Chapter 10: Are We Counting Playboys.

"I can give you examples of things to sniff that can give you better rush than a book," he teased, pulling the book out of her limp hands.

"Wha- hey..." Cam shocked at his boldness. "I- wha- what are you doing in a bookshop?"

"Got lost, thought it was an adult video store. Don't tell anyone I was here, I wouldn't want to ruin my rep," he lowered his voice to a whisper.

Cam went to grab her book back, but he was too quick and pulled it back so it was just out of her grasp. Instead he stepped forwards, reducing the space between them.

"No one ever tell you it was rude to grab?" He asked. Cam was totally thrown off by the close proximity, she was flummoxed, lost for words, he- he had grabbed her book!

"Good book," he said, holding up the copy in his hand.

Cam rolled her eyes, "what was the last book you read?"

"Hm," He pretended to ponder for a moment. Then asked, "are we counting Playboys?"

Cam stared at him blankly. "Hey," he said in a joking defence, "I read it for the articles."

"Don't worry," Cam nodded. "I can totally understand that..."

"You can?" His voice still held that jokey tone.

"Oh yeah, it can be a lonely life when 3D girls fail to find arrogance an attractive quality."

Danny laughed, he loved that response. She was getting all riled up, her eyebrows were drawn together and a cute frown line had appeared.

"Ah Cameron, you wound me and kid yourself, I know you find my arrogance endearing." He was still rather close, and Cameron, book forgotten, could't help but appreciate how beautiful his face was.

Against her own will, of course.

She tried to avoid staring into the beautiful eyes and instead observed his god given cheekbones. Although what she particularly she noticed was his nose, despite being perfect for his face looked slightly crooked as if it had been broken a few times.

A slow grin formed on his face, he knew she had been staring approvingly at  his face. "See my arrogance is founded in my good looks and accomplished set of skills on the football field."

Of course he's a football player, that totally explains the cocky confidence, Cameron thought to herself.

"Is there something you wanted?" She asked (after pulling herself together).

"Yes, now you mention it I was wondering if you could help me find a copy of The Feminine Mystique?" He asked with all the innocence in the world and all the mischief in his eyes.

Cam nodded and started walking slowly round him and into another section of the book store. "Ah, well I suppose I should be applauding your attempt to understand the female psyche maybe then you can move on from your 2D friends."

Danny laughed and followed her, through the store still clutching her book. "Well I find my one liners tend to do the trick with the 3D girls."

"Please tell me you don't go round using lines like 'beautiful name for a beautiful girl'."

Danny didn't reply, his silence obviously meaning yes.

"Oh my-," Cam burst out laughing.

"Tends to work," Danny muttered.

Cam, still laughing, picked up a book off the side and shoved it into Danny's hands. Whilst he was distracted by the second book being placed into his arms, Cameron plucked her book out of his hands.

"Daniel Alexander McCleigh," She said with a straight face, as if testing out his full name name for the first time. "Huh... Beautiful name for a beautiful guy." She said mocking him.

With that Cameron walked away to pay for her book, giggling.

Daniel was smiling, his hearing was rather selective. He decided to ignore the sarcasm in her voice and focus on the fact she just called him beautiful.

He liked her wit and as she walked away, he confirmed to himself, that he liked her arse. He looked down at the book she had placed in his arms, he laughed, it was a copy of the The Feminine Mystique.

Day 9

Cameron sat in her kitchen, tiredly munching on cereal and slurping her orange juice. It was so early, too early to be awake during a summer holiday.

Today was her ninth day of her community service. It felt like she had be doing it for ages, but no, this was only day nine. It still hadn't gotten any easier, the constant questions and answers, she still had no clue what to say. She was winging more than just her eyeliner. Pamela Druckerman would say, "There are no grown ups... Everyone is winging it, some just do it more confidently." Cam didn't exactly posses confidence, but if you pretend to have it, that's a start.

Her thoughts were cut off by thumping coming down the stairs.

Matty, her younger brother, walked in with as much swagger one can have whilst wearing batman pyjamas. "How's it going, Tommy DeVito?"

"It's too early for Scorsese," Cam moaned. "How comes you're up?"

"I have a two week football summer league thing." He glanced at the clock above the stove in the kitchen. "It starts today in like an 30 minutes... Oh shit, I need to get dressed," he said only just registering what time it was.

"Hurry up and I can drive you," Cam offered.

"You're amazing," he said, grabbing the orange juice from her hand and downing it in one. "You wouldn't mind popping some toast in the toaster for me would ya?" He asked, jogging out of the room. "Cheers, sis."

"Oh sure," Cam began muttering to herself. "Anything else I can get you whilst I'm doing your bidding, egg white omelet, pancakes perhaps?"

"What?" Matt called out, already half way up the stairs.

"Nothing," Cam called back. She grabbed some bread and put it into the toaster. "Idiot," she mumbled.