#ship: annacam

[honeybearee]

Cam ⇄ Anna

Cam: I got jumped by the cats, but I'm home now.

[kit-snicket-rps]

"I want to have a baby."

Anna wasn’t sure if she was supposed to hear it or not; really, she hadn’t even been eavesdropping, far too caught up in the feeling of the fuzzy rug against her toes and the reaction it caused in her - officially unofficial - nephew. 

Moving back home had been a painless transition, and although they were still working their way through teetering towers of cardboard boxes, their house was coming together nicely - not that it should have surprised her that their things would somehow mesh together as easily as they always had. Frankly, she had anticipated more of a discussion when she first broached the subject, some hesitation around their careers and how it would be unfair to force the other to budge. Life had altered their paths and took them places they didn’t expect to see themselves; they were committed to each other (as they always had been,) but Cam’s divorce felt like a wound that needed time to heal without added pressure so she never asked for definitions or clarifications. 

None of that mattered as long as they were together. 

Playdates with El had become a tradition from the first visit his sister had paid them. Most of their belongings were still in boxes scattered throughout the house, and while the intention had been to reduce unpacking time by enlisting help, Elliot and Anna ended up using their time to create a fort from the already unpacked boxes. It wasn’t long before he was rolling out of bed on Friday mornings and babbling demands about being taken to see Auntie Anna and Uncle Cam. The house was more than big enough for the both of them, so the patter of his feet on the floor and his giggles bouncing off the walls seemed to give the house a whole new aura of joy. 

How long had her back been tense? Was she even breathing at this point? She was sure she must have stopped at some point, as if eliminating the sound of air altogether would somehow improve her hearing.

Barker let out a concerned whine, his paws stretching out toward her for a moment before his snout pressed against her hand. Instinctively, she began to pet him, still hoping to overhear another glimpse of a conversation that clearly seemed to be over. El caught her attention again as he wobbled over to her, toy in hand and full of commands she couldn’t quite understand. The two were caught in the midst of an intense Lego playing session - or rather, Anna’s attempt at working on El’s vocabulary through play, a tactic she’d learned from Cam - when his mom’s voice interrupted. 

“Hope he wasn’t too much trouble!” she half-sighed as she bent down to wrap El in her arms. 

“Oh… y’all are leaving already? It’s early!” Anna smiles at El and adds in a sing-song voice “we’re having mac & cheese toniiiight” El seems to perk up at the mention of it, and looks expectantly at his mom, but his face quickly falls again when she begins to talk again,

“you know we love your Mac & Cheese, but grandma is gonna pinch us both if we aren’t back at her house soon,” she wraps Anna up in a warm hug, “next week? Oh shoot. That reminds me, I have to call you later this week to get everything ready for our trip next month… Seriously, thanks again for offering to watch him, I know mom can too, but Lord knows that woman will spoil this boy rotten… I owe you one!” Ellen always had a bouncy energy to her, and it warmed Anna to see how that personality had blossomed during motherhood, how effortlessly she moved throughout the living room collecting El’s items and bundling him up all without ever stumbling on her sentence; her movements as fluid as her words. 

“Yeah totally! And hey, I pinky promise I won’t make my super special Mac & Cheese until you come stay with us,” she nodded, bending forward to meet him halfway, his pinky wrapping around hers as his smile widened. Ruffling his hair with a grin, she called out to them as they made their way toward the car, “love you! Drive safe!”

The door closed and she lingered by it for a second as Cam moved ahead, stopping to turn to her when he noticed she wasn’t at his side. “Did you mean what you said?” the words bumbled out, like a pot that had blown off its lid and was overflowing, “about the baby, I mean? Not that I was… You know when you just happen to tune into a conversation just in time to hear something that fills you with a whole bunch of questions?” 

There was a pause. Silence. Nothing but her heartbeat and nervous swallowing. 

She took another step toward him, her head dipping like it always did when she was trying to read him better.

“Cam. Did you mean it?”

[honeybearee]

A Cheesy Apology

Cam

A bubbly nervousness settled in Cameron's stomach as he stood in front of the stove, heat rising from the buttery golden grilled cheese that he had just flipped. He knew that the gesture could go one of two ways -- Anna could become enraged, once again, by the way he was trying to play on sentimentality and pull on old threads from a friendship that had clearly fizzled out. Or -- and Cam preferred to think of this one -- the sight of the grilled cheese could soften that hardened heart and hopefully encourage her to hear him out.

The worst part is that he still hadn't worked out what it was he wanted to say -- it wasn't easy for him to even begin to untangle the threads of the web that he had become glued into, and of course, he knew he shouldn't expect Anna to care at this point, but he hoped she realized that at the very least, he had never had any intention of hurting her.

Whatever good that would do.

If the vibes she was sending via text were any indication, she pretty much hated him, and as much as it hurt to admit it, he couldn't even blame her.

He slipped the sandwich into a container with the other and tucked them away into the little picnic basket he'd managed to dig out a little earlier. He had really been hoping she'd agree to meet. Thank god she had.

"Heading out! Be back in a while!" Cam called out as he checked over the basket to make sure he had everything they'd need -- assuming she'd even entertain the idea of sharing lunch with him.

"Be safe out there! Take a hat!" His mother called from somewhere upstairs, and he smiled as he grabbed his hat from beside the front door, grateful for the reminder.

He bypassed his car completely, opting to walk the few blocks to the park instead -- it was a nice day for it as the weather had settled into the high sixties, barely a cloud against the vivid blue of the sky. The sun shone brightly overhead, but the rays hit him with a gentle warmth rather than the hot intensity of summer, and he felt excited all over again about being home.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen so much green.

Cam arrived before Anna, and he breathed a small sigh of relief, but the bubbling in his stomach remained as he laid out a small checkered cloth on the picnic table. He began pulling things out of the bag, nearly losing the napkins with a gentle breeze, but securing them under the container with the sandwiches before returning to arranging his peace offering in the least threatening way.

He was still nervously adjusting things, eyes focused on the table, when he heard the soft steps behind him, and he turned to see Anna walking towards him. She stopped suddenly at the sight of the picnic table, and he cleared his throat as he gestured to it.

"I made us lunch." His voice sounded small, even to him. He tried to push through it, adding, "Grilled cheese."

[honeybearee]

One Last Time

Change had always been a difficult thing for Anna to accept - even though her life had been nothing but change for as long as she could remember. But of all the things she'd had to accept in her admittedly rather short life, by far the hardest had been the knowledge that her time with Cam was coming to an end. In two days, he would be off toward a new, shinier life, and no matter how much he had tried to promise that things wouldn't change, she had always been the more realistic out of the two of them.

