Take Me by Surprise, It Will Blind Me

"So, Cameron, I heard that you're in a band...", Pete started as we ate our dinner in a restaurant downtown. I could felt Cameron got tensed up when Pete asked about his band. It must've been a huge deal, well, for him it was because the Pete Wentz just asked him about his band, but I thought it was just for excitement being because The Downtown Fiction already got signed as far as I remembered.

Cameron wiped his mouth area with his napkin before answering. "Yes, The Downtown Fiction. We're working on our full-length, but, touring is our main thing right now."

Pete nodded and put a piece of his steak into his mouh. "Are you gonna go on tour soon? Dareen's surely gonna miss you, ya know.". By that, I kicked Pete's leg under the table. He coughed up a bit and glared at me, but, I just smiled back sinisterly with a keep your huge mouth shut, Wentz look.

"Well, I'll come out and visit.", I smiled to Cameron and squeezed his hand firmly because we had our hands clamed together the whole dinner, except when we were eating. He smiled widely from ear-to-ear bacm at me. It was really adorable of him because the excitement was drawn perfectly on his face, but, I couldn't bear the images of him, tourig across the country while I, being the pathetic little damsel, waiting for his call or even a word for him. If we lived in the 1900's, the case would've been he went off to war and I waited for his telegram, but I couldn't even imagined Cameron in a uniform.

The rest of the night was spent by talking how Bronx doing these days and their or mine or even Cameron's near-future plans. When we were done, we said our goodbyes and Cameron led me to his car. We got in and he exhaled. "That was... Interesting."

I laughed. "You just had dinner with Pete Wentz.", I glanced at him and caught him with a wide smile spread on his face. "But, one thing did get stuck on my mind."

"What?"

"The touring part.", that said it all. I knew Cameron didn't need any further explanation about that part. We both fell silent as he turned on the ignition because it got warmer by the second before it could get stuffy. I bet we both had the same thing in my mind; how hard it would be. We just got together for Christ's sake! I didn't know how he and Trish coped up with that, but probably Trish wasn't lonely when Cameron left. Oh, I bet a thousand dollars for that.

He drove off and after a couple blocks, he sighed without taking his eyes off the road. "We'll be fine. Everything's going to be fine."

That was his answer? We'll be fine?! I frowned and furrowed my brows. "I didn't know that you're a psychic now. How'd you know that?"

"Dareen, I've been through this and you told me that you have a lotta things at work at the moment for the next few months, so, it wouldn't be that much of a budge for you. Sure, we'll miss the hell out of each other, but, four months will fly away and I'll be back before you even realize it.", he blabbered out. The truth was, I was highly disappointed by his answers.

The old Dareen, that now seemed like an old friend of mine that I was too scared to say hi to, came around. What if that was Cameron's saying of "I want to be single while on tour and we'll decide what we are when we get back"? I tightened my grip on door handle. It was only a couple blocks away from the apartment and I was in the mood to punch somebody on the face. Yes, it was childish of me that I got upset by how Cameron didn't see how worried I was with him, touring.

This was my first relationship and I didn't want it to go down the drain. Not because of my issue, but because I did love Cameron. All these times since high school, I just realized that I loved him. He knew everything about me and he could read me like a transparent book. He could cheer me up in any way that no one could. He made me a mix CD, which was my favorite thing that anyone could ever get or make me.

When we got to the apartment's parking lot, he cut the engine and sighed. "I'm sorry if I didn't give you a relaxing nor a great answer. That's all I got in my mind and I didn't want to sugar-coat it for you, since I know how you react to lies."

"I'm just worried.", I whispered. "What if someone catch your attention and you forgets about the boring and bitchy Dareen Turner back in Virginia?", I said, hearing my self-esteem took its toll. It was the main problem in my mind, though.

"Don't you ever say that. Dareen Turner from Virgnia is the most perfect girl that I've ever met and the only one that caught my heart on lock.", he finished it with his signature crooked smile. There was no way I didn't believe him after those lines. I just pursed my lips, attempting it into a smile and nodded slightly. "I love you, Dareen, and you don't need to worry about that."

Love. That was the word I definitely needed to get used to, since Cameron would be using it a lot on her and she had to use it on him eventually. "Good night, Cammy.", she pecked his lips lightly before getting out from the car and watched as he turned the engine back on and drove off. Probably Amy and Feranix still up watching some movies. It felt like now, I was just a stranger roommate for them due to the times I spent wth Cameron.

I went up to the apartment and when I got in, there were giggles and laughters. Did David and Eric went over again? I sauntered to the living room and saw Amy, Feranix and Eric sitting on the carpet, surrounding a stack of Jenga. "There you are!", Amy grinned after pulling another block off the stack.

"Got dinner with Pete and Ashlee.", I shrugged before plopping down onto the couch and tickled Feranix on her waist with my toes. She giggled and slapped my knees, telling me to quit it. "And went home with Cameron."

"Ashlee and Pete are in town?", Feranix asked while trying to concentrate because it was her turn. One thing that I noticed from her was her lime green pedicure and it worked out well. Her mind then shifted to the first time she brought her friends to meet Pete and Ashlee. They freaked, of course, but as the time went by, they gotten used to it.

"Hold on a second.", Eric had his right hand up, telling us to stop talking. "If I'm not mistaken-and if I did, just slap me-are you talking about Pete Wentz? Ashlee Simpson?", he asked with a cocked of a brow.

Uh-oh. "Well, Eric, since you are dating my best friend, you gotta know a little bit about myself.", I started off. "As you know, I worked for Arletta Stevens, who is a bridal designer with celebrities customers and yes, we were talking about Pete Wentz and Ashlee Simpson."

After that, Eric whistled and shook his head lightly. "This life is complicated, huh?"

"You gotta be in the race to win the race.", I smiled and stood up, walking away to my room.
********
It was a relaxed morning when I got out from the apartment a little earlier than usual. Amy needed to wait for Feranix who had woken up late, so, I decided to just walk to work, since I couldn't drive.

The air was still chilly, making me to hug my coat a little tighter. I crossed the street to get some morning coffee at Starbucks and when I got to the other side, someone slurred my name. "Hey, Dareen!"

I looked over to the direction and saw the last person I ever wanted to confront to; Trish. She walked towards me while trying to maintain her balance. It was obvious that she was still wasted at this time of morning. "Well, isn't this a nice time to be wasted, huh, Trish?"

When she was right in front of me, she looked at me for a moment, then she ran her hands across my face, by meaning; slapped me. "What the hell?!", I screamed and covered my cheek.

"You bitch!", she blurted out. "You stole my boyfriend! You thought you could play the old-high school-friend but I knew all along. You came back to steal Cameron from me and yoi're going to pay."

"You're too drunk for talking about this, Trish. I didn't steal your boyfriend and you fucking cheated on him. Real classy."

Trish stopped and blinked at me a few times before out of nowhere, giggled drunkenly and shook her head. "That's what he said? I cheated on him? And you believed that?"

I stunned. What was she saying? Was the alcohol really got to her mind and sanity? "Cameron always said that when he cheat on me. He says I left him, We broke up, yada yada, but I cheated? That's the best one yet."

"What are you talking about?!", I demanded with my shaky tone. My lips already trembling, holding back my tears.

She smirked and looked like already getting sober. "Cameron lied to you. I'm still dating him. He was "staying over" at David's last night because he went on a dinner with you. He made up excuses to go out with you when I already know the truth. Looks like you got fraud."

My heart crimpled. It was really hard to hold the urge to punch Trish in the face but I decided to just ran into Starbucks. I've been slapped by reality yet again.