Tame Page 3

"This is kinda embarassing...but uh, I was just...your Aunt was in on it. She told us to come here together so I could ask you..." Riley tripped over his words. I gulped. Ask me what? Oh no, no, no. What?

  "Hm?" I pushed him, worrying inside.

  "Will you go out with me sometime? Would you maybe want to go to dinner? If you want I mean..." Riley blurted out, his cheeks flushing.

  "Aw!" I squealed, being the typical girl. Riles was one of my closest friends, so I was worrying. But my hormones were going crazy. This was my first date! If I accepted- reminding me I needed to give Riley an answer. "Yes!"

  "Yes?" He looked surprised. "Awesome! So...uh, when?"

  "I'm kinda busy all week. But next week? Oh no wait, Saturday? I'm free then!" I mused.

  "Yes, yes that's great." Riley grinned. "Thanks, Farrah. I-I can't wait."

  "Me neither." I smiled. I got lost in a daydream of blogging about my first date, seeing my Mom's reaction- she was always talking about me having a boyfriend. She knew Riles and loved him, which was a bonus. I also thought about Troy's reaction- he'd hate it! It was perfect! I worked for hours, happily singing to myself, grooming and caring for animals, and Riley worked right with me. I could finally be classed as semi-normal! Cameron could tease me as bad as he wanted, but he couldn't say I was a lonely cat lady. I cringed at the thought of Milly, Cameron, and the fence episode. Then again every bad thing had some good turn out.

  The bell to the door ching-chinged, and seeing as no one was around, (Riley had gone off to tend to the horses- beaming at me, may I add.) I went to the front desk to talk to them. Linda must have been on her coffee break- again.

  A blonde guy walked in, green eyes sparkling in the dim sunlight pouring through the windows. His eyes met mine and his mouth turned up into a grin.

  "Farrah Chambers, what a surprise!"

  Holy shit on toast did not even cover my current situation.

  Chapter 3

  "Cameron?" I gaped. The cocky bastard winked and strolled in further, looking around nonchantly.

  "There's no pets in here." I frowned, gesturing at the reception. "They're back there." I jerked a thumb over my shoulder.

  "Cool. Can I go take a look?" He asked, which was pretty polite...for him.

  "Um, I guess. What kind of pet are you looking for exactly?" I quizzed, fairly interested. As peed off at him as I was, and as much as I hated him- it would be interesting to find out if the most popular boy at my school liked cute fluffy bunnies. A thought ran itself through my mind, and my mouth dropped open in terror. I leapt in front of Cameron just before he reached the door to the animals.

  "Hey!" He cried. "Christ, first you stalk me and now you're throwing yourself at me? Jesus woman, slow down a bit. We've only just met."

  "Don't be so utterly ridiculous!" I snapped. "As if I'd ever want the likes of you."

  This was a complete lie, Cameron was gorgeous. But he had a foul personality- that counted a lot more than looks.

  "Someone's hoity toity, aren't they?" Cameron teased. "So how come you won't let me in? I just wanted to take a look around."

  "I couldn't ever, ever, ever, let an animal live with you. It would be torture, and I'm sure I'd get done for animal cruelty. You're insane, you'd probably test drugs on the poor pet or throw it out of a window or something else stupid." I explained, waving my arms around in demonstration, making him take a few steps backwards.

  "Wow, is that what you think I'm like? Thanks so much." Cameron rolled his eyes, his tone bitter and sarcastic.

  "Sorry." I mumbled. "I doubt you'd actually do that, but you're crazy. I heard you rode your motorbike into someone's open garage? For no reason? And you rode over the owner's foot?"

  Cameron raised an eyebrow and I knew I was in trouble.

  When I was a child my Mom told me I needed to be honest, polite, and always kind to people. It didn't matter if I wasn't their bestest friend ever, but they were people with feelings and emotions. I needed to treat them how I would like to be treated- with respect. She also told me she wanted me to be extra nice, because Troy had failed that mission. I wondered if she still thought that I needed to do that. Because polite was something I had not been as of late.

