Brothers I Never Knew ✔

Chapter Sixteen - Thoughts

"Food!" Myles called out, setting down three plates on the dining table, Reid following behind him with three others. 

Cameron poked her head up from the book Arlo had gave her from her place on one of the bean bags. She had asked for something to do, so she didn't get stuck in her guilt-ridden thoughts, and Arlo had handed a random book her way. Reading wasn't usually her thing, but it had passed the time.

 Her stomach rumbled at the smell of food and saliva built in her mouth when she saw the pasta set out on the table. She closed the book, not bothering to mark where she had gotten up to. It wasn't that interesting anyway.

"Great, I'm famished." Arlo half-hopped to the table, sliding a chair out and dropping onto it. He breathed in deeply, then sighed out happily. "Oh food, how I have missed you."

Cameron shuffled to the table slowly, letting the five brothers that were awake take their seats before she did. She sat in an empty chair next to Lloyd where the last plate of pasta had been placed. Everyone else had already started to dig in, so Cameron picked up her fork and did the same. 

It had been a couple of hours since they had arrived at the warehouse, or as her brothers called it, the 'safehouse'. The News broadcast station had been put on the television not long after they had arrived, letting them keep track of any information being given to the public about themselves. Cameron was relieved to find no CCTV had been recovered, thanks to Lloyd, and only witness statements had been taken about the incident with Ashley.

However, the police chase had been caught on video by people they had passed, and that was being played every so often. The police were requesting that anyone with any information about their whereabouts to come forward. Thankfully, no one had.

Kalmin had been in and out of sleep the last two hours, Reid checking on him every half an hour. The area Kalmin was resting in, Cameron had found out, to be the medic area. It, surprisingly, had expensive medical equipment she had caught peeks of every time Reid or Myles entered the curtained off area. 

Each time she had heard the pained groans and mutters coming from behind the curtain, she felt the weight of her guilt press down on her harder. She knew she shouldn't feel this bad, she wasn't the one that had shot him, but that didn't change the dull emotions swirling inside of her. 

"That was great! Compliments to the chef," Arlo praised, placing his knife and fork onto the plate side by side. 

"I'm surprised you even tasted it with the speed you ate it," Diego smirked, shoveling another forkful into his mouth. 

Cameron chewed the pasta sitting in her own mouth, pushing a few pieces around her plate. What would have happened if she had been shot instead? Kalmin would have been fine for one.

"Well, I have amazing taste buds." Arlo sassed, sticking his tongue out and scrunching up his nose in retaliation. 

"You wouldn't know good taste if it hit you in the face," Diego shot back.

She sighed quietly, taking another bite of pasta. The heavy feeling of regret was back in her stomach. She wasn't that hungry anymore.

"Are you saying Myles' food was not good?" Arlo questioned innocently, leaning forward in anticipation.

Diego spluttered indignantly. "Of course not. His cooking is good. You just-"

"His cooking is just 'good'?" Lloyd inquired, joining in on the teasing.

Cameron put her fork down with a quiet clank, plate still half full. She picked up the glass of water set in front of her, taking a sip of the cool liquid. She took in a shaky breath through her nose, trying to push the feeling away. Why did guilt always leave people so down-trodden?