ode to life | cameron dallas

Chapter 6

Ariel was in awe. She slowly put her phone down from her ear and leaped into Cameron's arms, causing him to take a few steps back. But he held her. And they stayed in that position for a full minute.

"You're here," Ariel breathed into his neck.

"I'm here." They continued to embrace, just savoring every piece of each other that the two have craved excessively for the past year.

"What are you doing here, exactly?" Ariel asked still wrapped in his arms. Cameron released so that they could look face to face with their arms still intertwined together.

"You said you missed me, and you wished you were with me."

"Yes, but what about Toronto and Shawn's gig?"

"I'm taking you with me."

"What?"

"I want to show you the world. You're exposed to only so little of it."

"I can't just go out of town and leave. I have responsibilities, Cam." Ariel whispered, prying out of his arms now.

"Then please tell me what the hell that phone call was this afternoon. Because so help me God, if that wasn't a subliminal cry for me," Cameron smirked. "You've doubted how well I know you."

Ariel sighed. "I was being...impulsive, okay? I wasn't keeping my priorities in mind. I was acting like a child."

"Good! Where's that Ariel? I want her right now. Can you stop being such an adult, just for the weekend, and join me?" Cameron asked. "Don't get me wrong, independence is sexy and everything, but I feel like there's this side you haven't shown me yet. And it's the reckless, adventurous, fun loving Ariel that wants to come, but is buried too deep under the uptight Ariel," Cameron explained.

It took a while to completely convince Ariel. All that ran through her head was med school and her tattoo shop and all of her priorities and responsibilities, but one look at Cameron and she didn't care. She was just so happy that he was here with her.

After a moment, she finally face in and asked, "How do you know I have a reckless, adventurous, fun loving side?"

Cameron flashed his wicked smile. "Everybody does."

.

.

.

The plane ride from Denver to Toronto took approximately three hours and ten minutes, which meant the two would arrive in Canada around four in the morning. They were both seated in the plane now, with Cameron in the window seat and Ariel by his side. She was so incredibly exhausted and had cozied up on Cameron's arm.

"I can't wait for Toronto, Cam," Ariel mumbled with her eyes closed. "It's known for a city of art. Inspiration is birthed everywhere."

Cameron rubbed his nose on the top of her head and whispered, "i love how artsy you are."

Ariel smiled. "I wish you would share one of your writing pieces with me. I feel like that's a side you haven't shown."

Cameron suddenly tensed up. He had never shared his writing with anyone. It was personal and was written solely to release the baggage he carried on his shoulders.

But through everything, he knew Ariel was different. And she understood almost everything. Writing was Cameron's piece of art and he owed a debt to Ariel for sharing such a personal piece of her life.

Cameron cleared his throat. "What do you want to hear?"

"Something. Anything you memorize."

"Okay... but it's kind of choppy."

"I don't care," Ariel mumbled, almost completely silent.

"Alright," Cameron said as he took a deep breath and pulled in Ariel closer to his chest. He recited a poem he had just written in the airport while waiting for his plane to take him to Denver.

"One knows 'how' you fall in love. And the 'why' can be found if truth be dug deep enough. The 'when' can be disputed, where the 'who' is quite apparent. But the 'where'-- most commonly skipped-- is not absolute. One does not fall in love at a coffee shop, or in a walk through a garden lined park. The 'where' in love, is in the mind-- for love carries an oddly abstract potential of allowing one to enter the soul of another and live there as you learn to love every word and cascade processed in that very mind. You fall in love in the mind, for in love, you travel the soul of your partner, getting lost in certain corners-- But slowly learning which turns lead to where."

There was a long pause afterwards and for a minute, Cameron thought Ariel had fallen asleep, but after a few moments, she emphasised the simplicity in the words, "You have such a beautiful soul."

.

.

.

Toronto

"Good morning," Cameron hummed into Ariel's hair. She gracefully opened her eyes and was unaware of her exact where abouts. The only visible thing she could make out through her groggy eyes was a smiling Cameron, who in her dismay was fully clothed and not in bed with her. She quickly decoded that she was in an extravagant hotel suite, still dressed in last night's clothes.

"Mmm, hi," Ariel mumbled. The sight of Cameron made everything better. "Where are we?"

He sat in the bed with her and grasped her hand. "Toronto. Heathmen hotel. Ninth floor. Room 900." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles ever so slightly. "Come."

Ariel didn't know exactly where she was going but didn't particularly care, in regards to the fact that she had just awoken to a kiss from Cameron Dallas. He took her hand to the living room which had a ceiling made of glass, golden pillars, and a large canvas painting of a Toronto skyline with intricate detail. (typical for Toronto to have).

Ariel was so astounded by the elegance of the suite, she did not recognize the eight boys sitting upon the dining table staring up at her.

"Guys, this is Ariel Vi, the girl I've been talking to you guys about and Ariel, this is, well, you know the boys." All eight of them simultaneously greeted her with hi's and waves. Nash, Matt, Carter, the Jacks, Taylor, Shawn, and Aaron. It was all too much for Ariel to comprehend, not to mention the fact she had just woken up three minutes ago. But, just like meeting Cam, she was capable to keep her chill. "Good morning, everyone."

"Guys, you know she's the one that gave me my sleeve?" Carter mentioned. "Ariel's mad talented."

She grinned and joined them at the table, it almost felt completely natural. "Thanks, Carter. Let me know when you want your back done."

"Whoa, can you like, do a sick octopus rising up my spine?" Taylor asked.

"Why the fuck would you want an octopus on your spine?" Matt spat. He turned to Ariel and terribly whispered, "Don't waste your talent on sissy shit, hun."

"Yo, you guys do know one of their tentacles are actually their penis right?" Gilinsky casually adds.

"Yo, what the fuck Jack?" Nash said.

"Exactly why the fuck would you want octupi dick on your back?" Matt said.

"What if I wanted to get a female octopus on my back, Matt, damn," Taylor said as he flicks a pickle across the table to hit him directly at his face. And before you know it, Matthew Espinosa dived across the dining table on everyone's food and began grabbing on Taylor.

"Ah come on, Matt, we have fucking creme brule today," Aaron groaned.

"Matt your fucking nuts rubbed off all over my toast," Jackson shouted. "I fucking hate you."

"There goes breakfast," Nash sighed. The rest of the boys complained and gave up on their food.

"This happens every morning with two different guys every time," Cameron explained, whispering to Ariel. "Which is why we can never have breakfast in public together. Sorry, they're so damn embarrassing."

"No," Ariel said. "I loved them then and I love them even more now." Cameron just gazed at her, trying to think of what incredible thing he must have done, for the world to give him such an amazing girl who could put up with his ridiculous friends.