Virtually Identical

30. Serious Conversation

AUBREY

Have you ever had that moment when you want the Earth to just open up and swallow you whole, and save you from all the embarrassment? Well guess I was having it. Two hours ago me and Rose said goodbye to Laura and Amanda at the airport. It has been three days since that awful day when we got her step father arrested, Amanda had taken legal custody of Laura so she had moved to Stanverse with her. At least now I was relieved that Laura was in safe hands.

We got home to find Ashton and Cameron already there, Mum was in the kitchen, probably making dinner. "Hey what are you guys doing here?" I was the first to ask. Ashton shrugged. Cameron smiled and came to me, "You look cute." He said pinching my cheek, I slapped his hand away making everyone in the room chuckle. "Teresa called us, she said we need to have a serious conversation about something, didn't tell us what." Cam told us, Rose looked at me in confusion before Ashton continued, "She asked us to stay over for dinner, I'm guessing we'll talk then."

"I have a feeling it's not good. Remember Ash, the last time we had that 'serious conversation' with mom?" Rose asked, making Ashton's eyes going wide. He looked terrified, and I suddenly got nervous. I nudged Rose with my elbow, "What was it about?" I asked, she gulped and I did not miss the color that appeared on her cheeks. She looked at Ashton, silently pleading him to tell us. Cam looked confused, "Um..should I tell them?" Ashton asked Rose, "They should know, so they can be prepared for whatever is about to come." She said. Okay now this is getting really awkward. "Will you please tell us already? I'm starting to get nervous." It was Cam who spoke this time.

"Umm... A while ago, we had a project we were working on together. So, I stayed the night here because it was late when we finished. Teresa was already asleep so she didn't know I was staying. Flower said it won't be big deal because I've stayed many times over but the next morning, I wished that I shouldn't have stayed without telling her." Ashton paused, biting his lip. He took a deep breath and I saw his cheeks turning pink. Rose was already hiding her eyes from her bangs. She recently had a haircut, her blonde hair were now till her shoulders with a few bangs at the front. She looked cute.

"The following morning, the neighbor's dog, Alex, came inside, Flower saw it. We didn't know the dog brought something too until Teresa got a look. By that time Alex was already out. I came out from the guest room, Flower was already in the kitchen. She looked at me like I've grown two heads and asked me to follow her to have a 'serious conversation'. We were clueless until she asked us if we slept together last night." He said and I nearly choked on my spit. What the hell!

"Why did she ask you...Oh!" Cam began when I shut his mouth with my hand, "We got it Cam no need to spell it." I said, feeling my stomach turning into knots, what was Mum up to now? "We had a really hard time convincing her that it wasn't ours and Alex accidentally left it there." Rose said, a blush still present on her cheeks. "Do you have any condoms in your wallet?" I blurted to Cam, his eyes widened and he shook his head frantically after coming out of shock.

"N..No! I don't go sleeping around okay? I don't have any! Jesus, Aubrey! What the hell?" He said defending himself, I did not miss his ears turning pink... Shit! Why did I say that? Rose and Ashton had their mouth hung open, they could not get any more embarrassed. Hell! I too felt my cheeks burning! "Sorry. It just came out. Now everyone stop blushing before Mum gets here and gets the wrong idea!" I whisper yell at them.

So ladies and gentlemen that was the moment I wanted the Earth to open up and swallow me.

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The moment we have been dreading finally came and we were seated at the dining table. Cam sat across me, Ashton was sitting across Rose and Mum was on her usual seat. Half of the dinner went smoothly without anyone saying anything but the peace was broken when, "So Cameron, you're dating my daughter. Right?" Mum asked him, I looked up from my plate at Cam when he nodded, "Yes." He answered. Mum gave him a half smile, "And why is that?" Mum asked, we all remained silent until Cam spoke,

"What do you mean why?"

"I mean...of all the girls who are out there, why Aubrey?"

"That's because I like her."

