The Violinist's Cherrytree

Chapter 12

What just happened?

Had Cameron actually hit me?

He'd stomped off long ago. I'd stayed on the ground for a few minutes, my mind blank, not thinking of anything but the throbbing pain in my nose.

I should go see a doctor, I thought, but as soon as I did, I pictured the insane medical bill.

Why was everything about money?

I got up, shaking. My nose was still bleeding, and I walked into the kitchen, grabbing a few napkins and stuffing them up my nose. Then I went to the fridge, grabbing some ice from the freezer and stuffing them in a bag and placing it on my nose, in an effort to reduce the swelling that was slowly growing.

I walked into our bedroom. Cameron was there, passed out on the floor. He'd set his drink on my vanity, and was laying right next to his side of the bed.

I went to the vanity, placing the ice down and grabbing his nearly full drink and, draining it. It did little to dull the pain, and I looked at the empty glass in disgust. Then I set it back down on my vanity before looking at my nose in the mirror. It didn't look broken, which was good.

I walked over to Cameron and grabbed his arms, putting my head under his shoulder. Using my back, I pushed him up onto the bed, his upper half laying comfortably, while his legs still hung off. I wrapped my arms around them and hoisted them on the bed as well. I then pulled the blanket out from under him, struggling before I managed to yank it out and place it on top of him, tucking him in.

I walked out of the bedroom, going into the living room and laying down on the couch. I was not going to sleep in the same bed as him tonight.

Making myself comfortable, I grabbed the blanket that laid nearby. No one had touched it since the night we had the argument after the diagnosis.

I wrapped the blanket around myself, pretending that the warmth was actually Cameron holding me, whispering in my ear that he loved me and that this wasn't happening. That this was actually a dream, and we would wake up and everything would be okay.

I stared at the ceiling, trying to fall asleep, but I couldn't, my mind replaying what happened. After a while, I gave up and closed my eyes, still awake.

~*~

"Jules?"

I opened my eyes and saw Cameron looking at me in surprise. I hadn't really fallen asleep, instead drifting off in a state of half awareness.

"Why didn't you come to bed last night?" he asked me, clearly confused as to what I was doing on the couch.

I stared at him, my mouth open in disbelief.

"After what you did last night? You expect me to sleep in the same bed as you?" I asked in shock. How dare he ask such a question after he hit me!

"What do you mean? I didn't do anything. And why do you have tissues up your nose? Oh, god! Is that blood? Are you okay?"

His face grew concerned and slightly frantic, and he tried to grab my chin so he could move my face around and examine me. But as soon as he did I flinched and dove straight for the couch, burying my face under my shoulder.

"Come on, Juliet. What's going on?" he questioned.

"So, you're honestly telling me that you don't remember?" I asked, my voice muffled by my arm.

"Remember what?"

I thought back and sat up again, studying him. I didn't think he was that drunk, but obviously, I was wrong. To see how much of a hangover he had (and to cause some pain to him, since he'd caused me a world of pain last night) I shouted "CAMERON! WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE FOR BREAKFAST DEAR?"