  I squeezed my eyes shut, probably looking stupid. I didn't want Cameron to murder me though. I heard him step closer, and in seconds, his breath tickled my face. I uttered an inaudible squeak. Cameron Carter was known to be dangerous, and was about to skin me alive. It wasn't fair! He wasn't polite or kind or caring to anyone or anything, yet I was going to get killed because one time, one freakin' time, I wasn't nice. I had so many things I wanted to do, people I wanted to meet- I hadn't even had my first kiss! Life, fate, Cupid, Jesus, Mother Nature or someone in the skies had it in for me, I swore.

  "Do you believe everything you hear, Farrah Chambers?" Cameron's voice snapped me out of my daydream. My eyes blinked open, and I saw he was literally inches away from my face. My mind trailed into a vision of what the girls at school would say if they saw this...

  Snap out of it Farrah. He's asking you a question. And calling you by your full name- that definitely can't be good.

  "What's with calling me Farrah Chambers all the time?" I blurted out, my mouth not communicating with my brain properly.

  "Huh?" My question seemed to have caught him off guard. But not for long, because a scowl formed on his face. "I asked you a question first."

  "Answer mine, and I'll answer yours."

  "That's not how it works, Farrah Chambers." He told me, his mouth twitching up into a smirk as he realised he said my full name again, clearly to piss me off.

  "Holy shit on toast is a saying, yet that wouldn't really work out too well either." I said before, yet again, thinking. My mouth seemed to be in charge of me instead of my brain when I talked to Cameron. And that wasn't a good thing. I was supposedly the quiet, calm, nerdy Farrah. Not the sassy, idiotic, fence-climbing, Farrah Chambers.

  "What the hell?" Cameron snorted, suddenly bursting into laughter. "Holy shit on toast? You say that? Haha, haha!"

  "Shut up." I grumbled.

  "Sorry, sorry. Just answer my question. Do you believe everything you hear?" Cameron repeated.

  "Well, no. But the story seemed to fit your image. Why? Is it not true?" I asked, curiosity seeping out.

  "No it's not. I don't even own a motorbike, Farrah." He stated.

  "You didn't call me Farrah Chambers that time! Yes!" I cheered.

  "Sorry. I don't even own a motorbike, Farrah Chambers. And I didn't do that. What exactly is my 'image'?" Cameron smirked.

  "Ugh." I grunted. "As if you don't know. You're a...hey wait! You're supposed to be answering my question now! Why do you call me by my full name?"

  He rolled his eyes at me again. "Because it pisses you off. Now answer my question."

  "I knew it." I muttered to myself. My eyes snapped back up to his, his green eyes narrowed slightly at my blue ones.

  I ignored Cameron and walked off to find Riley, slamming the door behind me. But Mr. Nosy came after me.

  "Hey, don't leave! C'mon, tell me! Is it that bad?"

  "I don't know what your idea of 'bad' is, Cameron." I shrugged him off, slipping out of the back door, and trudging over tens of thousands of little stones to get to the horses in the stables. I didn't hear footsteps behind me, so I guessed Cameron had given up.

  Riley was standing, grooming Shelley, one of our oldest horses. She wasn't up for adoption, Aunt Tessie owned her. Shelley was gray with a few black spots on her back. She used to be a champion racer, but her previous owners sold her to someone who treated her badly, and she broke her leg. She's okay again now, but she wouldn't race anymore.

  "Hey Riles." I sighed.

  "Hey, what's up?" He asked, looking genuinely concerned. "Is it our date? A-are you backing out?"

  "No!" I exclaimed. "No, not at all!"

  I had totally forgotten about the date, because Cameron had to come along and annoy me. I was looking forward to the date very much t
hough. Not just because it was my first one- I mean, Riley was a lovely guy and my Mom and the rest of my family approved of him. Not that I'd tell them. Aunt Tessie I assumed already knew, because she helped Riles set it up. But she could be trusted. I wanted to tell my Mom all about my first date, see her reaction but...she was my Mom. She would tell everyone, and I did not need phone calls from random people telling me what to wear or to congratulate me.

  As for Troy...he'd tease me until I died. I was seventeen and had never had a date or been kissed. He already made fun of me. If he found out about Riley...let's just say Troy was the one person who did not like Riley. Unpopular people were nothing to him. But to be honest, even popular people were nothing, now he had left school. He was such an ass.

  "Then what is it?" Riley put a hand on my arm, smiling sympathetically.

  "Uh..." I started, unable to keep my eyes off of his hand, which was trying to soothe me by rubbing up and down on my arm. To be honest it was scaring me.

