All These Years | Camren

Edge

The idea of Christmas has never really been one that exites you.

Since you were little, you've received everything on your Santa Wishlist and the whole Santa Clause fantasy in general was shattered by your brother, when you were still just five years old.

If anything, the best thing you've done, is decorate ginger bread houses with Maria, back when you were six.

This Christmas is different though.

It's the first time you're going to have someone over to spend the monotonous holiday with.

Right now, you're anxiously waiting at the airport with Alfred for Halsey to arrive at Gate B pick up location.

You look down at the outfit you're wearing and you feel kind of pathetic knowing it took you four different attempts, to finally settle on this; a black skater skirt with a red cropped shirt that has the silhouette of a rose, a light blue jean jacket and a pair of black boots. It's stupid to think so much about it but you want to impress her, you want to show her that you're bold, confident and different.

The first thing you see, is her signature neon orange suitcase. Just looking at her run towards you, all crazy and excited, makes your heart flutter and your cheeks hurt.

She lets her suitcase fall to the ground next to her as soon as she reaches you and then just jumps on you and wraps her legs around your waist. You grab her so she doesn't slide off and you hug her tightly.

She kisses you all over the face, your forehead, your cheeks, your nose.

She eventually puts her legs on the floor and grabs your face to scan your expression, then, she looks at your outfit and smiles even wider.

"Lo! You look amazing babe." Alfred picks up her suitcase and she looks at him, then back at you, "Holy shit I totally forgot you were loaded"

"Shut up. C'mon, I can't wait for you to meet Dash, I got him a little plad shirt and he looks ridiculous in it"

As soon as you get to the house you tell Alfred to take Halsey's stuff to your room and you take her on a mini tour of the house.

You make it to the second floor and as you pass by you signal from the hall each of the rooms; your parents, the guest rooms and Chris's rooms.

You show her your room and she coments on how much she loves the style of it, you tell her this isn't the best room yet. And as you're about to walk down the stairs and towards the dance room you encounter Chris at the bottom of the stairs.

You freeze because you haven't seen him for six months and you haven't missed him at all. You also tense up because you know Chris never has anything nice to say and you're afraid of what he'll say when he sees you invited Halsey over.

You notice Halsey laid her hand on your shoulder and gave it a squeeze, which helped you wake up from your shock.

Chris sees this and smiles devilishly, "Look at my baby sister, all grown up, bringing over her scissor sister for Christmas. Who knew you could actually land yourself a gal pal Loser Lauren?"

He looks Halsey up and down and then he puts a smirk on his face and extends his hand ,"I'm Chris, the cooler and atractive sibiling."

You're still silent and shocked, but you hear Halsey giggle and you think you're about the puke when you see her grabbing Chris hand encouraging his behavior, but all of the sudden, Chris is on the floor and Halsey has both of his arms in a tightgrip.

"Listen you fucking asshole, I can simply pull a bit more and you can say goodbye to your precious gaming and masturbating hand so dont test me. I'm gonna be here all week and I can break your skull too if you push my buttons. So if you keep your childish dick comments away from me and Lauren I might not fucking kill you. "

"Ok ok! Fuck bitch, let go of me." Chris squirmed on the floor and Halsey shoved him deeper into it but then she released him and stood up.

In less than a second her face expression turns from anger to happiness, "C'mon Lo, lets go see Dash!"

Before walking away, she kicks Chris one last time and leaves him on the floor rubbing his arms.

You follow her outside without saying a word, but then you finally react, "Holy shit, what heck was that!?"
You ask her with a shocked smile on your face.

"That was me finally putting to good use the stupid self defense classes my dad made me take for two years."

"Oh my god that was so freaking epic. He's never going to come near us."

You hug her but she pushes you back almost immediately, "You can't let him talk to you like that Lo... you need to stand up for your self honey."

"I know, i know. I'm sorry I just ...panicked. He always says really mean things and... I don't know what to say back."

She pushes a strand of hair behind your ear, "It doesn't matter what he says. Remember that. You are strong, worth it, and free to become who ever you want. Nothing that he says will ever define you."

She hugs you tightly this time.
•
Dash falls in love with Halsey in less than 3 seconds. He's licking her face and running around, as if he was still a puppy.

"Hey you didn't show me the guest house," Halsey says as she points towards it.

"Oh umm, that's because our house cleaner lives there, with umm," and as if the world knew when was the perfect moment to make things harder for you, Camila walks out of the house, "...her daughter."

It takes one second for Halsey to realize who the brown haired girl is. And her face shows her realization perfectly. From uninterested to completely intrigued.

"Hi Camila!"

You shut your eyes because you think that will make you disappear.

"Uh, hey?" You open your eyes as Camila walks awkwardly towards you and Halsey.

"Oh sorry! You have no clue who I am," Halsey says with a laugh, "Just call me Halsey, I'm Lo's best friend, that's why I know your name."

"You've talked about me?" Camila says as she looks at you with her eyebrows furrowed.

"Oh um, well yeah, I uh, told her that your mom helps us out, and that you help me...um ..take care of Dash..sometimes." It's all stumbles and stammering, and you're back to when you were thirteen. Not brave, not cool, and definitely not calm.

"Lauren and I were just about to go get something to eat, wanna join us?"

You and Camila literally mirror each other with your face expressions as soon as Halsey finishes her sentence.

You remind yourself that you're going to have to give Halsey a 411 on how things work around here.

Right then, a dark grey Jeep arrives by the side entrance and you know exactly who it is.

"Actually I already have plans, but thank you for the invitation. I'll umm, see you guys around?" She says as she's already preparing herself to walk towards the car.

"Yes you will. You're not off the hook yet, now you owe us dinner and dessert." Halsey says without missing a beat.

Camila actually laughs at that and simply replies, "I think I can handle that." She smiles at Halsey and then she looks at you, and waves goodbye.

You release a breath you didn't even know you were holding.

"Well this is going to be harder than I thought. It seems like you guys are still in stage 'Afraid to look at you because you're just so pretty'. Jesus Lo, you couldn't up your game this past months. And who the heck is Mr.Jeep The Asshole?"

"What? I'm not...there's nothing going-...I mean, we don't even-..." Halsey looks at you with a raised eyebrow, and you let out a sigh, "I've tried but we don't see eachother that much. And from what I know, that's Shawn Mendes, he goes to my school. He's a Junior, captain of the Soccer team, and he's actually completely the opposite of an asshole."

"Shit, so popular, good looking, nice guy?," you nod with your face in your hands, "Ok, ok, we can work with that. There's only one thing that can beat that though," you drop your hands from your face as you look up at her expectantly.

"Edge."