Chapter 13
2063 Words
Anger.
Camille still felt such anger as Greg’s words replayed in her mind.
She couldn’t believe she had ever been with someone like him.
And she certainly didn’t regret slapping him…
But the way he had looked at her… what if Jace hadn’t been there?
Camille didn’t want to think about it.
But the way he had taken down Greg had surprised her.
And if she were honest, it made Jace that much more attractive to her.
Camille bit her lip, shaking her head. She needed to keep those thoughts away.
The band was performing on stage and Camille was currently at the bar.. Alice however was standing in the front row, holding the camcorder to record the band.
Camille had explained about the record deal and Alice had acted elated but Camille knew the truth. Her sister hated it.
"What can I get ya?" A voice came, interrupting Camille's thought.
Camille turned around and realized that it was the same bartender from last time.
"Oh, hey Katherine-"
Katherine smiled politely."Call me Kat, please," she laughed.
Camille smiled. "Okay then…Kat."
Kat smiled. "So what can I get ya?" she asked again.
"Oh, um…surprise me," Camille told her. Kat raised an eyebrow, but smiled anyway and started to pour a bunch of drinks in a shaker then handed it to Camille.
Camille drowned it, blinking at the searing effect the drink had on her throat but the feeling was soon replaced by a sweet and tangy flavour.
It was delicious.
"What was that?" Camille gasped.
"Oh, just my own concoction," Kat laughed.
“That was the best drink I’ve ever had,” Camille admitted.
"I’m glad you liked it,” she said, picking up the glass to clean it. “So why are you recording the band anyway?" she asked Camille.
“Well…I'm helping them to get signed on by a record label,” Camille answered.
Kat looked so shocked that she almost dropped the glass she was holding. "Are you serious?" she exclaimed.
Camille nodded.
"That's huge for them,” Kat said. “And I don't know how you did it, but thanks."
Camille laughed. "I didn't do anything. I just know an A&R who thinks they have a lot of potential."
Kat shook her head with a smile. "You have no idea how much it means to them.”
Camille felt warmed by her words.
"So what's going on between you and Jace?" Kat asked.
Camille spluttered. "Wh-what?"
Kat laughed.
"There is nothing going on between us," Camille said.
"If you say so," Kat gave her a knowing look.
"Hey guys. What are you talking about?" came Alice's voice as she sat on the barstool beside Camille. Camille swallowed hard as she tried to come up with something to say.
Kat cut in smoothly. "What Camille's doing for the band."
Alice gave a forced smile. "Yeah. Spending all that time with the guys to help them get famous is pretty amazing…" Alice trailed off.
Camille could hear the sarcasm in her voice. After all Camille would now be spending many hours a week with her boyfriend.
Camille bit her lips. "It is. I mean the guys, like Asher for instance, are pretty amazing." Camille hoped Alice got her meaning. Alice smiled slightly at her response.
"Hey Cam,” Alice began, “what happened earlier this afternoon, you know with Greg—"
Camille froze. "Alice, it’s okay. I just want to forget everything–"
“I know,” she sighed. “I just feel like I should have done more.”
"Alice," Camille started gently, "it was my battle to fight. Greg's just an asshole. I don't know what I ever saw in him and I feel sorry for the girl he's with now."
Alice laughed. "Me too."
~aonstc~
Camille was back at Jace's apartment for band practice.
And of course the guys were late once again.
Camille sighed as she relaxed on the black reclining armchair and sipped the water in her hand.
She glanced around Jace’s apartment again. She would never have guessed that a mechanic got paid this much.
Jace came into the living room with a guitar in his arms.
"You sing and play the guitar," Camille said, surprised.
He chuckled. "What can I say? I'm a multi-talented person."
Yes, you are, Camille wanted to say, and it wasn't fair.
He sat on the couch adjacent to hers and his hand lightly strummed the instrument.
"Do you know how to play?" he asked.
"Nope…but I've always wanted to learn. Just hadn’t found the time yet,"Camille said.
"I can teach you," he offered.
"You will?” she asked, then raised an eyebrow. “Free of charge?"
"I mean I know a few ways you can pay me back," he said suggestively.
"Jace," she warned.
"Relax Camille." He smirked at her tense expression. "It's the least I can do after what you've done for the band." He shifted over on the couch. "Come here.”
Camille got up and moved to sit beside him hesitantly and tried to ignore her pulse racing.
"Well first you have to know all the chords on the guitar," he said as his fingers brushed the chords slowly. He played all the chords from A-G before handing her the guitar. She shifted as the guitar felt awkward on her lap. Camille held her breath as Jace helped her with it, his hands brushing against her skin.
Camille pushed away the feeling and tried her best to copy his movements but it felt wrong when she got to the F chord.
"Don't worry about that one. It takes a little getting used to," he told her.
She nodded and tried the chords once more, feeling slightly frustrated about messing up the F chord once more.
“Here,” he said as he came closer and positioned her index finger properly over the two notes so that she could play it correctly.
Camille tried to concentrate but her skin felt flushed from how close he was and she couldn’t stop herself from taking in his muscles hiding beneath his shirt.
