Who Wouldn't Want To Be Me

Cam's P.O.V.

“Really? I don’t think this is a good idea,” I heard Jordan growl at Jared for what had to be the tenth time today. We’d been out here for five days – Jared had been staying in Jordan’s guesthouse – and now he was trying to convince Jordan that we should go back out to their parents’ place.

“Come on Jordan – you know the kids will be devastated if they don’t get to see her again before she goes home,” he argued, and Jordan let out a sigh.

“I’m not putting her into a situation where he’s just going to stomp all over her and make her feel so awful again,” Jordan told him, and I sighed from my place on the deck. It was beautiful out today, so I was sitting on the front deck in my bikini top and a pair of cut-off jeans, reading. I’d had enough of the two of them arguing, so I’d decided for a little girl-time to myself and had claimed one of his lounging deck chairs for the afternoon. My cell phone rang, which surprised me, but I picked it up and answered without looking.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Cam?” it almost sounded like Marc, but I didn’t think it was him by the way he responded.

“Yes, who is this?” I asked, and there was a moment of silence.

“It’s Eric… please don’t hang up on me, I just want to talk to you,” he quickly said, and while I bit my lip to keep my emotions at bay the thought had crossed my mind.

“Okay,”

“Look, I’ve been a total ass to you, and I’m sorry. It’s just that it is a lot to wrap my head around, you know?”

“Yeah, I understand why you could be upset with me, but please don’t take it out on Jordan,” I sighed.

“I know. I want to talk to you in person, if that’s okay. I’ll understand if you don’t want to, but I really do want to make this right. You mean a lot to my family, Cam, and I don’t want to cause any more stress in your life,” he explained.

“Sure, I think we could arrange that,” I agreed, and heard him let out a long breath.

“I, well, it didn’t really hit me until you two left the other day. Jared and Marc blew up at me, and I think then I realized just how important you two are to each other. Marc calmed down enough to actually talk to me, and I’m really sorry about being such a total asshat to you about everything, so I really hope we can talk, and I can at least try to start fixing this mess,” he continued.

“Eric, honest, I meant it when I said I understood why you were upset. Of course we can talk,” I replied, and heard him sigh.

“Thank you, I know it’s more than I deserve,”

“No, it’s okay Eric. I understand why you were upset, it’s all right,”

“No, I should’ve handled it better, and tried harder to see things from your point of view. And regardless of that, the fact that you mean so much to my entire family should have helped me take a step back and be more rational about it,” he insisted, and a few moments later we hung up, having made plans to meet tomorrow and talk. I told him I didn’t know whether we’d be here or at their parents’ place, and so he’d decided that he’d call me and pick me up from wherever we were so that we could talk.

“Cam?”

“What Jord?” I called into the direction of the open screen door, and moments later saw him in the doorway, looking less than pleased. So Jared had probably made an argument he couldn’t find fault in and he wasn’t impressed.

“Do you want to go back to mom and dad’s place, or do you want to stay out here? Jared thinks we should go back,” he said, and I shrugged.

“I don’t know Jord,” I sighed, sitting up properly. He came and sat beside me, leaning his head against my shoulder.

“I just don’t want to deal with Eric right now,” he admitted quietly, and I softly stroked his hair.

“I know babe, but he is your brother,” I replied, and he nodded.

“And I don’t want to have to share you all the time,” he complained, making me giggle.

“You’re too cute,” I said, kissing his forehead and getting him to smile.

“But seriously… it’s up to you Cam,”

“I think we should go back, but maybe we can have tomorrow to ourselves here before we do,” I suggested, and Jordan grinned.

“I think that sounds great,” he decided, kissing me quickly before he headed inside again. I texted Eric then, suggesting we move our meeting to Friday instead of tomorrow. He thought it sounded all right, and I let out a deep breath, hoping they could sort things out between them.

“NO!” I heard Jared holler, and let out a groan. They usually got along great, but this past day and a half they’d been at each other’s throats.

“What’s wrong now?” I asked, walking inside.

“I am NOT going home! Not without you two,” Jared informed us, his arms crossed. I sighed, and leaned against the island in the kitchen, not knowing what to do with this. I didn’t want Jared to have to go and be by himself, but at the same time having some time alone with Jordan would be nice.

“Jared, we’re going to be back at mom and dad’s tomorrow night,” Jordan tried again, but Jared shook his head.

“No. Not going until you two do,” he repeated.

“Jared, we just want some time together by ourselves before I go back home,” I sighed, and he turned to me looking hurt.

“I want to spend time with you guys too,” he complained.

“I know Jay, but we might not have another opportunity to have some time alone together before the season starts back up. You can see where we’re coming from, right?” I asked softly, and after a moment he let out a long breath.

“Fine. But I get you to myself when you two get back,” he bargained, and while I laughed Jordan looked a little aggravated.

“No, you don’t. She’s my girlfriend, not yours,” he growled at his little brother, and I shook my head. I didn’t know what to do with him when he got onto this kick about Jared liking me that way.

“I know, I’m not stupid. She’s my friend too Jordan, just because she’s your girlfriend doesn’t mean that the rest of us can’t hang out with her,” Jared snapped back, and I let out a long breath, my patience with their arguing gone.

“Both of you stop it!” I raised my voice slightly, and they both stopped and looked at me in surprise.

“Jordan, to your room,” I instructed, and when he stood there dumbfounded pointed.

“Jared, to yours. And both of you can stay there until you cool down and can behave like adults instead of four year olds,”

“You’re giving me a time out?” Jordan asked, sounding shocked. I nodded, and when neither of them moved walked over and gave each a push in the right direction.

“This is ridiculous,” Jordan grumbled as he walked towards the bedroom, and Jared was mumbling similar things as he walked outside and towards the guesthouse. I flopped down onto the couch then, feeling exhausted. I hated when they argued, and it just took all the energy out of me when they did.