"Life, Love, and Other Mysteries" -Chapter 4

Life, Love & Other Mysteries
Chapter 4


Cambria opened her eyes and looked over at where Carina slept. She wasn't there. She rubbed her eyes than heard a burst of laughter coming from outside the bedroom door. She didn't really want to go out there right now. There was so many people and she hated people at this moment. She stood up and got the brush and started to brush her hair than walked out of the room. She wanted to just quietly walk into the kitchen and get something to drink than get dressed before communicating with ANYBODY! But with her family that was not possible.

"Good morning, Cami!" Her mother called. She closed her eyes and prayed that somehow she would disappear.

"Are you going to come in here and eat breakfast with us?" Her father asked. She opened her eyes and walked over to the doorway of the livingroom. She peaked in.

"Good morning everybody." She said. They all said good morning to her. "Excuse me I have to go to my friends house. I promised her we'd have breakfast together." She started to walk away when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Please God, don't let it be Ezra. She silently prayed. She turned to see her mother. "Oh hey." She said kind of dissappointed.

"Where are you going? You have company missy." Her mother said her face going from sweet to hulk in 2 seconds.

"She's just next door. We always have breakfast together on Saturdays." Cami said hoping her mother would buy it.

"Oh really? That's funny since Jael told Ezra that you do nothing on Saturdays." Why does Ezra want to know what I do on Saturdays? Maybe she's just making this up. Cami thought.
"Well fine than I'll go get her and she'll come here for breakfast!" Cami said feeling a little defensive.

"No like I said you have company now get in there and work some magic!" She said turning Cami towards the room and pushed her into the room. Cami rolled her eyes and sat down on the floor next to Ezra.

"Did you want a chair? I could get one from the kitchen." Cami said quietly to Ezra. He shook his head.

"No I'm ok. Can I talk to you?" He said. She nodded.

"Sure you can. Let's go to the kitchen or something it's loud in here." She said as everyone talked and laughed. He nodded and stood up than helped Cami up. "Guys we'll be right back." She said as they walked out.

"You go girl" One of her sisters yelled and they all laughed. They walked to the kitchen and sat in the chairs.

"What's up?" she asked looking at him. She couldn't help but blush. He was talking to her. He wanted to talk to her.

"I was wondering if you'd like to go to lunch with me. Bronxon and Bryna are going out and your mother wanted someone to go out with them so I didn't really want to go alone." He said. Cami smiled.

"Sure I'll go. I need something to do anyway. It's better than staying in here with...Well you know." Cami said. He smiled.

"Yea. I know." He said. They both laughed.

"Hey what's going on in there?" Cami's mother yelled from the living room. Cami raised her eyebrows and walked over to the refridgerator.

"Would you like to take this one?" She whispered to Ezra. He shook his head. "Were just getting some more food for in there. Doesn't look like theres much. I guess we'll have to go shopping." Cami yelled back to her mother. "We better get back in there." She whispered. They walked back into the room and it got quiet as they sat down. Everyone looked at them. "Stop it! Keep talking." Cami said. They all still stared at them.

"So Bronxon, Cambria is going to come with us to lunch today so I don't have to be alone." Ezra said trying to make conversation. Cami tried not to laugh when she saw everybody raise their eyebrows towards them.

"Oh. Cool. That means you can sit at a differant table than us without me feeling guilty." Bronxon said with a smirk. Cami looked at Bryna who sat next to Bronxon. Why didn't she tell Cami that there was something going on between her and Bronxon?

"Yea sure." Ezra said he looked at Cami and smiled. Cami smiled back than prayed that her Father would start talking about something completely random right about-

"So those yankees are doing quite good this year." Cami's father said.

"Really? I didn't notice." Cami said with a smirk. She looked over at Ezra who was pretty much staring at her and gave him a small smile. He smiled and winked at her. She swallowed hard and looked down at her hands that were folded in her lap. "Oh hey um are we out of chips? I can go get some more." Everyone laughed except for her.

"I thought you said you needed to go shopping?" Her mother asked. She looked at Ezra and smiled. He covered his mouth trying to hide his laughter.

"Mother, you should know by now thats just a cover up!" Cami said looking at her mother. She nodded.

"Yes I do. Go get some chips." her mother said. She jumped up and grabbed the bowl than walked into the kitchen.

"So what did go on in here?" Jael asked coming in with the baby.

"We were just talking. Apparently Bronxon and Bryna are getting together for lunch and Ezra has to be the chaperone and he doesn't want to go alone so he asked me to go with him to keep him company." Cami said looking at her sister who fed the baby a bottle.

