Settle The Score

Surprisingly, it wasn’t the party that had woken him up. Cameron barely remembered the event going on downstairs until he heard the doorbell ring and the sound of Aunt Maggie’s excited greeting, one he could imagine completed with a tight hug and comment of how long it had been since she’d seen her guest. He’d seen it played a thousand times, not only from his own experience but also from the ten years he’d spent here. When he pushed himself out of bed and folded the familiar sheets back to the mattress, he saw that only an hour and a half had passed since he’d returned. The room was dimmer, taunting him to return to sleep and fight off the jet lag; the sun was nearly set, the beams of light peeking through the thick curtains at the windows. It was one of the things he missed most about being in Arizona—the sunsets were something he’d always bragged about to his friends back home in Virginia.

The bustle downstairs became impossible to ignore, and Cameron reached into the dresser for a fresh pair of jeans and sweatshirt, the clothes he’d worn before smelling like the plane. For a moment, he stood in front of the mirror, the lighting shadowing the dark circles that still hung under his eyes from the last tour. Even as his band had since returned home for the past few weeks, too many days writing had turned into late nights, making catching up on sleep difficult. It was another reason why he enjoyed returning to Arizona during these summers—among seeing family, Arizona was his own get away, his chance to refresh. His time was usually spent sleeping late or with his family, until Adelaide returned for the summer. Then his favorite part of those summers would begin: hanging out with her nearly every day, the two catching up and finding parties to attend. She would introduce him to girls that went to her high school, bragging about his band—essentially making it too easy for him to use his charm to get a number or five, impressing them easily with the introduction she gave.

Cameron was excited to see Adelaide again, the thought itself bringing a grin to his lips. Since his own visits to Arizona began, she had been a staple part of the Kent household, too. Her mother worked most of the day, and before she had been old enough to stay home alone, Aunt Maggie easily took care of her at their house. Just as Cameron was always attending these summer get-togethers, Adelaide was always invited as well.

He wondered if she was going to be at the party—she always was, but judging from their last encounter, he couldn’t be sure. Even as Cameron didn’t have a lot of time during a tour, he made sure to invite Adelaide to the shows in Arizona, promising her a ticket so they could see one another. He’d seen her last just a few months before, only for an hour or two after the venue had closed. She went to school at ASU, bragging to him about her schedule and how busy she was going to be. It worried him, now that he was in Arizona for the next few months. Those days with Adelaide were pivotal to his time spent there, one of the many things he looked forward to most.

His aunt hadn’t mentioned Adelaide attendance to the party, and while usually he could assume she was going to be there, Cameron wondered if she would be too busy now to show up. But, pushing the concern aside, he prepared himself for the party downstairs. Immediately upon leaving the room, the familiar scene played out around him. He could hear members of his family talking excitedly to one another, the younger children running around and the sounds of Billy Joel filling the house. Walking down the stairs, he was met with the excited hellos from his Uncle Jordan and his wife, Debra, each pulling him into a hug. The usual comments returned: how skinny he was or how long it had been since they saw him, how was his parents or questions of if he was still in that band, if he was single and why his answer was always that he was. It wasn’t until his six-year-old cousin, Jane, approached her parents and tugged at their hands that he was freed of the conversation.

Nicholas found him next as Cameron moved into the kitchen. His aunt was gathering items from the refrigerator as his uncle carried a tray with raw burgers outside to the backyard. His cousin was walking from the room when Cameron walked in, immediately greeting him with a grin.

“Cam! How’ve you been?”

He shrugged, eyeing the six pack of Corona his aunt set on the counter. It would have been too easy for him to take one of the six and leave the room, step back every so often and grab another until he could get a buzz. Adelaide would always help him out, the two plotting together to get drunk at these events—it’d been this way since they were fifteen.

“Pretty good,” he licked his lips. “Busy. Tiring.”

