Chapter 16
1600 Words
Camille was really glad that Alex had taken her to see Blue Steel Crush.
After the emotional weekend she'd had, she'd needed this. Needed the noise, the lights, the chance to lose herself in something fun.
Camille bounced on her toes, screaming along with the crowd in anticipation. She'd been listening to Blue Steel Crush for years, had every album, knew every lyric.
"You really like this band!" Alex shouted directly into her ear, and she could still barely hear him over the roar of the hundreds of other fans screaming and chanting the band's name.
"I told you they were one of my favorites!" she yelled back, grinning so wide her face hurt.
As the lights went dim, the crowd lost their minds.
Camille screamed even louder with them.
Then a spotlight hit the stage, and there they were. All five members of Blue Steel Crush seemed to walk out in slow motion. The drummer twirled his sticks. The lead guitarist struck a chord that reverberated through the entire building. And when the lead singer grabbed the microphone and belted out the opening line to their biggest hit, the crowd erupted even louder.
Camille danced like nobody was watching. She threw her hands in the air, jumped to the beat, spun in circles, sang every word at the top of her lungs. Soon her hair was stuck to her skin and her feet had begun throbbing in her shoes.
But she didn't care about any of it.
Camille didn't care if she looked like a complete i***t or if she had nothing resembling rhythm.
But she didn’t know how to feel when Alex's hands found their way to her hips, trying to settle there like they belonged.
By the time the encore ended and the lights came up, Camille’s voice was completely shot and her face ached from smiling.
"That was incredible!" she rasped to Alex before they were swept along with the crowd toward the exit.
The lobby was in chaos with hundreds of people all trying to leave at once..
"You want to hang here for a bit?" Alex suggested, gesturing toward a relatively empty corner. "Let the crowd clear out first?"
"Yes." Camille's feet were killing her, and the thought of being crammed into that mass of bodies trying to exit sounded like torture.
She grabbed an overpriced blue Gatorade from one of the concession stands and Alex insisted on paying for it. She thanked him and sighed as the cold liquid soothed her raw throat.
Camille watched as Alex headed to the bar, and when he came back he was carrying what looked like another rum and coke. His third one for the night…maybe. She wasn’t sure.
But she was getting concerned. Since Alex had picked her up, she realized she might need to take his keys and drive them back herself…then let him sleep it off on her couch or something.
These thoughts swirled in Camille’s mind as they moved to a spot against the wall and began chatting about how amazing the concert was.
"And it was crazy when he did that backflip on stage!" Alex said, his words running together slightly.
"I know!" Camille laughed, her voice barely above a croak. "I seriously thought he was going to fall and break his neck."
"That would've been insane," Alex said, taking another swig of his drink.
Camille sipped her Gatorade as she watched him.
"Maybe you should slow down a bit?" she suggested gently.
"I'm fine!" He waved her off. "Just celebrating, you know? Good music, good company—" He leaned in closer and his hand found her lower back.
Before Camille could react, a familiar voice came.
"Camille?"
She turned and grinned in genuine surprise. "Asher!"
He was pushing through the thinning crowd wearing a vintage Blue Steel Crush tshirt
Camille didn't think as she launched herself at him for a hug.
He caught her easily, laughing.
"I never knew you liked Blue Steel Crush!" he said as they pulled apart.
"They're literally one of my favorite bands ever! That show was insane!" Camille practically bounced on her toes.
Asher's smile turned slightly sheepish. "I wish you'd told me you were a fan. I could've gotten you front row tickets and backstage passes."
Camille’s eyes widened. "What? Really?"
"What?" Asher grinned"Because I'm in a band means I can't listen to other bands?" he teased.
Camille playfully smacked his arm. "Okay, seriously though," Camille pressed, genuinely curious. "How?"
"The drummer and I go way back. We went to the same music camp when we were like fifteen—"
The sharp sound of someone clearing their throat cut him off.
Camille had momentarily forgotten about Alex.
She turned, and the look on Alex's face made her stomach twist. His jaw was clenched as he focused on Asher with a hostility she didn’t like.
