Love Of My Life - Steven Conklin

04

As Cameron sat in the bathroom, Jeremiah sat outside as Conrad approached him, "Figured you'd be out here."

Jeremiah looked away not saying anything to his older brother as he took a seat next to him. Conrad let out a breath as he tried to find the right words to say.

"I'm sorry about this morning." He said. It seemed like he was always saying sorry to someone. To Jeremiah. To Cameron. To...to Belly. "I think. I was...scared that you guys were gonna see me fuck up everything"

Jeremiah looked down at his hands as Conrad continued "I'm glad you and Cam were there to talk to Dad with me, though." He glance at his younger brother

Jeremiah huffed before speaking up "Aunt Julia was a stretch, but I really thought I could convince dad." he chuckled

"I- You guys kept me form completely tearing into him, so.. it's no easy feat."

Jere shook his head as tears started to spill from his eyes "you know, I just feel like everyone's slipping away, and-and the house is the last thing tying us together."

"We're not giving up" Conrad responded quickly "We're gonna figure something else out." he spoke rubbing Jeremiah's back

"You got a plan?" Jeremiah sniffled

"No. Not yet. But we'll figure it out together. The three of us. You, me and Cam. Yeah?"

Jeremiah looked at Conrad before turning his head

"Look, I don't know, but..." Conrad started "I feel like us all hanging around the open house tomorrow and being pains in the asses is a pretty good place to start"

Jeremiah chuckled before sniffling "I don't think Cam would do that. You know how nice she is, she'll probably have our heads" he responded making Conrad laugh

"Yeah, she'll definitely have our heads. But this is for a good cause, plus Steven will keep her occupied."

The two boys let out a series of laughs thinking about the couple.

"Let's fuck some shit up"

"Let's fuck some shit up" Jere repeated

Five out of the six teens lingered in the living room that night. Jeremiah sat on the couch with Steven and Taylor as Belly and Conrad stood towards the side.

"So how's Jere?" The Conklin girl whispered

"You know, I think he's okay.I told him we're not giving up. How's Cam?" Conrad spoke looking at the boy

Belly sighed glancing at her shoes "She still hasn't come down. Steven's tried but she either doesn't respond or tells him to go away".

Taylors giggles could be heard as she pushed Steven away "There's a whole other couch over there"

"Everybody knows that's the bad couch" Jere replied

"Yeah she's the one I'm a little more worried about you know. Its hard losing one parent imagine losing three."

Belly nodded "Yeah, she's strong that's for sure"

"Thank you Belly" Conrad spoke looking at her. The girl let out a shy laugh before joining the others on the couch.

"Steven, you're in my spot" Belly huffed

"Oh, well you snooze, you lose. You can sit on the floor now."

"Don't- just let her have it" Taylor Spoke trying to move the boy

"What? Are you.."

"Get off the couch. Just let her have it"

"Oh, my God.Fine." Steven whined getting up

"Sorry, Steve-o" Jeremiah shrugged

The five teens sat in the living room not noticing that Cameron had came downstairs. She watched the group as they laughed and had smiles on their face.

She wondered how they could all just sit there and be so happy when she felt like she was dying. The girl had tried so hard to put a smile on her face for the others. She didn't want them to see her break down because she was always smiling. She was always the one that was happy.

Cameron quietly made her way out the house and towards the beach as she cried.

She was angry. Angry at the world. Angry that her parents weren't here. Angry that Susannah wasn't there. It just seemed like someone always always leaving her life.

Cameron whipped her nose as she started walking on the beach a little faster.

She was so into helping everyone else she realized that no one ever checked up on her. I mean yeah the asked if she was okay but it never went past that. Conrad had Jeremiah and Jeremiah had Conrad. But she didn't truly have anyone.

Cameron reflected at the times she would watch how the Fishers would interact with each other. The sibling teasing and the motherly touch. The fatherly interactions. She wanted have what they had so bad, she yearned for it. And even though they tried so hard to include her and make sure she felt the love as well, it was never the same.

She knew deep down she wan't meant to be with them. It was supposed to be her parents she had those interactions with. Not the Fishers.

Unbeknown to her the girl had started running. Tears clouded her eyes as she ran away from the house.She ran to the one place that would always make her feel better.

In the same house she was running away from sat Steven as he tried to watch whatever was on T.V. He truly didn't give a shit about what they were watching, all he wanted was Cam to be sitting right next to him whispering jokes into his ear. He wanted to hear that giggle that gave his body shivers.

The boy stood up making the teens look at him "I'm gonna go check on Cam. She's been in there for a while and I want her to eat something"

Conrad nodded before making his way to stand as well "I'll come too. I need to talk to her anyway"

The two boys walked up the stairs and slowly approached the bathroom door. Conrad went to knock before Steven pushed his hand down.

"What are you doing?" The Fisher boy spoke

"What am I doing? What are you doing? there's a delicate science to this, you can't just knock she'll have our heads."

"Steven. What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Do you know anything about girls?"

"Clearly you don't" Conrad mumbled taking a breath. He knocked on the door making the Conklin boy wince.

A few seconds of silence went by before Conrad turned the nob to find that the door was unlocked. He looked at Steven who shrugged before they slowly opened the door.

"Cam?"

AN - Cam is literally a mirrorball wtf. I know it wasn't talked about a lot in the first book but Cam's parents did die. So thins books is gonna go more in depth with that and her trauma. But enjoy until the other episodes get released!!!