name… and it was Iden. "Absolutely."
Iden knew better than to challenge Jade but he also didn't want to clean all of this up by himself. "Guys, please?" He asked them softly.
"I'm sorry, what was that?" Yasmin asked him as she had already gathered some of the empty bottles around the kitchen-area. She wasn't cleaning this up for him… she was only cleaning it up because the sight was making her nauseous all over again.
"Guys." Iden addressed them all, even Cameron and Dylan who had come in to see what was happening. They had been outside watching the beautiful sunrise. "If you please help me clean this place up… I will gladly treat us to a nice, warm breakfast that we could all use."
Jade smiled and gave him a hug. "That's much better." She let go and they soon began the ultimately dreaded clean up of the after party. "I'll always take bribery before attitude."
The restaurant wasn't lavish… he knew a fancy restaurant made the majority of his friends uncomfortable so he opted for a smaller, friendlier place. The food was good here even if to him, the service was mediocre, they seemed to love it every time. Everyone had finally arrived. "Hiya babe," Bryce leaned down and kissed Phoebe's cheek.
"Hi handsome," she greeted him back as he sat down next to her. "glad you could make it."
"Me too." He sat down and picked up the menu. "I guess the party got a little crazy last night?" He could probably tell by the looks of everyone alone. He was semi-sad he had to miss most of it it as he had to go home earlier than expected.
"Yeah." Dylan answered as he set his menu down meanwhile Cameron hadn't even picked it up yet. "It got quite crazy. I don't even think I remember most of it."
Iden smirked. "Honey, those are often the best parties. You know it was wild if it's foggy in your head. Probably better off that way." He winked.
Sasha seemed to be scouring the menu. "Damn, I need some comfort food. Like now. I gotta be energized before I head to confessionals." They all shared a laugh.
Cloe waved it off. "Oh Bunny Boo, you don't have to go to extremes. You were actually pretty chill."
Yasmin nodded. "Meygan on the other hand, that girl lost her top in the campfire. Well, lost is putting it lightly..."
"She tossed it in the flames like a wild ass animal." Phoebe finished. It was completely unlike her. "Lost, please."
Bryce laughed. "That's just Meygan for you. Usually it's Geneva here." He gestured over to her and she swatted in his direction.
"Well for once it wasn't. Actually I was pretty much with Eitan all night." She nuzzled his cheek and kissed it lightly. "We made love, twice!"
Iden scrunched his nose up at the thought of heteros contaminating his bed. "Good lord, I may have to burn it."
The blonde beauty swirled the straw around in her iced tea. Her gaze fell upon the male who hadn't spoken since they arrived. She tried to get his attention since the moment they met in grade school but Cloe feared he only saw her as a friend or sister. She flipped her blonde locks over her shoulder and continued to watch him until the waiter came to take their orders. Cameron excused himself from the table suddenly, leaving Dylan to order his food. 'Why won't he notice me?' she thought to herself until Sasha poked her side. She realized it was her turn to order.
"Umm... the blueberry pancakes, please." Cloe replied, rubbing the side that was now sore.
She then got up from her seat and headed straight for the bathrooms. She wanted to check in with Cameron to make sure he was alright.
A small smile swept across her face instantly when she saw him walking out. "Hey Cameron..." She started off, twirling a lock of blonde hair around her finger.
"Hey Angel." He said as he quickly continued the path back to his seat.
Cloe stood there in utter shock, she couldn't believe he just walked right by her.
After that figurative slap in the face Cloe made her way back to the table... hoping maybe she could talk to him more.
Yasmin sat there quietly sipping on her water. She watched as Cloe painfully tried to flirt with Cameron for the hundredth time since they arrived. Everyone knew that she had this huge crush on Cameron, but for some reason Cameron and Cloe never dated. Dylan used to inform them it was because Cameron saw Cloe as more of a sister than a girlfriend. It was understandable since they grew up around each other and all.
"Hey Angel, that's a real cute top." Yasmin stated, trying to distract her from feeling so annoyed. She could understand why… Cameron wasn't giving her the time of day but there was no need to take it out on everyone else.
"Thanks Yas, my mom found it online. She's thoughtful like that." she answered, adjusting the shirt so it sat more comfortably on her body. "At least she doesn't ignore me." Cloe muttered under her breath as she glared briefly at Cameron.
"I have to get the website, I need one." Yasmin complimented as she took another sip of her water to pass the time.
Dylan noticed that Cloe had been staring at his best friend and he knew that Cameron wasn't interested in her. He also knew first hand that it annoyed Cameron. No matter how many times he told her that they should just remain friends... she didn't get it and always flirted with him.
"Sorry about the wait folks, we're awfully busy today." The waiter explained as he collected the menus he had forgotten to take earlier.
"My iced tea has been empty for at least five minutes." Cloe told him snappily as she shook the glass.
"Oh my apo-" the waiter began to apologize for the inconvenience until Cameron spoke up.
"No, don't you dare apologize to her. She's doing what she's good at - being a straight up bitch." He glared at Cloe. "What's your fucking problem anyway? You haven't stopped sulking since we got here."
Cloe blinked in shock. "I-"
Cameron took a twenty dollar bill out of his pocket and gave it to the waiter. "That's for dealing with entitled girls like *her. I don't know how you do it but you're doing a great job." He stood up and pushed his chair in.
"Where are you going?" Cloe asked Cameron. It was the only words she could force out.
