Take Me by Surprise, It Will Blind Me

All I could hear was the scream of the kids outside and a moment later, the band started to play. I groaned while I sat on the toilet's lid since two and a half hours ago. The signal was still a bust and my voice got rusty from the screaming I've done to get someone's attention outside, but it was not use. No one even used this bathroom. I kicked the stall's door and leaned on back onto the toilet. Probably Amy and Feranix wondered where I was, but they wouldn't have any idea that it had anything to do with Trish. She probably would tell them that I left or something else.

Then, a miracle happened; I looked up and saw a little window. I could just reach it by standing on the lid of the toilet. After doing that, I pushed open the window and when I looked to my phone, it got some bars. Calling my friends would be useless because they usually had their phones in silent while being in a show, so, there was only another person I had in mind; Pete Wentz. I didn't know why, but he probably could get me out of here.

I was actually a family friend of the Wentzs' because I mostly designed Ashlee's wedding gown, even though it was under Arletta's name. I've become friends with Ashlee and Pete because I had to spend months with them, helping them up with their wedding, her gown, and her party dress. His number was in my contacts list and I quickly tapped the number. The dial tone wasn't that long and he answered in the sixth tone. "Hello?"

"Pete!", I almost screamed in happiness. "You gotta help me!"

"Dareen?", He asked after a moment. "What happened?"

"Do you know anyone at Jammin' Java? I'm in a rut...", I bit my lower lip and took my phone away from my ear to check the signals. The bars were increasing and decreasing in the same time, it was terrifying for me.

"What kind of a rut?", Pete chuckled and sounded so amused. He knew that I was an Ice Queen and he always thought I was a man eater because of my fear of commitment. "You didn't steal someone else's boyfriend, right?"

I rolled my eyes at his joke. "Har har, Pete. I'm dying of laughter."

"Look, one of the barista was my long time friend, I could get her to help you, but you haven't told me what you need help with."

"Well, if you must know, a psycho bitch locked me in one of the stalls in the backstage bathroom."

By saying that, Pete exploded into a hysterical laughter on the other line. I had to waited for him to calm down after five straight minutes of laughing. "Out of all the problems you could tell me, you chose to call me when you're locked in a bathroom."

"If you want to, I could call you when my cat got stuck in a tree."

"Fine, I'll call her after this."

"You're the best, Pete.", I smiled and hung up.

It wasn't that long until someone got into the bathroom and I quickly got down from the toilet's lid. "Is someone here?", She asked.

"Uh, Hi. I'm right here.", I said shyly and the unknown girl came up to where I was locked in. "Can you get me out of here?"

"The lock's jammed.", she stated the obvious. "How about this, you push from the inside and I pull from the outside?"

It was worth a shot. With that, I backed up a few steps before slamming my side onto the door, with the girl pulling the door from the outside. After a few try, I promised myself it was the last time because my side was already throbbing. When my side slammed against the door, it finally swung open and I landed on the cold tile floor. The saviour girl looked down to me and stuck her hand out to help me up.

"Thanks for everything.", I muttered after getting up with her help. She was probably my age, straight black hair and had her glasses on. "Uhm..."

"I'm Rya.", She smiled and I nodded. "The show's already stared..."

"Oh yeah!", I quickly ran out from the bathroom and to the side of the stage. They were already halfway through their set when I got there. Amy, Feranix and Trish had their backs on me as they enjoyed the show. I wasn't mad at Amy and Feranix, not even a bit, for not looking for me, but I really wished they asked Trish about my whereabout.

I walked quietly to Amy's side and she noticed me next to her. With a wide grin, she nudged me lightly on the rib like she was about to squeal in excitement before drawing her attention back to Eric. There were sparkles in her eyes when she watched Eric play and I already had some stingy comments to say, but I kept them to myself. Amy was having fun, so did Feranix, I couldn't ruin it for them by being my Ice Queen self.

Trish noticed my presence too and she just glared at me while I waved to her with my fingers, teasing. She wrapped her arms across her chest and pouted, like a kid who didn't get what she wanted. When the band played a song called "Is Anybody Out There?", My friends and I jumped around even though I didn't even know the song, but it was super fun to jump around to. Probably annoyed by my easy-going attitude, Trish stomped her way out from the backstage. That treated her right.

After a few songs more, the show ended and the guys ran out from the stage. It was surprising that Eric tackled Amy into a bear hug and I could see how her eyes widened when he did that. David quickly gave Feranix a high five, even though it was obvious that he wanted to give her more than a high five. Then, Cameron walked up to me with a bit of an unamused face. "Where's Trish?"