His aunt turned away from the two as she brought the first few packs of soda and beer outside. Cameron moved around the counter to where she’d left, reaching over and grabbing one of the bottles. His eyes slid over to Nicholas as he reached for the bottle opener next; his cousin gave him a grin as he took off the top, taking a slow sip and turning around just as Aunt Maggie came through the slider door. Cameron kept the bottle close to him as he moved away from the kitchen, stepping into the empty dining hall on the opposite side of the house.

“So do you get a lot of girls on tour?” Nicholas was trailing behind him, excitement evident in his voice. “Or is it, like, worse ‘cause it’s all you musicians in one place and makes it harder?”

Cameron turned to his cousin, his expression challenging as he shook his head, slouching onto the couch. “Do you ever think it’d be hard for me to get a girl?” he laughed, and Nicholas grinned, sitting up in his seat.

“Our family’s got the genes for picking up the girls, man,” Nicholas added, nodding.

He kept the laugh from his throat as he stared at his cousin. “Yeah, man,” he allowed, taking another sip of his beer. “But it’s what’s in the jeans that counts, if ya know what I mean…”

Nicholas grinned, the laughter slipping off his tongue nervous and awkward. Cameron rolled his eyes, not bothering to reply or comment on how his cousin likely had no idea of his own joke. He was halfway through his beer, and he knew it’d be too long before he could grab another without Adelaide’s help—she was always more successful at sneaking booze at these parties, managing to grab entire bottle of champagne or case of beer on more than one occasion.

“Hey, y’know if Adelaide’s comin’?” he kept his voice light, a hint of nonchalance as he tapped his fingers over the neck of the bottle.

His cousin shrugged. “She’s always invited, isn’t she?”

Cameron nodded. “I, uh, know—but I know she’s been busy and shit, y’know? Dunno if she’d have time.”

Nicholas rolled his eyes. “I’m pretty sure Adelaide always has time for a party, especially when you’re in town.”

Grinning, Cameron finished off his beer, setting the empty bottle on the nearby table before standing. He mumbled about doing another round and greeting their extended family, moving from the room. Whether Nicholas left him be or was behind him, he didn’t care as he stepped through the family room into the backyard.

The first person he saw was his grandmother, who immediately pulled him into a large hug and mussed his hair. He tried his best not to cringe as she patted his cheek.

“Oh, Cammy, you’re getting so big,” she cooed, her opposite hand clutching his. “I’m so glad you came out to see us again, honey. You know your grandfather isn’t doing so well—”

He nodded, glancing over to where his grandfather was sitting at the patio table, what he knew was the usual gin and tonic in his hand. The entire family was there, and he wished he’d taken the six pack for himself—at the very least he could impress Adelaide by thinking ahead, but it was too late. Aunt Maggie had placed the bottles into the cooler with the rest of the alcohol, and it would be impossible to grab them without the rest of his family noticing. His grandmother was continuing on in some old story from the last time she’d seen him, and he bit back the reply of how many years had passed since then, smiling instead.

“Of course, Gran,” he agreed to whatever she’d said. “I think I hear Aunt Maggie calling me, though, so if you’ll excuse me…”

Cameron kissed his grandmother’s cheek and waved to his grandfather before stepping away, ignoring her coo of what a great grandson he was. He realized then that she’d slipped a twenty dollar bill into his hand as she’d clutched his palm, grinning now as he slid it into his pocket. It would only be funding cheap beer for when Adelaide showed up, but his grandmother didn’t know that, and he had no problem with it. A hand caught his elbow as he passed the patio, and he was turned around to his Aunt Marion grinning at him now. He barely mustered the greeting when he was pulled into a hug, her perfume strong and stagnant at her clothes as she let him pull away.

“Cam, sweetie, it’s so great to see you!” she gushed, folding her arm over his shoulders as she turned him to the group. Cameron recognized his Great-Uncle Lloyd and second cousin, Alyssa, the two offering him smiles and hellos he returned with a nod.

“You’ve been home long?” Lloyd asked, taking a sip of his beer.

Cameron shrugged, eyeing the bottle with envy before he placed a smile on his mouth and met his stare. “Long enough,” he allowed. “I’ve been writing, lately, which is nice.”

“Got a lot of inspiration, huh?” Aunt Marion laughed, sending him a wink.

