Bad Things

Twenty-Two: The Voice Inside My Head

I sit on the edge of the bed, speechless and alone while Cameron was outside talking to the cops and paramedics. Of course I want nothing more than to be there and see what's going on, but the cops would easily recognize me and that isn't how I need Cameron to find out the truth.

Vincent is being taken to the hospital and his blood was still spattered over the floor in front of me. I can't keep the sight of Cameron beating Vincent to a pulp out of my head, he did it for me but it was a lot for me to see. And the blood only makes it worse.

I hear a car door close and a moment later the sound of vehicles driving away could be heard. As I hear the bar door close Cameron's footsteps are heard coming towards the door. He opens it and looks at me with a blank expression on his face.

"Are you okay?"

Am I? I have no idea. I open my mouth to speak but nothing comes out, my eyes can only fall to the blood dried onto Cameron's knuckles and the stains on his white shirt. Everything had happened so quickly and now I could only focus on the mess that had been left behind.

Cameron kneels in front of me and takes my hand, "I'm sorry that you had to see that... I try to avoid fighting around girls but sometimes the situation won't give me time. If I didn't do that he was going to take advantage of you..."

"I-I know... I do, I'm just shaken up," I reassure him before taking a deep breath and raking my fingers through my hair, "I just can't process everything that happened right now. Do you do that often? Fight, I mean."

"Honestly?" He raises and eyebrow and shrugs casually, "Not as often as I did at one point, but it still happens. For good reason, though. Trust me, Olivia. I have come a long way in the past few months."

"Cameron, I'm not mad... If anything I'm grateful that you were here to stop him," I manage a small smile but it soon fades away, "If you didn't show up..."

Cameron cups my face in his hands and shakes his head, "Hey, no... Don't think about that, alright? You're okay. He isn't here now and I swear to god, I will not let him lay a fucking finger on you. I'm always going to be here making sure that you're safe, no matter what I need to do to make that possible."

Although we're in the middle of a very serious conversation, I can't help but be in awe of Cameron's protective nature and the way he talked about being here to keep me safe. This was a softer side of Cameron, a completely different person than the one who just sent someone to the hospital - this was the Cameron that I knew has been here all along but he just wasn't willing to show this side of him until recently.

We had recently talked about taking chances and being serious about wherever we were going with whatever the hell this is between us, but we hadn't discussed exactly what it is. At this point, he seemed like more than a friend to me. He was defending me and comforting me like a boyfriend, but I can't assume things like that from Cameron.

I rub over my face to try and rid myself of any negativity that I was still feeling. As I allow for my eyes to meet Cameron's, I change the topic to something that I care more about. Something that gives me a sense of happiness instead of this down feeling Vincent caused, "What are we? I know that seems like a confusing question but I just want to know that I'm not being led on in any way."

Cameron moved his hands and he stood up, tucking his hands into the pockets of his jeans before shrugging nonchalantly, "We are human."

"Oh, come on... Don't be ridiculous, you know what I mean."

"Olivia, you know where I stand with you... I don't like labels," He adds, walking towards the couch and refusing to make eye contact with me now.

The thing is, I feel like I know where he stands but if I assume and allow myself to fall for him, then I'm the person who would be breaking my heart.