Leah Carstairs (Book #2)

Meeting Cameron Ashdown

Mid 2011

Emma first got acquainted with Cameron Ashdown outside a mundane soccer club, when she was returning from her tutor Diana Wrayburn's house, with Dru. She couldn't hide her surprise upon seeing a young Shadowhunter who was playing a mundane sport with other mundanes.

Cameron too noticed the 2 Shadowhunter girls standing and staring at him from the field's perimeter. Running his fingers through his hair, he flashed a grin at Emma and Dru and then paved his way towards them.

"Come on, let's go." Emma muttered, trying to drag Drusilla away from the soccer field, but Dru was the least keen to go.

"But, he's coming towards us." She muttered back.

"That's exactly why." Emma replied.

"What's the problem? He's hot." Dru insisted in a tiny whisper.

"Your brother is hotter."

"What?"

"Hey there, girls." Cameron came up to them with a chivalrous smile.

"Hi!" Drusilla replied enthusiastically.

"Regards to you too, blondie." Cameron replied, still smiling.

"Nobody calls me 'blondie' and keeps their kneecaps." Emma replied.

Cameron was internally a little frightened by the very 1st thing she had said, but he managed to appear casual and undaunted anyway. "I'm Drusilla Blackthorn," Dru began. "And this is -"

"Emma Carstairs." Cameron completed.

"Stalk much?" Emma raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, no, not at all. I've just heard a lot about you." There was a moment of silence, after which Cameron spoke again "I'm Cameron Ashdown. Do you play soccer?"

"I was hoping you had heard enough about me, to know the answer to that." Emma replied coolly.

Cameron was left speechless. Sensing the awkwardness, Dru answered brightly. "No, we don't play soccer. I actually don't even know what soccer is.  But you can probably tell us all about it; who knows? Maybe after a few weeks, we both will be good enough to even beat you."

Cameron was obviously not convinced that someone like Dru - overweight as she was and bereft any knowledge about soccer - could beat him, after a few weeks' training. But he was ever polite with his answer. "I'd love to. As long as we can keep it from the Clave." He added.

"Ooh! Emma loves keeping things from the Clave." Drusilla laughed. "And she's really good at them. Sometimes, I myself have no idea what is being kept from the Clave."

"That's kinda supposed to be the point." Emma muttered under her breath. Louder, she spoke. "We should probably get going. The others are waiting."

"Right. We don't want to delay anyone."

"If you insist." Cameron obliged. "Will I see more of you anytime soon?" This was directed towards Emma.

"I'll think about."

Judging from the way Emma and Cameron had met, Dru was the most taken aback, when a week or 2 later, the Institute was pulsating with the fresh news of Emma's upcoming date. Having dealt with a tragic, miserable past, the Blackthorns hardly got enough exposure to romances.

Emma's new date was an occasion for everyone to behold and gossip about. Dru went about the Institute boasting how she had been the reason Emma had even met the guy. Julian joked of how he should start preparing his If-You-Hurt-My-Parabatai speech. Livia and Ty so far even intended to bug the date venue, so they could hear everything that passed between Emma and Cameron.

The only person who could afford to sleep with open eyes in the Institute at this time, was Arthur Blackthorn.

Cameron arrived, handsomely dressed, with flowers and chocolates (which Dru was quick to claim for herself). It was obvious to everyone that he had put in way more efforts to dress up and impress his date, than Emma had bothered, and if Cameron felt a little embarrassed about that, he didn't show it.

"Hello everyone." He addressed the Blackthorns - who stood still, trying to capture all details about Emma's date so that they could later gossip about him to their heart's extent.

Finally it was Julian who extended a hand and spoke. "A pleasure to meet you, . . ."

"Cameron." He shook his hand warmly. "And you are?"

"Julian. The Parabatai."

"The Parabatai. A very special member of the family, I see."

"I am." Julian replied.

At that moment, Emma came sliding down the stairs, with Liv trailing her, complaining in undertones about how late she was and how she wished Emma had chosen to wear something a little feministic.

"JULES! I swear by the Angel, if you had been -!" She flashed him a meaningful glare, as if to scold him in case he had actually delivered his If-You-Hurt-My-Parabatai speech, but Julian replied with a completely innocent look. Emma narrowed her eyes, mentally compelling him to admit and apologise if he had indeed been bothering Cameron, but Julian's expression remained honest. He even crossed his fingers across his heart to prove his innocence.

"Hi Cameron." Emma addressed him hastily, while strapping her sword Cortana across her back.

"Hey. You look gorgeous tonight." He replied with a smile. Emma stopped to stare at her date in a weird, dumbfounded manner for 1 second before she went back to strapping her sword, because frankly her attire tonight was the nearly the same as what she wore every other day.

Julian took this opportunity to come a little closer to her and then inconspicuously wrote on her shoulder blade: YOUR DATE'S A REAL CHARMER!

Emma covertly slapped Julian's arm, and he chuckled. "I, er, I also brought you flowers and chocolates, but, er, I kind-of don't know where they are anymore. I'm pretty sure they were right here, though." Cameron continued awkwardly. In the periphery of the room, Dru quickly shoved the chocolates under a couch.

"It's okay. I'm not very fond of flowers." Emma shrugged on a jacket. "Come, let's go."

"Okay." Cameron brightened up. "Where are we going, by the way?"

"Demon hunting." Emma replied excitedly. She walked ahead and out of the Institute door, with Cameron behind her. A hand suddenly rested on Cameron's shoulder. "By the way, when she says 'demon hunting', she does literally mean demon hunting." Julian said in an undertone.

A/N: Waddup? I hope you liked that chapter. Emma and the Blackthorns coming together to silently insult Cameron - WOW! That's a dream come true.
So, guys, I was thinking of starting a book on self-created Shadowhunter comebacks and pickup lines. Like, how to insult and flirt like a Shadowhunter. I don't know. What do you feel? Would you like to see a book like that? Please feel free to drop in your opinions! And if you've got any cover ideas or any of your own TMI-related comebacks and pickup lines, feel free to share.
~Lila