“Oh, is there a girl behind all those songs?” Lloyd’s brows rose, smirking now. “Your parents never mentioned—”

“There’s not,” he interrupted before the gossip would begin to stir. “Just, uh…writing. No girl.”

Alyssa coughed a laugh, and he sent her a glare, rolling his eyes. Aunt Marion shook her head with a sigh, muttering of what a shame it was, and his Great Uncle Lloyd scoffed, tipping the neck of his bottle to Cameron now with another laugh.

“That’s smart, son,” he nodded. “Women are dangerous”—Aunt Marion swatted his shoulder, but he continued, waving her off—“Best just keep yourself single and let yourself mingle, if you know what I mean.”

With a wink he left the group, and Cameron’s brow furrowed as he turned to Aunt Marion now, lost. “I thought he got married this last winter—”

“To Barb?” he nodded, and his aunt shook her head. “They just filed for divorce in February—”

“Right after Valentine’s day, no less,” Alyssa cut in.

“He’s bought a condo in Florida, now,” his aunt explained with a sigh. “Probably thinks he’ll spend all day playing golf—”

“Probably thinks he’s gonna find some bimbo barely older than me,” Alyssa corrected, rolling her eyes. “He came over for my eighteenth birthday, last year, and tried hitting on my friends,” she explained to Cameron now, grimacing. “Creep.”

“Creep or not, he’s family,” Aunt Marion scolded, and Cameron laughed.

“Well, were your friends hot?” he smirked, and Alyssa glared at him.

“That’ll be you, in forty years,” she pointed over at where Great Uncle Lloyd was talking with Nicholas now.

Cameron shrugged. “If he marries a bimbo from Florida, I hope so.”

“Disgusting,” Alyssa rolled her eyes.

He smirked again, excusing himself as he saw no one near the coolers, casually making his way over. As expected, he had to mutter the few greetings to the rest of his family as he passed them by, smiling and nodding and hugging each, trying to act as though he was even remotely excited to be there. It wasn’t that he wasn’t, because he was—summers without this Arizona visit felt odd and he missed the few that he missed because of tour—but the menial family parties like these were exhausting. Half of his family was either scolding his career choice like his uncle, and the other half were demanding him to bring a girl along with him, telling him he should be settling down soon. Cameron’s favorite part of these summer visits were the simpler occasions—sitting in the kitchen with Aunt Maggie or driving around with Nicholas, hitting on girls. He liked the normalcy and simplicity that returning to Arizona gave him, and he calmed him down between the hectic tours and recordings he had to go to.

After excusing himself again, Cameron finally made it to the far side of the patio where the coolers sat—one for the nonalcoholic drinks and another for the beers and wine coolers for the adults. Glancing over his shoulder, he took a quick scope of the backyard before grabbing a Corona. He’d only just popped off the top and placed the bottle opener back at the table when he heard the young voice behind him, and he rolled his eyes, taking a sip of his beer before turning around.

“It’s illegal to drink if you’re under twenty-one,” Becca crossed her arms, eyeing him now with a glare. “Or does that rule not apply for musicians?”

Cameron laughed, glancing around the patio before he wrapped his arm around his cousin, pulling her around the corner of the house to where no one could see them. She pushed his shoulder from him with a glare, raising her brow.

“Five bucks, and you don’t go squeal to Aunt Maggie,” he told her, and she scoffed.

“Five?” she repeated. “What do you think I am? Six years old? Five bucks can’t get me shit—”

“Don’t swear,” he scolded her.

“You swore when you were my age,” she argued now, and he laughed.

“I did a lot of things you shouldn’t have when I was twelve, Becks,” he grinned. “Now what’ll ten bucks give me?”

“Another sip or two before I go tell,” she grinned, and he groaned, reaching into his pockets now. His fingers felt the twenty dollar bill his grandmother had given him and he glared at her.

“Twenty bucks,” he held up the folded bill.

Becca grinned, taking the money from him. “Nice to have you back, Cam,” she stepped away from him toward the party, and he glared at her back now, taking another gulp of his beer.