"I don't know.", I shrugged my shoulders. "She walked off in the middle of the show."

"Where were you before the show?"

"Well, You wouldn't believe me if I told you.", I arched my brows. We got into a staring contest for a minute before he walked off from me. He wouldn't believe me if I told him that his psycho of a girlfriend locked me inside a bathroom stall for two and a half hours just because her stupid paranoia of loosing him. I followed the others back to the dressing room and Wes was being so sweet; he waited for me. "What are you doing?", I chuckled.

That pink burst crept onto his sweaty cheeks. "I... Waited for you?"

Should I say something snarky to him? He was being a gentleman and I knew I didn't even deserve to be treated this way by a guy I just knew for a couple hours, let alone years. He didn't know that I had no intention in being serious with him, because, even though he acted like a gentleman now doesn't mean he would be in twenty years.

I just linked my arm with his and grinned as the answer. His arm tensed up because of my action, but after a second, it let loose and led me to the dressing room. Everyone was already in the mood to party and somehow, they already had plans to go to a party at someone's house. I swallowed my saliva and let go of Wes's arm to remind Amy about how I didn't want to get wasted because I'd be working tomorrow.

"You're no fun.", She pouted when I remind her we had to go home. "Just for an hour?"

"Look, Ame, we'd get so caught up with alcohol, we wouldn't even remember our names."

"Dareen's right.", Feranix nodded. "I have to do inventory tomorrow, I wouldn't be able to do that with a massive hungover."

The three of us decided it was best for us to go home. We said goodbye to everybody and Trish looked mighty excited when I said bye. She wanted me to get out from her hair as soon as possible. I followed Amy and Feranix out from the dressing room and down the hallway, but then, I heard someone called my name. "Hey, Dareen!"

I stopped and looked back to see Cameron, running towards us. He stopped right in front of me and controlled his breath for a moment. "You guys go on, I'll catch up with you.", I told my friends and they nodded before continue walking out to the parking lot. "What?"

Cameron took a deep breath. "Are you planning to add Wes to your list of toys?"

"What are you talking about?", I placed my hand on my hip and narrowed my eyes at him. I didn't like it when guys said that I thought of men as toys, when in the other hand, I was scared shitless of them.

"Don't play dumb with me, Dare. I know how you do around guys. I know what kind of spell or charm or whatever you have to get guys wrapped around your fingers. I know that you're scared of commitment and that's why you don't want to get so serious in a relationship. I know how you leave guys before you got left.", He rambled. "But I beg you, don't break my friend's heart."

All of his words went straight to my heart like a dagger, no, like a million pieces of glass. He got me where I was most fragile. "I-I never meant... To hurt anyone..."

Where was Dareen the Ice Queen when you needed her? I closed my eyes tightly just to think of a really good snarky comment to bash Cameron off, but I got nothing. He was right. He knew everything about me and I was about to break his friend's heart. "I gotta go.", I squeaked before running down the hallway and out to the parking lot. It wasn't that crowded anymore and I spotted Amy's car across the lot.

I just ran to her car and got into the backseat after telling Feranix to sit shotgun. Neither of them asked me what happened because they knew i wouldn't even told them in this state of mind. They just kept their lips shut and Amy started to drive off the parking lot.

'I'm going to die... In my office with papers scattered around my desk... With this guilt mentally slapping me over and over again..., I groaned in my mind as I leaned back onto my chair.

The truth was, I felt guilty, mostly to Wes. He called me last night but I didn't answer, and he only called twice before he gave up. I actually liked that kind of guy; the one who didn't try to call you all night and all morning or all the living moment he got. When a girl doesn't want to answer your call, that means she doesn't want to talk to you, and he got that. Cameron actually called too and left numerous text, saying he was sorry about whatever he said.

I glanced at the clock that was placed on the edge of my desk, it was almost lunch time. The time passed so fast and I've hardly done my job. This was another reason I avoided any relationship or human emotions; they got me lacking. I decided to finish up my job and surprisingly, I got it done right on lunch time. There was an argument outside, probably from the store, and I got up, walked out to the store to check it out.

Another shop attendant, Stacy, was telling someone that I was busy and he couldn't meet me. When that person noticed my presence, he pushed his way through Stacy and my eyes widened when I saw who he was. "Cameron? What are you doing here?"

"Why didn't you answer my calls or texts? I'm trying to tell you I'm sorry!", He pouted.

"I'm sorry, Dareen, I tried to tell him that you're busy.", Stacy squeaked and glared slightly at Cameron. I nodded at her, telling her he was okay, then she walked off.