In a way it shouldn't have been entirely surprising that he had been the one to have gotten scooped off the market first. Though he had always had the shorter attention span, he would sometimes jump in head first and not stop to realize how he could crack his head on shallow waters. And there she had always been, patiently waiting for him to come back so she could clean him up and send him back out into the world to do it all over again.

It had become increasingly harder over the years to stop herself from wondering what exactly it was about her that made her so seemingly unlovable, so easily left behind.

As if on cue, Max's arms slid around her, and for a moment she was able to break out of the spiral she'd been in since Cam had confided in her about his proposal, easing back into him and craning her head to drop a kiss on his chin.

"Oh damn, are you sure it's not my lucky night?" he grinned down at her, all sweetness as she did a quick spin, the tassels of her gold dress catching the light and for once making her feel like she was actually sparkling. Being with Max was simple and it was so nice to feel wanted that she could see herself settling into a perfectly pleasant life with him.

"Might still be" she teased, leaning up to catch his lips in a searing kiss. "Now, come on! Not a great look if your best man is late," she joked as the two shot back a quick tequila shot before heading off.

----

Anna may not have had whatever edge you'd needed to survive in the city, but she was still kind of proud that she'd managed to pull off what she thought would be a fun night. She'd rented out the VIP section of a club Cam had mentioned a few times, made sure to let everyone know he was getting married so he'd get nothing less than the most exclusive experience, and gotten there extra early so she could have time to decorate the area. Anna tried not to linger on how many extra shifts she'd have to pick up to make up for the amount of money she'd been throwing at his wedding.

Not that it even mattered anymore when she saw the way his face lit up across the club when he spotted her eagerly waving an arm to signal their spot, jumping in place excitedly until he arrived and she jumped into his arms for a hug "happy almost wedding day!" she chirped a little too loudly - something she blamed on the few drinks she'd already been sipping at to try and settle her nerves.

She didn't have the best record with alcohol, but sometimes it was easier to lean into her natural giddiness when it was running through her bloodstream.

"Oh shit, sorry, here you go!" she looked around and handed him her half-finished drink, "I'll make you- ah!" she giggled, her thoughts interrupted as Max swooped her away to dance with him. For a brief moment she was aggravated that he'd just pulled her away from him, but it was quickly forgotten when Max pulled her in closer mumbling something she couldn't quite understand between the loud thumping of the music, and the ticklish sensation of his lips on her neck.

They were caught like that for a few songs before he finally relented and let her head back to their area, where she grabbed a glass of what she'd thought was water from Jesse, but promptly discovering it was vodka she almost gagged as he lost it laughing, and before she realized it she was laughing too, "ass!" she added with a kick to his leg that made her lose her balance and land promptly in Cam's lap.

"Hey handsome," she smiled up at him, lifting her arms to drape her hands behind his neck, "fun night?"

[honeybearee]

Bachelors and Bachelorettes

Cam

Although Cameron had been silently grumbling to himself about wedding costs and going overboard for a day you'd barely remember in just a few short years, the sight of the lakeside cabin -- could it even be called a cabin when it seemed more like a mini-lodge? -- had him shifting quickly to the edge of his passenger side seat in Jesse's truck, forgetting entirely that the point of being here was to celebrate a wedding union.

He could already smell the sweat of sun-torched skin and the stink of fresh-caught fish, just waiting to be prepped and fried to a crisp, and his mouth practically salivated at the thought of pairing some catfish nuggets with a simple and light beer. They'd all settle around a large fire in lawn chairs with nostalgic music playing and reminisce about all the stupid things they'd done together when they were younger.

"Mark wanted to do a Vegas trip, but Jessie vetoed that pretty quickly," Jesse explained as they parked and sat looking around at the serene surroundings.

"Can't say I blame her. You'd probably all have ended up in a Hangover situation." Cam chuckled as he threw his door open and hopped out.

"You mean we." Jesse corrected and Cam nodded, throwing along a little of course. Although he hadn't really talked to Jesse about everything going on with Cristina, he had a sneaking suspicion that Jesse was all too aware of how much of a struggle it was just to get home for the wedding.

As they approached the cabin, Jessie skipped out of the main doors and down the steps, right into Jesse's waiting arms, giving a little giggle as she threw her arms around his neck and landed an exuberant kiss on his lips. The moment caught Cam off guard, reminding him of that anticipatory excitement that made time move all too slow around them.

"Oh, hey there, Cam!" Jessie said brightly as she peered around from behind Jesse to make eye contact with her soon-to-be brother-in-law.

"Hey there, Jess," Cam stepped forward as she extracted herself from his brother, and Cam gave her a light one-armed squeeze, swinging the duffel in his hand behind him to avoid hitting her with it. "This is a beautiful place."

"Isn't it just? I think we're going to have such a great time tonight, don't you?" She asked as she lead them up the rustic wooden steps and through the French doors that led into the main hall of the cabin, which housed a fireplace surrounded with rustic but cozy seating. To the left was a long wall of large windows that faced out towards the lake, and here, too, sat a loveseat and some oversized, fluffy chairs. To the right, a television with an assortment of DVDs -- that would no doubt go mostly untouched -- and a bookcase holding various popular reads and the usual suspects of board games.

"It's perfect, really." Cam gave her a soft smile, watching the way her eyes lit up as she spun around in the center of the room. Already she felt so much more welcoming and friendly than Cristina had been during his own wedding, and he wondered if maybe he'd just misinterpreted Cristina's overbearing need to control things as wedding anxiety. There had been signs from the get-go, clearly.

"Is that my idiot brother?" Hanna's voice floated from the doorway to the kitchen on his right, and he cocked his head to look at her, as if to say, really?

"Why am I the idiot brother?" Cam asked, feigning offence.

"Because you just are." Hanna rolled her eyes at him, sighing in exasperation as she pushed off the doorframe and strolled over to give him a quick hug.

"Always the sweet, protective older sister." He commented dryly, earning him an annoyed shove from Hanna at the mention of being older.

"Shut up, Cameron."

"Oh, is that Cam and Jesse? It's about time!" Cam's head snapped to the kitchen doorway as if his head sat on a swivel, and his face broke into the easy, wide smile that Anna always seemed to elicit.

[honeybearee]

Sunday Funday

Anna

Saturdays were always the hardest shifts for Anna. Exhaustion followed her from room to room and patient to patient, fought off by endless cups of coffee and the warmth of knowing she'd get to go home to her family when it was all over. Today though, there was an added layer of jitters that settled into her stomach, making her wonder if she would need to up her dosage until Cam left town again.

