Do Overs and Second Chances

Early in the morning–for Izy at least–The Downtown Fiction and Izy were sitting down to breakfast. Izy stayed silent while Cameron tried to think of how to start a conversation to get her to open up about her past. However, it didn’t seem right to bring it up with David and Eric around. He kept trying to give them a look to tell them without words to leave, but that wasn’t necessary. Even they could feel the tension between the couple, so they scarfed down their breakfasts as fast as they could before separating from the Izy and Cameron.

Izy chose to ignore the problem. She hoped that Cameron would just drop last night’s topic, no matter how unlikely that was. John and Arizona were in her past and as long as she had Cameron there was no way she would be repeating her past mistakes, but she was still nervous about how he would react. She stared down at the plain bagel she was ripping into small pieces before placing them into her mouth and slowly chewing.

“Izy,” Cameron said to get the girl’s attention.

“Yeah Cam?” she asked hesitantly. She knew where this was going and she wasn’t happy about it.

“You’ve been avoiding this question but I have to ask. Why did you and John break up?”

“I just don’t understand why you need to know,” she said starting to get defensive, but not angry. “What happened with me and John was in the past.”

“Yeah but with him here now I would just feel better if I knew a little about what happened,” he explained.

“You’ll feel better? What exactly would you feel better about?” she asked.

Cameron hesitated he knew Izy wasn’t going to like what he was about to say, but he didn’t want to lie to her. “I would feel better about you being around him.”

“What? So this is all because you don’t trust me? I thought we would be past that after all the times you left me to go on tour,” she defended herself.

“Come on Izy, don’t be like that,” Cameron tried to calm his girlfriend down.

“I trusted you while you were halfway around the country with your band and I was alone back home, but you can’t trust me while I’m here with you.” Her words came out angrily, but really she was hurt. She had always trusted Cameron and she had just assumed that he trusted her and finding out that wasn’t true hurt.

“Izy what do you want me to think when you say you’re going to be with Jess and then you show up later holding hands with your ex-boyfriend?” he asked defensively.

Before she could answer though, Justin and Stephen interrupted the couple. The two boys had seen the fight starting and both of them immediately wanted to jump in to Izy’s defense. “Hey Izy.” Justin greeted his sister before turning to Cameron. “Cameron I would like to be able to get to know my sister’s boyfriend. You should hang out with Stephen and me today. I’m sure Jess would be more than glad to have a girls day with Izy.”

Cameron looked to Izy to see what she wanted to do. “You should go,” she told him before turning her attention back to her bagel.

“Great that’s settled let’s go,” Justin said. Cameron hesitantly said goodbye to Izy and that he will see her later. She just nodded her head in response and Justin, Stephen and Cameron walked away. Izy sat alone for a while before she decided to get up and go find Jess. She stopped to look at all the usual places before she found her friend at Anarbor’s merch tent with Amber and the band.

“Hey Izy, I thought you would be hanging out with Cameron today?” Jess asked when she saw Izy walking towards her.

“That’s what I thought to but then we got in a fight,” she told her friend with a frown.

“What about?” Amber asked to join the conversation.

“John, Cameron doesn’t trust me being around him and after what Jess did last night things just got worse,” Izy explained.

“That’s too bad,” Amber said sounding bored before focusing on a conversation she had been having with Slade from Anarbor. However neither of the other girls paid attention to her.

“Izy, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to cause problems between Cameron and you I just wanted to help out John. I know the two of you still care about each other you just needed to admit it,” Jess felt bad, but she didn’t regret what she had done. Izy and John had both needed to talk things out and if Cameron didn’t like that then clearly he wasn’t as perfect for Izy as Izy had thought.

“It’s ok Jess I don’t blame you, completely. You are going to have some making up to do. You need to keep me entertained today and we’re going to have an awesome time until Cameron and me make up.”

“Fine. First things first you need to be properly introduced to Anarbor,” Jess said while she thought of ideas for what they could do today.

“What are you planning to solve my guy problems by introducing me to more guys?” Izy jokingly asked.

“Yeah the more guys the better,” Jess replied. Jess led her friend the short distance to the tent by her arm. “Guys this is Izy and Izy this is Slade, Mike, Greg and Adam–Amber’s cousin.

“Nice to meet you,” Izy said while shaking all their hands.
Meanwhile Cameron was sitting across a table from Justin and Stephen with Justin giving him a serious look. “So Mr. Leahy tell me a little more about yourself.”

“Well…” Cameron wasn’t sure what Justin wanted him to say but it didn’t matter.

“No never mind just tell us why you and Izy were fighting,” Stephen cut him off. Justin and him decided since they both cared about Izy they were going to take on the responsibility of interrogating her boyfriend. They had also decided that Justin would be the good cop and Stephen would be bad cop. However why either of them thought that was necessary was the real mystery here.

“I asked her a question and she wouldn’t answer it and things just went from there,” Cameron explained. He didn’t really want to be broadcasting the fight more than Izy and him already had this morning.

“And what was this question?” Justin asked.

“This is kind of a personal thing it’s between Izy, and me” Cameron avoided the question.

