N/A: Sooo, here's the new chapter! (: I divide the text differently. From now, it would be like this:
"..." - talks / speeches
"italic" - thoughts / memories
italic - songs
bold - conversations in chat
Did you guys like it? Is it best to read? Let me know...
CHAPTER EIGHT
Ramblings
Damian woke up on Sunday morning feeling like he had slept too much. The heavy curtains prevented him from measuring the height of the sun, so he groped the nightstand to find his cellphone. Eight-thirty in the morning. Great. If he didn't know it would be useless to turn to the side and try to fall asleep, he would try. Then he tried to remember why it looks like he had slept too much. Oh yes, he had gone to sleep early the night before. His godfather was waiting with a huge pot of ice cream to celebrate the victory - for what Chris was already certain. Marissa and Sam had called him for a ride, to get something to eat, but he refused 'cause he was exhausted. Damian heard the sound of the piano and smiled.
He got up, took a shower and when he left his bedroom, he couldn't stop laughing. Chris was playing some childish music and singing while Snuffles was barking. He went to the studio and stood in the doorway.
"Bravo" - Damian clapped enthusiastically.
"Thank you! Thank you!" - Chris said, tossing his hair back.
"I'm not talking to you, Chris. I'm congratulating Snuffles, he was magnificent!" - The dog had jumped, stood up and leaned on the boy's chest.
"Hmmph" - Chris faked a hurt look and sat in one of the ottomans, pointing to the piano. – "It's all yours, Damian! Play something for me!" - Snuffles barked. – "Ok, play something for us!"
"Certainly, gentlemen" - Damian went to the piano and made it like if he was adjusting his tuxedo before sitting upright piano, plucking canine laughs of Chris.
Damian played some songs he had just learned. Upbeat songs for a Sunday morning. Soon Chris was whirling around the studio with Snuffles. Then they took turns and Chris went to the piano while the other two "danced".
When they were tired and hungry, Chris suggested that they take a drive and "eat some crap out there." Damian couldn't help but think what Darren would say about it, but the teacher hadn't showed up since Friday evening and he didn't want to stop Chris' happiness. He knew that his godfather was apprehensive, but was trying to hide it.
But before they left, Sam called him:
"What's up, Sam?"
"Dude, you have no excuse this time. Mom ..." - "Is this how you greet your best friend, Sam?" Damian heard Marissa's voice in the background. – "Good morning, Damian! Are you okay?" - "That's better, Humpt."
"All great"
-"So as I was saying, Mom called you and Chris ... and Snuffles, to lunch here with us. She said she doesn't accept no for an answer. It's not an invitation, it's a intimation! Tell Chris that mom made lasagna!"
Damian turned to Chris:
"Do you want to eat lasagna with the Larsens?"
"Lasagna? Sure! Let's go! Do I look like a guy who refuses free food?"
"We're going, Sam. I won't even ask if Snuffles wants to go 'cause we already know the answer!"
"Great! I'll tell Mom. She said she will call Darren too. We are waiting, ok?"
Minutes later, the three were at the Larsens' house, who Damian considered part of his family, sitting at a huge table in the garden, surrounded by people on all sides, including Hanna's boyfriend, Colin. Damian responded better than he imagined about the meeting with the couple. He thought he'd be depressed, or feel out of place, even jealous. But what he felt was almost jealous.
Almost. No, it wasn't that stingy feeling, it was more like a necessity that only now he had discovered in himself. Maybe he didn't feel as complete as he imagined after all. But why he couldn't find someone for him, like Sam found Marissa and Hanna found Colin? This was not his priority at the moment but would be very welcome if it happened. It would be very childish to believe that your other half was somewhere? Well, if it really exist, then would probably have to fall from the sky right in front, so maybe he would recognize?
There was no way he wouldn't feel at home with the Larsen. The afternoon flew by as they had fun in the huge backyard of the property playing volleyball and swimming in a nearby lake. In the late afternoon, Damian, Sam and 'Rissa gathered on the porch and talked.
"Mom said she called Darren to lunch too, but he declined, saying he had some work to do" - Sam said absently while playing with Marissa's hand.
Damian nodded his head trying to look distracted. He hated hide things from his friends, he was actually dying to tell someone, but it was a very delicate subject. He didn't know how they would react to that, especially Sam. His friend wasn't very tolerant about homosexuality. He thought it best to leave the decision to tell someone to Chris and Darren. Damian wondered what would be Chris' reaction if Darren doesn't want him, or worse, if he moves apart from them, despite Damian not believe it could happen. The teacher was a very focused and sensible man, would still love Chris as a friend, but that friendship would never be the same ...