Stop it, Camille.
"Thanks I'll get it. Eventually,” she said, pulling away from him quickly. “But you obviously were going to do something with the guitar, right?" Camille said as she handed it back to him.
He smirked slightly at her obvious reaction. "Yeah, I'm writing a new song,” he told her. “How does this sound?" he asked as he adjusted the guitar.
He began strumming the instrument and began to sing. Camille swallowed hard as his grey eyes held hers.She tried not to shiver as it felt like his voice was caressing her. Camille felt her face heating up.
His leg brushed hers and she glanced towards the coffee table to distract herself. Camille needed him to stop, before she did something she’d regret.
"Thanks," she blurted out.
He stopped playing and stared at her questioningly. "What for?"
"For what you did with Greg.”
"Well I wasn’t going to let him touch you.” he said, his tone not betraying any anger.
She blushed. "That's why I'm saying thanks.”
He gave her a look. "What's the story between you two anyway?"
Camille looked away. "We’d been together since high school. He was a senior on the swim team and I was just so quiet and shy and never even had a boyfriend. He started asking me out and I fell in love with him pretty quickly."
Camille didn't know why she was telling Jace all of this. However, once she started, she found she couldn't stop.
"I just didn't know that we were drifting away. But I guess that happens when you go to different colleges. On our fourth anniversary, it ended. He’d moved back after graduating and I was going to surprise him by showing up at his place exactly at midnight… And what a surprise it was.”
Camille looked away. "I never did get a good look at her. But I wish I did so I could thank her. She freed me from what was clearly a crappy relationship.
Jace's expression was guarded as she continued speaking.
"You’d think that was it. But he called me every day, filled up my voicemail with apologies…begged me to come back to him. Said she didn’t mean anything to him. Then the messages started becoming more and more hateful. He started saying things like he was happy I’d caught him." Her voice broke. "That way he didn't have to tell me how useless I’d become. I changed my number after that."
Camille blinked away the tears. “A part of me wondered how did I not know what kind of person he was,” she whispered. ”But I guess people just show you what they want you to see.”
Jace’s expression remained guarded as he strummed his guitar almost absentmindedly.
Camille felt very vulnerable in the ensuing silence. To change the subject she said, "What about you?"
He raised an eyebrow. "What about me?"
"What's your story?" she asked.
Jace gave her a blank look. "I don't have one."
She urged him on. "C'mon. I told you about me—"
"Camille, I'm sorry that happened to you, but this isn't some trade a sad story for a sad story sorority club meeting."
Camille bit her lip. She should have known that just because she had poured her heart out, it didn't mean he would. He was still an ass after all.
How could she forget?
A knock came at the door and Asher, Derek and Mike came strolling in at the same time.
It made her wonder if Jace had told her the wrong time and she was actually coming way earlier than she was supposed to. She looked at Jace but his expression gave nothing away.
As the guys practiced, Asher was constantly trying to make her smile and she appreciated him for that.
After they finished going through their list of songs, Camille said, "Oh, by the way guys, I can't record you at the bar this weekend.”
"Why?" Mike asked gruffly.
"Because…” Camille trailed off then sighed. “Because it's the anniversary of my dad's death and I’m going home to be with my family," she explained quietly.
Mike mumbled something that sounded like condolences before turning away. Derek also offered his condolences while Asher hugged her tightly.
Jace had been leaning on the wall while all the exchanges were going on but he didn't move or say anything. But Camille felt his eyes on her the entire time.
"I'm thinking this weekend we should all take a break. What do you guys think? We'll make up the lost time another day," Jace said, his eyes still on her.
"Hell yes," Asher exclaimed while Mike grunted.
"Okay but we have to make it up tenfold next week," Derek said and the guys agreed.
"I'll come with you this weekend Cam," Asher joked, but she saw he was somewhat serious.
Camille gave him a small smile. "Maybe next time, Asher."
As the guys left, Camille turned off the camcorder and tucked it in her bag and headed to the door.
"Camille," Jace called and she turned to look at him. He ran a hand through his hair before coming closer to her and wrapping his arms around her. She melted in his embrace.
"I'm sorry about your dad," he whispered and something in her broke.
She didn't know when it started happening, but soon tears were streaming down her face. Camille had kept them locked up for so long; she could no longer control it. Jace tightened his hold on her.
"I miss him so much," she sobbed.
He didn't say anything, just held her.
"And now I'm messing up your shirt," she gasped as she pulled away.
"Yeah well….expect a bill," he teased lightly.
Camille tried to smile. "Yeah sorry."
He looked at his soaked shirt. "It's okay Ky. Really."
Camille raised an eyebrow. "Ky?"she questioned.
He shrugged. "Camille’s becoming a mouthful.”
She gave him a look but didn’t argue. "Well..later Jace."
He nodded before saying, "I'm serious, expect my bill."
She shook her head. "You're such an ass," she muttered.
His laugh followed her as she left.
And Camille ignored the way her heart beat faster at the sound.
- Writer
