Hey guys! Here's another chapter for you. I haven't really worked at all on anything after this, so updates might be slower. But I hope you enjoy!
**Derrick**
I was waiting in the breakfast line with Cam, trying to pay attention to whatever he was blabbering about but failing, when I felt him stand up straighter beside me. I turned to see what he was looking at, and was faced with Massie and Claire just walking in through the doors to the dining room. Massie's hair curled really softly and I wished I could just reach out and touch it. Claire on the other hand looked much more bright-eyed than I would have expected after last night. The two were arm in arm and laughing at something Massie had just whispered to Claire. They slowly approached us, and I could see Cam fiddling with his hands and knew he was nervous. I too was curious about how the girls would greet us after what happened last night. I'd heard Cam leave the room and then come back last night. Had he gone to make out with Massie, or make up with Claire?
"Hey there," I heard Massie's flirty voice and turned, not sure who she was talking to, but holding out hope. My heart pinched a little when I saw her move to stroke Cam's arm, but I saw his fist clench and a wave of uncertainty passed through me. Maybe he was serious last night when he said he didn't want to kiss her.
"Hey, you, can we talk for a minute?" I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see Claire staring up at me through her long lashes.
"Uh, sure," I replied, not knowing why she was looking at me like that.
"Let's go out on the deck, kay? We can get food when the line is shorter." She pulled me toward the door and Massie gave her a wink.
"See?" I heard Massie say as we stepped outside, "it worked. They are perfect for each other!"
Uh oh. Things were getting complicated. As much as I liked Claire and thought it was lots of fun talking to her, I didn't feel any romantic connection like I did with Massie. I hoped she didn't like me, because I didn't want to have to hurt her again.
"So listen," Claire said, all business, once we were standing by the railing. "I know you like Massie. But, unfortunately, Massie likes Cam." Way for her to rub it in. If she was gonna say what I thought she was gonna say, that we should get together—"However, I think that you are much better for her. She only likes the idea of Cam, it seems to me."
I wasn't sure what to make of this, but I had a guess as to what her motives were. "You want to hook me up with Massie so you can get with Cam?" I said in a playful way. She blushed.
"Well when you put it like that… Here's the thing, Derrick. Massie is my best friend. She wants me to be happy! So, after claiming what she believes is hers, she sets me up with a deserving guy. This happens on every school trip." She sighed, and bit her lip. "I've never actually liked any of the guys. Not the ones she sets me up with, not the ones she likes, and not any of the other ones, either. They're all so superficial." Claire sighed and shook her head.
"You sound just like Cam when he talks about San Francisco girls. Well, at least the ones at our sister school," I felt the need to tell her.
"Well, Massie is anything but superficial," Claire nodded. "Anyway, my point here is that you were right that I did really like Cam. But I know he doesn't like me and I'm not going to bother with it much because I know how annoying it is when people try to change the way I feel about someone, and I don't want to put that on him. No, I'm doing this because I know Massie better than anyone, and I can tell that she likes you. She just doesn't realize it yet. She likes Cam because in her words he's undeniably gorgeous, but she likes you because you're sweet and cute and she actually wants to know you. She just doesn't get yet that that means she likes you more. Potentially." As Claire was speaking, I could feel the hope rising in me and I think she could tell, because she giggled.
"So what should I do, oh wise one?" I asked, and she giggled.
"Ok, so you've just got to trust that I really am doing this for Massie, because step one is pretend to be into me." I think I widened my eyes, but I didn't question her. "See, this makes her feel accomplished, because her goal was to make us both happy by setting us up." That made sense, at least. "So let's go into breakfast and we don't have to act lovey dovey, just close. Because as great of a guy I think you are, I'm not into you like that, no offense,"
"None taken," I replied with a smile, feeling relieved. Not only was Claire going to help me get Massie, I would get a good friend out of her in the bargain.
I held the door for her as we walked back into the dining room, and she giggled her thanks. I put a hand on Claire's lower back and led her to the line-free buffet to grab breakfast. I could almost feel Cam staring at us jealously. I whispered that to Claire and she giggled again, like we were sharing an inside joke. I grabbed a plate and passed it to her, then took one for myself and started heaping it with pancakes and eggs and sausages; Claire did the same.
"Hey guys!" Claire plopped down next to Massie at the same booth we ate in the night before. "Excited for Valencia?" From her tone of voice it was clear that she was! We all nodded, and Massie and Claire got into an animated discussion about shopping in Spain.
"Dude," Cam started whispering to me, "What were you guys talking about out there?" I gave him a non committal shrug and opened my mouth to say more when Claire turned away from her conversation with Massie to quickly shoot me a wink. Cam's eyebrows rose and he looked between us confusedly, which Claire seemingly ignored. She and Massie shared a giggle, before stopping to tune in to our non-existent conversation.