"So, Damian, how was your practice yesterday?" - Marissa asked, sitting next to her boyfriend.
Sam looked at him with a frown. Damian sighed.
"Everything was great until Mitchell ruin it"
"I knew it!" - Sam punched the ground. – "That guy is a miserable bastard! He wanted to join the team just to you give you a hard time, Damo!"
Damian nodded. Marissa turned to Damian with a frown:
"What Coach Beist said?"
"She said that if we continue to fight we'll both be expelled from the team…"
"I knew it! That's what he wants, Damian! That son of a ... Ow!"
Marissa had given a pinch on her boyfriend's arm, who is now rubbing the spot.
"And what do you intend to do, Damian?" - Marissa continued, ignoring Samuel.
"I'll do my part. Just leave him alone and hope that he'll do the same"- Damian shrugged.
"But you are a team, Damian! You'll have to work together! How will play on the same team with this rivalry?"
"And what do you suggest, 'Rissa? That Damian and Mitchell become best bros?" - Sam said, a little moody.
"I know that Mitchell is intolerable, but you have to talk to him and propose a truce, Damian."
"I already did that! I told him to leave me alone, forget that I exist, but he doesn't get over it!" – Damian said.
Marissa sighed and bit her lower lip before continue to talking.
"There must be a way, Damian. Try entering into an agreement with him, ask truce! It's out of necessity, you already are both grow-ups, and there is no reason to continue with this childish rivalry."
It was Damian's turn to sigh and lean his head on his chin with his elbow on his knee. He had already said that to Mitchell, but had no effect whatsoever.
"Look, why don't you mark a practice with him alone?"
"What?" - Sam said incredulously. – "You won't hear this crazy, will you?"
"Shut up, Sam. Let Damian answer for himself, he is much more mature than you, right Damian?"
Damian laughed at his friend's face.
"Ok, 'Rissa, I'll see what to do. I'll talk to him anyway…"
Sam let his chin drop and shook his head, unhappy. Damian let himself be silent. He would try again for the good of the team. He had goals to achieve. All he always did was to challenge his own limits, he didn't want to impress anyone or attract attention to himself, and was willing to do anything to it. And if it included a civilized conversation with Cameron Mitchell, then he would do that.
" Hey, I told you that I found Mitchell running in the park last friday?"- he remembered suddenly.
"No" - Marissa said.
"What? Mitchell running in the park?" - Sam asked incredulously. – "Man, this is something I thought impossible. I always thought he would prefer a gym, after all, he's very stuck-up! It would be degrading to him to sweat in public!" - He imitated a disgusted expression.
Marissa seemed to consider his words with a frown, but said nothing.
"Yes, I also found it very strange too" - Damian said. – "But perhaps it was the desperation to join the team ... it looks like he's also going to the gym..."
They stayed for dinner, and when they got home it was after nine o'clock. While Chris was watching TV, Damian took another shower and sat down at the computer. He read again the material he had done during the week and in a few minutes the site was already updated. After that, he entered at the chat, where he was already being expected. He smiled at the screen when he saw the new message:
The Hipster says: Hello, Angel.
He liked the friendship between the Angel and the Hipster. It was strange, sometimes try to imagine him as a 24 or 25 years man. He got used to imagine The Hipster as a boy with his age, preppy and spoiled. He gave the impression that he was still dependent on his father, even in the job. Of course he wouldn't admit it, but it seemed that way. Maybe his company was familiar, midsize, or maybe he was a spoiled bachelor who was used to his mother and father's protection. But the case was that Damian had already formed a mental image of The Hipster since his first conversation with him, which didn't mean he had a negative impression in any way...
The man seemed quite interested and responsible, and had a pleasant chat, showed a genuine interest in Damian's articles and, in a sense, his life too. But Damian never imagined him as businessman who would enter a college chat college to hit on interns.
The Hipster says: Busy?
He shook his head and began typing a response.
~ ~ dameron ~ ~
Cameron woke nearly eleven o'clock on Sunday - but not in a good humor. Instead of take a shower, he decided to wear his speedo and gray robe, grabbed his sunglasses, cell phone and headphones and went straight to the pool, which was at the back of the mansion.
The pool was heated and covered, otherwise he couldn't even dream about swimming at this time. Blame his pale skin.
Do you wanna be somebody else?
Are you sick of feeling so left out?