God, that was going to suck. Maybe she should consider anti-depressants like her last psych had suggested. Losing him again, when it had barely been a year since Dad passed? Ugh, there was that annoying pang in her chest.

Again she found herself almost wishing he'd just come back home and acted as if she hadn't existed - maybe she could have found an excuse to get out of town had she known he was coming. Now that he was here though, and looking at her in that way only he did, she couldn't help but being transported into being the same idealistic silly girl who'd thought that maybe if she hung on long enough he'd realize that she'd never stopped loving him - no matter how many times he'd left her behind.

"You're gonna be late for church" her coworkers voice broke through the noise, making her grin brightly at the other girl, "Right! Time flies when you're having fun" she joked, not realizing that she'd just been staring up at the ceiling in the locker room.

The cool breeze of the early morning had always been her favorite, there was something so peaceful, so profound about being able to share the silence of early morning - and she was thrilled that Beau had been so eager to share something so special with her. It was worth losing all the sleep her body was desperately craving, and he never seemed to mind when she would inevitably end up falling asleep, fishing rod in hand. He would simply place a blanket over her until it was time to go, when he'd gently rouse her and they'd catch up on their week on the drive back home - both expertly dancing around the subject of Cam's return.

The house was always extra quiet when they got back, and had it not been for the smell of fish lingering on her, she would've found herself crashing right into a couch so familiar she was sure there was an indent of her figure in it. "Hey baby" she cooed down at Barker, getting down on her knees to let him get a few good licks in as she petted him, laughing "I'm surprised you're not sleeping with Cam" he perked up at the name, and went off looking for him, tail wagging, "rude" she chuckled as she got back up and went about her usual routine.

It was wonders what a good shower could do to you - her muscles had loosed significantly, and had given her the perfect amount of energy to send her surging headfirst into her usual tasks.

Cam's parents were getting older, a thought she didn't like to linger on, there had already been so much loss in her life - so she had thrown herself headfirst into caring for them, often being the first to arrive and the last to leave. Then again, keeping herself constantly busy gave her the best excuse not to linger on the many thoughts that threatened to drown her if she lingered on them too much. She'd never been really good at sitting still - just in a different way than Cam.

Popping her headphones on, she started up her usual feel good playlist as she danced around the kitchen, quietly singing along as she started working on the first batch of coffee, her hands hesitating on a particular mug, one that had been shelved away many years ago, "oh my God" she chuckled as she looked it over - it was a hideous looking thing, terribly decorated with some badly painted flowers, a stupid crooked heart, a C + A = forever on the side.

She jolted slightly when Mel's familiar hand landed on her shoulder, the woman's sweet feature melting with nostalgia as Anna showed her the mug, a short laugh shared between them. "I didn't even know this was still here," she shook her head, popping her headphones off, and wondering how she'd missed it all the other times.

"Cam found it last night" she looked up from the mug at Anna, giving her a look she'd become painfully familiar with over the years.

"Like on purpose?" Anna laughed, trying to push away from the idea that he'd come home and somehow purposefully dug around for it, "pretty sure he's got nicer mugs than that now," she rolled her eyes, sliding a fresh cup into Mel's hands.

"Maybe they're not the right type of mugs for him" Mel mused in that musical fashion she had of doing when she was trying to hint at something else.

"Yeah, maybe" she replied, forcing a smile at her and fighting the way her stomach flipped.

As if catching the shift, Mel moved toward her again, holding her out by the hands in front of her to get a good look at Anna. "Oh my goodness, I hadn't seen this one yet!" she fawned over the flowers Anna had embroidered on the admittedly much nicer jumpsuit than she'd normally be wearing for family brunch.

"Do you like them? I added a little bee here too, see!" she pointed out the little yellow trail she'd made from the flowers up to the bees that met up with the buttons at the sides.

"You are so talented!" Mel's voice was always pure honey, and it was hard not feel a surge of pride. They had always been so incredibly supportive of her, and maybe it was Cam being home again, or the fact that her Father had been such a present thought on her mind lately, but she found herself wrapping her up tightly "I love you," she simply said, the moment suddenly interrupted by Jesse.

"Oh God, its like right out of a lifetime movie" he faked gagged, as Anna and his wife both smacked him simultaneously, each one picking a shoulder.

"You are such an ass" she laughed, rolling her eyes and sliding a mug toward both of them.

"Oooooh Cam comes back into town, and suddenly Anna's all dressy dressy" he teased in that little brother way that she'd always found both endearing and annoying

"Yeah-well-I have a date later-so" she lied, suddenly growing incredibly preoccupied with what was on the stove, happy to have something that would help her hide just how red his comment had made her turn. Was she really that transparent?

[honeybearee]

A Lavender Latte, Please

Cameron's heart had just about leapt out of his throat when Anna had so readily agreed to let him come pester her before work, and he was shocked about how positively giddy he felt at the simple act of grabbing coffee and having breakfast with Anna.

Well, breakfast for her, and dinner for him, as he had explained to his mom when he'd told her that he wouldn't be staying for dinner. She almost seemed disappointed that he wouldn't be there, until he dropped Anna's name, and suddenly, she was practically shooing him out of the door, a crumpled twenty pushed into his hand as she wished him off. It would have almost been a little sad if he hadn't found it so damn funny.

As he rolled up to the front doors of the coffee shop his GPS had so graciously guided him to, a vague memory of sweaty gym mats and a stern male voice floated before him, and he could almost make out where the giant red K had proudly announced KARATE. Well, at least the old man probably wasn't running the coffee shop. He'd hate to see what kind of boss he'd be.

"Hey there!" Cam said in response to the almost instantaneous greeting that followed the tinkling of bells that signaled the arrival of a customer. The barista almost seemed confused for a moment before she fixed her face with a wide, friendly smile and asked how she could help him.

It was when Cam mentioned oh my god, so much bacon to parrot Anna's exact words to him that the barista's eyes lit up and she suddenly asked, "Wait, Cameron? Holy shit! I totally didn't recognize you. Is this for Anna?"

Ah, there it was. Guilty by association.

"What gave it away? All of the bacon?" Cam asked, grinning wide as he leaned up against the counter.

"Mmmhmmmm," She hummed as she punched in the order for Anna's drink and food before giving him a rundown of the various drinks they served and what she personally loved. Cam thanked her and ordered his simple caramel macchiatto.

He couldn't help but replay the scene again and again as he pulled up in front of Anna's house, amused at how it was, of course, Anna that caused him to be recognized. It was funny to think that people still saw them that way, even after all of this time. Two halves of one whole.

Could they still be that if he didn't know her half anymore? If he didn't even know his half?

