Chapter Fifteen

Monday, October 17

Day One

The flight was long and boring. Cam slept for most of it, but Kris stayed up, looking out the window. He tried not to watch her sleep, but it was hard. She just looked so peaceful.

It was finally the last stretch. There was about half an hour left.

He looked down at her sleeping face. They were in first class seating, so their cabin was rather empty. After making sure no one was behind her, she had leaned her seat back and fallen asleep. She was curled up, facing Kris, her back to the aisle.

He sighed, then forced himself to look back out the window.

"Kris?" she murmured, her eyes still closed.

He almost jumped, looking back over at her. Her eyes were still closed. "Yeah, Cammie?"

"Are we there yet?" she asked, her eyes cracking open slightly.

"Almost, we have about a half an hour left," he informed her.

"Really?" she asked, her eyes, opening all the way. She then leaned over Kris, looking out the window. "Wow," she breathed.

Kris leaned over and leaned on the ledge next to her.

"It's beautiful," she murmured, watching the scenery fly past as the ocean rushed by beneath us.

Kris glanced over at her for a moment, then back out the window. "Yeah, it is."

The next hour was chaotic, between getting off the plain, being cleared through security, getting their luggage, and finding their way through the airport and the crowds of people. Eventually, the two of them were standing in a considerably less crowded part of the airport. Kris pulled his cell phone out, dialing a number.

He was silent as Cammie watched, until there was a voice on the other end and Kris said, "Hey, Dad."

Ten minutes later, Cammie was pulling her luggage out to a small, shiny car. Kris and his father were walking in silence. Kris was almost an exact copy of his father, except younger and with less dimples around his face when he smiled.

Kris cleared his throat. "So, Dad, this is Cammie, my… friend," he said, gesturing to me.

Mr. Noble raised an eyebrow. "Ah, so you brought your girlfriend, did you?" he asked.

"No, Dad-" Kris tried, but Mr. Noble ignored him.

"I'm glad to meet you, Cammie. Any special friend of Kris's is a good friend of mine. I'm Alexander Noble, but you can just call me Mr. Alex," he said, giving her a friendly wink.

Cammie smiled back at him. "Thank you, but… we're not dating. We're just friends," Cammie explained kindly, still smiling.

Mr. Noble's eyebrows rose. "Oh, really? Well that's odd, because Kris talks-"

"Dad," Kris said sharply.

Mr. Noble stopped, looking at Kris. Kris didn't return his gaze, but there was a frown on his face.

Mr. Noble cleared his throat. "I apologize. I didn't realize," he just said instead.

Cammie shook her head. "Oh, no, it's okay. People make that mistake all the time," she said lightly. "But Kris already has a girlfriend, don't you Kris?"

Kris's head shot up, and he looked angrily over to Cammie, as if she had just said something she wasn't supposed to. Cammie's mouth snapped shut with an audible click, but Mr. Noble just looked over at Kris, raising an eyebrow.

"Ah, you do, do you? What's she like?" Mr. Noble inquired.

Kris shrugged, but he noticed Cammie take sudden interest in the material of the pavement. They reached the car and they all piled in, Mr. Noble in the driver's seat, Cammie and Kris in the back. Cammie continued to find something interesting to look at out the window.

"Oh, Kelsey? Well, she's beautiful, that's a start. She's got this gorgeous, long black hair and these adorable green eyes. And she's clever, too. She's really funny, and her smile just makes you want to die," he went on.

Cammie's jaw tightened, but no one else seemed to notice as Kris continued.

"Well, I have a boyfriend, too," Cammie cut in.

Kris frowned, suddenly uprooted, but Mr. Noble just asked, "Oh, do you? And what's his name?"

"His name is Alec. He's very sweet and kind. He's got this soft, blonde hair and these electric blue eyes. And he's so brave, to," she finished in a murmur.

Kris looked surprised for a moment, then immediately it turned into anger. "He did nothing," Kris suddenly hissed in her face.

"He did more than nothing," she snapped. "He was the first one to come help me while you just stood there like an idiot."

"Yeah, because I didn't want him to think I was trying to steal his "date". I only came after you once I realized he was completely useless," he retorted bitterly.

She gaped angrily. "He is not useless! Okay, so he may not be Mr. I'm All Big and Strong, Look at My Muscles, but at least he doesn't go around spreading vile rumors about everyone!"

"Kelsey does not spread "vile rumors"," he spat, his eyes narrowing.

She looked up, pressing her index finger to her chin. "Oh, yeah, that's right, sorry. I meant you," she said in mock thoughtfulness.

"What? You're insane, I never-"

Mr. Noble suddenly cleared his throat. "Everything alright back there?" he asked nervously.

"Fine!" they both responded simultaneously.