  "Farrah, there's an awesome dog back there." A new voice interrupted. "He barks and it sounds like he's hiccuping. What's his name?"

  I groaned mentally and spun around to reveal Cameron. Joy.

  "Is that Cameon Carter?" Riley whispered.

  "In the flesh." Cameron grinned. "So, the dog?"

  "You can't have him. Go somewhere else- I refuse to let you adopt anything." I snapped.

  "Farrah..." Riley began.

  "I don't wanna adopt him, I want to know his name. Does it match his funny bark?" Cameron cut him off.

  "How old are you?" I cried. "Go away! This is my work place- stop stalking me!"

  "His name is Shaun." Riley told Cameron. Idiot.

  "Why Shaun?" Cameron inquired.

  "Does it matter?" I whined. "Can't you just go? I thought you were hanging out with Troy?"

  "Farrah, this young man is a customer, don't be so rude. That's unlike you. Sorry Sir, excuse my niece." Aunt Tessie appeared out of nowhere. I noticed Riley had moved, and was next to her. He must have called her at some point. How did I not notice that? Stupid big-headed, nosy, bad-mannered Cameron was distracting me, that's why.

  "Sir?" I choked.

  "Niece?" Cameron's eyebrows were raised at the same time.

  "Yes, and yes, Farrah." My Aunt took control of the situation.

  "Oh cool. So is this a family business? Would I ever catch Troy down here, cleaning animals?" Cameron spluttered.

  "No, he's...not very, uh, helpful when it comes to animals, I must say." Aunt Tessie struggled. "So, are you a friend of Troy's? Or Farrah's?"

  "No!" I shouted. "Look Aunt Tessie, I came here to get away from him. Now he is here, I must leave. Bye, see you soon! I'll see you on Saturday, Riles."

  I stormed off, but I caught the looks everyone wore. Cameron was smirking his face off, cocky bastard. Now he knew how to get under my skin, I doubt he would stop. In and out of school. I saw Riley's smile, aimed directly at me, which honestly made me smile too. He was such a sweetheart. Aunt Tessie was smiling too, looking from me to Riley. I huffed and marched into the main building, and then straight out of the reception. Yes, I loved my Aunt. Yes, it was sweet of her to help set me and Riley up. But she had the nerve to tell me off, about manners no less, when he was around? The world had no meaning anymore!

  I trudged home on foot, wondering if I'd ever get a driving licence. I hated getting rides from my brother, with his 'delicate' car, that I wasn't allowed to eat in. He ate in front of me, claiming he wouldn't make a mess. Yet he made way more mess than me! My mind remembered the times he picked me up, when his friends were in the car. They were all allowed to eat. And boy, did they make a mess. I thought about whether Cameron had ever been in Troy's car. If they were friends for three years, (which my idiot brother did not care to mention either!), he probably had been. Ugh. I couldn't get away from Cameron today. He was everywhere, from his own house to mine, to my work place- even in my thoughts, God dammit! I was such a lucky person. Really. Sarcasm was layered on those words like chocolate on chocolate cake. Nothing was better than sarcasm right then. It soothed my aching head, and helped me through my day with Mr.Nosy/Popular/Jackass. I just hoped if I had to ever communicate with the boy again, that sarcasm would be on my side.

  Chapter 4

  "Oi. Get up. Up, now. Get up lazy. Hey, lazy, get up! Get up! God dammit get up! FARRAH GET UP!" My phone screamed. I rolled over and groaned, reaching out absent-mindedly to shut off my ridiculous alarm. I didn't want an alarm clock with their irritating ticking and ringing. So I recorded myself on my phone yelling at my morning self to get up.

  "Yeah, yeah, I hear you. Shut up." I grumbled, trying to turn off my alarm. My phone was so bright, and my eyes couldn't take it this early in the morning. I blinked and squinted but it was too bright. I sighed loudly, muffling my phone into my comforter. It still murmured the screams, but at least it wasn't booming in my ear.

  I got up and grabbed some clothes for school. Luckily our school wasn't one to have a uniform, so I wore whatever. I picked up some skinny, blue, denim jeans from the floor. I looked for some flats but decided to just find some after I'd had my shower. Even though I was short, and I hated my height, I refused to wear heels to make me appear taller. My clumsiness would always take over, and the last time I had worn heels, I fell into a puddle. Good times.