“You’re an evil, little girl,” he called after her and she laughed, turning around.

“And you’re a slut, Cam,” she replied. “At least I get paid, with what I do.”

“I could get paid!” he retorted, frowning as she laughed again, realizing what he’d said with a groan. “You know what I—shut up,” he mumbled, taking another swallow of his beer.

The familiar giggle he heard next was one he knew well, and he turned around at the sound of her voice, grinning despite her insult: “You wouldn’t make shit, being a whore, Cam.”

“Maybe not as much as you, Adelaide,” he argued, stepping forward and grabbing her in a tight hug. “But I could still go pro.”

She hugged him back, and he didn’t bother letting go quite yet, pressing a kiss to her cheek before he finally pulled away. “How’d you get in here?”

Adelaide gestured to the back gate, shrugging. “I didn’t want to make much of an entrance,” she smirked. “Not with our plans for the night.”

His brow rose. “Want some?” he tipped the half-full bottle of Corona to her, and Adelaide laughed, shaking her head.

“I knew you’d pussy out,” she explained as she reached into her purse, grinning as she pulled out a new bottle of whiskey. “Which is why I came prepared.”

Cameron’s grin widened, and he finished off his beer now, setting it down at the ground. “Well that’s good, since that little demon just stole my beer money—”

“I missed Gran giving you money?” she groaned, repositioning her purse back at her shoulder. “Damn, I was hoping to score some gas money from her—”

“You’re awful,” he laughed, and she shrugged.

“You missed me.”

Cameron pulled her to him again in another hug, his arm draping over his shoulder as he led her back toward the rest of the party. “I did,” he looked over at her, smirking now. “Who else can I compete with, when you’re gone? No one else does the title justice like you, Adelaide.”

“Aw, Cam,” she wrapped her arm at his waist. “That was almost sweet.”

“I try,” he rolled his eyes.

“So how much longer do you think we have to stay here before I can drag you to your room?” she asked as they stopped near the door, looking out to the rest of the party.

He shrugged. “Who all has seen you?”

“You.”

Smirking, Cameron grabbed her hand and pulled her through the sliding glass door. She giggled as he brought her through the hallway and up the stairs, each practically running to where he was staying and shutting the door behind him. She looked around at the familiar room as he leaned against the door, offering him a smile as she sat at the floor, her back to the base of the bed as she reached into her purse. He hadn’t seen her in so long, and he took the time to take in her appearance for any changes. She looked the same as always though, still the same Adelaide that he grew up with and knew so well. The skirt at her hips was too short for her to be sitting as she was, her legs partially spread with the bottle of whiskey between them as she struggled with the opening at the cap. With her slumped posture, she was nearly falling from her halter top, obviously braless as he noticed the low cut at the back.

“You sure you should be sitting like that?” he joked, and she shrugged, unwrapping the plastic seal from the bottle.

“I don’t have to be a lady with you, Cam—you don’t care.”

“I hate to break it to you, Adelaide, but you don’t make much of a lady,” he laughed, and she looked up at him, glaring.

“I’m a great lady,” she scoffed. “I have all the makings of a great lady—”

“You’ve got a nice rack and know how to use it to get what you want,” he corrected, and she smirked.

“And what I want, is for you to be nice to your best friend,” she told him, looking down to where his stare still was at the low cut of her shirt. “But it’s nice to hear you like my rack, love.”

He shrugged. “I can appreciate beauty when I see it,” he winked at her, sitting beside her and grabbing the bottle from between her legs. Within a second he’d taken the plastic from the cap, tossing it aside and unscrewing the top. He held out the bottle to her now, grinning. “Ladies first.”

Grinning, Adelaide took the bottle from him, taking a long swallow from the bottle, barely cringing as she passed it back to him now. “I told you I was a lady.”

“You sure as hell don’t drink like one,” he rose his brow, bringing the bottle to his lips. The whiskey was strong, and he felt it burn as he swallowed, passing the bottle her to her again.

“That’s your fault,” her hand folded over his at the neck of the bottle before he released it, and she took another shot.

