Hummingbird | Sequel to Butterfly [A Harry Styles Fanfiction] {Book 2}

Chapter 20: All Too Familiar

Cami's POV:

"Is the final guest list ready to be sent to Sadie yet?" Eloise asked, stepping into our living room.

"Jesus, El. You already asked that five minutes ago," Ben teased from the armchair across from me.

I chuckled as I finished typing in the last name and then quickly clicking save.

"It is now," I said, forwarding it to Sadie. "Everything is under control," I assured.

The gallery opening was in two days, and after all of our hardwork, Eloise was not willing to let one detail suffer. We had been working around the clock to make sure that everything was ready and although it was tiring, it had been the exact distraction that I needed to keep my mind off of my persistant boy drama. I was too stressed and too exhausted to have much of a mental capacity for anything other than school and the impending opening.

Eloise took in a sigh of relief and plopped down on Ben's lap. "I know, I'm being ridiculous. I'm just trying to make sure this doesn't go to sh.it."

"It'll be amazing, I know it," Ben said, placing a light peck to her cheek.

I smiled up at my aunt and couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions at her boyfriend's sweet gesture. I was happy that at least one of us had someone special, but couldn't help but feel a little bitter that I didn't. I thought I had finally found someone who could mean something to me again and somehow my past managed to mess that up too.

I hadn't called Sean yet, mostly because I was still confused. I didn't want to make any type of decision until I was completely sure one way or the other. Sean didn't deserve for me to be only half in and it wasn't fair to either of us to waste time trying to figure it out. In my experience, buying time in a relationship only led to more of a messy ending and I had experienced enough of those to last a lifetime.

"It better be," Eloise warned. "I didn't spend the last year of my life slaving away at something subpar."

"I'm sure you and Cami have done a great job and there's nothing more you can do. What do you say we all go grab some drinks as an early celebration?" Ben suggested looking from Eloise to me.

Eloise nodded her head. "Alcohol, I need alcohol," she said eagerly.

"Alright," Ben said pleased, clapping his hands together. "Cami, you up for it?"

I was certainly in no mood to be celebrating anything and leaving the house sounded like way too much work for me at this point. All I wanted to do was lay in bed and enjoy the fact that I had the next couple of days off from school.

"I think I'd rather cuddle up with Finn and watch Netflix, but you two go and have fun," I insisted.

Having the house to myself sounded even better. A nice glass of wine and a comedy sounded like just what I needed.

"You sure?" Eloise asked. "You deserve to celebrate just as much as I do."

Ben nodded in agreement. "Come on Cami, just a couple drinks," he encouraged.

The offer didn't sound remotely tempting to me, which I found strange. When I was living in Newport I would practically jump at the chance to go anywhere that involved alcohol and a good time, but it didn't seem so enjoyable to me anymore.

"I'm looking forward to staying in tonight," I insisted. "Take an extra drink down for me," I joked and Eloise scoffed.

"You know I will," she teased as she headed up the stairs to change.

I laughed because it was true. Eloise and I were similar in that sense and it was one of the many things that I had learned we had in common.

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