Battle of Hearts: Two

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

I dig my nails into my palms only to control the tears threatening to fall. Cameron's been gone, god-knows-where for almost half an hour now. I'm still sitting in the open bar, stealing sips of drinks here and there wishing to fill this hole in my heart.

The bartender lets me lament silently, and I'm too unknown in this place to be bothered by anyone except Cameron. My unwillingness to talk with him is dissolving as I keep imagining the melancholic contours of his face. Or maybe I'm drunk, I don't know. It furthers kicks me down and I'm close to giving up my pride so I can satisfy this urge of comforting him.

I love him too much to be too stubborn and pretend not to care about him. I believe it won't lessen me to just make sure he's okay. I check the time on my phone. It's already 10 p.m. and I bet he hasn't eaten anything.

These arguments don't mean that I would stop caring about his health even if he didn't care about mine. I got up from the bar stool and lumbered around in search of him. He wasn't in the reception hall which only meant he had went outside.

I paced outside the hall suddenly getting in the spirit to find him. I looked around on the floor but he wasn't there so I took the elevator down to the main lobby. There were only few people lingering around the lobby, he wasn't one of them. Now, I was starting to believe he had left the hotel altogether.

To confirm my apprehension, I went outside from the main door. The cold December breeze hit against my bare skin making me shiver a little. Ignoring the chilled temperature, I walked forward. There, leaning against the pillar, I noticed a figure of a suited person.

The black strapped watch he wore, his favorite, confirmed he was Cameron. One of his legs was crossed over the other and I wondered how long he had been standing there, alone staring into the depth of the darkness.

I slowly and carefully walk and stand beside him. I glanced sideways and saw a silver flask on his hand. I silently stand there as he takes occasional sips from the flask. He knows of my presence but only acknowledges it with a blank glance.

"You haven't eaten anything." I utter but it goes completely unheard.

I swallow my pride and say, "I'm sorry... I should have understood your point." He turns his head to me and watches my expressions carefully. He takes me by surprise when he suddenly wraps his arms around me. Automatically, I hold him as tightly as he's holding me although I don't understand the cause of his action I quietly embrace him.

His breathing hard on my neck and that's how I know he is crying. "Cameron-" I start as my heart cries for him.

He cuts me off in his raspy voice. "She told me to stay away from you."

"So, what are you gonna listen to her?"

He pulls away to look into my eyes, "No, of course not. But, you know she already hates me for getting into UCLA and now she'd hate me more."

"It's okay. She'll understand." I try to console him.

"I just wanted her to like you." He says in his weak voice. It goes straight to my heart making me weak as well.

I have to pretend to be stronger than him, when really I'm feeling weaker than him. I try to sound brave, "I know you love her but I'm not gonna pretend just to impress her."

"I know, I'm sorry too that I made you feel like you'd have to change. Cause I love you any way."

We sigh in relief. A hint of smile on his lips gives me a bit of strength. He pulls away and places his palms on my cheeks and says, "It's going to be hard 'cause my mother would try to break us."