Walking up the front steps, he couldn't help but notice the blush of color that peeked out from the side of the small house. He would know his mother's handiwork anywhere, and he felt a twinge of sadness creep mix in with the rush of gratitude that his family still treated Anna as family. Maybe more so than they did with him.

He sighed and drew himself up straight, collecting himself before he started this awkward dance they'd begun all over again. With a quick glance over his clothing to make sure there was no stray lint or hair, he decided that it was now or never and lifted his hand and knocked.

[honeybearee]

Anna ⇄ Cam

[text]: Good morning!   [text]: How's your head feeling today?   [text]: Sorry, just now realized you're probably still sleeping.   [text]: I'm headed home to get some sleep, so I might not reply right away, but I hope you have a good day.   [text]: Anyway, make sure you're cleaning around it twice a day. Put some Vaseline on it and cover it up with a bandage.   [text]: Actually I don't think Mom has any of those at the house, so I'll just swing back around to the hospital and grab you some.  

--------------

[text]: They're on the kitchen counter next to your old mug - can't miss it.

[honeybearee]

Coming Home

Cam

Cam fiddled with the radio dial in his car, struggling to recall the name of the local station he listened to growing up. The numbers eluded him, like a slippery noodle on the end of a spoon - just when you thought you had it, it slipped right out of your grasp.

Familiarity washed over him as he heard a comforting voice drip through his speakers like honey, inviting him to listen as she spun tales of local legends and lore that had long been lost to memories of people who had long been dead.

One of his favorite segments had always been the bedtime stories told by local librarian, Elizabeth, in the evenings when children would be settling down in bed with their parents, favorite stuffed animal tucked under their arms as they cuddled in close to mom or dad. At least, that had been his experience, and as the memories sprang to his mind from the recesses of his brain, he wondered why he had been so eager to leave the comfort and safety of the town he'd once called home.

Cam had spent the majority of his childhood dreaming of escaping from this place that he had deemed too small for someone whose energy was as big as his. He couldn't deny that once he'd moved away for college and then settled in the city with Cristina, he'd found the home that matched the pace he craved. He loved the constant sounds of the traffic and low hum of life as the city breathed at all hours. He loved that he and Cristina always had some new show to go to, some new band to see.

But he was getting tired, and the hum was beginning to become too much. The city had lost its luster.

Even so, coming home felt so jarring when he was a completely different person who was returning.

As he passed the welcome sign into town, the sun was just setting down behind the trees in the skyline, casting hues of orange and pink and purple through the darkening sky. He caught a reflection of pink off of his wedding band, and he let out a heavy sigh.

Cristina hadn't been thrilled at the idea of him going alone to his brother's wedding, but she made it clear that she was not interested in attending. Cam knew she wanted him to stay home and miss the event altogether -- as evidenced by the passive comments and the ridiculous pouting she did as he loaded his bags into the trunk of his car -- but he couldn't even fathom the thought of missing his brother's wedding. It simply wasn't an option.

He considered taking the ring off for the remainder of the trip, just to get a little breathing room, but then he remembered there would likely be lots of pictures posted to Facebook, and if he took off his ring, he'd never hear the end of it. Maybe then she'd let him go.

He shook his head to clear the thought. As Cristina would say, that wasn't productive for working on a marriage.

The porch light was on as he pulled into the driveway of his parents home, and though it was darker, he could clearly see how little had changed since he was last here. His mother's garden collection of frogs and gnomes lined the flowerbed beneath the bay window. The stone paving stones leading to the front porch were worn down around the edges, and Cam was reminded of the countless hours he and Anna had entertained themselves by hopping from stone to stone without touching the dirt.

Wow. Anna.

He straightened in surprise at the thought of her, bags gripped in both hands as he stared off in the distance towards the direction of where she'd once lived. He didn't even know if she still lived there with her dad now, or if she'd moved on to a place of her own.

He didn't really know anything about Anna's life anymore, he realized, as he slammed the trunk closed. He was ruminating about the idea of calling her as he climbed the front porch steps and pulled the screen door open. He tried the knob, and surprised to find it locked, he gave a couple of soft thuds on the door. It shortly swung open to reveal his mother, a wide smile on her face at the sight of her long-lost son.

His family received him as warmly as they could someone they hardly knew anymore. It was late enough that it was just his parents and brother -- the rest of the family had gone home to do bedtime routines -- but Cam didn't really mind, as the idea of seeing everyone at once after all this time seemed exhausting and overwhelming.

The conversation got off to an awkward start with a lot of questions and apologies for assumptions about the people that they used to be. His parents looked older, and he didn't know why he hadn't expected that to hit so hard, but it made him feel immensely sad to realize that he'd missed so much time. Eventually they settled into a comfortable, quiet lull where he managed to dodge questions about Cristina and explain her absence away. Jesse raised an eyebrow at Cam in question but remained quiet throughout the night, until their parents excused themselves to bed, and the two of them decided to knock back a couple of bottles of beer.

They were two beers deep when Cam looked absently out of the kitchen window and noticed that their childhood treehouse still stood solid in the backyard.

"Holy shit, bro. That's still up?" He asked, interrupting Jesse in the middle of his rundown of the itinerary for the next few days. Jesse turned to see what Cam was looking at and nearly groaned.

"Yeah, but it needs some repairs-"

Cam was already out of the back door and down the steps before Jesse could even finish his sentence. All Jesse could do was follow behind and try to make sure that Cam didn't break his neck trying to climb down from the damn thing.

Cam made it to the platform at the top of the ladder and was just pulling himself up when he heard, rather than felt, the snap of the rung below his right foot. He was sure he looked comical as he scrambled to grab a hold of anything he could to keep himself from falling, but instead, he smacked his head on the edge of the platform on his way down before landing square on his back on the soft grass below.

He broke into a fit of laughter as Jesse rushed over, but he stopped short at the sight of Jesse's face that just screamed yikes. He reached up above his left eye to feel the the wet warmth of blood on his fingers. He swiped at his forehead, trying to wipe the blood away, and winced when he realized that it was likely worse that he had thought.

"It's going to need stitches, isn't it?"

They hadn't bothered to wake their parents and opted instead to go around the house to Jesse's car parked out in front of the house to avoid making a scene. They'd worry about what mom and dad would say tomorrow -- for now, Cam would at least need to get it looked at and probably stitched up by a doctor.

Cam was glad when Jesse didn't make a big deal of coming with him into triage and then into the actual hospital room. As he looked around at all the different notices and signs around the room, he realized that he barely paid attention to these things during most visits. He prefered to stay buried in his phone, since he knew that Cristina was going to do all of the talking for him.