"Oh? He looks interested in you." Jael said with a smirk.

Cami crossed her fingers and took a chip out of the bowl.

"I sure hope so." She said picking the bowl up and walking into the room.

--

Bryna pulled her hair into a ponytail and checked herself in the mirror one last time before exiting the bathroom. She walked to Cambria's room and knocked on the door.

"Who's there?" Cambria asked close to the door.

"Bry." She said.

The door slowly opened and Cami stood there looking so pretty. Bryna was definately jealous of her sister for her looks. She always got guys even if she tried not to. That's why she was surprised the first time Bronxon had asked her out to lunch two weeks ago. Although, Ezra did have to go with them it wasn't too bad because Ezra was funny and did make their conversations fifty percent more enjoyable. She walked in and sat on her sister's bed that had Ezra's suitcase on it.

"What's up?" Cami asked putting hairspray in her hair. Enough to make Bry choke.

"I just wanted to see if you were ready to go? I think the guys are ready out there." She said looking at Cami. Cami scrunched her hair one last time and turned around.

"Then lets get out there." Cami said with a small smile.

"What's wrong?" Bry asked.

Cami shook her head. "Nothing this is all about you! Let's go out there and get this over with." Cami said. She opened the door and let Bry walk out first.

"Were ready." She said walking over to stand with Bronxon.

"You guys can go to the car I'm just going to tell Jael or Carina that were leaving." Cami said.

"Well I'll go start the car." Ezra said.

"Yea let's get out of here." Bryna said holding Bronxon's hand. The walked out and down to Cami's car. Apparently she had given Ezra the keys to the car.

"Cami seems nervous to be going out with us." Bronxon said looking at Bryna. She nodded and laughed.

"I think she is but she won't admit it." Bryna said. Bronxon smiled as they got in the backseat of the car.

"Why is she?" He asked. Ezra looked at them in the rear view mirror.

"Because she's had a crush on Ezra for a while." Bryna said not realizing Ezra was listening. Bronxon looked at him and they both smiled at each other. Cami walked slowly to the car and got into the passengers seat.

"Sorry it took so long I had to do something for Jael." Cami said pulling her seatbelt over to buckle it.

"Its ok." Ezra said.

"Ezra likes her alot too." Bronxon whispered in Bry's ear. Ezra shot him a dirty look and both Bry and Bronxon laughed. Cami shot them both a death glare.

"Why are you laughing?" Cami asked. They both smiled.

"No reason." Bry said.

Cami smiled. "Ok then."

The car ride to the restaraunt was incredibly quiet, it seemed the proverbial tension was so sick that one could cut it with a knife. Although, Cami kept shooting her looks over her shoulder as if to ask what REALLY went on before she'd gotten into the car. Ezra had especially been quiet, brooding even staring out the windshield as he drove. Bronxon gave Bryna a look that made her smile.

"Their even more nervous than we are." he hissed, pointing to the pair in the front with his thumb.

"Hey! Stop it you." cautioned Cami as she gave a startled look at Bronxon and Bryna, then Ezra.

After what seemed an eternity, they stopped at the restaraunt finally. It was a quiet little bistro not far from their new apartment, and Bryna was really enjoying the scenery of her new city. Hopefully, it would be an incredibly smooth transition from their small hometown to college and city life as well. Bronxon opened the door for her and helped her out of the car. Together they entered the restaraunt leaving Ezra and Cami in the dust. A hostess seated them at a round table by the window and Bryna studied her menu.

"I'm glad you said yes...I just wish I'd gotten the nerve to ask you while you were still at home. Now, I'm going to be going home at the end of the week and we won't see each other for a while." Bronxon confessed, his brown eyes connecting with Bryna's.

Her heart jumped in her chest, "Really? I wish you had too. I wanted to tell you so many times that I liked you...but I just couldn't do it."

Bronxon laughed softly, "Well, as long as we're here we shouldn't think about should haves. Let's enjoy ourselves, and the misery of our siblings." he winked and gestured to the quiet pair walking toward them. "This will be a treat!"

"It sure will!" she exclaimed, feeling for the first time like she'd finally found the man of her dreams, and he knew that she felt that way. What a relief!

--

Cami sat across from Ezra and watched him look through the menu. He glanced up at her and suddenly she felt like a little girl again. Sitting in that church and seeing him but not talking.
"What are you going to get?" She asked. He must not have realized that they only had one menu.
"I'm not sure yet." He said looking back down to the menu. She folded her hands and looked over at Bronxon and Bryna who seemed to be having a blast. They were both smiling and laughing.

