YOUNGBLOOD
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
❝REMEMBER THE WORDS YOU TOLD ME, 'LOVE ME TIL THE DAY YOU DIE,' SURRENDER MY EVERYTHING BECAUSE YOU MADE ME BELIEVE YOU'RE MINE.❞

♔ ♔ ♔

Camille Abbott walked with a certain type of poise, elegance almost unheard of. There was no denying that everywhere she walked, anywhere she was, she turned heads of all people. Sure she's beautiful, but there's this confidence, this aura about her that made people curious enough to do a double take. No one could really point out why, but they never found a reason to question it themselves. She's this enigma to everyone around her, even to the ones who thought they know her.

Tom hasn't heard from her in a while, not since their breakup. And sure they still follow one another on social media, always themselves on the others' social media pages to catch up on them, and sometimes the occasional 'hey how are you' texts were sent. One thing Tom hates most about their breakup is the fact that nothing between them was ever the same. It wasn't like he could tell the girl who broke up with him that he likes the very girl she's been insecure about, that was a dick move. Besides, no one other than those close to him knows about him and Rosé.

But he knows that around the time after their breakup Camille decided to take a hiatus from modeling in general. She's been spending her time traveling and visiting family and friends she hasn't seen in a while. And though there's this awkward tension between them, he still wishes her the best, because Camille Abbott has a heart of gold and deserves nothing less than.

It was as if the universe was trying to make it up to him for the heartache he was suffering from. Because the one other person who seemingly knows the answer to everything happens to be in Atlanta as well. The one other person who can get his mind off of thoughts from Rosé is the person who made him hesitate for going after her.

The knock on his trailer brought him out of his thoughts. Tom forced himself off the couch and dragged himself towards the door. Opening the door gently he was met with the familiar face of Camille Abbott who had a take-out cup of his favorite tea, a bag of his favorite snacks, and a small smile. "Figured I might as well buy the whole comfort package," she said softly. Tom chuckled before opening his door wider, "Come in, Cami."

When they first broke up he wasn't sure if they would ever be okay, if they'd be able to get back to how they were before. But then he met Rosé and it was as if suddenly his problems weren't limited to just his breakup with Camille and the so-called 'Reyna.' Now here they are months later, both able to be friends in an odd way. After all, they were friends long before they were lovers.

Camille had mentioned in a brief - and a rather uncomfortable conversation - that she was going to visit Atlanta for a shoot and wondered if the two could catch up. And though Tom didn't mind too much, he had planned to lie to his former flame about already having plans or his schedule too tight for him to even breathe - terrible, he knows - but now he wants nothing more than for Camille to make things better again, just like she used to.

The model glanced at his trailer, taking in the slightly messy area which contrasted with his usual neat self. Though Tom wasn't squeaky clean, she knew that he wouldn't have allowed for his trailer to be so distraught with pillows thrown to the ground and the trash can kicked to the side. She shook her head as she began to pick up the throw pillows and place them back on the couches.

"I'm sorry about you and Rosé," she whispers hesitantly, staring at him from the corner of her eye to watch his reaction. To her surprise, Tom didn't even flinch at the mention of her name. "What happened?"

Tom chuckled bitterly as he followed Camille's example and began to tidy up the mess he made. "Beats me," he muttered as he lazily threw a pillow onto the couch, not caring where it landed. "She's been acting weird, but I didn't think much of it, just thought maybe she was stressed and everything."

"That wasn't the case. Was it?"

"Nope. Texted me saying she can't do this anymore, that she doesn't feel the same way."

"Tom . . . " Camille winced when she heard a dry laugh leave Tom. Never, not even when they were dating, did she ever witness him act so unhinged and small, nothing like the confident and joyous actor she once loved.

"What was I thinking? That everything would be okay and we'll be together?" Tom asked incredulously, a delusional and hazy smile overtaking his face. His hands gripped his hair, pulling at the curls rather harshly as he began to pace back and forth in his trailer. His eyes darted from one place to another, but never focusing on an object for too long.

But then he stopped and stood still, his eyes finally matching Camille's and that's when she noticed the tears brimming his eyes. A sad smile matching his trembling lips as he shook his head slowly.

"She doesn't love me, does she?" he whispers dejectedly. Tom swallowed the lump stuck in his throat, the truth withheld for a moment. "She . . . she doesn't love me anymore."

"You don't know that," Camille argued as she took a step forward. She hesitantly placed her hands on his shoulders, but when Tom didn't protest she confidently squeezed his arms. "Hey, listen to me, okay? Breathe. What happened . . . how she feels and how this will end isn't your fault, okay? You couldn't have changed anything."

"I miss her," he choked out. "I - I was too late, Cami. Why was I too late? I-If I loved her sooner than we would've been okay - W-We wouldn't have lost feelings! We would be okay and - "

He never did get to finish his sentence before he shook his head furiously and Camille knew right away that he was beginning to blame himself. She shushed him as she brought his head down to her shoulder, one hand rubbing the small of his back and the other gently raking his curls. She felt him shake as he tried to hold back his crying, his hands laid by his side as if he was numb to it all.

Camille doesn't know Rosé other than what Tom has told her through anecdotes and short tales of their childhood. But she knew that if there was anyone who did know the whole truth, it was Rosé. And part of her knows that what she's saying couldn't be true, that there was more to the story than what she presented to Tom.

Because it was something beyond just love. And Rosé loves Tom, maybe more than she could've ever loved Tom when they were together. What kind of girl just watches the person she loves and not say anything for his sake? Even if there was a chance, a small glint of hope, that what they have can be something beautiful. Anyone who would sacrifice their own happiness for someone they care about loves them, and that is something that cannot be taken away or go away so easily.

And Camille wants nothing more than to find out the truth for Tom, to help him get to the bottom of the mess that is Rosé's mind.

But she has her own problems to deal with.

And those problems involve someone with brown eyes and a smile that makes her hate the idea of love.

Tom, I'm in love too. And it hurts.

♔ ♔ ♔

username1: bruh i swear if rosé gets fired for dating im throwing hands

username2: oh thank god, i really don't want her to ruin the movie. like i respect her friendship with tom but i cant help but think that she got the job because theyre friends 🤷‍♀️

username3: as much as i hate rose i feel bad that she's getting fired for getting dick

username4: this is so stupid i swear marvel like don't fire her just because she dating or i swear im rioting

username5: i didn't like rose either, but like i read a little bit of her book and honestly homegirl can write so i was looking forward to the movie but oh well 😪

username6: damn tomholland2013 how you feel about this???

username7: good riddance

♔ ♔ ♔

A/N;

It's been like 1293202 years since I updated, but here it is! I've been wanting to update something and boom, here it is! I'm sorry for lacking in the update department for this book. It's sad to say this, but I've sadly grown to dislike this universe ( aka the one with Rosé and what not ) like part of me feels a bit embarrassed by this book. But then I tell myself that this book can still grow into something beautiful so that's what I'm trying to do.

Thank you all for supporting me and I can't wait for you to read more!

Much Love Guys.

( written: february 7, 2019 )
( published: february 7, 2019 )