This time, he was on his own, and there was a relief in being able to have this moment for just himself, shitty as it was to have to sit in the ER, waiting to get stitches. His head snapped to the door as soon as he heard the knock, and he barely managed to choke out come in before the door opened and a nurse stepped in.

His breath caught in his throat as soon as he caught sight of the nurse, and all he could do was suddenly laugh out, "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world..."

[honeybearee]

Prom Night

Anna

"If Hanna were here, she'd know how to fix this..." Anna mumbled to herself as she leaned even closer to the mirror where she'd been hopelessly fighting with a particularly stubborn piece of hair.

Though frankly she suspected it was less about the hair, and more about the empty space that grief had left behind - one she had become adept at filling, but big life events felt like an excavator that would storm through and unearth all the things that sent her right back to that moment.

"If mom were here, she'd know how to fix it."

She could just go down the hall, her timid head appearing around the corner of Melody's half open door was not an unfamiliar sight, but hadn't she already taken up so much of their time, their space, their kindness? Mel had actual children to care for, Jesse had his own dance to attend and Cam... Well who could blame him? He'd probably left long ago to go pick up his date. Dad? She had to laugh at that one, the man had buried himself so deeply in his work once Mom died, that Anna often wondered how long it would be before he too worked himself into an early grave.

Anna pushed back from the sink and shook her hands out in front of her, letting a long breath out - just like she'd practiced time and time again, therapist visit after therapist visit. Even then, she scolded herself for the habit, what kind of surgeon found comfort in shaky hands?

The knock on the door startled her, instantly making her wonder how long she'd been hogging the bathroom.

"Sorry, I just couldn't-" she flustered, opening the door while holding the culprit between her fingers And there he was, somehow always exactly where he needed to be.

He leaned on the door frame, his relaxed smile a stark contrast to the way his suit seemed a smidge too tight- a likely attempt on his part to have an excuse to show off the muscles he'd painstakingly carved out for himself the summer before. "you like?" he flexed and Anna suddenly forgot what she'd been so preoccupied with the moment before as she laughed at the way he strutted around her comically in his FAR too bright blue suit.

"You look like a peacock" she managed to chortle as she turned away from the mirror giving him her full attention.

"you're just mad I'm not shaking these tail feathers at ya" he continued, turning around and shaking his ass like some sort of mating call.

"Ewwww" she laughed, playfully swatting at his behind.

It was comfort in the purest form, being with Cam, and as the laughter died down, she quirked her head at him, the sudden realization that he should've been gone by now just now dawning on her.

"i just figured itd be easier if we drove together, you know, in case you needed to make a quick getaway or whatever" he tried to shrug in nonchalance but it just made her look at him in that way she did sometimes, like she was almost trying to gauge if he was real or if she had merely conjured him and his family up after some sort of psychotic break.

"Good idea!" she chirped, again pushing the strand out of her face.

There had been moments throughout the years - but especially when the hormones really started raging - where it felt like Cam was almost too close, and when he was, everything else seemed to become a boring movie you'd seen a thousand times playing off in the distance somewhere.

It was just the two of them.

She must've missed what he said, she often did when he talked to her in that soft tone he seemed to reserve just for her; but she didn't miss the way his eyes seemed to linger a moment too long after securing the piece of hair for her.

"Mom's gonna want pics" he pointed out as he tapped the edge of the door twice on his way out.

"Oh... uh thanks!" She managed to shake out, taking the opportunity to pull herself away from the cool ponds of his eyes, focusing on her reflection in the mirror to avoid the rapid churning of her stomach - surely a reaction to the nerves of the night to come, and not the way she could still feel the tip of his thumb ghosting over the side of her face.

That's exactly the last thing she needed to focus on, especially on a night like tonight.

[honeybearee]

Emotional Motion Sickness

Grief was a boulder tied around your waist, destined to be dragged uphill forever.

At first so dense and all-consuming that every motion was a slog that left your bones achy, as if you were carrying the dead on your very back, parading them along day after day as everyone tried to look around the rotting corpse that hung heavy over her shoulders.

Anna had learned that, over time whether it be through practice or sheer force of will, grief would eventually wither down into a pebble. And while that made it easier to get through each day, it also meant that it was less predictable. She was never quite sure what it was that made it snap against the ground in a new and particularly painful way until it was too late and she'd already been smacked in the skull with it.

Surprisingly lately it had been the pebble that was her Mother. These days she felt like she found her in quick flashes in the mirror, in the freckles of her aging hands, in the way she laughed - even if these days it felt more like hearing a song playing off in the distance somewhere, familiar but difficult to make out clearly. All things that made perfect sense with Jesse's wedding looming ever closer.

The hands of time never stopped moving, Mel and Beau were getting older and she dreaded to think that they'd be gone before she got married or had kids. It was bad enough she hadn't been able to give her Father any of those treasured moments before it was too late - maybe it had been selfish of her to not have simply settled into a life with Max; surely she'd be married with 2 kids running around by now, too preoccupied with a totally different set of problems to be so caught up in the daily slog of simply trying to exist from day to day like some sort of ghost floating from room to room.

Maybe she could just grow up to be the cool older lady on the block who held large holiday festivities for people who had nowhere else to go - figures even in her wildest fantasy she still amounted to someone whose sole purpose was to take care of other people. Was it really so hard to find someone who could both love that part of her personality, while still realizing how desperate she was for a break from it?

Someone who would could lift all the stress with a simple I know you can do it, but let me.

"Hm? Sorry" she smiled apologetically as she moved around in the dress, practicing some goofy dance moves and throwing some finger guns just to make sure the dress sat perfectly right, "I think it's perfect, thank you!" she said, popping off the high heels she'd brought with her, ready to switch back into her regular clothes.

"Knock, knock!" Mel's voiced chimed in its usual singsong way as she poked her head in, "just wanted to see how my girl was doing?"

Anna smiled warmly at her, "I'm great! Dress fits perfectly! I still have some stuff to finish before the luncheon - you don't think Jess will mind if I slip out a little early, right?" she asked, sliding her bag over shoulder.

"You sure you don't need any last minute help? I bet Ca-"

"Oh no, that's okay. I've got it!" she assured the woman, cutting her off as politely as she could, already knowing exactly where she was headed with that line of thinking. Mel had already blown up her phone with texts as soon as she'd heard about the two of them making up. Who could blame her though, as a Mother it made sense that she'd want all her kids getting along - and really what was Anna if not a child that they'd all but adopted, just with less paperwork involved.