"Far away from you as fucking possible. You just don't get it Cloe. Do you think I'm that stupid? I know you've always had a thing for me, but I didn't then and I don't have any feelings for you now… and you need to get over it. I've tried to be nice but you just won't back off!" He took a breath and regained his composure. He apologized… to the waiter. "I'm sorry for causing a scene in your establishment. I'll remove myself. Pardon me."
Cloe grabbed his hand and he shook her grip off immediately. "Cam, please-"
"Don't fucking touch me, Cloe. Ever. And Yasmin lied, that top sucks on you." He felt so angered that he could just go off and ruin her, but this was him holding back. He stormed out of the restaurant, delicately opening and closing the door on the way out.
Geneva bit her lip, she hadn't realized that she'd been gripping Eitan's hand the entire time. "Well… he's not lying. I mean, that top isn't the greatest you've ever worn..." Eitan nudged her with his elbow. "ow."
Cloe, as she did everything, dramatically ran off to the bathroom.
"That was a bit harsh..." Jade began as the rest of the table sat in silence. Even Iden couldn't wrap his head around what had just happened.
"That top does suck on her though." Iden pointed out, finding his voice once again.
Sasha sighed and glared at Dylan. "What the hell was that?"
Dylan shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know why you expect me to know."
"You're his best friend, of course you'd know." She picked up her steaming cup of green tea and lightly blew on the liquid in attempt to cool it down.
He sighed. "Guys… I'm sorry, I have no words for how he reacted. But… he has been more than nice to Cloe but she won't back off. She even tried to sext him on multiple occasions, did y'all know that?"
The girls blinked in shock. Angel sent provocative texts to Cameron? Yikes.
"We didn't." Jade spoke on behalf of the girls.
Bryce sighed. "It's annoying when you've made it clear that you're not interested and someone keeps bugging you, like maybe you'll date them out of pity? Say yes to shut them up?" He grasped Phoebe's hand. "That wouldn't be a sturdy foundation for a relationship, now would it?"
Everyone at the table thought about it… but no one could prove Bryce's words wrong. "Something must be bothering him." Phoebe added, she didn't know Cameron as well as Dylan did, but she knew him well enough to know that snapping in public wasn't his style. "I mean, he never lashes out like that. The boy even told her that her shirt sucked! He was seething. I could tell that much. I don't think she was the direct cause… but she didn't help either."
Dylan shook his head. "I don't know… something's up and I gotta find out what it is."
The waiter, though shocked at the amount of drama coming from this table, came back with various items that the group had ordered. "Thank you hon," Iden dismissed him after all the plates of food had arrived. "stay Dylan. Might as well eat breakfast before you poke the insanely mad, possibly diseased bear."
Bryce held the growing smirk back as best he could. "I guess we don't call him blaze for nothing, that temper is certainly fire."
"Now, now… shut up and let's eat!" Iden dismissed all the chit-chat and they dug into their meals.
Yasmin took a few bites of her breakfast as she stewed in her thoughts. Her friend was in the bathroom upset and her food was getting cold. She quickly dabbed both sides of her mouth with her napkin before dismissing herself from the table. Yasmin went to find Cloe and see if there was anything she could do. She pushed the restroom door open and her heart broke when she could hear the sound of crying.
"Angel? It's Yasmin." She spoke softly as she walked in and closed the door, hoping the other would talk to her. "Please talk to me..."
"Oh Yas, I don't understand why he's so mad at me!" She said blowing her nose into a small bunch of toilet paper. "I just love him, so much." It was her go-to excuse whenever he told her where to go and how to get there. Cameron had never lashed out that hard at her previously.
She pushed open the stall door, it pained her heart seeing the blonde girl's mascara running down her cheeks. "Oh Cloe..." she truly felt sorry for the other girl. "I hate to ask this... but Dylan was telling us you were sending pictures to Cameron. The inappropriate kind." She mentioned… curious to see how Cloe was going to react.
She stopped mid-cry to be offended. "Oh Pretty Princess, I would never! Yes, I love Cameron – but I wouldn't do such a thing like that. I do have a bit of class y'know." Angel said as the tears started falling from her eyes once more. Yasmin gently pulled her friend into a comforting hug, as she wiped away some of her tears. "I don't know why they would say that."
"It's alright Angel, I'm sure it isn't true..." Yasmin said as she rubbed the other girl's back in small circles.
"It just hurts so bad, I love him so much and he hates me. I don't understand what I ever did to him!"
Yasmin thought about it. She knew that Cloe heavily crushed on Cameron, but she kept saying that she 'loves' him excessively… and there was no way she didn't know that he didn't return her feelings… so why wasn't she letting it go? "I don't know Angel, you should give him some space and let him cool down on his own. He'll come around when he's ready." She told Cloe, taking a some paper towel and dampening it, handing it to Cloe so she could wipe the sad-looking make up off. "Come on, breakfast is getting cold. Then how about we go get mani-pedi?"
"Fantastic idea Yas, after this morning I really gotta spoil myself. Maybe after our nails, we can go shopping too?" Angel asked, the tone in her voice alone sounded instantly happier, as if she hadn't been upset at all. She pulled her lip gloss out of her pocket and applied a fair amount to her lips.
The brunette stood there, totally confused at the other's actions before tossing the dirty paper towel into the trash. "Umm.. sure. Sounds like fun I guess." She opened the bathroom door and stared at her friend whom was still checking herself out in the mirror. "I'll meet you back at the table then." Yasmin finally left the bathroom, pushing away the feeling something about this wasn't right. She wanted to believe Cloe since she was one of her dearest friends, but she wouldn't lie to her face, or would she?