Muted Anguish

CHAPTER 8: THE EVENT

I awoke with a smashing headache.
As I sat up in bed groggily, my blurred vision slowly returned to normal and I realised I was in Cameron's bedroom. I attempted to get up when he sauntered into the room holding a glass of orange juice in one hand and a bottle of aspirin in the other.

"Morning" I tried to smile but stopped halfway. He wasn't smiling.
Cameron set both the juice and aspirin on the bedside table quietly then folded his arms across his chest and stared at me intently.
He was angry.
"Uh..." I cleared my throat and tried again "... how did you know I was at the club?"
"What the fuck got into your head, Keisha?!" He snapped, miffed.
I rolled my eyes and threw back the covers, getting up carefully.
My head hurt like crap.

"Do you even realise how dangerous and stupid what you did back there was?" He continued "Anyone could've taken advantage of you. Anyone"
"Well, no one did" I shook out two tablets of aspirin and swallowed. As I looked down I realised I was still wearing the provocative gown from last night.
He grabbed my arm and spun me around "You're dressing like a hoe now? Huh? Keisha? The fuck is wrong with you?"
"What's your problem?!" I hollered back "What I wear is none of your fucking business! There's nothing between us anymore remember? You shouldn't care about what I wear"
"But you know I do care" he replied "and the only reason I did what I did was for your safety. You think I liked ending things between us?" Cameron looked hurt but he was doing a good job masking it with his anger "If Lester hadn't called to inform me of your drunken state, I hate to imagine what could've happened" he took in my confused expression and further explained "Yes, Lester was coincidentally in the same club and he just happened to spot you at the bar"

I grabbed my phone from the table to text Beth "Nothing could've happened. Julian would've helped me home" The reply had slipped out of my mouth before I even became aware of it.
"Say what now?" Cameron's entire body had gone rigid
"Julian was with me"
He ran his hand through his hair and started to pace restlessly "Of course. The photographer was there with you and he couldn't stop you from drinking yourself to a stupor" he scoffed "How could he when he's always wanted you and that was apparently the easiest way to get into your panties. Then y'all gon blame it on the liquor"
"That's not true. He could've taken advantage of me but he didn't!" I shrieked, almost losing it.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yes! You fucking dumbass! Back when we were dancing and I was losing control he stopped me and led me to the bar only so he could get Bethany"
"Wait... wait... wait... back up" a hand was on his tapered waist, the other pinched the bridge of his nose "You danced together?"
"Yes, we did. Got a problem with that?"
"You mean you were rubbing bodies together and doing those dirty club dances?!"
Cameron was fuming now, he walked over to his wardrobe and kicked it in forcefully "I am going to murder Julian" he said through his teeth "You'd better tell him to run if he sees me coming his way cause so help me God I will pulverise his ass"
"Oh my gawd! You're so fucking complicated!" I shrieked, moving about "We are not a couple anymore, you made that abundantly clear some days ago and now you get mad cause I danced with Julian?! Oh my gawd!"
"I don't want him touching you"
"Suck it up. I'm single now, I'll do whatever the fuck I want whether you want it or not!"

Cameron scowled and slammed a balled fist through his shelf.
"Just use your damn meds," I said getting worried. Cameron was terrifying whenever he was angry.
"Already did this morning. Why do you think I haven't bitten your head off already?"
I took my purse from the bedside table and slipped my phone in it "Whatever" As I caught up my dishevelled hair in a band and slipped on my heels, Cameron was watching me silently. He didn't speak but his eyes told me everything. t
They were silently willing me to stay but he refused to say anything.
"I'm off. Take care" and with that, I was out of the apartment.

CAMERON'S POV
(Days later)

Throughout Statistics and Personality Assessment classes, I'd been restless. Even now as I sat in Sensory Processing class, I'd still been barely able to concentrate.
The conversation I'd had with Keisha the last time I saw her kept replaying in my head.
I hated how she had suddenly taken to clubbing and how Julian was in the picture. She wasn't the club type, it would've been that annoying roommate of hers, Bethany who cajoled her into going.