Before I answered anything, I motioned to Cameron to follow me to my office. It wasn't pleasant to talk about my personal life in front of the staff. When we got to my office, I closed the door and sighed. "Sorry about what?"

"For what I've said last night... I offend you...", He scratched his nape out of nervousness, "And I'm here to tell you directly that I'm sorry."

I crossed my arms across my chest and just stared at him to tensed him up. Cameron was looking down to his shoes and glancing at me now and then. "Okay, I forgive you."

Then, he looked up to me with a huge smile from ear to ear, like a huge weight just got lifted off from his shoulders. "Now, as a part of my apology, I'm taking you out to lunch.", He grinned and before I could say anything, he took my phone off my desk and my bag off my chair and then, pulled me out by my wrist. Stacy, Hillary, and the others looked at us as we went through the store and out to the strip. I looked over to Amy's store and she was on her way to my store, probably to ask to get lunch together. She saw us and stopped, staring at us. A moment later, she gave me a thumb up.

We got to his car and he unlocked it before opening the passenger door for me. Did he really think I was a stupid and poor damsel that needed him to open my door? I could say that out loud, but, I decided to keep it to myself and got in. He closed the door and went around the car to get into the driver seat. "So, where are you kidnapping me to?"

"I'm taking you out to lunch.", He chuckled. "We're gonna get some food and I know the perfect place to eat it."

I cocked my brow and just buckled my seat belt. He turned on the ignition and drove out from the parking lot. Neither of us talked a lot but it was a comfortable silent with an old Prince song playing in the background. He always known as the kid who liked the 70s to 90s era, and it was another reason why I was interested to be his friend; He was unique. We got to a small fish&chip shop, but when I was unbuckling my seat belt, Cameron stopped me. "I'll go in there and get our food, you just sit tight.", He patted my shoulder and went out.

It was a perfect time to raid his car. I always did it every time a guy that asked me out got out from his car and left me alone. Started with his dashboard drawer, I pulled it down and saw some CDs stacked neatly. There was one that caught my attention. The case was drawn with Sharpies and it had a tear here and then. A piece of self burned CD was inside and it was called 'Dareen's super awesome mix CD vol. 1'. My eyes widened, trying to recall the memory. It was junior year when he started to hung out and play some covers with Eric, and he promised me to make me a mix CD with him, singing some covers.

I pulled the CD out and slid it into the CD player after getting the previous CD out. The first song was 'Beth' by KISS. Cameron's voice was soft and soothing, got me leaning back on my seat, enjoying the song. When it was halfway through the second verse, the driver seat swung open and Cameron got in. "You found it, huh?", He asked, sounded a bit amused.

"Yeah.", I nodded and sat up straight. "Why didn't you give it to me?"

"I never thought it was good enough for you to hear it.", He pursed his lips after settled a paper bag on the back seat. "But now, you can tell me what you think about it."

We drove off again with his mix CD still playing. The second song was a more 20th century one. It was an acoustic version of 'She's A Rebel' by Green Day. When I heard the lyrics carefully, It was some sort of my anthem. We got to an empty field that looked like a green carpet spread widely. He stopped the car and cut off the engine. "Why are we here?"

"Come on.", He smiled and got the paper bag from the backseat before going out from the car. I followed him out and then, he climbed up onto his car's hood.

"What are we doing?", I asked again.

"You asked too many questions.", Cameron rolled his eyes. "Just get up here."

I took off my shoes and got on the hood. He took out two styrofoam food containers out of the paper bag and handed one to me. When I opened it, it was like an England style of fish&chips, with the fries under the fish. "It smells so good.", I muttered.

"It tastes even better.", He chuckled and plopped a fry into his mouth. "Sorry I kidnapped you like this."

"Nah, It's okay. I think it's proper to try something new, right?", I shrugged and cut a piece of the fried battered fish with a plastic fork. "Why do you bring me here, though? It's your favorite place with Trish and you wanted to show me?"

"Truth is, I never bring Trish here.", He confessed with a little shyness in his tone. "I found this when we just graduated and I wanted to bring you here ever since, but well, We were busy with our own worlds."

When he told me that Trish never been here, there was a weird feeling inside of me that I was hard to recognize. Was it flattered? I didn't know nor want to know. We ate our lunch and built a conversation around our present lives. He told me that he would go on tour in about a month and a half and I told him that I'd be around New York by that time, to help Arletta out for the New York fashion week. It was nice to have a conversation with someone you knew for years and you didn't need to explain everything from zero because you knew he already got it.