10. Will
CHAPTER 10
WILL
“EVER SINCE YOU LEFT” - PRISCILLA BLOCK
W alking toward the bar for another bucket of beer is just the break I need. When Cam was waiting out front alone, in her sage-green cotton sundress, it was all I could do to stop myself from wrapping her in a hug. I know it’s not a good idea to get involved with her, and I’m not ready to open myself up to being hurt or, even worse, potentially hurting her. But she looked lonely and maybe a little sad out there all alone. I do still care about her. I mean, truthfully, I will probably love her forever, even if I can never tell her that.
I shouldn’t have stopped to talk to her or made this silly bet. But like a moth to a flame, I am powerless to keep my distance from her. There’s something about being around her, this sense of being wholly seen and accepted. She puts people at ease, and it’s not just me, it’s everyone. Butler was right when he said that she’s someone special.
I’d contemplated letting her win tonight, although knowing she doesn’t want to be around me hurts more than it should. This is exactly why nothing about dating her, or anyone else for that matter, is a good idea. The people I love always leave: first my dad, then Thatch. It’s a never-ending cycle that is bound to repeat itself—not to mention, I’m still fucked up from what happened overseas. I can’t bring anyone else into that shit.
“What can I get you, handsome?” a cute bartender with braided brown pigtails asks, drinking me in aggressively.
“We will have a bucket of beer and eight shots of tequila with salt and limes,” Cam shouts across the bar, her face twisted in displeasure as her hand grasps at my inner arm, gentle fingers wrapping around my bicep. Is she...jealous? No, she must just be mad that she lost. My skin tingles where she’s touching me, heat and comfort seeping into my bones.
Cam pulls on my arm to turn me toward her, then drops her hand. The tingling from where she grazed my skin lingers. “Are you really going to make me do this, Rambo?” she asks.
“A bet’s a bet. When have you ever been one to not hold up your end of a deal? What would Patricia say?” She looks like I just struck her, cheeks turning slightly pink in shame.
“You know what...fine.” Cam huffs, and spins around to walk away. I grab her hand, pulling her back to where I am standing by the bar, electricity pulsing up my arm when our hands meet.
“I can’t carry all the drinks by myself, Wright. Also, what did I say wrong, because you’re clearly pissed off.”
“N-nothing, it’s fine.” She blows me off, refusing to tell me if she’s mad about more than having to sing in front of a couple hundred people.
The bartender places our bucket of beer on the bar along with a tray of the shots, limes, and salt. I grab the bucket in one hand and start to reach for the tray with the other, but Cam swoops it up, her hand placed perfectly center under the tray, and lifts it above her head. She starts walking back toward our table and I follow, wondering when she learned to carry trays like a waitress. I guess I have missed a lot in the past few years.
“Who wants a shot?” Cam shimmies and shakes in a little dance, setting the tray down gently on the table and passing the shots out.
“No can do, I’m driving tonight.” Butler puts his hand up to decline politely.
“Two for me then,” Cam says as she brings the back of her hand to her mouth, licking the tender skin above her thumb. Geezus, stop looking at her. She sprinkles salt onto the wet spot and grabs the first shot to do a toast. I hurry to my spot, grabbing my shot glass and raising it, nervous about what Cam’s toast might be.
“Alright, I’ll take it old school, in honor of my brother’s favorite toast. Here’s to you, here’s to me, friends we will always be, but if the day comes that we are not, then fuck you, here’s to me.” Her gaze is pointed at me, laced with anger and betrayal.
“That’s the best toast I’ve ever heard,” Smith claps his hand on her shoulder, pulling Cam into a side hug. One that, based on his face, is his way of saying, I’m sorry my friends an asshole . I mean, he isn’t wrong, and I’m glad she has this new-found family in my friends, but it hurts a little, how easily I am being shoved out.
Screech . The trivia host grabs the mic, sending off an ear-splitting noise for the second time tonight. I can’t help but laugh, I’ve always thought it was funny when that happens. It’s embarrassing in the way that, you clearly couldn’t control it from happening, but you have to take the judgment and responsibility anyway.
