Chapter 4

CAM POV

'I can't believe she told Howard.' Cam thought to himself.

Yesterday Evee had come into the café visibly upset and Howard, being both nosey and concerned, forced the truth out of her. It seemed that she was still quite upset about what Cam had said in the forest and she told Howard of the grievances laid against her by the young man.

Howard was shocked. He couldn't believe that Cam, a boy he had been taking care of for the past 10 years would be capable of such a thing. He was so shocked that he left Evee in the café and went to see if Evee's story could be true.

Cam was at his stall when Howard confronted him about his behavior towards Evee.

"Cam, Evee has just told me that you have not been welcoming at all and have been quite rude to her."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Howard. I haven't been rude."

"Well have you been nice to her? She said that you yelled at her in the forest yesterday! Cam, is that true?"

"Well…I didn't mean to yell…But she snuck up on me in the forest and startled me so I might have… Howard, I don't remember every interaction I have with people! Besides, why do you care so much?"

"DO NOT speak to me in that tone young man. NOW, if you were rude to her I expect you to go and apologize to that girl. She is very nice and does not deserve this kind of treatment from you. She is new here and you are making the village look bad by being unwelcoming!"

Howard was visibly furious with Cam now and it was quite a terrifying sight to say the least. Though Howard was usually very gentle and kind, he was still an enormous man who could be very intimidating if he wanted to be. But Cam knew that Howard would never hurt a fly even in this kind of rage.

"No. I will not apologize to her and you can't force me to."

"Oh, really? Well, you may be right about that, but I'll just stop cooking for you and tell Rutger that you will be taking my place in the cooking festival from now on. How does that sound?"

Cam disliked many things, but he loathed having to cook. It was such a simple thing, but Cam just couldn't stand to do it. But what Howard was threatening was not just Cam having to cook for himself, but also for a world renowned judge. This was cruelty in its purest form, but Cam was stubborn.

" FINE, but I'm not apologizing!"

Howard smirked and walked back into his café.

It wasn't until this morning that Cam was really regretting what had gone on between Howard and himself. Last night he had tried to convince himself that apologizing was a much worse form of punishment, but he had forgotten that the cooking festival was coming up. In fact it was today and that was why right now Cam was in the café's kitchen trying to think of a salad he could make. He decided that an Herb salad would be simplest and the making of it would be the least unpleasant when compared to the other salads that he knew how to make. Chamomile and mint were easy to find in the forest during this time of year and he still had some lavender left from the winter that he had been saving for perfume making.

'Oh, well. I suppose this is more important than perfume…' while Cam was thinking this he was also silently cursing Howard and Evee. Howard was making him do this, but none of this would have happened if Evee hadn't been such a cry-baby. If what Cam had said to her had bothered her so much why didn't she confront him about it rather than going running to Howard to tell on him?

These thoughts were going through Cam's head as he was cutting up the herbs for his salad and the thought of Evee's betrayal infuriated him so much that he became careless with his chopping and accidently sliced his hand. This happened right when Howard entered the kitchen to check up on Cam's progress with his salad.

"Oh dear! Here let me get you a bandage!"

Cam knew Howard was still upset with him because despite Howard's kindness in wrapping his hand, he did wrap it quite tightly and his hand throbbed with pain. 'This is all her fault!' Cam thought to himself. 'None of this would have happened if she had never come to this village!' So now with a damaged hand, Cam returned to the kitchen to work on his salad only to discover that it was almost noon.

Cam swore under his breath, he didn't have time to finish his salad properly so he gathered up his herbs and threw them all into a bowl and dashed out the door. The judge wouldn't think much of his salad, but he couldn't be late or Rutger would be upset with him too.

