The next week of filming, I didn’t bother coming. Once I found out that they were going back to that tight space in the house and just the surrounding areas, I didn’t find it necessary. James allowed me to wander a bit and, as long as I was back before ten, I could go pretty much wherever I wanted. A morning spent on Sacré Coeur and Mont Martre, an afternoon meandering around the Opéra where I stared at it longingly because I’d have to pay to go in, and an evening just strolling the narrow paths of Paris.

Then a week before my birthday, they wrapped up filming in Paris with a fancy dinner and we were on the train to the Mediterranean the next day. The ride wasn’t more than a couple hours and when we arrived in the early afternoon, the director decided there wouldn’t be any work so once we were all checked into our ridiculously expensive hotel in Cannes, we changed into shorts and tanks with bathing suits in our bags and took off down the streets. I’m not sure where all the others went, but the entirety of the day it was just James and I, plus two lingering bodyguards who I wished would go away. However, I forgot I was in the presence of a celebrity and if anybody tweeted that he was out and about Cannes, there could be a hoard of people. But it was nice to just be the two of us again. I felt like so often we got caught up with everybody else we never were able to have sibling time.

“Excited for your birthday next week?” James asked a little later in the evening when we sat down for dinner. I got crab which was abnormally delicious and James picked away at his oysters. How he could wolf those slimy things down made no sense to me.

“I guess. 18 isn’t that big of a deal, is it?”

“That’s when I started my career.” I always forgot about that. James hadn’t even graduated when we moved out to Los Angeles and he began professionally acting.

“Yeah, I guess so. Any chance someone is on the look out for a photographer with really embarrassing photos of people?”

“That’s called ‘paparazzi’ and if you sell any of your photos of me, I would kill you. You have too many of me either sneezing or yawning or with wet pants.”

“I told you, I’d be a millionaire if I got in that line of work with you as my brother.” James shook his head, trying to look serious, but failing miserably.

“So what do you want for your birthday?” He asked again, cracking open an oyster and stabbing at it with his fork. Yuck.

“Becs and Riley here?” I asked hopefully.

“No way, you can Skype them. Oh right! Mom and Dad are coming on… Thursday, I think.”

“Really? I’ve missed them,” I said and it was true when I thought about it. I’d just been a mite preoccupied with other things to think about them a lot.

“Do they know about Liam?” I glared at him.

“Do you think I’d tell Mom and Dad about Liam? Not a chance, bro.”

“Don’t you think they should know?”

“Weren’t you the one to tell me that I should tell no one?”

“That was when I thought you were going to do something about it.”

“I am!”

“Yeah, sulking. Maybe Mom and Dad could help you out maybe.” James shrugged as if it was that easy.

“Umm… no. I want to deal with him on my own, thank you.”

“Yeah, because you’re doing such a great job of that.”

“Shut up, I’m working on it.”

“Cam, you are literally doing nothing. You’re just waiting.” I glared at him, knowing he was right.

“The last thing I need is people thinking I’m clingy. I just need to let it go. And I’m working on it.”

“What? Conceal, don’t feel, don’t let it show?” I rolled my eyes at his attempt to put Disney lyrics into a serious conversation. I suppose I did that to myself.

“Exactly. And I’m doing a really good job of it, okay? So let’s not mess it up.”

“You’re so exasperating,” he said, shutting his eyes as he sighed dramatically.

“Oh just leave me alone.”

James did so, leaving a disapproving look lingering on his face. I didn’t care though. I just wanted to ignore everything and just enjoy the fact that I was currently in Cannes. The blue beaches, the pretty boats, the beautiful buildings were within my grasp and I was experiencing some of the most magical parts of France. This was not the time for thoughts about dumb boys who I desperately wanted to kiss and punch at the same time. Now was the time to realize that things weren’t as bad as they seemed.

By the time that Thursday rolled around, I had soaked in so much sun, I was beginning to resemble a lobster. What was it like to never tan past a shimmering gold? Trying to recuperate from my burn, I spent the day on the shaded balcony looking over the beaches, trying to recreate the gorgeous mixtures of blues and greens in the water.

