A Veneer

Chapter 7: Lifetime of Learning

 I went in to try and break it up but Jeb grabbed the back of my jacket and pulled me away. Jeb wasn’t much taller but he worked out a lot more and it was apparent. Jeb grabbed Aiden’s hair and pull him off Cam.

“You prick!” Aiden yelled at Cam.

“You’re the prick! You tackled me!” Cam yelled back and stood up. Blood began to rush down his face from his nose.

“You broke his nose!” Bella screamed. “I’m getting Mom!”

One hand still hooked on Aiden’s hair, Jeb used his other arm to scoop Bella up. “It’s not broken, now shut your trap!” Bella nodded and held onto her brother’s arm.

I grabbed Cam’s hand and pulled him to the nearest bathroom. After wetting a towel with warm water I held it up to his nose and applied pressure. “You shouldn’t do this,” I said gently “It’s not like you.”

“Who is it like then?” He snorted through the towel.

“Jeb. You’re twins not the same person!” He smiled at that. “Stop that.” I got up to get aspirin from the medicine cabinet and filled a paper cup with with water. “Here, it’s for the headache.”

“I don’t have a headache.” He looked at me with his emerald green eyes i had to look away.

“You will.” I saw it was getting late and it took me almost half an hour to get home. “I need to go.” I leaned down and gave him an innocent kiss on the cheek like I always did, not expecting a kiss back ever. As I turned to exit the bathroom Cam grabbed my wrist tight, pulled me back and kissed my cheek, closer to the corner of my mouth.

“Goodnight,” he whispered.

“Goodnight...” I said back. as i turned to leave I saw Aiden, standing in the doorway and I knew he had seen it all.

I passed Aiden and walked to the porch where he caught up and I couldn’t ignore him any longer. “Caelynn,what the hell was that?”

“What was what?” I asked.

“He kissed you!”

“So? We always do that. It was on the cheek and innocent. Why do you even care? Shouldn’t you be with hadley?”

“No, you kiss him on the cheek, he’s never kissed you.”

“I helped him after you almost broke his nose! Maybe he was saying thank you. Why do you even care Aiden? It’s none of your concern.”

“That’s how you're going to be?”

“That’s how it is. It was nothing.”

“Fine!” His voice echoed off the trees and back to us. I started to walk to my car when he caught my arm. I tried to pull away. “Stop,” he said gently and pulled me close.

“Go hang out with Hadley, she is your girlfriend.”

“Hadley? No, she’s just there..”

“Whatever..” I backed away and climbed into my car and drove away. My phone rang a few times but growing up in California, I learned to ignore the phone while in the car. When I got back, I collapsed into my bed and checked my cell phone.

From Aiden: I’m sorry I got so upset.

From Aiden: Please talk to me.

From Cam: Are you mad?

From Cam: Aiden told me to text you... Are you ok?

From Aiden: Are you alright? Please say something.

To Aiden:  I’m fine, just got to my dorm. No, I’m not mad.

To Cam: What was up with that kiss?

From Cam:  You helped me, I was saying thanks,

To Cam:  You knew he was there, didn’t you?

From Cam: Maybe.

To Cam: You need to stop this.

From Cam: Why? He doesn’t get to have everything that is great in this world.

From Cam:  Although, I wouldn’t call Hadley great.. Lol.

To Cam: What are you talking about?

From Cam: Nothing, Cae, I just think your great is all and my bro doesn’t treat you right. Why should he have you?

To Cam:  No one has me. I’m no one’s property.

From Cam:  I know, I know. I just think you should give someone else a chance.

To Cam: Goodnight.

From Cam: K.

I sat in bed thinking, I couldn't fall asleep. Raea came in with a note. “This was on the door. It has your name on it.” She tossed the note on my bed.

“Thanks.” I opened it, it read: Back off! Warning #1...  I crumpled the paper up and threw it in the trash.  

“What was that?” Raea asked.

“Junk mail,” I replied, “wanna hang out tomorrow?”

“Yeah sure.” She smiled and went to the bathroom to get ready for bed. “What do you want to do?”

“I don’t know, I’m gonna try and get some sleep. We can decide in the morning?” I asked.

“Of course.” I liked Raea, she was alway happy and always smiling. I’m glad in my messy life, Raea, my roommate, was one thing that I didn’t have to worry about and living with her was easy.