Cameron:

"What are you doing?" she asked, staring at me with suspicion.

"Dancing," I simply said in her ear. "Ever heard of it? You move your feet and body to the rhythm of the music."

"You actually defined dancing to me?" Her eyes slitted in boredom.

"I needed a partner for the time being," I told her.

"You can't just drag me to the dance floor like a rag doll," she said, pushing his shoulder "Why are we dancing?"

"Distraction." I'm hiding but I wouldn't admit that.

"Hiding from someone?" She asked. We pulled apart and closed distance again, hand on her lower back and swayed to the music in rhythm.

"This girl," I answered. The girl in question, Megan, was looking for me. We went on two dates last year. She kept going on and on about her pageant days and envisioned our wedding day the entire night. I didn't call her back. I assumed she forgot about me. When she came and cornered me, she wanted to catch up. I tried to get away but she kept talking. Just like on our date. She wouldn't shut up, did not give me room to talk until I used the excuse to go to the bathroom.

"Is this an ex you spurned this girl in the past?" she asked, raising her eyebrow.

"I went on a few dates with her," he said with gritted teeth. "It didn't work out." I clasped my hand on her hers in a cupping motion, looking over her shoulder. "I don't spurn anyone."

"So you're not friends with your exes?" she questioned.

"Are you? I saw you with that guy, you seemed pissed."

"He wasn't an ex." She looked down at her shoes, our steps in rhythm. "I was his tutor. I went on one date, he used me. Like you never used anyone before."

"I don't, whatever I had with my exes is over and they have to deal with it." She needed to stop talking and dance. I spun her around again. She looked adequate tonight, her dress was knee length. For once she had a polite demeanor, if she limited her facial expressions and words she could have a great personality. She tried to lead, I took over easily.

"Stop trying to lead," I said with gritted teeth.

"I can't help it, I'm used to leading," she said. "You don't need me to dance with you."

"You're my last resort." I kept looking over his shoulder. She was nowhere in sight. Perfect. She did have a point, I could ask anyone but I picked her. She's one of the few that didn't want me because my last name was Davis.

"Last resort? I'm not your charity, Cameron." She squinted.

"No... forget it." I flexed my hand and squeezed hers.

"Ow. Dude," she muttered.

"Sorry." I looked up to her eyes, she looked down to her shoes and stepped on mine hard. "Ow."

"Not sorry." She tilted her head and smiled.

"You're not cute."

"Don't call me cute," she responded.

"I didn't call you cute."

"If you want to hide, you could have hid in the bathroom," she suggested.

"I did that already." I shook my head. I heard her sniff and cough.

"I don't know why she wants you. Lay off the cologne next time," she raised her eyebrows,"it's a bit much."

"Says you and your overbearing perfume. What is that, peppermint?" I asked.

"Eucalyptus, it's calming." She told me.

"Oh." Our eyes locked, I glared as much as I could, the middle of her eyebrows wrinkled. I wanted to reach for her to relax, that was her problem. She was tightly wounded.

"What?" She asked again.

"You're wound up."

"I am not!" She stomped on my foot again, I winced in pain and laughed humorously.

I pulled her in again, whipping her around and dipped her to avoid causing a scene.

"Cameron!" The sound of her voice startled me. I dropped Caroline with a thud from Megan's pop up. "Where were you?" Megan asked, her bubbly attitude was high and her eyes bulged out.

"Here," I said.

"Oh, well, we didn't finish our conversation." She took hold of my elbow. I released and grabbed Caroline and snatched her up, clutching her close. She scoffed, trying to push me away. I held on and grinned.

"Who's this?" Megan asked.

"Caroline," she answered with a tight smile. "Hi."

"Hi. Who is she?" She asked, pointing at her.

"I'm"

"My date," I impulsively said. No turning back now.

"Date?" Both of them said at the same time. I saw Caroline's forehead wrinkles deeper than before.

"You didn't tell me you were on a date," Megan said, her voice raising up in outrage.

"You didn't ask." I shrugged. She looked between us when I pulled Caroline closer and snuggled my cheek against hers.

"She doesn't look like your type," she stated, raising an eyebrow and looking at her up and down.

"I'm not, he begged me to come tonight," Caroline's grin made me grit my teeth.

"Yeah, I asked her out because she seemed eager." She glared but she smiled again.

"Aww, aren't you sweet?" She elbowed my stomach and I winced quietly.

"Well, you should save me a dance later on. We didn't finish talking." She emphasized on the word.

"I don't want to leave Caroline's side. Maybe you can find someone else to dance with."

"But I wanted to dance with you," she said with a puppy dog look.

"Not this time. I'll talk to you later."

"Ok! I'll find you later." She kissed my cheek and walked off from the dance floor. Whew, I released Caroline. Good thing that's over. At least she left.

