Battle of Hearts

Chapter 38- Caged Heart

Cameron stared at her with burning questions in his eyes. "Wh-Ho… I… Wh-Wh…" He stuttered for the right combination of words.

She decided to pull him out of his misery and explained very honestly. "Yes, I don't believe in relationships. They're just useless for me. I'd rather be someone's friend than be their girlfriend. It's just complicated and messy and you're always trying to impress someone which I can't do. I can't show trust towards people… That's practically impossible for me. And with a relationship comes obligations that I can't fulfill. It's… just too much work." She had never been this honest with anyone. Maybe it was the hangover taking the driver's seat or maybe it was the intensity that had grown between them. The tension lurking in the air caused her to turn away and stare outside. She couldn't face his saddened expressions.

He exhaled anger that had taken control of him. "I-I don't know." He finally said his voice lacking any emotion. When she turned at his voice she saw him lean his head against the seat.

"I'm sorry." She said trying to conceal the water building in her eyes. She couldn't believe she had lost control of her emotions but with a silent inhalation she regained her strength before he could see the torn look on her face.

"Ugh… Come on." He said with a hint of sad smile. "You don't have to say sorry. Just…Why can't we just be together?" He swirled his eyes to blankly glance at Ally.

"Clearly we want different things… We're total opposites." She started justifying it and he closed his eyes but not before she saw the dejection in them. She was broken to see she couldn't help him in anyway. She felt an urge to comfort him, to make him smile, but she resisted it knowing it would worsen things between them.

"You're right." He unexpectedly said after a long pause. She didn't know he would agree so quickly. "We want different things. It's probably for the best." He shrugged off focusing back on the road ahead of him.

"Yeah. It's for the best." Her vague statement didn't receive any response from him. He started the car and drove silently to Haley's house. She glanced at him a few times but his face showed no feelings as he concentrated his attention on the road. They didn't talk the whole ride there which was very uncomfortable for her. Normally, silence was golden for her but now it pricked at her skin from all corners. She wondered what he was feeling or thinking. She wanted to interact with him, see him rant about nonsense stuff, see him describe his stupid injury from two years ago again, listen to the time he had a crush on his tour guide or just about anything that would break the black hole around them. It had sucked the comfort and coziness that was earlier present and replaced it with cold, dark matter she couldn't relate to. There was just an empty space between them longing to be filled by both but none willing to take the first difficult step.

They reached their friend's house and he got out maintaining his vow of silence. She followed after him and they rang the doorbell. She noticed the trashed lawn and expected to see the same view inside. Someone covered in crumbs of chips and lipstick, still in their boxers opened the door. The boy lazily scanned them and came upon a realization, "Oh it's you guys!"

"I'm sorry. Do we know you?" Cameron said for the very first time after their confrontation.

"Hey man, it's me Ryan!" He said trying to adjust his messy hair over his forehead. It was quite difficult to recognize him with his hair in his eyes but when he removed it, they understood it was indeed him.

"My god. What happened to you?" Cameron asked humorously as they entered inside the house.

"There's 'asshole' written on your cheek in red lipstick, my friend." Ally mocked him pointing to the various other names his face was covered in.