  "Top...top, where is my green top?" I wondered aloud, kicking various piles of clothing out of the way to find the one top I needed. Unlike most people, I didn't keep the clothes I wanted to wear the next day on the end of my bed, or on top of my dresser. I threw them on the floor, mixed in with old, dirty clothes. Clever idea- if I were a monkey.

  I saw it and plucked it out from a mess of green, blue and white, heading to the shower. I hung my clothes from the towel rack, leaving the towel on the floor. I looked at the wall from where the towel rack hung, thinking that I needed another one. I stripped off my clothes still thinking about it. My Dad had built that rack, and had promised to build me another. Too late now.

  I showered away my morning smell, and the grimy, wake-up feeling I got after I had crawled out from my bed. I couldn't go a day without showering in the morning, or I felt like grease all day. I used my lemon scented shampoo and the matching bodywash, sniffing my hands contently. I loved lemon. Lemon bodywash, shampoo, cake, jello- you name something with lemon in it, and I'd probably love it.

  Stepping out of the white bathtub, I towel-dried myself, and slipped into my clothes. My bra straps were slipping down my shoulders, so I pulled them up as I hunted for shoes to go with my outfit.

  "Hm...white shoes, brown sandals, brown slip-ons, black converse, red slip-ons..." I wondered. I chose the brown slip-ons, and grabbed a floral cardigan thing to go over my top. I wasn't the most fashionable person, but this was a good look on me.

  I was half-way through drying my long hair when a knock sounded at my door.

  "Yeah?" I called over the loud noise of the blow-dryer. My Mom's head peeped through the door, as expected. Troy never knocked.

  "Hey honey. Nice outfit." She nodded. I smiled to myself happily. Maybe I was just one of those people who only got into fashion in their late teens?

  "What do you need?" I asked, my voice loud and clear.

  "Nothing, just heard something. Wanted to know if it was true." She smirked.

  "Oh God, what is it?" I mumbled, switching off the dryer. I unplugged it and placed it on top of my dresser, before looking at my Mom worriedly.

  "Are you going on a date this Saturday?" She questioned.

  "Um...yes..." I narrowed my eyes at her. "Why? Wait, who told you?"

  "My baby girl is going on her first date! Aww this is great! You have to let me do your hair, I have the perfect idea! Riley will sooo like it!" Mom squealed like a teenage girl, doing a little happy jig.

  "M-om!" I whined, crossing my arms. "How did you find out?"

  "My lovely sister told me! This is going to be the best first date for you baby, I promise!" Mom annou
nced.

  "Mom, it'll be fine. I don't need your help-"

  "No buts!" She shushed me. "I'm picking your outfit, doing your hair and make-up."

  "What if I would prefer a friend to do that?" I raised one eyebrow.

  "Too bad!" She cackled, darting from the room.

  "Mom!" I called after her. "Don't tell Troy!"

  "Don't tell me what?" My brother appeared out of his bedroom door, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

  "None of your business, dweeb." I shut my door in his face. Then feeling stupid, I realised I was supposed to be going downstairs for breakfast. Nice move. I re-opened my door and Troy was leaning over the stairs, yelling to mom.

  "What? Are you being serious?!" He shouted. He half turned his head to look at me. "You're going on your first date on Saturday? With Riley?"

  He spat Riles' name in disgust. I frowned at him, but didn't answer. My Mom was such a blabber mouth. I trooped downstairs, Troy still calling after me.

  "Do you have problems or something?! You're so weird! He's-" He bellowed one insult after another, either about me or Riley. I got to the kitchen and glared at Mom.

  "Nice going." I told her. She smiled sympathetically, and continued to make breakfast.

  "Why did I agree to come in your car?" I groaned to Troy.

  "Because you're too lazy to walk to school?" He reminded me.

  "Can't you just pretend I'm not here like usual? Why do you have to keep drilling me with questions?" I sighed.

  "No. I cannot believe you're going on a date with Riley Tucker. You're such a weirdo. He's a creep, you know? He's been stalking you for ages! Why did you think he got a job at Aunt Tessie's place?" Troy babbled on.

  "He is not a stalker, okay? Riley is a nice guy- unlike you. You bad-mouth anyone not in your rankings. You're such an ass." I told my brother grumpily.