“Just tell us the question Leahy then we can help you fix your mistake,” Stephen demanded.
“What makes you think it was my mistake?” Cameron questioned.

“She’s my sister obviously I’m going to take her side,” Justin pointed out.

“And she is like my sister,” Stephen chipped in.

“I hope not,” Justin said to Stephen causing Stephen to punch his friend’s arm. “You know that would just be weird as much as I do. Anyways so what was this question?” Justin asked turning the attention to the newly confused Cameron.

“I just asked her why she and John broke up,” Cameron answered.

“Why did you do that? She moved as far away as she could from home because of what happened with John obviously she doesn’t want to talk about it,” Justin pointed out.

“It just seeing her with him…”

“Just stop right there that’s no excuse Izy and John had their chance you need to trust her,” Stephen cut him off. He had no idea why he was even trying to help Cameron. At this point he just wanted Izy to be happy even if she wasn’t happy with him. It seemed like he was growing up.

“Could either of you at least tell me what happened?” Cameron pleaded. Knowing Izy was keeping this secret, that clearly had a huge effect on her life, was killing him.

“No way I’m not getting involved in all that,” Justin said. Cameron turned his attention to Stephen hoping he would tell him.

“Me too,” Stephen said even thought he was technically already involved. “It’s Izy’s choice whether she wants you to know or not. Also don’t be the first to approach her after a fight, let her come to you. She won’t forgive until she is ready to.”

Keeping Stephen’s advice in mind while he was going through sound check with The Downtown Fiction. Then when Izy quickly left after the set he didn’t try to stop her like both of them had expected he would.

“So Izy, we should find Amber and then all get dressed up for the party tonight. That way you’ll look super hot when you and Cameron make up,” Jess suggested.

“That sounds great except the last time you had an idea like that it didn’t end well for me. That is what caused the fight,” Izy pointed out.

“I know and I’m sorry but this time I’m not trying to pull anything. It would just be good to have some girl time,” Jess apologized for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.

Izy agreed and the two girls went to go find Amber. When they found her talking to John. The two of them were very close and talking quietly, but that didn’t stop Jess from going right up to them and getting Amber’s attention. Izy however, hesitated things between John and her weren’t bad anymore but it was still weird being around him. Shortly after Jess showed up Amber said goodbye to John and the three girls headed to The Summer Sets’ bus.

After each girl had tried on multiple outfits each and their hair and makeup had been done, it was time to go out. They took one last look at each other making sure everything looked ok and then they left. Izy felt more dressed up than she had been in a while but she liked that. She wore a black tube top, a high-waisted leopard print skirt and simple black heals. Jess was looked more casual though wearing a zebra print tank top over a lime green bandeau top, a pair of jean shorts and black-checkered Vans. The there was Amber she wore a see through tank top ober a silver bandeau top, a pair of jean shorts–that were much shorter than the ones Jess had on–and a pair of leopard print heels.

Izy had planned to look for Cameron right when she got to the party but when got there Justin immediately stopped her. “Wow someone looks dressed up tonight.”

“I try,” she responded to her brother. She really just wanted to find Cameron.

Izy to get past her brother but he stopped her while giving her a serious look. “Are you ok? You seemed really upset this morning,”

“Yeah I’m fine couples fight, it’s no big deal.” At this time Jess had started talking to Stephen and Amber had disappeared in the crowd.

“Cameron told me what the fight was about,” Justin told his younger sister. She didn’t know what to say, so Justin went on. “I think you should tell him Izy, before he finds out from somebody else on Warped. If he loves you he won’t care, but you have to be honest.
“I’ll think about it,” she told him before leaving to go find Cameron.

She walked to through the party and when her eyes found Cameron her heart skipped a beat. He was talking to Amber. That wouldn’t usually be a cause for alarm but she was closer than Izy would like her to be to her boyfriend so they could hear each other over the music. Then Izy watched as Cameron said something to Amber making her laugh and touch his arm. Izy immediately went up to the two of them and stole Cameron’s attention. “Hey can I talk to you?” she asked “Somewhere else?” she added glancing at Amber.

“Yeah of course,” he told Izy. He said goodbye to Amber and then followed his girlfriend. They walked for a while until the noise of the party faded away and then Izy turned to Cameron.

“I’m sorry I over reacted. I just avoided thinking about John and everyone back in Arizona for so long. I’m just don’t want to have to bring up what happened.”

“Izy, it’s ok I shouldn’t have pushed it like that,” he told her.

“I just want you to know that you have nothing to worry about I would never cheat on you.” She wished she could have said anyone, but her past wouldn’t let her.

“I know I trust you,” he told her before their lips met. “Do you want to head back to the party?” he asked once their lips were separated.

“Could we just stay here for a while? This is the first time we’ve actually been a lone since this started.”

“Whatever you want,” he told his girlfriend taking her into his arms. The two of them stayed out there for a while before they decided to head back. He firmly held her hand in his as they slowly walked. Izy felt happy until they got to the party. As the two of them entered the party they saw Amber and John leaving. John walked by with Amber on his arm and all over him and Izy hated herself for having even a hint of jealousy but she couldn’t help it.