Cam was nearing the outskirts of town when he saw her. It seemed she was running late too… Cam ducked behind a bush so that Evee wouldn't spot him as she headed toward the mountain. Though Cam was itching to stop and confront her about talking to Howard, he decided a potentially awkward and upsetting confrontation wasn't the best idea right now. It would take up valuable time and then he would have to walk with her up the mountain. It was best she didn't know he was there, if he didn't talk to her, he couldn't be mean to her and she couldn't go crying to Howard and get him into more trouble. There it was again, the fact that everyone was upset with him because of her. It wasn't fair that this new person who had barely been there for a week could have enough influence to make everyone upset with him. Why was he required to be nice to her? Who was she? Why does she matter? She was just some new farmer that nobody knew but suddenly she had the whole village under her thumb, well to be fair the whole village minus him and Georgia. But that was just how Georgia was, she would be friends with her by next season, it just took her time to get used to people. Then next season it would just be him and he would be an outcast because of it.

But that was nothing new. Being an outcast. He never really did fit the mold. His mother was a musician so they never stayed in one place for long. He had never had any friends when he was younger and even after his mother died and he went to live with his grandfather, he was never able to make friends. He just wasn't good with people. Besides, he had no real desire for friendship. People didn't understand him, how could they? No one could relate with him and what he had been through. His experiences set him apart and made it difficult for him to be able to relate with anyone and the thought of listening to other people's menial problems just made him feel sick. No, friendship had never really been an option for him.

Though as he thought on the subject of friends, he decided that Ash was probably the closest thing he had ever had had to a friend. Ash could relate with him on some things, he was passionate about animals the way that Cam was passionate about flowers. They had also had a few pleasant conversations about everyday things such as minor troubles with girls and animals. Cam didn't mind Ash he enjoyed listening to him and his views of life. Though Ash would never be able to really understand Cam, Cam still enjoyed having someone to talk to, even if the topic was fairly trivial.

Cam was about halfway up the mountain, he had been trying to stay far enough behind Evee so that she wouldn't notice that he was behind her. If she knew he was there, she might try to walk with him. She seemed like she might be the civil type who would wait for him so that they could walk together. Such an idea made cam uneasy. He might be able to get along okay with Ash, but this girl was a different story. There was no way that they could have anything in common. She seemed to be the popular well-loved type while he knew that people perceived him as the anti-social brooding type. People just didn't understand. How could they and how could she? No. She could never understand. She was too perfect. Her life was too perfect with her new farm already organized and trimmed up. Rutger just gave her everything. 'He didn't give me anything when I came here!'

When Cam came to the village Howard offered him a place to stay, but no one helped him get started with his flower stand. He was the one who had to pay to travel and get the seeds to begin, he was the one who had to locate merchants and books detailing how to grow specific flowers, he was the one who found the right soil to use! No, no one ever helped him. These thoughts enraged Cam, almost enough for him to run after Evee and confront her about being a tattle tale, but she was already at the top of the mountain and giving Rutger her salad. Rutger looked so delighted that she was taking part in the cooking festival it kind of made Cam feel sick to his stomach. Cam picked up his pace when he saw Evee enter into the festival area. Cam presented his herb salad to Rutger, but Rutger had a markedly different reaction to this salad than the one he had received a minute before.

"You're late! And what is this?" Rutger asked angrily.

"It's my herb salad, what's wrong with it?" Cam coolly replied.

"Hmm, oh well. It will have to do!" Rutger ushered Cam into the festival. Cam thought his salad looked alright. Well, his herbs weren't cut up as much as they should be, but still at least he entered something. When entered into the festival he saw that he was the last one to arrive. Of course Evee was there and he also saw that Ash was already there too. It seemed he was the third contestant for Bluebell and he had brought potato salad. Potato salad wasn't Cam's favorite, but it looked good and, as much as he hated to admit it, Evee's caprese salad looked okay as well. After seeing the other contestants dishes Cam was suddenly more self conscious of his own entry. 'Whatever, it's not like I volunteered for this anyway. I was forced into it. They should feel lucky that I even came today and didn't leave them without a third contestant. Besides, Ash's mom probably helped him with his salad and Rutger most certainly gave Evee the ingredients for her dish. How else could she have gotten a tomato for her salad?'