The car fell silent then. The quiet endured up until the moment they pulled up to an enormous house with huge windows and a huge picket fence running in both directions for a long ways.

"Wow," Cammie breathed. "It's….huge."

Mr. Noble chuckled. "Yes, I have to admit, it is quite large. Did Kris tell you we have other guests? Kris's cousins have come to stay for a few weeks," he informed her kindly.

She raised her eyebrows. "No, he did not," she said, pointing her words at Kris and she turned to glare at him.

He returned her steady glare, then scrunched his nose, giving what was supposed to be a growl.

She stuck her tongue out at him, and suddenly, his frustration shattered as he laughed.

"Did you just stick your tongue out at me?" he demanded.

She frowned, but a smile was quickly growing on her face. "Yes, I did," she proclaimed.

"Oh, Russo, you are getting worse at this by the minute," he said lightly, smiling at her.

She was now smiling back, all traces if anger gone from her eyes.

He shook his head, then unbuckled and got out of the car. She did the same, going to the trunk. Mr. Noble was there already, and he helped hand them their bags. There was an enormous set of stairs that they had to climb to get to the front door, the house being built on stilts. Mr. Noble reached the front door first and held it open for them to step inside.

Cammie entered first and then Kris behind her. Mr. Noble entered last, letting the door shut behind him. Cammie just stood gaping.

The foyer was larger than her living room. There was an enormous, crystal chandelier overhead, and the marble floors had richly colored rugs on it. Against the left wall was a long case of black, wooden stairs. Straight ahead, there was a closed door and what looked like a hallway, and across the room to the right there was an enormous, gaping doorway with no doors that looked like it lead into the living room.

There was a rich, green carpet that ran up the stairs, and Cammie was almost afraid to step on it for fear of leaving a footprint.

Nevertheless, she followed Mr. Noble up the stairs as he showed them tot heir rooms. When they got to the landing, Cammie found herself just as dumbfounded as she was in the foyer.

There was a hallway leading off to the left, right, and straight ahead there was an enormous set of double doors. And in the middle of the landing stood another set of stairs leading up. She looked above to find it lead to another floor above them with an enormous gaping hole in the center, a railing running around the perimeter.

"This way," Mr. Noble called to her. She turned and followed him down the right hallway. Kris followed close behind.

Mr. Noble stopped at a door halfway down the hallway, opening it.

"Kris, this is your room," he said.

Cammie peered in, still gaping. There was dark blue carpet lining the floor and an enormous master bed against one wall. One wall was just one gigantic floor-to-ceiling window, spilling sunlight into the room. In another corner, there was an actual lounge with a couch or two and some beanbag chairs.

Kris wandered into the middle of it, dropping his bags, looking as if he felt a bit numb.

Mr. Noble smiled. "We'll let you and your room get acquainted."

He then turned back into the hallway and opened a door across the hall and slightly to the right of Kris's. He gestured inside, and Cammie stepped in.

It was the biggest bedroom she had ever seen.

There was another master bed in the center of the wall that served as a separation between the room and the hallway. On the far side of the room, there were two cream-colored sofas, and a lightly-colored wooden table. Directly across the room from the door, an enormous curtain concealed what she guessed was another floor-to-ceiling window. But she was distracted by a small set of stairs that lead up to a small, circular landing with a light railing around it. Directly behind it was a glass window, and on the landing was a beanbag chair and a small lamp on a nightstand. She gasped, her luggage falling from her hands.

Mr. Noble smiled. "I thought you might like it. It's my favorite room in this entire house. And..." he said, walking over to the giant curtain and pulling it open.

She gasped again, running over to the wall-sized window, which only really took up one huge third of the wall, and peering out. It looked over an ocean that was directly behind the house.

"This house is on a beach?" she asked breathlessly.

"Yes, ma'am. And you're welcome to visit it anytime you like."

Her face was torn between a gape and a huge, goofy grin. "Th-thank you so much," she stammered, not able to take her eyes off the beautiful scene. The beach was rather empty, and Cammie was momentarily confused until she realized it was probably a private beach.

"This is amazing," she breathed.

He smiled again. "Well, I'll leave you alone so you get find your bearings."

She smiled, this time at him. "Thank you. So much."

He shook his head. "No need to thank me. Kris designed this room when he was much younger. Thank him," he informed me.

He then turned to close the door, when he suddenly stopped. "And Cammie?"

"Yes, Mr. Alex?" she inquired.

He paused for a moment, then continued. "His heart is fragile. Please take good care of it," he murmured. He then shut the door.

Cammie stood blinking for a very long time. When she finally shook herself out of it, it was because Kris swung her door open.

He froze when he stepped in the room. He seemed to kind of melt a bit as his eyes wandered over the room. "This... This is... My room," he murmured.

