Beautifully Destroyed(60)

“Fate, you should come home with me. This is too much, honey,” Clarissa says and my body runs cold.

“What? No,” Cameron says firmly. “This is her home. You can’t just take her, she has school and we are—” He looks so lost.

“Cameron, I appreciate your input, but really, this doesn’t concern you. This is about Fate; this isn’t something she can handle. You must know that. Having her name out there was the reason he was even able to find her. Now they might ask questions about her history. Do you really want that for her?” Clarissa says and her attitude reminds me of our days together when she was just my worker.

Of course not,” he says firmly. “I would do anything to keep her from this.”

“Then let her go,” Clarissa begs and my heart is crashing.

“Never, I can’t. I won’t,” he declares and I feel the overwhelming emotions all this arguing is bringing out in me. “I love her. I can’t just let her go, Clarissa. I’m sorry my name got her into this, but I’m not sorry I love her. I won’t be without her. I love her too fucking much.” His words feel so distant to me right now, the stress from this tension is overtaking my body. “I will handle this, you don’t have to worry. I will make this go away.”

“That sounds like a selfish rock star who is only thinking about himself and not the person he loves. What are you going to do, Cameron, throw some money at them? If you could make this go away you would have as soon as they found out who she was,” Clarissa tells Cameron and I feel the distance between these people and myself growing with each word.

“Are you serious?” Cecilia says, and I know this is going to only get worse. “He has done everything he can to protect her. He didn’t go public with their relationship for her because she wasn’t ready to be labeled the rock star’s new love interest. You don’t know anything about what’s going on here. So I think you need to back off.”

“She shouldn’t have to be labeled anything. She’s just a young woman starting out and this world is going to swallow her up and spit her out. You don’t know what it’s like for her. I do and I’m saying she needs to come home.” Cecilia is fuming at Clarissa’s comments.

“I think you don’t know anything about what it’s like for her now. You knew the Fate you dropped off here at the beginning of the year, but she isn’t that girl anymore. Don’t pretend that what we have with her means nothing, because you are wrong, Clarissa.” I can’t keep listening to this.

Walking into his bedroom, leaving everyone behind, I can hear them arguing still about it. Scott is the only one who isn’t saying anything, but I doubt it’s because he doesn’t have anything to say. In confrontations, I’ve noticed he only speaks when it’s necessary, that way it’s valued as important. Cecilia is on Cameron’s side, but Clarissa just isn’t backing down.

“We all should stop before any of you say anything else you regret,” Scott says, and I’m glad he’s trying to divert the situation. “None of what any of us thinks matters anyway. It’s Fate’s life, it’s her choice.” No one responds, but I hear footsteps and I know some of them have followed me into Cameron’s bedroom.

“Fate,” Cameron speaks and it only brings the memories of last night back. Feeling him against me, the love he showed me and the love I know is still ahead of us makes me feel safe.

“Can we have a moment alone please?” I say to everyone. Clarissa is hesitant but leaves with Scott and Cecilia. Cameron, however, has this vulnerable look on his face that I know all too well. I’m sure it’s on my face all the time. Sitting on the bed, I feel all of it again. My memories of the night before continue to play out in my head until Cameron pulls me from them.

“I fucking love you,” he says. “Forever in a day, remember?”

“School is ending, we haven’t talked about it but maybe now we should.” Cameron comes and sits beside me, placing his hand over mine.

“What does school ending have to do with us?” Has he never thought of what would happen at the end of this semester?

“We can’t stay here, we have to move out for the summer. Where does that leave us? Me in Orlando and you wherever your music takes you. Maybe we took this too far,” I say honestly.

“Don’t say that. What we have is perfect. It’s forever, Fate. I never thought about the semester ending because it doesn’t change a thing for me. If you want to go home for the summer and have your life back there, I get that. We can just apply to be roommates again for next year. I will visit you and love you every moment, but I’m really hoping you go with my other option for you,” he says, and my heart stills. “Let’s get a house. Our home. One we don’t have to say goodbye to at the end of every school year. One we get to come back to and call home after the tour. Stay with me, visit Orlando, but make your home with me.” Could it be that easy for us? Nothing else has been, so why this? “Let me love you and I swear no one will ever love you like I do. Fucking fate, babe. This is our fate.” He stands there in silence, waiting for me to say something to him, but I remain silent. Words would not be enough to explain everything I’m feeling. Pulling him to me, I kiss him and I feel his soft lips hesitate against mine but that quickly dissolves and he deepens the kiss. When I break away, I see the pain in his eyes and I want to take it all away.