"Date, really?" Caroline narrowed her eyes.

"It was all I could think of for her to leave." I shrugged.

"Do you usually drop your dates on the floor?"

"She startled me," I chuckled.

"Don't throw me in your problems, ok? I have enough issues to deal with." She placed her hands on her hips and shook her head, rubbing her butt and straightening her dress.

"Cameron, I've been looking for you." Father came over us in a casual stride. "Where have you been?"

"I went to the bathroom," I answered, sounding gruff. I cleared my throat.

"And came straight here?" He pointed between us, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes." I rested my arms in front of me.

"That's expected," he said. Expected. Father's word for the situation when I needed an excuse.

"Mr. Davis, hello again." Caroline greeted with a smile and nodded.

His grin was small, he squinted and gave a casual nod, "Caroline. I assume you and Cameron are getting along."

"It's an effort, sir," she said without straining my words.

"They're about to serve dinner. Cameron. I want to meet someone." He gestured his hand for me to follow him. I gulped and followed him.

My anxiety was through the roof. Last night I couldn't sleep. I had three cups of black coffee before the day began and went to the gym for a two hour session to stay awake. My palms were still sweating. Julia and Cameron Sr, my mother and father, arrived promptly at 12. I was ready for them. Half of the night since my parents arrived, dad has been on my neck on finding a purebred girlfriend. An arranged girlfriend for my future wife. He even had a list: possible wives for his son. He wrote down where they were from, details, majors and families. Father's mentality was outdated and controlling. Maybe if I drank enough, my brain would swim out of my head. I sat next to him. He pulled my elbow, pointing to a girl with glasses and brown hair. She was beautiful and had a nice smile. Blue eyes, a purple dress with straps, slender legs and shoulders. Who was this? "This is Beatrice," he introduced.

"Beatrice," I repeated. I held out my hand for a shake. I remembered her from the list: Beatrice Kidman. Family of Kidman Foods. Math major and Science minor.

"Hi! Nice to meet you." Her smile went wide, it probably could crack her face. "Your dad told me you're an engineering major."

"Computer science," I corrected. Dad liked to brag about me but didn't know what I was studying. I was already bored out of my mind when we sat down at the table. The first course, tomato soup, was served to us with a bread roll and dumplings. I didn't make any slurping noises, kept my eyes on the orange and red liquid in a bowl as dad went on and on with whatever he was talking to with Beatrice. The soup was warm, just how I liked it. It distracted me from their conversation.

"Cameron here would love to go to the science museum," Dad said, breaking out of my reverie.

"What? Sorry, I didn't hear that," I said, licking my bottom lip.

"Beatrice here volunteers at the city science museum. She would like for you to come with her for free day visits. Cameron loves science." Dad nudged as a sign for me to ask her out. I looked back to her, and she smiled widely. All of her teeth are shown and most of her gums. She had nice teeth, a great smile. I didn't love science, I was studying technology and apps, not science.

"There's a great exhibit about Albert Einstein," she told me. "From his birth to his death. It's amazing. Even about how he taught himself Algebra."

"Wow. That sounds amazing. I didn't know that," I muttered feigning interest and took a bite of my roll. She nodded and laughed, looking down at her plate and took a bite of her own roll slowly. Dad narrowed his eyes at me and shook his head. He turned to speak to mom next to him. I rolled my eyes and asked for another glass of wine, and the waiter brought the bottle to the table. I drank a large gulp of the liquor when he poured it. I told him to keep it coming. The wine tasted like fresh red grapes. A great upstart from the tequila shots we drank every night for a pregame. I took in another glass. Mom and dad didn't notice that I took his own wine and refilled it from the bottle before he grabbed the glass. I felt looser. This was one of the few times this was needed for the night. I could talk more, engage in conversation with relativity. I laughed at my own joke. I meant relatability. I looked up to Beatrice, she frowned. "You ok?"

"I am. You downed those drinks quickly. Are you nervous? Anxiety?" She whispered.

I gasped, jaw dropped. "How did you know?"

She giggled, "I have it myself. Wine doesn't help me, though. I'm more of a vodka girl." She raised her eyebrows secretly. I smiled, wow. Miss scientist surprised me. She checked both of her sides, pulling out the flask from her purse and shook it with a smirk on her face. She just got hotter. Dad might have a match on his hands, my type of girl. She slid the flask across the table swiftly, I caught it before anyone saw us. I opened it and mixed it with my wine glass, and then took my own sip before taking a large gulp. The swimming in my head was there, which I liked. I could go through the rest of the night feeling like this. The rest of the night, she offered the flask when they stopped serving wine and served seltzers. I generously poured it in my glass and handed it back. I got more loose, loose goose. I liked feeling this way. I should do this more often.