"So," Claire cleared her throat after a few moments of awkward silence, "what are you boys planning to do in Valencia today?"
I let Cam answer because I knew he wanted to, and because he actually knew what might be worth seeing.
"I'm thinking the tour of La Catedral, maybe El Miguelete. A long lunch and then definitely the Botanical Garden. D, you down to come with and get some epic pictures?"
I nodded and tapped my camera case, excited to see Spain for the first time.
"OOOOOH photoshoot!" Massie squealed. "Mind if we come with?" Claire looked skeptical, but Cam was nodding and so I gave a "sure". Claire sighed a little, before looking up and smiling brightly. I think maybe Massie had kicked her leg or something.
"So it's settled," Cam nodded, trying to catch Claire's eye, "We'll meet you by the ramp before we all go into the city." The girls agreed and got up to go back to their room before we left.
**Massie**
"So, you and Derrick are getting close, huh?" I asked, smirking at Claire. For once it really seemed like she might be into a guy I set her up with, not just hanging out with him to make me happy.
"Yea, we are," She smiled at me in the mirror as we brushed our hair and did a last make-up check, "But I dunno. I think we might just be superclose friends." When I looked over my shoulder at her, she just gave an innocent shrug. "I mean, I like him a lot, and he's really easy to talk to. And he is certainly easy on the eyes," She giggled and I nodded, completely agreeing with her analysis. "but I dunno," she shrugged again, " I think we're destined to be friends. Still," she added, "you still get full bragging rights to Cam about getting us together," she raised her eyebrows and it was my turn to giggle.
"Rate me?" I asked, and she happily did, giving my Tibi Lipstick Summer dress and sensible heels a nine-seven. I rated he Milly Hippie Princess Dress a nine-five.
We made our way up to the top deck where we would be let off the boat for our first tourist stop. Immediately I linked arms with Cam and led him down the ramp. Claire and Derrick were talking in low voices and laughing with each other. As much as I wanted them together, they did just act like boy/girl bffs.
"So Cam, have you ever been to Spain before?" I asked, pulling his focus from the harbor to me. He glanced over and gave a grin.
"Yea, once," he answered, looking like he was remembering a really fun time. For a while he didn't say anything. I was about to ask another question when he looked up and continued. "Summer after sixth grade I came with some cousins. We didn't really get to see any coastal areas, though." He shrugged, the small smile still playing across his thin lips. I wondered what he was remembering, but didn't want to interrupt his thoughts to ask. Sigh. One of the things I liked about Cam was that he is super laid back, but sometimes it is just hard for me because I am so much less laid back.
"What about you?" He asked, finally snapping out of his reverie and turning to me. A grin spread across my face and I began talking his ear off about modeling in Spain for the rest of the walk into town.
**Cam**
I smiled with the certainty that Massie was not right for me. If I'd had any feelings towards her after our kiss, then I would have thought myself a dolt and truly unworthy of Claire. But like after I mentioned my Spain trip with my cousin, I could tell that Massie was uncomfortable with my content silence. She blabbered on about her modeling trips, which I admit was kind of cool, but I could tell it was more to fill the silence than to try to impress me. Occasionally I tuned out and tried to hear what Claire and Derrick were talking about, but they were talking in hushed tones, arm in arm. I knew Derrick was still upset about the previous night even if he claimed to be over her, but I trusted him enough to know that he wasn't simply hanging out with Claire to make me angry. Maybe he didn't believe me when I said I really wanted Claire back, or maybe he had just seen how amazing she was and given up on Massie. It certainly seemed to help that Claire had been all over him. Admittedly they were very good-looking together, their blond heads leaning towards each other and genuine smiles gracing their features. How did this happen? I definitely wanted Derrick to be happy, but not with the only girl I've ever seriously considered liking. There were so many girls I let him have back in SF, couldn't he let me have just this one?
I tuned back in to Massie's talk to hear her going on about all the countries she's been to, resolving to talk to Derrick before he fell any deeper for the girl who was meant for me.
**Claire**
Talking to Derrick was fun. In under an hour he'd become my secret holder, the guy I share relationship problems with, the best friend. Besides Massie, of course. We'd been touring around Valencia, wandering through cathedrals and other churches.