"I wonder what their talking about." She said still looking at them.

"Why?" He asked now looking at them too.

"I don't know. They are both totally in love with each other and they just started going out." She said looking at Ezra.

"Why are they totally in love though? Like you said they just started going out." Ezra said looking at her.

"I really have no idea just the way they look at each other. It's the same way my parents look at each other to this day." The waitress came over and took their orders.

"So you like eyes?" He asked looking at her like she had just jumped off a ufo.

"Yes I do. They help to tell alot about a person. You can tell if their lying or being truthful by looking in their eyes. Or even if someone loves you or hates you." She said with a small smile. He looked in her eyes and stared for awhile.

"You might have to help me out a little here. Do you love me or hate me?" He asked. Cami smiled and could feel herself blush.

"Well I'd be lying if I said I hate you." She said. His eyes widened.

"Wow really?" He asked. She nodded. "So you love me? Why?" He looked at her with questioning eyes.

"Seriously, How can I not? I mean what girl doesn't? Your just a lovable guy I guess." She said.

She laid her hands on the table and looked at him. "So what about you do you like me? I mean were friends we can tell each other this kind of stuff." He smiled and put his hand over hers.

"Yea I like you. I just don't know if we could really go out because of the distance." He said. A sting to her stomach where she has been nervous was enough to make her scream. She didn't know if it was because he said he liked her or if it was because he said they couldn't go out because of the distance.

"I'm sure we could make it work. I have to just finish these few years of school and than I could do whatever I want. I could go back to Scranton and we could see each other everyday. But, until than if you don't want to do this we could just be friends until all of this is over with." She said looking at him.

"I think we should pray about it. I have been praying about it but we should pray together about it." He said. Those were words she had wanted to hear.

"I agree." She said with a smile. The waitress walked out with their food. Ezra took his hand off of Cami's and took the food from the waitress.

"Thank you." He said. Cami smiled and thanked her too. She walked away and Cami looked down at her food.

"We have to pray first." She said looking up at him. He nodded.

"Yea we do." He held her hands and began to pray in Spanish. She didn't exactly understand
everything that he said but she believed it was ok. "Amen." He said. She smiled and let go of his hands than picked up her fork to eat the grilled chicken salad she had gotten.

"So what did you say?" Cami asked putting some salad on the fork. He looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"What are you talking about?" He asked. She swallowed the mouthful of salad he had and smiled.

"The prayer. What did you say in your prayer?" She asked. He nodded.

"Oh right. I prayed for the food that the people who made it would be blessed. Also, that whatever God wants to happen in our lives than let it happen." He said. Cami smiled.

"Amen to that." She said looking back over at her sister and Bronxon.

"so are you going to keep watching them all day?" Ezra asked. Cami looked back at him.

"Sorry, I just thought we were here to chaperone them instead of talk about us." She said with a smirk than ate more salad. He laughed a little and looked back at the younger siblings. "So your going to watch them now too?" She asked. He nodded.

"Yea I am! Look at them!" He said pointing to them. Cami looked over and watched as her sister and his brother were kissing. She covered her mouth and looked at him. He raised his eyebrows.
"Wow." She said trying not to look at them. He laughed.

"Well we could not watch them. We can go sit in the car until their done." He said with a wink.

She shrugged.

"Sure. We just have to pay for the food. Maybe get dessert to sit out there?" She asked. He nodded.

"Lets do it!" He said. The waitress came back and they got the check.

"Here's for mine" She said taking 20 dollars out of her purse. He shook his head.

"It's ok I got this."He said. She laughed and stood up than followed him to the front of the resteraunt to pay for the food.

"How long have you two been together? Your so cute." The older woman said taking the money from Ezra. He looked at Cami and she raised her eyebrows.

"Oh no were not together. Were just friends." Cami said with a nod at the woman. She looked surprised.

"Oh I'm sorry. It's a shame people that are perfect for each other are just friends. They end up going out with differant people and never are happy. Believe me! I did that. Don't tell my husband but if I was this smart back in the day I would be married to my Mr. perfect." She said. Cami looked at Ezra who has his eyebrows raised.

"Why did you marry your husband than?" He asked. She shook her head.

"I felt old I needed to get married and out of the house. So the next guy who asked me to marry him I said yes." She said. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to get back to work. God Bless!" She said than walked back into the kitchen. Cami continued to look at Ezra who now turned to look her.

"That was....interesting?" Cami said. He nodded.

"Yea but very true." He said than walked out.