"Kris, I'm sorry, we can switch if you'd like," Cammie said quickly.

He suddenly blinked, his eyes finding her face. He smiled. "Oh, no it's cool. It just holds painful memories, anyway."

Cammie frowned, not sure what to say for a moment. Then, "Oh, well okay. As long as you don't mind."

"Of course not," he said quickly. "As long as it's not someone disgusting. As long as it's just you."

She smiled at him, then twirled in the gaping open space. "It's just so big!" she said wistfully, her arms spread wide as she spun in circles.

His smile softened as he watched her. She then stopped, smiling at him. He chuckled, then rushed up to her, sweeping her into his arms and spinning her around.

"Kris!" she yelled. "Put me down!"

He chuckled, pausing. "Only if you say the magic word," he said shortly.

She frowned. "Well then what's the magic word?"

He grinned mischievously. "I can't tell you. Then it might not be quite as magical."

She rolled her eyes. "Well, can you at least give me a hint?" she demanded.

And then the door burst open, and Kris dropped Cammie to the floor as two guys paraded into the room. They were both about Kris and Cammie's age.

"Hey heyyy, Kristo, what's the haps, buddy?" said Drake. He was shirtless, and Cammie noticed his head was shaved completely so that it gleamed. His limbs were bulky and built with muscle.

The other one, Kenny, came in after him. He had a full head of hair which swept into his grey eyes and he was equally built as Drake, but he kept his shirt on, although it was still far too tight.

"Ooh, Kris and friend," Kenny said, looking down at Cammie.

She was currently glaring up at Kris, and as soon as Kenny said that, Kris remembered her on the floor.

"Cammie, I'm so sorry," he said quickly, holding his hands out to her.

She grabbed them and pulled herself up.

Drake elbowed Kenny in the chest. "Aw, man, I think she's already taken," he said sadly.

"Well she is, but not by me," Kris admitted, letting go of her hands.

"Oh, alright, so we can make out with her as much as we want, and her fellow won't know," Kenny said, shrugging, a playful smile on his face.

Kris glared at him. "Yeah, but I'll know. And if I know, then you'll be in deep, deep shit, Kenny."

Kenny put his hands up in surrender. "Ey, I was making a joke, Kristo, calm down," he said, taking half a step back warily, even though he was probably much stronger than Kris.

Drake then chuckled. "So... You gonna introduce us or no?"

"Oh, right. Guys, this is Cammie," he said, gesturing to her. "And Cammie, this is Drake and Kenny," he said, pointing to their respective persons.

"Hi," Cammie said, smiling.

"Aw, look at that adorable smile, Kris," Drake said, nudging his arm.

Kris was not amused.

Kenny rolled his eyes, punching Kris playfully on the arm. "Ey, come on, man, cheer up a little, we just messing with ya," he said lightly.

Kris sighed. "I'm hungry. I think I'm going downstairs to get something to eat." He then pushed out of the room, leaving Cammie alone with the two brothers.

They immediately started circling her. Neither of them were smiling at her anymore.

"So who's this guy you're with?" Drake demanded, folding his arms over his bare chest.

"Uh, his name's Alec," she said innocently, confused as to where they were going with this.

"And you like Alec, correct?"

Cammie's brow furrowed. "Well, yes, that would be why I'm going out with him."

"What's he look like?"

"Uh... Blonde with blue eyes," she started.

"Ah, a Nazi," Kenny said immediately, and Drake nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I've never liked those blonde-haired, blue-eyed people," Drake muttered, shaking his head. "Probably a jerk."

Kenny nodded. "Most definitely a jerk."

Cammie shook her head quickly. "Oh, no, he's not, not at all-"

"Can it, short stuff," Kenny deadpanned, cutting her off.

Drake leaned in closer to Cammie, frowning at her scathingly. "So what's the deal between you and Kris?" he asked.

Cammie's heart leapt up into her throat, although after she had swallowed it again, she didn't really know why. "Uh, we're just friends. We just hang out," she said nonchalantly.

"Really. Is that the case," Kenny mused skeptically.

"Doubt it," Drake added, then shook his head. "Listen, Camero, if you like our little Kristo, you gotta make a move for him, you know?"

Cammie frowned. "Well even if I wanted to, he's got a girlfriend."

"Wait, he's got a girlfriend?" Drake demanded.

Cammie nodded. "Kelsey. She's got this long black hair and always wears too much make up. She's a bitch. I never would've thought Kris would be stupid enough to go out with a lying, evil snake like her-"

She paused, then shook her head. "I mean, it doesn't really bother me, though."

Drake chuckled, then slung a friendly arm around her shoulder. "Hey, as long as you're here, Camcorder, we're your brothers, alright? Something goes wrong, you come to us, got it?" he asked, herding her out the door. Kenny followed behind them.

