Someone I Used to Know - By Blakney Francis Page 0,19

made me question his sanity. Madeline was borderline psychotic, and he thought it was cute. She stalked me, and he lashed out at me for my lack of helpfulness. I was starting to believe there was something very wrong with Hollywood people.

“Don’t mind me, ankle biter.” His gray irises disappeared behind their lids, just as the same hair stylist I’d seen working on him before began to sculpt his dark, full hair. “Devour away. You won’t even know I’m here.”

My glower was so stout, I was sure he could feel it, even if his eyes were closed.

“I understand the basic initial attraction.” Madeline was never one to beat around the bush as she dove head first into my past. “Cameron was the bad boy, dark and damaged –.”

My laugh stopped her right in her overly passionate tracks.

“Have you met Cam?” I asked incredulously. “He’s the opposite of dark. If anything he’s got some hidden, never-ending light source that constantly powers him forward.”

“That’s impossible. Maybe he just buries all the darkness down really deep, but there is no way that you go through what he’s been through and come out with sunshine shining out your ass.” Her blunt words took no prisoners. “He was an orphan, for God’s sake. Being raised in the foster system alone would be enough to breed some rather large demons.”

I eyed Declan warily. He remained stoic in his position of false sleep, but I knew very well he was listening to every word I said. It made me even more jittery than normal.

“Look…I don’t know. Why is anybody attracted to anybody? He was older, handsome, and he had this carefree way about him, like everything was always going to be okay. I didn’t know the whole story of his past when I met him, but I knew enough to expect him to be a little rough around the edges…I guess I was intrigued by such a contradiction.”

Watching Madeline think when her face was unguarded, was like reading words right off a Jumbotron. There was so much expression in her features, and what it said didn’t speak well for me escaping her claws early today.

“So, that’s it?” It was clear she found my answer unsatisfactory from her tone. “You fell in love with him because you were intrigued by him?”

It had started out that way. I’d been so aware of him every moment after he got to our house. Almost all of our interactions had been in group settings with me, him, and Thomas or the whole family. There was no instant connection or love at first sight. There was just…awareness. Well, on my part. I had no idea if he’d even given me a second thought.

There was only one moment that truly stood out to me when thinking about that first Christmas we’d spent together.

On New Year’s Eve, I’d gone to a party with my friends at a club in Los Angeles. We’d gotten all dressed up, and I’d worn the pair of fire engine red Jimmy Choos I’d gotten for Christmas. I don’t even remember what Thomas and Cam did, probably just hung out with some of Thomas’ old high school buddies.

When I’d gotten back, it had been late, long after midnight. Cam was sitting on the little ledge outside of my brother’s second story window, where Thomas used to sneak out and smoke pot during high school.

“They’re not up there, you know.” My voice was quiet, but it carried up to him easily through the early morning air.

If he was startled by my presence on the ground below his perch, he didn’t show it. He just grinned in the way that showed off his dimples, and quirked an eyebrow up at my statement.

“I was just letting you know, in case you were looking for the stars. The only stars you’ll find here are in Hollywood, and if you ask me, those are overrated. I’d take the real thing any day…My parents, however, seem to enjoy our little life in the big city,” I said, explaining.

“I wasn’t searching for any stars; the ones in the sky or otherwise.”

“Then what are you doing up there?”

“Just…breathing.” He sighed peacefully, but it seemed to me he was trying to inhale the whole world at once. “You’re a dancer, right?”

I carelessly dropped my glittering clutch to the grass, and lifted my leg in a perfect arabesque. It was showing off and answering his question all at the same time.

“I went to a real ballet once. A professional company was