Perfect
Chapter XXII

Cameron wasn’t beside me for the second time in two days when I woke. I wasn’t surprised though, he was probably getting ready for school since the time read seven fourty five and school started at eight thirty. I sighed and reluctantly got out of bed. I started towards the shower doing my usual routine for school and slipping in warm clothes for the day as it was a little chilly. Wrapping my white fur coat around me I headed down the stairs to the kitchen so I could grab something to eat on the go. I was grabbing a croissant off Pete when warm hands wrapped gingerly around my waist and I leaned into the warm embrace of Cameron, butterflies zooming around in my stomach. He turned me around by my waist and I looked into his currently light grey eyes, they weren’t the dark stormy grey they usually were which meant he was happy right now.

He leaned down and kissed me softly, the warmth of his lips sent a shock of electricity down my back before I managed to react and swiftly kiss him back. It was deep, passionate and completely blew my mind. I pulled back as I was running out of air and eyed his pink swollen lips. “What was that for?” I said breathlessly, still trying to calm my erratic heart beat.

“No reason,” he said smiling down at me, his pearly whites causing my knees to go weak. He grabbed my hand while I grabbed the croissant with my other and we headed towards the front door for school. Pete yelled good-bye behind us and I yelled it back since I was being dragged to the car and Cameron had no intention of stopping. I knew we were late because it was the usual but Cameron didn’t seem to want to be late today. Claire was already in the car waiting for us, “Wow sleeping beauty is finally up,” she winked in my direction. Cameron let out a soft laugh and Claire giggled with him, I glared at both of them and sat in the middle seat again. No matter how many arguments I had with my two friends they wouldn’t give up the side seats just in case another car ‘accidentally’ hit us again. It was noble of them but I didn’t want them risking their lives. Then again, I had no choice.

Joseph was with us again today and I’d assumed he’d been assigned to me as another form of protection along with Seth and Michael. Also Cameron considering he knew who I was now and never left my side, but I assumed that was just because he cared.

First and second period were a breeze as per usual. We got to school late but the first period teachers never noticed anymore since it just happened so frequently. Principal Murphy had also had been told to lay off my back for a little while by the government after all the so called incidents. I appreciated it although I never slacked off on my work, I was late a lot but I always got my work done and whatever tests I missed I did in my spare time and usually aced. My report card would be perfect and I wasn’t in the slightest bit worried.

The bell rang for lunch and Cameron, Seth, Claire and I all piled out into the hall. I excused myself for a moment to go the bathroom which none of my friends saw a reason for me to have an escort so they said they’d meet me at the usual lunch table.

Pushing the door open I headed in, fixing up my face and hair afterwards just to make sure everything was sitting correctly. What I didn’t expect when I pulled the door open to go out was Ash’s stormy face and rigid posture standing right outside the front of it. I looked wearily at him, the only other time I’d seen him this angry was when Cameron had tripped me onto the floor and then the day he’d seen my bruise. But this was a different kind of angry and it scared me.

“Ash,” I nodded in his direction acknowledging he was there. I was still trapped in the door way of the bathroom and I’d been surprised no other girl had tried to come in yet. I looked for an escape, fear started to grow in my brain at being trapped by a male in an enclosed space with no exit points but where he was currently standing.

“Why?” He gritted out.

“Why what?” I looked at him puzzled, I’d done nothing to offend him in the last couple of days or weeks, even months. Then something clicked in my head, the way he’d looked at me on Tuesday. He didn’t seem pleased that day, at all and it was directed at me. Or maybe Cameron, I wasn’t sure yet.

“Why him? Of all people.” Ash looked furious by this point and everything finally came crashing together, “You’re jealous.” He turned his face away from me and I watched as his fists kept clenching and then laid at rest before doing it again. As if he was going to hit something, my first thought was me which made me even more scared in that moment and I really wished someone would come along and see me trapped in the bathroom door. He continued to say nothing and I began to grow annoyed myself.

“You have no right to be jealous Ash, in the slightest. You believed Katherine was girl friend material and that was your first mistake. I wanted you for a long time, ever since I first came here.” The shock on his face was evident at that confession but I continued, “I even fell in love with you but you never noticed, nor did you care to notice. You were too engrossed with Katherine at that point and now I’m no longer in love with you. I love Cameron, I’m in love with him because he gave me the same love back.” The realisation of what I’d said had my head reeling but the shock about me being in love with Cameron had really affected Ash and he’d taken a few steps back. I saw this as my chance to escape and I did but turned around before completely leaving, “I wasn’t going to wait around forever Ash.”

I left him there stunned and headed towards the group table, exhaustion really hitting my brain. A headache started to form and when I reached the table Cameron noticed instantly, pulling me into his arms and planting a kiss on my forehead. His warm lips did nothing to soothe the oncoming raging migraine but I loved him so much for caring. “What happened?” He whispered trying to keep the others out of the conversation as they continued to chat away.

“Ash.” That was all I had to say for his eyebrows to furrow in confusion and concern. He started to turn around to look at the table where Katherine and Ash usually sat but I grabbed his head to turn him back around, “They’re not there.”

“I’ll speak to him if he’s bothering you,” he said to me, determination sparkling in his eyes.

“Don’t try to play hero Cameron, there isn’t a point really. The whole conversation we had was stupid.”

“What was it about?” I looked at him long and hard trying to figure out if it was worth telling him just to get him angry about it. Not that I knew how he’d react I just had a wild idea he might be pissed. “He asked why I chose you because obviously he wanted me to chose him,” I stated in a matter of fact voice. Cameron looked completely lost by this point and it took me taking a big breath in not to giggle at him.

