Chapter 7 Maybe I disgust him now

4 years later

Camilla sat in a coffee shop flipping idly through a magazine Ben had handed to her before going to get their order from the counter.

It was a usual routine for Cam. She loved to take coffee almost every morning at Kent's Morning Delight coffee shop.

She and Kent, the owner of the shop who was in his fifties were close, and after noticing that she loved reading magazines whenever she was in his shop, he always gave a new magazine to her whenever she came around every morning… 

But now, Ben, her friend, had taken up the job of providing the magazines for her.

Camilla smiled when Ben came back and placed a sweet looking coffee before her.

"Thanks," she pushed the magazine she was holding to the side and took a slow sip of her coffee. "Kent is always the best"

Ben laughed. "I know right. That's no wonder why you like to come here all the time… you are a sucker for anything good, even coffee"

She chuckled. "Can you blame me for wanting everything good? I told you I was spoiled with everything I wanted… so…"

She trailed off as sadness covered her face. She'd been away from home for four whole years and hadn't returned even during the holidays.

Her parents had been so heartbroken about it. So, instead, they occasionally came to see her in her school. But she refused to see Max the first two times he came to see her… after all, he was the reason she didn't want to return home.

Before, it was anger she had for his refusal to give her what she begged for and wanted… but now, she couldn't think of facing him because she was ashamed of her actions back then….

"Cam? Cam…" Ben called.

She blinked and looked at him.

"What's wrong Cam? Thinking about home again?”

Her fingers tightened around the coffee cup. "I miss home for sure. But I miss Max more. My parents come here to see me but he doesn't."

"You are always dramatic when you talk about your brother Cam. And you said he came to see you in your first year… but you refused to see him"

"But does that mean he shouldn't try again? I was just angry at him then"

"Not just then girl… you were angry with him for more than two years if I can remember… because anytime he calls, you don't pick up… until he eventually stopped calling"

She gave her friend a side eye. "I'm feeling bad already Ben! Are you trying to make me feel worse?"

"Ok ok," he raised his hand in surrender. "I'm not trying to make you feel worse. It's just… you have also never tried to call him. But you also won't stop talking about him"

"Well… I couldn't. I didn't know what to talk to him about!"

"An apology first" Ben shrugged when she eyed him. "I mean.. you have always said you regretted what you did to him back at home. And you were just young and stupid but now you are grown. You should apologize if it weighs on your conscience so much"

Camilla knew Ben was making sense. A whole lot of it. But how could she ever? The thought of calling or seeing Max again was already terrifying enough… apologizing or having a conversation with him seems impossible… how would she even face him

"Cam" Ben said and placed his big hand over hers on the table.

She looked at her friend's encouraging face before a shadow fell on their table.

"Hey guys" Sherry sat down on an empty chair and sighed. "You started without me already I see"

"Late again… as always queen mother" Ben said in his feminine voice and rolled his eyes.

"And you're still complaining about it after four years, Ben? At this point it's basically tradition, you should be used to it by now," Sherry said, dropping her bag on the empty chair.

"Oh please. But speaking of four years… if not for that whole drama you caused over Theo in our first year, none of us would even be friends today" Ben said with a wholesome smile.

"Drama? I was protecting your heart Ben. You should be thanking me till today" Sherry said, smirking. "I was the one who showed you the kind of person Theo was. That guy was running after anybody that gave him attention, boy or girl, he didn't care. And because of me, you saw that for yourself… before you got your heart broken"

"You were just being nosy. You didn't even know me then” 

"but I noticed you. We both did” she pointed at herself and Camilla. “We noticed how you were all over that boy”

“That was you being jealous, Shey. Admit it" 

"Whatever you say Benny love," Sherry taunted. She reached for his coffee and 

took a long sip.

"Hey… leave my coffee out of your mouth."

Cam only shook her head. Her two friends were always at each other's neck… troublesome, but she loved them like that.

"Sherry, let's just have coffee. It's too early for this" Cam said, chuckling. But when was it ever early or late for her friends? They absolutely don't have or need a timestamp on when to be in each other's business.

"Yes Miss Max" Sherry taunted

"Evil witch" Cam cursed, giving Sherry a side eye.

Of course, Sherry always taunted her about Max. Her two friends knew about her story with her brother… but they never judged her… well, aside from the occasional taunt from the evil witch laughing her ass out beside her.

Ben, who was silently laughing, turned to Sherry. "I see you don't need coffee. You came here full and well prepared this morning."

Sherry pouted. "I want coffee pleaseeee"

"Typical" Ben hissed and stood up to go get Sherry her own coffee.

"So what's up babe?" Sherry turned to Cam.

Camilla rubbed her temple. "I'm just thinking about how to face Max when I go back home"

Sherry's smile faded. "You should have listened to my advice and called him all these years"

"I know. I regret not calling as well. Everything will be awkward now"

Ben came back with a fresh cup of coffee for Sherry. She mouthed a 'thank you' to him which he nodded his head to.

"It is not too late to apologize, Cam," Sherry said quietly.

"I know. But it's definitely too late for a phone call now, Shey. Guess I will have to make an apology to his face" Cam said tiredly.

"I'm really scared for you, Cam. What if…" Ben trailed off.

"What if what?" Camilla's heart skipped a beat. The last thing she wanted was to add more tension to the one she was already feeling about everything. But at the same time, she couldn't help but want to hear the 'what ifs and the buts'

"...What if he feels… you know, disgusted and doesn't want to see you again" Ben completed

Her stomach coiled and the coffee suddenly tasted bitter in her mouth.

Sherry nodded. "I agree with Ben. You just have to prepare yourself for every possible outcome"

Camilla stared down at her hands on the table, unable to say a word. Fear and disappointment swallowed her whole. She couldn't imagine that her brother, who once adored the ground she walked on, would be disgusted by her presence.

But whose fault was it? It was all her fault for letting stupid adolescent feelings control her back then. If only he would believe her that it was all in the past when she was young and stupid.

Three days from now is her graduation… and she'd have to face Maxwell again…