Are you desperate to find something more
Before your life is over
His mother appeared at lunchtime, with her elegant posture, her long blond hair and blue eyes.
"Honey, the lunch will be served already" - Lydia Mitchell said in a moderate tone, almost formal.
"I'm not hungry, mother" - it was true, but the main reason was to escape from his father's indifference.
"But you didn't eat enough yesterday ..." - This time her tone was a little lighter and a tinge of concern could be heard.
"Don't worry, mom. I'll ask Monica to do something for me to eat later."
Lydia sat gracefully in a chair on the edge of the pool.
"Cameron, what's happening with you? You haven't left the house these days, Matheus and Alex didn't appear and you're not picking Lindsay's calls!"
The boy swam to the edge of the pool, supporting his arms and chin on the stone ledge and facing his mother with eyes narrow due to clarity.
Are you stuck inside a world you hate?
Are you sick of everyone around?
With the big fake smiles and stupid lies
But deep inside you're bleeding
"I'm just giving a time without them, mom. I just want to be alone for a while. I was feeling a little overwhelmed, you know?"
Lydia shrugged resignedly and got up.
"You know best, my son. I'll tell Monica to stick around. If you need anything or if you're hungry just call her, ok?"
"Okay" - Cameron watched her mother move away and then slid down to completely immerse in water.
In fact he didn't know why he was moving away from his friends. If he stopped to think, the relationship that they had wasn't quite a friendship. At least not with Alex and Matheus. It was more a relationship of power, they wanted to be close to someone rich and popular and Cameron wanted to feel like a leader.
Lindsay was the exception among them. She was beautiful, intelligent and, when she wasn't driving Cameron crazy with her compulsive talking about everything, she was a good company. But what bothered him in the brunette was something else: she was in love, he didn't!
They were never exclusive, but lately it looks like they were. Lindsay has a special place in Cameron's life but this special place wasn't like his girlfriend...
No you do not know what it's like
When nothing feels alright
You do not know what it's like to be like me
Cameron emerged almost completely breathless, with his hair all messy. He began to swim to get over these ridiculous reflections. If he was having an existential crisis, who would blame but McGinty?
He left the pool in the middle of the afternoon when Monica - a foreign lady, short and shy - brought a sandwich and pineapple juice. After lunch, the boy put his sunglasses, grabbed the phone and called who? Bryce Vine. He discovered that he was very well, thanks. He was living with his parents on the beach, studying law, had made new friends and had a steady girlfriend from seven months. Cameron couldn't help but feel depressed to hear the enthusiasm in which Bryce spoke about his girlfriend. How could anyone be thrilled to talk about a girl who he just knows from seven months?
After forty minutes of a call to another city in the cellphone, Cameron said goodbye and hung up. Not because of the fortune he had just spend, but because he couldn't bear his friend's happiness. Selfish as it sounds, he hoped to find a bored Bryce, missing the time when the two made a mess in the classroom, vying with whom earned more girls…
He spent the rest of the afternoon listening to music with headphones lying on a comfortable chair and trying to convince himself that there was nothing desperate about all this. It was just a phase. Soon he would be walking around with his BMW, Lindsay beside him, Matheus and Alex in the backseat, everyone shaking at the sound of music, going to parties ...
To be hurt
To feel lost
To be left out in the dark
To be kicked
When you're down
To feel like you've been pushed around
When was getting dark, Cameron went to his room and took a shower. Wore only baggy and comfortable pants and dug up the guitar from the closet. It had been so long since he played! Angel was right about music being a therapy.
To be on the edge of breaking down
When no one's there to save you
No you do not know what it's like
Welcome to my life
But the spell was broken when someone knocked on the door and he collected everything immediately, only to discover that it was Monica, bringing his dinner on a tray. Cameron rolled his eyes. Lydia and her fixation on her son's alimentation.
Once he finished dinner, Cameron checked the hours on the phone. Ten o'clock. It was time to discover the truth. The site had been updated and he read the article with interest. That Angel could even be a hoax, but his articles were excellent, no doubt.
The Hipster says: Hello, Angel.
It was automatic. It doesn't even matter anymore if that seemed a bit gay. Blame the cute nickname. He waited a few moments and no answers. Was Angel avoiding him? Cameron couldn't help feeling a certain ... apprehension?
The Hipster says: Busy?
.: Angel:. says: Hello! No, just got distracted. So what did you think?
The Hipster says: Perfect, as always.
.: Angel:. says: Thanks, man!