The four of us were sitting at a table outside a little restaurant where we'd decided to grab lunch. Massie was talking Cam's ear off while Derrick and I looked at the pictures on his fancy shmancy digital camera. He sure did have a special eye for photography; some of his shots were so incredibly artsy or turned something simple into something beautiful. Of course there were a few pictures of Massie and me posing in ridiculous ways thrown in there, as well as a few of Massie and Cam. Derrick skipped through those quickly, slowing down when he reached one of the four of us in front of a beautiful fountain. A cute elderly couple had taken it in exchange for Derrick taking their picture in the same place. In that picture he had his arms loosely draped around both me and Massie, a huge goofy grin on his face. Cam was the only one looking sort of out of place, standing stiffly in Massie's grip and only smiling slightly.
"I like this one." Derrick said, turning his focus from the screen to me.
"Yea, me too. It sort of… captures all of our personalities," I agreed. It had Derricks goofiness, Massie's I'm-all-about-fun-ness, my pure joy in that moment, and Cam's awkward/rude/twofaced/confusing… ok. Maybe I was being a little harsh. I just didn't get why he couldn't be honest with me the night before. Didn't he understand I knew Massie was better? I told him I knew that! He probably didn't even like my music. If he couldn't be honest about thinking I'm beautiful, I shouldn't believe his judgment on my songs. That was the conclusion I'd come to shortly after waking up that morning. But my anger at him had turned into something great. Wanting Cam to not be able to get away with his jerky, stuck-upness, I decided to help Derrick get Massie.
"What do you want to do after lunch?" I heard Massie ask the whole group, breaking me out of my thoughts.
"I was thinking the garden," Cam spoke up for the first time in ages, and I could tell he was trying to catch my eye, so I determinedly ignored him. That player.
"Well, Derrick and I were thinking of hitting the beach," I replied, playfully nudging him. He returned a grin.
"Ok! Great idea, C! Cam and I can catch up with you guys later," Massie exclaimed enthusiastically. Cam looked much less happy.
"But Derrick, I though you wanted to take some shots there. If you guys come with us then I can show you around some museums after, and then we can all hit the beach together," Cam suggested.
Derrick looked at me torn, and I knew Cam must've been right that he'd been looking forward to the gardens. But I had a plan.
"I'm getting sort of tired of walking around right now, and the beach is calling my name. You can go ahead with them if you'd like," I told Derrick, looking straight into his eyes in hopes that he'd take a hint and come with me.
"Yea, thanks Cam, but I think I'll hang with Claire for the rest of the day. Just the beach sounds fine with me, I love taking coastal pictures too." He smile-shrugged while pulling out his wallet to pay for his lunch, slapping a 20 on the table. The rest of us did the same, pushing back our chairs noisily and leaving the patio in front of the restaurant.
Massie came over to give me a goodbye hug, and she whispered a "thanks" in my ear.
"Text me when you guys leave the garden," I whispered back. She pulled away from the hug to grin hugely at me.
"You're doing this for me? You're the best, Claire. And have fun with Derrick," she added winking, causing me to giggle.
We walked back over to our respective guys, who were also talking in hushed voices.
"Ready to go, Cam?" Massie asked, braking up their conversation.
"Sure," He gave her an adorable half smile. NO! Bad Claire! He is not a good person, despite his beautiful exterior! I scolded myself. Cam turned back to say one last thing, "Derrick, I mean it."
I wondered what he could possibly mean by that, but let it go, instead choosing to link arms with Derrick and engage in playful banter as we made our way to the beach.
"So, Ms. Matchmaker, what's the idea behind splitting up our group?" He asked playfully as we made our way down a mildly crowded sidewalk.
"Well, Mr. needs-to-be-match-made, I think Massie needs to spend more time with Cam and realize how uncomfortable she is when she's with him. Notice how she's always doing all the talking, well she can't stand awkward silences and is filling the space. Soon she's gonna realize she doesn't want to do all the talking," I explained. "Also it's a chance for us to just hang out, and for her to think that she got us together. But don't worry, she'll text us when they leave the garden, in case you want to go there too."
He smiled. "Boy, you think of everything Claire!" he exclaimed, as we settled ourselves down in the soft sand. "But are you sure this has nothing to do with making my dear friend Cam jealous?"
I gaped at him for a second before regaining composure. "Why would I want to make him jealous? I know when to give up, thankyouverymuch. I'm not one of those girls that keeps chasing even when she knows there's no hope," I protested. "Besides, even if I was, at this point I don't think there's anything about him besides a pretty face that's worth chasing," I concluded.
"Hmmmmm. You two seemed pretty cozy last night, before I had to interrupt. I'm sorry about that, by the way. And He royally screwed up by kissing Massie. But you're wrong, he's not as empty-hearted as you seem to think he is," Derrick replied with some sort of knowing glint in his eye. I didn't know what it meant and I wasn't sure if I wanted to find out.
Thanks for reading! You guys make me smile :) Oh and I still am taking suggestions for what they should do in Barcelona. Have a lovely afternoon!
Hugs, Sky