"Hmm..." Mum put her fork down, "Since when do you like her? I want to hear the whole story. The first time you saw her, how did you meet her, when did you start liking her... Everything." Now giving him full attention. There was a pregnant silence and it was starting to irritate me, Cam looked like he was thinking. Rose was poking her pasta with fork, Ashton was eating, he was the least affected and Mum was watching Cam closely. We all waited for his answer until,

"I first saw her when she was in sixth grade. I went to pick Kayla from school when I saw a blonde girl sitting on a bench, reading a book. I think someone called her when she got up and started walking without even looking where she was going and accidentally tripped over a boy's leg. The poor boy looked terrified when she glared at him." Everyone chuckled, except for me, I was glaring at him. He saw me in sixth grade? But Kayla introduced me to him when we were at the end of seventh grade, I never knew him before that. "Then at the end of seventh grade, Kayla brought home a friend of hers. Something she's never done before. That was the first time I was properly introduced to Aubrey. She looked adorable at that time, I couldn't help myself and pinched her cheek, to which she slapped my hand away and then blushed. You thought I didn't saw it but I actually did." He said, looking at me, giving me his signature smirk.

I stick my tongue out at him. Jerk. "After that I used to see her around with Kayla most of the times but we never talked. Then I went to Cynthrane to attend college. I came home after two years, back to Stanverse." He paused and smiled, "I was at Starbucks a day after my arrival when something caught my eye. A boy, about seventeen years old was dragging a girl with him, she was trying to get free from the tight hold he had on her arm, I couldn't hear what they were saying because of the glass that separated me from them. I stood up to go teach that kid a lesson when someone beat me to it. A girl kicked him in his gut and punched his face. That seriously was a sight to see." He grinned.

"That's when I got a good look at that girl who came to the rescue, and the first thought I had when I saw her was that she was extremely beautiful. Her long blond hair fell in waves on her back and some framed her face, she had the deepest green eyes which at that time kind of looked familiar to me but I couldn't remember where I'd seen them. I was totally mesmerized." His eyes looking straight in mine and I felt myself blushing when I looked down at my plate.

"I couldn't stop thinking about a certain green eyed girl I saw when a few days later Kayla brought the same girl home. I was speechless, that's when I joined the pieces and recognized her. She had changed so much since the last time I saw her, I hardly believed it was the same Aubrey I saw two and a half years ago. I don't know when I started liking her Teresa, but now that I think of it, I guess I've liked her all along, since the first time I saw her trip. I never got the guts to confess to her because she hated me. We fought all the time, she literally hated me." He said, something in my stomach tightened, I have never hated him. I was just trying to fight the feelings I felt for him.

"I didn't hate you. I just thought you were a cocky bastard who changed girlfriends every week. But Kayla told me you weren't like that, I hardly believed her though, because how can someone like you cannot be a player?"I said interrupting him, only to get interrupted by him again, "Someone like me? What do you mean by that?" he asked. I didn't think twice before blurting out.

"I mean someone as handsome and good looking as you. You've got everything a girl wants in a guy. Even I thought you were as hot as hell when I met you again after two years. And again, I never hated you, I was just trying to hide my actual feelings." I said, and saw his lips twitch into a smile.

"And what are your actual feelings Aubrey?" It was Mum who asked, I almost forgot that we were not alone. Shit! I sighed. I have to admit it. It was now or never, "I like him. I really do. A lot." I told her, giving Cam a smile. "I thought I'd never hear you say that." He grinned.

I blushed...again. What the hell is wrong with me! I'm blushing too much these days! "Very well then. I'm impressed Cameron. You got my approval for dating Aubrey." Mom said, "I wouldn't stop dating her even if you didn't approve." He said, a mischievous glint in his eyes, I grinned. That's my boyfriend! Mum gave him a glare before she smirked. I was grinning like an idiot Cam had similar expression and picked up a glass of water. I linked my legs with his from under the table, making him choke on water that he was drinking, I could not help but wonder that I was right about my decision, I did the right thing by accepting to be his girlfriend. And as cheesy as it sounds I thought he was perfect for me.

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