“Oh! This is lovely!” I heard from within the suite and my eyes widened. It definitely wasn’t James’ voice. Shutting my sketchbook quietly, I started getting up to inspect when I heard another voice.

“Hun, look at this TV. I can watch the game from here.”

Hold up. I definitely knew that voice.

“Dad? Mom?” I asked, entering the suite and seeing the two of them looking around the space in awe.

“Cammie!” Mom said, rushing across the room and hugging me. “It has been way too long. Why haven’t you called us?”

“Sorry? Paris was… distracting.”

“Hey kiddo!” Dad came, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and kissing me on the head. “Happy early birthday!”

“Thanks Dad. So, I thought you guys weren’t coming until this evening?”

“Where’d you hear that?” Mom asked.

“I’m actually not sure. I just assumed, I guess.”

“You know what happens when you assume!” Mom sang and I rolled my eyes. 

“So are you guys staying in the suite with James and I?” I asked and Mom and Dad looked at each other with a slight grin on their faces. “What?”

“Dad and I will be staying in this suite with James, yes,” Mom said. “Phil. I think we need to give Cam her birthday present.” My heart stopped for a second. I watched Dad smile widely as he made he way out the front door and immediately turn around and say, “Happy Birthday Camille.”

Becca and Riley came bursting through the door as soon as he moved aside, squealing and giggling like crazy.

“Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!” I joined in the screaming, running to them and hugging them.

“Hi!” Becca yelled in my ear, still laughing.

“Hey!” I giggled as Riley hooked her leg under my own, making us all tumble to the ground, giggling and crying.

“This is the best day of my life!” Riley said, squirming on the floor, trying to righten herself as her arm was under Becs and her leg was still under me.

“I love you guys!” I said, looking at my parents who were snapping photos.

“We love you too!” Becca replied and I guess I loved them too.

“Okay, now get off,” I grunted, pushing their sprawled limbs to their sides and got up. They were still giggling.

“Anyway, you three are in the room next door. Cam, here’s your room key. Dad and I are going to go explore,” Mom said, grabbing her purse and sunglasses before heading out the door.

“Behave children,” Dad warned.

“Yes, Mr. Everett,” Becca and Riley chimed obediently.

“Don’t worry Dad. We’re all legal here,” I said and he shot me a look meaning to not joke about that. “Seriously though, don’t worry.” He shrugged and followed Mom out.

“I can’t believe we’re here!” Becca yelled to Riley.

“We’re in France!”

“With Cam!”

“This is the best birthday ever!” I added and they all came in again for a giant hug.

“Okay, grab your stuff so we can actually move in to the other room,” Becca clapped her hands together and I sighed over dramatically as I moved to where my stuff was.

“I still can’t believe you’re here. I haven’t seen you guys in over a year.”

“Seriously, how pathetic is that?” Riley said, flinging some underwear towards my face.

“Hey, gross!” I shrieked and they laughed.

“But real talk, where’s Liam?” Riley said, sitting at the edge of the bed.

“We have to talk about that now?” I asked, suddenly upset again.

“When else are we going to talk about it? When we meet him?” 

That caught my attention.

“Hold up. When exactly do you plan on meeting him?”

“Uh. When we come to set tomorrow, of course,” Becca said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“What do you mean you’re coming to set?”

“James got us guest passes. We only get to come once unfortunately and we told him tomorrow. Oh dude, we’re going to be so jet lagged,” Becca explained. Yeah, like jet lag would be their issue. They were going to be dead.

“No. No no no. You can’t just come to set. I’m not emotionally prepared for this.”

“Why? What’s happened since we last talked?” I groaned which was their signal to plop down on the bed and stare at me intently.

“Can we talk about your lives for once? I know nothing.”

“Well, I’m pregnant and Riley is being deported to Ireland,” Becca said sarcastically.

“I told you, I’m Scottish.”

“Guys, tell me about your lives. Please.” I felt like I was begging.

“No, because you have issues and we need to deal with them before you deal with ours. Besides, ours are no where near this magnitude.

“Where’d I leave off?” I gave in and Becca smiled, knowing she won.