"Oh! Sorry, Alex, this is Asher," Camille said quickly, gesturing between them. "Asher, this is my friend Alex. We go to GU together."
Friend. She'd emphasized it naturally, not even thinking, but the second the word left her mouth she saw Alex's expression harden further.
Asher stepped forward and extended his hand, his smile friendly but his eyes weren’t.
"Hey," Asher said. "Nice to meet you."
Alex took his hand, and the handshake went on too long. Seemed too firm.
Camille shifted her weight, now feeling awkward.
"So Asher, who are you here with?" Camille asked, trying to distract from the weird tension. "I'm sure you didn't come alone." She teased him.
Asher laughed. "Yeah, I came —"
Alex sighed and then just... walked away.
Camille stared at his retreating back in surprise.
"What's his problem?" Asher asked.
"I have no idea," Camille said. “But I should go talk to him.”
"Camille—" Asher started.
"I'll be right back," she cut him off as she walked after her friend.
She followed the path Alex had taken through the heavy doors that led outside.
The night air hit her instantly and the mostly empty parking lot stretched out before her. She spotted Alex walking, hands shoved in his pockets, shoulders hunched.
"Alex!" she called. "Wait!"
He didn't stop.
Camille jogged after him. When she got close enough, she reached out and grabbed his arm.
"Alex, stop. What the hell? Why did you just walk off like that?"
He wouldn't look at her directly. His eyes fixed on something over her shoulder, his jaw tight.
"It's obvious that I don't stand a chance with you," he finally said, the words coming out flat and bitter.
Camille felt her stomach drop.
"A... chance?" she repeated, even though she knew exactly what he meant.
Alex's laugh was humorless. He finally looked at her, and the pain in his eyes was raw. "Yes, Camille. Don't act like you're an i***t. I mean, what did you think this was? Just friends hanging out?" His voice rose with each word.
Camille wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. "Well... I mean... yes," she said quietly.
"Oh, come on!" Alex's voice cracked. "You know what I had to go through to get these tickets, Camille? Did you really think I would go through all that trouble if I didn't like you?"
"Alex," Camille started. "I'm sorry. I really am. But I don't have those same feelings for you. I never have."
She watched his expression transform.
"Well, that's f*****g perfect,” he snarled. "Just f*****g great.” He stepped closer to her. “So what was this? Why did you let me waste my time and money? I hate being used, Camille,” he snarled louder.
"Calm down, Alex," she said, trying to keep her voice even although her heart was pounding. "You asked me to a concert. I said yes. You never said this was a date. I thought we were just going as friends."
"But you knew I liked you, didn't you?"
Her silence was answer enough.
"Yeah." Alex's laugh was hollow. "Yeah, that's what I thought."
"Alex—" Camille reached out to him, but he jerked away from her.
"Save it!" he yelled and Camille took an involuntary step back. "I don't want to hear your lies. Why don't you just go back to that guy you're screwing and leave me the hell alone."
"What?” she gasped. “Asher is just a friend!" Camille felt heat rise in her face."Why are you acting like this?"
"Because I just realized this was all for nothing!" Alex yelled."I'm the i***t who thought that maybe if I was patient enough, nice enough, that you'd finally see me. But you never will, will you? Not when you've got guys like him around."
Camille flinched. "You're drunk, Alex. You're not thinking straight—"
"I”m thinking straighter than I ever have before, Camille. And guess what? I finally see the real you. And you’re nothing but a b***h," he snarled.
Something inside Camille snapped then.
"f**k off Alex!" she yelled. "You're being shitty just because I don't have feelings for you.” Camille glared at him. “Pretending you’re a nice guy just so you can try and get whatever it is you want from me makes you just as bad as the rest of them.”
“You know what, I’m glad I got to see this side of you,” she continued harshly. “From now on, stay the hell away from me!”
She turned to leave, but Alex grabbed her and swung her around to face him.
"Where do you think you're going?" he snarled.
- Writer
