Page 6 of Always Be My Baby

Greg nodded and left. When I shut the door, Paul came out of his bedroom.

“I was going to chill out at Mama’s Bear. Do you want to go?” Paul asked.

“Cammy hates me.” I raked my hair back with a huff of my breath. “She tossed the roses I gave her in the trash. Who does that?”

Paul gently pushed me toward the door. “You need a drink, and I’m starving. Let’s talk in the car.”

It only took us about ten minutes to get to Mama’s Bear, so we didn’t talk much, but I was able to tell him what I had done, about the song and roses.

The restaurant was packed, mostly with our fraternity brothers and our sister sorority. Great. I knew Caroline would most likely be there. I needed to talk to her anyway. Now was as good a time as any, I supposed.

It had been a long time since I showed up on a Friday night. Cammy and I would go out to dinner or we would have a private night at either of our places. It felt strange to be there without her. My heart sank at the thought of Cammy and what I had done or, rather, what I had failed to do.

“Hey,” I said to the guys and peeps sitting at the long rectangular tables that sat about thirty or more as a song from the Smashing Pumpkins blasted.

After Paul and I made our rounds of greeting, we sat by the bar. I came so I wouldn’t be alone at home to think about Cammy and also to keep Paul company. After we ordered dinner, the bartender gave us our drinks. I kept checking my black pager hoping Cammy would page me.

“Hey, Paul. Lucas.”

I stiffened and placed my mug down. Caroline and two of her friends were smiling when I turned to the voice.

“I didn’t know you were coming.” Caroline tried to sound casual, but I got a hint of nervousness in her tone.

“I’ll be right back,” I said to Paul and grabbed Caroline with me to go to the back.

“What’s going on?” She bored her eyes into mine, her facial muscles tightening.

“We need to talk.” I narrowed my eyes at her. “You shouldn’t have kissed me. Now you’ve ruined our friendship and the brother and sister thing.” I pointed between her and me.

She bit her bottom lip and her eyes hardened. “It was just a kiss. It didn’t mean anything. Why, did Cammy tell you not to be my big bro? That’s not possible.”

You broke Cammy and me up, I wanted to say, but I didn’t want to give her the satisfaction.

She took a step toward me and stabbed me with her index finger. “It’s all your fault. You were flirting with me. So maybe I took that as an invitation. Besides, you kissed me first.”

I shoved my fingers through my hair, trying to calm the anger. “I don’t remember what happened. I only remembered you kissed me and I was in shock.”

“No, you do remember,” she said almost too seductively, caressing both of my arms.

I pushed her arms away, took a step back, and growled, “Don’t touch me. I don’t care about the damned rules. You’re not my little sis anymore. Don’t call me. Don’t talk to me.” With that, I walked away, back to Paul.

“What happened?” he asked over the music that seemed to have gotten louder.

“I’ll tell you later. Let’s just eat and go. I can’t stand this anymore. I’m going to Cammy’s place tomorrow to get this straightened out.”

“Fine with me.” He glanced toward a table of girls obnoxiously singing Waterfalls by TLC and then back to me. “I’m too old for this crowd and the music is too loud.”

“We’re only twenty-one, but your oldness is rubbing off on me.” I snorted.

The waitress placed our plates of hamburgers and fries in front of us. Paul’s eyes lingered on the waitress as she walked away. I dared not look, thinking of Cammy.

Chapter Six

The Group Study

Cammy

“Are you sure you’re going to be fine?” I checked to make sure Leah had everything she needed. Water, medicine, a plastic bag to throw up in, her pager, and the phone close to her.