“Well, I guess this thing is still on. Who’s ready for some karaoke?” The crowd cheers in excitement, Lo and Amy turning quickly into “woo girls” while Cam sulks and takes down her second shot. “Get on up here winning team, and pick your song.”
“Looks like you’re up, Wright. Better put on a good show, give the people what they want.”
I see the shift in her attitude as it takes place, the forced smile blooming on her face, the straightening of her spine. “Don’t worry, I don’t let people that are counting on me down.” Ouch!
She walks around the group and toward the elevated stage without another word. Shit. She is not messing around, and if I was a gambling man, I’d say she’s mad at me right now for more than breaking her heart. But for what? I have no clue. This whole bet was her idea.
Cam takes the stage, carefully climbing the three steps at the side and gliding over to the DJ to tell him which song she would like. While he cues up the music and lyrics, she walks to the front of the stage, where the trivia host turned karaoke emcee is waiting. Rainbow-colored spotlights illuminate her, painting a pattern of streaks and shadows across her flowy dress.
“While we cue up your song, can I ask you something?” He looks at Cam like he wants to eat her for lunch. Eyes trailing from her toes to her hair and back down. I want to punch him in the face, yet I have zero right to.
“Sure, ask away.” Cam smiles her megawatt smile at the crowd and does a little swing of her dress.
“How did you manage to be the one singing tonight? You aren’t on the winning team, I noticed.” He winks at her, as if to say, I’ve been watching you . She bristles a little, wrapping her arms around her waist. I don’t think anyone else noticed, but I did. He is creeping her out.
Leaning in to speak directly into the microphone, she says, “Well, here’s the thing. I got my heart broken five years ago, and not that long ago, my ex randomly showed back up in my life. I made a bet with him tonight, and well...I lost, so now I have to sing.”
“Wow, that’s rough. Ladies and gentlemen, did you hear that? This beautiful girl lost a bet and now has to sing karaoke in front of her ex. Let’s show her some love.” The crowd roars with several combinations of “Whoo!” and “Knock ’em dead!” and “He’s an idiot!”
After getting the signal from the DJ, Cam grabs the microphone, moving the stand out of the way, and shoos the emcee off stage. As the music begins, she looks right at me with laser focus, pointing her finger directly at my chest. “This one’s for you, Rambo.”
As the first lyrics roll out from the speakers, with Cam’s voice perfectly aligned over them, I hear, “ever since you left” on repeat a few times before the song moves into more lyrics about how the singer/Cam went right back to living. Unfazed by the breakup, moving on, not wanting to go back, all these themes are spiriling around in my head and in Cam’s words as she dances, swings her skirt, spins, and plays to the crowd’s delight. They are eating up everything she’s serving, and suddenly, although I won this bet, I realize the joke’s on me.
By the second time the chorus rolls around, Lo and Micah have joined her on stage, singing with her as if this is their bedroom and they’re belting it out with a hair brush. Cam points at me again before singing something about knowing I want her back and how she does not give a single fuck. She makes a kissing face before smacking her right ass cheek and spinning around.
“I’m not sure exactly what you said to that girl way back when, but I don’t think she’s getting over it anytime soon.” Ruiz smacks my shoulder playfully. He has no idea how spot-on he is.
“I disagree. If she didn’t still care, she wouldn’t be up there singing a breakup song at the top of her lungs. I think you have more of a chance than you think.” Smith squeezes his way into our conversation, rubbing his hand over my curly hair, undoubtedly messing it up.
“It doesn’t matter either way. I’ve told you both, she’s a no-fly zone. It’s not happening. Ever.” I don’t notice that someone new has taken over karaoke.
“Well, that’s one thing we agree on, Rambo. Not. Happening. Ever.” Cam walks past where we are standing, grabbing her purse from the table and giving what I presume is a goodbye hug to Butler.
On her way out, she walks back by us holding hands with Micah and laughing about something he said. “See ya around, Wright!” I shout after her.
“Maybe in your dreams, Rambo.”