Wicked in Love

chapter 6 - was once mine

A/N: This chapter is also in Veronica's POV in Chasing Red :)

Cameron

The bell on the door jingled cheerfully as I stepped inside the crowded restaurant. Too cheerfully, I thought, as I took off my sunglasses and scowled at the colourful patterns on the carpet, the bright yellow tablecloths, the walls that looked like a rainbow puked on it.

It wouldn't be so bad if a headache wasn't digging a pit in the middle of my brain. I pinched the bridge of my nose, hoping to relieve it. It was too early for all this—

"Cameron! Hi, hey! Hi Cam!"

I spotted her right away. She was sitting in one of the booths inside the restaurant. Half of her hair was dyed a cotton candy blue and the other a Pepto-Bismol pink. Her sunglasses were transparent green and heart-shaped, sitting halfway down her eyes so that I could see the sparkly silver on her eyelids.

Maybe she owned the place.

"Hey, Dora. How are you?"

Her smile was radiant and reached her ears as I took the seat in front of her. A few days ago, she'd called and asked if we could meet, that she had something to tell me. My immediate reaction was to decline, but I owed her.

"I'm amazing as I'd ever be! And you?"

"Good."

"Well, you look gorgeous! Thanks for meeting me. Can I get you anything? A house? Homemade chocolate cupcakes? The whole world?"

Her mood was infectious. It was impossible not to return her smile. "Coffee's fine."

She laughed, eyes brimming with lively optimism when a server approached our booth.

"Hi there. My name's Kaito. It's a beautiful day, isn't it? Can I start you off with drinks?"

After we placed our order and the server left, Dora bounced on her seat, looking at me expectantly.

"Tell me how you're doing, Cam! How's The Yard? Everyone doing okay? I tried to get in touch with you right after... what happened, but you changed your number. I actually got your new one from Caleb, but we didn't get to chat much. How is Caleb?"

"He texted me the other day about cooking crabs. Said he was traumatized."

She giggled. "Oh, Caleb." Her voice softened. "He can be crazy sometimes, am I right? I wonder what that was about."

"You guys dated."

"Oh, no." She blushed. "I wish. I don't think I'm Caleb's type. We just went out that one time."

Just then the server came with our orders. When he left, Dora continued as though there was no interruption.

"I found out my boyfriend at the time was cheating on me with my cousin. Then he broke up with me via text. Caleb found me crying in my car at The Yard after work. I'm aware he's a notorious player, but I found out that day he can't turn away from people in pain."

She reached for her iced tea, drew a heart against the condensation on the glass.

"Caleb barely knew me, but he asked if I wanted to get coffee and listened to me while I cried my heart out. I'm sure his ears started bleeding after five minutes of it. He was a total gentleman. A sweetheart." She paused for effect. "And so are you."

I shot her a dry look. "Really."

She giggled. "Okay, okay. You're more the dark and dangerous, broody type. But that doesn't mean you're not a nice guy."

I wasn't, but I didn't have the energy to argue with her. She looked like the type of person who looked at everything and everyone in a positive light. Why be the one to destroy it? The world was cruel enough that someday someone would.