Douchebag

CAMILLA
~•~
"Highway to hell!"
"Highway to hell!"
I turned to Freddie and chuckled, leaning against the window slide of his Toyota Camry. He had bis dark shades on, a blue and white floral patterned shirt and grey Nike shorts. The man was a sucker for all things Nike, and Vans too.
California's breeze swept past my face. My hair would have flown with it like the girls in the movies do, but it was wrapped in a tight pony tail above my head. And Freddie, helped me do my edges. Yes. My best friend was weird.
He was singing - no, pardon me - screaming along to the song blasting from his stereo. I twirled my beaded bracelet around my left wrist as I turned back to him.
"Highway to hell!"
"I'm pretty sure that's not what the song says." I cut in. He looked away from the road and locked eyes with me.
"Bitch I know this lyrics like I know you." I watched with amusement as he stretched his right hand towards me, showing me his palm.
"Like the back of the palm."
I scoffed and looked away.
"You don't know me that much Freddie. Don't give yourself too much credit." I teased him, chuckling afterwards.
As usual, dramatic Freddie took off his shades and turned down the volume of the stereo - thank you sweet baby Jesus - to speak to me.
"Milla, I swear to God, I would stop this car right in the middle of the road and school you about the history of your life!"
I threw my head back, in laughter, before I reached out to his shades on top of the dashboard. He turned to me and watched as I put them on.
"Those cost two hundred dollars Camilla."
"Why are you telling me?"
"I'm just saying, be wise."
Oh! I know what he meant alright. I shook my head and laughed out loud again.
I had returned from work early, after what happened to Ivan. To my greatest surprise, I found Freddie home. The human said he took a day off, just to welcome my crying ass when I was back. Or to be able to leave quickly if I called from the station.
I had found it funny anyway.
I settled down at told him all that had happened, so, he insisted we drove to the beach to cool off, bond as best friends and have a good time together.
So, we were on our way to the beach for our first ever picnic since this year.
Alas, there we were!
He stopped the car in the parking lot and we alighted.
I stood straight in front of the car and examined my image from the window. My white shorts were still white, and my green sleeveless crop top was just above it.
I heard the sound of the trunk close and Freddie approached me with two baskets in both his hands.
"Camilla Theodore, are you ready to have fun?"
"You bet!" I screamed at the top of my voice, my hands up in the air.
"Last one to get to the shore is an octopus!"
I heard him cry out. Before I knew it, he took off and dashed on his feet with speed.
I stood for a while and watched him with amusement.
"You're not twelve Freddie!" I called after him.
"You'll understand when I label you an octopus for the rest of the day!" He called back, without turning to me.
I chuckled and picked my speed, running behind him. What was with best friends and stressing the hell out of you?
He arrived at the shore before me and placed our baskets somewhere away from the ocean.
I got to the spot less than one minute after him, sticky with sweat and panting for my life.
He glanced at me, before turning to the basket to spread our beach mats on the ground.
"I don't care what you say or do Camilla, you're an octopus for the rest of the day." He spat out, and I chuckled.
Once he spread the first one, I crumbled to my knees and slipped into it, stretching my back against it. He glared at me, before he moved to lay the second one.
"You really make me do all the work in your life, don't you?"
I turned to him with a teasing smile.
"And you love me too much to do otherwise, don't you?"
He opened his mouth to mimick me, but ended up spitting gibberish.
I turned my head away from him as I laughed. I had been laughing so much since we began our journey, my head was starting to ache, my belly burnt and my cheeks felt as though they would tear info two parts.
That was one thing I loved about my best friend - his ability to make all my problems in the world just go away.
I watched him unfasten the buttons of his shirt. He pulled it from his shoulders and threw it into the basket. His chocolate dark skin was on full display, as well as his well and outlined chiseled abs, visible, even to the blind. His collar bones and waistline were any woman's weakness, and he had barely gone three minutes without the shirt when sounds of "ooohh" and "ahhhh" and even soft moans, erupted from around us.
He called it, the Turner effect.
"All these women around are probably shooting me daggers in their minds now." I spoke, as I turned to him.
He met my statement with a chuckle.
"You can't blame them, this D is to die for."
I feigned a frown.
"That's disgusting Freddie!"
"Oh shut up!"
We both laughed simultaneously.
"Just enjoy the beach Camilla, you never know what happens next."
In that moment, I chose to rise from my mat. His eyes followed me, until I stood beside him.
"Theodore Camilla, what are you doing?" He asked me the question in the same manner a mother would ask a child she must caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar.
"I'm going for a swim!"
"In the ocean?!"
"Come on Fredrick Turner! Let's give these ladies a show!"
He sent me a glare, to which I paid no mind. I stretched out my hands to him and he kissed his teeth and took them. I didn't exactly pull him up because I didn't have the body mass to do so, but he sprang up and we ran hand and hand to the large body of water.
I loved the beach for two reasons; the sun, and the water. My legs touched the water first, and I turned to him, laughter sparkling in my eyes. I ran further into the ocean until he could only see my shoulders.
"You are crazy Camilla!"
"How do you think we are friends? Come on!" I beckoned on him. I watched him laugh as he ran into the water after me. He stopped in front of me and wrapped his arms around my waist, tickling both sides of my ribs.
"Freddie!" I cried out, hopelessly laughing. More cause I could not stop with his fingers on my skin, than anything else.
"You wanted trouble yeah? Here it comes!"
"Freddie! Stop!"
I forced my way out of his arm and docked into the water, burying my head underneath. He followed me behind, seized my waist and pulled my head back above water.
We continued to laugh and play, free of all the worries for the day. We left the ocean after a few more minutes of swimming and laughing in each other's arms. We trekked the journey around the beach, sipping coconut milk and pineapple juice. We played games, built sandcastles, and every other fun thing we could think of.
When the sky above us got dark, we knew it was time to leave.
I searched for my phone in the basket I held, as we walked back to the car. I found it and clicked my home button.
"Shit!" I cried out. Freddie narrowed his eyes as he turned to me.
"What's wrong?"
I stared at my screen, blankly. It was three missed calls from mister Holloway.
"How did he…?"
"Camilla?"
I ignored Freddie and moved faster, towards the car. I settled my damp body into the passengers seat and dialed the number on my screen.
"Miss Camilla?"
My heart skipped ten beats at once.
His voice…this man's voice had won the ability to set my body and mind ablaze. I did not know how, neither did I know when.
"Mister Ivan, I'm sorry I missed your call. I was…"
"No explanations miss Camilla, I doubt I am interested."
While gushing about his voice, let's not forget the one obvious fact that should be staring us in our faces; HE WAS A COMPLETE DOUCHEBAG.
"I was only calling to propose a new arrangement. I decided that I would take your offer, but on one condition."
I visibly frowned. Beside me, Freddie opened the door of the driver's seat and slipped into the car.
"I'm listening, sir."
"Good, you should. Well, here it is. You would work for me, but you would have to live here, with me, throughout your period of work."
My jaw dropped, my mouth remained ajar.
Was he out of his mind?
"Miss Camilla?"
"Mister Ivan…I…I can't…"
"Your job depends on this. You either show up at my door with your luggage, or don't show up at all. And I mean it this time."
Before I could speak, the line went dead.
"Fucking hell!" I groaned, throwing my phone into to the backseat, I heard it land on the chair and my blood pressure instantly reduced.
Freddie continued to stare at me.
"What's wrong Milla?"