"Oh... Alright, I guess," she said with a shrug.

He nodded, going down the stairs. "Good. I plan to hear lots of complaints out of you, chica, comprende?" he said, removing his arm.

She nodded. "Sure, Drake," she said with a smile.

"Ah, that's my girl," he said, fist bumping me. He then turned and jumped agilely down the stairs, two at a time.

"See you, sister," Kenny said, rushing past her, pausing only momentarily to give her a high five. She slapped his hand and he grinned before leaping down the stairs past her.

She eventually reached the bottom if the stairs, then entered the living room, not knowing where else to go.

When she walked in, she just shook her head. She'd used up her gasping quota for one day. but she still found herself amazed at the size and layout of the room she was in. The room had to be at least one hundred feet both ways, and there were two more doorways on both the left and the right wall.

Cammie wandered silently over to the left doorway, peering through. It appeared to be an entrance to the kitchen. She saw Kris standing at the counter, but she couldn't see what he was making since his back was to her.

A wicked grin grew on her face, And she started to tiptoe silently up to him. She jumped, but before she could evens land on his shoulders, he spoke.

"Don't even try, Cammie," he deadpanned, but she had already grasped his shoulders, attacking him.

He didn't react. She paused, then retreated, walking to the other side of the counter.

"Hey, what's up with you?" she asked softly.

His face was downcast and there was a scowl on his entire visage.

"Oh, nothing," he said nonchalantly.

"You don't seem like nothing's wrong. And you seemed kinda tense upstairs," she added. He didn't respond, so she leaned down so that her face was within his line of sight, despite the fact that it was sideways. "Hey, come on. You can tell me," she assured him.

He looked up at her and, in spite of himself, grinned. He shook his head, looking back down at his sandwich and sighed. "They just used to make fun of me all the time," he finally admitted. "They were the biggest jerks on Earth and my worst nightmares. I hated them. Now all of a sudden, they're all jokey and buddy-buddy? I know it's stupid and childish to still be mad at them, but I just... I'm conflicted right now."

Cammie frowned. "Oh, I'm sorry. I... I didn't realize."

And then there was a gasp from the doorway. "Kristopher!" a feminine voice shouted. Suddenly, a pair of skinny, pale arms wrapped themselves around his torso.

He chuckled. "Hey, Char," he said to the girl. She removed herself from him so she could see his face. She walked around to his front side and Cammie could actually study her. She was very short, despite the high heels she was wearing, and skinny, short blonde hair curly on top of her head. She was wearing entirely too much pink for Cammie's taste, but was beautiful nonetheless.

She reached up to touch his face. "Oh my, you're so tall and old now," she breathed. "My goodness, you're taller than me!"

He shrugged. "Hey, I didn't mean to," he said innocently. She giggled, then hugged him from the front, and he hugged her back. Suddenly, he remembered Cammie.

"Oh, right, Charlotte, this is Cammie Russo; she came here with me."

"Oh, well isn't that sweet, you brought your girlfriend?" she asked, smiling at Cammie.

Both Cammie and Kris were kinda quiet then, and they both glanced at each other, both seeing if the other one was as tired of explaining as the other. Finally, Cammie spoke up.

"Actually, Charlotte, we're just friends. Kris's girlfriend is back home in Florida," she said.

Charlotte suddenly frowned in slight confusion. "Oh... Oh I'm sorry," she said, looking like she would eternally feel regretful for saying that. "I didn't know, I mean-"

"Char, it's okay," Kris assured her quickly, sensing what it was about to turn into.

She smiled, suddenly over it. "Well, alright. I've gotta run; I'm meeting Tyler, my boyfriend. I'll see you all later," she said with a wink. She then turned and clip-clopped away.

"Who's she?" Cammie asked, watching her leave.

"My cousin; she's Drake and Kenny's sister," he explained quickly. "What, did you think she was like an ex-girlfriend or something?" he demanded.

Her nose crinkled. "No," she said defensively. "I just... Was curious," she said, trying to sound nonchalant.

He chuckled, rather loudly. "You're kinda cute when you're jealous, Russo," he said

She immediately frowned. "I'm not jealous," she hissed.

He shrugged, still laughing a bit. "Alright, if you say so," he murmured.

She rolled her eyes. "So... When can we go down to the beach?" she asked excitedly.

He shrugged. "After we eat breakfast, before we study. You know."

She smiled. "Alright, sounds like a plan," she said grinning.

Sooooo... not much happens here? Idk... not really sure what the whole point of this chapter was except for them to arrive in Hawaii and stuff... liking this story less and less... i still have no idea how it's gunna end XD But anyway, I hope you don't mind it's emptiness.