He shrugged and the two continued on, passing back the bottle as they lounged in his room. The windows were open and each could hear the sounds of the party in the backyard, neither caring much to go join in. The two caught up on each other’s lives—Adelaide told him about college and the past few months, and Cameron explained to her how tour had been and what he was writing now. By the time Nicholas found the two, the hours had passed and a third of the bottle was gone, each blearily tipsy and feeling warm from the whiskey’s burn. Adelaide was laying at his bed now on her stomach, her arms dangling off the end, and Cameron was beside her, his head resting at the small of her back and his body perpendicular to hers. The bottle of whiskey rested at his stomach, his fingers dancing over the glass to a new tune as her giggles shook her entire body at Nicholas’s shocked stare.

“Nicholas!” she twisted onto her side, and Cameron’s head dropped to the mattress. He turned to her with a glare, and she shushed him, pulling down the rising hem of her skirt as she readjusted herself so her elbow was bent, her smile spreading into a lazy grin. “Nicholas, c-come in, will you?”

Cameron laughed as his cousin flushed, and Nicholas shut the door behind him, still staying close beside it as her giggles continued. Shushing Cameron again, she stared at the boy, and he watched as Nicholas could only stare back—he couldn’t even scold his cousin for doing so, as Adelaide made it too easy. Once again she was falling out of her shirt, and with the way she was laying, she was practically inviting his jaw to drop as it did.

“Down boy,” Cameron slurred, laughing. “Have a drink before sh-she kills you—”

“I’m not doing a t-thing,” Adelaide kneed his shoulder with a pout.

“You’re being too s-sexy for Nicholas there,” he corrected, taking another sip of the whiskey and handing it to her.

“Well, I’m just laying here,” she whined, taking a sip before her grin spread. “Nicholas, dar-darling, how about a-a drink?”

Nicholas stared at the two, and Cameron laughed shaking his head as he reached for the bottle. Adelaide pushed him away, holding out the bottle again for his cousin. “Adelaide, he-he’s not gonna drink it,” he tried for the bottle again. “Nicholas doesn’t d-drink the good s-stuff—”

“All booze is th-the good stuff, dummy,” she rolled her eyes, and Cameron laughed again.

“Yeah, b-but Nicholas here,” he pointed to his cousin in a drawl. “He’s not s-so ac-acquainted with the h-hard liq-liq—” his brow furrowed as he tried to pronounce the word, giving up all together with a wave of his hand—“the strong stuff.”

Adelaide pouted. “Nicholas, won’t you d-drink with us?”

“Oh, you fucking whore,” he giggled, sitting up now. “Look at her, all-all—”

“Uh, s-sure,” Nicholas proved his point, and Cameron groaned over Adelaide’s squeal of excitement. “What are you guys drinking—”

“My good ol’ f-friend, Jack,” she grinned, holding out the bottle to him. “Go on, s-say hello.”

“Say hello?” Nicholas echoed, and Cameron rolled his eyes now.

“She means drink up, pussy,” he pushed the bottle toward his cousin. Nicholas took the bottle from her, and he scoffed, shaking his head. “Figures.”

“Figures what?” Adelaide frowned, turning to him now as she sat up, folding her legs under her.

“Uh, he’s only d-drinking because he thinks yo-you’re fucking—that you’re a babe,” Cameron explained, his statement proved when Nicholas coughed, his cheeks flushing. He smirked, raising his brow. “See?”

“You know, if you’re gonna b-be such a moron, maybe I shouldn’t t-take you to the p-party—”

“Party?” Cameron grinned, and she nodded, shrugging as she took the bottle from Nicholas with a smirk.

“I wanted to bring my b-best friend, but maybe I’ll have to h-have Nicholas escort me,” she said simply, and Cameron glared at her.

“And by escort, you mean ‘drive’, so you can go get crossfaded and fuck whoe-whoever you w-want,” he simplified, smirking next as he turned to his cousin. “W-Which, in th-that case,” he wrapped his arm around Nicholas’ shoulders. “He can escort us b-both.”