Plus there was no way she was about to drag Cam into anything related to a wedding when she could only assume it was already hard enough if him and Cristina really were separating. Had he used that word, or had she just made the assumption based on how he'd phrased it? Either way, it was clear that Cristina and weddings were a raw nerve for him - at least just gauging on the way he seemed so suddenly uncomfortable when he'd stepped foot into her house last - and she wasn't about to press it.

Clearly they both still had a lot to figure out.

----------

Anna to admit she was really proud of what she'd managed to pull together. What had once been the remains of a bridal luncheon bomb that had gone off in her house, had now been transformed meticulously - at least as far as anyone was concerned, but she figured no one would be wandering around into the guest room to dig through all the boxes of crap that she'd have to end up donating.

She always had a habit of doing too much - or at least she'd been told that over the years time and again as if it were some sort of negative. It never really made sense to her, if you cared for someone then weren't you supposed to do things to make them feel seen and cared for.

It felt like most people didn't appreciate how quickly she was willing to fully immerse herself in a new person she'd met who she really liked. It was almost as if she were trying to fast-forward through the awkward getting to know stage and straight into that familiar comfort that came from years of intimately knowing each other. More than that, really, she was looking for the ease that had come so naturally with Cam, even when they were kids it never felt like she had to be anything other than her most authentic self.

Even now, when it had been 3 years of silence, it was still easier with him than it had been with anyone else.

As if on cue, her phone chimed again and she couldn't help but to smile down at it as she typed off another quick reply to him. It was nice to be making plans and laughing again, even if some small part of her still felt like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop - for him to go back and change his mind and disappear all over again.

Thankfully she didn't have much time to dwell on the thought as her door swung open, bringing with it the chaos and chatter that usually accompanied any large gathering of excited women.

It was nice being flooded by so much activity, so many different things happening that she barely had time to do much of anything except float from table to table offering assistance until she eventually relented and sat down long enough to actually participate rather than feel like it was her job to hover.

Popping a completed flower crown on her head, she headed back inside sneaking a quick peek at her phone again, a laugh that was a little too loud broke free from her gut at the stupid meme Cam had just sent her, as she shot off another quick response. She was just about to set the phone down when the familiar voice made her feel like she'd just been caught red-handed,

"Don't you look chipper," Hannah teased, leaning across the counter to study Anna, "that my idiot brother?" she asked, her head dipping toward the phone.

"Be nice! He apologized and we're on good terms..."

"Psht, yeah, what'd he do? Pull the ole grilled cheese move?" Hannah scoffed,

"... Well yeah, but when you say it like that it sounds cheap. It was nice that he remembered, okay? And he apologized and we're fine now, so...

"You don't think - "

"I think," Anna cut her off before she could get any further, "that it's nice to have my friend back after a really long time, and I think that I'd be just as happy if it were you or Jesse who suddenly came back after so long because I think we all make mistakes and deserve the chance to make up for them," she said mostly into the half-empty glass of rosé, the familiar toastiness of the alcohol settling in as she reached for her phone again, "do you think I should ask him to go to the rehearsal dinner with me?" she blurted out, reaching for her phone.

She was just about to add that it was merely an idea of convenience since they lived so close to each other and were going to the same place - why not just take one car and save on gas and mileage and...

it did't get very far before Hannah was already out of her seat, grabbing the phone out of her hands and chucking it on the couch as she dragged Anna back into the party "yeah well I think I'm cutting you off."

----------

"Are you sure you don't need any more help, sweetie?" Mel asked, bringing in the last round of dishes from outside.

"Nope! I'm all set here. You guys get going before it gets any later," she assured the woman. It was clear Hannah had been ready to go for a while by the way she kept glancing at her watch and checking her phone. Anna knew by now that Hannah liked to be home before El's bedtime to tuck him in, and they were already pushing it, especially with still having to drop Mel off.

"Oh hey, don't forget these!" she chased after the woman holding out a bag full of leftovers she'd packed away. She'd spent far too much time and energy on making so many things from scratch only to have to toss them at the end of the night. At least that's what she told herself - that it was a practical decision and not one based on the sheer hope that Cam might come across them and that they would offer him yet another reminder of how nice it really could be to be home again.

Of how nice it could be to let yourself be cared for again.

[honeybearee]

Cam ⇄ Anna

Cam: I'm sorry. I know I've fucked up. Cam: Can we talk?

[honeybearee]

A Flash In The Pan

There was something intoxicating about anger, a heady feeling that though threatened to squeeze the very air out of her lungs made her feel alive for the first time in months. It was almost worth the bitter taste of blood in her mouth from how hard she'd been chewing at the inside of her cheek.

How dare he stand there and pretend like he cared, how could he come home and think that, what, she'd be so pitifully excited to see him again that she would forget how he disappeared? Did he even think of her as a person or as a childhood pet that would settle for a pat on the head to welcome him back eagerly? There had been a long list of things she'd silently forgiven him for over the years -- but complete and total silence when she was about to lose the only other parent she had?

Anna growled, throwing her bag and phone onto the couch - doing her best to ignore the way Barker skidded away from her the moment they'd gotten home.

"Oh yeah great! Awesome. Thanks for that!" she yelled at the poor dog, logic gone as she huffed and pawed at her eyes, irritated that she still wasn't able to get angry without it immediately leading to tears.

The silence of her all too empty house, and her outburst at Barker, teamed up to make that all too familiar feeling of guilt bubble up, and not ready to face it, she swallowed it back like bile.

Desperately seeking an outlet instead, she began to pull cleaning products and toss them onto the island counter of her kitchen, mumbling angrily to herself as she moved frantically around the house until her body finally gave out, landing her on the couch.

Anna wasn't quite sure what time it was when she finally woke up, only that it was dark outside. Puffy-eyed from crying, she quickly sat up, instantly reaching out for Barker to apologize.

The downside to anger - much like alcohol - was the inevitable hangover that came with it. Having completely exhausted herself into sleep, all she felt now was hollow and sad and ashamed. And sick, she realized as she her stomach flipped in the familiar way it always did when she was anxious. She dared a quick glance around, unsurprised to find a bigger mess than there'd originally been.

Who even was she anymore? She dropped her head into her hands, the tears coming easily.

Realizing she had a series of apologies to send out, she forced out a shaky breath, reaching for her phone to find it was full of texts from Mel to even Jesse - who in his usual fashion had sent some stupid meme that made her roll her eyes but at least allowed her shoulders to drop slightly.

It was comforting to know there were still people who could love her at her worst.

After sending out her usual barrage of messages to assure everyone she was fine - a lie she'd told herself so consecutively these days that sometimes she could almost believe it herself - she landed on the one she'd put off the longest.