“After you kissed. Last thing that happened was when you were at the Louvre.”

“Okay, so a few days later we went to L’arc de Triomphe…” I began and I could feel their full attentiveness as I began to go through the details of Carson figuring out (which they started screaming again) and Liam continuously bringing up the night in a not so subtle way (which they were flailing all over the floor in bed in frustration). The last thing happening being the wish at Point Zero and they looked like they were about to blow a gasket. 

“He’s the dumbest creature on the planet!” Becca yelled into a pillow, but I still managed to understand.

“I know. And yet here I am with a massive crush on him still, hoping he’ll realize he’s being a butt.”

“Cam. We’re going to talk to him,” Riley assured me and I tensed.

“Nope. You aren’t going to talk to him. I will not allow it. We’re avoiding him at all costs tomorrow,” I told them, but I could just sense that that wasn’t going to happen.

“Oh we’re going to have a nice little chat. Don’t you worry Cammie. Your best friends got your back,” Becca agreed.

“I’m going to kill you guys.”

“Sure you will. Now pack up and let’s put our stuff in the next room. The night is still young! Let’s go party!”

“It’s three in the afternoon…”

“Exactly. I’m wide awake. I slept on the plane ride, I’m completely set for a day of adventure.”

“And you Riley? Are you up for roaming the streets of Cannes?” 

“Oh definitely! You guys don’t realize. I’ve never been out of the country before. This is a big day for me.”

“Well then. Bienvenue à la France,” I said, gesturing widely to the scenery around me. Otherwise known as the suite in our hotel. Oh well.

“Thank you. As for now, I’m going to change into shorts. And then… we be off! Hurry up Cam!”

“Yes master!” Riley and Becca went to the other room to change as I finished stuffing everything in my suitcase and shuffling off to the next room. Sadly, this one wasn’t nearly as nice.

“I’ll be right back, I forgot my sketchpad,” I called to them as they were in the other room, when I heard giggles. That couldn’t be good. “Guys?” I made my way to the room where I saw them flipping through my sketches.

“Oh Cammie, you got it bad,” Becca said, showing me the picture of two people about to kiss that I drew the day immediately after the kiss.

“No!” I shouted, bounding across the room and snatching my book away from their prying hands. “Are you kidding? You can’t go through this! It’s like my diary!”

“It’s not that bad,” Riley began to say. “I mean, your other drawings are gorgeous. The one of the London skyline was really good. You’ve gotten so much better this past year.”

“Thanks Riley. But seriously. Never again. If you want to see my work, ask.” I didn’t mean to snap, but I didn’t care. They weren’t even here for an hour and they were going through my stuff. It’s not like I left out any details with them! Why did they need to go through my book?

“We’re sorry. We just wanted to see your work. We didn’t know there was going to be personal stuff.”

“Art is personal. I’m sorry I’m getting angry, but guys. Please never do that again.”

“Okay. We won’t unless you want to show us,” Becca agreed and I nodded shortly.

“Good. Now let’s head out. I want to show you this cool store that I found the other day.” The tense feeling immediately dissipated as we grabbed our things and headed out the door. 

We were finally together again and when I saw them walking alongside me in the streets of Cannes, I couldn’t help but smile like a fool. My best friends were here. They were helping me forget my problems. Becs noticed me staring at them, raising a curious eyebrow.

“I just really love you guys.”

“We love you too?” They meant to return the sentiment, but it came off as a question.

“I’m glad. Let’s go get gelato.” They laughed at my weirdness and I felt myself becoming more and more lighthearted.

This really was going to be the best birthday ever.

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

Ugh, are apologies even appropriate right now? I've been so terrible lately, not just with Wattpad. Remember school and church come first, so if I don't get the chance to update in, oh I don't know, a MONTH, remember that I am slowly but surely working on it.

BUT ANYWAY.

BEST FRIENDS ARE HERE. YAY. I AM SO HAPPY FOR CAM. Yeah, the whole Liam thing is still kinda sucky, but it's gonna be okay. I promise you!

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Stay classy my lovelies,

-Kate