secrecy • cameron dallas

= TWENTY NINTH =

= Brooke =

"Boo!"

"Cameron! What the-" I stopped myself, remembering that there were lots of people watching me. I playfully slapped Cam's arm while my other hand was on my chest.

"Why'd you do that?" I asked, glaring at him when he still hasn't stopped laughing. I'm currently on the red carpet, posing for the paparazzi when Cameron decided that it would be fun to scare me.

"It was funny." He replied, toning down with the laughing. "I'll see you inside." He said, before attempting to walk away. Cameron and I were featured and invited by Variety, so here we are now.

"Cameron, take a picture with Brielle!" Were the lines being thrown at him that made him walk back to me. He slid his arm around my waist, pulling me closer while smiling at the cameras.

"Who are you with?" He whispered, making me look at him. "No one. My brother was supposed to go, but his flight got cancelled. How about you?" I whispered back.

"Sierra and my mom, as always." He replied, smiling at me, toothily. "Of course." I answered back, chuckling. "So, I'll meet you inside?" He asked, me, nodding.

"Yeah." I muttered, and before I knew it, Cam's cheek was pressed against mine. It was like a kiss, but not really. He removed his arm wrapped around me as he walked away and did his own shoots.

This is going to be a long night.

. . .

"Hide, he's coming!"

"Who's com-" I was cut off by Raven, pushing me back in our apartment, while shoving a gray Nike hoodie in my face, through the process. "Raven, what the-" And the door was shut against my face.

I was currently back home in New York with my dad and my brother. Even though, I spent the whole day yesterday on set and will be spending tomorrow on photoshoots, that didn't stop me to fly here. It has also been a week since that formal party, but right now, I had to be with my family.

I've never missed my mom's birthday and death anniversary.

I remember that day. I just couldn't forget it even how hard I try. It happened so sudden. One second, we were all happy, and then the next, we were all crying.

5 years ago, back when I was 14, I woke up really excited since it was my mom's birthday. I was really close to her, considering that I don't have sisters and she was the only girl in the family besides me.

We usually just surprise her with a nicely prepared breakfast, and then the 4 of us spend the whole day walking around New York, acting like first-time tourists even if we always see the same places everyday.

However, that time around, we decided to plan something new, something a bit more adventurous. My dad booked us a flight to Europe since they've always talked about how they wanna go there.

I literally jumped off my bed, running towards 15 year-old Raven's room and pounded on it, excitedly. Seconds later, he opened it with the same wide smile plastered on my face. He was just as excited as I was.

Together, we ran towards our parents' room with smiles all over our faces. Those smiles, however, quickly faded away once we saw dad holding mom's lifeless body in his arms, crying.

I remember slowly approaching them with tears threatening to spill from my eyes. "Dad." I managed to call out. I also remember seeing my dad look up at me with bloodshot eyes, and right there, I knew I never wanted to see him crying.

The next thing, I know, we were already at the hospital, hoping that maybe, just maybe, she could still be saved from whatever the cause of this is.

The doctors said she doesn't have any health problems and failures and that mom died peacefully in her sleep. Knowing that was the reason, somehow made it easier for us to accept everything.

Just like what they say, if it's your time, then it's your time. No one could ever do something about it. Just accept, and move on, and that's what we tried doing.

It took us some time, but we're happy now and the least thing we could do is celebrate her birthday with her in the cemetery every year, just like how it should've been 5 years ago.

I sighed, slipping the hoodie on, and opened the door, not caring who was out there to make Raven want me to hide. I sucked in a sharp breath upon seeing Zach, happily talking with my asshole of a brother.

Before he can even turn his gaze on me, the hood of the jacket was already over my head, covering my blonde hair that was on a bun. "Hey." He called out, and gave me a hug.

I smiled awkwardly, before hugging him back. "Hi." I shortly said, tugging at the bottom of the hoodie. I don't know why it suddenly became awkward between us. Maybe, it was the lack of communication?

"When were you back from Australia and New Zealand?" He asked, smiling widely. I mentally face-palmed myself, remembering that the last time we talked was when I was on the said country.

"Last month, actually." I said, nodding. "That's how long we haven't talked? Wow." He replied, I don't know if he's amazed that time has gone by fast, or sad that we haven't talked in so long.

"Apparently, yeah." I answered, tapping my foot against the floor. "Sorry, Zach, but we have to go." Raven butted in, and this was the only time I wanna thank him for interrupting my conversation.

"I'll see you soon?" He asked, me, nodding. Raven, then, pulled me away from there and headed towards the elevator. "Were you two really a thing?" He asked, pressing the floor where the parking lot was.

"Yeah?" I replied, but it sounded more of a question. "Well, for two people who like each other, the both of you were pretty awkward." He pointed out, and just then, the elevator stopped and we walked out.

"We haven't talked in a month. How do you want me to act? Like, a girl who haven't seen her boyfriend in forever?" I asked, walking towards dad's car, Raven following closely behind me.

"Why didn't you act all excited when you saw him, though? That's how I actually pictured it would go. There wasn't a kiss, or a even hug. What happened?" I was actually stopped with what Raven said.

From the start, I had a doubt that all of this won't work out, but I tried, anyway. Apparently, phone and video calls still can't make a long-distance relationship work. Especially when you don't know what you two even are.

"It just didn't work out, I guess?" And for the second time today, I wasn't sure about what I just said.

= = =

I think this chapter made no sense, and I'm not gonna lie, I had writer's block and the good ideas aren't really coming to me right now. Plus the fact that I have a lot to do next week for school and I'm so stressed out, but I still wanted to update so here it is. Stay tuned for more, though! :))

= caxdallas =