Anna: I am so sorry about all of that earlier. Not that it's any excuse, but I think I was just really tired. Probably should have called it earlier.

Mel: That is okay sweetheart, no one is upset. Are you doing okay?

Anna: I'm fine. I said my peace, and we can all just move on now. I know you must be so excited to have all your kids back under one roof, and Jesse is getting married! It's going to be a great week!

Anna tossed the phone aside, not wanting to focus on how unconvincing her message had likely read to the closest thing she'd had to a mother - or on the fact that Cam had been the only person who had yet to reach out.

Could she really blame him for that though?

From her perspective she had merely served him a much needed reality check, a reminder that you couldn't pack people away into boxes like dolls you'd outgrown until you were ready to play with them again. And honestly, she would rather them crash headfirst into each other than have to keep doing whatever weird game of chicken they'd been stuck in since he came back - even if that meant having to pick up all the wreckage that came with it.

That didn't mean it hurt any less that he hadn't at the very least attempted to reach out. To mend the bridges he'd burned.

Had she imagined their entire friendship? Had he ever even loved her?

Anna could feel her chest start to tighten again in that uncomfortable way it liked to do at the most inconvenient times. Rubbing her chest and breathing slowly, she reminded herself, it was only a week and he would be gone.

Maybe this time she would finally get the message that it was time to leave the past behind.

[honeybearee]

A Mother's Touch

By the time Cameron found his way back home, the sky had dimmed enough to spark the streetlights to life, and he found no trace of Anna's car. Or Hanna or Jesse's for that matter. He breathed a sigh of relief as he neared the house, slowly climbing the front steps as he was suddenly aware of how heavy and sore his legs felt.

He'd long since worked off the anger and irritation that kept winding itself into his brain, like a fly that kept buzzing around his head. Now, he just felt exhausted and sad, and he desperately wanted to shower and climb into bed, where he could scroll endlessly online until he passed out.

However, once inside, he noticed his mother sitting cross-legged on one end of the couch, a crochet needle in hand as she worked through whatever project she had going currently. He could hardly remember a time when she wasn't crocheting in the evening -- and he'd had countless blankets and winter hats and scarves to prove it.

His father sat quietly at his desk, clacking away at the keys, and Cameron honestly had no clue what he was doing -- only that he was a million miles away and completely oblivious to his son's presence. All the more convenient for his mother, he decided, as she beckoned him to sit next to her on the couch.

"The kettle is still warm, if you want some tea," she offered as he sat down beside her, groaning softly as he did so. She smiled sympathetically as she continued to crochet.

"No, thanks. I'm probably just going to shower and head to bed."

"Well, why don't we talk for a little bit?" Mel asked, trying to keep her tone casual but Cam knew that she was far more invested in this conversation than she wanted to admit. Cameron glanced back at his father, whose gaze remain fixed on the computer screen in front of him, keys clicking rhythmically as he wrote. What on earth was he up to? Nevermind, he thought as he looked back at his mom.

"Yeah, sure. What do you want to talk about?" Cam asked, crossing his arms over his chest. He knew, of course, but he was going to make her ask him.

"Seems like things maybe didn't go so well with you and Anna earlier." Mel said, but she kept her eyes fixed on her project, only glancing up at the TV screen every now and again.

"No, I guess not..." Cam sighed, and he felt overwhelmed all over again. He had gone over it again and again, and he just couldn't make sense of what she had said. He never would have ignored a text from Anna. Never would have left her on read. He could see not taking a call in certain situations -- namely if Cristina was around, if he was being honest with himself -- but not outright ignoring it.

But if she said he had, then he had. Anna wasn't a liar, he knew that much hadn't changed about her.

He wound up circling back to the thought that maybe something was wrong with him. Was he suffering some weird sort of memory loss? Had he just straight up ignored people and not realized it? He had even gone through his messages and phone logs as he walked, trying to find any evidence of what she was saying, but he came up empty.

He felt like he was losing his mind.

Cam sucked in a deep breath and sighed heavily before saying, "Mom, I think I'm going crazy."

Mel's hands stilled, her hook halfway through a stitch, but she set it down in her lap, her place completely forgotten.

"What do you mean?" She asked, eyes narrowed.

"I just mean like. I must be forgetting shit or just. I don't know. Anna said that I've ignored her for years and then suddenly I just want to act like everything is normal, but like. I never really got anything from her after Cristina and I got married. She just. Stopped messaging or calling me... but maybe she did, and I just deleted them and forgot about them?" He settled back into the couch and rested his head on the back, eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. "Maybe I've just hit my head too many times."

"I guess that's one explanation," Mel said slowly, absently picking her hook back up and then placing it back down. "Have you been having other memory issues?"

Cam shook his head slowly from side to side.

"No, not really... I have some trouble focusing, but you know, that's the norm," He smiled as they locked eyes, and Mel nodded, a grim smile on her face. He could vividly remember the way that she'd struggled to get him to sit at the kitchen table and work through his homework, and he felt guilt creep in, thinking about how difficult it must have been to have to try to understand a hyperactive child like he had been.

"So then what are some other ideas you might have?" She asked him as she picked her project back up, examining it closely to try and ascertain where she had left off.

"What do you mean?" Cam asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Like, what are some other explanations you can think of for why this might have happened?" She asked as she expertly dove back into her stitches, crocheting with quick, fluid movements that looked so subtle he didn't know what she actually did to get it to fit together so neatly. He had never been able to sit still long enough to pick it up -- unlike Anna.

"I don't know," He sighed, frustration creeping in as he suddenly felt like he was being led to a rationalization he hadn't yet figured out. He'd done it enough times, guiding his students to the correct answer through thinking out loud. He might as well play along if he had any hope of getting her to say whatever it was she was hinting at. "Maybe she messaged and called me somewhere that's not my phone number?"

"That seems easy enough to check," She answered, nodding her head toward his cellphone. Ah, true, he realized, and he quickly dove into the various apps on his phone, daunted by the sheer amount of "connection" focused apps that really just gave you another place to log in and forget about.

He'd gotten so lost in sorting through the various emails and messenger apps and social media and whatever else he could think of that people liked to use to chat these days that it was finally dark by the time he looked up from his phone. His father paused as he walked back into the living room with a fresh glass of iced tea, eyes locking with Cameron from over his phone.

"Hey kid."

"Hey Pops."

He walked past Cam and sat back down at the computer, keys clicking away once again.

"Did you find anything?" His mother side-eyed him from the end of the couch, and he shook his head at her, sitting up from the slumped position he'd sunken into as he scrolled and swiped through is phone.