The Hipster says: So how was your weekend?
.: Angel:. says: Oh, it was great. Good news, celebrations filled with chocolate ice cream, music, visits to friends and lasagna. What could be better than that?
Great, another happy guy to shove in his face that his weekend was awful. Does only he had problems with the weekends?
The Hipster says: No, that's great. But then, how was the test?
Cameron bit his lower lip. Now he would know if Angel was a liar. He was apprehensive, he was ...afraid? Afraid to be disappointed with the new friend? Fear of having been deceived, that it was nothing more than a farce, that the angel didn't exist and never existed...
But there was still hope, suffice to say now that the Angel had come not to sign up, there he intended to appear at the time of training and see if I could join...
.: Angel:. says: Oh! Good news! I'm in, do you believe? For the first-string team...
No one ever lies straight to your face
And no one ever stabbed you in the back
You might think I'm happy
But I'm not gonna be ok
Disappointment. Cameron's shoulders slumped and he slid down in the chair. The guy was a liar ... There were only six people in the main team. One was himself, the other was Chord Overstreet, who was already in the third year Information Systems, so it would be impossible, the third was Michael Weisman who was... A moment ... Michael was a freshman but of Engineering. But ... Engineering? What this had to do with Journalism? It wasn't possible ... Cory Monteith and Harry Shum were both last year ...
He would take that answer right now, and if the guy insisted on lies, then it would be the end of their friendship.
The Hipster says: How wonderful! Congratulations! Have you ever played for the journalism team? Or will start playing volleyball only now representing the college?
He only had suspicions so far, so it wouldn't be prudent start to call him a liar! He had to make sure first. But he couldn't deny that he was clinging to the almost nonexistent possibility that he isn't lying. Some moments of hesitation. There was still hope!
.: Angel:. says: Oh, yes, I've played for the team of my course, but I'm definitely not from journalism! Maybe I forgot to say ...
Relief. It would be Michael? It would not be a bad idea ... Michael seemed to be the only interesting guy in that sea of idiots!
The Hipster says: No? You are interning in the research for the site, I thought this job stayed with the people who study journalism!
.: Angel:. says: Yes, they usually reserve these positions for the them, but they made an exception for me. They also tend to spend more subjects for each trainee. Officially, I do internship in the maintenance of the site, so they left only a page under my responsibility, the Technology News.
Cameron's eyes widened. Maintenance? But ... was not possible ... That could mean only one thing and that was ... terrible, scary! Oh God! There was just one possibility: the sixth player, Damian McGinty! It wasn't possible! He needed confirmation ...
The Hipster says: Information Systems?
.: Angel:. says: Yeah actually I was the one who asked for this responsibility, I wanted to test my abilities and the college supported me.
Cameron pulled the keyboard with a brusque gesture and leaned his elbows on the table computer, burying his head in his hands. He could only be playing with Cameron! How could that boy be the one he longed so much for talking, who made articles so skillfully, who loved chocolate cake and played the piano? He must be lying to impress, he had to be lying! What warranty Cameron had that the boy wasn't fooling him?
Cameron sat up in his chair and let his mind search for evidence. It was obvious that the boy was from Information Systems, how he hadn't thought about it before? He said to be "newbie" in the subject and even did tests on his research! But who guarantees that he actually passed the test? Who assurance that he was the kid who Cameron always hated?
He had all that admiration for Darren Criss, but that didn't mean anything! And what about all that exaggerated and false modesty? Obviously it was fake, McGinty wasn't so modest…
"No, actually it's because she died" The words came to his mind to be read again. The Angel had said that his mother had died, what if not only his mother but also his father had been murdered when he was one year old? In that case he would live with his godfather, Chris Colfer! "My godfather left me kind of grounded yesterday," remembered Cameron
What about playing piano? "Well, I have something important at Wednesday nights" The words echoed Cameron's mind as if they had been uttered at that very moment, inside his room. And on Wednesday, when Larsen had asked McGinty what he would do at night, how he responded? He made a gesture with his hand ... as if playing an imaginary piano! Now he understood!
"What are you going to do tonight?" Cameron recalled asking. "I think I'll run today" Cameron grabbed his hair with both hands in a gesture of despair. He found McGinty running in the park with Snuffles on Friday evening. Could it be coincidence? "I'll take my dog for a walk," no, they were too many coincidences! But he still couldn't believe it!
To be hurt
To feel lost
To be left out in the dark
To be kicked
When you're down
To feel like you've been pushed around
He finally looked at the computer screen.