“But he’s with Katherine?”

“Apparently not anymore if he’s doing that and if he is then I don’t care really. I loved him once but he lost his chance because he was more interested in someone that cared more about popularity then his happiness.”

“Do you still love him?” Cameron asked me looking at the ground.

“No Cameron,” I said a smile gracing my entire face, “I’m more then happily in love with someone else.” Pulling his face up I planted a kiss on his lips.

“I hope you mean me because I’ve heard you say it once but I wasn’t sure so I ignored it.” He rubbed the back of his neck and I noticed he looked unnecessarily cute when he was rambling. That was my job, to ramble at least not look cute.

“I do love you but when did I say it before, this is the first time I know that I’ve said it?”

“You were half asleep and dying, so I didn’t bother shaking you awake to make sure you meant it,” he breathed out a chuckle, the laugh sounding like honey to my ears.

“Well I meant it, I promise.” His smile radiated the cafeteria and it had me melting into a puddle, it was that gorgeous.

“Okay if you two could stop making googly love eyes at each other maybe you’d be sociable!” I turned around and laughed at the expression on Claire’s face, which was much like all the other boys; horrified.

I felt Cameron’s breath close to my ear as we turned around to face the others and actually pay attention, although Cameron wasn’t done, “I have a question to ask you but after school.” I looked at him puzzled and shook my head wondering what the question was but put it to the back of my head for the end of the day. I zoned my concentration back in on the conversation at hand and heard something about the party we’d talked about the previous day. An idea finally came to my head, “Why don’t we have it at mine?”

Claire, Cameron and Seth all whipped their heads at me and the look of confusion on their faces had me dying. The two boys Ace and Jason were whooping in agreement while I was getting glares from three of the people around me. “You know you can’t do that Claire?” Cameron whispered to me, “They don’t know.”

“Maybe it’s time they do, I don’t think they’d rad me out.”

“I trust my boys Bella, I always have but you have to be absolutely sure about this.” His face was dead serious and although I wasn’t worried in the slightest, I began to think about how they could betray me. I smiled and shook my head at the silly thoughts, they’d never shown any malice or disgust towards me and I know they’d always cared.

“They can replace out on their own, and when they bring it up or guess who I am then I’ll tell them. So yes, I’m sure.”

“Alright but I’m not the one you’ll have to get through Bella, it’ll be Pete and Michael.” Claire nodded her head in agreement with Cameron over hearing our little conversation. I sighed and agreed, “I’ll sort them out. For now, it’s happening at ours.”

For the rest of lunch the group made plans for the weekend and we were all very excited, the boys were going to stay so they didn’t have to replace a way home and we had more then enough room in my mansion for them to stay. I was nervous for them to replace out who I was but they would eventually anyway, so what was the difference. The only thing I changed about myself was my hair and eyes, they’d soon learn who I was whether I told them now or after the coronation and I’d prefer to tell them myself.

The last period flew by quickly and I headed towards the schools front doors and saw Cameron leaning against the wall beside them waiting for me. He had me drooling at how sexy he was in his white tee hugging the muscles in his arms and showing the definition of his stomach. The ripped jeans he was wearing gave off the bad boy vibe I’d always loved and dreamed of in books. I didn’t want a prince my parents picked out for me. This was the boy I wanted to be with.

Cameron smirked when I reached him and I giggled, “Like what you see princess?” I swatted at his arm but a small upwards tilt of my lips had me shaking my head, “Always Cam.” He swooped in for a kiss and my legs almost gave way at how passionately he kissed me. He obviously knew as his other arm wrapped around me providing support so I didn’t melt into a puddle as I’d claimed I would so many times today already.

“Come out with me tomorrow night, let me spoil you.”

“As in a date?” I asked confused. He shook his head and laughed at me, that rich honey sound reaching my ears, causing me to smile, “Yes gorgeous, a date.”

“But of course,” I teased. I got too excited thinking about it though to play games. “Where are we going?” I asked as he gingerly wrapped my hand in his and we headed out the school doors towards the car. Claire and Seth weren’t far behind us, but Cameron didn’t have a chance to reply as a strawberry blonde fire breathing dragon by the name of Katherine stepped out in front of us. Her dark blue eyes were ablaze and I was certainly surprised she wasn’t actually breathing fire.

“Why did they all pick you? Why are you popular now?” She screeched. I looked at her in annoyance and didn’t even get a chance to reply before she was rampaging again, “Ash won’t even look at me now and it’s all your fault. He’s so in love with you now, not me, apparently he always has been.” Her fists were bunching at her sides and by this time Seth had appeared by my side and was watching Katherine closely. The whole school courtyard was waiting in anticipation for my answer.

I went to open my mouth to reply and she pounced like a lion, I’d closed my eyes waiting for the attack but all I heard was screaming and crying. Seth and Cameron were holding her back and I was glad they’d been there for help and support.

“I’ll get you for this!” She screamed at me as Cameron and Seth dragged her towards her chauffeur and locked her in the car so she couldn’t get out. The courtyard was buzzing over what had just happened and I could hear most comments saying Katherine was crazy. In a sense, yes she was but that didn’t stop me feeling the slightest bit bad for her.

“Well that was definitely crazy.”

“You’re telling me,” I said nudging my best friend towards the car, Seth and Cameron following closely behind. Then I remembered my question hadn’t been answered.

“Where are we going for our date Cameron?” I said, my hand on his chest to stop him from walking. I could feel his heartbeat and it was soothing. He smiled down at me with his usual dazzling smile although his eyes showed the affection and a hint of mischief for whatever he had planned, “It’s a secret.”