"No, nothing... I mean, I guess the phone could have eaten the texts and stuff, but then why would it be working now? We were just texting a couple of days ago, no problem." He asked, brows furrowed in confusion as he tried to puzzle his way through.

"Do you think..." Mel paused, her hands suddenly still as she chewed on her bottom lip, before darting her eyes back to her son, her face apprehensive as she cleared her through before asking, "Is it possible that maybe they were deleted by.... someone that's... not you?"

"What?" Cam asked, cocking his head to look at his mother.

"Does anyone else have access to your phone?" She suggested, trying again to feign nonchalance, but it was the anyone else that suddenly called Cristina's face to Cameron's mind.

"Well, yeah, but-" Cam's tone was immediately defensive.

"I'm not saying anything. I'm just throwing ideas out there." Mel cut in, raising a hand to try and pacify her son before they wound up in an argument, too. Cam let out a heavy breath as he crossed his arms back over his chest, sinking further back into the couch.

"I guess if I... if I'm hypothesizing, then maybe it's possible that," He stopped, suddenly feeling a stab of guilt creep in, but he pushed through, nearly hissing her name as he continued, "Cristina could have deleted them."

"Do you really think she'd do that?" The question fell out of her mouth before she realized how dismissive it must have sounded -- she was just so flabbergasted by the idea, even though she herself had been somewhat pushing him to think in that direction. Cam even uttering the words almost felt like confirmation of what she'd suspected since he'd been home -- this marriage was probably over. "I'm sorry, I just mean that it's such a... mean-spirited thing to do."

Cameron almost burst into laughter at the words mean-spirited because it was such a simple small town and yet devastating way to describe someone -- but maybe also because it really felt like a fitting way to describe who Cristina had become over the course of their marriage.

Mean-spirited.

Could she really have stooped so low as to do something so abhorrent? Of course, he'd have to confront her, and what a horrible terrifying notion to consider. He would just as soon quietly pack his things while she was at work and simply serve her papers from afar. If this was something that she'd actually done, he didn't know if he'd ever even be able to look her in the face again.

"I don't know, Mom," Cam said honestly, pushing himself to his feet. "But thanks. You've given me a lot of stuff to think about. I'm gonna shower and head to bed, though."

He gave her a quick kiss on the top of her head and mumbled goodnight as he dragged himself up the stairs and into a hot shower where he could stand and hopefully not think for a while.

[honeybearee]

May I have this dance?

"Me?" She realized how stupid it sounded the moment it left her lips, but it felt sort of surreal that he'd be asking her this, here... now.

"no, my other best friend standing right behind you" he teased. She spun around in a quick circle and shrugged "Dang! Can't find him, guess you'll have to settle for me" she chuckled. Dropping the napkin she'd been anxiously twisting on the table she grabbed onto his shoulder, too aware of how truly dangerous it would be to take his hand now.

They'd gone to a number of weddings throughout the years, but they were usually a united front, and despite the flirting they would engage in, they knew they'd be leaving together - usually reduced to a bundle of limbs tangled together in laughter.

Not tonight. Tonight he would be leaving a different man - a man she no longer had any sort of claim over.

She huffed out a long breath, determined not to cry now that she'd made it this long, and instead doing her best to imitate the smile he'd come to know so well. Dropping his arm as they reached the dance floor, she did her best to try and put some more distance between them.

"So what's the plan? Are we gonna close out the night with a little Wildcat energy?" she wiggled her eyebrows, starting to go into their usual routine, but as he chuckled at her, his hand caught hers and spun her back into him, his hand grasping hers against his chest.

"...oh" was all she managed to get out before biting down on her lip.

It was unfair, really. Just hours before he was looking at her just like this - a mixture of pure adoration, fear, loss. Did he even remember what he'd said to less than a day ago? Had it even mattered? Clearly not, since here he was, the cold metal of his ring almost searing into her skin.

The conclusion was simple, he must have loved Cristina more than he had ever loved her.

She shook the thought away, doing her best to attempt the comfortable easy smile he usually brought to her lips, her eyes finally dragging away from his, unable to tolerate looking at them much longer; but even then, all she could think about was how warm he felt, that familiar mixture of his cologne and his natural earthy scent making her head spin. It was the sort of moment she would have likely bottled forever, and for a moment she foolishly gave into the fantasy, leaning her head on his chest and closing her eyes, reveling in the comforting sound of the melody she'd found there.

"I'm going to miss you" she let herself sigh out into his chest

"hey" he whispered, his hand cupping her face so she'd have no choice but to look at him "I'm not going anywhere. I mean, yeah honeymoon blah blah blah" he rolled his eyes in a comically sarcastic way "but I'm yours when you want me" he reminded her with so much sincerity she had to wonder if that was something he genuinely believed.

Anna knew better. She wanted to believe that he would always be there. He had always been there. And maybe she had taken advantage of that - of him - for far too long. They were actual adults now, with lives and careers, and in his case a new family he'd be creating and she'd be foolish to believe there was any room for her in his brand new shiny life.

"...yeah" she smiled, "same goes for me you know, name it and I'm there, okay?" she turned his hand to drop a small kiss to his wrist.

Anna had her fair share of goodbyes in her life, but this was one of the hardest so far - maybe because she never thought she'd actually have to let him go - but their song had ended long ago, and now they were just locked in an embrace that was entirely wrong for the setting.

"I, uhm, I think I see Max over there, and we should really get going" she said, more to herself than anything, as she gently pushed herself away from his embrace, though their hand still stayed locked in place.

"I love you, always" she added with a squeeze of his hand as she risked one last hug, her lips landing on the corner of his mouth.

"Goodbye"

[kit-snicket-rps]

[ text; ] QUICK WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL SONG

[TEXT] Anna ➝ Cam:That’s such a loaded question! I mean, can anyone really have a favorite when it comes to such a classic Disney Original Movie masterpiece? Are we talking about the first one? There are three of them Cam?!?!?!!!

[TEXT] Anna ➝ Cam:Assuming you mean the first one, and we’re counting songs that didn’t make it into the movie, then probably I Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You; if not, then you should totally know it’s We’re All in This Together. 

[TEXT] Anna ➝ Cam: Or did you forget all the afternoons I forced us to try and learn the dance in your living room?

[TEXT] Anna ➝ Cam: Wait, why was this the sort of thing you needed quickly? Also, SHAME, SHAME for not knowing that off the top of your head! I am deeply wounded that you couldn’t recall that. 

[TEXT] Anna ➝ Cam: Luckily for you, it’s the kind of wound that can be fixed with pizza (this is your hint that you should buy me pizza if you want to get back in my good graces) and I hope you also know that we will be having said pizza with a side dish of HSM because someone needs to brush up.