As Cam moved closer to the Bluebell contestant table he noticed that Ash and Evee were talking quietly and Evee started to giggle at something Ash had said. Cam was suddenly self conscious. 'Are they talking about me? What is she laughing about?' Cam approached the table and Evee looked up into his face, Cam's heart faltered. 'Were her eyes always that beautiful shade of violet?' He wondered. The other features of her face were equally stunning. She had pale porcelain skin, but her cheeks were flushed giving her a lively, healthy look. As Cam scanned the rest of her face he also noticed her small perfectly shaped mouth, her lips were a dark shade of red, so similar to his roses... Was she wearing lipstick? No, it didn't look like she was. Her lips looked smooth and soft, but it was then that Cam noticed that the beautiful little lips were shaped in a distinct frown. Cam was pulled back to reality. This girl did not like him. Cam replayed the events of the past week in his head. He had been really mean to this girl. Why? What had she actually done to him? Nothing. She had just come to the village and people had liked her. That was all, everyone liked her and was nice to her and that's why he didn't. The village had been nice to her and helped her get started with her new life, and why wouldn't they? The farm had been empty for as long as he could remember, and she looked so small, how was she expected to run that farm all by herself? Cam understood now and he regretted his harsh words. Though, as he looked at Evee, it did not seem like an apology was going to be welcome. Cam moved to stand near Ash.

"Cam, what did you do to Evee? If looks could kill…"

"I know, I might have been a little….uncivil towards her."

"I think that might be an understatement…."

"Shut up, the festival is starting."

They had lost. And by the look of it, Rutger blamed him. The judge had loved Evee's and Ash's salads, but had had no comment on his. 'Whatever, it's just a stupid festival.' At least he had participated. He was leaving the festival when he saw Evee talking with Rutger. He was going to walk with Ash down the mountain, but it looked like Ash had left without him. Was he upset with me too now? Did she tell him what he had said? Cam felt ashamed. How could he have been so mean to her? She was so young, or maybe she just looked young. It was then that it dawned on him, why did she come here? Where was her family? Why would her family allow her to come out to this village all alone? Cam felt terrible. This girl had enough to worry about with her farm and it was wrong of him to have been so mean and make her life more difficult than it already was.

Cam waited by the large oak near the goddess pond for Evee to finish her conversation with Rutger. When she finished he watched her leave the festival area and begin to head down the mountain by herself. Cam ran after her. Evee heard him approach and wheeled about to face him. She looked furious. Her beautiful features were twisted up so that she was almost snarling.

"What do you want? Come to be a jerk and try to blame the loss on me? Well TOO bad, I know it was your fault, your salad looked terrible so don't even try to make me feel bad about my salad!"

Cam froze. Whatever he was expecting it was not that. Her outburst terrified him. His face was furrowed and he looked down at the ground.

"I….I'm sorry." He mumbled.

"What? Speak up! I want to at least be able to hear your insults!"

Cam looked up into her face. It was still twisted with fury.

"I said I'm sorry. I regret the terrible things I said to you and how rude I had been. You didn't do anything to deserve it."

Evee's face softened a little.

"Then why would you ever say such things? Really, there must have been something that inspired such hate to have said those things."

"I… it was nothing, I guess I was a little jealous of you…"

"Jealous of me! Are you serious? Here I am with nothing, no real home, no family and you're jealous? You have got to be kidding!"

"No, I was jealous that everyone immediately accepted you into the village They helped you get started on your farm and you have barely been here for a week and you are already friends with half the village and your farm is almost fully restored! ! They were so nice and welcoming to you! Not like when I came here…"

"I would have been accepted into the village if you weren't a part of said village! You made me feel like an outcast! No matter how many people in the village had been nice to me your behavior made me feel like I didn't belong! And as for my farm, it is not even close to being restored! The buildings are all old and almost collapsing! The cottage I live in is so small and there isn't even a shower! It's not that I'm ungrateful for the place, but you make it sound like I was given some palace that just needed a coat of paint!"

"Look! I said I was sorry. I didn't mean for you to feel that way so you can either accept my apology or you can continue feeling like an outcast even though you're far from it!"

Cam was staring intently at Evee as he said this. Evee's eyes were downcast. Cam couldn't read her expression, but suddenly she moved and reached into her bag. She rummaged in her sack for a minute before she pulled out a beautiful white flower and handed it to Cam.