.: Angel:. says: I'm sorry I haven't said before, it's normal that you have thought that I study journalism, anyway they had never given such work to a intern who wasn't from journalism.
But they sure would open an exception for the son of Joseph and Lily McGinty, famous TV reporters, Cameron thought bitterly. The message has already been written a few minutes, during which Cameron been wandering. But he wasn't willing to accept it so easily. It was hard to find what to say having to delete so many cuss words all times. Never lingered so long to write a message.
The Hipster says: Yeah, that's what I thought. But then how was the ride on Friday?
.: Angel:. says: great! Snuffles was very excited! He almost broke the chain 'cause he was so excited! But thankfully, he only dropped the chain. The people usually get scared by a dog his size, despite being a fear without reason, I assure you!
Cameron gritted teeth, still refusing to believe what he had just read.
The Hipster says: How is he? Snuffles? Wich race?
.: Angel:. says: It's the classic mongrel. A mixture of several breeds of large size which resulted in an even bigger! Black, hairy and huge. Anyway, lovely!
To be on the edge of breaking down
When no one's there to save you
No you do not know what it's like
Anger. It was all he could feel. He felt like he had been deceived, betrayed. That was how he felt as if McGinty had done it on purpose, although it is impossible that the other knew that he was actually The Hispter. He wanted to knock his forehead on the computer! No, to do that with his own forehead? It would be better to do it with McGinty's forehead! Cameron rested his head on the table and grabbed his hair again...
He must have been in a nightmare. What other explanation for him to be enjoying being friends with Damian McGinty? Why was this happening to him? This persecution, this ... wait a second, who was stalking whom anyway?
Cameron stood straight again and stared at the screen. He himself had been spying McGinty during the week, right? He was curious to know more about the boy, about his habits, his mistakes, his idiocy! This was the perfect opportunity! It was much better than staying just watching!
As an innocent virtual friend, Cameron could ask about more intimate things, things that McGinty would only say to someone that he thought he'd never find on the street, or at least who never recognize him!
Thus it would be much easier to find something wrong about McGinty and rub it in Nikki's face to convince her that the Irish really was the biggest loser of McKinley! All he had to do was pretend to be interested, make the boy feel free to confess all his faults, offer his disinterested friendship...
.: Angel:. says: Are you busy? If I'm bothering you, you just have to say it!
Cameron let a smirk squirm the corner of his lips and giggled disdainful to the computer screen.
"You are in my hands, McGinty. I'll be the best virtual friend of the world! But first I have to plan what I'll do with you."
The Hipster says: I'm sorry, I dozed off! I'm sleepy, man.
.: Angel:. says: No problem, I'm also sleepy. Better go to bed soon, tomorrow will be a long day! Good evening.
The Hipster says: Good night ...
- ... Angel - added sarcastically.
Cameron had his mind so full it was hard to get off to sleep.
Welcome to my life
N/A: 1) The answers to my reviews, thank you guys so much (:
Catnip-WiseGirl007: I agree with you, Cameron's dad is awful! What do you think about the Dameron part in this chapter? It wasn't a physical chat but well, now Cameron know that the Angel is Damian!
random4ever: Thanks! :) Is it better to read now? Let me know, ok?
Abby: Yeah, Michael will be Cameron's friend, he'll be very important for Cameron in this new fase of his life! I know that Lindsay is a little annoying but I like her! hahahah She'll get better later... I'm really glad that you liked the music, I didn't know with you guys would like because it's kind of a "old song" (it was release 10, 12 years ago) but it was in the original story and i thought it was really perfect for this two chapters, so i left it here. Thaaanks for read and for the review! *-*
2) And, a little bit of the next chapter (which I'll update next sunday, i promise)
Chapter 9 - Truce
"Listen, McGinty"- he started in a haughty tone. - "I also have no intention of withdrawing from the team and, for that reason alone, I will refer to this loss of time that you call a truce."
"Are you sure? It will not do tantrums at the practice?" - Nudged the other, obviously testing it.
Cameron clenched jaws and clenched his fists to concentrate.
"I'm not a spoiled rich boy, McGinty" - just dropping between teeth.
"Then prove it to me. Tonight. I booked the court for 19:30. Do not delay" - McGinty turned his back to him again and left without looking back or waiting for an answer, so Cameron couldn't see the satisfied smile he had on his face.
"Shit!" - Cameron kicked a chair before breathing deeply and straighten his hair. His mask of coldness was back when he left the room.
